The woman's laughter echoed through the rain, sharp and triumphant as she watched Jack's body burn.
Flames consumed him, charring flesh and clothing while smoke rose from the destruction.
"Too easy!" she crowed, already turning away to call out to her companion. "Warren, I told you! The Soul Warden is nothing! Just another soul mage who thought..."
"Are you done playing around?"
Jack's voice cut through her celebration, calm and unbothered despite the fire still consuming his shoulder.
The woman's laughter died instantly. She spun back toward him, her amber eyes widening as she saw golden light gleaming through the flames.
Not the dulled gaze of someone dying, but sharp, focused eyes that stared through her soul.
The fire surrounding Jack's body cut off abruptly, as if someone had thrown a switch.
Smoke cleared to reveal him still sitting against the oak tree, his posture relaxed despite what should have been catastrophic damage.
But he wasn't burned.
