"Incoming," Ludwig said as several fire projectiles were sent their way, it looked like fire arrows at first, but the closer they got, the bigger they became. The first streak arrived as a hiss through dry air, the second as a thrum that shivered the rigging, the rest as a flock of burning seeds falling out of a moonless patch of cloud. Heat licked the face before the light reached it. The smell of pitch and something chemical rode the wind a half breath ahead of the flames.
Without wasting a second, Ludwig swung his left arm, the Soul Chain rocked forward like a snake angered, whipping at all projectiles in the skies, blowing them up and for a brief second, lighting his face to his enemies. The chain cracked, bit, and snapped back with a metallic hunger. Shards of burning clay wheeled away into the dunes and died with short coughing pops, scattering embers that smoldered in little rings and then sank under drifting sand.
