Ignition in the Sparks

A sudden rumble shuddered beneath my chassis. I felt weight press down into my tires, gripping the coarse edge of the broken tarmac. Behind me, heat flared against a rough brick arch, scattering bright sparks into the dark. I didn't flinch. I cut my front beams through the drifting embers, tilted slightly forward, and tested my front wheels against a loose fragment of stone. It gave way, clicking faintly as it fell. The heat held steady. I locked my suspension and remained on guard.

1 Nauk