by C. Louis S.
Randall was standing near the window. He was laughing with Kaz Warwick. Leon’s blood boiled. His face grew hot. His mind clouded with anger. Dark energy pumped in his veins.
“You promised me!” Leon yelled at Kaz.
“What do you mean—”
“You promised me that he wouldn’t be on the Junior Firebolts!”
Randall was going to join the Junior Firebolts and steal the spotlight from Leon. Everyone is going to think he is just as good as I am, but I’m special. I was going to be the first one to ever be a Junior Firebolt. Not us together.
“You said I was special. You said I was amazing.”
“You are, boy. You’re both special.”
Leon’s world was crumbling around him. How could Kaz do this to me? I have to stop him.
“He told me you were friends. Why wouldn’t you want to be on the Firebolts together? I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement,” Kaz said, a smile curled on his lips.
“We’re not friends! He betrayed me and now he’s doing it again. This was my chance. I was going to show the world that I am special. Both of you betrayed me!”
“Leon, I didn’t know,” Randall said.
Leon’s body began shaking. Tears welled in his eyes and his teeth grinded together. His eyes focused on Randall and without thinking, he charged.
He ran straight into Randall with all the strength he could muster and rammed him towards the glass window behind them. Leon feared they would break the glass, cutting themselves up, so he pushed hard on it with his mind. It shattered outward just in time for them to fall through the window unharmed.
They hurled towards the upper deck of the practice field below. What did I just do? Does Randall know how to fly yet? If not, he’s really in trouble. Maybe this is for the best. A few serious injuries will get him off the roster. Permanently.
Leon let go of Randall and slowly floated down toward the upper deck. He watched Randall fall. It didn’t look like he could fly. Leon quickly suppressed the guilt for hurting him. He deserves it.
Instead of landing, Randall disappeared and apparated just above Leon. As he fell, he grabbed Leon around the neck. It pulled Leon down quickly, but he regained control and slowed their descent to a safe level.
“Nice try, but you’re going to have to fly,” said Leon. He teleported away and let Randall continue to fall. Randall apparated again like last time, but before he could grab onto Leon’s shoulders, Leon teleported away.
Leon apparated just above the ground on the upper deck and stopped his momentum enough to land. He watched Randall with anticipation, but his crash landing never came. Instead of crashing into the ground, he hovered a few feet above it, glaring at Leon.
“So you can fly,” said Leon.
“Just learned,” said Randall with a shaky voice. He was breathing heavily and sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Clever,” said Leon.
“Leon, you’ve gone mad. The Dark Void has control of you.”
“The Dark Void? Have you been talking to Micaela? You don’t know what it’s doing to me. I’m more powerful than ever.”
Dark energy surged into him and he felt his muscles tighten. It gave him strength and even more power.
“It’s consuming you, Leon. You’ve changed. You’re not right.”
“No! What isn’t right is that you’re here. I’m the one who’s special. I belong on the Junior Firebolts. So get out of here!”
Leon’s rage turned into a green ball in his hands and he flung it at Randall with everything inside him. Randall dodged it easily, but Leon threw another and another.
He was floating in the air now, throwing anything that he could at Randall. Randall began flying upward, away from Leon. Leon apparated so that he was above Randall and pushed him downward with his mindbending.
Randall teleported away. Leon turned to his right and saw him on the other side of the field, flying towards the ceiling. He was going fast like he was trying to ram it. Is he going to try to bust through it? He’s crazy. It’s too thick. He’ll bounce off or kill himself.
Leon almost couldn’t watch as Randall crashed into the ceiling. Wait, where did he go? Leon couldn’t see him anywhere. He teleported. That back stabber teleported out of the building and now he’s getting away from me.
Leon jumped and rocketed toward the ceiling. He tried to guess how thick the ceiling was, but he wasn’t sure. I’ll just have to teleport as far as I can upward. He neared the ceiling and pushed himself faster. He teleported just before impact, trying to imagine apparating in the sky above the building.
It worked. He was in the sky high above the building. He looked towards home and saw a small figure flying away. Randall.
Leon teleported as far as he could towards Randall and then flew as fast as he could, teleporting to catch up. When he was close enough, he started throwing green balls of rage at him. It slowed him down, but he kept teleporting to stay within range.
Randall bobbed and weaved to try to evade, but he wasn’t very graceful in the air. He teleported here and there, but Leon stayed close. Green balls weren’t enough. He needed something with more kick. He needed something that would actually stun him or stop him.
Leon imagined some sort of bazooka that fired a net and it appeared on his shoulder. He aimed a green net at Randall, but missed. Randall teleported. Leon followed. Randall evaded by slowing down so that Leon passed him. Leon turned and fired. Another miss. Randall sped up and did a barrel roll. Leon fired. Missed.
“Stop,” Randall shouted.
“No”
“This is crazy, Leon. You’re hunting me like an animal.”
“You stabbed me in the back like a hunter.”
“Listen. Micaela told me you’re learning about the True Light too. I know you know the truth. Dark energy is the Dark Void. Kaz Warwick is not a good man. Don’t join the Junior Firebolts.”
“Why? So you can take my place? No way.”
Leon threw a green table at Randall. It wasn’t the best weapon, but it was the first thing that came to mind. Randall apparated above Leon.
“You know this is true, Leon. I know you know it. Remember how I’ve always tried to be like The Avalon. Here’s my chance. I’m going to follow him. You should too.”
“True Light is weak. And I won’t be weak ever again. You made me this way. When you almost killed me with your new friends, you made me realize that I will never stop until I am more powerful than you and your army of rejects. I will be like Kaz Warwick himself. I belong with him.”
“I’m sorry, Leon. I’m so sorry. I’ve thought about that night every minute of every day. I’m sorry for what we did to you. It’s what made me change. I wasn’t like The Avalon that night. I was weak and scared. But from now on, I’m going to do what The Avalon would do.”
“I don’t believe you,” Leon spat.
He’s just saying that so he can take my place on the Junior Firebolts. He wants me to be weak so he’ll be the only special one on the new team. I won’t buy it. I will show the world who is the special one.
Leon threw a piano and then a car towards Randall. He barely dodged them. They were nearing Bethel. Leon didn’t have much time, but Randall was getting sluggish and tired. Leon was sweating and breathing heavily as well, but he knew he could out last Randall.
He flew faster. He got close to Randall. He could almost grab his ankles. Randall teleported away. Leon followed. Randall flew faster. Leon apparated in front of Randall, but Randall flew downward and avoided his grasp.
“You won’t get away from me. I won’t stop until I get you.”
Leon could see the fear in Randall’s eyes, the panic. He knew what was coming and he knew it was only a matter of time.
As they approached the town, Randall dove downward. Leon pursued. He pushed himself hard and grabbed Randall’s ankle.
“I have you now.”
Randall kicked free and then teleported away. Leon looked around, but couldn’t see where he had apparated. He l
ooked above him and to his sides frantically.
Where did he go? Did he teleport into town? Where is he?
They were above the park. Leon remembered their favorite spot near the large tree and flew towards it. He teleported and flew until he was hovering near it. He floated around it to see all sides. No sign of Randall. He looked all around him and listened for any sound.
Randall had escaped.
“No!” he screamed. “I had you, Randall. You’re a coward.”
chapter 21
Troubles at Home