His body continued to sweat, dripping off him and evaporating into the air. I felt the heat radiating off him, even his necklace was beginning to melt under the pressure of his body.
“Come with me,” I said grabbing his hand, his flesh searing into mine, almost unbearable. Pulling him to the balcony, our hands still clasped. Looking over the rail at the trees, and floating mountains below. It was a long way to drop, the night air blowing off him, his hair tossing in the wind.
“I want you to jump with me. Trust me Simone, just come with me,” I asked again, pulling him with me to the rail. My wings exploding from my back.
“I can’t, I don’t have wings like you,” He said looking worried, his eyes burning now, the red overpowering the pink glow inside him. Looking into his eyes I could see his heart cracking, breaking, something was destroying him.
“Just do it. Trust me,” I finished pulling him over the balcony as I leap into the air, my beautiful white wings flapping, I sore through the air.
Simone screams, flayling in the air as he drops to the sky, his face terrified. As he falls between the tree, passing the mountains, his face brightens, his hands burn red. “Kade, why?” he asked screaming at me, his voice echoing off the mountains. Rippling through the air.
I faced down towards him, his wings should have erupted by now. I barrel roll in the air, my wings tucking close to my body as I free fall towards him, spinning faster and faster. The sight of him falling getting closer, rolling and rolling in the air. I fall with him, staring at the scared boy, yet powerful dragon hidden inside.
“Something is killing you,” I begin talking trying to get his to understand.
“Yes, you are killing me. Why?” he screams to me, his face hardening as we free fall towards the now present ground.
“Simone, listen to me. Something inside you is killing you, let him out. We are safe in my realm,” I said now yelling at him. “If you don’t let him out, we will both die, we will both slam into the ground killing us both,” screaming at him now.
“I can’t!” screaming back at me,
“You can,” yelling right back,
“I can’t Kade, I just can’t,” he yelled, his tears falling slower than him.
“Inferno, show yourself!” I screamed, the wind picking up throwing him closer, faster to the ground. I flapped my wings, laying them flat against me, less resistance, speeding towards the ground.
I continued to scream his name, “Inferno, Inferno, Inferno,” his anger pulsed, his heat exploded, throwing me against a drifting mountain. With a loud slam and a dust cloud I lifted myself off the mountain, taking into the air again.
Looking down towards where Simone was, smoke seemed to billow. A storm of fire and air swirled in the air fighting for supremecy. Seconds passed, I stared into the cloud, worried I really did kill Simone, the cloud not moving or changing, just the flames growing.
A few moments later a bright red light shot out of the cloud, spinning rapidly as it sored into the air. Large red wings wrapping around something as it sped past me into the sky higher and higher.
I forced my wings to flap harder, and harder, shooting into the sky after it. Catching up to it a tail emerged from the wings. Not a huge tail, it seemed more like an aid to the wings, to steer. Its speed started to decrease, as the wings opened slightly a deep rumbling roar let out. Simone’s face changed, reptile like, his nose gone with two slits where the nostrils would have been.
Looking at me he roared, his eyes flashed red, deeper and deeper. His face angering, as his mouth opened flames and smoke escaped, his body arched in the air as if in hailing a breath.
Turning around, I needed to get away, something was wrong! Something was terribly wrong with Simone. Flapping as hard as I could, I needed to get away. Fire balls flew past me, slamming into the trees, the mountains. Boulders exploded from them falling to the ground below. I turned my head to see him following me, to see him chasing me, still spitting fireballs like a dragon at me.
Trying to gain height on him, I sored up, and up, getting distance when I felt a searing pain in my left wing. It was a lite, a fire ball hit my wing, scorching the tips. This was not what I had in mind when I tried to wake Inferno. My mind racing with what was going on, what had I done. In all my memories I don’t remember him ever being like this and attacking anyone.
My wing healing from the burn didn’t take long but I took a freefall speeding past him as he continued to fire attack after attack. There was a field not to far away from the palace we, the opening the other realms. If I could get Inferno close enough to his realm I could push him in through, maybe time in his world would help him to remember.
Dodging his attacks, the trees, and mountains; the ground flashing past, something strange caught my eye. Just narrowly dodging an attack I turned and headed for the ground, nothing in my realm was ever red, red wasn’t a color that my realm contained, I had made it that way.
Getting closer, the ground was smeared with red. Taking a deep breath in, it was blood, the ground was smeared with blood. But how? Who’s could it be? And then searing pain shot through the back of my wings as I began to fall to the ground, faster and faster. My body hit the ground in a large dust cloud, as I dragged across the ground leaving a trail behind me, tumbling over and over. My wings badly burned, I felt every feather screaming out in pain. Digging my hands into the now softened dirt I propped myself up.
The horror, I was not prepared for.
Chapter 12
Burning
Were-boars broken into pieces, their heads feet from their bodies. My guards on spikes, their wings ripped right off. Their armor pierced and full of holes. The carnage was huge, the field full of flowers and beautiful singing birds now full of blood red stains and dead bodies. It finally hit me, Hecate, my guardian never returned to tell me she had made it out safe.
The ground next to my hand lit up in flames, forgetting Inferno was still chasing me. Getting to my feet, running towards the realm portals. The left was Bluedrya, the right Aquaria, if I kept going Inferno; running through the bodies scattered around the ground. Leaping over them getting to the portal.
“Ignis” flashed in crimson red across the portal as I leapt through.
The realm was hotter than I remembered, almost as if it was dying. The sky colored red in hue, flames bursting from the ground. The rocks a dark red and black hue as if volcanic.
My body began sweating, my wings not healing. Flames shot up between my fingers burning my hand. The searing pain was more than my body could take. Here I was healing, the heat was more than my body could take.
With a loud crackling sound, almost as if thousands of glasses were shattering the portal ripped open. Cracking at its seems, Inferno lunged through, wings scrapping the edge of the portal. Cracking it infinitesimally, the portal magic stretched beyond its point. He continued to squeeze through, pushing himself though farther and farther, the magic shattering as he fell to the ground.
The ground below breaking up, shattering with his weight. The bright color of molten lava shining through the cracks. I stumbled to me feet, his eyes darting from me to the ground, to me again. His eyes full of worry, and terror, this was not the same creature from before, something changed, maybe his realm caused the shift?
The ground continued to break, pieces falling through. He tried to get to his feet, but not used to the weight of his wings he tripped, shattering the ground below him. He began to free fall towards the molten lava. Free falling he managed a scream, “Zephyr, please,” his voice drifting away as he continued to fall deeper and deeper. The heat exploding around me.
I leapt into the air, my damaged and burned wings, searing in pain, but they continued to hold me. Hovering above the crater of a hole, I could see his massive wings dropping farther and farther. Hearing his voice still scream at me for help. Using as much power as I could summon; he rose again through the air. Feeling my body weaken, my powers draining. Even my wings wer
e failing me.
My body falling in the air, I could save him or me. I finally felt the prickling sensation against my face again, my hands glowing green with power. I took a deep breath and with one final motion and the last of my energy I tossed Simone into the air, throwing him out of the hole. My wings gave out just as he launched out of the pit. My body slammed into the ground bouncing off the edge of the pit. Using my hands as best I could to grab the rocks I managed to steady myself but I was weak, I could feel the blood rush from my fingers, loosening off the rock ledge.
“Kade,” Simone yelled, running towards the pit, hearing his voice echo off the rocks. “Kade, hold on, I’m going to go get help. I’m so sorry,” He said as the echo drifted away, he was getting farther and farther from me. My hands weakening, my fingers peeling back letting the stones go. I could feel myself falling. Trying to get my wings moving but nothing, they had retracted. They too felt the drain.
“Simone, help,” I said, my voice quiet, heavy between breaths. My chest pointing, my head throbbed in pain, my powers were working overtime to keep my body temperature regulated, they couldn’t do anymore than that. The sweat dripped off my body, my body shook with heat, wave after wave hitting me. My body couldn’t take it anymore. As the last of my fingers released the rocks, I felt myself fall, my eyes rolled back in my head. I knew this was the end for me, we were immortal, but we still could be killed. The heat burning up my body, the pressure of the air below, I felt my power give up helping my body. Focusing itself on the lava, my powers working overtime, pushing themselves to their limits. Trying to cool the lava, or keep my body alive.
Forcing myself to look up one more time, I took a deep breath, the heat burning my lungs and throat. The dry of the air around me, the burning of my skin, painful in its least. I managed to look up, still heavily breathing, my chest felt the burn as it rose and fell. A familiar face dotted the pit, then another and another.
The sounds of their voices echoed again off the walls but the bubbling heat, the air forcing my body upwards made it impossible to hear. The feeling of those I loved helped the burning, but it was definitely not saving me. Hovering over the lava, my powers gave out, dropping me the last fifty feet straight into the molten rock, bubbling and bursting. The pure heat searing and melting my skin as I fell. Watching hands jetting out from the pit, covering the lava before I slammed into it. Steam erupted from behind me, as the rocks continued to be piled closed moving me up, farther and farther. The pit closing completely.
“You must be Kade,” A tall red headed woman said, out stretching her hand. I didn’t take it she wanted to shake my hand but merely help me up. My body burned worse than I thought possible, every twitch I made, my skin felt as if it was tight and charred. My face wincing in pain each time, trying not to look at them. This is the first time I truly feel weak, I don’t like them looking at me.
Desmond sitting at my side trying to hold me, but I keep pushing him away. This was not what I wanted, this was not supposed to happen. Each time his hand wrapped around my body, I painfully twitched and forced him away. The look of hurt and pain in his eyes was un believable, almost unbearable, but I had too. I couldn’t feel weak and still have him see me like this.
“Kade, friend; are you okay?” The red head asked again, looking at me. My eyes focusing on her, it was Katterina, Bluedrya. She saved me, but how? She hadn’t been awakened yet, or rather when had she been awakened?
“I… I…” trying to speak hurt, my voice so horse and sore. Dry from the heat.
“Please don’t speak,” Desmond said, lifting his hands above me.
The strange sensation of my body floating in the air without my powers doing the work; made me feel off. Desmond kept pace with me, his hands never leaving my sight. His powers kept me moving, and kept me stationary as to not hurt.
“I…” trying to speak still hurt, I wanted to get this out. My throat so dry it felt like there were flames deep inside. Looking him in the eyes, I needed to say what I wanted, he needed to know how I felt.
Shaking his head, his eyes glowing bright purple. The elegant purple of his magic swirling around his hands, showing off the aura of his element. His lips parted, as if to speak to me. “I love you too,” he mouthed silently, his face softening with a look of sadness. Not sadness for what happened but sadness he couldn’t do anything for me.
“Lets get him to aquaria, the heat is to much for him here,” Piper said, her voice shaking in sadness.
Laying, staring into the sky above my mind wandered. Still concerned about my realm, what happened at the portals. Closing my eyes I let the sounds of the realm echo, the hissing of the air burning around us. The heat still stinging my body. Before I could realize I was out, I couldn’t open my eyes, I couldn’t move, I was out or what I thought was out.
Chapter 13
Quart
“Why are you doing this to me?” I yelled, feeling Steven kick me again, and again. Laying on my side, his foot striking me repeatedly in my stomach. I could feel the bun I had for lunch coming back up, the burning bile in my throat. My bruises from yesterdays beating still stinging, my back still healing and scabbed from last weeks brass knuckles ripping into my skin.
“You’re a little faggot, you need to be dealt with like one,” Steven said, his friends laughing at me as his relentless kicking did not stop.
Out of no where something slammed into my back, I could feel the scabs rip open. Another shot to my back, the pain getting worse.
Steven wound up one more time, my eyes squeezing shut in horror of how much it was going to hurt. As the tip of the shoe hit my rib it snapped, my stomach giving up finally. The only food I truly had in days ejecting from my mouth, spraying all over his jean leg, and his black high tops.
“You did not just throw up on my new high tops!” He screamed at me leaning down, facing me. His foot wound up one final time, this time connecting with my face. My mouth stung, I felt the sweet taste of iron rich blood filling my nose and mouth, my eye hurting. My head pounding with ever thud of my heart, as my stomach lurched again; expelling everything it could possibly push out. I rolled onto my back looking up into the night sky. My good eye watering with every passing second, the stars sparkled and shined.
“Why? What did I do? Can’t I be different?” I screamed to the stars, I want so to be different, I want to be a hero, a special person. I want to get out of here, to get away from it all.
As I looked up to the sky, red and blue lights flashed from behind me. I rolled over slightly to get to my feet, the cops in Great Falls are anti-gay, at the for front of the gay bashing. The last time the cop even got in a few kicks.
I need to get up and get out of here. Lifting my head as best I could, my eyes still burning while the blood and bile continued to moisten my mouth and face.
“You’re that faggot that lives on fairway drive, over by the mobile park. Get in, but don’t get blood on the seat of the bars. I don’t want to catch the gay thing.” He said opening the car door.
As my body walked to the door I caught my reflection, it wasn’t my body, this memory didn’t make sense to me. I don’t remember any past lives where I looked like this?
“What’s your name son?” the officer asked in a politer tone, almost as if he was caring what happened to me.
“Quart,” I said, looking out the window at my reflection as the car passed the business’s and the house lining my street.
“Which house is it?” He asked again, still caring in tone.
“3419 Fairway drive,” I said to him turning my head back to the lights of the street lamps.
Why couldn’t I be born to the magical world like my favorite books? Why couldn’t my father of ended my life long ago like he threatens.
The car came to a slowing stop, the officer turning his face to me. “Here you are,” he said as he got out of the vehicle and opened the door so I could get out.
Walking up the driveway was the most terrifying ex
perience I could have had, dad was standing at the door as I rounded the tree in front of the door. His belt in hand, slapping against his other hand.
“Where the hell have you been? What did you do? Why are you being brought by a police officer?” he said in a quiet yell. The anger fuming from him. The snapping getting louder and louder as I ducked around him stepping into the house.
“He found me in the alley behind work, and brought me home,” I said turning to see mom, Ceira, and Tommy sitting in the living room, watching television. They looked in my direction. Ceria turning thirteen next month shook her head at me, while Tommy only ten, jumped off the couch and opening his mouth.
“Are you going to beat him dad? He probably deserved what he got!” he exclaimed without hesitation, looking at me up and down then with little effort hocked a loogy at me landing directly on my cheek.
“Never you mind,” dad yelled at him, turning his attention and the snapping of the belt on me. “Bedroom now,” his voice shaking in anger.
I walked through the house, past the bathroom to the back where my bedroom was, a tiny little room barely a room more like a closet. Opening my door to see my room was over turned, nothing in its place when I left for work. Knowing what I was about to get, took off my shirt, removed my pants and underwear, getting to my knees and placing my face on the bed gripping the comforter tightly in my hands.
“You finally do something right,” he said the belt snap echoing through the room. How many tonight, how many drinks did he have? What was I going to be punished for tonight?
“Count out, or I will double it,” he said his voice almost choked with anger.
The belt snapped against my bare ass, the metal decorations of the belt ripping open skin. The burning pain of the first strike before the numb sensation of the next slap. I cried out in pain, “one” my voice shaking, knowing I couldn’t cry or they would be worse.
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