Bound by Fire

Part 1

Zeke snapped awake at the sound of  his sister's blood-curdling scream, his blood running to ice in his veins.

"NO!"

Silence.

He kicked his sheets off and was half way to the door of his room when a muffled thump came from the room upstairs, followed by several others. Zeke stopped short, listening intently.

"GET OFF ME YOU--"

Her cry was cut short and the noises of a struggle continued. Intruders. But why hadn't she blinded them already? He heard his parents awakening, heading towards his sister.

He should be with them.

"Zelina?" his mother called, he feet frantically beating up the stairs, followed by the sound of his father's footsteps. "Zelina, are you--" 

Two more thumps of his parents being tackled, grunts of their pain and surprise.

His sister was up there.

Fully awake, Zeke rubbed his hands together, creating friction. Then he drew from the heat and a ball of flame danced in his hand. His perfect defense. Zeke whipped his door open and pressed himself against the wall, making his way to the stairs. All he could hear was the overwhelming silence and the own pounding of his heart. He was nearly to the end of the hall when a floorboard squealed behind him. Zeke whirled and quickly backed out of the hall and into the living room. He shifted his fireball into the shape of a staff-like torch.

"Show yourself," he ordered, greatful that his voice didn't shake. No one appeared out of the shadows of the hall.

"I'm right behind you," said a greasy voice almost directly next to his ear.

Zeke pivoted and took a few steps away. A figure in a dark cloak stood there, a mask covering his entire face.

"Who are you and what have you done with my family?"he demanded.

"Relax, Zeke. We're simply here to ask you a question. Your family is safely asleep upstairs."

By his voice, Zeke could tell it was a man speaking. He automatically hated everything about him - especially his oily sort of confidence as Zeke let out a cry and thrust his staff directly at the man, aiming directly for his chest. It hit true. The man's clothes simply burnt away, and he didn't flinch. Underneath he was wearing a layer of maroon-colored material that looked like it covered pretty much his whole body, even most of his face.

Zeke could hear the smirk in the man's voice when he said,"Quant sinking remarkable, isn't it? Fireproof, yet lightweight and fabric like?"

Zeke growled and slowly morphed his staff into a Fire bow, using his anger to form a flaming arrow in his hand. One way or another, he would this guy's wretched suit. He knocked it and took aim. But instead of being scared, the man had an oily sort of confidence about him. Zeke released the string and the arrow hit dead center on the man's forehead. But upon impact, the arrow suctioned then melted the faceplate off the man's uniform. Underneath the mask, the man's face was a mixture of horror, shock, and anger.

"You're gonna regret that someday," he snarled, lunging for Zeke. But Zeke already had another arrow of fire poised to release. He aimed at the man threateningly, his emotions boiling up inside him.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT YOU CREEPY BABBOON?!" Zeke yelled not caring what insults spilled out if his mouth.

The man stayed surprisingly calm.

"Come with me, and your powers will finally be put to good use."

"AND WHY IN ALL THE REALMS WOULD I DO THAT, YOU BIMBOZIT?!" Zeke shouted, stepping even closer to the man.

"Because if you don't your family we just captured will suffer," the man threatened.

Zeke felt all the blood drain from his face as he backed a few steps away and the fire bow vanished with a wisp of smoke. "Where would I go?"

"Our headquarters. S.O.R.E. Headquarters."

"What's S.O.R.E.? And why would you name something after a bruise?"

The man huffed and muttered something to himself that sounded like, "Insolent new recruits. They all ask the same question."

"Pardon?" Zeke said, but the man ignored him.

"S.O.R.E. is an acronym. We're a society dedicated to change the world we come from. But you know too much already." He made a small gesture to someone behind Zeke. "Go ahead."

Too late, Zeke tried to turn, but someone pinned his arms to his sides and he felt the needle of a syringe prick his arm.

"Nicely done," he heard the man say, and Zeke fought with all his might to hear the feast of his sentence. "The Superiors will be pleased to that Phase 1 is completed."

Then Zeke lapsed into unconsciousness.