The Wings of Fury

Chapter 2. The List of Lives

Inside the City:

The city was in ruins. Smoke billowed into the sky, mingling with the screams of survivors and the guttural roars of Titans. Izuku darted through the streets, his breathing ragged. His heart pounded in his chest, not from exertion but from fear."Pick up, Sarah... come on!" he muttered, clutching his phone. His wings ached from his earlier flight, but he pushed forward. He wouldn't stop until he found her.Finally, the line connected."Izuku?" Sarah's voice was faint and breathless, barely audible over the chaos in the background.

"Sarah! Where are you?" His words tumbled out. "Are you safe?""I... I'm near the mall... by Ninth and Arakawa. I—I barely got away, but I don't know how much longer..." Her voice cracked. "Izuku, I can't keep running...""Don't move! Stay there!" he shouted, already changing direction. "I'm coming for you. Don't give up!"

He pushed his legs harder, leaping over debris and weaving through crumbling streets. When he reached the area, his stomach churned. Titans lumbered nearby, their grotesque forms towering over the abandoned buildings. He spotted Sarah slumped against the side of a burnt-out car, her body trembling as faint flames flickered over her wounds."Sarah!" he called, his voice breaking.Her head snapped up, relief flashing in her tired eyes. "Izuku!"He didn't hesitate. In a single motion, he scooped her into his arms. "We're getting out of here.""I'm... I'm so tired..." she whispered, leaning into him."You've done enough," he assured her, unfurling his wings. "Now it's my turn."Just as he lifted off, a thunderous crash came from behind them. Two Titans barreled through the wreckage, their twisted faces locked onto them.Sarah gasped, clutching his shoulders. "Izuku—""I see them," he said, his voice steady despite his racing heart. Flames ignited at the tips of his wings as he shot into the sky. "They're not catching us."Back at U.A.: Hope and ReunionsThe walls of U.A. loomed ahead, a beacon of safety amidst the destruction. Izuku landed hard, staggering slightly as he set Sarah down. She stumbled but caught herself, exhaustion etched into her feathers.

"Go find a hero," Izuku told her gently. "You need to rest."But Sarah shook her head, her fiery determination flaring to life. "No... I can help."Before he could stop her, she approached a nearby group of heroes coordinating rescue efforts. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "I... I have a healing quirk. I can help with the injured."

The heroes turned to her, momentarily taken aback by her small stature and obvious fatigue. One of them knelt to meet her gaze. "Are you sure, kid? You don't have to push yourself.""I'm sure," she replied firmly. "I'll be fine."Izuku watched her go, his chest tightening with pride and worry.Nearby, Alice stood with her parents and sister, their tearful reunion a rare moment of joy amidst the chaos. She clung to them, sobbing into her mother's shoulder as her father stroked her hair. Her sister, barely older than her, wrapped her arms around both of them, holding on like she'd never let go.After a few minutes, Alice stepped away, wiping her eyes. She glanced toward Izuku and gave him a small smile before retreating with her family to a quieter area.

Meanwhile...

Inside the temporary holding area, Katsuki sat with his phone in hand, his leg bouncing anxiously. The live database of names was constantly updating, listing survivors and the deceased. He scrolled through it with shaky fingers, pretending to focus, but his mind raced."They're fine," he muttered under his breath. "They've gotta be fine."When Izuku approached, he sat down next to him silently, his wings folding neatly behind him. He didn't say anything at first, just opened his own phone and began scrolling through the same database.For a moment, there was an unspoken understanding between them.

Outside U.A.: The Heroes' Struggle

The world outside the walls was chaos. Titans battered the reinforced barriers, their relentless attacks forcing the pro heroes to fight with everything they had.Endeavor led the charge, flames roaring around him as he incinerated Titan after Titan. His voice boomed over the din. "Push them back! Don't let them get any closer!"Kamui Woods lashed out with his branches, entangling the legs of a smaller Titan. "We can't hold this pace much longer!" he shouted."We don't have a choice!" Endeavor growled, his flames intensifying.The heroes were giving it their all, but the strain was showing. Their movements slowed, their attacks less precise. The Titans, however, seemed endless.The Moment of RealizationBack inside, Katsuki's tension was reaching its peak. His eyes scanned the database over and over, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.Izuku glanced at him, hesitating before speaking. "Katsuki... if you want to take a break—""Shut up," Katsuki snapped, his voice brittle. "I'm fine."But he wasn't fine. His hands shook as he typed his parents' names into the search bar. Nothing came up.After a few minutes, the database updated again. His eyes widened as two names appeared under the "Deceased" section: Masaru Bakugo and Mitsuki Bakugo."No..." Katsuki whispered, his voice barely audible. He stared at the screen, hoping it would change, that it was a mistake.Izuku noticed the shift in his expression. "Katsuki? What's wrong?""They're lying," Katsuki said, his voice trembling. "They have to be."Izuku leaned closer, his heart sinking when he saw the screen. "Katsuki...""Shut up!" Katsuki shouted, standing abruptly. His phone slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground. "It's not true!""Katsuki—""I said shut up!" His voice cracked, raw with emotion. His hands clenched into fists, his entire body shaking. "They're not dead. They can't be."Izuku stood, unsure of what to do. He reached out but stopped himself, unsure if Katsuki would lash out.The room felt unbearably quiet, the weight of the moment pressing down on both of them.Sarah's DeterminationIn another corner of U.A., Sarah's flames burned brightly as she moved from one injured hero to the next. Her quirk, Flame Healing, radiated warmth, mending wounds at a speed that astonished the other heroes."Kid, you're amazing," one of them said, watching as a severe gash closed completely under her glowing hands.She smiled faintly, wiping sweat from her brow. "I'm just doing what I can"

The faint sound of Sarah's flames crackling in the background served as a grim reminder: even in a place of supposed safety, no one was truly okay.