Era of Ezri

Hot head

Jordan

There was this burning sensation in my head like the sun was sitting on my brain and smoke was flowing out of my ears and mouth. Everything was hot, every inch of my skin and every hair on my body felt like a tree during wildfire, ablaze and flaming, anxiousness coursing through my veins.

My eyes were closed tightly and I needed the pressure and heat to stop.

"Jordan!"

I winced.

Octavian was calling me, his voice loud and bouncing off the walls of my skull.

"Jordan!" He called again.

Octavion's voice was distorted like he was locked in a tumble dryer.

"Wake up!"

My eyes flickered open and I realised where I was.

I was in Pixie's vintage kitchen, but it was destroyed. Broken ceramics and glass littered the floor. Pixie, Neon, and Octavion were here with two other members of The Plague, but something was wrong. There was blood everywhere, stark and bright against the cream tones of the room and confusingly on my hands.

Wait, not hands, claws.

My hands didn't look like mine, they were too large and layered with long black hair. My nails looked like sharpened tools (animalistic and dangerous) and covered in maroon.

As I caught sight of my body, my form, my figure, I realised I'd become some sort of monster, an oversized inhuman beast clad in torn trousers, like a wolven mutant on two feet.

Suddenly, I couldn't catch my breath, I was hyperventilating as I assessed the situation.

Pixie was cowering in a corner, her shakey hands holding one of the kitchen knives which she was pointing at me while Octavion was cradling a wounded Neon on the floor in front of me.

There was another body by my feet, Geraldine (a member of The Plague), she was static and still, eyes open and claw marks across her neck. She was dead.

And then the memories started rushing back.

Two days prior

I attacked the city. I didn't inform The Plague, I took the explosives in the dead of night and planted tens of them across the faction.

I wanted Blaze to hurt for what he'd done to my family, I wanted to destroy everything he loved so, I'd set Gloria Bridge alight that evening.

Soldiers and guards tried to douse the flames chewing through brick and mortar but these explosives were better than any I'd created before, the flames ate up everything in their path.

I hid in the shadows until I spotted Blaze, he was ushering The Creators into a building resembling a warehouse, it must've been a safe house.

So typical, protect The Creators, leave the rest to die.

I charged at him before he saw me coming and when my body hit his, he flew before tumbling to the ground.

I wanted to hurt Blaze, ruin him, destroy him like he'd done my sister and I had to kill him but, the Commander dodged my next attack.

I'd tried to step on him and crush him under my foot, however, he rolled moments before his ribs could be shattered but, my next attack landed.

I swiped at him and my claws caught his shoulder.

The Commander of Gloria Bridge grunted in agony as he leapt backwards.

He was confused by the smoke, and his abilities worked, but not well enough. Blaze's first attempt to strike me with a wave of fire was abysmal; he missed completely. However, his second attempt set off an explosive a foot behind me that The Plague had planted last week, knocking me off balance.

And by the time I'd regained my footing, Blaze had vanished.

Next, I visited Pixie's cottage, also on Gloria Bridge's outskirts. Everyone was there, holding a meeting without me.

They were all shocked when I walked in. Maybe they didn't recognise me or maybe they did, I was aware I looked different now and I was furious when a man called Demetrius tried to leave before I had the chance to speak so I put my claws through his chest.

The carnage that followed was painful to recall, I'd hurt the people I'd cared about but I also couldn't stop myself.

I'd lost control.

The present

"What have you done?" Pixie croaked, tearful.

I looked around me and saw bodies behind me as well, Demetrius included.

"I don't-I don't know, this isn't me."

"What the fuck did you do?!" Octavion shouted as he tried to stop the blood pooling from Neon's chest.

"I-I'm not sure," I stuttered.

"Just... get out," Pixie's voice quivered with fear and dread as she remained in her corner.

"I'm sorry," I replied, "I'm so so sorry."

Even my voice had changed, it was so deep and coarse, dare I say animalistic.

"We don't care, Jordan, just the get the fuck out!" Octavion was roaring at me now.

I'd never seen him this way, his face was forever a blank canvas but now he wore an expression of stoney rage and devastation.

I couldn't blame him, his best friend was dying in his arms.

I winced as I stepped backwards, shattering a china bowl under my foot, the sound echoed throughout the deathly silent room.

"I didn't mean to do this," I said, shame coursing through me.

"We don't give a fuck, just leave us alone!"

Octavion tightened his grip around his Neon as though to protect him from me, but, I wasn't a monster, something had just come over me.

"I'm still me," I said, placing my hand over my heart.

"The Jordan I knew would never do this," Octavion replied.

"I can fix this," I promised.

"Is Rio still alive or did you kill her too?" Pixie asked.

My memory of the past few days was foggy, the only moment I could recall clearly was putting the syringe in my arm and planting the bombs, everything else was hazy and grey like a muddied painting.

But, I couldn't have killed my own sister, I wouldn't?

"You don't know, do you?" Pixie questioned.

"I wouldn't," I insisted.

"You killed her didn't you," The older woman huffed.

"I did not," I growled, baring my teeth.

Pixie screamed, flinching so hard she dropped her knife to the floor.

"Go," Octavion demanded, "Before you kill someone else."

My thoughts raced and my heart skipped a beat at the realisation that I could've killed the last of my family, my own sister.

Author's note

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