City of Fire

Chapter Thirteen

"Tidus"

Tidus ground his teeth together as he walked down the empty halls. What Zane had said was true, he'd been stupid. He hadn't thought about her needs, only about his own. He remembered showing up at her house, her answering the door and how pale her face had looked from the overhead sun. She'd seemed so tiny and fragile, like a porcelain doll.

He smirked...

She certainly wasn't that...

She was the exact opposite, always threatening to beat someone up. He shook his head. She was different that was for sure. He halted and looked around. He was on the south side of the school and something kept gnawing at him, as if someone were watching him.

He turned slowly, his cinnamon colored eyes slowly scanning his surroundings. Then he felt it. The heat that raced up his arms had him leaping backwards and crashing into a trophy case. It tipped over, him with it. He cursed, momentarily thankful that it was safety glass before scrambling off of it.

A low laugh filled the hallway and Tidus looked around him, trying to find the culprit who had burnt the hair from his arms. Movement off to his left caught his attention and he leapt out of the way as another fireball was tossed at his head. He rolled clear and came up cursing, dusting off a cinder.

"Getting slow, aren't we, Tidus?" Came a mocking voice and Tidus bristled. He straightened his muscles tight in case the renegade threw another fireball at him.

"Show yourself!" Tidus barked and there came that same laugh. Then a figure stepped out behind a wall and grinned at him. Tidus blinked, momentarily taken off guard by the face that smiled mockingly back at him. It was another Fire Dweller, the familiar tattoo exposed by the leather outfit he wore; only it was different, more twisted and gnarled. He was tall and muscular, resembling Tidus physically, but his hair was a bleached blonde and his eyes were an unnatural amber color.

"What do you want? Were you the person who attacked Zane last night?" Tidus demanded and the Fire Dweller snorted.

"I wouldn't waste my time on such a low life Ice Dweller." The guys' grin widened as his eyes shined with greed. "No, what I'm really after is that pretty little Dominus. She holds the key to finding Din's Heart and my master wants her." The guy's palms began to glow a fiery red and Tidus tensed. Anger washed over him as the guy raised his hands.

"A pity," Tidus growled and the guy halted, intrigued and Tidus shifted ever so slightly, his body shifting towards the broken trophy case.

"Oh, is it because I'm about to roast you?" He mocked and Tidus smirked.

"No, because you're gonna see gold." His fingers closed around a trophy, which was surprisingly heavy and using all of his strength, chucked it at the guy's head. He didn't have time to react and the trophy slammed into his face. As it did so, Tidus leapt at him, wrapping his arms around the guy's midsection and tackled him to the ground.

He grunted in surprise and alarm as Tidus quickly pinned his arms and legs, bringing his fist up and was prepared to smash his face in when the guy opened his mouth and shrieked. Tidus felt like his skull was going to explode and he cried out in pain, his grip going limp and the guy kicked him off of him. Tidus sprawled backwards, trying to get his bearings as his ears rang inside his skull. The guy smirked and towered over him.

"You know, I really should kill you but I was only supposed to torment you." He knelt down and grasped Tidus by the front of his shirt. "Remember that," he whispered. He dropped him back onto the tiles and turned to leave but as he did he paused, looking down at the heavy trophy that Tidus had chucked at him. Lifting his foot he kicked it, sending it flying through a window and his muffled laughter echoed down the deserted halls.

Tidus pushed himself to his knees, the smell of burning hair filling his nostrils but he got himself to a standing position. His blue shirt had holes in it now, along with his dark pair of jeans and he winced as they rubbed against his sore skin where he'd been singed. His head still spinning from the shriek he stumbled back down the halls.

His mind whirled from what he'd just seen but he needed to find Ilona and make sure she was okay. Finally, after what had felt like an eternity, he was back in front of the nurse's office. He tried to turn the handle but found that it was locked. Fear sprung up inside him and rearing back he slammed his shoulder into the door. It gave underneath his weight and he stumbled inside, landing on his knees. He looked up, seeing that one of the windows had been broken but what unnerved him the most was what was on the ground.

Or really...

Who was...

iQ*