Translucent (Legacies FF)

6.

Taylor's POV

Penelope's up and running before I am, bustling about to get downstairs.

Through my bedroom window, I could see Hope and Rafael, her showing him something.

I quickly leap out of bed and yank a midnight blue crop top and black jeans out of my suitcase, snatching my leather jacket and combat boots from the closet.

Making my way downstairs, I run into Rafael who's wearing a muscle shirt. "Hey, you coming with?" He grabs my arm and my eyes roll back into my head; a series of images playing like a black and white movie.

Landon Kirby sitting in a bus driving down route 29. A glowing knife and burnt people. Landon's eyes are filled with fear and I could sense something else on the bus, something otherworldly. The smell of smoke stood out.

I return to reality with Rafael shaking my body. "I saw Landon. He had a glowing knife. People had mysteriously burnt to death. There was this familiar smell of smoke, like an open fire on a cold day."

"Come with us. You're helpful."

"These visions aren't very safe."

"We'll figure them out. Right now we have to find Landon."

"Fine, I'll come."

"Go tell Ric you're coming along."

I jog out the front doors to find Hope sliding into the passenger seat of the Jeep. I pull the side door open and Alaric looks at me in surprise.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Rafael invited me. My powers are manifesting and I saw something that might be of use to you guys."

"Show me," Hope places her hand in mine and I close my eyes, conjuring up the last scene to replay like a movie. The smell of smoke and a fire was stronger now. "That is very strange." Hope turns toward the front dashboard just as Rafael jumps up into the car, strapping his seatbelt.

"What'd you see?" Alaric looked alarmed as he drove out of the academy.

"Smoke and fire was a very present smell in the bus, but not like it came from the knife. Something else was on that bus."

-W-

"I don't see Landon anywhere, do you?"

"Wait. Anyone hear that?" Alaric stops before backtracking to a tree with a smoky-looking woman. Her eyes were like glowing, burning embers in a fireplace, singeing the earth with her fiery gaze. "Ma'am, are you okay?" No answer. "She must be a survivor from the bus. I'll try to call the station and see if they have a missing persons report on her. You three continue walking. If you find Landon, don't engage."

Rafael drags me down the rotten path, holding an overhead branch for Hope and I.

"Something didn't seem right about her? Anyone notice she smelt like a burning fire? Her eyes reminded me of an open flame."

"Must be your crazy powers."

Seconds later, all we heard was a loud yell and the sound of a fiery rage roaring through the trees. The three of us huddle in a cellar. The doors fly shut as Alaric clambers in after us.

"Please tell me there's not a fire-breathing woman out there." Rafael grabs ahold of my arm immediately, yanking his hand away.

"There actually is. And she's really keen on getting the knife Landon says he doesn't have. She's called a Pyromancer."

"A fire breathing witch. Of course."

"We'd better find the knife before she does." Alaric swings the doors out. The woman stands before us, her hand outstretched for the knife, glaring daggers at Landon.

"Watch out! Everyone back inside!" We all pile back into the cellar and Landon fesses up, taking the knife out of his jacket pocket. "So you lied and nearly got us killed."

"I froze. I'm sorry. Give the damn knife back to her." Landon clutches his hand as ours meet, his limb freezing. Icy breath slithers out my mouth and it forms all over my body. Power resonates from within as we step out again with knife in-hand. She looks me in the eye and sees my icy breath.

Rafael throws a rock at her as the knife keeps her fire from reaching us. I throw the knife to him and he plunges it into her back, causing her to collapse and growl. She rises once more.

"That's not a Pyromancer. It's a dragon." A voice states through the phone as the woman picks herself up and huge wings sprout out of her back.

"Shit."

----------------

Longest chapter so far. Taylor's powers are manifesting.