Fractured

Chapter 2: Awakening: Red

A fire burns within all of us. A flame that represents our being, our very existence. Sometimes it keeps us warm, other times the flame becomes so small we feel chilled to the bone and sometimes the flame becomes a raging inferno too wild for us to control. Destroying everything in its path, turning everything we touch to ash. We are forced to let the flame run its course until it eventually runs out of fuel but by the time it has disappeared all that is left is black and Red.

The heat was intense. Jets of steam began to erupt from the rubble covering the now destroyed village. The air had grown so hot that if the average person was to breathe it in it would burn their throat and lungs. But he stood there in all the destruction completely unfazed by it all. The air around him had started to shift and blur like a mirage in the desert , The chains that draped around his arms burned a bright crimson in the pitch black night. He was panting violently , jets of hot steam shooting out his mouth and nostrils with each breath. The savage of a man that stood in Agnello's place dug his feet into the earth causing it to glow as if he had cracked the surface of a volcano. Bending his knees, he let out a grunt before launching himself into the air, flying over the destroyed village, leaving a burning hot crater behind him. In the distance the woman in royal colours, and her followers, were flying at high speed carrying Gin with them. The unknown figure leapt from treetop to treetop with each leap sending glowing embers falling to the forest floor. Rapidly approaching his prey, a red hot flash came from the shackles moments before a sudden, aggressive snapping motion the chain and ball attached to it soaring through the air flying towards the enemy group. He vanished reappearing directly behind the target of his rage. The royally coloured woman was unfazed by the idea that such a beast was ready to pounce upon her. A gust of wind slammed down on the red beast sending him plummeting into the Forest below his heat burning the leaves as he fell, setting the Forest ablaze. The group came to stop floating in the air. Adan being the first to speak.

"What the fuck was that?"

The royally coloured woman looked at the four with a questioning look.

"Handle it."

"Our pleasure." the four responded.

Adan stretched his arms.

"Can't be any worse than the last guy right."

Ignis and the others looked at him with disapproval as they descended into the veil of smoke that had been created by the flames below.

"This one seems different. Stay alert."

Mira, as they descended, began to hose down the flames created by the man's flames, causing a cloud of hot steam to rise as the flames were extinguished. Ignis chuckled.

"Can't handle the heat."

She looked at him with a smirk on her face acknowledging his comment.

"Shut up."

The four landed on the surface each looking in multiple directions trying to find their attacker. Nothing could be seen in the veil of smoke and steam that had been left behind the flames.

"This is annoying."

Aria waved her hand and a burst of wind swept past them clearing the area making it visible once again. The landscape around them was a barren wasteland of blackness. The land scorched by the flames the red beast had created. The three left on the surface continued looking around, trying to locate the beast. The atmosphere became more and more nerve racking in the disturbing silence. The woman in royal colours returned to her seated position floating with Gin's lifeless body next to her, safe from harm, whilst seeming completely unfazed by what was going on. The four grew more frustrated as the silence continued. Aria carried herself with the flow of hot air to a higher position. Adan being the most visibly agitated of the lot.