The Initials | Nanowrimo 2023

42| Freya Of Fury

Cloud catches Jason Aranborn on the way to the canteen, grabbing him by the shirt and pinning him to the nearest wall. "Where's the book?"

"What book? I don't know what you're talking about." Jason replies, looking down at Cloud without an ounce of fear on his face.

"Listen, I'm not in the mood for games, where's the," Cloud loosens his grip on the shirt when another wave of wooziness befalls him. "Where's the book?"

"Man, you don't look too good." Jason smirks before channelling a gust of air to push Cloud away, but because he's so light on his feet, he ends up being thrown to the ground. "So, why don't you quit hassling me and get your ass to the Infirmary."

Jason hears a grizzly snarl before he sees Hunter's imposing frame at the far end of the corridor, realising a second too late how innocent of a mistake he just made as the Hellhound charges towards him with flames burning holes in the t-shirt he's wearing.

He tries to go airborne but Hunter grabs onto his leg and grounds him, his landing making a tremendous thud against the ground that should no doubt catch the attention of more people.

Jason grits his teeth, making a hissing sound that rattles like a snake, releasing a concentrated pulse of air that thrusts Hunter backwards, giving himself enough to to climb to his feet.

He channels a few more of these attacks but quickly notices their impact declining as Hunter starts adapting to its power, shouldering the sixth strike of air without bugging, letting out a thunderous growl that bounces off the walls.

Jason roars back, widening his stance with his palm facing towards Hunter, using the same technique Cloud saw him use a few days prior to throw Hunter to the far end of the corridor, shattering the glass of nearby room and lights with the sharp decline of pressure.

He doesn't stop to catch his breath, turning to strategically retreat from a fight he knows he can not win.

However, when he remembers Cloud is still on the ground looking like a tomato that was just squished of its juices and left a husk of what it once, he sprints back.

Still misunderstanding the situation, thinking that this is just another attempt on his life, Jason picks Cloud up off the floor and tries to drag him along, throwing the half conscious boy's arm over his shoulders for some support as the two of them hobble away.

Meanwhile, Hunter lays on the ground with the bone in his left shoulder having popped out of its socket, receiving several fractured and bruised ribs and quite a few tiny cuts all across his body where the wind was fast enough to slice into his flesh.

Fortunately for him, his healing factor heals most of his wounds within a minute except for his shoulder which he has to pop back into place manually.

The veins in his neck burn bright as he stretches whilst the final threads of his shirt kindle away, revealing his bare torso burning like magma with cracks of fire appearing where some of the cuts have yet to heal.

Jason hears Hunter's growls long before he catches sight of the flaming figure, making it to the top of the flight of stairs before the impossibly heavy footsteps catch up to him.

He makes the split decision to direct the air towards Hunter with the simple aim of slowing him down.

The split decision saves his life once Hunter slams into him but it does result in both of the boys being shot into the air.

Jason and Cloud separate but he manages to cushion both of their landings with pockets of air that add a spring to their individual landings before skidding across the shiny, waxed, floors leading to the entrance of the Academy.