Burning Skies » larry

Chapter 31

Having Louis at his side again made him feel like the most powerful person in the world. As much as he wanted to fall into his arms and never let go again, there were more urgent matters at hand, so Harry kept his hands to himself and decided that the need to get out of this situation was more important than anything right now.

Reid stood up from the floor unsteadily, having been hit by a blast of both Harry's and Louis' powers. He stood in his partly burnt, ice-covered clothes before the three of them, outnumbered and overpowered. The man didn't show it, but from the way his eyes flickered between the three of them and rested on Harry with a snarl, Harry knew Reid realized this too.

Reid had been born powerful. He had control over everything—objects and people both. He'd lived all his life using those powers and doing whatever he pleased with them. He'd believed he was invincible.

Not anymore. 

With his partially frozen heart, he wasn't the same mutant he used to be. Using his powers to destroy and cause pain was no longer doable with a single flick of his finger. Harry had practically taken away that power from him, stripped him of all that he valued. For the first time in his life, Reid Ryder was going to lose.

Harry didn't find satisfaction in that, contrary to what Reid might have thought. Harry just didn't have a choice. He just wanted to go back home.

"You think you have me, don't you?" Reid said coldly, his silver eyes nearly flashing with rage.

"We can stop fighting right now," Harry said firmly, keeping his hand up towards him, which was most likely the equivalent of holding a gun to someone. "No one needs to get hurt. Please."

Reid looked tired. He'd used his powers on Louis and Zayn, and now it was taking its toll on him. He was paler than usual, his chest rising and falling a bit too quickly for it to be normal. If he continued this and still chose to fight, using the little bit of power he had the ability to use, he could probably die.

Harry didn't know how he'd frozen the heart of this man. He understood its consequences, though. He'd made the most powerful mutant of their generation weak, powerless. For two years, Reid tried to recover and get better. To be whole again. Harry was his last chance at that—to bringing his old, stronger self back to life.

Reid was just a desperate man clutching at a final thread of hope that he could be as great as he was before. But as it was, Harry was convinced that he really did die two years ago, because the Reid in front of him was someone else entirely.

Reid laughed humorlessly, though it sounded strained. "I will not surrender to you, kid. I can kill you right here, but I won't do that. You still owe me something. Your little friends, however, are easy targets."

"Harry doesn't owe you shit," Louis sneered, stepping closer to Harry protectively. "This ends today, Reid. Accept it."

"I'd like to see the lot of you try." Reid spat before outstretching his arm, but they were quicker than him this time.

Harry and Louis shot ice and fire from their hands at the same time, their powers swirling into a small storm, blue and red melting into each other, swirls of ice dancing around intense flames—united into a single force.

Zayn cursed as the floor beneath them began shaking from the force of their powers, wind howling wildly like a storm. Reid had disappeared under the billowing mass of ice and fire. Harry turned to look at Louis to find out he was already looking at him. His eyes were a deep red. Harry's were crystal blue.

Harry didn't know what was happening, but the storm he'd created with Louis by fusing their powers seemed like the missing piece of a puzzle. Harry couldn't stop the cold coming out of his palms if he wanted to, and Louis seemed to be in the same condition. Harry felt loose and free, powerful and powerless at the same time.