Chapter 15
We packed ourselves into Carmen’s tiny car and headed towards the docks. Carmen decided that amongst all the fighting and training we all deserved a break so she was taking us to hang out on one of her yachts. She even invited Ulrica and her friend Dane. Dane was also a werewolf and was second in command of their pack.
“Ulrica is with a guy, she must be straight,” said Adam Triumphantly.
“Your chances with her haven’t changed, it looks like she’s taken,” said Liz, squashing his hopes in an instant. Ulrica was wearing a little black dress while Dane looked unworthy of her by sporting simple jeans, a t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket. “What are they doing here?” asked Liz. She pointed towards Derik and Johnny.
“Johnny overheard me talking about the party, as for Derik I have no idea,” answered Carmen. Carmen went to get something to drink. Adam went to talk to Ulrica and Liz found Fu. I sighed I guess I should go talk to Derik.
“Why are you here?” I asked him.
“You haven’t been returning my calls,” he told me. He stood there wearing his same stupid football jacket as always. He looked angry but desperate all at once.
“Yeah, I was hoping you would get the hint and leave me alone,” I retorted.
“Emma please listen to me, I love you and I want to be with you,” he pleaded.
“Damn it, Derik! I am tired of your lies; you cheated on me! You do not cheat on people you are in love with.”
“Emm,” he tried to talk but I stopped him.
“Leave now,” I ordered and he did as told, though he made a show of sulking his way back down to the docks. I leaned against the rails of the ship and watched him leave. A sense of accomplishment overtook me.
“Good job,” said Johnny coming up behind me and handing me a drink. He had been watching the whole show. The drink he had given me was lemonade, my favorite. I drank it quickly and made Johnny get me another.
“Derik is kind of a player when it comes to women. You deserve better than that,” said Johnny.
“You’re one to talk,” I mumbled in return.
He smiled at me, “Hey, I can’t help it if the ladies find me irresistible.” He was trying his best to be his version of charming and failing miserably.
I rolled my eyes at him in response. I didn’t want to be here with him. Tonight was supposed to celebrate how far the Chosen Angels had come and yet somehow it had turned into a big thing. Word had somehow gotten out that Carmen was throwing a party. People from school and the Teen Center started showing up and the music got louder with every song.
The rest of Ulrica’s pack and various other supernatural friends we had made in the last few weeks managed to arrive. Adam had befriended a ninja clan and after stopping a forest fire we were welcomed by a few fairies. They weren’t itty bitty like Tinkerbell. They were average height and though they had wings, normal humans were not able to see them.
“So what is the deal with this Fu guy?” asked Johnny.
He had been talking to me for a while now but I hadn’t been paying attention. He didn’t seem to have noticed.
“What about him?” I answered. “He is Liz’s boyfriend.”
I guess I just find it strange. Liz has always been so spunky but when he is around she’s as docile as a kitten and she does everything he asks without question. It just isn’t her.
“I wanna know how he does it,” Johnny was looking at Fu with admiration and it disgusted me but Johnny was right.
I had noticed a difference in Liz, little subtle changes but sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference. She had been skipping the last few training sessions and talked to Carmen and me less and less every day. It was like she was somehow being pulled away from us. Now that everyone lived with Carmen it should have been much easier getting the group together but I only half lived there and Liz was constantly ditching us for Fu.
“She is mean to me now, it really hurts my feelings,” said Johnny.
“Liz has always hated you,” I said absent mindedly. Then he looked at me seriously for a minute.
“Not like this,” he set down his drink and walked away leaving me alone on the crowded ship.
Johnny was a disgusting pervert so why should I take anything he says to heart? I shouldn’t but the fact that even he noticed something off about Liz began to worry me. I went to find Carmen. She hated parties. She must be throwing a fit trying to figure out why so many people were here. I was right; I found her freaking out at the ship’s chef because there wasn’t enough food.
“Listen these people were not planned but I am not about to kick them all out so if we don’t have food then run and get pizza,” she told a scrawny looking man and handed him a wad of cash.
“Oh Emma!” she shouted with relief when she saw me. I gave her a hug to try and calm her down.
“Maybe if there is no food they will all leave?” this thought made her laugh.
Carmen had always been a very hospitable person; then again she could always afford to be. Her brown hair was strewn across her face from the night’s wind. She let me baby her into a sense of calm. Her striking green eyes looked down at me behind box-like glasses.
“You hug me any tighter and your boobs will suffocate me,” I complained.
She giggled and let go. “You are just jealous,” she turned around and smacked her butt in my direction, “Of my amazing assets.”
“I know I am,” said Adam. I punched him.
“Don’t worry Emma, you may not be as filled out but you certainly have the face of an angel,” he wrapped his arms around me in an embrace but I shrugged him off.
“What did Derik want?” he asked me.
“He wants me back,” I told him.
“You said no right?” probed Adam.
“Maybe,” I turned away from him.
“Emma, you can’t really be taking him back! He doesn’t care about you!” Adam was furious.
“What does it matter to you!” I turned around to face him. We were nose to nose screaming at each other. I could feel his warm breath against my cheek. “Why don’t you go back to Ulrica and leave me alone!”
“Fine I will!” fuming he stormed off.
“What is the matter with you two?” asked Carmen
Stunned.
“Nothing,” I replied a bit too quickly.
“Are you really getting back with Derik?” Carmen asked
me.
I looked at her like she was crazy, “Of course not.”
“Then why would you let Adam think that you were?” I didn’t have an answer for her. Something about Adam always made me act irrational, I couldn’t explain it. It wasn’t like Adam actually cared or anything. He was just nosey I told Myself.
A goblin came up to us. He looked like a normal human boy but he was glamoured just like Ulrica and the fairies were.
We had met him after fighting off a group of dark ninjas attempting to destroy his home but I could not remember his name. He bowed to Carmen. “Tank you for tis wonderful party Jade Magician but I gots some news tat teres a fire downtown tat the humans can’t seem to put out. Something about water did not work putting it out. I don’t tink the humans can handle tis on tere own so I wanted to tell you,” He bowed again then left us to join his friends.
“Think we should all go?” I asked Carmen. “Yeah I’ll grab Adam, you go get Liz,” she told me but before she went to get Adam I stopped her. “How are we supposed to stop a fire that water won’t put out?” “We will figure it out when we get there,” and she left.
Liz was on the other side of the ship so I weaved my way through the crowd. I sighed knowing that I could fly above all these people’s heads in a heartbeat if I wanted to. Soon enough I was able to find Liz, she was with Fu.
“Liz we gotta go something has come up,” I told her. She knew I was talking business because “something came up,” was our decided code line for when the Chosen Angels were needed.
Before Liz could say good bye to Fu he stopped her.
“Stay with me,” his silky voice whispered in her ear.
“Let’s go,” I repeated.
I saw her expression change and when she looked at me. I saw a Liz that I had never seen before. I didn’t know how to describe it but what I saw was not the Liz I knew.
“I’m staying here with Fu. Whatever it is I’m sure you guys can handle it,” she told me. I was shocked, “Why?” I asked her. “I love him,” she looked up at him adoringly, “I can’t imagine ever leaving his side again,” she said to put it simply. I felt a piece of me die inside. Liz was my best friend. To think that she didn’t care tore me apart but I left without a word and hoped that she couldn’t see through my stoic mask.
I could feel the heat of the flames as I neared downtown Pleasantville. “We have managed to evacuate most of the cities occupants but the fire department refuses to leave,” said Adam, as I pulled up beside him riding my staff.
“Idiots, if they can’t put it out why do they bother staying? They should just leave it to us before they get hurt,” I replied. “They stay because they are brave men, not idiots,” corrected Carmen. “Where is Liz?” asked Adam.
“She’s not coming; why are the flames green?” I asked hoping to divert the conversation back to the problem rather than Liz. I knew Carmen was going to ask so I stopped her before she had a chance, “We will deal with Liz after we put out this fire, any ideas?” I stared at the raging fire below us watching the green inferno dance as if it were alive. “We have to hurry before the whole city turns to ash,” said Adam.
We both looked at Carmen hopefully. “Why do I always have to make the plan!” she complained.
“Because you’re kind of the unofficial leader,” I scorned.
She sighed, “This fire isn’t natural. I think perhaps it is being controlled by someone or something. I suggest we split up and search for whoever is manipulating the fire,” said Carmen. With those orders we split up scouring the city and trying not to get burned. Adam and Carmen searched the outskirts of the city assuming that the one responsible would be somewhere watching nearby but I dove straight for the heart of the city.
Something told me to go to the center and there I would find the source of this disaster. Unfortunately my armor only seemed to make things worse and increased the heat of the flames. If Liz were here maybe she could…no I couldn’t think about her right now, I told myself. I gripped my staff in both hands and swung it so hard that I managed to part the flames. I ran through as fast as I could knowing that they would return just as quickly as I had put them out. By repeating this act several times I managed to make it to the center unscathed. A few feet from me sitting cross legged was a man. He looked to be meditating. I hid behind a wall so he wouldn’t notice me. Carmen was right these flames were being controlled so all I had to do was stop him.
The man looked human, he was black with white lines under his eyes wearing red pants and shoes and completely engulfed in green flames. I couldn’t help but stare at him. He looked to be in his early twenties, his chin was stern and his body appeared to be all muscle. A frontal assault wouldn’t work. There was no way I could make it through those flames in time to get near him.
Carmen was the brains, all I knew was how to fight; strategy had never been my thing. I rubbed my forehead in irritation. The only thing I could think of is if I could somehow distract him. I scanned the ground for something to throw.
Surrounding my feet were a few crumpled bricks amongst other debris, “This will do nicely,” I thought to myself. Hopefully I could finish this quickly. The smoke was making it impossible to breath and the heat of the flames was making me weak.
Spinning my staff I cleared a path to the meditating man and hurled several bricks in his direction.
I fist pumped the air, elated that my plan had worked.
He was distracted. I had nailed him right in the face! The fire turned red and orange so he was no longer in control! But my joy soon turned to fear. The man had seen me and was headed my way. I felt swallowed by a new assault of green flames. One of the bricks I had thrown had broken his nose. By pissing him off, I seemed to only have made things worse. He ran towards me with fury in his eyes. He screamed at me in a language I didn’t understand. I was trapped in his flames.
“Stop it!” I screamed. My heart was pounding he would reach me in seconds and I couldn’t move. “What do I do, what do I do,” my mind raced. With a round house kick, the man crushed my torso and I fell to the ground crippled. He continued to scream out in a language I couldn’t recognize. I was free of his flames but his kicks were relentless.
“Speak English you monster!” I spit back through clenched teeth.
“You filthy protector of vermin. You don’t even deserve to be in my presence. By siding with the humans you are no better than they are,” said the man. Controlling my staff with my mind I swung him into the nearest building so hard that his body left an indentation. Unfortunately that wouldn’t slow him down for long but it bought me enough time to struggle to my feet and hide. My pace was slow and painful but I made my way towards a crumpled down building. My armor had disappeared. I no longer had enough strength to make it stay. Leaning against a wall I slid to the ground to rest. I closed my eyes praying that he wouldn’t find me.
The green flames raged like an envious animal trapped in a cage then set lose upon its prey. Inside the city I watched as my surroundings burned, turning to a crisp ashy death. The smoke entered my lungs. I gasped for air but only received more of the hideous fumes. However, there was still life left in that forsaken blaze. To my surprise and dismay I heard the cries of a young child. I hoped my ears deceived me but I knew better. Trapped in a nearby apartment was a little girl. I was just able to make out her face at a broken window. The fire had not yet reached her. If I attempted to reach her I would be giving up my last and only protection I had left against the man of flames.
“Damn kid,” I grumbled. In agony, I hobbled to the broken window. “Stop crying and give me your hand,” I ordered. I pulled her small body out of the window cutting my arm in the process but the little girl was ok at least. I wiped the tears from her dirty face and inspected her but found no injuries.
“Let’s get you out of here,” I said taking her hand.
“Who are you?” her small voice replied.
I smiled at her, “Just your friendly neighborhood super Hero.”
“Filthy insect, did you really think you could hide from me?” That voice.
I stood frozen, I wasn’t strong enough to fight him nor
was I strong enough to run. My only instinct was to protect the child. Using my body as a shield I prepared myself for the impact of another kick but it never came. I turned around, wondering why the man hadn’t hit me. Adam stood in front of me holding the man’s foot in his hand. He had arrived just in time. My heart lifted. I had never been so happy to see him.
“Touch her again and I’ll have your head!” he seethed. With ninja speed and accuracy Adam had pinned the man to the ground his hand clenching his neck. The man writhed helplessly. He could not defend himself against Adam’s iron fist. Carmen was by my side. I went limp in her arms; relief washing over me. “Hang in there,” she told me. The little girl had stopped crying watching us. Her family came running up to claim her and Carmen told them to take her to safety.
The man began to cry out his indiscernible dialect but switched to English when Adam tightened his grip. “Make the flames go out,” demanded Adam.
“Can’t,” the man breathed.
“Why not,” asked Adam.
“Orders,” said the man.
Adam’s grip was so tight the man could hardly get any words out. “From who?” questioned Carmen.
“God of Wi,” the man gasped.
“Komodo loosen your grip,” said Carmen. Adam did as he was told.
“All hail the God of Wind,” said the man.
“Hail this,” said Adam, knocking him unconscious.
“The Reciliux will take him into custody and interrogate him,” said Carmen. With the man unconscious the flames went out instantly.
Adam placed his sword on my body and my wounds began to disappear. He took my hand, “You need to be more careful,” Was that worry in his face? My heart beat a little faster. I stood up, “Took you long enough to get here,” I retorted.