[OLD] Blood On Fire (A Hermitcraft AU)

Chapter One: Missing

Xisuma was also abnormal.

But in a good way.

He was smart, responsible, and polite.

While Xay was struggling in his classes, and the only thing 'smart' about him was his mouth, and he was likely to blow something up when unsupervised.

Yet the two still always got along.

"Yes," he replied, referring to Xisuma's question. "And before you ask, I studied."

"Good," Xisuma responded approvingly.

How does he manage to keep track of both my life and his own?

Now that's magic I wish I had.

The rest of the day was uneventful.

Xay dragged himself through the school day, trying to make as little friction as possible.

Just don't sharply rub your skin against anything.

Don't snap.

Minimal contact.

Don't focus on the feeling of your clothes on your skin.

You're not rubbing against anything.

There is no warmth.

No sparks.

No sparks.

No sparks.

The feeling of a weight compressing on his gloved hand jerked him out of his thoughts.

Xisuma's hand, clasped around his own.

"Let's go," he murmured, as the day was over. Xay nodded, silently willing for Xisuma to let go.

The gloves could only prevent so much.

Today, evidently, was not Xay's lucky day.

Xisuma dragged him through the crowd of people.

And the worst part was,

Xisuma's hand kept slipping.

Is he trying to make me flare up?! Xay wondered, shoving the feeling of the friction to the back of his mind.

It wasn't until they had left the building and were on the trek to their house that Xay snapped.

The friction and heat.

It was driving him insane.

It was like a pulling inside his head.

A string he was tied to.

Yanking him in a thousand directions.

The voice of the flames, whispering in his ears.

Ignite, it told him.

Light that spark, it whispered.

Snap.

Snap.

Snap.

Xay jerked his hand away and bolted.

He could hear Xisuma screaming his name.

He didn't care.

All he felt was a flurry of heat and emotion and fear that came with the flames.

The fire was overwhelming, even though, physically, there was none.

Hot tears burned in Xay's eyes as the panic overtook him.

Why am I like this?

A fiery abomination.

Xay slowed his pace, breathing heavily. Glancing around, he realized that, in his panic, he had dashed into a nearby forest. Trees loomed over him and were all that he could see. The cool air was refreshing, regulating his heartbeat.

Xay, despite being quite the fiery person, always liked the cold.

It was refreshing, like a blanket of serenity that muffled the fire.

Peering at the intimidating trees, he was able to confirm that he was lost. The shadows loomed over him, eerie darkness in irregular patterns. A shiver traveled up Xay's spine, but not a cold shiver.

A scared shiver.

Snap.

Xanthus's head whipped towards the sound. A branch, snapping behind him.

No one was there.

"Xisuma?" Xay called out shakily. A part of him wanted to give into the temptation and snap his fingers, generating the fire to use as light.

But if Xisuma really was there and saw him, or if anyone saw him...

He'd be sent off to a scientists lab before he could close his fist to extinguish the flame.

But... no one was there.

Right?

And it was rather dark.

A small flame, Xay told himself. Just a little.

The pull was too strong to ignore anyway.

He snapped his fingers, and the fire was generated. It gave off a soft yet fierce golden glow, soothing Xay's nerves. He held it close to his chest like a ball of pure energy, his hands shielding it enough so that it couldn't really be seen from far away, but not so much that all of its light was cut off.

Instantly calmed by the presence of the flame, Xay took a couple of deep breaths to compose himself, then began walking in the direction that he thought he had come from.

Crunch.

Xay quickly closed his fist, extinguishing the fire. Sharp ruby red eyes darted around the woodland, although, again, there was no figure in sight. Xay's heart pounded in his chest, but he swallowed back his fear and continued walking.

Footsteps.

Xay could've sworn he heard footsteps.

Not pawsteps.

Footsteps.

Panic blurred the world around him, smudging the colors of the area into what reminded him of dry paint strokes on an easel. Instinct took over Xay as he backed up one step, then another, then whipped around and ran.

And it was at that moment when he heard the steady pat pat pat of footsteps behind him that he realized,

Someone is following me.

And it's not Xisuma.

But then...

Who is it?

*gasp* CLIFFHANGER?!

Yeah. Get used to it ;)

-Storm