"Who are you and what do you want?"
"So blunt Professor, I thought foreplay was your speciality." they reply, a sultry female voice coming from behind the screen, the red fox symbol rippling as she speaks through a mic.
The Professor squints his eyes, tilting his head, ignoring the strands of jet black hair falling into his face. "I get this way with little kids who want to play Rebellion. It's a boring game when you always come out as the victor."
"I haven't been a child for a long time Professor...they took that away from me...amongst other things."
Their playful back and forth laced with venom hurts Cloud's head, understanding that he's missing vital context as to what is happening.
He hovers over to the banquet tables, pouring himself a glass of water to hopefully placate his headache.
Meanwhile, Catrien interjects herself into the fray, speaking with clear diction to bolster her portrayal of calm confidence. "Answer his question. What is it you want?"
The voice behind the screen takes a noticeable pause before answering with a single word. "Freedom."
"You seem free enough to pull off a stunt like this." Griffin scoffs.
"We are not free until channelling is made universal for everyone and not just the newest bunch of children you've decide to brainwash, your majesty."
"Oh god, you're one of those." Griffin mutters, sipping from a champagne glass as he glares up at the largest screen.
"I'm afraid that is not possible." Catrien replies. "The sanctions were put in place to keep the peace between ourselves and our allies. It's saved many lives."
Cloud hears a faint ticking sound coming from beneath the nearest white tablecloth, squatting down to investigate the strange sound, his heart sharply sinking once he realises where it is coming from.
"I thought you'd say something like that."
Cloud instinctively throws his hands up after leaping to his feet, reacting swiftly enough to push back against the explosion of the hidden bomb.
The guest nearest to him feel the brunt of the shockwaves, being thrown off their feet as the wall of windows behind them shatters.
A light drizzle of glass crumbles to the floor followed by a sudden rush of air as Cloud fights to contain the flames, quickly discovering he's taking on more than he can chew on as several of the flames escape his control.
He hears the cries of a man who was hit by one, catching a glimpse of the burning man running around like a headless chicken.
His hands begin to tremble, remembering back to the night that he fought against a single blast from Mortelix, the sight of the flames bringing back familiar emotions.
Cloud tastes copper on his tongue as he looses his footing, hoping that enough people make it out before he drains all of his energy.
But surprisingly, the strain is suddenly taken off his shoulders as the heat roaring in his face looses it's intensity. That's when he notices Arden Snow, his unofficial rival, shooting a concentrated blast of frozen air at the nucleus of the explosion.
As a team they are able to disperse the flames until all that is left are drifting embers and a sizzling scorch mark.
The remaining guests cheer and applaud the pair for the reckless execution, a unanimous sigh of relief being heard all around the room.
Casey bounces up to Cloud, seemingly arriving just as the party really got started, which makes Cloud feel slightly better knowing that he just saved his best friend from a fiery death.
"Dude, save the theatrics for when we're actually at the Academy. It's not even day one and you're already showing us all up." Casey teases, gingerly patting out the embers that land on Cloud's shoulder.
"I didn't mean, it wasn't...I don't feel so good." Cloud managed to get out before stumbling, grateful to have Casey and Justin close enough to catch him.
"You're alright, he's alright, right buddy." Casey declares, rubbing Cloud's back as he instructs Topher to get some orange juice and enough sugary treats to frighten a diabetic.
But it's in the moment of giddy laughter that they are reminded that life never plays out like a movie.
The second and third explosions go off concurrently, throwing them around like ragdolls in a blender.
ESTÁS LEYENDO
The Initials | Nanowrimo 2023
Fantasía[Book 1 in the Displaced Angels Series] "You took the life of my best friend, made her life a living hell...so I took your building and everything inside, and turned it into ash." °°° Being abducted the first time was already crazy enough, but twice...
