Bound by Hellfire

Chapter 16

We all stood in silence, further studying the strange boy who stood before us. The title he had given himself bounced around in our heads as we thought of more unanswered questions.

"Aldera? That's your planet?" I questioned first.

The boy's eyes somehow got darker. The white rims vanished behind the pools of blackness as his forehead wrinkled toward the ground.

"If there is anything left of it," Mikael replied somberly.

I could feel the weight of his words as they hit our ears. The bitterness behind his pupils only showed through the reflections of blue light that streamed down from the treetops.

The smoke-filled air had finally dissipated, allowing the planets above to brighten the forest once again. Mikael's features now shined more prominently as our eyes adjusted to the newfound light.

Marcus and Mason could now see him for all that he was. His dark pink skin made us all squint. Our eyes were so used to the dull colors of the forest that seeing something different was almost blinding.

His pale green hair glistened in the light. Each strand like its own sprout of seaweed hiding his eyes like sacred black pearls. My gaze fell from his face, studying the cloth garb that hung across his broad shoulders. 

"So what do we do now?" I finally managed.

Mikael's brow loosened as he looked up from the dirt. His gaze now on me.

"We need to keep moving. If that fire has anything to do with the demon--- then it can't be far behind. It'll be hunting us, so I suggest we move with haste. Follow me" Mikael spoke bluntly.

"Hold on--- you expect us to just trust you--- just like that?" Marcus huffed with sarcasm. "You look like some kind of rejected starfish, talking all sorts of nonsense about demons and magic and you expect us to just be totally fine with you taking us on a stroll through the murder forest?"

Mikael turned toward Marcus. His face was calm, expressionless, as though Marcus's insults had gone miles above his head. 

"He saved us!" I snapped. "If it wasn't for him we would all be burnt to a crisp!"

"Pity, you could have used the tan." Marcus chuckled.

I clenched my fist. His face never looked so punchable. Even at school, he was known as the guy who couldn't keep his mouth shut, but we weren't at school. We were on a different planet, potentially lightyears away from our world. Just one of a million things to add to my journal when I get home. Idiocy does in fact travel through space.

"Congratulations Marcus, looks like you're the biggest douchebag on this planet too." Mason sneered.

Marcus quickly spun to Mason, grabbing him by the collar as he backed him into one of the neighboring trees.

"The hell you just say to me?!"

Marcus towered over Mason. His golden brown eyes darkened under his thick eyebrows. His large arms tensed, slamming Mason's back into the trunk. The bark flaked from the tree as Marcus stared down into Mason's trembling green eyes.

"You wanna say something else freak?" Marcus growled.

Mason looked to his side. His eyes now fixated on the still-smoldering grass behind us.

"C'mon, I'm giving you a freebie here!"

I remained silent. My lips pursed at the sight of Marcus's bullying. I wanted to say something--- no--- do something. To help Mason just like I should have helped Andrew in the courtyard, but I couldn't. Despite the thoughts of myself as a vengeful savior, my mind cut me down to size labeling me for what I truly was. A coward.