Awakening

I’ve never seen him so anxious. Cliff is enthusiastic; maybe annoyingly enthusiastic sometimes but, it’s not his fault. I Shouldn’t have brought him. 

Cliff is curled up with his back against the tree; locking erratically between me and peeking at the opposite side of the tree. Cliff leans over; no less than a second, a stream of fire grazes the ground forcing Cliff to cling back against the tree.

“I’m still here!” That arrogant loser spews. I drag a fist onto the ground and with any power left in my feet to lift me, I catapult myself forward; slamming my spine against the tree. Cliff ropes his arm around my shoulder so as to not let me fall over and become exposed to incoming attacks. 

“Cliff.” My head tilts slowly like a jammed hinge. “I’m sorry. I thought you were ready. But I didn’t think that there were more like me out there.” My head anchors me down but I catch myself right before collapsing. 

“No, no, no; it’s ok Connor.” Cliff responds. “Look, we’re gonna beat this guy, ok? And then we can go back to training.” Cliff rolls his legs to his side of the tree. A heavy sigh spurts out. 

Lifting my head up once again, I close my eyes and inhale in, craning my head up. With an open palm out, my hand succumbs to a coat of glistening embers that manifests from the center of my palm. The flame is too low; sprinkles of rain hiss into steam and dilute my flame even further. 

I propel away from the tree and preemptively throw my hand at full force—when Cliff anchors me back into cover. Cliff clenches my jacket, ripping it more than it's already torn. “Connor, no. You’ll die!” Cliff cries in a desperate mutter. 

“Look; Milago is going to kill us anyways! We have to at least fight back!” Alongside us appears the stagnant figure; thunder flashes further illuminating his ghostly white silhouette. Milago but flicks his fingers effortlessly, out coming a concussive blast of flame. Jumping up, the blast connects; propelling me into the air and diving core first into mud.  

That’s it; I’m done—no more fire, no more power. My chin twitches keeping my head up. Cliff is but inches in front of Milago. Cliff gazes up at the giant, skimming his foot back, subtly trying to avoid a close quarters confrontation. Cliff claws his sword’s hilt, moreover so tightly, his elbows vividly tremble in bursts. 

“Hit hi—” I’m intercepted by a heavy wheeze as something is felt drilling my abdomen; I fiercely slam my eyes shut in response. Standing motionless, Milago bashes Cliff’s head before delivering a backhanded strike, staggering the poor guy. Cliff falls back onto his back and keeps a shaky hand orbiting his front. Milago trudges towards Cliff, ready to deliver another strike. 

I thought Cliff was ready; ready to venture, ready to unlock his gifts. Cliff was always a hippity hoppity jackrabbit. Ready to prove to himself and prove to the world that he’s not useless. On the daily, I’d see Cliff run around the school’s training grounds and challenge other students—but even when he lost, he’d be—carrying himself with that annoyingly toothy smile. But ever since I got my power … he … 

Like an ice ax, Cliff dug his elbow into the ground and dragged himself to me. One of his hands lingers over my shoulder, and tugs on me. 

“Connor—get up.” Cliff squirms. I turn my head, only being able to see Cliff’s knees. 

“Cliff.” I huff out. “I don’t get it. You got stronger. Why are you afraid?” Cliff slams his fist, splashing muddy water up. 

“Connor, you’re the strongest guy I know.” I sense Cliff peering down at me. “You’re the best at swordsmanship, you’re basically popular at our school and you can shoot fire. If I can’t beat you, what makes you think I can beat this guy—I’m not strong enough and I’ll never be.” Cliff whimpers. 

“Do you remember when I taught you how to use your sword?” I lift myself up to my knees. 

“Yeah. You tossed me around like a broomstick for a while; why?”

“That one time—when I got so mad because I didn’t see you getting better—what did you say?”

“Connor, that’s different—

“What did you say Cliff?” Cliff pauses, before taking a deep breath in and exhaling in succession. 

“I said—I was going to get stronger; and beat you.” 

“Damn right. You were so determined; why aren’t you anymore?” Cliff preemptively shoves me, landing back onto the mud. I look back at Cliff. His face cheeks now red, Cliff eye’s beg for mercy. Cliff’s mouth twitches downward repeatedly. 

“Connor you idiot; we’re going to die and you’re making jokes?” Cliff bows down, and his hands plummet to the floor. Milago approaches, pausing in front of us. Intense fire jets from his back almost resembling wings. This is it. Milago forms a fist that radiates in flame that is so hot, plummeting rain water forms steam just by presence alone. 

Milago raises his fist, but even before throwing it, I spring myself up taking the heavy blow to the gut, rocketing back once again; this time with my back against the ground. My eyes shut. The ground around me reverberates in a steady beat. Like tremors coming in waves. My spine throbs in unison too with the shaking.

“Get away from him!” Cliff shouts. The mud squelching gets louder towards me. Cliff? “I’m gonna lose.” A mutter is barely audible. The same phrase is now being chanted. Another splash of mud is synchronized with a heavy shake. “No, no, no. I trained so hard—so hard! And for what? Just to be killed in some random forest by a freak!” 

I open my eyes. It’s Cliff—with a fire in his eye. “I’m scared; so scared. But, honestly, I think I’m more angry at myself!” Cliff clenches his fists together, his fingers cracking. “I’m not gonna be useless! Not anymore!” Cliff bends his knees as he whips his head down. “Not! Anymore!” Delivering an excruciating scream, a blast of ferocious flame ejects from Cliff’s mouth. 

More fire forms out from his eye, creating a fire mask of sorts. So, he can do it too. My mouth overwhelmingly kicks up. His fire is brilliant, and just as powerful as mine. 

“You’re right Connor. We might die; but we at least have to try!”