Fire is Blazing

empty

I woke feeling the emptiness deep in me I take a shower wanting to wash away the hatred I am feeling but it doesn't go away and head straight to see Clay, Apheinas' friend who had forced me into my room after almost getting detained by the guards yesterday when they finally made it to the dorms. The whole campus was put on lock down as the guards searched for her, they were still looking when I was forced to stay in this gods' damn dorm, I should be out there looking for her.

"Hey." I say as I take a sit across from him, he looked tired as he stared at his phone it was going off ever few seconds my phone had started to work again this morning at three am I had gotten a call from Bunnies mom calling her back was the hardest call I ever had. She had answered right away,

"Have you heard anything?" She asked still to panic that I could hear it in her voice, it has been hours and neither of us had heard anything about where or who had taking her, but I had a suspect.

"No, you?" I ask back. I hear a sob slip her lips as she answers,

"Nothing, yet but Francis is out there looking with team two they pushed the search to woods, can you really not sense her through the bond." Her voice shakes,

"No, there's nothing but silence, that doesn't mean I am going to stop try to reach her." I tell her trying my best to reassure her. "When can we see the council?" I ask once I started to threated people I was forced back here and Clay was tasked to watch me, to my surprise for a book worm he was quite strong, strong enough to keep me in my room all night, while my grandmother was summed back from her mission and Bunnies parents were contacted immediately when they arrived I was shouting at the one council member that bothered to show and the two elders with such venom and anger I could feel the heat in room rise to sweating temps, the elders took the verbal assault but the snob council member went red in the face as I tore him apart they stood at the window that had shattered from the teleportation magic,

"I TOLD YOU, YOU OLD DUMB f**k, I TOLD YOU THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING SUSPIOUS GOING ON BUT NO! YOU KNEW BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE! DIDN'T YOU! DIDN'T YOU! DID YOU THINK THEY WOULD STAY PEACEFUL FOR EVER? DID MY PARENTS DYING MEANING NOTHING TO YOUR OLD PIECES OF SHITS! THEY ARE DEAD AND APHIENA IS MISSING! KIDNAPPED FROM RIGHT UNDER YOU f*****g NOSE! YOU BETTER PRAY TO THE GODS THAT SHE IS FOUND ALIVE AND UNHURT! SO, HELP ME GODDESS OTIAS I WILL BURN THIS PLACE TO THE GROUND WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN IT." I remember the two guards having to pull me back as I got into the old, embarrassed man's face. Raven and Clay had arrived at the same time as Bunnies parents did they rushed to both sides of me and started to pull me back and out to the hallway removing the guards from harm's way as I take a swing at one of them my knuckles making contact with a large dirt wall instead the loud sound of the wall as it shatters from my punch making me focus on my sanity but the guard goes flying onto Aphiena bed and my anger rose higher than before and I hear a sigh followed by a voice that sounded far away to my left as I lunge to the other person holding me, it was Raven I pause long enough for her to blast me with a large amount of wind knocking me to the ground she quickly crouch's next to me and with a soothing voice she speaks,

"Hey, Angelo, we will find her I promise but you need to go breath. Come on let's get out of here. When you calm down, we will form a plan." Clay picks up on Ravens cue and lifts me up with no problem practically carrying me away as I finally noticed her parents talking to the elders Aphiena's great aunts I was having a hard time finding my voice again as we are escorted by the remaining guard, they had just started to search the areas so I could tell we have lost her they didn't did get here in time they could be anywhere by now. Panic rises back in me, and I try to get out of Clays grasp he had his arm locked on my right a literal solid heavy rock around his hold so I will have to hurt both of us if I use my magic to escape.

"There was a guy." I start to tell him if I can't break out maybe I can persuade him to let me go, I need to help find her, "He was tall, the room smelled terrible, there was smoke, it was grey, she looked like she wasn't able to stand, there was fire at the door but that wasn't the cause of the smoke, that came from him. There was something about his features." I pause trying to remember my words came out fast and jumbled but I see we slowed down almost to a stop as they both listen,

"What? Was something wrong with him?" Raven, ask I look over at her frantically trying to remember but I get this aching headache.

"I can't remember, I inheld the smoke, Clay this guy was using dark old magic, the ice volume we need to read it, I know there's a chapter on that kind of magic, you know what I'm taking about don't you? You have to know what I'm talking about; we need to get it now!" I feel myself shake in anticipation and anxiety I was so desperate to start looking for her. I can't feel her, I can't reach her, we aren't connected I have truly lost her. "I can't feel her, she's missing, Clay the bond, the magic it's got to be old right that is the only thing that makes sense." I start to ramble as I feel us walking this time with more speed that the guard almost had a hard time keeping up, I felt Raven let go and quickly coming back to my other arm, their presents was oddly comforting Clay pulls me close and in a low voice.

"Let's get to your room, just breath for now and think back to what you were saying about the kidnapping I am going to need to write this down." I nod he was taking this seriously and I start to feel more at easy my panicky feel starts to fade as we head into my room my thoughts already replaying the scene again and again.

"Angelo!" Rea practically shouted when she noticed me sitting with Clay in the visiting hall pulling me back to the present. I sigh she is a loud person she sighs and hand me a cup of coffee.

"Thank you." I mutter she give me a small smile it was a sad one, but she was trying to be comforting, they have both here with me even last night Clay had stayed in my room making do with the uncomfortable floor. He said he didn't mind, and I was secretly grateful not to be alone with my thoughts,

"Any sleep?" She asks as she takes a seat next to Clay, he holds his hand out for her the small jester sends a ping in my chest and I try to reach out to Bunny once more, but I get nothing I set the cup down and squeeze my eyes shut rubbing them until them pulsate. I remind myself to take a deep breath, "I'll take that at as a little." She commits I feel her eyes staring at me,

"I'm going to end up with a hole on my face if you keep doing that Rea." I groan and look at her she twists her lips and squints at me, "Have you heard anything? When can I meet with the council? Did I get approved to go to the library? I am ready to go now." I say getting ready to get out of my chair. She places a hand on my knee keeping me from rising fully.

"No, honey you didn't get permission, they are worried you will do something reckless, so Clay is going to go while you and I are going to be escorted to your grandmother for the time being. As for the meeting we are waiting on the last guard chief to..." She pauses,

"Let me guess, it's my master, right?" The chief I studied under has been the only one beside these two to keep me in check. She nods,

"Anyways we will be meeting the council only after he gets here, I was told he is on the way and should be arriving tonight, until then they have started to shut down all roads to both of the capitals exits and to the neighboring villages, they have a few people that live over by the back roads keeping an eye on any vehicles that pass their ways, they have been gathering more people to increase the search. And before you ask no, you still are not allowed to help with the search they need you to say put so you won't go crazy." I groan and lean back in my chair. I have looked through the book all night with Clay and we didn't find much on what we were looking for. Clay finally speaks after downing almost all of his coffee that Rea brought for him.

"I was thinking, the book, it had shown you whatever you wanted as long as it was retaining to the power Teleo, I think if we ask if there is any type of magic that can sever the bond it might actually answer. I stand and march back to my room and grab my grandmother book out of the closet. Raven and Clay had taken a seat on the bed as I get the uncomfortable chair at my desk opening the book I speak,

"Show me if there is a way to block the Teleo's connection using magic, narration form." I instruct.

"Please." Raven adds and I give her a curious look she shrugs, "It feels wrong to boss it around."

"Rea, it's a book." I state in a matter-of-fact tone. She rolls her eyes the book stops flipping and begins to speak. Rea motions as to say look it speaks,

Teleo, a power stored in the nerves of the Magi that has been granted this blessing by the goddess Gratphy. Created from pairs of mated beetles once the Magi inhaled the ground insect the goddess showed them how to use it. No one has ever had a severed connection but you," The books voice sounds as if it had moved and was now right in front of me instead of the middle of the book, "There is something lodged between you and your partner? What could that be?" The books voice hums and starts to turn more famine than before a face starts to rise from the corner a forehead with the hairline showing but vanishes just a fast. "Fine the root of Tryps, the berry from the brickle bush Ronsa, the leaves from the Lillina flower grounded into a power and drink." I look at the two who were equally surprised on how the book spoke Clay however was writing everything then started to ask the exact steps on how to do it properly.

"I am going to go shopping and the library, Guard Rocky is going to be here in thirty minutes for you two, get ready for you grandmother and I will see you both there once I got everything, I might have to visit my grandma's shop, that half an hour away." He kisses Rea's forehead as he mutters to himself as he left the room.

"Nerd." I laugh it was a dry laugh, but I was feeling glade that Bunny had found people that would go above and beyond for her.

"Yeah, but he is a cute nerd." Raven sighs resting her head in her hand staring at the half open door where he left. I close my book,

"Very social nerd." I commit getting up to find my combat attire and all my hidden weapons the schools guards didn't find when I enrolled. She nods,

"He is a very likeable person everyone finds it easy to talk to him, unlike you, your nicety is to forces. I find you have more of a normal resting b***h face than one that is smiling all the time." She shrugs. "On the plus side I am able to get all the good info." She laughs but it starts to die down as she sees my weapons. "How the hell were you able to have all these weapons? I couldn't even keep my pocketknife I got for my birthday." She huffs folding her arms but when I hand her on of the three pocketknives I have she takes it with a sequel,

"Happy birthday." I laugh she starts to really look at the things I had and was shocked.

"Next time I am sneaking in alcohol I'm calling you; you have to tell me you secret." She finally notices my outfits that I tossed over my chair. "What is all this for we are heading to your grandma's not a fight." Shoving the knife in her pocket she gives me a death glare.

"I cannot just sit and wait for someone to tell me the bare minimum I need to find Aphiena."

"And what is the plan? To leave campus without any back up and walk around the woods aimlessly and hope the gods point you in the right way? Hahhh," She lets out a long sigh, "That sounds utterly pointless and a complete waste of time and energy, stick to the plan. We are going to your grandmas she has a large library with many helpful books, when Clay gets the ingredients, we will try that potion and hopefully we will be able to get you a way to connect back with Aphie. When that happens then we can find her and then we will go bat s**t crazy on whoever decided to end their lives with this stupid ass plan." She lets out another long sigh and starts to pack the weapons into the duffle bag, "Look I'm not saying don't bring this s**t because we will need it just don't do anything stupid that is going to make this process longer, we will not sit and wait but we have to plan and learn our enemy before we even start looking for her. Trust me those fuckers will wish they were even born when I am done with them." I hear her voice get deep and menacing her eyes were an icy blue she was ready for blood. I finish wrapping the nosier weapons in some t-shirts and tuck them between the rest of the clothing. By the time we were finished putting everything in the bag the guard Rocky knocks on the door. He was a large man with dark skin and scars on his arms and face he was in the earth guard uniform. In silence we head to the doors and to the parked car that was in the parking lot on the other side of the building. We arrive in a matter of minutes but that meant I had a few minutes to try and reach her again.

'Bunny?' Nothing, 'Bunny, are you okay?' No answer again, 'Please be okay!' By the time I gave up we reached my grandmother's house I send one last message to her in case she can hear me telling her I will find her and that everything will be okay hoping they will get through.

"Angelo!" My grandmother swings the door open and pulls me into a hug. "I got here as fast as I could, I'll be getting everything little detail as they come in, if the council knows anything so will we.

"Grandma this is Raven, Aphiena's best friend, Raven this is my grandmother Silvan. Grandma I need to look at your library." I hug her back and swiftly pass her entering her home placing my bag at the door of my room that was on the way to the library, I hear Raven introducing herself, she is taken into the living room as I reach the middle of the staircase, I move fast up the stairs and head straight to the large bookroom. I had spent a whole summer once reorganizing that place if I think back far enough, I should find the books I need in no time. Hours pass as I search and read all the books, I can get my hands on by the time Clay got here which was almost eight o'clock the day was almost over. He came into the library with two big bags.

"I had a hard time finding the root with most of the things being in the other towns but thankfully there are a lot of elderly people in this town. Did you know that the Lillian flower is also used in most perfumes nowadays." He starts to unload the first bag of books on the already book filled table, "Make some room, go put the ones you've read away if you took notes the book is no longer needed." He says with a snarky tone like, he is too honest I grunt and grab the pile of finished book away.

"Better?" I mutter shuffling the remaining books out of his way as he started to get the ingredients out, I was finally happy that being a guarding came with the luxury of a large place otherwise I would have decked this kid for putting a handful of those things by these old books thankful the table could set twelve people with elbow room and he placed them in a good stop far from the books. "I found a few things about the way teleportation magic work, that is some tricky s**t, the more potent the powder used the farther it goes. The ingredients are hard to find more so now that the places that grow the necessary for the perfect get away are frozen over deep in the ice kingdoms territory. So, that person had to be part of the Ice kingdom but they used fire so I can't tell what else to look for on that front I only have speculations. Does anyone know if Gabriel was accounted for?" I look up at my grandmother she was sitting in a chair a laptop on the table in front of her and her phone to her ear, she was busy dealing with the guards head chiefs, the last one just arrived, and she is trying to get an meeting planned but we were spread thin already it would be dangerous to show our hands to fast. Clay comes around the table and looks over my page of notes,

"Let get the book and go over the instructions one more time than we will test it out, do you remember what it will do?"

I shake my head and I grab the book we go over the instructions the book giving us a play by play with the pictures moving showing us the right way to do it.

"Ready?" Clay asks the drink was in a long glass it was a sparkling purple drink, "The book says to focus on her and only her and that you should sit somewhere comfortable." I nod and move to the couch in the sitting area. I take the drink from Clay and down it all in one gulp.