Chapter 9

Magnus

The next day, the police held a press conference to inform the public of the situation with Lio. They released his gang name, and the details I explained about his fingers and toes. Soon after, His foster mother came on, begging him to come home.

But after yesterday, I dont know if he ever wanted to come home. Whatever happened in those weeks he was kidnapped, hes different. He wasnt fighting me as a rival. He fought me as a killer.

I stand up from my bed with a yawn, wiping the sleep from my eyes. I scratch my bare stomach, noting my burns. My mind instantly goes to Lio.

My heart drops into my stomach, a feeling of sadness overcoming me. Why was I too weak... I couldnt save him. I grit my teeth, storming down the stairs. I sit down at the table in the kitchen angrily, staring at the dark oak like it killed my second cousin.

"Morning sweetheart. I just finished breakfast!" My mother cooed. I nod, watching as she slides me a plate of pancakes. She takes a seat as I take the liberty of drowning my pancakes in syrup, still glaring at it angrily.

"Want to talk about it?," My mother asked softly, her voice low with concern. I stab my pancake, shoving a huge chunk into it as tears fill my eyes.

"He was right there mom... I had him... ," I shove another chunk into my mouth as I angry cry. Why do I even care if that little shit is safe. Why should I care.

"I failed him... And Ryan and Charles... Everyone depended on me back there. I couldve burnt her hand off to save Sarah... But I was in such a mode...," I slam my fist down on the table, burying my head into my hands.

"I didnt even think about it. The second it was Lio or someone else... I chose someone else...", I scowled, biting my cheek.

"Magnus... It was either let him go so he can be saved another day, or watch as three people die and he gets taken anyways. You know it was the right call dont you?," My mother asked worriedly. I look up, my jaw dropping.

"Magnus, Even his foster mother is proud of the choice you made. we still have the chance to find him. That's because of you," She reassured me. She stood from her seat and walked over to me before crouching, a sad smile on her face.

"Now now, stop with the waterworks dear. We'll save him. The second we know anything, you will be the first to know. Though I gotta wonder," She giggled, a devilish smirk replacing her warm smile.

"Do I sense that my son has finally found love? Nah. Hes too much of a hardhead for that," She giggles before returning to her seat, eating in silence.

I stared at my plate, feeling myself go nauseous.

"Dear me, you look sick hun, Go ahead and retire to your room. I'll call you in for the day," She chirped happily. I nod and slowly stalk up the stairs.

Love? With who? What does that woman mean? I scratch my neck before falling down onto my bed.

"I wonder though... Will they find Lio again?," I asked myself that night. Deep down I new the truth. But I had no idea what was about to come.

Lio

I pull long silver gloves over my hands, a similar colored outfit matching.

"There.. That ought act as a brace for your power. Teach you some control. Remember, if your gloves get frosty, that means you're leaking. once you can learn stop stop that extra flow of energy and channel it, you'll be even stronger," Dylan lectured me for the tenth time today. I nod turning to him.

"Why this mask though?," I demanded, tossing a glance at the silver plated mask lying on the desk. He smirked.

"Itll make you look badass, and help you regulate your temperature, also another form of control. Say, one day you're powerful another to breathe frost. Or freeze something with your breath. The mask is meant to enhance things that come with that. It's also designed to automatically recreate your eyepatch. Now turn and look at yourself in the mirror!," He cheered. I turned glancing at myself in the mirror. I looked like a wizard of snow, every ounce of my body covered in silver. I glance at my white hair.

"Hey... Can I die my hair black?," I asked. Dylan leaned back, smirking devilishly. Just when I thought he was gonna say no, he blushed.

"That would be glorious!!! Why didnt I thank of that before?," He screamed, before digging through his drawers.

"Take a seat."

About an hour and a half after Dylan finished dying my hair, I was called out to train by Lyra. It'd been a few days since I lost my fight to Magnus, once again. But it felt different this time. It was different this time.

However, since I lost, Lyra had started me up on some special power moves. Starting with making frost put of several different parts of my body, for if I ever was to get pin, more of a defensive maneuver. The second we were working on, is something to counter that explosion bullet of flame that Magnus learned to use.

"Having a move similar to that would make you almost as powerful as him. But, I dont think you want to mimic him. That's a no no. But I do like his bullet idea. So how about we work on concentrating your large amounts of ice into a single compacted weapon. I dont care what it is, as long as it impresses me," She said the day we started. At first I tried to make them into bullets, but it always got the same result, the ice always had a trail after it. Unlike Magnus's power, It became an issue for me because it is ice. Not fire.

Several days later and I still hadn't found anything I could use. It was always something too slow, or too weak.

"Hey, Lio. Is it true that you can manipulate ice?," Dylan asked one day as he watched me practice my first special defensive attack. I shrug.

"More like I can control the water inside the ice to maneuver it and shape it into the form I want. However, since water is limited inside the ice, the second I move it, it starts melting relatively quickly. " I answered, staring at a piece of ice in my hand.

"I can even freeze my own sweat if I wanted to," I added on. Dylan grinned.

"That's perfect!! I have a new fighting style I want you to try out. You moving exceptionally in a fight will conjure up plenty of sweat right?," He started easily. I nodded.

"So what if I made a little gauntlet or wrist brace that you could put onto all your ligaments. Then, if you have any problems with hand to hand combat, you could use it to make your sweat into something to help you get the upper hand. Say, like that boys explosion trick. If you have say a shield to block the blast on both ends, you wont be harmed. Or you could turn it into bullets that you can control at any speed you can think of, since the water is still moving. Then, it can solidify once it hits something solid right?," He blabbed. I nodded, a grin covering my face.

"Dylan that's genius! Yes let's do that!,"

Lyra

"What's the Intel Lyra. Have you gotten me the weapon you promised?," The modulated voice commands from the other side of the phone. I stared at Dylan and Lio as they start practicing with some new gadgets he must've made for Lio.

"I have the essential piece. I have the ice guy. His name is Lio. With some tests, including torture, I've managed to get a more run down approach of his powers. I wouldnt necessarily even call him an Ice power. It's more like a water manipulator. But it's natural form considering his personality is ice. I think if I train him a little more Hell be able to get a grasp on more of the water side of his power. Then, we need that fire guy. If we can recruit both of them, and turn them into the most powerful version of themselves, I think they could make quite the team. ," I smirked, gazing intently at the photo of Magnus on my desk.

"A team powerful enough to take over the world,"

Magnus

"MAGNUS!! WE HAVE A HIT ON LIO!," My mother screamed as she entered the house. I stand, throwing on a thin shirt and sprinting down the stairs.

"You do?," I demanded, staring her down.

"Heres the address. Hurry, they've been ordered to kill by the captain. If you dont save him, hell die this time. There is no room for mistakes!," She ordered harshly, slamming the address onto my chest. I nodded, kicking on some shoes and sprinting out the door. I take a good look at the address.

I dont care if he wants saved or not. This time, I will save him.

No matter the cost.

My mind flickered back to my mother, her smile as she asked me about our relationship. Hes the only thing keeping me moving. If it had been anyone else, I wouldnt have cared.

But the sad truth is, I care about him. In more ways then one. Hes the closest I've ever come to a friend. Hes my rival. Hes supposed to be my enemy.

But above all else, hes become the world that I spin around, all I obsess over.

I'll do it right this time. I'll tell him the truth. I'll tell him how I feel. Maybe that'll be enough to save him from himself.