Light of Hope in a Dark Despaired World

Burnt and blown Shine-A was. Turns out the explosion was a lot smaller than it looked. Shino somehow managed to absorb all of the explosion. Shino was nowhere to be found. From a sky view, it was just a pile of rubble.

A dome of ice in the midst of the rubble. It slowly dissolved into mist, revealing Derrick and Benjamin Varr.

"This must've been the work of Ablaze," Derrick said.

"A little thanks?"

"No," Derrick replied with no hesitation, "do you sense anyone?"

"Not anyone I know."

"Reaaally???" Ablaze screamed from afar, walking atop the rubble.

"You're Ablaze, right?"

"I have a name, Ben. Don't you remember?"

"Should I?"

Ablaze started giggling to himself. He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked toward them. "Well, I was only ever a tool for you. Either a punching bag or a sex toy to you. But you know what you are, Ben?"

Ben paused and tried to remember what he was referring to. Derrick glanced at Ben suspiciously as he might know who Ablaze is from a story he heard. A story he could relate to on a personal level. Derrick was known as the Varr Family Failiure, and Michael Varr was known as the Varr Family Devil.

"Michael Varr, right?"

"Wow, the outcast knows me more than my own fucking father."

"Michael Varr? That trash is dead."

"Let me guess, you want revenge and you want to kill him?"

"Spot on."

Derrick pulled out his Solar Blade and held it with a reverse grip. He glared at Michael and hid his bloodlust, in fact, neither of the two could see him with mana perception or basic senses at all. Derrick stayed still and swung his blade upwards in a swift pace. Michael was surprised. Ben's body split in half and fell to the ground.

"What the fuck did you just do?" Michale confused.

"I'm not giving you the satisfaction of killing him," Derrick wore an apathetic face on his face as he flicks the blood off his blade.

"Your reasoning?"

"I want you to stand down."

"Like fucking hell."

"Things are going to change in our family, they'll learn to accept people like us."

"You're so naive."

"I'm overtly optimistic. But I believe he can do it."

"Let me guess, your brother, Nathan?"

"Yeah, he's in line to be the next head."

"He may be different and you may be willing to accept change, but they won't."

"People can change."

"Don't you get it? Our family's Cold Core prejudice dates back hundreds of years. Our family killed sorcerers just because they had a different element."

"I'm fully aware of that."

"So, why?"

"Optimism."

"Don't make me laugh," Michael sighed.

"If you're not standing down, I'm going to kill you."

"Fine by me."

Derrick slashed Michael's face but he was too slow. Michael had concealed his face with his True Manifestation. Derrick follows up by turning around and stabbing Michael's back. Michael's hellstone-enveloped body deflected his blade. Michael ignited flames from his back. Derrick jumped up as high as he can. Michael looked up and reached his hand out to the sky. His palm opened, and unleashed a giant explosion from it. Derrick was burnt up but walked it off. He dived down with his blade arched out. Michael walked forward and Derrick slammed the ground with his blade.

"Why are you trying so hard? Your blade's dull. Besides, you're trying to fight fire with fire."

"Well, you melted North Pole."

"We were on opposite sides!"

"Are we no longer?"

"Tch, why do you insist?" The two stood across each other, walking in a circle, staring each other down.

"If you kill them, you'll kill my brother, and I'll hate you for that."

"And if I spare your brother?"

"He'll try and kill you. He can do it."

"You sound confident."

"I am, because I know."

Nate decided to split away from Heath and Vic because of what happened to Shine-A. Nate ventured into Shine-A alone to look for his brother. He ran down the street, or what's left of it. Building were destroyed, collapsing in on each other or on itself. He didn't sense anything other than Michael's fierce wavelength. He decided that running was too slow, so he skated there. Creating a path of ice in front of him as he push his legs forward.

Following the fierce wavelength he reached near where he needed to be. He decided to go on foot to gain an edge on the enemy ahead. He had to go through a broken building. It felt like it could collapse at any second. Through the lobby of the building and out the back door. He saw his brother. Heavily wounded, covered in his own blood, he was panting. His hand was barely gripping onto his sword. Michael's right palm is touching Derrick's chest. Michael and Derrick both looked at Nate.

"Derrick...?"

"What should I say? What should I do to prevent him from killing himself?" Derrick thought as he was slowly losing consciousness.

"...Nate, save him..."

Michael then ignited flames from his palm that engulfed Derrick and burned him. Derrick collapses and Michael catches him. He laid him on the ground. Michael stood up, turned to Nate, and shed a tear.

"You..." Nate's eyes widen, his heart sank, his breathing paced quicker.

"You have to believe that I didn't want to kill him or you. But if I have to, I'll do it."

"VARREUX!" Nate casted. Bright blue flames engulfed his body, the ground around him started freezing.

"Varreux? So that's why you were confident."

"You know this spell?"

"I'm a Varr, I do."

"What...? You're a... Varr?"

"I can do it too," Michael enveloped himself with ice. The ground around him started sizzling. It was exactly like Varreux but inverse. Something so cold, it burns.

Nate didn't care for it at the moment, he charged up an attack. He can feel himself freezing internally. He could endure it but not for very long. Michael engulfed Derrick with flames and teleported him away. Naye shot a condensed ray at Michael, he does the same to counter. The two attacks connect and collided, it created a combusting reaction. It unleashes a large shockwave that trembled the earth.

"You, a caring person? Did Derrick see right? You were going to attack me and have your brother as collateral. You disappoint," Michael grew less confident in Nate being able to bring about change to their family.

"SHUT UP!!" Nate got angry. "I'll fucking kill you!"

Michael stomps the ground and melted everything in Nate's direction except for him. The wave of heat was travelling quick and extremely vast. Metal melted. Rocks turned to ash and charcoal. Smoke filled the air. Nate couldn't see nor sense Michael's mana wavelength. He tried to rely on his instinct, but he was too occupied with his own rage. Michael emerges from the smoke and punches Nate's chest. For a moment, Nate's heart stopped.

Nothing. Empty thoughts. No flashes of his life in his eyes. For years he had been dead set on finding his brother, now that he's found him, he might die. Or he will.

He couldn't see or hear anything, but he could feel a stomping sensation on his chest. He can feel his mana completed depleted.

"Ahh!" Nate yelled, awakened. He was in the infirmary next to Derrick who was unconscious.

He felt someone gripping his right hand, he looks over, it was Vic. Beside her was Heath. To his left was a doctor with a defibrillator.

"Are you okay?"

"How's my brother? Doc, how is he?"

"Calm down, focua on you first.

"No! How is he? Please tell me he's going to make it!"

"We can't be sure, but he won't be waking up anytime soon I'm afraid."

Nate got off the bed and fell to the floor. Vic and the doctor wanted to help him up, Heath prevented them. Nate limped to the side of Derrick's bed and cried. He gripped the side as hard as he could. He grit his teeth and looked at Derrick's burnt face, "I'm sorry..."