Red Haze

Ignis returns to his home in the morning, showering and changing, he prepares for his day. Having been housed by distant relative's, the boy's life goes on.

Walking down the stairs' and rubbing sleep from her eyes minnie calls out. "Big brother, You're back?" She runs down the stairs jumping into his arms. "You were gone all night, I was scared you wouldn't come back like ma and pa." she sniffles clinging to his shirt.

"I know, I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He wraps her in a gentle hug, stroking her hair with one hand. "I'm not going anywhere so don't worry Lil' sis."

"Hmph," his sister suddenly detacts from him, turning and standing indignantly she says, "Don't think your getting out of this that easy!"

Ignis smile, falling to his knees he pleads, "Oh, won't the greatest Little sister in the world forgive her unfortunate brother."

"Ice cream." Minne demands, spinning to stare at her brother. "Take me to get Ice cream and I shall forgive you." She turns her nose up to him with a little giggle.

"So it shall be," Ignis bows his head laughing along with her. "You need to get ready though, or I might leave you behind and get that delicious Ice cream all to myself.

Minne gasps, turning she runs into the bathroom with her clothes. "I'll be quick so wait~" she says giggling as the water turns on.

"Of course I'll wait, I can't believe you just woke up. It's already noon," Ignis sighs walking to the kitchen he eats a bagel while he waits.

His sister comes out of the bathroom in her school uniform, "Let's gooo," she says running to the door.

"Hey, wait for me. You know better." Ignis says snagging her by the back of her shirt. "Relax, the Ice cream's not going anywhere Minne."

"Nowhere, except my belly!" She exclaims exaggeratedly patting her stomach. Walking along the road she snags Ignis's hand. They make their way to the Ice cream shop.

They take their seats, Ignis with a banana split and Minnie with an ice cream cone.

In the middle of their meal, Sirens start wailing as an ominous presence forms in the air. Ignis grabs his sister, carrying her princess style he darts for the nearest bunker.

Minnie starts crying as a red portal blasts from thin air right in from of them, spinning on his heel Ignis runs the other direction.

At the sound of footsteps closing in, Ignis darts into an alley. The footsteps approaching rapidly he sets minnie down. Grabbing her shoulder he looks at her, "You know the way to the bunker, Right?"

Minnie looks up at her brother with tears running fown her face, nodding slowly.

"Good, I want you to run straight there. Now go," he spins her gently pushing her back. He watches her stumble forward then start running.

Standing he turns to look at the monsters, large humanoid Lizards stand salivating at the end of the alley. "You fucking Kobolds, you just had to come for our family again?" He shouts, "You'll never get to her, Not with me here." Growling his punches his fists together. Molten gauntlet's form around his fists, running forward similar molten boots for on his feet.

The Kobold's charge towards him, swiping towards his head he dukes under the blow. His large clawed hands raking across it's chest, barely manage to draw blood.

The Kobold spin's it's body, whipping him in the rib's with it's tail. Ignis struggles to block the blow, ends up slamming into the wall.

With a shout he grasps the tail, straightening his hand. He pierces into the kobold's abdomen, curling his finger's he yabks his hand back. Blood spilling from the kobold as it screams in agony.

Ignis see's a flash of gray, he raises a hand to block. The powerful blow send him flying backwards, but his feet find purchase. His clawed right hand dug into the pavement, he takes a three point stance. Lunging forwards he leaps into the air. The solid punch sending the kobold stumbling backwards.

Pressing forward he aim's to pierce to kobold's chest, but it raises it's arm. Hissing in pain it swips it's clawed hands at his neck.

Raising his left arm Ignis blocks the strike, using the momentum backwards to put distance between them.

Suddenly he look's up, two kobold's clawing their way one each wall. "Shit, I need to run." he darts down the alleyway. With each step his muscle's leg tremble, pushing his body to the limit he run's.

I have to buy time, I have to buy time. He repeats in his head, no longer knowing how far he'd ran, or how many Kobold's had chased him. He finds himself in a park, glancing iver his shoulder he finds a pack of Kobold's chasing him.

Pain lacerates through his abdomen with each breathe. His leg's trembling from fatigue, he finds himself moving slower and slower. With his vision tinged with black he stops running. Turning he pants, slamming his fists back together. "You want it come and get it," he screams. Adrenaline pumping through his system as he pants for air.

Standing far above in the sky, Elaine looks down, smiling grimly. "What do you think Eric? Seems like he attracted a whole gate by his lonesome."

"If he planned to be the distraction, then it worked perfectly." Jerald grumbles, "Though I hate people who rely on self sacrifice!" He bellows, plunging from the sky he lands between Ignis and the Kobolds. "You're a brave kid, though your plan is flawed."

Ignis stands frozen in shock, then glares at the man. "How the hell am I dumb, I prevented casualties with my plan you meat head."

"M-M-meat head?" Jerald glowers over his shoulder, "I'll teach you a lesson once this is done, boy." Jerald reaches to his back pulling the massive axe off of it, he leaps forward. Cleaving straight through two kobalds and shattering the ground. Using it as a lever he leaps forward's kicking a kobold in the chest, it flies backwards into two others with a caved in chest. Running forwards he slashes his ace through all three.

A bolt of shimmering yellow blasts from the sky, running a kobold through behind Jerald.

A man silently lands on the ground behind the kobold's, his sword flashes about as he seemingly dances around all the kobold's. Their necks cut and chest's pierced with precission.

Ignis stands still gasping for air, his gauntlets slowly dissipating into his body. He looks up smirking, "You could've save at least one for my test."

"There's no need for that, we were watching you ever since the Alley. You combat ability while not the best isn't lacking. You killed and injured one Kobold after having just awakened. Your risk assessment skills and crisis management are decent for your age."

Elaine lands on the ground, "Your sister is safe, I personally saw her to the safehouse."

"Thank you," ignis looks at the ground clenching his fists. "I swore to protect her but all I could do today was send her to run on her own."

Jerald's massive hand grabs his head, forcing ignis to meet his eyes. "It's all well and good to swear to protect someone, but remember you can't protect anything if you die child. Now stand up, we've gotta pick your sister up and head to your guardian's."

Ignis sit's dumbfounded, "Why the hell do you need to meet my parents?" He blurts out looking at the three. He presses his food to the ground trying to stand, but pain lacerates through his right side. Gasping in pain he grips his ribs.

Elaine slowly kneels next to him, "Move your hands, and I will heal you." She says gently placing a hand on his with a small smile.

Groaning he moves his hand to the side, "thank you," he mumbles turning his head away shyly.

Jerald laughs, crouching down he pokes igni's cheek, "Awe he's all embarassed cuss a pretty lady touched his hand~"

Ignis swat's at Jerald's hand, "ugh, Shut up meat head!" Ignis stands up, his legs still wobbly. "Right, let's walk over to get my sister now."

Jerald snags him by his collar, "You aiming to shred your leg muscles to pieces? I'm amazed their not torn already. C'mere little shithead, this meathead'll carry ya."

"Ah, whatever," Ignis dangles from his hand his arms crossed as he scowls at him.

"Oh, oh my bad, you'd prefer Elaine~ wouldn't you?" Jerald taunts tossing him at Elaine's back.

Elaine's arms snack under his legs, igni's arms landing over her shoulders, "That's enough you two," Elaine glares at Jerald. "Don't throw injured people you Meat head."

"Ah, shit. Not you too Elaine," Jerald complains, as the three jump into the air.