Chapter Text
Flame stumbled through his base, the front door behind slammed open as he tossed his armor off. Basically ripping it off his body as he threw it in his ender chest.
What’s wrong with him?
You know what you did wrong, a voice replied in the back of his head.
Why would he do that? He isn’t one to use his powers like that- he’s heard the extensive harm it could do to not only users, but other people as well.
His fire, it can’t be bypassed with regular fire resistance.
No, it’s much worser in fact.
And he decided to use it against his enemy? Who, in all fairness uses cheap tricks like Maces and those weird ass orbitals, but it’s no excuse for him.
It felt good when you did it though.
He’s vowed to himself that he’ll get his title with fair play. Fair tactics and with honor.
Flamefrags angrily grunted. His hands sliding across his face angrily as he thought about his fresh encounter with Wemmbu.
His right arm lit in a brilliant blaze. It was warm, and powerful. He could feel the damage he could do with a single strike.
Somewhere, a small voice told him to fight fairly.
Somewhere, a louder voice chanted for violence. It whispered: this is the only way to win.
Wemmbu flew up, wings batting high as Gambit twirled in his hand. Flame immediately sent a curl of fire towards his flight path. Which worked finely as Wemmbu flinched, eyes wide.
He took this as an opportunity to pounce as his right arm found hold of Wemmbu’s heel. The material melted in his grasp, and then the sizzle of flesh accompanied it.
It fueled his desire for violence, or better, victory.
And then he threw the dragonic on the ground. Heel holding him down as Fragger moved from his throat to the leathery wing of-
Flame stopped it there.
He didnt..
That wasn’t..
Flame never felt like that ever. Even when he was hunting players down, or fighting toxic players. Never has he experienced the need for blood and violence like that. He had also neither inclined in his curiosity of using his powers to their potential. (As per Manepear instructed. He said it was dangerous)
Flamefrags slid his back against the wall. Blindfold off as he looked at his right arm, and the way it cackled with fire beneath his skin. How he could see the bright glow of lava through his veins. How there was remnants of blood along the sides of his arm.
And he stared. His actions, his odd morals, and values ran through his mind. Flame didn’t know how long he stayed sitting there, against a wall with no armor.
He knew it was long enough for Lomedy to walk in. Potatoes and beef in hand as his golden eyes found him. Shock and confusion overtook his features as he left his items on the floor as he walked over.
“Flame?”
He was genuinely such a jerk.
—
Lomedy had gotten him up, led him to a chair and sat him down. All while Flame followed like a zombie, too lost in thought to truly grasp reality at the moment. The farmer then left.
Flame was snapped back to the present “Loms?” He called out. Panic filling his chest briefly.
Lomedy came back with some water and beef rolled into a wrap. His expression was hard to read. His eyes looked calm and mouth set into a half smile half frown.
Flame hummed as the drink and food were jutted into his arms.
“Thanks” he murmured, but didn’t touch it.
Lomedy took a seat as well “you should take off your blindfold more often” he said.
Flame glanced over “Nah, sensitive to light, remember?”
Lomedy nodded.
Silence enveloped the two. Clear tension untold. It was Lomedy who broke it first “what happened?”
Wemmbu yelled at him to get off. Flame’s hand encased the dragonic’s wrist tightly. Skin burning and melting off the bone, and flames dancing further up Wemmbu’s arm.
Flame barely registered this.
The power was a lot. Fire. It seemed to take over his mind, and control his body.
Yet a disgusting curl of glory warmed his chest.
“I-.. I did something that I said I wouldn’t do” It was vague but true.
Lomedy finally shifted his neutral face, his brows furrowing into thought.
“What do you mean?”
Flame bit his lip. His fist tightened around the glass subconsciously while his eyes darted away. He wished he kept on his blindfold. While yes he is sensitive to light, he also wears it to hide his eyes. Which gives away his every emotion.
Including now as Lomedy reached out to rest a hand on his own. His hold relaxed.
“Hey, hey it’s ok. I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as you thought it was” Lomedy smiled reassuringly. His smile bright and comforting.
The voice laughed.
Flame frowned in return. He knows he should return the support, but he couldn’t find it in him. He’s supposed to fight fair, with honor.
“I..” he started, and took a deep breath “I fought Wemmbu, for my title. And I took it too far”
Lomedy slowly nodded, even though there was a hint of judgment in his honey-suckle eyes.
“And, I hurt him. I’m not one to care if my opponent gets hurt, less if they die, but the way I hurt Wemmbu… I… it’s.., you know what I am, right?”
Lomedy thought about the question. His eyes roaming to his horns, then his eyes and then to his right arm “uhh, a demon? Since y’know Immortal demon?”
That got a small laugh out of Flame “no bro, I’m.. I’m like a” hybrid.
Hybrids are usually looked down upon, but there’s no other word for it.
Flame swallows down his doubts “a mix of Blaze and Demon” his eyes were anywhere but Loms. The two species alone are considered violent and destructive.
He is those things. A voice reminded in the back of his head. You are different.
Lomedy didn’t reply. The longer he didn’t, the more anxiety pooled inside Flame’s gut. He probably should elaborate more, as he was the one to bring it up. His beef roll sizzled in his grasp.
“That’s… something I didn’t know” he slowly said “but if you think that will affect our relationship, then you’re kinda stupid bro”
Flame blinked and glanced over to Lomedy. Relieved and taken aback by being called stupid, which was honestly expected.
“So, like it affects your powers I’m going to assume?”
“Oh uhm yeah, it does” Flame starts “Since both of them come from the Nether, and contain both fire powers. It basically amplifies my own fire, and.. and it’s different per say. It’s twice as destructive, twice as powerful, and bypasses fire resistance”
Lomedy nodded along, and as the pieces slid together. His mouth fell open and he sat up straighter “so wait wait, you used these powers against-”
“Yeah, I did”
Lomedy’s mouth fell into a line. Flame winced at the reaction “look bro, I didn’t mean to. I- I just got.. I blanked out, and, and felt like my body wasn’t my own-”
“Is he alive?”
Flame shut his mouth, and he ran his hands over his eyes. Hiding himself from the world “I don’t know”
And as Flame stumbled backwards, watching Wemmbu curl into himself. Groaning as he held his charred arm while his wings moved around him like a blanket. Muttering curses while tears steamed down his face.
Flame fled.
He won, right? That’s all that matters, right?
But he felt no release of victory. Just a sickening feeling of disgust for himself. What would Mane think?
Nothing probably. Flame thinks bitterly. He cast the thought out immediately as he ran until his lungs burned. Until his feet planted into sand and his base was in view.
Are you happy Flame? A voice asked.
Flame couldn’t answer.
Flamefrags ate his beef roll while Lomedy exited the base to ‘go do something outside real quick’. It was burnt, not from Loms overcooking it. Rather his right hand sizzled it black.
He didn’t bother with the water.
Is he alive?
He should be. Flame didn’t aim for vital points like the lungs or face. Even then, he should be fine. Health pots and such should heal him. Probably.
What if he kept going? Let the fire consume him as he let out his anger? These thoughts made Flame cringe. Eventually circling back to what Manepear said to him so many years ago.
Manepear sat him down. His face round with youth and skin barely scarred from battles. Flame was the same, albeit younger.
His older brother’s face was pulled in a tight expression. Plum eyes focusing on Flame’s crimson ones.
“Flame,” he said.
Flame cocked a brow “Mane”
“I.. do you know what you did bro?”
Flame was going to turn his head to look at the path behind him. Mane stopped him, but he didn’t miss the stench of smoke and blood.
Flame didn’t reply.
Mane sighed “You’re different Flame, and I don’t want that to define you. You’re going to be stronger than others, and more destructive”
Flame furrowed his eyebrows, opening his mouth to retort that ‘it wasn’t his fault-‘
Mane shook his shoulders to make Flame focus on him “Flame shut up I’m talking” Mane said “You’re going to be different. You are going to lose control if you do let this difference consume you. I don’t want that for you baby brother, so please promise me when I ask you, Don’t let your fire consume you. Control yourself, and fight with honor rather.. rather than rage”
Flame blinked away tears. Why is he crying?
Blood filled the air, and smoke poured into his lungs. He knew it was his fault that it was like that.
“Flame! Promise me!” Manepear hissed.
“I-I promise” Flame said. His left hand squeezed his right arm. As if hoping it would change the fact that he’s different.
Mane’s face fell into relief and tugged Flame into a hug “let’s go” and they both fled before the fire could erupt further.
He kept that promise for years. Well, until now.
Flamefrags got up to check on Lomedy.
He left you. He didn’t want anything to do with someone different like you the voice taunted.
“He wouldn’t do that”
You know he doesn’t like violence. Yet you indulge anyway.
“It’s who I am”
Is it?
Flame didn’t reply as he peeked outside. Lomedy was nowhere to be seen, and Flame panicked as he ran outside. Bad idea truly as his eyes burned in response to the sun. He closed his eyes as he felt the incoming headache “ow ow-”
Clatter of hooves and a voice stopped behind him. Flame couldn’t open his eyes to see who it was.
“Cmon bro, we’re going to see if your rival is even alive” Loms voice had an edge of disappointment. Or even disapproval. Flame was just happy that he didn’t leave. A blindfold was jutted into his arms.
Perfect. If he is, then you can truly get your title back.
Flame frowned at the voice. He wrapped the blindfold around his head to cover his eyes and equipped himself with armor as he followed Lomedy on the horse wordlessly.
If he were to fight. It would be fair.
He directed the farmer towards the last place where he and Wemmbu fought.
—
Flame hopped off the horse as he entered the cliff’s edge. The lake below shimmered hues of orange and red. The wind was calm and refreshing.
But there was also a crater in the shape of a hole plummeting down to bedrock. Remnants of webs and splatters of dried blood.
Which trailed into the forest.
Flame examined it. Lomedy did as well as he shot Flame a glance.
“He’s alive, probably”
Lomedy sighed. Clearly disappointed this time.
Flame held his hands up “ok ok we can look farther”
So both of them headed into the woods together while Flame tracked the dried flakes of blood and broken plants until he realized the route that this took him to.
He stopped abruptly. Lomedy bumped into him and quickly apologized.
“Well, no bandits got to him,” Flame said at first. Lomedy lifted a brow as he waited for further details “I think. We haven’t really gone all the way-”
“Flame bro, just tell me”
“He headed to the End”
Lomedy blinked, confusion riddling his face “what? That’s so far-”
“I know, and I don’t know if that means he’s alive”
Lomedy brushed past him. Now determined as he knew exactly where to go. Flame watched, dumbfounded.
“Bro where are you going?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Flame groaned. Yet his feet moved forward.
⁽ʸᵒᵘ ᵃʳᵉ ᵈᶦᶠᶠᵉʳᵉⁿᵗ. ʸᵒᵘ ᶜᵃⁿ’ᵗ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉ ᵗʰᵃᵗ⁾