There was no better example of this fact then his companion; Jax. Hunkered down beneath the fire-resistant tarp to protect him from the imposing heat. A rough, dry cough rattling his chest, pushing the poisonous air out of his lungs. The pain from the days’ events made him dizzy. 

The adrenaline had all but worn off. Leaving behind an injured husk in its place. With nowhere leaf to go but to be trapped by the burning cinders. A fate that would not be his, Ravin decided. 

The ranger waved his hand, moving the flames away from the trembling boy. Creating a safe little pocket for them to squeeze into. Ravin stalked towards the shaking lump, crouching down as he got closer, and stuck his hand underneath the cloak. 

A cold hand hesitantly touched his super-heated skin. The fire that ignited from his veins still breathed with his fury. Boiling from the inside out only to add gas to the heat. 

The idiotic impulse that destroyed years of meticulous work flushed down the drain. All for a few moments of satisfaction. 

The situation was laughable, really. As well as highly inappropriate given the circumstances. Not something Ravin cared about in the slightest, though others claimed otherwise. 

It did not matter to him what anyone else thought about him. He is who he is and that was the end of it. There is no changing what is, only what is to come. Safe to say Ravin wasn’t particularly fond of people who believed they could change someone, let alone the world. Those were the ones who wore their hearts on their sleeves, willing their light to shine. Guiding others through the darkness until they themselves became lost to the ink. 

Their passion would become their downfall. 

Fire was Ravin’s ardor as was his fury. An element to be trifled with should you lose control. It was the key to everything, control was. Abundant in mass and impossible to tame. 

The fire could not be tamed, only extinguished. The tremble of a chilled body despite the ample warmth was water to a dying fire. Any residual anger Ravin held dimmed at the sight. A distant memory, the forgotten vow, reminded him of why he had to let it go. 

To hold tight to what was in front of him. A young man, not the boy Ravin had described him to be, terrified for his life. Having known Ravin for less than a week should not condone so much trust in the ranger. But Ravin promised safety and that he would continue to deliver to the boy.

The hand in his tightened as the house fell apart around them. The roof threatened to cave in, to crush them beneath its weight. Clashing against the floor as the door was forced open, ripping the hinges off the wall. 

Ravin covered Jax’s body with his own. Debris hit his back, tumbling off onto the ground. The movement shook the foundations of the house. Ravin turned slightly to see a man from the village trying to enter the burning home. The man jumped back to avoid the onslaught of flames that came his way. 

“Henry, where are ya?!” The man coughed out, raising his shirt over his nose while he stepped into the doorway. He looked around frantically through the smog, biting his tongue. The salty water pooled in his dried-out eyes. The dry heat parted long enough for him to spot the charred body amongst the remains. 

He moved suddenly, staring into the twin suns that glowed blindingly over the fire to his right. Their golden hue deepened into a sundering red when they contacted the man. The man held in a shuddering breath. There was no fear of the flames, not even a lick of concern. 

The other, however, hatred filled his heart as his mind connected the pieces like a child’s puzzle. His body roared forward of its own accord prepared to take vengeance on his friends’ behalf. No consideration for his own wellbeing in the presence of a Magik. Fate had another plan in mind. 

The roof collapsed above them, raining fire from the heavens. The wooden supports exploded into ashes bringing the upper level down with it. The man fell backwards in shock, falling out of the doorway and onto the dirt ground outside. He groaned, landing on his backside completely cut off from the intruders.

Ravin didn’t have time to look at the ruined ceiling, wrapping his arms around the frightened bundle below him. Jax shrieked in surprise, pulling the cloak tighter around himself when it began to slip. The ranger stood up quickly darting over to the bedroom just barely making it before they would have been crushed. 

The house groaned in agony as Ravin fell, his boot catching on the entryway. Pain shot up his elbows, colliding with the solid oak floor. The stinging was nothing more than a dull ache, but an ache all the same. 

“By the Gods! Are you hurt?” Ravin asked Jax, glancing down at the squished bith beneath him. He hadn’t meant to fall on top of the boy or fall at all. He was really out of shape. 

Jax shook his head, grunting as he yanked the cloak off his face. He blinked, taking in the untouched room. Everything was as they had left it, even though they had been in the room mere minutes ago. Well, everything except the blocked exit. 

He froze feeling a puff of warm air against his cheek. His eyes slowly looked upwards towards the entirely too close ranger. A different heat rose within him turning his face a shade of red. [VS1] 

Ravin frowned in confusion, shifting to his feet. Jax avoided his gaze even once the ranger helped him to his feet. The bith shuffled in place, glancing about the room. He hoped the ranger would ignore it and the awkwardness he had caused. 

Thankfully Ravin did though it was more in favor of their current situation. Once the fire had settled the entire town would be after them. They needed to get out and fast. 

Ravin took the cloak back, snapping it shut around his shoulders as he searched the room for an exit. The only door to the room was blocked, which would buy them some time, and a window off to the side. 

It would have to do. 

Ravin gently grabbed hold of Jax’s hand, stealing his attention from the very interesting grain on the walls. It was a very strange texture that the boy had never seen before. There was a lot he had never seen before that he had now. He wasn’t daydreaming, more so an observation, to distract himself from something he did not want to think about. 

It is hard to not think about something when it is all you can think about. Think about not thinking about it is something he was doing, and thinking was making his brain hurt. But at least he wasn’t thinking about it, not at all. He was completely free of his mind and the realizations that came with it. Now he’s thinking about it again. 

The gloved hand in his startled him. Jax spun on his heel, halting halfway in his panic. Ravin opened his hand so that Jax’s palm faced the heavens then placed his own below it. The ranger held the boy’s gaze as he held up the vial in his other hand. 

“Do not lose this,” Ravin said, shaking the bottle for emphasis. He pressed the vial into Jax’s outstretched hand curling his hand around it. Jax glanced down at the hand then at its owner. Jax nodded, pulling the vial to his chest. 

“Good,” Ravin said, patting Jax on the shoulder. His view turned to their method of escape, walking till he could see his reflection clear in the glass. Steady fingers found the ledge at the bottom of the pane glass and lifted upwards. 

The ranger cursed beneath his breath when the window refused to budge. The damn thing wasn’t locked as far as he could tell. It could’ve been jammed shut from the cave in, Ravin thought. Or nailed shut from the outside. 

There were no words to describe his anger at that moment. It appalled him to no end that he had fallen for the trap. One so simple at that. He was getting too old to be this reckless. 

Jax squeaked, jolting in place. He ducked his head, flaking paint and cinders sticking to his hair as they fell from the ceiling. The roof above them cracked, beginning near the door, and building in size closer to the center from the pressure. 

The cracks grew red with the increasing heat that desired fresh air. The fire started to bleed though them into their little hiding hole. 

Ravin frowned. The debris blocking the doorway ignited. It wouldn’t be long before it would consume the room with the rest of the house. The fire wasn’t an issue Ravin was concerned about, it was the byproducts that came with it. 

“Jax!” Ravin exclaimed, pulling the boy closer to him. The beam crushed the bed to splitters right where the bith had been standing. The legs of the bed frame thrusted outwards unable to hold against the unexpected weight. A wooden leg stuck precariously towards them giving Ravin an idea. 

He led Jax into an unoccupied corner as he spoke. 

“I’ve got an idea, but I need you to stay here. Once we’re outside, you need to run. Do you hear me?” Ravin said, speaking of urgency. Jax nodded wordlessly with wide eyes. The ranger glanced at the boy’s feet before he stepped back. “Mind the glass.”

The table groaned as Ravin shoved the useless thing out of his way. Now there was enough room for what he planned to do. 

Tonic bottles fell off the edge, shattering upon impact with the floor. The liquid spilled through the cracks, splattering everywhere. Soaking the fallen books and papers with smearing ink. 

The leather bay tumbled over onto its side without the support. Its contents clanged together oddly. A low hum resonating from within caught their attention. 

Such a peculiar sound from something seemingly harmless. One could wager what it might be, but only curiosity knows. I’m afraid curiosity wouldn’t win this round. 

Its hold on Ravin was relinquished before the hum sang its last note. The ranger kept his sights set on their escape. The wood torn by his hand, relieving the leg from its post, was now his to wield. He gripped the slender end the way you would a baseball bat and marched towards the infuriating window with practiced steps.  

Unfortunately, the same could not be said of his companion. For something with such a range had to hold value. Any kind of value was still value and one they may need in the future. 

Jax waited, shielding his body by turning away. He pulled the vial closer, wrapped safely within his arms. Behind him Ravin swung the bat with all his might aiming towards the latus within the glass. 

The window splintered in its case like a poorly made spider web. Stray shards flew through the air before starting their descent back to earth. The pane was utterly destroyed and still in its place. 

Nothing about this was right. The amount of force he used could shatter bones, yet the windows survived. As if it were nothing but a scratch. 

No. The glass survived not the window. The latus split into little toothpicks from the hit. Broken beyond repair. 

A scratch is as lethal as the blade to the heart. Under the right circumstances, a scratch is all you need. Perhaps a toothpick will do now that he’s got the right idea. 

Ravin tossed the leg frame off to the side, not caring where it landed. It clattered helplessly on the ground, its purpose fulfilled. Calloused fingers reached down by his side to glide along the weathered handle. The blade level with his arm in an improper hold. 

The blade gleamed underneath the sun’s light that poured through the broken glass. Golden rays blind you in awe. Unwavering and stunning to the eye that traveled its lengths until it met its shocking end. 

The boy’s next breath stuttered in his chest. For another reason, besides the grey smoke leaning into the room. The obsidian blade was broken.

Jax had never seen a man dare to wield a broken blade shorter than his forearm. The jagged edge came to an abrupt point that became thinner along down. To Jax the sword appeared rough, to Ravin, it was as deadly as the day it was forged. 

Raising the blade and striking the dead center between the trim and the pane glass, Ravin got to work. He dragged it down, tearing the adhesive to shreds as he went. In no time, the window began to perch forward. 

Ravin used barely any force to push the window away from him. The glass tumbled out of its burning home and out onto the grass. The fire and screams of the townsfolk muffled the crash. 

The ranger hopped up onto the seal using a hand to keep balance as he sheathed his weapon. Fresh air flooded his lungs like dirt to a grave once his boots hit the ground. The refresher added fuel to the fire allowing the room to be consumed. He quickly motioned for Jax to follow him while he turned to made sure the coast was clear. 

Feet pattered behind him in the house. He could hardly hear the rustling of the boy’s clothes as he moved over the commotion. Ravin looked back to see what was taking the bith so long. 

Ravin grunted, receiving the satchel shoved into his face in Jax’s stead tasting leather in his mouth. He sighed, tossing the strap over his head. He could with it later. 

Jax grinned sheepishly from where he stood. Blue eyes softened apologetically meeting the deadpan stare. The expression eased around the edges while its holder reached out a helping hand. 

The boy gingerly lifted his leg over the hole in the wall, wincing when it stretched the muscles in his back. He ground his teeth to stop the whimper from escaping, taking the rangers hand to distract himself. 

The scavenger lightly tapped the pale hand nodding. Jax swallowed the lump in his throat at what he guessed was reassurance. Everything screamed at him to stop as the pain became unbearable. The tight pull and stretch of his apostrophized muscles felt like a fraying rope threatening to snap at any moment. Even with the initial upwards lift already over, the descent seemed impossible.

He hadn’t gone a foot higher into the air is the worst part and now he was expected to drop triple that. Or maybe double, he wasn’t sure. His judgement left much to be desired. 

Jax gasped, breath catching in his chest. He no more than stuck his feet through to the other side of the window when two hands gripped his hips, lifting him out of the crevice in the wall. His arm latched around Ravin’s shoulders before he had time to render the action. The earth moved swiftly around them, the ground crunching beneath his boots. 

Ravin carefully made his way to a clean patch on the ground using the burning house as a shield for the time being. Placing his body between the heat and Jax. The heat felt like heaven against his back after being denied its warmth for so long. Its light tainted by the reality of their situation. 

He set the shaken cargo onto the ground mindful of the boy’s tender wounds. The stiff body landed like stone on the disturbed dirt. Shifting on his feet as the light of day burned into his retina in a way the fire hadn’t. The sharp ache faded behind squinted eyes to take in the sight of the back alley they had landed in.