Arson managed to make it to the top of the basement stairs before collapsing. True to his word, Dante had worked the boy relentlessly, only stopping for meals. It was no surprise that Arson was tired. Dante watched him collapse impassively and then picked him up in a fireman's carry. He dropped him gently on the sofa and quietly got out a blanket.
The boy had been a fast pupil, and he found that Arson had already known many of the techniques he had tried to teach him. This came as no surprise; Arson was always reading whatever he could find. Dante checked to see whether he was asleep and then went upstairs into his bedroom.
He stopped when he saw that Trish was already sitting on his bed.
'Well? How did it go?'
'He's quick at learning.'
'Does he know everything?'
'He knows how to heal himself when he is injured. That's something in itself. When we first met Arson as a seventeen year old, he didn't know how to heal.' Trish nodded. 'He knows how to control his powers. When he gets mad, his body temperature will only rise slightly, but apart from that, there's nothing else that will happen. I've also taught him how to tap into his demonic powers as well.' Trish nodded again.
'I hope you didn't work him too hard.' Dante looked at her witheringly.
'I had to. Could you imagine what would happen if he suddenly got pissed off in class? Boom! The whole place would blow up! Especially if he's in a chemistry lesson! With all those chemicals…' Dante shuddered. 'That would make some impressive headlines.'
'Oh how droll…' Trish murmured. 'I worry about your sense of humour sometimes.' Dante shrugged.
'Can I get some sleep? I'm tired.' Trish shrugged.
'Fine but I'm not moving.'
'Trish!' Dante glared at her. Trish smiled sweetly. 'All right fine! I'll sleep in your bed!' Trish got off quickly.
'No way!' Dante flopped down gratefully and yawned. Tomorrow was going to be one hell of a day. Already he'd got another phone call about those attacks. Dante frowned. If Arson was going to school tomorrow, then he had better be prepared. He quickly sat up and walked down the stairs, taking them two at a time. He placed Arson's twin blades on the coffee table that rested just by the sofa. He had designed them in the same way as Arson's older self had done. A few minor adjustments here and there and they were exact replicas. Dante couldn't help but be pleased with his handiwork. He looked at the time and yawned again. It was late, and knowing his job, he would have to get an early start.
---
Arson yawned and slowly opened his eyes to find Trish standing by the sofa, his swords in her hand pointing towards his chest. Trish grinned as she saw the shocked expression on his face.
'Trish! Don't do that to me!'
'Hey Arson, what's the symbol for Calcium Carbonate?'
'CaCO3!'
'Why are Alkali metals very reactive?'
'Because they only have one electron in its outer shell!'
'How many electrons does Chlorine have in its outer shell?'
'Uh….seven?'
'Good good…and what group does Chlorine belong to?'
'The…uhm…Halogens?' Trish allowed him up and smiled at him.
'Well done. Get going. I've packed your bag for you. You're already late. Good luck!' Trish marched him out of the door before Arson could even protest. A minute later, someone pounded on the door. Arson.
'I need a shower!' Trish looked at the time.
'Be quick.' Arson needed no second bidding. In five minutes time, he was back downstairs, checking his arms for any sores.
'Thank Gawd I can take showers in boiling hot water.'
'Nice to know now get going!' Arson snatched his bag up from the ground and practically ran out of the door and down the street.
---
Arson slipped into his seat at the back of the classroom just before the teacher came in. One of his friends, Rayne prodded him gently in the arm.
'What happened to you?'
'Nothing.' Rayne caught a glimpse of Arson's arm.
'Nice tattoo! You never told me you were getting one!' Arson looked down at his arm and hastily covered it up. 'Hey relax! There's nothing in the school rules about it!' Arson frowned.
'It's not that…it's just that…this isn't a tattoo!' Rayne raised his eyebrows and was about to say something when the teacher handed out the GCSE papers. Rayne took one glance at the front of paper and frowned.
'Nice to see that you joined us Mr. Zeyers.' Rayne shrugged. Arson said nothing but kept his eyes fixed on his desk. Everyone knew that Rayne rarely came to school. It was something of a mystery but Arson had never questioned him about it. He respected the idea of privacy. After all, he would need it more than ever after finding out about his heritage. God knew, if he got really angry, one of his classmates might end up turning into a pillar of salt or something. The thought occurred to him that he might suddenly sprout huge feathery wings. He gulped.
'You may start!' Arson only noticed that everyone was starting when Rayne dropped his pen and started waving his hand wildly in the air to ask whether someone could pick it up for him. Arson cursed inwardly. He needed to focus. He narrowed his eyes slightly in concentration but looked up quickly as someone shrieked.
'My pencil's floating, Miss!' Arson swallowed hard. Maybe he'd been focusing a little too hard. Rayne looked in his direction quickly and frowned. Arson ignored him and concentrated only on his exam paper.
---
The rest of the exam passed uneventfully. Arson was glad when it was time to finally go home and study some more; it meant that he could get away from everyone else. He started walking back the way he had came when he heard someone suddenly yell.
'Hey Arse!'
'The name's Arson, Rayne.'
'Yeah yeah…' Arson turned around and watched his friend run up to him. He noticed that he was running only in the shadiest areas, as though he was trying to keep away from the sun. 'That was you, wasn't it?'
'What d'you mean?'
'That was you who made the pencil float!' Arson looked at him squarely in the eyes.
'What of it? I know you're not like the others either, are you.' It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Rayne was about to answer but then his face turned pale.
'I've got to go…I'll talk to you later…' Rayne quickly turned tail and fled. Arson frowned and watched him go and then turned to see what had scared Rayne off like that.
'You!'
---
'You're still a curse, even now. You thought you had grown out of it, but yet it has returned to haunt you again. Maybe now you know why I wanted to end your pitiful existence…because I knew that soon it would overpower you…' Arson backed away as a woman clad in all white walked towards him with measured paces. He recognised her immediately. She was still alive. Ophelia! Arson felt his back hit against the brick wall behind him. He licked at dry lips and watched her come closer, terror beginning to grip his heart.
'Come with me…let me take away your pain…let me stop the curse…' whispered Ophelia, her voice taking on a sing-song tone. Arson automatically lowered his eyes and bowed his head, resorting immediately to the old way he used to stand. Gone were the years of building up his confidence. It was all destroyed in that single moment. Arson swallowed hard and thought of Dante. He'd be laughing at him now, he'd think he was a coward. Arson forced himself to raise his eyes, so then they were staring directly into hers. Immediately, he found himself on the ground with a nosebleed. He heard someone cry out and run towards him, but Ophelia turned her head in the man's direction. The man gave vent to a chilling scream and then was silent. Arson took his chance and ran.
Ophelia snarled and chased after him. Arson urged himself to go faster. But his legs wouldn't obey. It seemed that the harder he tried to run fast, the slower he became. He yelped as he crashed into a girl his own age. He scrambled to his feet and looked behind him. Ophelia had slowed down.
'Get him, Val! Don't let him get away!' Arson turned to face the girl, his eyes wide.
'Val?' Val nodded speechlessly. Arson checked her over, and noted the thin scratches on her face. Not even she had escaped Ophelia's wrath.
'Come with me, Val.' Arson's extended his hand towards her, and Val took it, smiling with pure relief. Val got to her feet. Ophelia screamed with rage as she saw what was happening and sprang after them. Arson dragged Val through the street and then veered off to the right, Val moving with him almost eagerly. Dead end. Arson skidded to a halt and looked around wildly, desperately. Ophelia, who was slowly but steadily shortening the gap between them, was blocking their only exit. Val shielded her head and crouched down behind Arson.
'I'm scared…' she whispered. Arson placed Val's back to the wall and stood in front of her, like a sentinel. Ophelia seemed to recoil slightly.
'Only now you talk, traitor! Only now! You remained speechless for eight years…all because of the curse? Traitor!' Ophelia sprang towards them. Arson quickly, and without thinking pulled out his twin blades. Fire sprang from them but then resumed spinning around the metal. Val's eyes grew wide as she saw the power the swords were emitting.
'Leave her alone…' said Arson. His voice sounded oddly calm, and level. 'Or else…I'll do the same as what I did last time…I don't know how you survived…but I know that I've got to get rid of you…I've got to stop you from doing this to anyone else!' Ophelia smiled.
'So…you've finally grown up from a wailing brat I see…' she hissed softly. Arson shifted his stance slightly, so then his weight was evenly balanced. He had no intention of fighting Ophelia, or killing her. He was simply trying to bluff his way through. Val didn't seem to know this and her eyes shone with adoration. She was going to be safe now. Arson would see to that.
Arson swallowed hard and gripped his blades tighter. Ophelia suddenly tensed and looked around. Her eyes narrowed and then she slunk off. Arson watched her go, puzzled and confused. Val jumped to her feet and hugged her brother.
'Eight years! Eight years! You're safe! You're so brave! You're alive!' Val dissolved into tears and wept into his shoulder.
'Come on…' he whispered gently. 'Let's go home…you can stay with us…' Val looked up at him.
'Are you happy there?' Arson smiled and nodded. Val hugged Arson again and nodded, her eyes shining with tears.