Chapter 1
The beginning of the end
I laid there under there underneath the shallow rubble, using it as a cover. My chest heaved heavily. I was trying to catch what little breath I could. My muscles ached, and my skin burned. I clenched my jaw and tried to ignore the pain. I desperately wanted to rest, but I couldn't stay like this for much longer. I would end up being found out if I did. I clenched my teeth, sucking in a deep breath. I pulled the metal pipe sticking out from my side, hissing at the pain. I mustered as much of what little strength I could, pushing the rubble aside. I could feel my blood running down my side soaking my clothes. This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for that child. Izuku. He destroyed the entire building with one punch like that. I knew Tomura had underestimated the boy. The heroes had been on us relentlessly for the past few weeks. Somehow, they had discovered our hideout and attacked us when we had least expected it. Attacking us with their strongest heroes. Right now, they were trying to separate us, and it was working. They had already been captured Twice and Toga. I groaned tearing off my jacket and my shirt. I tore it making it into a makeshift bandage. Trying to stop the bleeding. It was not a permanent fix, but I needed it to make it out of here alive. I slid down, jogging off into the distance. I could see off into the distance, Kurogiri and Tomura surrounded by four heroes. Kurogiri must have known that we did not stand a chance, especially not with Eraser-head around. Kurogiri created a portal shoving Tomura inside. He disappeared a moment later. I continued down the street as quickly as I could. I made a sharp turn coming face to face with Endeavor. Shit! I barely had enough energy to stand, let alone fight anyone. He shot toward me, flames blazing behind him. Arms outstretched ready to grab me. I braced myself. Holding out my arm, the other tucked in at my side. I used my flames how to push myself out of the way. I panted heavily, as he stood there before me.
"Turn yourself in. You are in no shape to fight me. You will lose Dabi."
I smiled. "Don't count me out yet old man."
He blazed only I few feet away from me. I could feel the immense heat from here. It did not matter. Pain from flames was nothing I was not used to. I was putting up a front and he knew it. I looked like shit and felt like it too, but I had to stall him. At least I could think of a way to escape. He took a step forward.
"Did you ever find that missing kid of yours?"
He stopped in his tracks eyes wide.
"What did you just say to me?"
I grinned. "You heard me. Did you ever find Toya?" I taunted.
He scowled. "Watch your mouth Villain- "
"He isn't dead you know."
The look of shock on his face pleased me.
"You are lying. Trying to buy yourself time and you know it."
"That may be true, but what I said is true as well. I may be a villain, but you all know I would never jest or tell a lie."
"I WILL HEAR NO MORE!"
He shot out towards me once more. His features were painted with anger. At that moment I had accepted my defeat. Until Kurogiri appeared in front of me.
"SURVIVE! You need to…." He yelled, and the ending sounded muffled.
What was what he'd said to me before shoving me backward? I watched as a pair of brawny arms closed around him, as the portal shrunk in front of me. The look in endeavors eyes etched into my mind.
"He isn't going to let that one go," I said to myself.
I was sitting on the floor, my eyes quickly darting around me taking in my surroundings. As I was trying to figure out, or at least recognize where I was. I let out a sigh of relief. At least there were no heroes here from what I could see. I grabbed onto a tree, using it to pull myself up. Moonlight seeped through the leaves, so it was easy enough to see through the forest. I breathed in and out deeply, trying to ignore the pain shooting up my side. That idiot Tomura, if he hadn't been so stubborn, and had just moved the base when Kurogiri had suggested. An unnecessary battle: a slaughter could have been avoided. I was lost and bleeding out. I knew I was running out of time. I could feel it. I had no idea where Kurogiri had sent me. Survive the had said. How was I supposed to say that in a situation like this? The odds seemed to be stacked against me. Rescuing me had done more harm than good. I would have been better off if he had just let me get captured. I continued to push through the thicket of trees, ignoring the branches thwacking against me, and the thorns scraping at my legs.
I would have burned them to the ground if it would not draw attention to me, and I could not risk that. I clutched my side, but it did not do much to stop the bleeding. My eyelids were begging to get heavier by the second. I held up my head as I could.
Screw it.
I placed my hands behind me, unleashing my flames behind me launching myself forward. I shot out into the clearing, landing face-first into the grass. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I used the last of my energy to roll myself onto my back. If I was going to die, it was not going to be with a mouthful of dirt. My breaths became labored, each one shorter than the last. My vision had become blurry. Was this how I was going to die? I looked up at the night sky, not that I could see much. It was peaceful here. Better death than I deserved. I lay there basking in the moonlight, waiting for the moment I would breathe my last breath. Until I heard a twig snap. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I felt a light touch on my shoulder, moments later it felt as though I was floating. I could tell that I was moving. I could no longer fight to stay awake. I let my eyes shut as I drifted off.
I had to hurry back before anyone realized I was gone from the village, Especially my grandmother. There was no telling what she would do to me if she found out I had broken one of her rules. I stopped, sniffing the air. What was this smell? Something was burning and I could see no fire anywhere nearby. It didn't smell like any cooling animal I've ever smelled. That's when it hit me.
Burning flesh? Was someone hurt!?
I followed the smell, Doing my best to push through the dense forest, being thwacked by countless branches as I did. I broke out into a clearing searching for where the smell was coming from. I squinted seeing something off in the distance. It was a person! I ran over to him, wincing as my feet stepped on sharp twigs. I gasped, his body was badly burned, but they were not normal burns, and what were these metal things on his skin? I didn't have time to ask one hundred questions. He was bleeding out. I had to help him… but what if everyone else found out? I grit my teeth. It didn't matter. I had to bring him with me, he was dying. I would deal with the consequences afterward.