-I actually kind of like this chapter, after the Sky High arc, it was relaxing to write something original again^^
-Thanks to all who read all the way here, I will post the rest more frequently than the last few chapters, I promise...
-The War continues, and things are slowly getting out of hand...
The Desert lay before him, an endless sea of sand, only to be crossed by those who had enough experience and stamina. The air was dry and hot, as if this place was nothing but a giant oven, determined to force every trespasser to their knees.
Warren inhaled deeply, tasting the sand as he drew in air, clenching his fists and moving on from the barrens that sprawled behind him.
The first step he took was a steady one, although the sand indulged to his weight, causing him to balance in order not to fall. As soon as he started walking he knew he wouldn't be able to take a break or go back from now on, this was his path, and he would have to follow it to the end.
Two days after the catastrophe.
Warren opened his eyes sluggishly, wincing at the sunlight that invaded his sight and wondering what had happened to him.
As soon as he shifted he felt cool hands on his skin, and heard a soothing voice, lulling him back to sleep.
Warren took another sip of water, trying to stay focused and crossing the desert step after painful step.
He fiddled with the trinket that Nivia had given him, a silver, snowflake-shaped pendant with an ice-blue gem in it's center. It was the second of its kind and had found a place at his belt, beside the necklace of his mother, that he still carried. The metal felt cool on his skin, even in this heat, calming him and giving him the strength to go on.
One week and a half after the catastrophe.
Warren finally managed to wake, as he sat up he heard Nivia rushing over to him.
"What happened?", his voice was raspy and silent, causing himself to cringe.
Nivia lay a cooling hand on his forehead, gently activating her power and sending shivers through his body: "You passed out and had a fever. At least I think that, your temperature seemed abnormally high, even for a pyrokinetic."
"Will I be okay?", he couldn't help hearing the worried tone in her voice.
But she smiled and readjusted her glasses, eyeing him with an indefinite expression: "I'm sure of it, don't worry too much."
The nights were cold as ice, and Warren had to flame up if he wanted to sleep at all, this rhythm of burning heat and freezing cold was slowly making him exhausted.
But he had to go on, had to reach his goal, there was no turning back after coming this far.
His only coordination were his memories, which wasn't much, but Warren trusted them as far as it went.
One month after the catastrophe.
Warren had gotten better and was sitting on a sofa in Nivia's home watching the news anchor without real interest.
They had covered up the fall of Sky High by claiming that a comet had struck the area, most governments were now investigating the real causes of said impact.
Will, Layla, Magenta and Ethan were currently in close contact with Warren, as Zach had died in the attack and they were currently discussing the following steps they would take.
Lash, Speed and Penny had vanished, hiding at an unknown location, just like Royal Pain, who had only been seen once, robbing a bank in western Asia.
The stars watched as Warren shivered, his flames could only provide a heat that sheltered him from the worst cold, as his breath was still visible as steam. He remembered the day he left, confident and determined, now he was praying for the day of reaching his goal.
Slowly he was creeping onwards, as he had realized that walking at night and resting at day was much more intelligent than wandering through the heat.
Six month after the catastrophe.
Warren and Nivia had grouped up with a kid who had the power to teleport and who called himself Mancu and a woman who could sense persons, objects and even powers, whose name was Lia. A month ago, the government had officially announced every use of superpowers illegal, after the group behind the attack on Sky High had started to attack civilians and military bases, and Will had vanished along with Layla and Ethan.
The Commander and Jetstream had been imprisoned for using their powers to help a child in a fire, Principal Powers was nowhere to be found either, while Coach Boomer had been killed in a crossfire with the police forces.
Currently Warren's lot was trying to get a hold of Will and Layla, after Magenta had denied every power and was now living a normal life as a human.
It was that moment when the sun was not yet rising, but the sky already bright, that Warren first saw it. An oasis, without water, an unnatural grove in the middle of the desert, this had to be it.
Giant trees, vines on the ground, Warren could see it clearly, even though it would probably take two more days to get there. As the first rays of sunlight hit him, he pulled out his last bottle of water, took a gulp and lay down to sleep.
Twenty month after the catastrophe.
Warren and his group, which had gotten bigger, had moved to Europe, where hiding was much easier, by now rumors had spread about a strange sighting of plants in the deserts of Africa, and Royal Pain, who had joined them two month ago, was currently working on a device which would show them the locations of these occurrences.
Ron Wilson had also found his way into their group, along with a former teacher, Jeannie Elast. Currently, they were in contact with Lash and Speed, who were living in eastern Europe.
Another night had passed, and Warren was no painfully close to the forest, but he couldn't ruin everything now by straining his body further, he had to be patient.
The day seemed especially hot and he couldn't sleep much, while he held the cooling pendant close to his body.
Two years after the catastrophe.
Warren was shouldering his backpack when Nivia held him back. Royal Pain's device had located Layla's current position, and he was getting ready to leave their base in order to travel exactly there, deep inside the Sahara.
Warren sighed: "You aren't here to stop me, are you? We've been through this, I'm going alone, it's safer that way."
Nivia smiled sadly: "I know, I just want to you to take something... a keepsake so to speak."
holding up a necklace with a silver pendant on it, she looked directly at Warren's face: "Just take it, I made it myself with my powers, it will keep the heat outside your body as long as it is with you."
Warren entered the forest the next morning, the heat faded inside the shadows of the trees and left him astonished at the extent of Layla's powers. She was strong, maybe stronger than he himself, but her believes lead her into neglecting that fact, and thus she was underestimated by almost everyone.
After Warren's eyes had adjusted to the dim light inside this strange forested area, he continued searching for the redhead, finally finding her on a clearing, clad in green robes, seemingly more adult than before, and looking directly at him, as if she had already expected him.
"You are here, Warren. I need to talk to you", her voice remembered him of something, like a déjà vu, but he couldn't just quite grab what that was.
"What do you want, Layla", he took another step towards her, she seemed desperate.
A sigh escaped her lips before she answered: "It's about Will, he needs our help."
"What has happened?", Warren watched as the plants around her withered, then grew back and withered again.
And when she answered a second time, he finally remembered where he had seen this before, all these years ago, while he was stunned by a person who could see fate. "He is dying."