The Children Of Thalia

Worries

Val's PoV

The tongue of fire gushed out like a swung whip, creating a deafening thunderous sound. The fire gift was not like a dynamite bomb, but a molotov that spread fire. Everyone got down when the heat started to sting their faces. The rain drops evaporated, the ground dried up, Val, who was the closest person to the source of the fire whip, felt her hair dry instantly as the red light made the backyard bright.

"Th.... Theo.........."

What he last saw was Theo, his younger brother of seven months, running staggering backwards. He wanted to stop her, but Ansel Elias Clive suddenly ordered everyone to get down. His friends instantly knocked down the children of the orphanage, also pulling Lita and Val's own hands down, just before the whip of fire swung.

Five seconds was a time that felt like forever to Val. He was saved again, by someone younger than him, smaller than him. He wanted to move on, running to pull Theo away from there even though in his deepest heart he felt pessimistic that one could live after receiving such an attack. Even a little he raised his face, the heat immediately stung like the scorching sun at the peak of summer. 

However, after the fire whip started to go out and the raindrops started to feel back, Val raised his face slowly. The light had disappeared, returning darkness to the origin, but the air still felt warm. Val's eyes immediately looked at the young man. The red-haired-braided youth who was also laying on the back. Unmistakably from her eyes, eyebrows, and forehead, Ansel Elias Clive was clearly shocked. But he grinned widely, a wicked-looking grin, looking satisfied, looking like everything was going as he expected. Then, Val turned his head back, and showed an expression that—k was more or less—sama.

Theo stood there, strapping with his legs outstretched. His right hand was still stretched out, emitting hot steam. There were no wounds, no reddish marks from being exposed to the overwhelming heat for a full five seconds. He just stood there. His little body now looked the tallest of them all. Val's eyes then rolled down. Looks charred marks on the ground. The ground looked dry, except for the wide area behind Theo. He endured the attack, alone with his gift.

"Theo, you........"

After holding the pose for a few seconds, Theo finally fell down. His feet, his body, his hands were trembling from over-exercising himself. Without a second thought, Val immediately got up. However, the exclamation from behind made him fixate for a moment.

"DON'T!!!!!!!!!!"

Right after the sound was heard, the blade floated right in front of his eyes, completely leaving only a milli or two. Behind Val, pulling on his soaked T-shirt is Kuro Fuyuki, the fastest member of the Wild Dogs. The other hand grasped the sword with a jet-black blade, darker than night. After the blade passed through Val's face, Fuyuki swung the sword, quickly, slashing the hand of the assailant that was stretched out. Blood splashed, then swept rain.

Fuyuki changed the direction of the tip of her sword, swinging it again from above. Even though blood was emitting from his hands, the man could still grin. His figure disappeared as soon as the sword blade descended, moving backwards. The other arm also grasped the knife which he quickly swung towards Fuyuki's neck. However, just before the blade touched the neck, the ground suddenly cooled down.

The ice flowers crept over the ground like a rose plant, rising, freezing the man's body instantly. His hand could not move, even to just take off the knife. When the ground is at freezing, the surrounding air suddenly heats up. The man's eyes rolled, seeing the blue flames approaching him quickly. It was from the feet of the fire-tattooed young man. Swinging like a pendulum, leaving a white light tracing its trajectory in the air, hitting right at the neck of the hooded man until he was thrown far away hitting the tree behind. The young man pulled back his leg. The blue flames extinguished, restoring the darkness of the night as it was.

"Good job." Praise Ansel for coming over. Val looked back. The ice was coming from under the feet of the red-eyed pomegranate girl. When the girl lifted her legs, the ice that was creeping instantly melted and disappeared.

"Yes. Thank you, chief." replied the girl, so calm her voice was like the ice she had used.

"Ansel, shall we secure him first?" asked the fire-tattooed young man, pointing at the man who fell behind the tree.

"Do. Although I'm pessimistic he can provide useful information." 

"good. Claus, help me!"

"Ready."

He then turned to look at Rolfe at the back. "Rolfe, go check on Felice. There were no initial reports of a sudden attack. I'm afraid he's okay."

"I understand."

The two young men went to secure the man, while Rolfe ran looking for their bystander. Ansel's attention immediately returned to Theo. He was still standing, speechless with a shoulder that looked like it was about to fall. I don't know if he's watching the whole thing happen. His eyes had almost lost their light. He was still breathing, but so heavy and weak. Before long, Esvele Achard came over from behind with a regretful face.

"Sorry, chief. I can't cure it full."

Of course Ansel understood that. Esvele Achard has no healing powers. It was just a little technique he mastered. The regeneration she uses can close the wound much faster than it should, but it can't bring back the blood, organ trauma, or fatigue that the target will receive. They both know that, but the girl still apologizes, even though she should have gotten a thank you.

"No, your work has been very good." His eyes then looked at Theo. She smiles. "You've tried hard." praised Ansel. Theo smiled faintly.

"Sure......just........."

Ansel held out a hand. With a weak energy, Theo clasped his hand. Slowly he helped Theo stand up. His hands were cold, so cold that Ansel thought he was an undead. Also, he was surprised by how thin Theo's arm was, but how much power he had. After all, resisting such a huge fire attack was no easy matter.

"Buddy, you're really overreacting, huh?"

Theo chuckled in a hoarse voice like an old man. "Not yet."

Val-who is really tired of trying to understand what's going on-looks quietly at her brother who is being swept away by Ansel. His eyes rolled around, looking at the two young men who were securing the assailant, then looking at Theo again. Unknowingly his feet stepped closer. There was a lot he wanted to say, a lot he wanted to ask until he himself was confused where to start.

"Theo"

Not yet Val had time to finish his words, the alarmed scream of a girl suddenly sounded again.

"THEO!!!!!!!!!"

"Your body, it's cold. Hang in! Come on, we'll be out of here soon. We cook kare, we sleep in a warm blanket, we-"

"Silent...... Lee......" Theo tries to calm down, but Lee doesn't want to listen.

"Shut up, don't say anything more!!"

In the end, Theo only fell silent as the girl helped him up. Ansel himself could not comment, instead he felt that Lee might not have realized that he was there. He helped to get Theo back, rather quickly because the situation was still unpredictable. 

Val could only be speechless, staring at Theo who stepped past him. It's still unbelievable that Theo, the thinnest kid in the orphanage, could do all that. If it was Val, he couldn't be sure that he would live on that direct shot to the chest. Moreover, to withstand a fire attack, just a few minutes after healing. Theo was amazing, he knew a long time ago, and he didn't mean it in lessons, but in person. Although never showed it directly, but Theo's attention to his brothers was so great.

That's what Val lacks. From his own perspective, he is a bitch. Not that he paid no attention to anyone, but compared to Lee, Val acted more calmly. You could say he is neutral. When he saw Theo get shot, of course he panicked and worried, but he was bad at expressing it so he could only be silent, unlike Lee who came straight up. Even at this moment, all he could do was to stay in place.

Drowning in annoyance, Val clenched his hands tightly. She wanted to punch him in the face to formless, but she couldn't now. He took a breath, took it out slowly, trying to calm himself down. He kept the urge to punch him in the face, deep in his heart. If later after everything is done he still can not forgive himself, he will do it until satisfied.

In the end, he came to the frightened children. Crying, expressing their emotions. Val understands, but the same sata does not understand. How could they so easily vent emotions, while he could only fall silent. He doesn't understand, and - for now - doesn't try to understand. He knelt before Marc, then patted his head with a smile.

"Hei-hey, come. Don't be like that, you're the strongest, right? Come on, take the others away."

The sobbing Marc replied, "but home......."

When Marc offended their father, Val also felt a thump in his chest. To be honest he was also worried, so worried that he did not know what to explain it like. But he also studied. If he were to rush and act recklessly in the present situation, the victim would fall again. That was what he got from the previous incident, when Theo almost died before his eyes.

"Our house is here, we'll be back. Dad is also in a safe place. Now we're the ones who have to go."

Avoiding more questions, Val pulls Marc's arm and walks away. He saw the others directly walking following behind. Val sighed, a sense of relief making Val's chest feel cool. He was running out of words to convince the others. I don't know if he can still hold back if the situation becomes difficult.

"HE-HEY!!!!!!!"

The sudden cry sounded made everyone look surprised. The man's chest that fell down was glowing red incandescent. The longer the brighter the light shines, the hotter the region nearby will also be. The light rose, crept into the neck, then gathered in the mouth. The two youths who secured him immediately jumped back.

Realizing the possibility that would happen, Val immediately panicked. But the figure that suddenly stood in front of him made him fixated.

"Calm down."

The red-haired young man spread his hands forward. Ripples appeared in front of the young man like the surface of water. The light distorted, or rather the space itself distorted, as if the ripples were separating space.

The man's mouth exploded, spitting out flames that vaporized the raindrops instantly. Val holds Marc tightly to protect him, but even the heat doesn't touch his back at all. Feeling an oddity, he turned his head slowly, and was amazed by what he saw.

The ripples held back the flames that gushed at him like a shield. It was like a solid transparent wall. The fire spread in all directions, but it could not penetrate Ansel Elias Clive's invisible defenses.

"That's enough."

Just as the fire was weakening, Ansel clenched his hand, then flicked his finger. The ripples in front turned into a huge wave that flew everything in front. The fire instantly disappeared like it was blown by the wind. The trees swayed, raindrops were thrown down, the man was jolted by the powerful waves that hit him directly. His mouth was burning, probably up to his throat. After all, such dragon breath would kill its own user if he did not have adequate organs.

"Great....... " Val commented unknowingly. When he saw Ansel Elias Clive's ability, he immediately realized that these people were on a different level. Although their age did not seem to be far away from him, the abilities and experiences they possessed were clearly like heaven and earth.

"Chairman, do I have to cure him?" esvele asked Achard, but Ansel shook his head.

"The technique did not intend to attack us. It was to kill himself. His internal organs are burning. I can't feel his heartbeat either." Ansel clenched a strong hand, disappointed with the final result they got. "Kuro, call the main headquarters and Merlins. U-2 confirmed dead."

The Japanese youth nodded with a face that was also full of disappointment. "I understand."

Val, who was still sitting there, was silent in disbelief. Die off? That guy's dead? Val understands that the man has committed numerous crimes, and perhaps even if arrested by the authorities, his sentence may still be a death sentence. But if seen directly like this, the attacker died like this?

He shuddered. His eyes rolled around looking around. Despite the emotion on the faces of those who call themselves Wild Dogs, they remained calm. Ansel gave further instructions to immediately secure the body of each attacker and continue the evacuation, which his friends immediately followed. They were so calm, as if the sight of a man blowing his own head off was common to them.

A little fear then swayed Val's shoulders. What kind of experience did they gain to get used to this kind of situation? Thinking about it anyway, for teenagers, even though they are receivers, it seems quite unreasonable for them to be deployed in a squad to deal with armed attackers. One of them has special abilities. But they can handle it as if they are used to it.

It made Val think to himself, if Theo accepted their invitation, what would he experience? What will he face to become like them?

But that thought instantly disappeared once a hand reached out to him. He looked up, looking at Ansel Elias Clive who was trying to help him up. He said nothing, and Val didn't either. Val receives the helping hand, then continues to pull Marc to follow the Wild Dogs to the shelter.

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