Playing With Fire

At the border of the Northern State, an off-road vehicle had just navigated through the most treacherous part of a deserted urban area. The four people settled on a suburban villa that seemed safer for a short break.

Soren was the first to head in and secure the area. After he had dealt with the three mutants inside, Ayla followed in while supporting Riona.

Drax had taken a tumble from an upper story earlier and hurt his leg. He waited until they were inside before he hobbled over to the trunk, gun in tow, to retrieve their everyday supplies.

This small house, nestled behind a range of mountains, appeared to have been overlooked by looters.

It looked like anyone who had ventured here ended up as mutant food, which probably explained why most of the interior decorations were still intact, albeit covered in a thick layer of dust.

In this chaotic apocalypse, no place was safe except for the bases.

To keep a watchful eye on their surroundings, they chose a small lounge on the second floor near the balcony as their resting spot.

That evening, Ayla headed to the second-floor kitchen to whip up something to eat. Midway, she came back out to Soren and said, "All three lighters are busted, and the matches are damp. So... Boss, could you lend me a light?"

By this time, Soren had changed into clean, neat clothes and was lounging in a relaxed and elegant manner on the couch, looking every bit the leisurely gentleman and nothing like a refugee in a chaotic world.

When Ayla approached him with two sticks, he lazily lifted his hand, and a flame quickly ignited the sticks.

"Thanks!" Ayla chuckled, somehow amused.

Riona, seated next to the couch, couldn't help thinking, 'Can he really do that?'

Soren, catching Riona's intrigued look, smiled and reached out his hand toward her. "Want to try playing with fire? I can give it to you."

Riona diverted her gaze and declined politely, "No, thanks."

He was so handsome, yet why everything he did and every word he said seemed odd.

That explained why, in the past, Riona always drew her blade and tried to take him down every time they met in the past.

Soren didn't mind. He reached out with his flaming finger towards Riona's hand, and immediately lit up one of her fingers.

Riona instinctively withdrew her hand in fear. Soon, however, she found that she couldn't feel any heat on that finger. It was more like an illusion.

With a puzzled look, Riona examined her own hand. Soren seemed delighted by her reaction, letting out a soft, light chuckle.

Riona then touched the flame on her finger with her other hand, and it too caught fire. After a few tries, all ten of her pretty fingers were alight with small, bright yellow flames, resembling ten candles, yet without any warmth.

"Is it fun?" Soren asked, still smiling.

Truly astonished, Riona stretched out her fiery fingers towards Soren's clothes, but the flames remained harmless and didn't ignite his clothes.

"Why is it…" Riona mused, and as she saw Drax passing by, she extended a flaming finger to touch his arm.

In a flash, Drax yelped in pain, "Ouch!"

Riona, startled, quickly pulled back, snuffing out the flames on her fingertips. She asked, worried, "Are you alright?"

Drax took a brief, hesitant glance at the still smoldering, charred spot on his arm, and then his eyes shifted back to Soren, who was now completely consumed in a fit of uncontrolled laughter. Trying to swallow down his sense of hurt, he managed to force a smile, though it looked more strained than if he were crying, and said, "I'm... okay, really."

He added with a forced chuckle, trying to downplay his discomfort, "I'm tough, nothing much really. As long as Miss Elex and my boss are feeling good, that's what matters."

Riona, her eyes reflecting a sense of deep guilt, quickly apologized, "Sorry about that..."

Soren, meanwhile, continued to laugh heartily, seemingly amused.

Riona, taking a deep and calming breath, turned her attention to Soren, who had started this, asking with a hint of inquiry, "What's all this about, anyway?"

Soren responded in his usual laid-back manner, "He's just a bit unlucky today."

Drax, who had already walked a long distance away, could be heard muttering under his breath.

Riona, her observation sharp and to the point, asked, "You can control the heat of the fire, can't you?"

Soren remained silent, not clearly confirming or denying her guess.

Riona was, in fact, quite taken aback and surprised.

In the Northern State, there had been no reports of any Awakened with the power of fire. She hadn't encountered one until this very moment and had just realized that these fire superpowers were not limited to just launching flames. They also included the ability to control their heat...

Seven years into the apocalypse, the number of zombies and various mutant species of both plants and animals had been steadily increasing. It was becoming increasingly clear that they would only grow stronger.

As she looked at Soren, Riona couldn't help but harbor a wish deep inside her heart. She wished she too could awaken a superpower of her own.

However, in that strange dream she had, she never managed to awaken any superpower before her death.

She now wondered if the dream would all come true and if she might still have a chance to have superpower.

...

Ayla served up the evening's dinner. She made beef toast rolls and fresh milk mixed with cereal.

In this post-apocalyptic era, having such a meal was far from just being plentiful; it was almost like a lavish, extravagant feast.

But just as Riona was feeling moved and touched by the quality of the meal, Soren looked at his bowl with an air of disdain, a frown forming as he asked, "Why add cereal?"

Ayla, looking a bit puzzled, replied, "But Boss, wasn't it you who always asked for it?"

Soren, like someone stating the most natural and obvious thing in the world, casually remarked, "But I just don't feel like having cereal tonight."

Riona thought to herself, 'He's so hard to please…Even after so many years of living through the apocalypse, he still acted like a pampered baby, being picky and particular even about his food.'

Riona, for her part, actually quite liked the milk and cereal combination. After she quietly finished her own portion, Soren sent his bowl over and ordered, "Finish this off for me, will you?"

Looking at the small bowl in his hand, Riona lifted her head in bewilderment. Soren, with a slight raise of his eyebrow, casually remarked, "We can't afford to waste food, you know."

The bowl he held wasn't particularly large. It could easily be finished in just a few simple gulps. Riona didn't mind having a bit more to eat and quietly accepted the bowl from him.