The Crimson Prince： Awakening 13 Chapter 12: Strength Of Resolve

Comfortable in his blanket of darkness, still wrapped up in chains, Will stared up at nothing. No sounds could be heard save for the screaming inside his own mind. Will had no strength left, had no will to move, to question. He lay in his bindings without so much as to question how this all happened.

Maya was screaming inside his head, her pleas of release echoing in the corners of his mind. The lifeless smile she gave haunted him with each breath he took. The screams of freedom kept him bound in fear and regret as he knew he could do nothing, he couldn't move, he couldn't face the wraiths. How could he face his mother knowing that she gave birth to a coward? Will was content in staying in the darkness within his own mind, the only place in which he could find shelter from the burning pain of defeat.

The blackness was short lived however. Within a few minutes, which felt like an eternity, the blanket came off Will. He once more found himself staring up at the sky. He didn't question the time, the stars were out and that was the only thing that registered to him. The same darkness of the blanket, only specks of light within it.

"Are you just going to lay there all night?" A familiar voice asked as Will heard the shuffling of feet through the gra.s.s.

Michael stared down at the hopeless teenager wrapped in chains. His face shown nothing. Will couldn't find the strength to care, he just stared through the man to the stars above. He wished just to be forgotten in his sh.e.l.l, to never again have to think of what a failure he was. He couldn't bare to think about what had happened to the only person of this world he opened up to.

With his mouth curled in disgust, Michael gave a swift yet strong kick to the center of the chains, connecting with Will's side. The kick was enough to roll Will over one full flip around until he landed once more on his back, sending him into a coughing spasm.

"This is your strength?" Michael spat, hate so intense in his eyes. "This is what I've struggled to save?" he roared as Will evened his breath. He looked over to the man, his daze so rudely interrupted.

"I'm done, I'm clearly not built for this world." Will retorted . "Either send me back and forget what you thought I was capable of or just kill me, I don't care anymore." He had nothing more to say as he fell back into his world of silence.

"You are a disgrace to your father's name and your mother's love." Michael stared down at the defeated youth with regretful eyes. Whatever he had planned for Will, it wouldn't work without his cooperation, his anger, his resolve.

William just lay on the ground, if the words phased him, he didn't show it. "Your friend Maya deserved the death she received with your att.i.tude." Michael said matter of factly. Looking down Michael saw the chains twitch ever so slightly. "If you think you can't save anyone, you'll only make my job easier." Will looked at Michael finally, his eyes shown with hate." I'll just go back to your world and torture your father for the weakness of his son, and then I'll kill your moth-

Before he finished his sentence, Will found a burst of strength. The darkness in which gave him salvation was blinded by a ruby light. The chains burst into flames as his miserable captive roared in anger. As the chains gave way, Michael jumped to the side to avoid links of chain which fired off like a grenade. Looking towards the beginning of the blast, a bright red flame was surrounding a now standing Will. His eyes like darts of pure anger shooting towards Michael.

Will felt a strength that he had never felt before. This man had not only disrespected the memory of his friend, but also threatened the life of his parents. He was going to die a horrible death. Will wouldn't have it any other way, he fed his need to his flames, which in turn became bigger.

Changing the shape of his aura, Will transferred the large flame to his fists, engulfing them instantly. With a random surge of strength, Will charged forward to the source of his hate, a man who was now drawing his sword from his pocket.

Will now completely enraged by the man in front of him drew back his arm, ready for a flaming punch hoping to beat the comments out of him. He would accept nothing less than this man's death by cremation.

Michael dodged Will's approach by side stepping to the left, the flames barely enough to singe a hair on his face and then hit Will in the back with the flat of his blade. "Congratulations, you left yourself wide open, no wonder the cloaks killed your girlfriend." Michael said with a chuckle.

Will roared with hatred. He didn't know how much longer he could hold onto his sanity before Michael snapped it. He felt like the flames were taking over his actions slowly but surely. The more Michael goaded him, the more he gave himself over to the flame. Will was almost gone after he saw Maya once again with her lifeless smile in his mind.

The flames on Will's hands turned even darker of red, resembling more blood than ruby, slowly creeping up to his elbows. With a barely human shriek, Will charged forward once more. Instead of trying to hit the man, he punched fist sized flames towards him. Michael side stepped each one, some hit the trees leaving fist sized searing holes in the trunks. The field in which he had been transported to now looked like a battle zone. Flames punched holes in the ground in each place Michael was just moments before the flames. .h.i.t.

Putting the sword away seeing as though he didn't need it for dodging, Michael dodged the flames, each one dodged he took another step closer to Will.

Will was almost gone, lost to his rage. If he couldn't take out the cloaks, at least he could take out the man mocking him, the man that took him from his world, from his loved ones and launched him into this world of pain. If he could just see this man suffer as he was suffering now, he would be able to die with at least a little less hurt.

While Will took his random shots at Michael, the latter just laughed while dodging each attack and taking a small advance each time. With every step forward, Will retreated a step back, beginning a dance between the two. "I wonder if killing Jonathan will be this easy, if so maybe I'll just head there now!" Michael laughed as he saw the flames grow past Will's shoulders. Will finally allowed himself to be fully taken by his rage. Michael watched as the usual flaming rage slowed down suddenly, now they looked calm in a way. Will's face changed with the flames, instead of the fury his eyes had shown, they now had a calm look to them. Instead of retreating back, he held his place in front of Michael.

Will put his arms down and closed his eyes. The flames from his arms dancing slowly above his head. His mind was completely silent, not a whisper. Slowly he opened his eyes to stare at Michael with calculating eyes. With his mind finally empty of all thoughts, the steady flames grew in size, now a foot over his head. Will raised one arm, pointing at Michael. Shooting one fist sized flame after another, his target still evading every hit. Instead of losing his control on the flames that had been shot, he began stopping them in their flight and rearranging them around Michael.

After a minute of consistency, the flames stopped their departure. Will put his arm down, now looking at the no longer laughing Michael. He was now surrounded three hundred and sixty degrees around with hundreds of flames. Will raised the palm of his hand, slowly closing it. The flames reacted to his motion and slowly started to close the distance, closing Michael into an inferno like cage. With the distance now just a few feet from his attacker, Will allowed a few of the flames to jet toward Michael who now had no way of dodging. Will could smell burning flesh by the time he opened his palm and swirled his finger as if stirring a pot. The flames rotated to the motion of his finger.

With a smooth rotation of the flames, Will lowered his hand and walked calmly over to Michael who was now treating burn marks. Will allowed him some time to treat himself, knowing full well that this man knew a thing or two more of the magic in Crystallia, he felt as though he didn't really need to hold back. As he stared at Michael, so many ways of killing him flashed in his mind. His flame demanded justice for the wrong this man had caused him. He could feel the need within his new power, begging to deal the final blow.

Will once again swirled his finger, allowing the flame to pick up speed again. He watched the man's eyes grow wide. Will noticed that they were not wide in fear as they should be, but instead in excitement. He didn't care too much what this man could have been happy about, it mattered not to him. In Will's mind, the man was already dead. With his resolve in check, Will continued walking towards Michael.

His pace was slow and collected, not as hurried as a man of his rage should be. Michael watched him close the distance within his flaming prison. His gaze swept over Will almost as if he was in awe. "Thank you William, you have finally awoken." Will stopped when he heard the man speak.

"What do you mean I've awoken? And why would you thank the one that's going to kill you?" Will said in a calm tone. "My flame demands the justice only your blood can give."

Will circled the man like a cat would circle it's prey. He would give no opening to the man that would disgrace him straight to his face. There was no forgiveness for someone who would shame a man's entire family just for the actions of one. Nothing would resolve the issue short of the mans head.

"William please, it should be obvious to you by now." Michael said in an excited tone. "Your blood has finally awoken, with the right training you will finally be able to talk some sense into that d.a.m.ned Crimson King!" Michael said, finally seeming to lose it.

"What does my blood have to do with the Crimson King?" Will asked while widening the cage ever so slightly. If he was going to kill Michael, he may as well get all the information he could out of the man before he did. "Be quick, I don't really have time for your games." He said with a look of distaste. The only thing this man had ever done was make a mockery of him. He thrust Will into a world he never knew and expected him to survive. He thought of Maya and what she would be doing if he had just left her with the guards, that life was still better than no life.

Michael continued to spout out nonsense, though Will could see the man had not really lost his senses. He could see the cold calculating gleam in his eyes as he stared at Will. Michael seemed to have calmed down as he stared at the young man. Within his cage, Michael only said one other thing before becoming quiet.

"This is the William to which I saved." he said with a faint smile. "This is Crimson Prince."