3:13 AM

Gabriel had accidentally started a fire that was roaring through campus. There were no firefighters to come and help, and there were very few people around with water elemental abilities.

Those that tried to put out the fire soon gave up. It spread faster than they could extinguish it and the threat of death from the monsters that surrounded them seemed much more pressing.

Tyreceus however, was not going to let any of that stop him.

He ran into the cafeteria and tried to help evacuate people stuck inside, the fire surrounding them. He was impervious to fire thanks to his sword, and one by one he pulled out all who couldn’t escape in time.

Johnny and Tetsuya were grateful, as they couldn’t take everyone out in time. The fire stood still in place as Tyreceus talked to them, worrying about his young students.

Tetsuya wrapped Johnny’s poorly made ghost costume around his body. His clothes were torn to shreds when he transformed yet again to help everyone escape.

He had paid the price in more ways than one. On his head were small feline ears, and from his tailbone sprouted a long black tail. His eyes had turned yellow and the texture of his tongue felt very different.

In the short time that Tetsuya had been outside with the others with his new look, he had gotten many propositions and now refused to leave Johnny’s side. He glared warily at Tyreceus, now nervous and skittish.

The fire in the back did not help. Tyreceus tried not to lose his focus as he gave them directions.

“You need to go to the Training Center,” he told them. “There are groups of people coming back and leaving. It’s safe.”

“Come with us then,” Johnny said.

“I can’t. If I leave who else will contain the fire,’ Tyreceus replied.

“But-”

“Johnny let him stay,” Tetsuya sighed. “If he doesn’t stay then more people will die.”

“We-”

“Didn’t you say that we should help people,” Tetsuya said.

Johnny couldn’t ever win an argument against him. He grumbled a few words and then he relented.

“You’ll come with us once everyone is gone, right Mr. Titanium?”

“Of course,” Tyreceus lied.

“So don’t worry about it,” Tetsuya grinned. “Let’s go to the center and finally get some sleep.”

Another group of people from the center had arrived, handguns, and rifles in hand. They saw the fire and came to help, but they couldn’t shoot fire to put it out. The large group finally left and Tyreceus finally relaxed as they all left. He was alone, surrounded by corpses and fire.

Tyreceus turned around and walked straight into the building. Parts of the shirt had been burnt off, and the ends of his pants as well. He felt no pain but worried that he would end up like Tetsuya if he got too close to the fire.

He sat on the hot ground and gazed into the fire, hypnotized by its color. The smell of ash was now comforting to him after many years of using the sword, and he started taking up smoking as a habit. He pulled out the last cigarette he had from his breast pocket and stuck it in his mouth. Tyreceus snapped his fingers and relaxed in the heat, trying to figure out what to do if he could not leave.

He decided to keep himself busy with his regrets.

Gazing into the fire, Tyreceus thought about how he had found his son.

How he had hurt him and lied to him.

Tyreceus had become a born liar.