Captured Flames

The boy, clearly angry, struggled to get out of his restraints whilst Natoru tightened them more.

What exactly did I agree to? Am I going to get caught? Would I go to jail for this? I still have my entire life ahead of me. These thoughts kept flowing through Hubris's mind while he watched the scene play out.

The flames covered the boy's entire body, but he didn't burn, and neither did the rope nor his clothes. Natoru didn't seem to mind the flames because he kept on tightening the rope around the boy.

"That should do it," Natoru said as he put the finishing touches on the restraints before turning to Hubris. "I'd like you to meet Ciel. He is also a Tenso, and as I'm sure you've realised," he said, pointing at the flames surrounding Ciel, "he controls flames."

"Why is he tied to a chair?" Hubris said, "Also, what was that part about him being your gran—"

Hubris got interrupted by Ciel, who finally took notice of him and stopped struggling for a moment. "I’ve never seen you before. Are you working with him?"

"You could say that, but I'm starting to reconsider my choices." Hubris said. He sympathised with Ciel because he also had been kidnapped.

"Okay, so, can you untie me so I can burn this entire place to the ground?" Ciel said it like it was just your average everyday sentence, all the while he kept trying to break free.

“…”

"See, I'm trying to get him to join, but he keeps saying that he wants no part of it, so I did the next best thing," said Natoru as he dropped on the couch. "I sneaked into his room at midnight, tied him up with restraints infused with my mana and brought him back here."

"Any normal person hearing that would think you just read from a police file."

"Don't worry, it's fine; it doesn't count if we are family."

"Aren’t you an immortal? "Do you have a wife?" 'Hubris?' asked.

"Don't lump me in with him," Ciel quickly snapped before Natoru could reply, "We are not related whatsoever."

Trixie remained focused on her book; it was clear that she had completely tuned out the entire conversation. Hubris didn't have enough information to know the right move, so he made his own choice.

"I'm going back to bed," he said before leaving.

No way I'm going to stick around for that. He returned to his room and went back to bed; he was still tired from the training he's been doing.

He woke up some hours later, freshened up, and got back to the living room; the scene had been reversed. Natoru was now the one tied up in the chair, and Ciel was playing “Mortal Kombat” on the TV with Trixie; he seemed really terrible at it.

"Help!! Hubris, they ganged up on me," Natoru said from the chair he was bound to. “To release me you have to…”

This must be bad karma; Hubris completely ignored Natoru.

"Good to see you changed your mind about levelling this place," he said to Ciel, sitting down next to Ciel on the sofa.

"This place isn't so bad when you disregard the fact that he is here." Ciel said, still focused on the games, he was punching random buttons on the controller.

His technique is horrible. Hubris excels at anything he does, so it is always a discovery for him to see someone failing so badly. "You've been here before." He said.

"Yeah, many times, although all were against my will." "But today's different; he wants me to stay for some reason," Ciel said right after another loss. "So what about you? Why are you here?"

"I’m just a Tenso who’s got nothing better to do."

"Which Tenso?"

"Light"

“So how did he rope you into this?”

“I figured I would at least give it a try.”

"Won't you be missed by anyone now that you're here?" Ciel asked.

"You don't need to worry; I do not think there is anyone who is going to miss me."

"So you are one of those guys, you know, the ones without friends."

*stab* straight into Hubris’ heart. "You don't mince words."

"I’ve never seen a need to."

Ok, sure, just hit me where it hurts.

“Flawless Victory” Trixie won again; it seems she has had enough of the one-sided beatdown because she dropped her controller.

"That's it for me." Trixie said as she got up, "I'm going to get back to my magic."

Ciel bowed his head down; he was visibly depressed.

"I actually thought I could beat her this time. That's three flawless victories. I will have to be her test subject for three hours."

Hubris recalled his own experience, then shivered a bit; he still had nightmares.

He remembered the question he had been meaning to ask: "What did Natoru mean when he said you are his grandson?"

"You shouldn't ask questions like that before confirming that they aren't personal."

"I'm curious, though."

"It's not by blood, but yes, unfortunately, he is my grandfather." Ciel said, somehow looking even more depressed, "Apparently he took a liking to my mother, an orphan; he took care of her until she was old enough to take care of herself."

"So why do you hate him so much?"

"No, don't get me wrong. I do not hate him; I just don't like him."

"I really don't see the difference." Hubris said, "So why don't you like him?… If it isn't a personal reason."

"It is, in fact, very personal, but I don't mind sharing." Ciel said, "Something about you makes me feel at ease. Normally I won't be able to share so much with some random stranger."

Another stab in the heart. His words are like daggers.

"It's so touching to watch my grandson make friends," Natoru said, catching Ciel and Hubris off guard. He is still bound to the chair, but he is somehow very much closer than before.

"Shut up! Don't call me your grandson. I would prefer it if you used my real name," Ciel said.

"You really want me to call you Ciel, or should I just use a nick—"

"Don't even think about it." Ciel stopped him in his tracks before he could say anything else.

"So cold?" Natoru said. A picture flew out from his pocket and levitated in front of Natoru so Ciel could see. "You know, asking you to join the elements is not the only reason I called you here. This is the guy, right?"

Ciel's demeanour changed the moment he saw the picture. His dark red eyes flicked like flames were burning inside, and his skin became redder. “How—how did you—”

"I guess that's my answer," Natoru said before addressing Ciel's rage. "Calm down; I didn't tell you that for you to get all heated up."

"So you found him?"

"Cool your head, then we can talk."

At Natoru’s words Ciel calmed down. Hubris was also interested, but he could not disregard his manners.

"Should I be here for this?" Hubris said. "It isn't a personal thing, right?"

"Yeah, you can, oh, and Trixie also," he said as Trixie looked over. "That is, if Ciel is okay with it."

"I really don’t mind," Ciel replied. His eyes were still fixed on the photo.

“The man in this photo is Ted Caroll, a Nisekami who bears the divinity of Kagutsuchi,” Natoru said.

Kagutsuchi is a Japanese god of fire. He was the last-born child of Izanagi and Izanami, the two major Japanese gods. The heat from his birth was so hot that it killed his mother, a primordial god. He was a god who embodied fire and destruction; he would later on summon the wrath of Izanagi, his father, for the murder of his mother and die by his father's sword.

"So what are you trying to say?" Ciel said once Natoru finished.

"I'm saying this might be too much for you alone, Ciel; luckily, you've got two people by your side to help," Natoru said, referring to Hubris and Trixie.

"You are not coming?"

"As much as I would like to, I am not the right person to go with you for this," Natoru said; his eyes were cold even though he was smiling. He then closed them and gave an even brighter smile, which didn't match his next words. "I will most likely kill him on sight."

Scary. Hubris thought.

"So that's why," Natoru continued, "I would like the two of you to go with him."

"I don't mind," Trixie said. It's a good opportunity to test out my potions and spells, the lethal ones, I mean."

You mean the ones I took weren’t the most dangerous. Hubris thought.

"What about you, Hubris?" Natoru asked.

I'm really just curious. "I might as well," Hubris responded.

"I guess you are both on board then; I will send you the important details," Natoru said. He snapped his fingers, and they disappeared. "Good luck."