Hero

He stared towards Ino, then towards the huge white doors and the exit. The spell was about to be cast towards her, but something crossed his mind.

I can make it out. Without Ino, without anyone here. That would make the future more peaceful.

The idea popped into his mind: leave Ino behind; she would only bring him future regret and destruction. He had the opportunity to leave and go out as the spell brought down everyone else. But another idea also popped.

Leaving her here, when I have the chance to save her. Isn't that the same as killing someone? I might not even be able to save her… No… I certainly could. If I put my all into it, I could save her if I wanted to, but I don't; she doesn't deserve it.

As the spell was about to be released, Sorin saw the Boyles' staff set into motion.

I'm going to have to deal with her later, but I'm supposed to be a hero, a symbol. My ideals are that I don't want anyone to die; that is my mission. To not let anyone die and learn the truth about the massacre and who is behind it, and then get rid of the sole person responsible.

Another person entered his head; he saw Chikaru, looking up at him with her ash eyes and her red short hair, still as she was scribbling, “You're going to have to kill someone who doesn't deserve it.”

That's right, is that person Ino? She doesn't deserve it yet; she hasn't done anything to me. Even if we're going to fight. I can't just let her die. No matter how badly or how much I will regret it later, I would be leaving everything behind for what? Convenience. The easy way out for now.

Sorin gritted his teeth; his shoes burst out with wind as he unregulated his flow, bursting towards Ino. Boyle's staff was now down; as the fireball was launched, it was the size of a cottage; it was immense just looking at it. So he averted his eyes; his skin burned. So he moved faster. His body heated, so he just wanted to end this. His body moved on instinct now; his thoughts were one thing. Do not let her die. Do not become like her. Do not abandon the thing everyone believes in you for. Don't lose yourself.

The council members stopped firing; they tried to dodge out of the way, but they were right next to Ino. It was futile, but their human instincts told them to try anyway. Ino, on the other hand, stared directly at the massive ball of fire coming towards her. She didn't even try to counter it. It was too much, and she knew that.

What her eyes didn't see, however, was a small blisk of light, a small haze that suddenly stood in front of her, a dark grey robe fluttering into her face as the fire moved closer. Disbelief was her only emotion, that someone was trying to stop it. The unstoppable fireball that would tear down this building; if it were her, she would have run.

But Sorin stood firm. He stared down the fireball, pointing his staff straight at it, perfectly towards it, like the end was almost razor sharp, ready to slice it in half. That was the intention. He concentrated every bit of his magic; no matter how fast or uncontrollably it flowed into him, it all went towards the point of his staff.

The staff that was about to be eaten and devoured like nothing, but the very point did not burn or die in flames. It clashed directly with the fire; it cut the fire. And it separated the fire into two. Their projection was completely off to each side.

“A hero.” Ino could only mutter those words to herself; her skin burned and her hair was violently thrown, the ice on her feet melted, but she didn't even move a single bit. She just stared at the man in front of her in awe.

Then he turned himself around to meet her eyes. His eyes reflected the fire that moved to the side; his feet moved in an instant. Launching himself straight into her before grabbing and running, her movements followed him.

Crumbling began to spread everywhere; the building slowly fell. They moved out of the room, hearing inaudible screams and regret from the burning council members. They won't make it out, and Sorin accepts that he chose Ino and not them. He maximised the lives he could. Boyle stood amidst the fire spreading across the room with an exhausted expression. His gamble was wrong; she didn't devour a bit of it, the spell couldn't withstand it, he didn't anticipate it being cut; he didn't even know it was possible.

They ran in the hallways. Their eyes gazed over to a purple-haired lady; her painting, maybe even the last one ever, would perish here. But both of them knew there was not enough time. The ceiling began to fold in on itself already; halfway across the hallway, it was already plummeting down.

I refuse to go out like this.

Sorin did a final burst, mixed both fire and wind on his feet, and he launched Ino forward before swiftly grabbing her firmly around the waist. He put all his magic into this burst, launching himself so fast his skin stretched. They were shot like a dart straight off the hallway door.

On the outside, everyone watched as the two figures were covered in burn marks, covered in sweat, and panting on the floor. But everyone knew from the scene behind. That they managed to do the unthinkable, that they took down the system itself.

Two people, against a council they would never face alone, their hopes placed into this encounter. Sorin's gift is what led them to this moment; they could only rejoice loudly at the success of their revolution.