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CONFLAGRATION
Upon arriving at Nicholas' house, I couldn't help but feel out of place, at the exclusive town of Ororena. It is nestled in an upscale neighborhood, surrounded by meticulously landscaped gardens and large, mature trees. Nicholas' house was like every other house here, a tall, sleek, modern design incorporated with glass, steel, and stone. The exterior is adorned with large windows that allow natural light to flood the interiors, highlighting their living room and garage.
Walking up the front steps, I felt nervous. I've never been to such a grandiose house before and I didn't know what to expect. I noticed that Ivory had a weird face and was looking around the block searching for something. She rang the doorbell and seconds later a golden brown-skinned girl, opened the door. "Ivory! What a surprise!" Her hair and eyes matched her skin and her body was well-fitted, even without the workout clothes she had on, it was clear that she exercised quite a bit.
"Alba! Hey!" Ivory responded with the same excitement as her. They hugged each other tight and during that hug, Alba noticed me.
"I'm guessing this is Ellion, right?" Well, apparently I'm very well-known. I would like to be as informed as they are I don't have to be nervous all the time.
Ivory went ahead and introduced us. "Yes. Ellion, this is Alba. She's the star of the dance show we're going to."
"Oh! Nice to meet you. I'll bet it'll be great. You look very well fitted so I'm sure it'll be a great dance show."
I smiled, thinking that making a compliment would make it easier but both their silence and especially Ivory's face when I talked, showed me I said something wrong.
Alba chuckled, Ivory dissed me and asked, "Where's Nicholas, I don't see his car anywhere?"
Alba's face quickly changed, as if she remembered something horrible. "I don't know how much Nicholas has told you but Max has been a little crazy lately."
"Crazy? What do you mean?" Ivory was quickly concerned. "We've talked but he didn't mention anything about Max. I've told him I'll be coming around today with Ellion. He even invited us to stay over the weekend for the dance."
Alba started explaining to us the situation as she walked us over to the enormous living room and showed us to the giant and striking sofa, with its deep, plush cushions and luxurious silvery upholstery. "He told me about Ellion and how he was going to help him but didn't mention anything about you coming today. He's been kind of distant lately, Max has him worried. How things are going lately, he's started causing some trouble, stealing and assaulting stores. It's better to talk to him about this."
Ivory quickly got up and with no hesitation, "Where is he then?"
"He went with Gustavo to talk to him. He's in his old apartment in 'El Oro." Alba replied.
"Yeah, I know where it is. Come on Ellion, you're coming with me." Ivory grabbed my hand, my body instantly got firm and the quick absence of air told me we had just teleported. This time, I landed on my two feet, with just a few coughs.
I noticed we were behind one of the residential buildings. I quickly recognized it because it looked like all other residential buildings on the island, with its grime, dirt, and cracks bigger than my hands, covering most of it. The smell of smoke caught my attention and I started looking around for Ivory. She wasn't around, she must've gone on without me. I just hope she didn't teleport back and left me here.
I turned from the corner and I saw from afar a building in a blazing fire and joined the people outside watching. From the building, ashes were flying all around while the onlookers were in shock and some were even crying. Suddenly a young man steps out, not bothered by the heat of the fire in the slightest. The building is completely engulfed in flames, the inferno reaching high into the sky. The crackling of the fire and its roar are filling the air.
The young man's clothes are burned and his skin blackened from the smoke but no burn marks on his skin. People rush to help him but he doesn't let them, instead, he turns around to watch the fire. The man stood tall, his eyes locked on the destruction before him. His expression was unreadable, but there was a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. Who was this man and why did he seem so unfazed by the fire?
"Ellion!" I heard Ivory's voice called out from behind. I looked from where we came from and there she was, calling to me. "Puñeta, avanza!" something happened because she was yelling in Spanish.
As I rushed around the corner, I saw Ivory crouched over a man lying on the grass. The man appeared to be frozen all over, literally. There was melted ice all over his body. "What the hell happened, Nicholas?!" Ivory shouted, her voice filled with panic. Suddenly, a brooding voice emerged from the darkness.
"This is what always happens when a good person tries to help a delinquent." the voice said. "Nicholas came to talk about living an honest, steady life, but he saw us as a threat and did what every person like him does: he attacked us." The speaker stepped into the light, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man with a careless expression on his face.
"Gustavo..." Ivory said softly, her anger building. She stood up and got in his face, "Do you want me to punch you in the face, jodio cabrón?!" Gustavo looked down at her, his expression unchanged.
"Guys, stop," Nicholas interjected, his voice strained. He started coughing heavily. Ivory quickly crouched back down to attend to him while Gustavo stood by, his eyes fixed on mine. I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that washed over me.
Ivory grabbed my hand and pulled me towards Nicholas. "I'm going to get him some help," she said. "Gustavo, take care of the car." And with a sudden blur, we were in Nicholas's living room, and I heard Alba's startled gasp.
Alba rushed to Nicholas' side as she heard him cough violently. She asked for a phone to call an ambulance, but Nicholas quickly raised his hand to stop her.
"I'll be okay." He said with a cough. "I just need to catch my breath."
Seconds later, the coughing subsided and Nicholas appeared to be more relaxed. He pursed his lips as if he were blowing smoke, and a white vapor emerged, almost like a crystalline mist.
Ivory looked assured and helped Nicholas to his feet. "Good thing you have ice powers or else you would've died to Max's fire." She said.
Nicholas chuckled with a smile, "Fire and ice. I always wondered what the odds were of us having these abilities and being friends." He lay back on the sofa, still smiling. "Max is just lost right now, but I'll get him back. That's what friends do."
Nicholas sounded genuine. He seemed to really believe in his friendship and that he could save his friend. Honestly, I couldn't believe a person with that attitude actually existed.
"I bet you're thinking I'm lame or something, right?" Nicholas randomly asked, he still had his eyes closed but I knew he was directing the question to me.
"Not at all, I've never met someone so invested in his friendship. I'm actually intrigued by it." I said while wondering if Ryan would be like him for me. Would I?
Nicholas laughed and coughed, "People don't seem to understand that we need people in this life or else we're always going to be stuck in the same place. Massimo, that's what I called Max, and I have been friends since the 9th grade. We were from different home styles but had the same mindset about almost everything. I knew we were going to be good friends for a long time since the first day we met." He was smiling while he kept talking about his friend.
Nicholas then opened his eyes slightly and leaned forward. "So, you're Ellion, the new recruit, right?" He asked as I nodded. "We'll wake up early tomorrow, have a big breakfast, and start the training. Don't worry about it, everyone has been great so far." He said with a smile as he then winced in pain.
Alba put her hands on his head and put his head on her shoulder, "You have to rest, you've been at this for days." she said softly.
"Yeah, you're always right my bronze queen..." Nicholas replied as Alba blushed.
"So, you said something about us staying?" Ivory asked them to cut through their fond tension.
"Yes!" Alba replied. "If you go down the hall, next to the stairs, there are two guest rooms. Take them and feel free to roam around the house. Nicholas' parents left for a summer vacation and they left Nicholas the house, but put me in charge of it. They still don't think he is mature enough to be left alone in a house." she teased at Nicholas.
Ivory and I grabbed our stuff and headed to the guest rooms. Even the guest room of this house had more stuff than my living room. A queen bed, two luxurious chests, a 43-inch TV on the wall, and many portraits and sculptures of what I'm guessing from local artists.
After unpacking, I went out to the kitchen to grab something to snack on. I walked past the hall and looked to the living room and saw that Nicholas had already fallen asleep on top of Alba, who had her hand running through his hair.
Alba noticed me and pointed to an oven in the kitchen, I walked to it and grabbed a piece of the roasted beef. Suddenly I heard keys jingle on the door, when it flung open, it was the same broad-shoulder man from before, Gustavo. He stared blankly at me as he came in, I could not tell what he could be thinking. I don't know why this guy gives me the chills, I stood there frozen as he walked in.
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He proceeded to walk to a tall tabletop in the hall left the keys there and waved goodbye to Alba, in an arrogant manner. Alba looked as if she wanted to say something, even yell out but she didn't due to Nicholas being asleep. There was clearly something going on between them.
I grabbed my food and headed towards Ivory's room. I noticed it was slightly open and peeked through the crack. Ivory was lying face down on the bed, fully asleep. What the hell, it was still midday. I understand why Nicholas passed out, but Ivory? What had she been doing that she was already knocked out before the afternoon? I sighed, deciding to wait for her to wake up, and instead went to eat alone in a random room, left alone with my thoughts... in a stranger's house... where some dude can create ice out of thin air.
What the hell have I gotten myself into? Everything had been happening so fast that I hadn't had the time to process it. Ivory teleporting already amazed me so much I couldn't sleep. Ryan apparently could control electricity, and now this Nicholas guy could literally control ice. It felt like the adventure fantasy novels I had read had come to life. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to go through this, even if I felt out of place. They say the hardest part about change is the first step, and this is it. I was accepting what Ivory and Ryan had said to me. I didn't know where this life might lead, but I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
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It was almost midnight and I had not left the room once. I heard noises and muffled conversations, but no one knocked on my door and I didn't dare leave. Probably should've, but what could I say? This was another world compared to my reality. I prepared myself to sleep, hoping to quiet my overthinking. As I turned over, I noticed a shadow underneath the door frame getting closer. It lingered there for a while before I got up and opened the door. Nicholas stumbled forward.
"Whoa! Hey, Ellion. Good to know you're awake," Nicholas said as he regained his footing.
"Everything okay?" I asked curiously, glancing at the door and back at him.
"Yeah, I just didn't know if you were awake or not, and I was waiting for a sound, but man, you are one silent dude," Nicholas said. I stared back at him, waiting for him to tell me what he needed. "So, anyways, I just wanted to take a walk by the sea. Alba is asleep, and the only language Ivory knows is politics, so I just want to clear my head and have a casual conversation. If you don't mind accompanying me?" Nicholas asked with a nervous smile.
"Yeah, sure. That doesn't sound bad at all. I actually like the sea breeze," I replied. "I'll quickly change, and we'll head out."
"Great! I'll wait for you at the door," Nicholas said, turning around as I closed the door behind him.
This was good. I needed to get out, and it would be just me and Nicholas. He seemed like a cool and honest guy. I shouldn't be wary of going out at midnight with a guy I barely know who can create ice out of thin air. I shook my head to stop my overthinking and quickly changed. When I headed out, Nicholas was waiting for me with a grin. We grabbed towels and headed toward the sound of the waves.
We walked through the upscale urbanization, passing well-maintained lawns and luxurious houses. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the distant sound of laughter from people enjoying the night. The moonless night was dark, but the streetlights cast a soft glow, guiding us toward the beach. The closer we got, the more the sounds of the urbanization faded, replaced by the rhythmic light crash of the waves.
We arrived at the beach, walking slowly on the sand until we stood in front of the sea. The moonless nights were always spectacular on Vanity Island, the sky shining full of stars. "I've seen these stars countless times, and each time they look more beautiful," Nicholas said, his smiling eyes admiring the night sky.
"Yeah, it sure is," I said as I sat down on the cold sand. It was a bit windy, but not too cold. The sound of the waves was soothing my ears.
"Well, don't get too comfortable; we have a bit of walking to do," Nicholas suddenly said, breaking the calmness of the beach.
"What do you mean? We're already here."
"We're at the beach, not the sea. I want to walk over there," Nicholas replied, pointing at the sea before us, but seemingly nowhere as everywhere looked like endless water. I feared what he meant by it.
"I see that when you said a 'walk on the sea,' you meant it literally. Good to know you're a very literal guy. I will be more aware of it next time," I replied as I got up and shook off the sand. "I am guessing you're going to use your powers to make a bridge to the sea?" I asked Nicholas.
"Oh yeah. I have a spot," Nicholas said, opening his right hand wide as an icy mist flowed from it. The mist transformed in the air, mixing with the water to form an ice bridge. The bridge was wide, non-slippery, and stable, stretching out toward the sea under the starry sky.
We kept walking on the ice Nicholas had made for almost ten minutes, the ice behind us melting as we continued. The coast was barely visible now, just dim lights flickering in the distance. This was the time my brain started conjuring what-if scenarios. What if he was bringing me far from land to do something to me? My body started trembling, but I didn't know if it was because of my nervousness or the chilling sea breeze.
Nicholas suddenly stopped. "This is it," he said.
I looked beyond to see the same dark ocean and stars we had seen from the coast. "It sure is nice... So what's so special about it?" I asked, desperately trying to understand why we were here.
"Jump," Nicholas said suddenly, his face serious. His smile had vanished, replaced by a jaded glare that pierced through the pitch-black night, fixating on me.
I looked down at the calm black waves breaking against the icy bridge. One couldn't even see an inch below the waters. "Um, you're kidding, right?"
"Everyone before you has done it. Think of it as the initiation to the group."
"Yeah, no thanks. I might be a good swimmer, but I don't know what's down there. There might even be a strong current that drags me off to the middle of the ocean. I'm fine here," I replied.
"Ellion, if you came all this way just to chicken out at this simple task, then you must not really want to be in the group. Do you have a lot to go back to?" Nicholas asked his tone still serious.
"Not really... But this is the middle of the sea!"
"You're with a guy who can create an ice bridge from the coast to the middle of the sea. And you're more freaked out about jumping into the water?" Nicholas replied.
"I am freaked out by all of this, by everything that has been happening to me! It's so unreal that my head still hasn't wrapped around it! I've been overthinking this whole time, I couldn't sleep, I can't decide what to do or how to feel, I don't know anything! It's been too much in such a short time and everyone is so casual about it so I act the same but honestly, all of this is crazy and I am going insane!" I couldn't control myself. Everything I had held inside was bursting out. "I am no one, always have been. I had my life already planned out, get a boring job for stable pay. It was my only viable option, and yes, of course, I've always felt like I was meant for something more, but so does everyone! So why me, why am I here?!"
Nicholas stared back at me, his eyes never leaving mine. With a smirk, he said, "Good. Let it all out. Don't overthink anymore. Act. Your mind is your best friend and worst enemy, and when you can't decide what to do, trust your heart as it always knows what it wants. What does your heart tell you about trusting me?"
I didn't want to answer quickly but I already knew what I felt. For some reason, I did trust him completely; his eyes and actions seemed honest since I met him. But my head was telling me that is what I want to feel, not what I should feel. But thinking about going back to my dull life versus this unsure future made the answer clear.
"I trust you, Nicholas," I said softly. He smiled and gestured for me to jump into the black waters. I turned to the edge and jumped without a second thought, ignoring the screaming voice in my head.
I felt the rush of water envelop me as I dived, expecting a cold, piercing sensation. Instead, the sea was warm and soothing. Suddenly, not too deep into the dive, my feet touched the sand. I gained momentum from it and jumped back out of the water quickly. I swam a bit more, feeling the sand beneath me, and suddenly found footing with my head still above water. I looked back at Nicholas with a surprised smile, and he was grinning back at me.
"You tricked me! This is a sandbank, isn't it?" I asked, continuing to walk up the sandbank. I started trembling once again, but this time I knew it was the sea breeze brushing against my wet clothes and skin.
"How do you feel now?" Nicholas asked, sitting down on the edge of his icy bridge, his feet submerged in the waves.
"Free," I said, feeling the salt of the sea relax my body, and the sound of the waves lightly breaking beneath the sandbank soothing the voice in my head.
Nicholas leaped from the icy bridge to the sandbank, an unnatural jump that landed him right in front of me, effortlessly clearing the distance I had to swim.
"I'm glad you feel that way. I need people I can trust in my life, and you seem trustworthy. Not that the others Ivory has brought aren't, but they seem more focused on other things. They don't take the situation seriously, or they're just oblivious to it. And I might not be very smart, but I can see how things are quickly changing on this island." Nicholas said as we sat down on the sandbank, feeling the gentle fragments of the waves beneath us.
"I came here from San Anton in Columbia. It was a good life; we had everything. A big house just like we have here, almost exactly the same. Mom and Dad were tired of the life they had, saying it was boring and repetitive. So they sold everything and moved here, the opposite of where we lived. Up in San Anton, it snows almost the whole year, there are no mountains, no sand, and almost no greenery. Moving here was a paradise for me; I hated the cold." Nicholas looked back toward the island before continuing.
"My parents didn't see it the same way. It's funny how one wants to change their dull life but instead of changing themselves, they want their surroundings to change and adapt to their ways. They hated the smell of fish on the beach, the heat of the island, the tiny houses built on concrete, and even the friendly approach of the people. Judging them by their looks or how they expressed themselves. By that time, many people from high statuses wanted to build their own little utopia here, free from the locals but taking from them their lands and sea. They fought to make this neighborhood private, even the beach, but many people protested and fought back, which made my parents disdain the locals even more. But I found myself admiring them. Being brought together by a common cause and fighting as one. I've never seen such compassionate people. And that's when I figured out who I wanted to be." Nicholas's eyes shone like the stars in the sky.
"While I was growing up, I immediately knew how lucky I was compared to most of the kids I met. The private schools I went to were mostly attended by kids from Columbia. And all of them bullied the local kids for not having what all of them had. I know we were kids and most of us didn't know, but I did. I also saw it with the adults. And now I'm seeing how the Union States of Columbia is doing it to this island. But we're not kids anymore; we can do something about it, like the people did before, together." Nicholas finished talking, his story captivating me. Of course, I saw what was going on on this island, but who was I to do something about it? But here was Nicholas, born in Columbia, yet suffering for us. He was indeed a strange, honest man.
"You're very compassionate, aren't you?" I asked him, and he chuckled.
"Everybody has power. You don't need the ability to freeze things to make a change; you just have to believe you can. And act on it," Nicholas said. I knew he was referring to my overthinking before. "Tomorrow, we'll start your training. Let's enjoy the night for now." He stretched out his legs on the sand and put his hands behind him, looking up at the stars. "And thanks for coming, Ellion. I feel this is the start of a beautiful friendship."
Nicholas was like no one I'd met before. He actually calmed my nerves and thoughts. I felt comfortable and relaxed. And even though I felt eager for tomorrow, I didn't want this night to end.
Apparently, his parents go to new places every start of summer and used to bring him along but after he got older, they just let him take care of the house while they were gone, which, from what I can tell, he loved it [https://img.wattpad.com/dac59e930e11acdd5d1cce313b1ea3352bab4f0b/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f365841327378654d6254536e4a413d3d2d313334393634343031332e313761396166366163626134646466353339313837313231353638352e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Name: Nicholas Everhart
Clemons Cell Ability: Ice Manipulation
Character Info: Nicholas Everhart grew up in the USC but moved to Vanity Island when he was little. He's always looking on the bright side and is ready to help anyone, no matter what they've done wrong. He's really good with his ice powers, almost perfect at using them. He's also the one who helped his friends find out about their powers. Nicholas always believes in the best of others.