The group stood stock still, attempting to zero in on whoever was attacking them and creating this unbearable heat. Aran and Cameron circled the car, keeping Luce and the Twins at a distance before Cameron spotted someone reaching for the driver's seat from within the car.
Cameron lunged into the vehicle, gun pointed at who he assumed was their assailant. Cameron almost shot, but his hand was smacked out of the way, bubbles forming in response as the vessels within the back of his gun arm had begun to blow open from the heat. "I found him!" He screamed out as he recoiled in pain from the sudden attack. Aran jumped in next, aiming past Cameron and firing into the cam, clambering into the driver's seat two times in the head.
The man slumped into the passenger seat, blood pooling out from the newly created wounds, and an audible gargling could be heard from the man's throat as the blood quickly coagulated from the sheer heat of their body.
Aran threw the superheated body out of the car, watching as it flopped onto the ground lifelessly. Aran waved her hand, hissing at her burned palm.
"Fuck... the hell was that?"
Nero leaned around the car, eyes locked to the aftermath before them. "Are we safe?"
Cameron nodded, "Maybe, I think that might've been the user. Fuckin' idiot." He sighed, re-entering the driver's seat with a groan, "Oh my god, it's so much cooler~!"
Nero rounded the car quickly, jumping into the Passenger's Seat next to Cameron. "Yes!"
"What the hell~!? Nero!" Nello whined, partly entering the back of the car with Luce and Aran.
Cameron sighed, "Alright, everyone. Get seated, strap yourselves in. We're almost to the airport. Halfway."
They ride on for a little bit longer, and it's a smooth drive once more. The entire car felt relieved that there didn't appear to be any more threats in the area. Cameron turned on the radio for everyone else who listened intently. Seemed that some drama had Nero and Nello hooked, but Luce and Aran kept to themselves. Luce nodded off on Aran's shoulder, exhausted by today's events.
Cameron shook his head, "Man, kids these days, man. Always fuckin' cheatin'."
"Huh!?" Nello yelled out audibly. "Just because they got dumbasses on the radio doin' it doesn't mean we're all-- how old are you anyway?"
"I'm 34."
"Oh, fuck off~! There were plenty of people cheatin' during your time, bud."
"At least they had more shame about it. Can't believe these kids are just exposin' themselves like that on the radio!"
Nero chimed in, "You know they're fake, right?"
"What?"
"They're fake, It's an act. They have a scenario, and they have people they hire to improvise."
"What, for real!?" Nello peeked around Nero's seat with a curious look.
"Yeah, they're fake. It isn't that big a deal. They're pretty funny scenarios, so of course it's gonna be interesting to listen to. It just goes to show you how impressive they are at improv, y'know?"
Cameron sighed, "Now I feel like a dipshit."
Aran suddenly pulled the steering wheel to the side as a man ran straight into the front of the vehicle, causing them to spin out on the empty road. Aran screamed out, "Pay attention! Go, drive, now!" Cameron changed gears, putting the car back on track as the person outside somehow got back up from getting hit by a car, latching onto the back as they skid away in an attempt to lose them.
They slide across the trunk of the car, partially melting the metal of the vehicle along with it before launching their first through the back window of the car. "Oh come on~!" Cameron cried out as the glass suddenly began to become superheated.
"Stop!" Aran demanded, causing the car to halt suddenly, the man outside's head flying through the back window, his chin colliding against the seat, stunning them.
Aran kicked open Nello's side of the car and popped out with Luce from the other, slapping onto the ground outside with a grunt. Cameron and Nero jumped out of the car, the glass exploding everything within, creating an incessant popping sound that resonated throughout. "W-What the fuck!?" Cameron exclaimed as his car deflated right in front of his eyes.
Aran jumped off the asphalt below her, lifting Luce with her, "Fuck! The ground burns like hell!"
Cassini's Division flew up to the sky, high up into the sky above the group, its wings outstretched, creating an area of shade where they stood. Luce's breath ran ragged, "This is the best I can do about the heat, but it isn't just the car anymore!"
Nello panicked, screamed, "W-What the hell!? Didn't we kill the guy earlier!? Why is there another one!? How come the heat is getting worse!?"
Cameron kicked his now destroyed car, "Fuck! Who gives a shit!? I just know now that whoever blew my car up is getting a bullet between the eyes! Guaranteed!"
Aran growled, "First we have to find the fucker!" Aran sighed, "Thanks, Lover Boy, your shade has helped us significantly, it helped me think, you get me?"
Luce chuckled, "Uh... I guess, I'd hope so."
"Yeah, it helped. Their heat is amplified by the time of day, that's for sure, but if that's blocked, I'm guessing their ability is dampened. Since I can feel it, the air is slightly cooler, can't you feel it?"
"That was the intention."
"Yeah... and because of that, i spotted them, the fucker causin' this!" Aran pointed up a hill, a man standing on top of it, and another person kneeling next to them. They lean down to meet them at ear level, and they whisper to each other before slapping the kneeled man in the back who began sprinting down the hill. "Guns!"
Cameron and Aran point to the sprinting figure, waiting for them to get closer. After entering a 6m radius, both open fire, sending the man cascading to the ground. Aran turned her gun toward the far-away figure, mumbling directions to herself as she aimed her gun high, firing her two remaining shots at the figure. A moment passed as she watched the figure begin to slowly descend from the hill.
"H-How!? Those shots should've hit!"
"Did you miss?!" Cameron yelled back as he began firing as well.
"I never miss... that's the problem."
Dry clicks, Cameron had run out of ammo as well. The man steadily approached, the heat increasing more and more with their approach. "W-What the hell is this ability!?"
Luce stumbled to the car, barely keeping himself steady, kneeling despite the pain as his skin began to crack and bleed. Aran watched this, a bubbling rage slowly building up from within her gut. Aran whipped her head back around to look at the approaching figure, now within shouting distance, the man spoke up. "What's the problem!? You guys alright!?" They snickered.
"You..." Aran growled, "I'll fuckin' end ya! You've pissed me off you damn prick!"
"Oh~! I'm so afraid." They chuckled, entering within 4 meters of the group. "You can't do shit to me... I'm invincible. Now... politely die for me, alright?"
Cameron reloaded his gun, firing into the man's body, but each bullet melted before it could reach the man's body. "W-What the fuck!?"
"Jesus~! You guys are a vulgar bunch. Whatevs, let's get this shit started, right? Surely I'd provide you a mercy of approaching sooner so... here I come~!"
The cracks across everyone's body increase, busting open and bleeding in response to the dry air surrounding them.
"Dry yourselves out... become thirsty... become stressed, waste your energy for Papa~!"
Aran groaned, "I'll kill ya... I'll be the one to fuckin' kill you..."
"Huh?" The man turned to Aran, "And how are you gonna do that?"
"I won't forgive you... never..."
The man burst out laughing, "Like I give a shit! Hah!"
"I won't..."
During a better time, a young boy with long black hair stood in front of a weeping emerald-eyed child who sat down at the roots of a tree in the fetal position. They looked up at the boy who looked down at them, a smile beaming across their face, a look of sympathy found within their gaze. It was a better time, but even good times include hardships to get to that point.
When Aran was 7 years old, her parents, both shunned amongst the Driskolls, had met an unfortunate end. The younger children, around her age, who surrounded her, due to the incident, referred to her as "The Witch."
Misfortune surrounded her; that's what they said. Accidents happened all around her; the myths spread. "The Witch", a title that ate at her. The unnatural height at her age hadn't helped her either, the children convincing themselves that she had held all of her powers of misfortune within her tall legs. "The Giantess Witch", "The Giantess", many different variations of the name.
One day, she was brought from her home to the Caccia Estate on a visit. She was isolated from the groups of children that surrounded her, pushing her away to the estate's backyard, a scarce bit of forestry cut off by the fences of the estate. Aran had run there, hidden amongst the trees, curled up in a ball, weeping quietly into her arms and knees.
"Are you okay?" A boy, Luce Caccia, had found her. Looked down upon at the time amongst the family, but with a much more appreciated presence compared to their present self. "Why are you crying?" The boy kneeled.
Aran peeked out from the protection she had felt from her buried face, looking at the boy sitting across from her. "G-Get away from me..."
"W-Why?"
"B-Because... I-I'm a Witch... They call me a Witch." She said through periodic hiccups and sniffles.
"A Witch...?" He paused, "That's kinda cool..."
"H-What!? Huh? W-Why would that be cool!? S-Shut up!"
"What kinda Witch?"
"W-What? Why are you asking me this? Are you trying to torm-"
"I was just curious, cause you said you were a witch and stuff..." The boy continued to stare, waiting for an answer.
"I-I dunno, a Witch of Misfortune?"
"Oh~! That's cool~!"
"Why would that be cool!?"
Luce crawled closer, not caring for how Aran was feeling at the moment, causing her to stumble back, "N-No! Stop!"
"Why? I just wanted to sit next to you."
"D-Don't... if you get too close..." She began to tear up again.
Luce got closer, sitting on a nearby root from her as she just sat there, confused by this child's lackadaisical attitude. He looked down at himself, "If I get too close...?"
"Y-You'll catch my misfortune."
Luce blinked and then looked down at himself again, "Looks like I'm fine to me, though?"
"It happened to my parents, and it'll happen to you eventually... I... I..."
Luce hugged the weeping Aran, pulling her close. His breath is steady, emulating long and exaggerated breaths which Aran instinctively mimicked. Luce smiled, "My mother... she would always hold me like this whenever I was scared and would tell me... whenever you are feelin' out of sorts... just inhale, and exhale. Hold yourself like you're huggin' someone, and you'll be right as rain. Cause, you'll know in that moment, life ain't too bad and it's more than just sad songs and the like. It'll all be good eventually. The scary things will subside cause the world keeps goin' like it should."
"What are yo-- why are you saying this to me...? Why are you being kind to a Witch like me?"
He blinked, pulling away to look into Aran's eyes. "Why? Witches are cool... and also... I don't think crying suits you. I think people should be smiling. Did you know, if an adult has laugh lines, they've lived a happy life? Even if you aren't happy... You shouldn't live a life you regret. A life you don't regret is a happy life, I think."
"What are you even saying?" Aran chuckled.
Luce shrugged, "What do you wanna play?"
Aran couldn't help but laugh at how terrible of a segue that was, "U-Uh... I dunno.. Hide and Seek?"
"Wow, you're really bad at thinkin' under pressure."
"Huh!?" Aran growled.
"Anyway, wanna see my beetle!?"
"Huh!?" She exclaimed instead. "A beetle?"
"Yeah, I have a Rhinoceros Beetle named Pierre!"
"W-What... the hell...? W-Why not..." Aran gave up, and Luce led her by the hand, bringing her to his room.
In the present, Aran dragged herself up from the ground, "Somethin' to live for... what do you even know about that, huh!? Do you even have loyalty!? Do you even have anything driving you!? Money grubbing fucks! That's what you are, aren't you!?"
The man looked at her with a stunned silence before laughing again, "You got me. Also, the hell are ya talkin' about, lady?"
"I'll fuckin' show you... Loyalty!"
"My leg!" Luce cried out, holding their leg tightly in pain, gasping for air, flailing wildly in response to the immense suffering their in.
Aran sat above them, eyes watering, unable to understand what was happening in front of her, panic setting in. Aran screamed for help, servants of the mansion rushing to assist Luce as best as they could, pulled away by a younger Raphael. "W-wait! Let me go, I need to be with him!"
"No, you need to give him space, professionals need to be with him, not you!"
Luce instinctively swatted people away as the pain was too unbearable for him to think rationally, before crying out, "Aran!? Where... where are you!? Aran!?" His voice cracked all the while.
She screamed back as she was pulled away from the chaos.
"Unfortunately, due to... multiple issues surrounding the lower half quadrant of his left leg, we've had to surgically remove it from the knee down." A doctor spoke of this to Gabriel, Aran, The Twins, and Emilia, who were the only family to arrive during the time of this incident, most being barely entering their teens, Gabriel shaperoning them all. "Along with an aneurysm, it seemed to have been going through various stages of necrosis, which could explain the various fevers that he had been going through lately. We saw it too late. We didn't understand the severity of what we were diagnosing due to there being no visible signs until the day of the incident, and we take full responsibility for this. They almost experienced more degradation in the arm, but we managed to spot that and removed it early, though there is a scar there showing the remnants of--" Aran tuned the doctor out as she looked to the silent Luce, who stared listlessly out the window of his hospital room.
Aran attempted to get closer to Luce but was held back by Gabriel's grasp, which wrapped its way across Aran's shoulder.
"I will say now that an incident like this is incredibly rare, and I can assure you that something like this occurring again will not be likely. I think we quelled the worst of it."
Later in the day, along with Pierre, Aran had visited Luce. She meekly crossed over from the door to Luce, who slowly turned to look at the two. Aran handed over his pet, which he held closely. "I... are you alright?"
Luce nodded, "I... I'm okay... I'm feeling better currently. Thanks for bringing Pierre."
"I-I'm so... sorry this happened."
"Why are you apologising...?"
Aran's eyes looked desperate and terrified, "I-I..."
"You aren't a witch, y'know?"
"I... I know..."
"Good..."
"I-I'm so sorry that I left you back there... I... I wanted to stay but..."
"Aran." Luce's voice was stern as he called out to her. "You shouldn't... apologise. Sit... Just stay with me... please."
Aran sat down, tears in her eyes. "I didn't want to leave you..."
"I'm alright. They just wanted--"
"I wanted to be there... I wanted to be there for you..."
Luce looked sad for a moment, "You are now... You are here for me, now."
"And I want to continue being there for you, but..."
"But...?"
"My family is putting me into the military. They're starting with boot camp and immediately throwing me in after today..."
"I... see..."
"I'm sorry. I tried to convince them to let me stay, but--"
"It's how it is. It's your family's tradition. It's alright, I understand. Just stay strong and survive for me, okay?"
Aran scoffed, "Like it's that easy."
"Yeah, but the words motivated you, right?"
Aran chuckled, "I guess. I should say the same to you, as well."
"Of course."
"Come back to me, okay?" In unison, either aloud or in their heads, they spoke the same words to each other. "Come back to me."
Aran took in a long breath, looking up at the man before her, back in the present. "I'll show you... I'll show you a Witch. I know what this is... what my thing is... The Pot." A long humanoid woman stood, towering above the group, a wide-brimmed hat sat atop their head, casting a shadow out from under it. Droplets of some muddy, mysterious liquid begin to secrete from the hat. "That's it... I think I grasped the right thing here... This is a Boon."