FSE

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Blaze stepped from what used to be a burning building, his red and gold plumage caked with ash and soot. He brushed himself off amidst the cheers of the crowd that had surrounded the building, and handed the child he was carrying off to their mother.

Hellfire, a notorious pyromaniac, had struck again. This time setting ablaze a low income apartment. Blaze had gotten there just in time to contain the fire and disperse it with his pyrokinetic abilities. There had been some collapses, but no deaths and minimal injuries.

The crowd of evacuated people cheered as he walked among them, graciously accepting thanks and praise, while also kindly refusing any kind of gift. He didn't do this for any kind of reward. Of course he appreciated it, but he had enough money already. No, he didn't have time to raise a child, please go and talk to the proper authorities about that.

Eventually, a sleek car arrived on the scene and Blaze quickly removed himself from the crowd and into the car. After giving one last goodbye to the people, the car drove quietly away.

As soon as he was out of sight of the crowd, Blaze let his head fall against the back of his seat. He was exhausted. Today's heroics had been difficult, one of the most difficult days in a long time. He'd managed to save everyone, but it was running him ragged.

Blaze caught a glimpse of the driver giving him a worried glance. However, since he was paid for his discretion, he said nothing. He preferred it that way. Too many questions with not enough easy answers. Better to not have questions asked at all

The quiet car ride eventually ended as the driver pulled up to a lavishly built house, built in a modernist style. Blaze stepped out of the car, and walked down the entry walkway as the car silently pulled away.

Blaze opened the front door and walked into the foyer, then began to take off his outer layer of clothing. He didn't want to track soot and ash into his home, so he placed the clothes into a basket by the door.

Now dressed in only an undershirt and boxers, he began to wander through his home, checking to make sure his housekeeper had done her job and kept everything tidy.

Not that there was usually much to tidy up these days. Blaze wandered through sitting rooms and hallways that hadn't seen guests in years. Eventually, he found his way to the kitchen, where a pot of coffee was waiting on the countertop, right where he'd left it that morning.

Blaze sighed and poured it down the sink. He should really try and get his housekeeper to stop leaving these out for him. He never touched any of it.

He did, however, take a bite of the small coffee cake she'd left for him. That was appreciated.

Blaze opened the fridge and pulled out a small container of food that he'd had prepared for him earlier. Nothing grand or extravagant, just a small microwave burrito. He grabbed a fork and ate, not even bothering to reheat, or really even taste the food. He stuck the empty container into the sink next to the empty coffee pot, and grabbed a drink of warm water.

Then, he walked through the halls again, down the stairs into the basement, towards a thick metal door, locked by a keypad.

He clumsily input the code. It was long and complicated and exhaustion made his fingers unsteady.

After a few attempts, the door opened, revealing a room which was a stark contrast to the decor and normalcy of everything outside. The room was devoid of any furniture, save for a metal bed with a thick white blanket, and mirrors set into the walls. The walls that weren't mirrored had once been white, but a layer of ash and soot had stained them gray, and they were covered with pockmarks and char.

Blaze stepped inside and began to take off his last few clothes, stripping down to nothing, and setting the clothes in another basket outside the door. The then shut himself in, making sure the door was locked tightly. Then, once he was sure the room was secure, he placed his back against the cool metal of the door, and slowly slid to the floor, exhausted.

"Well well well, "a voice pricked at the back of his mind, "I'd say you managed to fix that in record time. I don't think you lost anyone that time."

Blaze looked up, into the mirror. Instead of a normal reflection, he saw a different figure. One with deep purple feathers, the edges tinged with a bright orange.

The figure chuckled and stood, even though Blaze himself remained seated. "I'll have to work harder next time. Can't let you think you're winning after all."

Blaze closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the door. "Shut up Hellfire."

The figure tsked quietly. "Honestly, what's happened to you recently? You used to be so much more fun to play with."

Blaze said nothing.

Blaze didn't see Hellfire move, but he could still tell where he was. The mirror wasn't strictly necessary, but communication was easier when he could see him.

Hellfire squatted down next to Blaze. "You can feel yourself slipping, can't you?" he chuckled menacingly, "you know that it won't be long before I break out where everyone can see you. You can't keep this a secret much longer. Sooner or later someone's going to connect the dots."

Blaze said nothing.

"What are you going to do, mister spicy fried chicken?" Hellfire stood up and began to pace in front of Blaze, "sit in here and mope? You've gotta go out eventually, and when you do I'll be waiting for my chance to burn everything to the ground."

The room remained silent for a moment. Blaze sat there, tensed up. Then he took a deep breath and stood.

"Oh? Going outside already? Already tired of our nightly conversations?"

Blaze, however, didn't turn towards the door. He couldn't open it from this side anyway. He simply walked over to the bed and began to push, revealing a small cavity beneath one of the legs. He reached in and pulled out a small box with a button on it.

Hellfire scoffed. "What's that, a self-destruct button? That's almost as stupid as all of your other ideas. You know you can't kill us. We always come back after the ashes have settled."

Blaze turned to face the mirror, meeting Hellfire's smug look with a look of exhaustion and death.

"We don't come back if we don't burn."

Hellfire paused. "What?"

"I push this button and the room gets flooded with carbon dioxide. We can't breathe, can't burn, can't come back."

Hellfire blinked, and then began to stammer, before finally settling for "you're bluffing. You're just threatening me so I'll stay in line."

Blaze shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. You really going to push and find out?"

Hellfire laughed, more out of panic than mirth. "You don't have the guts to. You're too noble and righteous to go through with it. You've got too many-"

Blaze pushed the button.

Hellfire gaped, his eyes going back and forth between the button and Blaze's face.

"You're bluffing. YOU'RE BLUFFING!"

For the first time in what felt like years, Blaze smiled without having to force it.

"WE HAD A DEAL!"

"The deal was that I would have to host you for the rest of my life in order for me to have access to your powers. Never said anything about having to die of natural causes."

"NO!" Blaze felt hellfire pushing at his consciousness, and for once, he didn't fight it. With a flash of dark fire, his plumage turned to the dark purple and orange of the figure in the mirror, while the figure's plumage faded to a burnt red, tinged with flakes of gold.

Hellfire gave a brief glance to the button in his hand, before crushing it, then throwing it to the floor and stomping on it. Then, just for good measure, torching it with everything he had.

Blaze just chuckled from the mirror.

"You realize the more you burn the faster we'll both die, right?"

Hellfire turned to face the mirror, fury blazing in his eyes. He let out a terrifying screech and spewed forth cursed flame at the glass, causing it to melt and contort the reflection into a melting horror.

Hellfire could feel himself getting hazier.

"You- you can't do this! This is the coward's way out! You wanted to outlast me! You do this and you lose!!"

Hellfire could almost feel Blaze next to him as he whispered into his ear, "I lost the moment I accepted this deal ten years ago. Now it's your turn."

Panic and fury raced through Hellfire's mind. He began burning with all his might. Hotter, hotter, hot enough to melt the metal bed frame, hot enough to blacken the asbestos bedsheets, hot enough to-

All of his fire winked out in a single moment.

Hellfire fell to his knees, and then fully prone. As blackness crept in at the edges of his vision, he felt one final whisper come to his mind.

"I win."