Okay, this is officially depressing. I got the idea when I was watching the history channel with my brothers, and I had the really great mental image of someone flying up in front of a burning building and past the moon. I wanted to write a fic describing what would happen if the government discovered the powers of the Guardians. This takes place about fifteen years in the future.
Disclaimer: I do not own Witch.
Taranee cringed as she was led from her small, entirely flameproof cell. They had gotten smart and not only was her blood pumped full of repressants, she wore fire-proof handcuffs. Her wings were molting, so they had made temporary false feathers that enabled her to fly until the real feathers grew back in. She was led past a row of cells, one of which had been Cornelia's.
The memory of the former Guardian of Earth set a fresh wave of grief and rage through the heart of the Fire Guardian. Who were these people, to think that they could kill strong, proud, beautiful Cornelia? She could vividly remember Cornelia's scream as a single bullet pierced the skin just below her heart, drawing her death out just because she refused to fight.
They passed Irma's cell. Irma-lighthearted, witty, cheerful Irma-had been caught in between several flamethrowers, and burnt to death. Taranee had smelled her flesh and hair burn, and seen the flames eat her. It made Taranee sick that one of her best friends had died at the hands of Taranee's own element that was, truly, her. Irma had been the second to die.
There was Hay Lin's cell. Poor, sweet, innocent Hay Lin. In their final escape attempt, she had been sucked into a fan, and sliced to pieces in front of Taranee's eyes. Hay Lin had been the third to die.
And there was Will. No, she didn't even want to think about Will. It was Will who betrayed them, Will who handed them over to those military scum.
What made Taranee more angry was the reason why Will had turned them over. Not for her own life, not for the life of their families, of innocent people, but for money. Will had, with age, become addicted to gambling and the cursed drink ,and had lost all her money. She knew their government, the one that was slowly collapsing, needed one last kick, a secret weapon.
And who better to do it than the Guardians of the Veil? They had been the secret weapon of their government, and had been forced to do horrific things. Her friends had died because they had refused to kill. The only reason Taranee still lived was that she wanted revenge on the traitor, on Will. Taranee was like her element, unquenchable and undestroyable. She would live on, if only to kill Will and make her suffer for the deaths of the other three.
Taranee had been made to do horrible things, and no longer had quelms about killing. That was what fire did, after all. It consumed and destroyed, and that was what Taranee would do, one last time.
They were outside now. The moonlight was soothing and cool. Night made Taranee sad. It had been Irma's favorite time of day. Taranee had never cared much for the quiet of the night, preferring a blazing hot sun and warmth.
The government bastards wanted her to get into the truck. A tiny smile-the first in months-crept across Taranee's face. It was time.
She spun, and kicked the nearest guard in the shin, causing him to release her. Her hands heated up, and the handcuffs fell from her wrists.
Taranee had spent months letting her inner fire build up to the point where it overrode the depressants she was given daily. It had taken considerable effort to hold it in until now, and she knew the entire plan was brilliant. You're the smart one. Taranee remember Nerissa's words, and realized that Nerissa had been, for once, very right.
It was all a blur to Taranee now. Flames were shooting from her hands, and she heard the shrieks of guards as they were engulfed by fire, and Taranee grinned grimly. This is for Irma. She grabbed a gun from a fallen guard who was trying to extinguish his pant leg. As she shot several men in the heart, she heard their screams and felt no pity. That was for Cornelia. Breathing hard, she picked up a guard and flew with her clumsy wings up to a ventilation shaft. She shoved him down into the shaft, and heard his screams as the fan cut him to bits. For Hay Lin.
Bullets whizzed past her as she flew, but they couldn't hit her. She was on a mission, and nothing would deter her. She reached her destination, and held her hands out, preparing to make the biggest fire she had ever created. It was huge, swelling and crackling in the air in front of her. It grew larger still, until it lit up the entire base like a second sun. Panting with effort, she pushed her hands forward, flinging the flame through a vent that she knew led to the powder chamber. Otherwise known as an explosion waiting to happen.
The minute she heard the fireball travel down the pipe, she turned and began to fly away, as fast as she could. When it hit its destination, there would be hell-
BOOM.
She, being several hundred feet above the base, stopped and saw the entire place be engulfed by a fiery conflagration. She swoooped low, keeping the flames swarming around her at bay. As Taranee flew low over the main compound, where the others had met their dooms, she spat on it, making her hatred of this place known.
The one survivor of the fire swore that as she watched the Fire Guardian fly in front of the moon, her face illuminated by the products of her anger, she saw her shed a single tear for her lost friends.
When the Fire Guardian, quiet and indestructible, weeps, the world remembers.
A week later, Will Vandom's body was found dead.
The Heart of Candracar was gone.
Really sad, what did I tell you? Now review, people!