Chapter 3 - Predator's Line of Sight

Vuoto's fists flared with pure orange flames, his eyes burning with the same colour. His lips were parted in a feral snarl. Clenching his fists, he let out a deep breath.

Remember what Metallo said. Keep the Flames in control... don't burn out.

"You're one of those scientists from the Aquila Family," Vuoto stated, his posture much calmer, though the Dying Will Flame on his forehead flared with every movement the tall mafioso made.

The man nodded, pleased that Vuoto remembered. He tapped the scythe on the ground beside him. "Indeed. It seems you remember our days in the laboratories. Now, those were some fun times."

Pantera hissed when he saw Vuoto's eyes narrow and his nails dig into his palm. The redhead stepped forward, not intending to let the brunet go wild. His power was dangerous at best, and completely apocalyptic at worst. "Listen, bastard," the nineteen year-old said, voice flat yet threatening, completely unlike his usual sing-song tone. "You'll tell us your name. Then we'll beat the shit out of you, and then we'll throw you in a ditch somewhere. So you'd better do part one first before we decide to skip it completely."

The redhead relaxed as he caught Vuoto's quick glance back. The brunet always liked it when Pantera used the term "we" instead of "I". They were a team. They were both orphans, fighters, thieves, and brothers. And if one of them was on a sinking boat, the other would gladly hop on after the other.

The mafioso shook his head, taking off his hat. Pantera and Vuoto both stiffened, each readying their respective weapons. The man's messy dark hair fell from underneath the fedora, dropping over his eyes. Mismatched pupils gazed calmly into the brunet's orange-hued eyes.

"My name is Ambrogio Aquila," he introduced, nodding his head a little. "I am the head scientist of the Aquila Laboratories and the brother of the don of the Aquila Family, Diamante Aquila."

Vuoto stiffened noticeably and Pantera put a hand on the shorter boy's shoulder, gripping it firmly. He winced when the flames licked up to his fingertips but kept his grip regardless. "Well then, Ambrogio. It was nice meeting you, but it you don't mind, I would like you to stop breathing."

"That's quite unfortunate," Ambrogio replied, lifting his curved blade of the ground and twirling it around several times. "Though I suppose I'll just carry your bodies back myself. Whether you are alive or not is of little consequence."

Pantera didn't even wait until the mafioso finished speaking before he clenched his fists, feeling the familiar cold metal spread down his arms. He knew better than to just charge in blindly this time. Quickly grabbing a whip from the dead mafioso on the ground and shoving it in his belt, the redhead ducked just in time to avoid being decapitated. He felt an unnatural shiver run down his spine as the purple flames just barely touched his skin.

Vuoto propelled right into action, using his flames as a speed-enhancing tool. Throwing a well-aimed punch at Ambrogio, the brunet snarled as his knuckles met the cold blade of the scythe. The mafioso raised an eyebrow and stuck out his other hand, collecting purple flames in his palm. An instant later, a second scythe appeared in his left hand, quickly blocking a punch from Pantera.

Ambrogio ducked as a stream of Sky Flames shot from Vuoto's fist, countering by stabbing the hilt of the blade into the boy's undefended stomach. The brunet let out a gasp as he felt a sudden pressure right below his rib cage, effectively knocking all the air out of him. As Vuoto regained his bearings with an arm over his stomach, Pantera kicked up a knife from a fallen mafioso, catching it in his hand as it spun a few times in the air. The threw one with deadly accuracy before picking up the other, rushing in and delivering a quick strike which was blocked easily by the blade. Coming into impact with the scythe, the knife shattered, causing Pantera's eyes to widen as he leaped back to avoid an incoming blow. The redhead hissed as he felt a small cut on his chest. That was close.

Vuoto slammed into Ambrogio again, pushing him back quite a bit before kneeling down and delivering a sweep kick that nearly knocked the man off his feet. However, the mafioso flipped up, kicking the brunet's chin and causing the boy to stumble backward a few steps before the flames propelled him back up. Snarling, Vuoto rubbed his chin before running in and attacking with a barrage of punches and chops, dodging and jumping when necessary. Though Sky Flames could be powerful, they were very difficult to control in a narrow area. Vuoto kept the fact in mind as he slowly grew more frustrated as his attacks were blocked and countered.

"I thought you were more skilled," Ambrogio taunted as he slammed Vuoto into the wall. "I remember you destroying all those test dolls back in the lab. You see? This is what happens when you run away. You become weak."

"Shut up!" Vuoto yelled, using the propulsion of the flames to send a kick at the tall man. Stabilizing himself, the brunet pushed off of the wall and attempted to blind the man by jabbing at his eyes. Ambrogio countered quickly by catching his arm, crushing his hand around it. Vuoto felt a moment where all the breath left him again, then felt the pain of his bone breaking. Ambrogio took the chance to leave a wide gash on the boy's chest, then stabbed one of his scythes into his palm, immobilizing him and triggering a pained scream.

As the brunet fell back against the wall, breathing in inconstant breaths and tensing his body to try to control the pain, Pantera snarled and removed the whip from his belt, stretching both ends in his gauntlets, wrapping them around his hands twice. Just as he was about to make his move, he paused. There was something... off about Vuoto.

Collapsed in a heap of frustrated and painful breaths, Vuoto's flames started to run wild. He wasn't weak. He wasn't going to die. The world was a kill or be killed place - survival of the fittest, to be simple. He wasn't going to give in to some lowly mafioso. And there was no way he was going to let the man who dared to lay a hand on him live.

Vuoto's flames flared before they dimmed down, the orange fire sinking to a few small wisps. Ragged breaths slowly evened out even as the blood on his chest continued to pour out.

It was only when Vuoto looked up with mismatched eyes, one red and the other one yellow, that Pantera realized that the boy had powers beyond his imagination.

A Sky flame burned to life on his forehead while a Storm Flame coated his right hand and a Sun Flame covered the other. His eyes held no emotion at all as the Sun Flames ran up his broken arm, healing it immediately. With his arm back to normal, Vuoto wrenched out the scythe stabbing down his palm without hesitation, throwing it into the air and punching it with the Storm Flames. It shattered into tiny pieces before vanishing.

Before Ambrogio could even react, Vuoto's fist met his face, sending the man reeling back. Not leaving any gaps between his attacks, the boy began pummeling the mafioso, crushing his other scythe while keeping up the barrage.

Pantera didn't even know what happened. It all ended when Vuoto picked up the limp man from the ground by his neck and smashed him into a wall. Then, as expected from such powerful flame output, as the flames died away, Vuoto stumbled and leaned against the wall. His fine-tuning could only heal temporarily, after all.

Just as the redhead decided to go and help out his friend before he completely bled out, Ambrogio shot out from the rubble of the wall, grabbing onto Vuoto's neck with such speed that even Pantera couldn't follow it. The boy went down easily.

"Stupid boy," Ambrogio hissed, bleeding from his head and dragging a broken leg and dislocated shoulder along, but somehow moving his body like he was completely fine. "The Mist Flame users are very good at their work. Creating a weaker clone of me was no challenge to them whatsoever."

Vuoto's eyes widened as he felt hands around his neck that grew tighter by the second. Quickly losing air, the boy flailed his limbs, letting gagging noises escape from his throat. Where was the air? Where was the air?

"You bastard, let go!" Pantera shot forward, a fist ready and full of rage. But a dome of purple suddenly sprung up from the man, leaving the redhead separated from Vuoto. Growling, the thief smashed at the dome, yet it just wouldn't break.

Vuoto was starting to lose consciousness. His movements grew sluggish and an irritating ringing grew in his ears. Just as the boy was about to pass out, his eyes widened as an excruciating pain shot up his arm and into the rest of his body, triggering a scream.

Pantera's eyes widened as he saw the glint of a syringe being thrown away. Ambrogio stood up in satisfaction.

"What the hell did you do to him?!" The redhead demanded, his whole body shaking in anger. Vuoto was his charge. His brother. His only friend. And there was no way that he was taking any shit from some idiotic mafioso.

"Just a dosage of pain-enhancing drugs," Ambrogio replied casually. "Expect plenty of screaming. The drugs will force his body to expel the affected cells forcefully, which of course will lead to him vomiting out quite a bit of blood. Headaches will also cause much pain." Then, shrugging, the man stepped back and away from Vuoto, who was clutching his stomach, eyes wide and shaking. His breaths came in raspy gasps. "But, if you wish to end his suffering, please do head to the Aquila Mansion. I have an antidote prepared for everything."

And just like that, Ambrogio was gone.

Pantera didn't linger for a second longer. As the dome disappeared, his rushed forward and gathered the small boy in his arms, ripping off strips of his clothing and tying it over the open wounds. Finding a piece of wood, the redhead splinted Vuoto's arm and tied it to his body, immobilizing it.

"Vuoto, can you hear me?" Pantera whispered, keeping his voice controlled. Panic would just make things worse.

The boy didn't reply. His eyes were still wide as he gasped for breath, clinging onto Pantera's sleeve for comfort. His legs kicked out as a jolt of pain surged through his body, and a fit of coughs attacked him. Vuoto hunched over, a hand to his mouth and the other one keeping him up from the ground. Pantera grabbed the boy back after he saw the bloodstains on his palm.

"Listen, Vuoto," he began, voice solid and determined. "You're going to get through this. I'll find you a doctor and get you back to normal. Then we'll find that stupid Aquila Family and kill them all." Gripping the boy's shoulders as he small figure sank into his arms, Pantera tilted Vuoto's face to meet his own. "Capiche?"

The shivering boy was barely able to keep conscious, let alone reply. However, with a gulp, Vuoto returned with a nod.

Pantera gave a weak smile and hefted the boy into his arms, carrying him bridal style.

"P-Pantera?"

A weak, raspy voice rang out from the small figure. The redhead looked down. "Yeah?"

"W-what's happening to m-me?"

"You got into a fight with Ambrogio, kid. He hurt you pretty bad, and I'm going to get you fixed up."

As the tiny figure winced in pain and coughed again, Pantera scowled inwardly. That bastard was going to pay. But Vuoto always came first before anything else. Placing a hand over the brunet's eyes, Pantera sighed. "How about you get some sleep? When you wake up, it'll be a lot less painful."

"I d-don't know..."

"It's going to be okay."

"But then - but what it-"

"Do you trust me?"

"That's-"

"Do you trust me?"

Vuoto's eyes drooped and his chin tilted down. "...Yes."

"Then get some sleep, idiot." Pantera joked lightly, running a hand through the brunet's spiky hair.

"I-it hurts."

"...I know, Vuoto. I know."

When it started raining, Pantera couldn't help but think that the situation was painfully similar to the day four years ago.