Chapter 2

Ijiro dove into the flames, surprisingly it didn't hurt him, flames never did. Once he was 6, he was suddenly intrigued of the fireplace that burnt in his neighbors house, it seemed so warm and welcoming. There was no one home back then, he had always been told not to touch the fire but he couldn't understand why. At first it was his hands, as he slowly submerged one body part after another, soon he was completely wrapped by the warmth of the flames. It was a wonder he never got burnt and especially as a human whom would've burnt the moment they touched the flickering flames. It was then when he heard the sound of the outside gate that he jumped out, as his neighbors alongside their child and Asura, were staring at an unburned Ijiro, fully naked not realizing his clothes were set aflame the moment he step in.They had never discovered what happened to the clothes and presumed it got stolen. He had never told anyone, until about 5 years later when they were living alone together, Asura had been cooking and accidentally set the frying pan on fire and somehow managed to carry with her bare hands as the towels she used to wrap it initially had burnt away a 900 degree Fahrenheit frying pan all the way to a nearby sink unharmed, and Ijiro had been watching the entire thing unfold in front of him. That was when he knew he and his sister were different from the rest of humanity.

The crowd that had gathered around the burning building could only stare in awe as Ijiro dove in, he ran to the top floor and saw the family. They were trapped in a room facing the back of streets, there weren't any windows and the closest one was already engulfed in flames.

"Quick give me the baby!" Ijiro had scream and reluctantly they passed it over. It wasn't very often that the family could see a 14 year old boy could suddenly appear in a room where the entrance was full of flames furthermore being human. Ijiro cuddled the baby in his clothes which were starting to catch fire. Quickly as he darted out of the building and passed it to the a woman close by, as she stared in curiosity, he needed to find a way to save the rest of the family. The parents were both to heavy to carry single-handedly even with the help of his sister. Suddenly something clicked inside him, his brain could suddenly process all possible consequences of any actions he could do. You could say it seemed quite cliche but in all honesty Ijiro had never felt this sense of power before, no doubt about it he was able to control the Flux, as energy surged inside him he founf the way he was going to save the family, but it needed strength, vast amounts of it. He concentrated as hard as he could in the Flux to manipulate it into strength. He could hear the crashing sound of falling pillars as the roof collapse, he could hear the screams of the family, and at last he felt it, the surge of strength in his muscles. He charged into the flames, he got to the room where the family was in, trying to quench the flames from his shirt as he went. 

"Help us!" the father scream. Ijiro nodded in response and concentrated as much of his strength into his right fist, and punched the wall behind the family. Normally it would've made the person dumb enough to try and punch a brick wall scream in pain, but Ijiro was controlling the Flux, the wall tore apart revealing their escape way. 

"Quickly jump!"

All three of them jumped out the building, they entered a back alleyway. Considering how they were only 2 floors high, non of them broke any bones in them. It didn't mean the fall wasn't painful though. Once all of them had regained consciousness, there was a moment of complete awkward silence.

"Thank you" the mother suddenly said breaking the tension in the air.

"Yes for sure, we wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you" the father agreed.

"No problem but I should probably get going now, the last thing I need is for the crowd to come chasing after me because, you know, diving into flamed isn't exactly what humans can do"

"We understand, but we will always remember you as our savior" the mother replied. Ijiro felt the sense of achievement, and with a quick gesture, he ran the opposite way. He soon met up with his sister walking on the streets munching on a stick of Takoyaki, a snack which consisted of cooked with balls made with wheat flour-based batter filled with diced octopus. It was one of Asura's favourite snacks.

"You're alive I see"

"You don't seem surprised"

"Why should I? What about the family?"

"Safe and sound thanks to me", Ijiro couldn't keep his modesty any longer.

"Good for you, your clothes are singed"

"Never mind that I'm starving" gesturing for Asura to pass him a Tokoyaki, hesitantly she did. It tasted good especially after saving a family from a burning house. They continued home in silence unaware that they were being watched by someone who was going to change both of their lives forever.