"S-sir…?!" Akira stumbled back from the shock of Shishiba's unexpected pyrotechnic spectacle. It lit the room like a campfire, further illuminating the destruction and chaos of what preceded their arrival.
Shishiba cast him a sidelong glance and smirked. "Relax, Kuroiwa. There's only one person in this room right now that my fire can hurt."
Akira flinched as Shishiba flicked some embers his way, but they dissolved into nothing before they even made contact with him. Akira stared in awe as he rolled the column of fire over his hand, reminiscent of contact juggling.
Without warning, he lobbed the flames in the direction of Midoriko and Ryouma.
"Midoriko!" Ryouma rolled on top of her for protection.
"Ryouma, wai–"
The fireball just barely missed Ryouma's back as it passed over them, hitting the wall and igniting the wallpaper.
"Don't move!" he shouted. While Shishiba was rendered motionless, Ryouma pulled Midoriko to her feet. They had to flee while they still had a chance.
Shishiba's conjured flames still burned in his palms even as he was forced still by Ryouma's command.
"Kuroiwa," he murmured. "Can you counter this?"
Akira nodded, swallowing hard. Having never encountered magic like that, he wasn't actually sure how, but he had a feeling that he could. Akira got to his feet, then reached out a hand to touch Shishiba.
As Ryouma tugged Midoriko toward the double doors leading to the maintenance hallway, more flames erupted forth from Shishiba's hands, blocking their path. He looked back to see Akira removing his hand from Shishiba, who was now moving freely.
Damn it… I forgot about him! Ryouma ground his teeth, trying not to let his frustration get the better of him. He put himself between Midoriko and the fire.
"Stay behind me!" he urged, but Midoriko charged forward towards the fire.
"It's fine! I can just–"
"No! Don't!" As Ryouma wrapped an arm around Midoriko to pull her back, his shirt sleeve grazed the wall of fire and started to burn. "Shit!" He fell over backwards in his recoil, dragging Midoriko with him. As the flames on his clothes grew, fed by the lingering alcohol spilled on him earlier, he started rolling to extinguish them. "Argh!"
"Ryouma!"
Midoriko reached out to him, but he extended his other hand to keep her from getting too close. The last thing he wanted to happen was for her to get burned, too. Ryouma tore off his shirt as the fabric started to melt and burn his skin.
Even though it was his cursed right arm that was on fire, it hurt beyond anything he'd ever experienced. All because he'd held Midoriko, because he touched her long enough to gain that temporary relief from his curse.
The overhead sprinklers kicked on, triggered by the flames. Cold water rained over them like a summer downpour, yet the flames did not yield.
"Why isn't it…ugh…putting out the fire?!" Ryouma gritted his teeth through the pain as he watched the fire continue to burn.
"Because it will burn for as long as I want it to—that's my special ability!" boasted Shishiba as he unleashed a stream of fire straight at Ryouma.
This time, it was Midoriko who shielded him by throwing herself between Ryouma and the flames. The fire dissipated in front of her before it even made contact.
"H-how…?!" gasped Ryouma.
"B-because it's magic!" Midoriko yelled, squashing some stray embers that landed on his pants. "That's what I was trying to tell you!"
She looked up at Ryouma, intending to scold him some more, but froze. "R-Ryouma…!" she gasped. "Y-your face…!"
With the flames illuminating the room, she could see it much more clearly. The inky black curse, which had only extended to his bicep just one night before, was now creeping across his neck and up his chin. It was almost exactly like the dream she'd had.
"My face…?" Ryouma brushed a hand against his cheek. Was he that battered? Or maybe he was covered in much more blood than he realized?
"Th-the curse! It's spreading!" she cried. It wasn't just his face—it had crossed over the center of his chest, creeping closer to his heart.
Ah… It must look really bad, then, thought Ryouma. Now, with his shirt off, he could see just how much it had spread in a short period of time. He felt like he was on the precipice of death because this time, he actually was.
But their worries were interrupted by another stream of fire aimed at Ryouma, and countered once more by Midoriko. She turned to face her father. "Stop it! That's enough!"
"Midoriko, when will you understand? I'm not going to stop until he's dead," he scolded, shaking his head. "Are you just going to sit there and watch this man burn to death?"
"Never! I won't let him die!" she shouted. The sprinklers were soaking her to the bone, but since the water hid her tears, she could put on a brave face. "I'll keep fighting back against anything you throw our way!"
"Tsk… Just like your mother to the end…" muttered Shishiba under his breath. He released more flames that encircled the couple.
"D-don't move!" shouted Ryouma, preventing Shishiba from making another attack. He was starting to feel short of breath. Even just using a small amount of magic to hold a command seemed to affect the curse now.
"Ryouma, I can clear a path for us! Let's hurry!" Midoriko urged, tugging his hand.
Ryouma tried to get to his feet, but his knees buckled under him as he struggled to find the strength. He slammed his fist on the floor. Their chances of fleeing were starting to slip away.
"I'll help you!" Midoriko put his arm around her shoulder. "C'mon—on three! One… Two… Three!" She didn't have the strength to lift him herself when his knees buckled once more.
Midoriko looked over to see Akira reaching out to put his hand on her father's shoulder. If he broke Ryouma's command, it would be all over for them. Midoriko had to swallow her pride.
"Kuroiwa Akira!" she shouted. "If you really want to help me, then do it right now!"
Akira's hand hovered just above Shishiba's shoulder.
"Why are you hesitating, Kuroiwa?" growled Shishiba. "Release the spell so I can put an end to this already."
"Akira… Please!"
Akira closed his eyes and swallowed hard as both of them pleaded with him. If he betrayed Shishiba, there was no telling what would happen to him. But at the same time, he truly did want to redeem himself in Midoriko's eyes. He didn't want her to remember him as only a miserable liar.
He pulled his hand away from Shishiba and walked toward Midoriko.
"Kuroiwa!" barked Shishiba. "What the hell are you doing?! Get back here!"
Feeling the heat radiating around his body, Akira closed his eyes as he passed through the flames. It was psychological—he understood it couldn't hurt him, but that primal fear of fire might have prevented him from stepping forward. He couldn't stand to look like a coward now.
"I might not be able to use magic on you, but I can still kick your ass…" grumbled Ryouma as Akira helped boost him to his feet.
Akira chuckled. "In your current condition? I doubt that…"
"Will you two shut up!" snapped Midoriko. "We have to hurry before the spell breaks!"
The fire parted like a curtain as Midoriko and Akira shuffled forward, holding Ryouma between them.
"Midoriko!" shouted her father. "Don't think this is the end!"
She looked at him one last time before they passed through the doors to the maintenance hallway. "I know. Next time, I'll come find you."
The three of them stumbled into the hallway, stepping through a growing puddle of water that was seeping under the doors as they pressed forward.
"There's an exit at the end of this hallway," explained Akira, shouldering most of Ryouma's weight.
"We…just need…a door…" panted Ryouma. He nodded to the open cell, which was closest. "That one…will work…"
Midoriko let go and hurried ahead. She pulled the heavy metal door closed until it latched.
"How's this work anyway?" questioned Akira as he watched Ryouma hold his hand up to knock.
Ryouma glared at him and sighed. "Would you…shut up? I have to…visualize it…"
Having finally reached his limit, Ryouma had to think especially hard now. His cursed—and now burned—hand shook as he held it up, knowing it would likely be the last thing he'd be able to do.
Midoriko reached out. Gently pressing her palm against the top of his hand, she laced her fingers through his.
"Let me help," she said softly.
Ryouma closed his eyes and exhaled. "Yeah… Let's go home."
Together, they knocked twice, then pushed the door open to reveal one of the tatami rooms at the house in Gunma.
***
Shishiba had broken free from Enishi Ryouma's spell before the three of them had even made it to the door. There was no point in continuing when both neutralizers were now by his side.
He leisurely stepped through the former illegal casino as his fire consumed everything. The Shishiba-gumi had been running for decades before he was even adopted into the family, and now Tsuneo could add it to the list of things he'd burnt down and ruined with his anger.
The dead men scattered about were badly burnt now, making it difficult to identify them at a glance. Well, all of them but one. He'd recognize that fashion sense anywhere.
He kicked that useless bastard, Goto, in the side. While he'd recruited the man for his strength and talent, Goto lacked discipline. He was unrefined and rough around the edges, so Tsuneo only mourned the loss of a sorcerer rather than the man himself.
"Hm?" There was something underneath Goto. Nudging him with his foot revealed an (almost) pristine smartphone.
Tsuneo picked it up, marveling at how it hadn't been burnt up in the fire—likely because it was insulated by that oaf's dead body. It was wet, though, since the constant rain of the sprinklers created a shallow layer of water on the floor. He clicked the power button anyway, and to his surprise, it turned on.
On the lock screen was a picture of Midoriko.
"Hmph…" He smirked and tucked the phone into his pocket.
Tsuneo admired the dancing, crackling flames one last time before raising his hand, as if reaching and grasping for something. Then, the fire went out all at once.
It reminded him of that night nearly twenty-seven years ago. Those bitter, agonizing memories. Everything, past and present, related back to her.
Mikoto…