Shadows Lingering//A Glaze AU//Sequel to 'A Superhero's Heart'

14

Blaze wasn't as pissed off as he was before. A little less this time since it was the second time it happened. The redhead just didn't understand why he couldn't just stay in the building to help. He trusted Elizabeth...even though he still upset at what she said to him before.

"Blaze?", Amina asked, noticing that he was quiet.

"Sorry Amina,", Blaze said, shaking him out of his thoughts. "I'm just thinking is all."

"I'm sure Garroth is going to be okay-"

"It's not that Amina,", The young man said, going through the cabinets in his kitchen to find his kettle. "What would've happened if I was strong enough to go with Garroth that day?"

"Blaze...you literally couldn't push yourself up. Remember? You also immediately fainted once he ran off. You were in no shape to fight Shadow."

Blaze understood everything variable as to why he couldn't but, it doesn't take away the guilt he felt.

"I love you Wolfie...remember that."

Blaze watched as Garroth ran off after kissing him for the last time. Even in the heat of battle, the taste of vanilla still lingered on his lips. He tried to push himself up but, the wound on his arm felt like daggers ripping through him. His vision was fuzzy as he saw Garroth rush off to what he found out in the hospital room later was the observatory where he would go missing for the next decade. His partner not only was taken away from him. He let his partner be taken away because he couldn't stand up and be the hero like he was meant to be.

Blaze looked at his left arm to see the scar that was left by Shadow that day as he let the water in the kettle come to a boil. It wasn't just the fact that he couldn't fight still, he also cursed himself that he couldn't find the words to say back to Garroth before he left. The ear piercing whistle came and he got a cup and teabag after he pulled it off the stove.
After pouring himself a nice cup of tea, he said to Amina;

"What do you think goes on in his head? He had such a beautiful mind before...now Shadow's corrupting it."

Amina hesitated before saying to Blaze; "I'm sure Garroth is fighting whatever is thrown at him. He was strong before and I'm sure that hasn't changed. Maybe he got even stronger."

The redhead took a deep breath and took his cup. He walked up stairs to the second floor that had three out of the five bedrooms, including the master. He opened the door to his bedroom that sort've matched the living room. It had a wall of windows, that Blaze had curtains for of course, that showed the city. There was a modern fire place with a TV over it as well. He had a large, circular bed that had a square frame around it which Blaze thought defeated the whole purppode of having a circular bed. It was on a raised platform, that took about a third of the room. The bedding was a nice white shade with grey and red accent pillows. His rug almost filled the entire the entire two-thirds of the room, soft to the touch. There was a grey couch that was in front of the TV with a coffee table. His master bath and walk in closet was attach to the main room.
He went straight to his closet, placing his cup on a little table that was next to the door with a potted plant. When he walked in, he started going through his drawers, trying to find an object that he hadn't look at for a long time. Once he found it though, he pulled it out and went to sit on the couch. The cross pendant fit in his palm perfectly, the silver shining softly from the city's lights outside. The chain was missing but, Blaze was sure that he saw one on Garroth's neck. He figured that it was similar to his earrings and couldn't be removed. What made Blaze wonder though is why it even fell off in the first place?

"Why did it detach from the first place Amina?", Blaze asked. "How does an ancient magic relic even do that?"

"I'm not entirely sure...maybe the link did grow weak over time. The chain itself is the thing that stays attached to the wearer anyways. It probably just snapped or something,", Amina hypothesized. "Garroth could always just ask Ekon too when he wears it again."

"I just don't understand..."

Blaze traced his fingers gently over the details of the cross. A blue jewel rested in the middle of it, resembling a sapphire.

"Can you sense him?", Blaze asked.

"I do...he seems strong still. I don't think he'll have any trouble giving Garroth his powers back."

"I hope so."

Blaze looked out the window, the late evening making everything in Scaleswind look slightly more elegant. He was about to place the pendant down on the coffee table and head to bed until he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He sighed and pulled it out seeing Aphmau's ID.

"Hey Aphmau...what's up?", He asked, a little put off about the whole situation since it was getting really late. Aphmau and Laurance, if he was home by now, should be at home for the evening.

"Blaze, I have a some good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?", Aphmau asked, as if that was a normal way to start a conversation.

"Uh...start off with the bad I guess. That way we can leave this on a high note."

Aphmau paused on the other side of the phone, causing Blaze some major concern. Was Garroth alright? Was Laurance hurt? She took a deep breath, letting it out into the phone. "Laurance came back with a lot of information of what happened to Garroth. It's...it's really concerning."

"Like...how concerning?"

"It makes me emotional just thinking about it. I read the files and the description was bone-chilling. There's videos Blaze...Laurance saw on and he can't even talk about it without breaking down in tears. I want to believe it's because he's sleep deprived but, I know it's something more than that,", She seemed to be pacing back and forth in the building somewhere. Blaze didn't know what to say to that. "He's demanding that we speak to Garroth again. All of us. Elizabeth was hesitant on it first but, thinks it might help."

"How? Shadow basically speaks for him now. He won't let us-"

"Garroth can talk again."

That made Blaze's heart stop. Garroth is speaking again? Him?

"Lucinda had a break through yesterday. She went in again today and he had a full blown conversation with him."

"Why didn't you say anything yesterday?", Blaze asked, kind of firmly.

"Because I didn't want to get your hopes up...also we didn't know if we could talk to him ourselves yet. This whole day we spent convincing Elizabeth and running tests to make sure it was alright."

At this point, Blaze had forgotten about his tea and was rushing back to his closet to get a jacket.

"I'll be there as soon as possible."

"B-Blaze! Hold on! Elizabeth says we should wait til tomorrow."

"Garroth is speaking for himself again and she wants to wait? We don't know if and when Shadow will take control again! We need to-"

"Blaze, I'm telling you to wait as well. Just be here by nine tomorrow with the rest of us. We're all gonna try,", Aphmau said gently. "Also bring his pendant...if you can find it. The team wants to examine it."

Blaze of course was still gripping his jacket tightly. He wasn't thrilled to wait but, if it was the safer option than sure.

"Okay...see you tomorrow Aph."

"See ya."

Blaze hung up and laid back on the couch. He looked at the pendant that was on the coffee table, seeing it's gem sparkle. It reminded him of Garroth's eyes. How they shimmered in the moonlight every time they went on patrol. He sighed and decided to head to bed finally, not knowing how he was going to sleep that night.

Word Count:1391