My eyes snap open, the world swirling around me as I try to wake up. Cold and heavy, I was cold and heavy just a moment ago. But now I'm sore and exhausted? It's impossible to-

I'm in my room, and not in the Treasure Hall.

I blink, and push aside my body's moans. I sit up, my covers sliding off of me. Only a second ago I was in the Treasure Hall, before I briefly blacked out. It wasn't long though, just a quick snap.

I need to get out of here. Who knows what could be happening as I lay here useless. The demons might have come back. Someone might have gotten seriously injured. A citizen could have saw my fire burst out last night. I'm sure there's a problem somewhere and I need to be there.

Swinging my leg off the bed immediately resulting in my muscles groaning in soreness and prickling with fatigue. It doesn't matter though, I can't stay here. I'll ask Ivor for a healing potion and I'll be good to go.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I sharply inhale, a glance towards the voice. Lukas, sitting at my desk with a stack of papers behind him, has his arms crossed as he arches one of eyebrows. I didn't even notice he was there.

"Uh... using my legs to stand up?"

"Hmmm.... I thought so." Lukas strolls over to me, and then quickly pushes my shoulders down. "And that's why I'm here to make sure you don't do that."

I sigh, knowing if I don't move soon then I will fall back asleep. "Lukas, I'm fully capable of standing up."

"Fine then." My eyebrows shoot up while I see him move back. "But I'm warning you now that you actually CAN'T do that."

"Watch me." I swing my legs up and stand... for about five seconds. Suddenly my legs buckle and blood rushes to my head, somehow feeling really cool. My sight fills with countless jumping black dots and my muscles shake rapidly against my will. I lose my balance nearly instantly, and had to clutch on to Lukas.

"Oh-kay... so, uh... you could-" Another wave of dizziness crashes into me and I fall back. I weakly hold my head, pain starting to wake up all throughout me.

"I would say told you so, but I honestly feel too bad for you." Lukas sits on the bed next to me. His hand and arm twitches for a moment, before he lets out a sigh.

"Thank you... now before I fall asleep again, can you tell me what happened?" I hope Lukas is quick about his explanation. My eyelids are already dropping, and I don't want to wake up in a panic again.

"Olivia and Ivor didn't get any injuries. Ivor is watching over Petra and Axel, who are injured but not as servily as you, while Olivia is watching the town. We tried to give you a healing po....." I have never realized how relaxing Lukas's voice is. It's really easy to fall back into the comfy bed when he's talking.

Perhaps I should get some more rest. It'll be good for-

"JESSE! YOU ARE AWAKE!" A jolt slams into my head, my desires to rest vanishing. I snap my head over to Ivor, who looks like is bursting apart.

"Yes... I am. Do you need something?" I rub my face, kicking myself for putting my wants before other's needs. Sleep can wait, Ivor needs me.

"No no no no." Lukas glares at the old man, clearly not happy with his presence. "Ivor, whatever it is, Jesse still needs rest. So please-"

"But I have SO many questions! Like how in the Nether did you create that explosion? Why were your eyes glowing? How did you not faint earlier with all your extensive injuries!? Even for you, the moves you did should be-"

I tune Ivor out and start to fan the embers in my head. They feel unusually cold, but the fire erupts after a few seconds. The flames burn away my pain and ignite energy back into my weary body. Ingraining its power into my weakened muscles.

"Ivor. Stop." I stand up, and now Lukas gives me a look as if I'm crazy. "I'll explain everything to everyone once we are all together. But I'm not going to say it four times."

Ivor suddenly peers at me suspiciously. "So you have already told Lukas."

I raise an eyebrow at Ivor, is he trying to make me feel guilty? "Yes, I have. And I'll explain that too when we're all together.

Ivor nods, but has a salty expression on his face. But I only told Lukas because he was here, and we have only been together for about a day. What did he want me to do? Put a sign up and so they can all read it?

Lukas sighs, muttering what kinda sounds like curses as he walks to the door. "I'll get Olivia, don't do anything you'll regret Jesse."

I call after him even though he has already left. "AND YOU, DON'T BE A WORRYWORT!" I'm sure he was able to hear that.

"Well come on Ivor." I stand up and walk over to him. "Can you show me where Petra and Axel are?"

The potion master huffs and walks out, still keeping a bitter eye on me. "They're in their rooms. Axel sprained his left ankle pretty badly and Petra bruised most of her ribs."

"Anything else?" We stopped in front of Axel's room. Ivor just shrugged and shook his head. Nothing else that's serious then.

I walk in, and immediately feel so guilty to see the strong griever on the bed with his foot propped up. He has maybe one or two other bandages, but he looks way paler than normal. Which only highlights the dark bags under his eyes.

"Hey Jesse! Nice to see you up! I told the others you wouldn't be down long." Axel smiles at me, but I still feel so bad that I'm the reason he's stuck in bed.

"I'm sorry!" I blurt, my feelings too strong. "I shouldn't have blindly run out knowing we were going up such strong creatures."

"Ahh dude, come on, they weren't THAT strong. It was SO cool to watch you tear through those things, I've never seen anything so epic." He grins casually, but he can't dispel that worm of guilt.

I walk next to his bed. "Really? It seems like they got you pretty good."

"Uh... of course not." The griever rolls his eyes. "That was because of the stupid ground I tripped on. It's all the ground's fault."

"Yeah Axel, of course." I too roll my eyes, a grin growing though. "I'm going to get Petra and explain a couple things. Do you need anything?"

Axel raises half of his eyebrow. "You should ask yourself that. No offense buddy, but you look like crap."

"I'll take that as a no then." I turn and walk out. Ivor is still standing there awkwardly. "Ivor, can you make sure Lukas and Olivia go to Axel's room when they get back?"

He nods vigorously, probably thankful for something to do, and dashes off. I grin and start to go over to Petra's room. I can't help but love all the strange quirks my friends have. It's a shame that I keep pulling them into situations where they nearly die.

I peek into the room. "You doing okay Petra?"

That was an unnecessary question. The warrior looks absolutely furious that she's just lying in bed. She doesn't have any bandages showing, but I can see the outline of one through her shirt. Another injury that's my fault.

"No, I'm not." Petra scowls, but her eyes sparkle playfully. "I bet Axel a cake that you would asleep for another few hours."

"Really Petra?" An amused expression takes over my face. "You have that little faith me?"

"Not generally. But you fainted! And since that has never happened before, I assumed that you took a huge beating."

I walk over to the bed. "Well don't give all the credit to those beasts. A few things happened earlier that lowered my game."

She raised an eyebrow, looking quite curious. "Is that is what you were about to tell us in the library?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She scowls and tries to swat at me, but I evade her. "Yes, yes, I'll tell you. Once everyone, including you, gets in Axel's room."

She grunts and sits up, her wince almost unnoticeable. "I see, make the girl move and not the guy. That's not what a gentleman would do."

"Oh come on." I reach out and help her stand. "It's just Axel has a leg injury, and, well, I know you're kinda tougher than him."

"Oh yeah I am!" She walks by herself to the door. "And don't you forget that."

I roll my eyes. "I doubt that you would ever allow anyone to forget that."

The redhead nods. "You're right. I wouldn't."

We enter back into Axel's room. They immediately give each other a sly look before turning to me with mischievous grins. I sigh and sit down on a chest, preparing myself from whatever they're planning.

"So.... Jesse, I have a question for you." Petra apparently is going for the smooth approach, but Axel didn't get the message.

"Can you show me how you did that big explosion!?" Axel's eyes wide and eager.

Petra face palms, while I shake my head. I refuse to talk about it until everyone gets here. Last night's almost confession at the library flashes through my mind, stirring up my nerves. I keep politely denying them answers, wishing that the others would get here soon.

Every time they ask a question about last night, I struggle harder to keep my fire in. Just the mere mention of those demons and suddenly I can vividly see one ready to kill Lukas. When they ask how I'm feeling, I can only feel when the demon's teeth sunk its vile teeth into me.

No matter what I did, the memories stormed my head refusing to leave. I've been keeping my flames alive since I would collapse in exhaustion if they went out. But every thought about the demons made the fire spring up.

It's exhausting trying to pay attention to your friends, not showing weak you currently are, and keeping a raging fire inside of you. I really don't know how long I can keep it up.

"HEY! What's with the rush anyway Lukie?" My three other friends walk in. Ivor is scowling at Lukas, Olivia just looks intrigued, and Lukas huffs at Ivor. Impatience, that he probably got from me, written all over his face.

I clap, wanting to just get it over with. "Okay, you guys are long overdue some answers. Sorry for the, uh, inconvenience."

Ivor rolls his eyes. "Everyone except Lukas."

Instantly, Lukas and I glare at him. My already wild flames flicker just beneath my skin. The pressure just keeps building, but I can do this. I just need to explain to what has happened and they'll understand and my fire will die back down.

Olivia however is the only one who doesn't react, she probably realized Lukas knows based on how he has been acting. But Petra and Axel haven't thought about it as much apparently.

"Wait up." Petra voices her complaints firsts. "You told him and not anyone else? I thought he was just supporting you last night."

My fire pushes at my boundaries, my walls rapidly melting. I close my eyes, trying to calm myself.

Axel jumps in now too. "Did you tell him everything the moment he arrived? He only got here a few hours before me."

My walls just can't take it and explode, my eyes snapping back open. Everything just vanishes and the fire takes over. Pain, guilt, exhaustion, fears, nerves, and all my misery just vanishes. It feels so good, I don't even bother to pay attention to the other things slipping away either.

"WOAH Jesse! Your eyes- they really do glow!" I turn towards Petra. Memories of her grilling me last night and today spring to mind. I have had enough of her disrespect.

Lukas suddenly pops in front of me. "Jesse, calm down. Let it die, just-"

"No." I'm tired of her constantly pushing me down I'm breaking down. It's time for her to see that I can't just be pushed around. Actually, it's time for all of them to learn that.

"If you are all so desperate to know, this is what I am!" I release the fire and flames break through my shoulders and arms. The yellow flames wildly dance, the ends trying to reach out snap at them.

Horror fill my friends eyes, and the fire slightly retreats. But if they really trusted me, they wouldn't be afraid. I raise a hand and fireball burns in my palm, the people who should trust me the most step back.

I need them, I need help, and they just walk away. What kind of friends are these? I guess I just have to do everything myself then. No matter, I've been through worse.

Besides this feels so good. When was the last time when I was allowed to relish like this? Oh man, I don't want this to ever leave. Soon everything will be right again, there won't be any more pain I have to go through.

The fire spreads and spreads, nearly completely drowning me. I gather the power together, ready to teach them a lesson about what happens when you fuel a fire that needs to go out. It's time to finally show this world what I'm made of.

I look my hand and push that power out. A beautiful yellow ball of fire bursting forth before I reach back to fling the flames at the redhead.

"STOP!" Lukas grabs my shoulder through the fire. Everything just stops, and all of the fire vanishes, but only for a moment.

At once that same power tries to push itself out with renew vigor. The flames wildly flinging through my body still trying burst free. Lukas's string is pulsating with strength that I'm desperately clinging onto as my own mind goes to war.

I reach out the embers, not caring if I faint. I just want to rest, I don't want this. It needs to go away. But they're cold. They're not producing any heat, or fire, or anything.

This isn't my fire.

How did I not notice earlier? And better yet, how do I get rid of it?

I don't even know how to control my fire properly and yet if I want to protect my friends from myself I have to figure it out right now. Perhaps I can just fight it, instead of control it.

Panicked, I do the first thing that comes to mind. I grab the embers and smash them, hoping that my own fire will spring up and push this foreign one out. And thanks to Notch, that's almost what happens.

My true flames burst forth, breaking through my skin and wrapping around me. The foreign flames try to escape, but they're completely blocked off. And I am ready to get some revenge on this thing.

My fire grows hotter and hotter, snuffing the flames. That mysterious power withers away, leaving no trace or even an indication where it came from. But it's gone, I can rest now. I can stop and just breathe.

Yeah, as if. That never happens to me.

Because now I realize my fire is really really strong compared to last time. Normally, my fire retreats back into the embers, but I kinda just broke those. So I don't know what to do anymore.

Out of the fire, and into the lava.

Thankfully, the fire just puts itself out. It almost seems like it's panting. Which either means that strange power is extremely strong or I'm really weak. Great. But now, until I figure how to make the embers, a small flame burns in my head. Wavering slightly, but not going out.

I open my eyes, willingly, total control of my body again. Now that the freaky power is gone, the energy it was supplying my body is also gone. Lukas hasn't stopped trying to give me strength, so I can at least stay awake.

My friends are just frozen, scared and confused. I sigh, this was not the way I wanted them to learn about my fire. They're probably just going to think it's worse than Romeo's gauntlet even though that wasn't really my fire.

But it's taking everything I have to just stay awake. I don't want to use my fire again, yet I will if I can't find a way to explain what happened to my friends.

"Okay everyone." Lukas startles everyone, include me. "That wasn't Jesse, something... wrong came into him."

"Was he cursed with fire?" I drag my eyes up to Olivia. I was right, they think my fire is something inherently evil. That other stuff was, but mine isn't.

"No, well yes. If you see his eyes glow yellow again, that's the evil fire. But Jesse has his own fire, that makes his eyes glow green, and it isn't a curse. That's what he was about to say last night. It just rose up when he was about to die that night and it saved his life."

Bliss and content bloom in me, and I close my eyes. Finally at peace enough to rest. I know I still have a lot of explaining to do, but the worst part is over. No matter what comes tomorrow, I have Lukas who will stand by me.

I fall into darkness again, gratitude my blanket.

Thanks for everything Lukas.

****

So, I'm assuming a lot of you have changed your theories about the bolded text and what it means. Feel free to share your thouhts, I'm really curious! I'm also hoping I have confused most of you and you're all thinking how NOTHING makes sense.

To me, it means that I'm still keeping my story interesting. And when you do know it will be such an "Ah Ha!" moment. Trust me, it all comes together.

Oh, and I promise next chapter won't end with Jesse falling asleep. Two times in a row is enough for that.

BYE!

And don't play with fire, as you can see, it's pretty dangerous.