Chapter 16: Secret Weapon

Howard walked into the bungalow after Una, finding her sitting on a couch with a television flashing on and off with bursts of white noise traveling up and down the screen.

She held a remote in her hand, looking back at Howard, with her legs high up on the ledge of a black nightshade couch. She popped a bubble in her mouth, and looked so attractive that Howard nearly fell over seeing the strange, golden hue in her eyes. Pointing over to a refrigerator toppled over on its side, her face turned beautiful and bright.

"Howard, can we train on the couch? This place reminds me of my home," Una patted the couch and put her legs down just enough that he could no longer see the scar against her knee. "I thought the television might work because of the Ki Storm. It's cool it at least turns on."

"Where is Harley?" Howard asked before dropping down onto the couch, and feeling the comfort it provided. "I-I thought I saw her go in here."

"She's outside shopping at a toppled over grocery store," Una yawned. "Anyways, mind following me outside too? I got an idea. I heard from Blake you have some kind of special ability. You mind filling me in on it?"

"I don't understand it yet." Howard shrugged his shoulders as they walked outside into a dark canyon. Lightning still struck down, sending zombies flying in all directions. A few nearing their position got swallowed in a storm of fire, caused by a simple movement of Una's hand.

The redlight caused Una to look even more beautiful and dazzling underneath the perplexing flashes of various colors. She turned around and smiled at Howard. Her brown hair, having been tucked into a tow, caused her to look like a star in the darkness as flames slowly ebbed out of her skin.

"Howard, I'm going to make a fireball right now." Una opened her palm, causing a flaming spear to appear floating above her fist. "Doesn't it make my face look so pretty?"

"It makes me want to kiss you," Howard said with a smile. "However, I'm dating Monica now, so I can't do that right?"

"She doesn't have to know." Una laughed and gently placed the glowing fire spear a few inches from his feet. "However, I said we'd do some training right? Try and make that fire spear bigger and I'll let you know a secret of mine."

"Hmmm, I thought. I thought Teacher Annibell said it's impossible for channelers to strengthen other channelers attacks. Don't each of our attacks have a unique signature?" Howard had learned a few things from Teacher Annibell after returning from the D rank treasure trove.

Teacher Annibell had told him that every time he created a fireball or a type of flame, it would become his and his alone. For example, if Una tried to take control of his flames, they'd attack her like dogs attacking a mail man delivering a morning newspaper. Looking down, Howard gulped and stared at the fireball, feeling a strange fear as he looked at the glowing globe of power.

"Blake visited me a few nights ago. He said something strange happened when you fought the obelisk. He got readings from you that matched an Authoritarians." Una leaned down and picked up the fireball. "He told me I'm his lab assistant until we figure out what you can do. Hence, this is a little experiment to be kept between me and you okay."

"Okay, I'll try," Howard put his hands next to the fireball, feeling its warmth. Putting his hands next to it, he could almost feel Una's presence in the warm shadows flickering beneath him. Beginning to create little embers from his pores, Howard tried to grasp control of that energy.

Boom!

The fireball instantly exploded and sent Howard skipping back against the ground. Looking up, Howard noticed Harley standing above him, eating a bag of chips with a puzzled expression.

"Good thing I wore pants today." Harley reached down and picked him up. "Anyways, there is enough food for the rest of the journey. Even found some fresh fruits and vegetables." Harley dropped an apple on Howard's chest and then walked into the bungalow.

"Anyways, I'll be taking a bath." Harley winked at Una and closed the door. "You two are making me hot. It's annoying."

"You ready to try again?" Una walked over to Howard and helped him up, hugging him gently before putting him down on the ground. "If you can control the fireball, I'll give you something that will make Monica go crazy over you. How does that sound?"

"Una, I-I'm sorry. I didn't realize your past was so tough."

"What do you mean sprout?" Una rubbed him on the head, summoning another fireball. "Nothing tough about it. Compared to you, I practically got to choose to come here."

"Your father… Did something happen with him?" Howard put his hands over the flame, sensing Una's feelings becoming more clear second by second. "I can feel it, emitting from your Ki."

"My father is dead,' Una said with a wide smile, laughing before gently placing Howard down on the ground. Looking into his eyes with tears beginning to form, she gently created a second fireball that flickered in shades of orange while she laughed louder. "Now, let's not talk about the past. My father was a soldier. He died fighting before I was born."

"You sure?" Howard put his hands over the flames, seeing a little girl folding her arms while a man towered over her. He gently placed his arms against her head, and stared into her eyes before dripping wax against the floor. "Anyways, let me try again one more time!"

Howard put his left and right hands down against the flickering flames and gently tried to tune into that feeling. Suddenly, the fireball grew three times it size, scorching the earth before a beam of light seemed to travel through Howard's mind.

Falling onto the floor, Howard opened his eyes and noticed the small girl had appeared in front of him. Two horns in her left and right palm were covered in wax while a large fire with three metal polls sizzled next to her. Out of the shadows, a man with a sword approached Una and laughed while drippin wax against its hilt.

"Una, you're so evil. Little evil girls deserve what?"

"Punishment!" The girl said, closing her eyes tightly. "Punishment with a smile!"

"Exactly," The man, with a craggy jaw and sinister eyes looked down at a cauterized burn that started to rapidly heal. "You're perfect. You were made for endless punishment."

"Stop it!" Howard screamed, causing the man in the strange blackness to shoot out a window and crash into the ground. Staring forward, Howard wiped tears off his eyes, noticing Una had already come within inches of his face.

"Don't tell Monica, okay, but that was awesome!" Una kissed Howard on on the head and then tossed him into the air. "What? What is it sprout?"

"I-I'm so sorry. I'll make it up to you," Howard said with a smile. "I'm so sorry your father wasn't nice."

"Stop talking about my father, kid," Una created another fireball that she tossed into his hands. "You might be our secret weapon. Now do that one more time with a smile on your face, okay?"