When I wake up I take another bite of the bread and drink some water, after that I pick up a sheet of paper and the pen and start to write.

Chapter 2. (The book)

Xavier.

My hand started to burn even though I had these powers, I wasn't completely fireproof. I didn't quit, I couldn't stop, I couldn't fail. They would kill me if I failed. After a second my whole body caught fire and I fell to the ground screaming in pain. I had failed.

Jason.

I see his hand turn red and suddenly it caught fire, after that his whole body caught fire. I ran out of the water. I knew that you could extinguish someone in one way with the opposite force, but I was not trained for it and it is dangerous. I kneel down next to the boy and say: 'Water gods, you have blessed me with the power of water, I ask you a great favor: Give me the power to extinguish fire to save a life.' I feel an icy chill run down my spine and I place my hands on the burning boy. Big waves of ice cold water come out of my hands. I run my hands over Xavier's entire body and that causes the fire to go out. I see that he has just regained consciousness and he tries to get up, but I stop him and gently push him back to the ground. He mumbles something else: "I can't fail, I have to keep going." and then he loses consciousness. Dead to the end for using such a power I sit down next to Xavier and try not to fall asleep and watch the boy.

Xavier.

Fuck, I don't exactly wake up anymore. My body was covered in blisters and my hands were still red from when I used the fire. I had failed and they were coming for me.

I started having a nightmare, another one of those familiar ones, I tried to wake up but I couldn't and I was sucked into the void of my dream....

It was dark and I was all alone, I had had this dream before and I knew what was going to happen just moments from here. I saw my sister running, I tried to stop her when I felt a hand pressed against my throat and my head was pierced by a bullet. I fell to the ground and in my last moments I saw them do the same to my sister. Then I woke up, but still in my dream. I had risen from the dead. That's why they call me The Human Phoenix. The Fire God has resurrected me as one of his trusted servants.

Jason.

I see Xavier moving in his sleep, he has a nightmare and sleeps restlessly. Every now and then he shouts something or murmurs something, but I can't hear exactly what. I placed him on an improvised leaf bed under a nice large chestnut tree. I sit next to him and keep watch, I look at him, so small, vulnerable and alone. Every half hour I feel his forehead, which is burning hot. Towards the morning I take off my T-shirt and wet it with water and dab it over my face. When it is 9:00 am I go to the water and catch a few fish with a sharply cut branch, I prepare the fish to go on the fire and wake Xavier up. "We have to eat, and you have to heal, can you light a fire for me?" I ask nicely.

Xavier.

I lay there and shook my head, I didn't want any food from my enemy. In less than a hundred years, I would help him. I tried to move my fingers but every movement I made made me cringe. Everything burned. I had literally put my whole body into overdrive, of course it hurt, what did I expect? I cursed and lay still on the blanket of leaves I was lying on. I remembered the nightmare clearly and it haunted me even now that I was awake. The wind blew the hair into my face but I couldn't remove it.

When I am done with the second chapter I feel a lot better, but I don't feel good enough yet. I don't want to stop and suffer in my sadness, no, of course I don't want that. I want to stay alive and also FEEL alive. So I pick up another sheet of paper and start to write Chapter 3.

Chapter 3. (The book)

Jason.

The boy was clearly struggling and I couldn't wait any longer, so I got to work myself. I went to the riverbank and hoped to find just a few stones. After half an hour I still hadn't found anything. So I got into the water and dived to the bottom of the river and within a few seconds I had found enough stones. I raised myself out of the water and the water deposited myself on the ground. I found some dry branches and made a tent inside the circle of stones. I walked up to the boy again and his face was pale, his eyes dull and his body limp. He didn't have much strength left in him, and even though the boy was mean, it hurt me to see him suffer like that. I looked at him, waiting. I ran my eyes over his body. He seemed so small, so vulnerable, but it was his own choice, he is stubborn and not that smart so I keep looking at him. he had something sad but at the same time something very beautiful about him. I couldn't place it, so I let it go. Apparently he noticed me staring at him and said, "I told you, I'm not going to light a fire for you." He didn't expect my answer. "Okay." I dived into the water and found some mussels to eat. I swam up and onto the small beach. I sat with the boy and ate the mussels. He looked at me from the corner of his eye and I could tell he was hungry. I offered him a mussel but he shook his head no. "Then not, your own choice." Evening fell and a beautiful sunset could be seen.

Xavier.

I was looking at the sunset and could now sit up a little so I placed my back against the tree. I looked at Jason, in this light he looked quite nice, maybe even a little handsome. But I quickly turned my face away when I remembered who the enemy was. He was my enemy and nothing would change that. I waited and waited until it got dark. The next morning I would leave one way or another. Even if I had to call them. I didn't go to sleep, I didn't feel like having another nightmare, I couldn't watch it helplessly again. I looked at the moon that was now high in the sky, its bright light shining on my face. It was a clear night and I liked that. Not as pleasant as the light of the sun, but still pleasant. I watched as Jason curled up and fell asleep peacefully. How could anyone be so peaceful? It was just weird to me. And I couldn't imagine what that really felt like. To, you know, be really peaceful.

Jason.

I woke up in the middle of the night, I heard a noise and I immediately looked at the tree. Xavier lay under the tree, shaking violently. I ran to him and he mumbled things like 'no, don't do it.' 'Why?' I shook him gently. He woke up but continued to shake. He sat up against the trunk of the tree and I grabbed my bag and sat next to him. I took a loaf of bread out of my bag and offered it to him, but Xavier shook his head and I replied: 'Is this what you want? Starving while experiencing the worst nightmares of your life? Let it go. The bread looks normal and it's not like I'm going to poison my own bread or anything.' As a demonstration, I tore off a piece and took a bite. Xavier seemed to have doubts. I tore off another piece and gave it to him. My shoulder touched his and it felt familiar. Apparently he noticed and shifted away a bit, but later he started shivering and I unzipped my sleeping bag as a blanket and laid it over us. We looked at the dark night and the stars looking down on us. Xavier fell asleep very quickly and leaned his head against my shoulder, it took me a little longer, but it worked.

The next morning.

Early in the morning I woke up and saw that the sun was rising, I got up, took clean clothes from my bag and put them on the shore along with a towel. I kept my clothes on so they would be washed as well, grabbed some soap and let the water heat up. I stepped into the water and was flooded with wonderful warmth. I took off my clothes (No one could see, I was standing in water up to my shoulders.) and started to wash them a bit. When I was done I put them down with my clean clothes and started to wash myself, then I stayed stood for a moment to enjoy and then I got out of the water. I dried myself off and put on my clothes except my shirt because it was quite warm. I hung my wet clothes to dry over the low branches of the tree along with my towel.

Xavier.

I had been awake for a few minutes. The color was back and I slowly felt myself getting stronger, I moved my hand then my toes. And when I noticed that it hurt less, I got up. I looked around and saw Jason in the water. He didn't see me so I saw this as an opportunity to get away, I walked quietly back to civilization away from this cursed forest. I didn't know where I was going but I followed the sound of the cars getting louder with every step I took. I knew they knew where I was and it wasn't long until I got to the road and a black car was waiting for me. I didn't wave and the door was opened for me by the driver, I stepped inside. "Hello, young gentleman Xavier." Said the old man sitting in front of me in the car. He had gray hair and was wearing a simple suit. "Hello Ludvig." "You're late. They won't be happy with you.' The man said as he shifted gears and started driving. "You failed, didn't you?" I nodded cautiously. They knew anyway. "I'll do it right next time, I swear-" And just then the phone rang.

Jason.

When I look at the bottom of the tree I see that Xavier has disappeared. One thing is for sure, only I will be able to heal him and make him get his powers back, because I am the one he used his powers against and only I will be able to give them back. He'll come back to me. Even though I know I will see him again, it still leaves a stabbing pain in my heart. Xavier left, I thought I had his trust but I don't. He didn't see that I was being honest and telling the truth, which I normally never would do. My life is one big lie.

Poem For Xavier.

To proceed

You left me

and the world said:

You gotta move on,

stand on your own feet.

He's not going to help you,

to staunch the wounds.

Together you are not stronger,

you can go much further alone.

Still I don't want to listen,

and shudder together at scary things.

My world is already collapsing,

so I have no gain anyway.

You will find me, there is no doubt about it.

but will I help you... if I were you I would go now.

J.

I miraculously felt a lot calmer. I've never written a poem before and now suddenly it just flows out of my hand. I am amazed at myself and it stays that way all day, I put the poem in a tube and put it under the tree. I know Xavier will find it and read it. I pack my things and walk on because I'm going to continue with my mission, that's what I was doing.

Xavier.

Ludvig picked up the phone and immediately handed it back to me. "It's for you, Mr. Xavier." I swallowed hard and answered the phone. 'Hello Fyrver.' I said, trying not to show my tension. "Ahh, hello Phoenix. Haven't spoken in a long time, have you? Did the mission go well? You're not going to let me hear that you've failed, are you? It would be such a shame to harm that beautiful face of yours.' I heard a loud roar from the other end of the phone, which was probably a laugh. I was shaking, not from anger at what he said but from fear, and goosebumps crept up my spine. "I'm sorry sir–" "So you failed? Awe, what a shame." He roared again. He was sarcastic and I knew it. "The men are waiting for you at the door." "Yes sir." I said as submissively as possible, I was not easily scared but this was different, he was different. This wasn't just a simple game, this was different. It was real. Fyrver hung up. And I gave the phone back to Ludvig. I was shaking. I was freezing. Ludvig noticed this and turned on the stove. I tried to start a fire. But all I got was a little flame that made my hand look like a matchstick. "Goddamn–" I cursed and tried to make the flame bigger, but that only made me colder. It didn't work anymore. I probably just needed to regain my strength. I sighed and wrapped my vest tightly around me. After a few more minutes of sitting in the car, we arrived at the gates of a huge house. And yes, as mentioned, a large group of men all dressed in black were waiting for us.

Jason.

I kept walking and I was tireless. Night fell and I knew I had to find shelter. I was far outside the cities and was now at an area with all kinds of caves. I walked into a cave, made sure there was no animal living in it and started a fire. it was nice and warm and I sat against the rock wall. I grabbed a phone from my bag and turned it on. I called my Master. The voicemail sounded and I left a message: 'Hello Samui, it's me here, the mission is going well, I found out that there are opponents, I disarmed them and they don't know nearly as much as we do, don't worry, Coral .' He knew my real name, but I still wanted to make it clear to him that I didn't want any contact. I hung up. The cave was bare and dark despite the fire crackling slightly. I grabbed my sleeping bag and lay down.

Xavier.

I was led in by the men dressed in black. Ludvig had already been led to another room. And I was led straight to Fyrver's office. The hallways were beautifully decorated with white marble walls with paintings by famous artists, I recognized a few because I had been here before. There were Van Gogh's sunflowers, Rembrandt van Rijn's Christ in the Storm. And so much more. New ones seemed to arrive every week. We went up the wooden stairs that seemed to go to three different places. One went to the office, which I knew because I had been there before, the other went to the master suite, and the last one on the left I didn't actually know but I always heard screaming when I walked by, so maybe a training room. We walked up the middle stairs straight to the large two doors that awaited us at the top. With every step I took I felt my legs getting heavier. I was scared, tense. I had failed and I would pay for it. I didn't notice the men walking behind me and the men in front of me. They opened the large oak door and led me inside. And yes, there he was Fyrver. He had long brown hair that slowly curled as it went down, he had a light tan to his skin and wore a red suit with a black tie. He was maybe in his late thirties. 'There you are Phoenix. I have to ask, did the men give you a hard time?' I bowed my head forward in greeting and shook my head. "That's nice to hear." He nodded to the men and they turned around and walked out the door. And they left me alone with perhaps the most powerful man in the world. "So..." I saw him take a small knife from his drawer and slam it into the table he was sitting at. "I heard you failed." He laughed. The deadliest sound you could hear. I nodded, I couldn't get the words out of my mouth to say anything. He stood up from his desk and pulled out the small gun. It may not have looked scary, but in his hand everything was a deadly weapon. "You know-" Fyrver began and walked calmly and calmly towards me. 'What happens when you fail Xavier.' I knew that indeed, the scars on my arms, back, even my face told the whole story. He laughed a bitter sound and brought the knife to my throat and made a deep cut in it. Not deep enough to kill but deep enough to hurt. I bit my lip, I had to take it. I had done it before and now I could do it again.

Jason.

When I woke up early in the morning, I felt like something was wrong, like I was missing something. The feeling that someone was hurt. My instincts told me to go, but first I had to leave Xavier another message or he wouldn't be able to find me. I didn't know why I felt so compulsive about leaving messages for a complete stranger, but I just did it.

No poem this time. You're looking for me. And if you really want you will find me. You will have to join me because only I can help you. Your world will collapse without your powers and you already no longer have those powers. I won't force you to do anything, if you can survive without fire that's fine with me. I'll see you.

J.

I walked a little deeper into the cave, put the note in another tube and put it down.

I had to stop quickly. I was crying. I felt the pain Xavier must have felt. I felt the pain Jason must have felt, the pain of being left alone and not being trusted. It hurts a lot. It hurts more then you can ever describe. It hurts way too much. Yeah, it's bad, really bad. I feel at my head, the spot just above my ear. There is a little dimple there, it's hard to think about it, but I remember it so well from where and when I got it. I feel my heart break thinking about it.

What is going to happen now? Who is that mysterious person writing the story? Who is Fyrver and why is he so mean? Will Xavier survive? I know it, but you don't, you can only guess and continue reading. I know, I am so mean, but secretly I love it.

Love to u guys!