Chapter 20: Great Ball of Fire!

After a few minutes of relaxation, Drake looked at his watch. "Whoa, if we want to go looking for him today, we should probably get going. The Ice Palace is what, half an hour drive from here?" asked Drake
"Yeah, it's about a half hour. It'll be nice if we can figure out some way to travel with our powers...like, I don't know...flying or something, that'd kick butt." Erika said
"Well, we'll work on it...and I think I might know a way to do it...but we'll talk about it later. should we drive, or take the bus? I know there's a route that's just a few minutes away from here and it goes straight to the Forum, drops of fin the parking lot."
"If it'll get us there in about the same time, sure...don't have to worry about parking." she said

A few minutes later, they were standing up from the bench at the bus stop and getting on. It would be a 40 minute ride, which was fine with them because it was close enough and they didn't have to worry about the car getting stolen or anything. Downtown Tampa and near the port can be a nasty place sometimes, especially in the late afternoon and early evening. Erika started yawning after a few minutes, and by the time they were halfway there, she had fallen asleep on Drake's shoulder.

Upon arrival at the Forum, Drake roused Erika and they got off the bus. "Hey Sleepy, come on this way...we should be able to get in over here." Drake said
When they got to the doors, there was an old man blocking their way, standing in the middle of the door. He looked like he was trying to get as much of the arctic breeze from the air conditioner as he could, standing right under the door vent. "Um, excuse us sir, but could we get by you please?" asked Erika
"Wha- Oh yes, of course, sorry my dear." said the old man, moving aside. He glanced at them as they walked past and apparently saw the crystal hanging around Erika's neck. His eyes bulged for a moment, just long enough for Drake to catch it, but Erika pulled him through and the old man walked outside and walked toward the parking lot.
"Did you notice anything funny about that old man?" asked Drake
"Hmm, no, not really. Seemed like he was just trying to cool off. it's a scorcher out there today." she said.
"Yeah, I guess... Hey, I think we should split up...if we separate, there's a better chance of us getting in past security down there...I know they don't let people in unless there's a game or something."
"Alright...call if you find anything...or anyone." she said, tapping her front pocket where she kept her phone. She smiled and winked at him then walked off towards the left corridor, leaving Drake to assume the right path.

Drake managed to slip by security when they glanced away and made it to the rink. It was as cold as he had ever felt it in Florida, just below freezing in the upper levels. He continued to search for the better part of an hour but saw nothing or no one out of the ordinary. That's when it hit him..."The old man!" Drake exclaimed under his breath, amazed at his stupidity. He flipped his phone open and called Erika. Her voicemail came straight on, which didn't surprise him because he knew there were places in big buildings like this with reproachable reception. "Hey, Rika...I think I found him, well...kinda. I'm gonna go back outside and look around a bit...meet you outside. Hasta!"

Drake wandered outside and found the parking lot on the side the old man had walked to, but didn't see him around. "Hmm, maybe he left. But I'm sure it was him! He had electric blue eyes, like ice! he was wearing a light blue shirt and jeans...Ice colors. it had to be...and he was standing there under the frigid air!" he mumbled to himself.

Just then, a large explosion and Drake saw a fireball shooting out of the building, heading across the street.
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Erika wandered aimlessly around until she found a hole in the security, she sneaked past them, then scurried around in the back, finally coming to the rink. She looked all over and saw no one there. Then she saw Drake on the other side, talking into his phone for a second, then closing it and walking away quickly, back towards the doors.
Hmm, I wonder who he was talking to. she thought
Erika took one last look and walked back out into the hallway, where she suddenly felt a lot warmer.
"Well well, little Erika came looking for the Ice Lord after all. Just so you know he's not here. He is coming here though, so I'm gonna wait for him. That is, after I make sure you won't be around to see him." said Fern, a flaming hit ball of fire erupting from her palm and shooting at Erika.
Erika knew she couldn't get her water bottle out in time so she jumped out of the way, barely dodging the fireball. She dodged another and ran down the hall, stopping at a dead end she had forgotten about.
"Way to go, smart one!" said Fern
Fern shot another ball of flame at Erika and Erika just dodged it. This time, the fire singed her shirt at the shoulder, and it kept going right into the wall. It went right through the wall and hit something metallic. Seconds later steam erupted from the hole. Water! thought Erika. She managed to form a little bit of water out of the steam and shot it at Fern, who took it out with a fireball, and lunged at Erika with another fireball which kept going and went through the hole. Instantly there was an explosion and Erika and Fern were propelled through the wall and outside, apparently they had been against the outer wall of the building. They shot through the sky in a flaming ball of people and steam, which Erika used to make a quick and think water shield. They landed across the street on the grass, making a huge, charred crater. They kept rolling and skipped a couple times into a grassy area.

Fern stood up, unscathed, and Erika let down her shield as she arose, fine as well. "I see you've learned a few tricks." said Fern
"Oh yeah I have." said Erika.
Fern lunged at her again and they were both running, Fern chasing Erika. they ran for a few hundred feet and Fern caught up with her. She shot a fireball at Erika's feet and she tripped, losing her melted right shoe in mid air. She rolled down a small hill and stopped at the bottom, out of breath and bruised. She looked up and saw something in the air, no, two somethings in the air. they were on fire and they were coming for her. She stood up and ran for her life. She knew one of them was Fern, but the second was a mystery to her.

As she ran, she noticed one of them break off and fly back towards the Forum. Drake! she thought. Almost against her will, she kept running, knowing that if she turned around, she'd be toast.
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Drake stood in total awe as he saw the fireball strike and eventually turn into Fern and Erika. he stood transfixed as he watched them fight each other and Erika turn and run, by the time he caught himself doing nothing, they were already more than a hundred yards away, and Erika had just tripped on a fireball. He saw out of the corner of his eye something flying through the air towards the two and Fern leapt up into the air and joined it. A few moments later, one of them broke off and headed back towards Drake. "Fern, it's gotta be." he said to himself. He ran out to the road to meet her, where she stopped in mid-air above him and dropped to the ground, ready to strike.
"I'd be more worried about yourself than your girlfriend, Drake...Lady Belinka doesn't intend to hurt her...too badly. She must be kept alive for a while longer, at east...until we can gather the spell components to steal her crystal. Now you, on the other hand...I intend to beat you into a bloody pulp." she said playfully, then jumped at him, fists blazing.