GRAVITY'S EMBRACE

CHAPTER 4 GRAVITY!!

While Toby was still lost in thought, the flaming figure, Blaze, returned. As she approached, her intense heat washed over him, making him instinctively shield his face.

"Mind cooling off a little? I'm getting cooked over here," Toby complained, his voice slightly muffled by his raised arm.

Blaze's flames dimmed slightly as she said softly, "I can't."

Toby, still somewhat bewildered, raised an eyebrow. "You can't? You're literally burning and emitting heat. Do you want to burn me to ashes? He retorted

I'm naked. Whenever I activate my power, my clothes get burnt, so I can't quench the flames."Blaze replied bluntly

His mind was running a mile a minute, and his thoughts wandered to the body beneath those flames, her curves, smooth skin, and... other features that weren't lost on him.

"Get that look off your face before I scorch you down," Blaze threatened, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Toby cleared his throat and stammered, "At least tone it down."

The flames subsided a bit, allowing Toby to breathe more comfortably. He couldn't help but ask, "What the hell happened?"

The queen shrugged as she scoured the room for something to wear. "Well, what else? The owner of the serum sent their lackey to retrieve it, but they couldn't find it because it's been injected into you."

Toby's eyes widened, and he gulped, his anxiety building. "If they know I'm injected with the serum, what would happen?"

The queen continued her search for clothing and replied matter-of-factly, "For once, they won't believe it because normally being injected with a Grade S serum means implosion. You're just an anomaly."

Toby wiped the sweat from his face, relief washing over him. "Well, at least I'm safe for now," he thought, though he still felt far from secure.

Just then, he heard the sound of fabric being torn. Blaze was ripping some curtains off their rods.

"Turn around," she said flatly.

Toby obediently turned his back to Blaze, but his thoughts continued to wander to the vivid images of her body. His mind had been racing with explicit scenes of the queen's alluring features – her long, fair legs, her supple skin, and the enticing contours of her chest. He couldn't help but gulp audibly, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.

"You can turn back now," Blaze said plainly, interrupting his fantasies. Toby turned around, his face slightly flushed, and his eyes widened as he took in her unconventional attire.

Blaze had wrapped a cloth around her chest, but it did little to conceal her full blossom her mounds showing underneath. The cloth barely covered her ample curves, leaving a hint of her stomach exposed. She fashioned the remaining fabric into a makeshift skirt, with a tear along one side for mobility. The whole ensemble gave her a wild, untamed appearance.

"Done looking?" She snapped at Toby, her gaze stern and unyielding.

Toby, still slightly flustered, quickly averted his eyes and stammered, "Y-Yeah, I'm done looking."

Toby tried to push the recent scene out of his head and focused on the conversation with Blaze.

"So, what now?" He asked, eager to understand their next steps.

Blaze responded with a sense of urgency, "Let's get out of here first before the cops arrive. Since I'm the one the Yao faction is looking for, we can get you registered and put into the Awakened Academy. Then, we'll be in touch."

Toby's curiosity got the best of him, and he launched a barrage of questions at Blaze. "Yao faction is that the name of the faction that guy came from? And what happened to him? And what's this Awakened Academy?"

Blaze frowned at the rapid-fire questions, letting out a sigh before responding. "That guy is dead; I killed him," she said bluntly. "The Yao faction is a part of a powerful Chinese family, and they're after the serum. An Awakened Academy is where youths who have just awakened their new powers go to learn how to control and use them."

Toby's confusion only seemed to deepen. "How come I never knew about all this? I didn't even know about 'Awakened' until two days ago. And my parents... I can't just disappear like this."

Blaze, feeling the weight of the situation and a headache coming on, rubbed her forehead.

Blaze took a deep breath and began to explain further. "After the awakening serum was created, the government kept it under wraps. The serum isn't something that can be distributed to just anyone. Not everyone can be Awakened, and those who can are a small minority. In fact, all the Awakened in the world number less than 2 billion."

Toby was still trying to grasp the enormity of what he was hearing. "So, there are less than 2 billion Awakened in the entire world? That's... incredible."

Blaze nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, and imagine if the general public found out that there are humans with powers. It would throw the world into chaos. That's why, even though some people have discovered the existence of the Awakened, no one believes them. The government is determined to keep us a secret."

Blaze took a deep breath and began to explain further. "After the awakening serum was created, the government kept it under wraps. The serum isn't something that can be distributed to just anyone. Not everyone can be Awakened and those who can are a small minority. In fact, all the Awakened in the world number less than 2 billion."

Toby was still trying to grasp the enormity of what he was hearing. "So, there are less than 2 billion Awakened in the entire world? That's... incredible."

Blaze nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, and imagine if the general public found out that there are humans with powers. It would throw the world into chaos. That's why, even though some people have discovered the existence of the Awakened, no one believes them. The government is determined to keep us a secret."

Toby thought about it for a moment, his mind racing with the implications of what Blaze had just revealed. "I can't believe all this was happening right under my nose, and I had no idea."

Blaze's tone turned grave as she offered advice regarding Toby's parents. "As for your parents, right now, the best thing is for you not to contact them. If you get found out that you were injected with a Grade S Serum, they can be used to threaten you."

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the distant wailing of sirens and the approaching noise of helicopters. Blaze's eyes widened, and she turned to Toby with urgency. "Let's get out of here first.

Toby and Blaze managed to slip away from the devastated mansion without being detected. Once they were out on the street, Blaze's skills came into play as she efficiently hotwired a nearby car. Toby could only watch in astonishment.

"What... how did you do that?" Toby asked, wide-eyed.

Blaze glanced at him with a smirk. "Picked up some skills when I was young."

As they sped away in the stolen car, Toby couldn't help but comment, "So, Blaze? Nice name, you know, because you're always on fire. But what's your real name?"

Blaze's focus remained on driving as she replied, "Mia."

Toby found himself growing more curious about the nature of Awakening. "So, how did you get Awakened?" he asked.

Blaze, clearly growing annoyed with the barrage of questions, snapped, "You ask too many questions."

She then guided the stolen car to a hotel in town. As they entered the hotel, they received curious and lingering stares from the other guests. Toby was dressed in just a trouser, and was barefoot, which drew attention, but it was Blaze who captured most of the gazes. One man even had a nosebleed, which Blaze chose to ignore.

Blaze walked up to the hotel's reception counter, and the receptionist looked at them with a mix of curiosity and surprise. Blaze's stern demeanor seemed to unnerve the receptionist.

"Room B209," Blaze said, her voice carrying an air of authority.

The receptionist's eyes widened, and she was immediately flustered. She hurriedly took out a gold key and handed it to Blaze with utmost respect. Blaze accepted the key with a nod and left, with Toby trailing behind.

Outside, the curious receptionist's partner approached her. "Sarah, why did you give those people a room key, even though they didn't pay?"

Sarah replied, her voice tinged with astonishment, "Our boss said that anytime anyone mentions Room B209, they are esteemed customers, and we should treat them with the utmost courtesy."

Sarah was baffled. "How did you not know that?"

Blushing in embarrassment, the other receptionist admitted, "I just started working here yesterday."

Sarah looked colleague at her incredulously. "Didn't you read the email?"

In her own admission of her oversight, she shook her head and said, "No."

"In the opulent hotel room, which could hardly be described as just a "room," Toby and Blaze found themselves surrounded by luxury. The apartment boasted two master bedrooms, an extravagant fountain, and lavish decor that practically screamed opulence. Toby was utterly dumbfounded.

"Who puts a fountain in an apartment?" Toby muttered rhetorically as he took in the over-the-top surroundings.

Blaze couldn't help but chuckle at his amazement. "One of the perks of being Awakened," she said casually.

Toby was about to bombard Blaze with more questions when his stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him of his more immediate needs. "Can we get something to eat?" He asked.

Blaze nodded and called for food. While they waited, she headed to one of the bedrooms within the apartment. Minutes later, the food arrived, and they were also presented with new outfits. Toby donned a light shirt with black pants, feeling more comfortable in fresh attire. Blaze wore a sleek, seamless Hawaiian gown that accentuated her grace and presence. Toby couldn't help but gawk at her, though he tried his best to be discreet.

Blaze then filled Toby in on their plans. "Tomorrow, we're going to the Awakened Association to get you registered with your powers and enroll you in the academy."

Toby scratched his head, a hint of uncertainty on his face. "I don't really know my powers."

Blaze seemed taken aback. "You don't know your powers?" she asked, her confusion evident.

Toby nodded. "I don't. How do you guys figure out your powers?"

Blaze explained, "It's like an instinct. Just calm down and try to feel it. When you were triggered, I thought you already knew how to control it."

After their meal, Toby retreated to his bedroom and sat in the middle of the bed, his thoughts consumed by the puzzle of his newfound abilities. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the energies surrounding him. He sensed a pressing force, like an invisible weight in the room. Tentatively, he tried to manipulate it, and he felt a response. It was like moving an unseen force, and gradually, he realized he could make it lighter. Toby started to float above the bed.

But when he attempted to return the force to its original intensity, it proved too much for him to handle. With an abrupt "bam," he was pressed back down onto the bed, his body pinned under the invisible weight. Struggling for control, he persisted, experimenting and gradually gaining mastery.

Then, it clicked. "Oh, s**t," Toby exclaimed in realization. "My powers are related to gravity."