(GE Copy)

Chapter 27: The Pride That Leads (Part 2)

“...Is it that it’s not so simply destroyed? Surely men can die very easily... Or is it not possible, that even after all that, he still has the ability to change?”

I’m sure you’re tired of hearing how dark it was, but just to recap; our heroes, Aaron and Felicity had just stumbled into a deep dark cavernous passage as to escape the local militia. Turns out, it’s freaking dark in there. Felicity opened his mouth to plaster the walls, shooting his glowing liquids upon the halls but stopped, irked at Aaron’s hesitance. “What now?”

“You’re marking a path straight to us!” Aaron hushed sternly.

“And they totally can’t hear you grating on me. You know, if you just let me kill them, we wouldn’t be crawling around in the dark.”

“Oh, sorry...” Aaron returned, sarcastically, “...let me just take off my shirt and use that like last time.” Evading the debate of value over a human soul.

Even the darkness could not hide the sneer on Felicity’s face, as he spat a covering liquid over Aaron’s chest and face. “Oh, there you go...” Felicity returned likewise, “...light-to-go; you could bottle that and sell it for five bucks a pop... Now, that’ll be five bucks...”

Aaron stood, consolidating his life choices before conceding, “Yeah, that works I guess...” and they moved on, faintly glowing their way through the cave. “This isn’t going to give me cancer, is it?”

“Just cooties...”

Walls became clearer as they walked by, with the faint luminescence on Aaron’s skin. Only their outlines could be distinguished, and the texture in the rock as a guide for their speed. The difficulty of navigating, impaired their perspective, and in what was minutes, they travelled only a couple of feet. The long period of time since their last sighting boded well for their escape, but all their belongings still sat by the waters behind them. His light began to fade as the spit ran off him, and Aaron couldn’t help but for worry about the stream of glowstick juice, still pattering a trail behind them. It had been collecting and soaking into his clothes the whole while, and Felicity began to laugh obnoxiously, as Aaron’s goofy shorts became more and more irradiated. His body shivered, still wet in the cold cave.

Probably would have been easier to just off the two men, but they were here already, and pride has a way of not changing courses too frequent. Actually, it was because Aaron feared what would become of it more than anything: For on every table stood a cut of juicy beef, that no eye could bat a glance for, but a man’s life thrown to the grave; what a grizzly sight. Though he could not recall the life he took, Aaron could still remember the regret, and it fought with him to think: how much more the blood of men, would weight upon him, than that of a dumb and speechless animal.

Soon they could make out strange alignments, and patterns of cubical formations. Aaron walked near to run his hand along the rough jagged stone. It was oddly bevelled with concave chips, though it had been napped. Aaron knelt beside the bottom, running his hand over the debris and shoddy mortar. Even with the faded glow of his body, Aaron could safely mark themselves amidst man’s intervention.

From behind, there came a light, and the sound of men who’s eyes were adjusted to the brightness of their torch. They muttered about, echoing off the walls, though clueless to the trail of dim glowing proof. Aaron staggered upon the levelled ground, distancing himself from the oncoming threat as Felicity’s sword was drawn at it’s ready. Even here, Aaron stubbed his toes and hopped onward with his unprotected feet.

The torche’s light leapt only a few meters, and somehow in the dark they stopped to witness the odd sight of a ghostly figure, struggling to navigate the lip of his corridor. “Halt...” One said to the other, squinting faintly to make out the green glow that danced in the dark. “Do you see that? There, in front, looks no more than a loaf of bread... It stopped moving... Now it’s wiggling around again.” Shit, they did see that. “You think it’s a cave spirit?”

“Like the one in that children’s tale?” His partner recalled, questioningly. “Tiny collector, steals people’s shines, and stashes them in it’s little hoard? It’s a ripe shiety tale to stop kids from cave trouncing if you ask me; whoever came up with it, should have been hung by the province line.” As he began to see a slight glimmer return back to him from the metal of Felicity’s blade. “Ay, I thinks I sees a trinket shining back at me. I think’s you might be right... Oh, there it goes.” Watching the dancing undies make around the corner. “Reckon this one’s found heaps of goodies that we don’t have to claim on the plunderers report.”

Dancing flat footed, Aaron quickly navigated the tunnel with both hands, as the hair risen on his neck. Aaron looked down, noticing the spotlight shining from his hips, and debated the large room he was flooding into. The clacking of his feet echoed in the large turnaround, and Aaron hide behind the wooden barricades that he hands could make out. It lit up as a crate when the two men poured into the room, in search of treasure. They stood, taking in the vast storage and many hiding holes. They scratched their heads, taking the most peculiar gasping, as a bright light whipped through the air. “There it went! You saw that right? No one mentioned that they fly!”

“Yeah, I heard it, too...” The fools agreed, following the wet flying shorts soon after.

Silently, and blindly, Aaron sleeked out from behind, and left the way he came; embarrassed without the shining spotlight around his waist, even while concealed in the darkness. His hands combed the dusty walls, feeling the ripples of it’s mortar as he navigated the twisting tunnel. His hand swept past a soft grainy recess of wood, and a handle, but walked past for the entrance. “You suppose those two actually found them?” A voice spoke past the darkened veil, as another torch came through the passage. “They haven’t returned yet, but I haven’t heard any struggles. I might just be over thinking it...”

“The tanwaise punf’ didn’t look too threatening, but you gotta remember that they might have taken the upper pass, if they were foolish enough. You and I know there’s only two ways out of this valley, and one of them is death.”

Real assuring, as Aaron closed the door behind him after all, and entered into the dark space of a man-made structure. Aaron could see a light pouring in from under the other door, in the distance. He could hear footsteps all around, and the audible silence that echoed in this forgotten space in between. Aaron stumbled about in the dark, bumping into Felicity and Felicity into him. The light was nearly in reach, as Aaron came onto the unknown door. It’s brightness, that cast into his room, was cut short with the feet of men outside.

Abruptly, the door was thrown open, and Felicity jerked Aaron back into the shadows, as the loud roar overpowered the crashing noise they made. “Come out! We know you’re in here!” The man shouted, nearly stopping Aaron’s breath entirely, only for a silence to follow after.

“Will you PLEASE... Knock that off!” His partner reprimanded. “Why do you keep doing that every time we walk past a vacant room?”

“Because it’s fun.” The man chuckled, shining the light of his torch in the room. A smile etched firmly into his cheeks, as the light illuminated the space. “Imagine someone actually being in there when I do that, they’d utterly soil themselves.”

“Yeah! Namely me...” Closing the door for their next guard post. “No wonder you go through partners so fast...”

Letting Aaron go, Felicity muttered, pleased with himself. “Am I still trying too hard? Or...”

“Baggage much...” Aaron returned, “No, guess your not, huh? Thank you...” Lifting his exposed body off the guard. Aaron reached out, feeling the storage that was illuminated from their brief encounter. Sure enough, within his hands, Aaron withdrew a thick itchy cloth. It barely covered him, but just under neath was a large fabric. Less itchy, the wool robe was a warm welcome from the damp breeze blowing up under.

Outside their intermediary room, was the halls of a large stone complex. Not the first time Aaron was fitted to such a situation, but if experience had taught him anything: it was that he sucked at being stealthy. Plus, being stone, doesn’t make for many air vents.

Down their first hall, a gatehouse came into sight, finally an easy exist for once. It’s space seemed crowded by the guard of it’s gate keepers, up the floor above them, with a perfect overlook; perfect for the guards. Getting caught here would turn them into ghosts, real fast. Aaron grabbed Felicity’s hand, and correlating their efforts, he threw the snake up out of sight. It landed short, getting a second chucking until falling over into the balcony above, while still out of sight.

It seemed smooth, watching Felicity slither around like a liquid snake; stealthily slaloming between the brick work, until in position to release the leaver. It would be a mad dash from there, but the outer world could cover their trail. Hooves echoed loudly by the gate, and Felicity was backed off behind cover, as the men took hold of the mechanism. Five men rode in; and with no cover in behind him, Aaron was forced to enter the gatehouse... under the distraction that kept the eyes above him, tethered to the army who was dismounting. They walked past him, unawares of the boy behind the barricade. His sight caught glimpse of his pack as they passed him by, and the contents he sought after fell into enemy hands.

Felicity slithered out, making sight with Aaron for the break, but the lad waved back. Felicity seemed eager to change forms and aid Aaron in their escape, but just wasn’t picking up on the signs. “coo, coo...” Aaron signalled, as the men up top took notice.

“Is that the secret call for a reformation?” One of them inquired aloud, “Are we being called for something?”

“Nah...” The guy next to him assured. “Tis but a swallow...”

“Tis not but a swallow, you dainty nit! How’ve you suppose, such a fake sounding bird call –such as which we have both taken ear to, be ‘but a sparrow?’ hark!”

“Could be an African swallow. Hasn’t quite been the same after they imported them. They’re much faster you know. Probably already left before we started speaking.”

“What?” Felicity returned, watching the open gate stand still with the bicker of the distracted guards.

“My things, they just walked past me with them.” Aaron informed, “They have our jars with it. That means our escape. All we have to do is crack the seal and we’re back eating Fish and Chips on North Victoria like nothing even happened... Otherwise...” Looking eerily at the archers and mounted ballistas, primed, bolts standing at the ready. “I’m just saying. It’s a long walk back with road patrols; that and I have no idea how to ride horseback, they do have the running advantage...”

“I’m putting up with a lot, you’re aware of that, yea?” Aaron nodded sheepishly. “Fine, but you’re fallowing my lead on this one. You look like a deer trying to clop his feet through a library, unheard.”

“That’s fare...”

From ducking corridor, to climbing rafters, Felicity’s climb through the facility was a solidus effort. Holding on for dear life, Aaron peered down at the men walking below them; and in the silence, Felicity lowered them both again, and slithered down the next hall. Peering in from the doors crack, Felicity reformed to open it’s handle. It was bare, but a few arms and some beds. The next, bore the same results. Felicity turned off from peering under the third door, pulling Aaron aside as the men inside came marching out. One, two... four... five, that was all of them.

Inside the battle room, laid cartography of every hillside imaginable, with odd connections between papers. It seemed to be the same type of diagram used in the mine’s outpost documents, but this time, in English: Very, very, shoddy English, but distinguishable. Aaron began to decipher the strange juxtapositions of the connecting paths, and how alterations formed as parallels. Roads who’s distance was measured separate of another as they broke up, to reconnect later. It seemed like a chaotic 4D chess, with declinations written as way points. This advanced stuff went right over Aaron, but slowly, he managed to process the intent; the overworld was drawn like a cave... How fascinating –Oh! And there was his stuff, sitting on the wayside.

Aaron lifted his belongings, feeling it lighter, and more aerated. He returned the trawl, and the first aid kit that was sat beside it, as well as the compass, and a few other things; and bloody hell what else was missing?! They rummaged through the pack with such carelessness, that Aaron began to repack his belongings just to check them off the list.

In the distance, outside their room, they stunted and gave ear to the conversation in the hallway. “Status on the two Tans mucking about the barracks?”

“Negative... We have nothing to report... Sir!”

“I’ll be damned if two punftas pull the wool over Bargar Gatehouse –Ah... Captain. I was just saying that...” The proud officer cowered before the quiet reprimands of their superior. “Y-y...yes Captain... I’ll get off my pansy crap covered ass, and earn my tiddy milk as you command... Sir...” Hearing the clanking of a full kitted knight, pacing out of the hall. Aaron’s hairs straightened out, grateful that the walking monolith passed down a different doorway.

Aaron was in possession of all but a few clothes, and perhaps some dry food supplies. He noticed the jars sitting on the shelf, with the same imprint etching of grapes bulging out the side –kinda hard to mistake those with someone elses swamp water. Oh, drat, they took the plastic tub, again; why was plastic so damned fascinating to these blumpkins! Aaron looked about the room, from it’s cracked wooden wash pots, to its rippled cobble flooring. Nowhere was adequate to drop his mirror. Oh, sure it’d puddle off in the corner of the room just fine, but it would run down the mortar and spread out like the web of an eight legged tax collector. Yeah, it’s tax season again, and I’m getting screwed over this year also. Aaron searched for anywhere that his water could sit a perfect pool to fit them through, but the war room was a far cry from a portal room.

Then it dawned on him. Five, ten, fifteen, maybe even twenty men had to be stationed here, and a hungry army, needs a hungry kitchen, with a hungry stock pot. Aaron peeked out the door, combating the crass remarks from behind him, and Aaron slipped out of the room. “I’m supposed to be leading, remember?” Felicity harshly whispered.

“Then take point and find me a soup kitchen.” Sneaking about the halls, through the darkened paths, and around the eerie corners. They could taste it through the air, but not find a scent to follow back to it’s source. Still, they could smell a meal cooked and caked into the walls. Aaron passed a rounded arms room, noting the excess of metal, and perhaps a concave shield.

“What about the ground in here?” Felicity inquired, impatiently tapping his feet.

Perking their ears, three men walked by, and three more into armoury. Aaron slipped back into a small backroom. It was dark, with no other exit. The men armed themselves for a trek in the woods, opting themselves for archery and shorter blades, that would not be caught by the trees. They carried on their way, except one, who came into the breach of Aarons safe space. Sitting by the doors edge, Aaron watched him walk past, oblivious. With a moment, Aaron slid out from behind him, and into the light of a man still waiting on his partner; whose eyes looked up in question of the strange wizard and his snake for a cane.

“Grahams whorehouse...” The man astounded, “What in heckles are you supposed to be? You that quance they imported from the capital? The ‘Ecken heck, were you doing in there?”

“Well...” Aaron sorted himself, covering his thighs more firmly. “W-when a quance like me has a girl at home he’d rather be thinking about, he... Uh...” Shamefully taking the brunt of blame and laughter, as a weaker ailment than being found out and skewered. The roaring laughter riddled the halls, and clawing it’s talons into the door casing, stood the daunting glare of a hellbent suit of armour. The fire could be seen in behind it’s metal mask and battle stance.

“Wait...” The dumbfounded crate sitter rose up. “This is the Tanwaise intruder we’ve been uppity over? Figured we were dealing with a soldier, not a mouse... Then again, spose, we don’t see a lot of quance’s faces much these days, mind raising your hood, boy?”

Aaron ran the situation through his mind, rummaging through his thoughts for a clever ruse, that may abate the bloodshed. For surely, should two swords clash, only death could settle it; death that glared certainly from the armoured menace, clanking it’s feet into the room. “The jig is up...” Felicity informed, returning to human form. “...We’ve played by your rules long enough, Aaron. We cannot run from fate, only cause it more quickly....”

“Come on, let’s just throw them aside, and keep moving.” Aaron cowered, to the laughter of the two soldiers

“Remember what we said about having faith in me, Aaron?” Felicity reminded, withdrawing his blade from the ether

“Yes, but...” Aaron reasoned, “I-I mean, look at him. He’s no match for you, what’s he really gonna do, right?” Ominously feeling the malice pour out from the armour at his dismissal. “Let’s just move on, and jump out of here. Look, this shield will do just fine... Minus the handle. We can fit right through it...”

“You’ve got the same bloodlust in you that I’ve got, don’t you?” Felicity replied to the silence under the metal. “Like a wolf in heat, rearing it’s fangs to sever it’s competition, aren’t you? It’s instinct, adrenaline in it’s purest form.” Throwing the first battle baited fool against the wall. The mounted arms fell clacking, and the second weakling withdrew from the might of the two beasts facing off. With a returning show of strength, the captain swung backwards; demolishing the stone wall with their fist, and spattered the awol soldier with debris until fallen.

Felicity smirked, throwing Aaron to the side to watch a real man fight. Flicking his sword, Felicity cut through the air, seeing the thin wave severed by an angled block, that came into a quick counter and a lunge. Resetting the position of their two-hand into a crouching preparation, the captain parried Felicity’s retort with a rotating backstep and maintained a ranged advantage. Swinging their return cut from behind their back, Felicity was forced to weave off balance, and the captain took advantage to punished the snake’s hastiness with a tackling shoulder charge. Felicity fell back against the rock pillar behind him, crashing through the shoddy mortar and stone. Panting from the hard hit, Felicity smiled and laughed, “Finally! After so many small fries, and petty monsters, a fight worthy of my skills!”

The overwhelming strength of the captain forced Felicity back and with a followup, sending Felicity flying into the next room, to smash through the sharp crates and provisions. Like rubber, Felicity returned to battle, clawing his way forward to the onslaught ahead. Changing targets, the captain shifted their eyes onto the weakling, swinging their arms to catch the privy little hostage. Felicity’s speed overcame the armoured brute, and took Aaron’s place; magically twisting himself free from the confused knight.

Picking Aaron up, Felicity tossed him behind the pillar of support. The captain turned around opposite, finding Felicity crawling over the pillar top like a ravenous beast to defend his friend. Aaron rolled back as stone and rock flew past him, from the explosive exchange. Aaron hid behind the door casing of the adjacent storage room. Beside him stood a sword rack. Aaron withdrew the finest steel falchion he could find in arms reach, and held it vertical as he lowered himself. Aaron clenched it with all hopes of defence, as the swing of the captains blade sliced through the wall just above Aaron’s head, stripping the sword from Aaron’s hands. Aaron sprung up from the wall, leaving the shattered steel blade behind, for a better distance from the action. Aaron turned again, scampering back towards the powerhouses, as the rest of the guard took notice of the busy arena, and cornered the lad.

The large thickened bastard sword cleaved into the support like it were nothing, backing Felicity into the corner of the rounded room. Grasping the massive tower shield beside him, Felicity hurled the massive metal malice through the air like a Frisbee. As the captain dodged, it continued, bowling the soldiers who’s pursuits for Aaron were swiftly halted.

Dodging with the immense weight of their armour, the captain was caught off balance. With the ample opening, Felicity took an extra spin, powering his momentum with a devastating strike. It’s impact ripped the dust from the roof as it hit, knocking the mortar loose from above them. Staggering back, the captain’s arms shook from the rattling shock of the armour shattering blow. Gripping the amour plate, the captain ripped the shattered shards from their body, pulling pieces out from her cleavage and threw the helmet asunder. The power built female captain heaved from the trauma, and roared, pulling a bloodied shard of shattered metal out from her abdominal. Her vision blurred, recovering from the impact, and lifted her sword.

“I was wondering why you needed all that extra room in there...” Felicity chuckled. “Those melons musta felt like two bowls of jelly being thrashed around by an earthquake.”

“Count yourself lucky, I wouldn’t have any man talk to me in such disregard...” The captain retort in great disgust.

“Yeah...” Felicity sneered, “We’ll go with that one for right now.”

With less weight upon her body, the captain’s strength rushed with even more speed and dexterity. Clashing swords, she turned her blade and bashed Felicity in the face with the hilt of her heavy steel, then kicked Felicity against the wall, winding him. He recovered his breath in time to see a strike he couldn’t avoid, and sharpened his fangs. Lunging towards the blade, Felicity transformed, floating his rope like body over top of swinging cut number four. Shock came over the captain as the snake wrapped her neck, turning back into human from behind, and slammed her body against the ground enough force to shatter the stone beneath her.

Staggering to her feet, the captain leaned back, catching herself before falling. “I should thank you...” She panted heavily, “This armour does a number with holding you down... but you managed to crack every disk in my back.” Giving her arms a stretch, “I feel even better than when I put it on.” Then charged with a new sense of strength, lunging her blade like a lance.

Barely catching the blades tip at his hilt, Felicity pushed it aside with his leverage and lifted himself to plant both feet against the captains face. By the time the captain could see again, Felicity was already lunged at her throat. Firmly planting her stance as she rolled back, the captain lifted up again and plowed away Felicity with her shoulder. Flying back, Felicity clawed for the wall, but fell back into the storage, again, and through the door..

The dark skies around the Bargar Gatehouse Blockaid began to churn, and rain came in off the valley walls. Men huddled by their defences, hearing the storm erupt below them in the bowels of the garrison, and through the halls. There had not been a wall left unscathed, nor a barrel left standing. From the shattered window, cast a boy, who’s hard landing was followed by a stone explosion. Felicity soon fell, thrown through the outer wall into the courtyard, and bounced off the stone as it’s debris flew past him.

Recovering quickly, his blade caught the splintering edge of a bolt, and shaved the ammunition as it whizzed past him. Mounted Balistas fired down onto the courtyard, halted by the intervention of their captain’s crossfire. Reengaging with the formidable warrior, she took her bloodlust out into the spattering of rain. The thin perspiration of the sky smudged the dried blood of her wounds, as she lifted her sword to cleave the snake from it’s skin.

Felicity rose up, twisting in the air to dodge. With a twist, Felicity leapt over the stone fence, slashing at the chest high stockpile for a shotgun of debris to batter his enemy. Bolts flew past him, as the mounted defences hesitantly scoped out whatever shots they could manage, between jamming interference of their captain’s proximity to the enemy. With a frustrated blow, Felicity cut the air, slashing a devastating blow against the ramparts and corbels. The stone crumbled, sending the men hurdling down with their oversized mounted crossbows.

The captain took heed of this distraction, and swung for Felicity’s lowered guard. Falling to his knees, Felicity dodged beneath the strike, and slashed at the captain’s ankles to no effect. Hammering her sword at the earth bound menace, Felicity rolled up to his feet and leapt at her from behind, but the woman jerked her blade back from the ground. Flying over the blade to strike from above, Felicity aimed his sword down for her head. The captain spun aside, dodging the air-locked attack, and prepared for the snakes rebound. Felicity sprung up from the earth for a quick succession, and his jabbed for the captain’s throat. The blade came in, parried against the stone wall, and pinned with all her weight for to kick her opponent off of it. Felicity’s deadly grip on his sword loosened, and when thrown back, so did his sword fly spinning in the air and landed vertical.

Aaron rushed to retrieve the fallen sword, tripped by the ground shattering bolt of the last ballista left mounted. With his presence noticed, Aaron barely gripped the blade by the time an armoured knee thrust into his sternum. Aaron could feel the panic of the impact, rippling through him, and the dry flavourless shock flush through his veins in every corner of his body. Air left his lungs, and Aaron was lifted off the ground to roll aside, numb of feeling anything. He gripped his stomach, as though he had been crushed in the groin; and recalling the instance took his every motor function, paralyzed by the pain.

Felicity’s eyes widened, and a stark anger that flushed through him. Adrenaline that was thought coursing through his veins fell flat to the fury that shot through his flesh. A fire burned so deeply, that the very aura called every eye, to the malice building within. Felicity’s hair risen, in an up current that filled the air with violence, and scales extruded from his form like a second armour. His feet moved, though a gravity forced every step to fall heavy under a colossal weight. Space itself seemed to shrink around him, and soon the captain was thrown towards Felicity. She tried to come charging, but her sword would not reach Felicity before he too fell towards the black hole behind her. His arms gripped her neck like vines, lifting the weightless captain towards the sky, and cast her down to earth. Ground formed beneath his feet, as Felicity’s force kicked off, plunging into her from above. The red skies cracked with a static that coursed through the serpent, and a thunder cracked from within.

Aaron crawled to stop the demon from sending the woman to the hell, but his weakness overwhelmed him, and the slow pace would not make it there in time; if at all. His eyes were gladdened, seeing her determination enough to return to her feet; yet saddened when her fury, fought tooth and nail against the monster she could not defeat. Inside, he could see her fear overwhelming her, too frightened to run away, but enough to believe there was no choice but to face her death quickly... And Aaron remorsed, when knew that he could no longer move.

She swung blindly, as the serpent wrapped around her. It’s massive rope bound her, crushing her backwards, digging it’s scales into her skin. With a shriek, the warrior fell to her knees, and for a moment began to cry for a God to save her. With the last ounce of strength, he threw himself upon her, throwing Felicity off with the glowing of his eyes; a force strong enough to penetrate the hateful snake into retreat. “We’ve won!” Aaron cried, running into the distance, pulling Felicity to oblige. A bolt flew to pierce the boy, blocked by the blade that Felicity pulled back to him through the air. He stood, pouring the last of his malice into the cut that collapsed the stone walls of garrison. The sky faded with his scales, back to the drear blue overcast of rain and sorrow.

Horns blew out, as fires lit upon it’s towers before collapsing. It followed with the sound that echoed back, and soon the whole valley lit it’s signals. Horns echoed, as cries filled the canyons and hilltops, mourning the fall of the Bargar Gatehouse in anger and in tears.

At the road’s end, stood a mighty ruin; a haven that fell, so that no stone stood tall evermore. At it’s mantle, bowed a deep and mortared sinkhole. Aaron threw his pack onto the ground, fumbling to search through the wet shards of glass and tools. All his glass jars had been shattered from the tossing and turning of battle, save one dented metal container, “Thermos!” Aaron cried, his greatest upgrade.

Laying upon the stone, the captain heaved to breath, watching men with vengeance in their eyes run past her. With what little she could croak out of her weary throat, she called her men back, but their blinded ears would not listen; and she witnessed the fall of foolish men. They gathered at the precipice of the ruins to witness the descent of a boy through a pool of water, and the glare that could have killed, following in behind him.

Aaron rolled out from the portal, throwing the tub to sever the connection, seeing a blade snap in half and fall onto the roof. Finally, there was peace. Aaron stood, reorienting himself with the break in communication. The air was still, and the sun pulled out from it’s cloud. Aaron breathed coarsely, still feeling the clenching of his abdomen. He walked to the roof’s edge, climbing down the heating vent to the school grounds below.

“Souvenir?” Felicity asked, holding the severed steel. “No?”

Sitting upon the chair in his otherworldly cloak and robe, Aaron’s eyes veered, distracted from the day’s events. His appetite sat silent, unable to touch his fried clam strips, though Felicity stole most his portion anyway. The blue walls of the old fish and chip shop were decorated with props and paintings, happy times that were shared with it’s customers. The compassionate cheer of the co-owner filled his glass, and Aaron drank from it slowly until his focus returned. She seemed strangely welcomed by his oddity, and for a moment he felt at home. The small restaurant chimed with the busy chatter of many people, and soon Aaron could leave his problems behind. For how long? Never really sits for long before the storm returns. Aaron withdrew his wallet from the bag, and moved on.

Of all that he tried, and all he could muster, twenty men now tended their wounds. In part, Aaron feared for the hurt they were given, even if they deserved it; even if their evils should cause them to war. The fact was, he could not tell what would become of it, or what injuries were beyond repair, and that’s what worried him most... That, and that he was powerless: A rag doll amidst a nuclear war. Nothing seemed to change since then, still the same weak, tender boy pretending her was strong enough to take in the responsibility.

In his sorrow, Aaron muttered about. “If I were strong enough, I could have avoided the pain that was given to all those people... I know I’m better than this, that I can, but always fall short... I need to get stronger, of my own power. I can’t keep having to rely on other people. The weight of life it too precious...”

“But aren’t I enough?” Felicity eavesdropped. “You saw how powerful I am. All you’ll ever need is me. As long as you have me, you’ll always be safe. Even when those men come... If –I think they’d have showed up by now if they were serious.”

“Yeah... I guess so, huh?” Aaron replied. Everything around him seemed normal, though not long ago it had waged viciously. Life was such a fickle thing at times, and Aaron conceded to his room, alone as the sun fell behind the hill. “I knew I could do it, but now I really second guess myself: Could I become strong enough to defend myself without killing? I should be happy, I have the most powerful guardian in the world by my side, but it feels like I lost hope again... Yet, somehow, I can’t manage to do anything else. I know what the answer is... But...” Looking up to Felicity at his doorway,

“That dinosaur movie’s on...” Felicity informed, “...you should come watch it with us.”

Aaron smiled, naturally lifting himself from his bed to join them, though his mind still wondered, disconnected from his heart. He knew it was all doable once, but now: “...I just don’t know if it’s possible to change my course anymore.”