Ch 15: The Shadow Coven

Smoke pirouetted from the gun’s barrel, static electricity crackling on the nozzle.

“Looks like I got here just in time.” Ace sized up the two individuals, well, a singular individual that had cornered Hiro while the other watched—a young boy with golden hair. For some reason, it rang a bell.

“And here I thought you would’ve died by now,” Hiro replied in a flat tone, backing up to stand aside Ace. Meanwhile, the boy retreated, standing next to the mage.

“You don’t seem very grateful. I just saved your life, you know?”

“Well, we can count that as two-one to me then.”

Ace nodded in satisfaction. It was true that Hiro had helped him out more than he had returned so far. For him, it was reassuring that it wasn’t a one-way kind of trade. Having known nothing coming into this strange world, it was comforting to know he could be of some use to Hiro. It gave him hope that Hiro wasn’t using him for some ulterior motive. Sometimes a pretty lie was better than an ugly truth, though no matter how much you paint over a cracked wall, the crevices will show eventually.

“That kid with gold hair. That’s Shell, the kid the announcer was on about. Shouldn’t we avoid him? The doors are right there; we should leave while we can.”

Hiro lit a fresh cigarette—spitting out the smoke with a hint of pettiness. “I’m not leaving here till that kid learns his place. I don’t care who or what he is.”

Hiro’s pride was brittle. Pathetically so. Usually hidden by his smirking, headstrong personality, in battle it was clear to see as day. Slowly, in Ace’s mind, Hiro’s confident and impenetrable image was cracking at the edges.

“Re-think it, Hiro. Weren’t you the one who told me to steer clear of this kid?”

“Aww, little Ace is scared. The door is right there; feel free to see yourself out. We're both gonna die in a fair fight anyway.”

Really Hiro? What are you, a child?

“Then why fight if you think you’re just going to lose?”

“I never said anything about keeping it fair.” Hiro rustled his hands through his trench coat, the numerous metal gadgets clinking together. “Listen up. That kid’s dangerous. He’s afflicted. Get too close and you’ll lose your life. Keep him at a distance.”

“Afflicted?”

“I’ll explain later. He attacks with some sort of sonic vibration. A sound rings out just before each attack lands. Look.”

Ace’s eyes drifted to the pair standing on the opposite side of the cathedral hall, past the large, beastly corpse that was somehow split cleanly into two.

Was it him who did that?

The idea of fighting someone who could cut a beast the size of a building in two. Was he crazy?

The mage seemed to be speaking while the young boy nodded in response.

“He’s lip-reading what the mage says. He’s deaf.

You see where this is going? I’m gonna throw these canisters into the air and you’re gonna set it ablaze. We’re gonna fill the room with as much smoke as possible. This black smog is military grade. The Marauders used these back in old territories. You aren’t gonna see a thing. I want you to shoot everything that moves. Don’t take any chances. If the mage casts a spell, make sure to shoot the spell circles before they form. She used an echelon five spell earlier; she might be able to use even higher tiers. Basically, shoot everything.”

Sounds straightforward, Ace thought. “Wait, where’s the kid gone?” Ace’s eyes darted around the room, but he could only see the mage.

The sound of fabric swaying in the air. Ace looked up, a silhouette encroaching from above.

“NOW!” Hiro shouted, lobbing three green canisters into the air.

Firing one bolt of lightning that struck the three, a crack and whizz, and the room burst into black. The canisters exploded, engulfing the room in darkness. The battlefield plunged into a pitch-black hell of flames and smoke.

Ace coughed, the smog seeping into his lungs. Squinting his eyes, the haze sifted and swayed. Footsteps. Ace replied with searing lightning, a flash of yellow disappearing into the fog. Silhouettes dancing in the darkness. Was it the smoke or a shadow? Eyes frantic, heart racing. Pins and needles crawled through his fingers. The mirage of smoke and haze blurred to ghosts in the dark. All flickers became targets. Whether it was out of recklessness or fear, it didn’t matter. Ace shot at everything. He pulled the trigger on everything and anything, the claps of thunder echoing like a drumbeat.

THUMP!

A kick from the haze. Shell stumbled back, disoriented in the mirage.

“That’s more like it. How’d ya like that, huh? Oh yeah. You can’t hear me.”

Leading with his left leg, Hiro threw another kick. Shell blocked through pure instinct, his steps lacking half the delicacy they had in their last encounter.

They both traded blows, the drumming of thunder bouncing off the hollow walls. With the sound of each of Shell’s steps, Hiro acted accordingly—another heavy kick. Shell blocked, retaliating with a lunge forward, his fist swinging in an arc. But all he found was air. A right hook landed cleanly on Shell’s temple, his feet faltering backwards.

“This is what it feels like coming into my world, kid.”

SCREECH.

Hiro sidestepped out the way, the assault slicing through the smoke, before returning a roundhouse kick, connecting with Shell’s arm. Shell was slowly retreating while Hiro kept the pressure.

Lightning flashed past Hiro’s eyes, narrowly missing him.

“WRONG PERSON ACE!!”

“SHIT SORRY,” Ace coughed, the smoke wasn’t just irritating his lungs. They felt like they were burning. Ripping some of his sleeve, he covered his mouth, attempting to filter the smoke. Nausea began taking over, the sharp pain drilling through his brain, his excruciating headache from earlier returning.

“ATTENTION ALL COMBATANTS! WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY-” The voice echoed through the Library, interrupted by crackling and static.

Hiro’s ears twitched. It was the announcer, but the voice was warping.

“I REPEAT AN…SITUATION WE ARE ASKING FOR ALL-“

Suddenly, a creeping chill seeped through the library. Hiro instantly retreated, backing away from Shell whom he had almost cornered. All the goosebumps on his skin rose, a shiver seething through flesh. Shell could feel it too. He leapt backwards, ducking low as if hiding—a survival instinct.

The voice eventually succumbed to the static. Emerging from it was a different voice.
Distorted, it was ominous and synthetic, carrying the same chill that had crawled through the library in its entirety.

The pain tearing through his very nerves, Ace crumpled to the ground, unable to stay conscious any longer.

Floating and drifting through space. That’s what it felt like—an out-of-body experience with no bodily sensations. But somehow a greater sense of perception. Like freedom from the chains of flesh and blood.

“A star-crossed mortal?”

“Who-who’s there?” Ace called out into the void.

“Where’s thy manners? One should introduce oneself first. You may call me Lazeroth.”
With not even an echo to disrupt its clarity, rather than hearing the sound it was more like the words were going straight to his head. Not even a vibration in the air around him.

“Ace. My name’s Ace.”

“You have made a grave mistake. What might a mortal be doing? Crossing the boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed?”

“I haven’t done anything. I-“

“The Cosmic Order has been broken. The inexorable quail of divine judgement has already been set into motion. There is nowhere in the system left to hide. Nowhere the Primordial can’t see you. It was always the humans, driving themselves to their own insanity.”

The words floated through Ace’s head. Too overbearing and elusive to carry any meaning.

“I-I don’t understand.”

Cosmic Order? Divine judgement? What the hell is this guy yapping about? I’ve had some strange dreams before, but nothing like this. Maybe I should lay off the Bocari Sweets for awhile…

“I pity you, star-crossed mortal. Whether it was your choice or another's, you will witness the aftermath.”

Somewhere, Ace could feel something tugging at his consciousness.