Arc 3 - Chapter 10: A Game of Tag

(Octavian 29, 59 / 7:27AM)

The four of them ran with blistered heels.

Clamping onto the white concrete step by step, their eyes pinned on the elf who sprinted fast. Making his way through civilians, pushing past men and women alike, he slipped and peeled through the crowd like an eel. Feeling their stomachs pinch tightly, every breath they inhaled corroded their intestines.

—He’s too fast …

For a single second, they failed to catch Sean with narrowed eyes. Even though they reconnected their eyes on him at last, Luke kept his breathing under control.

During training, Sean was ranked as the fastest runner in the group. With Luke being a beast in terms of stamina, Sean was no doubt a sprinter amongst sprinters. Feeling like the elf was slipping away from their aim, they had something that Sean didn’t have.

“Oh he’s so dead.”

Gripping tightly her batons, she allowed all of her feet and boots to loosen with the ground …before vanishing into the imaginary.

Popping out like light from a light bulb, Sean didn’t need to know why Luna teleported. Feeling her breath, feeling her intense glare burden him, Sean chuckled loudly like he was enjoying the adrenaline.

Pushing and passing through more civilians, he even tripped a boy or two in his game. Letting a roll of sweat to lavish his cheek, he finally found his field of vision somewhat free from pedestrians.

“That almost got me.”

Without notice, Sean skidded the bottom of his shoes, and made a hard turn right. Narrowly avoiding Luna’s hand, she was inches away from grabbing hold of his collar. Pushing his feet into the dark alleyway, the edges of them were littered in garbage and beer.

Rats and roaches scattering into the trash, he noticed a black wall burdened in stone.

“Shoot.”

Stopping his run, he faced the wall with his hands raised high in the air. Without turning around, he made sure that he wasn’t suspicious, as he heard a trail of boots from behind.

“Hehe”

Being in front of them, Luna stomped her way toward the ginger-haired elf. Having a baton in her right hand, she held it tight with only the helm of her palm. Feeling like snapping it in half, she raised her right hand, while Sean stood still.

As soon as she—

It passed through him.

His body fading away like imaginary wax, it only made Luna take a step back. Outsmarted yet again, she felt all of her teeth ground one another, with her gums strained by her strength.

“Shit!”

“Then that means—”

Quickly turning his head around, Luke trailed a slight blur of black from the corner. Looking like it sped away, it only wrinkled his soft face that mesmerized in warmth.

“We got to catch him now!”

Having no other choice, they began their sprint yet again, as their soles strain the very stone beneath them. Feeling every step wrinkle their boots, the leather that they wore worsened by the second. As they escaped out of the alley, the crowd of civilians only doubled.

Meaning they had to push through.

Pushing past through men and women alike, some of them wore shocked surprises. Not because of their lack of manners, but because of the clothes they wore. Therefore, they were perfect when it came to standing out.

—I really hope we don’t get ratted out…

Almost bumping into a businessman, Luke thanked his luck. Being in front, even Luna hid herself in back of him, as he paved the way amidst the obstacles of humans.

Meanwhile, Sean didn’t pay no heed to others safety.

Tripping men and women alike, he paved them like obstacles by his command. Making them kneel, making them fall, the border between criminal and citizen was about to be crossed. Not only that …

“Damn, elf!”, “Stupid leaf-eater tripped me!”, “You’re paying for my new slacks! Long-ears!”, “Mommy mommy! An elf!”, “Oh, don’t look dear. Remember what I told you about elves.”

Ignoring their complaints, as well as their prejudices, Sean glanced in back of him. Seeing that they were failing to catch up, the sea of citizens in front of him softened.

Running in perfect form, he felt all of his throat parch. Feeling every bone work in motion, his beating heart pounded his chest; repeatedly, heavily, and most of all—

She teleported right in front of him.

“You shouldn’t have ran.”

He couldn’t leap to his right or left. Seeing her whole face tattered in veins, he couldn’t blink as…

She thrust her right hand, and grabbed the helm of his collar. Putting an end to his sprint, all he could at that moment was push up a smile. Feeling a bead of sweat roll down his temple, his face paled.

“Guess you got me.”

“And you said you wanted a reward?”

“Yeah. I get to play another—”

Without finishing his sentence, Luna poured strength into the helm of her shoulder. Pushing him down, she made sure that his face made contact with the ground.

Having him on the ground in full force, a line of blood drew from his face. Groaning from the throbbing pain, he was kept in that position, as Luna then had her knee against his nape. Scanning to her left, she saw the rest of the group running toward her.

While citizens began to flee the vicinity.

“N-Not too hard.”

“Oh please. You were barely able to keep your frustration in check. I was doing what you wanted to do.”

“But…”

Glancing up at Luke, his eyes were burdened in bloodshot red. Looking like he strained his scleras, veins scattered all around his irises and pupils. Gritting the back ends of his teeth, it looked as if he held a lot of words back.

“Ah! Is this how you play?!”

“Sorry Sean, but we can’t let you roam free.”

“Damn you. At least let me move my arms—ah!”

Luna only pushed an ounce of her knee down, but it was enough for Sean to yell. Kneeling down on the same level as Luna, Luke patted her shoulder twice, making her hold on him softly loosen.

Keeping her in check, he looked at the elf who tried to wiggle his way out. Bits of rock and stone glued to his cheeks, it was clear that Luna’s way of holding him down was … too much.

“Why do you guys villainize me? All I’m doing is being myself.”

“But Sean, out of everyone; you cause the most issues.”

“Cough cough … that’s your reason? Is that why you hate me?”

“For the hundredth time … I don’t hate you …”

Feeling his palm shake, it crinkled and twitched the longer he stared. But instead of thrusting it down, instead of rubbing his back like a child; Sean didn’t need to be coddled. Pushing down a grin, it sulked and grew the longer it remained.

“But that recklessness of yours will get us killed.”

“Oi! What’s going on!?”

Running down the street, was a man the same age as Jack.

Having a cowlick on the right side of his hair, he wore a brown outdoor jacket amidst the dry heat. Looking like it was heavy, bits of loose string and fabric dangled from the sleeves. Wearing khaki pants, brown cowboy boots, his attire looked somewhat similar to the Dark Angels. Having the same tan as Luna, he had light brown eyes.

Waving his right hand, he gathered their attention.

“Hey! What are you doing!?”

—Shoot … he looks like some sort of soldier…

Once the tanned man stopped his run, he slowed to a walk before he reached the group. His breathing somewhat controlled, he moved his arms to his sides, and pressed his palms on his waist.

“Tell me what’s going on. Now.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Hold on Luna, let me handle this.”

Pushing himself in front of the group, his hands were steady. Making himself seem vulnerable, he had his head hunched low but not that low.

“Look, we don’t want any trouble.”

“So what’s your problem with him? He works under me, so explain.”

Moving his left hand into his pocket, his right loosened from his hip. Having it stall there, he felt his forehead begin to crinkle.

Meanwhile, Luna had her hand placed against Sean’s head. Instead of pushing her knee against his nape, all of her fingers grappled his hair like hay rope. Her teeth strained, all her enamels crackled under her own strength.

“He pissed me off. Nobody pisses me off and gets away from it.”

The man raised his eyebrows, and felt a flash of disbelief wash over him. Turning his eyes onto Luna, he only worsened his frown.

“So you use excessive force?”

“Do you have some kind of problem?”

“... I’m not looking for trouble.”

Bringing his left hand out from his pocket, he straightened his back amidst the growing tension.

Keeping her hand remained on Sean, she glared at the man who stood at the same height as Luke. Being thicker than Jack, he was leaner than Miles. But despite her mean glare, he didn’t allow himself to back down.

“But I won’t see conclusions in the dark. Explain the most if you can, now.”

Luke and the others turned toward Luna, and he tugged her shoulder hard.

“I told you I’d handle this.”

“So what? I don’t see you doing anything. Besides, Sean has been a pain in the—”

“But we were also at fault as well. We chose to be slightly hostile, and look where it led us.”

All around them, no citizens or civilians were around the streets or sidewalks. Looking like the area was dead, they were all that was left. The alleyways and streets plunged in isolation; it was all their doing.

But for some reason … he felt watched.

His blessing activated, he signaled a shiver that crawled across every bone in his body. Flaring up all of his back hair, and even his leg hair, everything screamed at him amidst the situation. It wasn’t the man in front of him … but someone that was near.

“Before he worked with you, he worked with us. He used to be a part of our group.”

“Again. What did he do?”

“... H-He challenged us to a game of tag. We didn’t want to, but he forced us, because he threw a smoke bomb underneath our feet. We just wanted to catch him and put an end to it, but Luna here … used too much force.”

“sighs … I see.”

Pushing both of his hands into his pockets, he strolled straight toward Sean without bumping into anyone. With Luna still having her hand on his head, she continued to glare.

The wind began to slightly pick up, but only softly. All of their hair whistling against it, it was dry, drier than any wind they took the liberty of enjoying.

“Unhand him, or else someone will get the wrong—”

—“Need any help Christian?”—

Without feeling a trace of their existence, the Dark Angels turned toward the direction they used to run. It was a pair of teens.

One teen was a girl, similar to Luke’s age. Her skin being a shade lighter than Miles, she had bob-hair that stalled on her shoulders. Having light-black hair, and being an inch shorter than Hope, she looked to be slightly thicker in weight.

The other teen was a boy, who was two to three years younger than her. Having a light tan complexion, his hair was messy, as old leaves littered the front and back ends. His hair being brown, he was a couple of inches shorter than Luke, and he had the same body type as well.

The two wore the same attire as the man with the cowlick, meaning…

“I told you guys that I’d handle it.”

“I told you Chris. What did I what did I—I told you so!”

“Shut up Pacifica, you don’t make any sense.”

They had their hands stalled on their sides. With the Dark Angels already cautioned, Luke felt the tension beginning to rise. So did Christian, the two leaders felt like the worst might happen…