Arc 3 - Chapter 70: Two Brothers I

(Reverence 6, 59 / 7:04PM)

He looked everywhere.

Up, down, left, right; he scoured his eyes like a crazed hawk. Smoke building up in his lungs, small remnants of ash found its way into his throat. Coughing through a dry throat, he had one hand sway away the pinching air. The woman next to him felt the same. Saliva littering down her lips, the taste of gunpowder wracked her gums and tongue.

“G-Gabriel! Come out now!”

His arms goosed out bumps. Raising a right fist, his knuckles took in the impact of another fist. Feeling his bones pop, crackle even, he loosened his footing with the wooden ground. Instead of tumbling back, he kept his body straightened out. Sliding across the wooden floor, the smoke cloud he was trapped in cleaved away. Lowering his right hand, blood dripped from his fingers, while his slide took him to the cocktail table.

“Thanks for the clarity.”

Having one hand free, his other held a pistol. With no time to think, David saw a wooden plywood flying at him, its edges still showing out nails. No time to think, he lunged himself to the right, as the flooring panel crashed into the table. Cleaving straight through, dust sprouted an unholy cloud.

“Seems I missed.”

Something blurred rushed toward him. Sliding across the floor, the tip of Gabriel’s boots grazed against the countless floor panels. Keeping an eye on the woman rushing him, and the cowboy who adjusted himself, he opened a smile.

“Here.”

Hating, small gusts of smoke fluttered from his boots. Coming to an absolute stop, he thrust his right foot down, to which another plyboard bursted free. Creating a literal wall, some of the nails loosened, and the air around them shook.

Iris zig-zagged to the right, but her foot brushed against the edge. Although she still stood, she tumbled slightly, making her stability waver in front of. Her head slammed against another wood. She took a step back. Blood running down her lips, it stained her skin red, while her eyes took in swirling wooziness.

“Forgot about me?”

Three bullets poured from the trigger.

Widening his eyes, Gabriel slid across the hallway to which was mostly empty. All the men and waitresses rushed out of the bar, and only a few remained in cover. But nonetheless, he tiptoed with squirming leather.

‘He’s fast.’

Two of his bullets missed, as they pelted a random wall from behind the spartan. But one bullet however…

“Gah!”

Because he caught Gabriel off guard, a single bullet found itself lodged in his stomach. Paleness sweeping over his face, it looked like he took it all in, before stomping more on those floorboards. Like missiles, they screeched the air until finding themselves to implode upon.

‘Got to injure him fully, but how?’ Moving with ease, David dodged the wooden tiles like they were fast balls. But from behind, the inertia it held shackled the walls and floor. Hearing the building itself groan, David uttered a small drop of sweat from his temple.

“Can’t beat me with bullets can you?”

“Fool.”

Turning his attention to Iris, she had already taken out her rolling pin. Jumping back, he slammed his foot to another panel, and kicked it in the air right toward her. But this time—

She sliced it through. Barreling toward Gabriel like a bullet, the spartan widened his eyes before leaping back. Holding his breath, the back of his legs pelted against a table. He spun his body to the right, while hearing the fabric of his suit rip.

‘Shoot.’

Gluing her right foot to the ground, she sprang herself forward with her arm extended back. The tip of her rolling pin shimmering with speed, Gabriel kept his boots sliding across the wood.

‘Just stay still.’

He pulled the trigger with empty lungs. Three more bullets ricocheting from the barrel, the metal scalded hot from the intensity. Turning to the noise, Gabriel lunged to his right, to where the backdoor was.

And because he took note of David, his left foot plunged into another wooden floorboard. Raising it up, he didn’t prepare another kick, leaving the wood to act like a wall.

“Miss me again.”

Leaping back with all the momentum in his legs, Gabriel tucked his arms and hands near his body. His back slamming against the door, it collapsed upon the inertia he held. Tripping on his own two feet, he extended both of his arms out at last. Cradling the dirt ground with whitened palms, he took in the warm wind that whistled his throat. Getting back up, he had one hand loose to his side, while the other rested in his pocket.

“Talk about luck.”

Pulling his hand out, his fingers grappled tight against metal. Keeping it close, he straightened his body before walking back.

Keeping his finger on the trigger, each intake of air wrestled his lungs. Sweat floundering his temples, he glanced down at the bullet hole in his stomach. Blood still pouring down his leg, the pain continued to gnaw, like he was stabbed with a hot knife. But he raised his head, as the wall itself—

—Bursted out.—

Chunks of wood flying out, Gabriel took a step back. Having a suppressor wrapped around the barrel, he waited as a man walked out of the building.

‘I guess he’s going to take this outside huh.’

His footing was loosened with the ground. Walking back, he moved his finger toward the trigger, and saw the dust cloud circle and intertwine. All from the crumpling of wood, Gabriel kept his footing steady with…

Something lunged toward him.

Catching it with quivering eyes, Gabriel jumped back with all the strength in his thighs. Feeling his bones act like springs, he quenched his breath, and fumed with largened nostrils. Whilst he zig-zagged around the little backyard, it wasn’t long before he pushed himself into a fence, or rather tackled himself into it.

‘Got to lead him to the main street.’

Chunks of wood flying out, many of them scattered across the stone pavement. Prickling the ground, the only thing the spartan had his eyes on, was the cowboy who managed to catch up. Once he began to slide, Gabriel rapidly-fired from the waist. Unleashing four bullets, the suppressor tainted the roar like mini swishes from a knife.

David zig-zagged his way to the right. Masking himself with the blurring wind, he tightened his left hand, and let it hang loose to his side; and imagined a chant.

—“Divine Slab.”—

He was only ten meters away; yet the air throttled in a drumming rhythm. Reverbring, damaging, it was so much that Gabriel his own tuxedo rippled against it. His footing now loose completely, he clenched his eyes shut before thrusting himself—back.

His shoulders thumping and tumbling against the stone, bruises swelled nearly instantly. His own eyes taking in the dizzying effects, he coughed, he gagged, before his rolling finally slowed to a stop. Sprawling himself with his arms and legs, he gazed upon the darkening sky. His ears, which tickled against the hot air, finally worked to bring in a voice.

“Do you know why I came here?” Gabriel coughed shakingly, his lungs hoarding out specks of blood from his throat. Saliva littering from her lips, he continued to look up at the sky littered with light pollution. Without so much as giving him a look, he pushed up a smirk. “I know exactly why. In fact, I knew that you’d take this route.”

David felt every pore in his body open up. Being watched, he felt many eyes holding up in the buildings around them. He could tell that they were against him, as he noticed subtle glimpses of reflective metal. Clenching his teeth, he bit down his molars like they were candy.

Staring down at the spartan at last, he began to softly chuckle through wheezing breaths. David moved his finger toward the trigger; and took a step back.

‘He set me up.’

He heard footsteps far in the distance. He was about to be surrounded, but it’ll take a long while before they arrive. Even so, Gabriel ceased his chuckling, to which was replaced with a smirk.

“Do you see the difference in how we both fight?”

David squeezed his fingers inward, and pushed them into his palms. Lowering his head an inch down, he exhaled air from his mouth, one that was ruffled with dryness. Hearing the desert wind growl, it rippled the bottom of his leather jacket, along with Gabriel’s fedora.

“What do you think is gonna happen? It’s my job to take criminals in. I can’t let you go scott-free, you know?”

Gabriel grappled the ground with his fingers, and began to rise with hanging arms. Having one foot press on the stone, his balance was fairly stable, but his fingers trickled his pants. Blood drew from his right nostril, to which loosened the smirk he held. Without so much as taking a step forward, he extended his arm out.

“Face it David. You dug your own grave just to see me.”

The sun glowed the last of its glittering light. Still keeping his head tilted down, his cowboy hat shadowed his whole face. Having both of them in his pockets, all he needed was to buy time.

[Although we have each other, I wonder who else is gonna be in our little regiment.]

‘What the hell went wrong?’

David frowned. Feeling his own knuckles crack against one another, no air pushed within his lips or nostrils. Unable to hear his own heart beat, the wind, the howling desert wind, it couldn’t even comfort—

“You know what my job is?”

Even the wind stopped howling. The footsteps from the agents being nothing, his low voice broke through like a sword. But most importantly, Gabriel himself took a step back.

“The kids I trained, the teens I lifted, I was their main mentor through all their dark years. Sure the others played better parts, like how Jenny is good at teaching academics, or how Gwen is good at crafting parties. Those two have their separate parts to play, and our soldiers knew better than anyone what duties they served.”

He remembered the smiles.

Although he never really showed it, he had such high expectations for an elite group. He was proud of them all, from the way they fight, to the way they act. Showing them every way to take down a man, to subduing them unconscious, he didn’t teach to kill, but to hold back unless absolutely necessary. Merciful yet aggressive; that was how the Dark Angels fought. Their skills, their aim, their fighting…

“But those two lack aim; and that’s where I come in.”

David raised his head at last, his eyes resting on Gabriel who took another step back. He felt the crosshairs, felt the barrels, and the glares that he could now visibly see.

“Gabriel. You may be my brother, but like hell you’re taking them away from me.”

The spartan thrusted both hands onto his hips. Taking out two desert eagles, he dual wielded them with tightened palms. As soon as took aim, Gabriel continued to chuckle, although a vein sprouted from his right temple.

“All agents! Open fire on—”

He felt something cold slide down his back. Although it was imaginary, he hissed air through the center of his lips.

Moving his head to the right, he avoided a single slash from a blade. Almost slicing his ear, he lunged back, and took aim at the woman rather than the cowboy. Hearing the roar of both of his guns, the soundwaves ricocheted with one another. Leaving her ears to bleed, she zig-zagged around them, but her true target was not at Gabriel.

“Come and get me!”

Just like that, every agent turned their barrels onto Iris.

________________________________________________________________________

Gabriel fired at her, and so did the rest of the agents. She maneuvered with burning leather as she sprinted toward the alley. All of them taking the bait, his whole battalion was hooked by her.

“W-Wait—”

Bullets barreled toward Gabriel. Having no choice, he slid left, and avoided half the lead that David sent. Seeing that he was standing still, he had his eyes locked on him.

“Fine. Guess I’ll be dealing with you by myself.”

“It’s better that way. It makes you less cowardly.”

In back of her, the lead tried its best to strike her.

Lunging left and right, she had a random pattern to which she followed. Wait half a second, lunge forward. Wait 1/4ths, then to her right and left. Wait again, same time, left and right.

‘At last.’ Reaching the alley, she had her rolling pin close beside her. Having her fingers clench the wood tightly, she heard her own breath from the exterior walls. ‘I need to reach the end.’

Figures began to stall right at the front. Letting out a hard scoff, it grazed out of her throat, leaving her to tighten the handle. She could either run back or forward, but these two options would leave a bullet hole to take—

She jumped high, but at an angle. Because of physics, she lunged back and forth between walls.

“Uh, Bruce?”

“My god. J-Just fire!”

Having a bit of hesitation in their eyes, they shook it away, and trampled fire from their barrels. Feeling the recoil shackle them back, their bullets struck and stripped the brick to where Iris lunged. Like a spider, she honed her body weight on the tips of her toes.

“S-She’s not stopping!”

“Keep firing! Our accuracy will be better once she—”

She jumped high. Reaching a height higher than the buildings near, her purple hair fluttered against the wind. Having herself stride with elegance, with pride, she soon barreled down like an incoming missile. Most specifically where the group of agents were.

Continuing to fire, her heels directed itself right onto the main man. Because she caught them off guard, they tried to fire, but many of them shot out empty blanks.

“S-Stop!”

Her heels struck his chest. Saliva splattered all over the ground, and onto his own tuxedo. For his subordinates, they all stepped back and reloaded frantically. Iris already slid her right foot back.

Slicing the air from below her waist, she reached her first target. A tall man, burly shoulders, and had a beard reaching the top of his chest. His chest was slashed, as Iris had a twirl to her spin. She moved onto the next target. A woman with hoop earrings, who finished reloading; slashed. A man wearing glasses, not even halfway done reloading; slashed. A woman with dark skin —slashed. A man—slashed. Slashed.

Mopping up the group, she slid across the ground. The tip of her rolling pin blade painted red, not a single groan uttered from their mouths.

‘I sense more.’

Gunshots drew from the alley behind her. Side-stepping to the right, she took cover behind the building and waited. Hearing their footsteps, she also noticed a small wooden barrel to her left. By the time another group of agents arrived… chunks of wood fastened toward them.

“Gah!”

For a split second, the guards crumpled like cookies dipped in milk. The group of five took a step back, two of them roared. Chucking their faces on the ground, the three of them opened fire.

But another one gasped out. By the time the two burdened their arms with recoil, she zig-zagged her way around the bullets. With her rolling pin flickering away blood, it reached right where she wanted. Tumbling out one, and then two, she saw them collapse to the ground. Blood trailing from their chests, she stopped her twirling.

‘Tis easy.’

Gunshots roared from the street. No… it drew from both ends. Lunging forward, her toes squeezed the tips of her leather heels. Making a ballad just for them, some bullets grazed the edges of her clothing.

‘Looks like I have no choice.’

Hearing the shooting stopped, she looked up at the edge of the rooftop. Giving herself a subtle nod, she spread both feet apart, and sprang herself up. Denting the ground beneath her, her rolling pin rested against her thigh, but it too spurred the air.

Once she reached maximum height, she had her left hand grapple on the edge. Pulling herself up, she barely settled her heels on the rooftop. She ran right, and once she reached the edge, she saw the agents take a perimeter around the street.

‘If they are all wanting to get me, then so be it.’

Pushing her rolling pin into her holster, she let it rest. Having both of her heels dug into the brick, she noticed that some of the agents turned toward her. Raising her hands, her palms extended high.

“You all are weak! None of you have gotten a shot on me!” Stepping off from the building, she landed firm against the cobblestone ground. All the agents turned, or rather focused their attention on the dust she scoffed away. Her heels crackled in stress, and she adjusted herself before walking forward. “And you call yourselves agents?!

None of them fired, as most of them moved their fingers from their triggers. Red glistening their eyes, their pride as the government’s best was at stake. Some of them clenched their teeth, or growled through humming vocals. But almost all of them prepared knuckled fists. Seeing that she walked toward the center, she had two battalions of agents all preparing for a brawl.

“Come! Let us see if you all are second-rate!”