The Wielder of Death Magic

“I don’t know,” she shrugged and scoffed snacks, Xen kept a relaxed expression, the attention of the passing crowd – physically and mentally different people from Hidros. The outfits were on the lesser side, darker complexion, skinnier and taller figures.

“Staring in the distance?” commented the lord.

“I find the area quite amusing,” professed Xen, “-everyone’s walking without care for the heat. Look at me, look at us,” a shadow hid the eyes, “-we’re under the shade... I understand how a turkey must feel in the oven.”

“What?” frowned the lass, tan marks of swimsuits leaped from her rather ‘radiating,’ top, despite the weird request, the smile was bright as were her pupils. Shorter side hair kept in a ponytail, “-don’t blame it on me, blame television,” her pout led to a nearby drink. “-Besides, I haven’t indulged myself in a long time. Training’s hard, the foods almost nothing but grass... well, anyway, out of the countless women yesterday,” a ‘-be careful,’ aura fill her way of speech, “-why pick me?”

And opened his mouth, “-no,” fired Xen holding an index to the noble, “-And, allow me to answer,” the body tilted towards the lady invitingly, “-you see, fair maiden – I chose for us to have a companion,” he smiled, “-and don’t misinterpret, I didn’t pick, a gentleman must never objectify women, it simply came down to your smile and cheeriness. The way you walked out that room with energy and vigor, I felt rejuvenated, and I mean it in a good way.”

Her slightly rounded nose lifted to Xen to which she pushed her body forward, “-I like you,” she winked, “-good answer,” casually flipping her pony-tail to And, “-what about you, And, tell me your answer,” she licked her lips seductively.

.....

“You’re the prettiest,” escaped – the flushed cheeks reddened, “-I’m sorry,” he covered his mouth charmingly.

“Ha-ha,” her cheeks crinkled around her eyes, signs of sincerely genuine laughter, “-you two make a great duo. How long have do you know one another, must be great friends.”

They exchanged glances, “-actually, we met yesterday.”

“And is correct. He had more charm than the other, certainly more to the other obnoxious invitee. The celebrations start later this evening. And, Nadhi, why not spend time together.”

“Xen?” said And in a questioning tone, the cheery Nadhi bruskly moved her head from man to man.

“Tonight’s party is about showing off one’s date,” sighed Xen, “-sorry, Nadhi, I wanted my friend here to have the best date of the night. After what I said... comes across as rather rude, doesn’t it.”

“I get it now,” she exclaimed, “-Hidros’s way different from Elendor, I get that. We don’t usually care about how the other person feels, I mean, the queen was our pride and joy, she always kept a strong smile and a dignified attitude, I look up to her. I guess it’s different in Hidros, the leaders are different – is the king like a recluse or the leader from the shadow type?”

“Actually,” motioned Mandl, “-King Igna might be the greatest mind in our generation. I can’t hold a candle to him,” the fingers quickly tapped and pulled a page dedicated to King Igna’s journey, “-the stories about him are amazing, recently, this,” a familiar title caught Xen’s eyes, “-The Epics of the Haggard Dynasty. An amazing read, I’m not even kidding. The way Serene wrote the details is like there’s more to what’s on paper – there’s depth, it’s like anything’s possible.”

“Doesn’t that mean the secretive family is exposing their secrets?”

“No, she uses different names and fake locations, the context is true and the personages are real. Far from what I’ve read, there isn’t any chronological order, she writes what she wants and details the epic as her fingers desire.”

“Tell me more,” Nadhi’s curiosity piqued, “-they sound fun.”

Xen save but smiled and stood, “-seems to me, the date’s going better than I expected. No way I’ll get in the middle of such a lovely relationship. I’ll see you around, And, show the lovely a great time.”

“Wait,” he called, “-what about you, got any money?”

“Always the caring soul,” returned a kind refusal, “-I would never take money or favors from a friend. Besides, we’ve only known each other for a day. Keep the valuable closer, friend, never know who might be painting a target,” thus, he excused himself and soon landed inside a hallway lined by various shops. A walk around the city was quite an experience. People were always in motion – they walked, some ran, the warmth in the air was quite a hassle, not many thought it as trouble. The lonesome walk went from the good part to the outlier district, merchants sold knock-off items, they screamed prices, and drew the visitors. A disheveled road, dirty, and filled with trash, roughly took old trucks into a jumpy ride – hit a pit too hard and the driver might have flung out the windshield.

‘They don’t care about keeping their streets clean. Bags flying, honestly,’ he walked, hand in the pockets, ‘-feel bad for those living here,’ a certain alley caught his attention – the many locals made conscious efforts in avoiding a certain radius at the alley’s mouth. With nothing better to do, he followed instinct and slipped into said area, ‘-what dark secrets do you hold, alley,’ the winding path dug deeper into a gated area – the whole installation pointed to an abandoned factory. Gates were torn, footprints visible and recent, ‘-fun,’ he ducked and moved inside, ‘-what am I even doing?’ he shuffled with hands in his pocket. A watchtower rose in the distance, unhinged window, shattered glass, and an ominously blowing wind. A few steps in, at the start of the compound, symbols pertaining to a gang, ‘-Yeo,’ jumped in mind. Distant moans and murmured rose in the distance, ‘-wait, I know that voice,’ the focus heightened, muffled cries caught his ears. No questions asked, he snuck deeper and deeper into the compound, open warehouses echoed, chairs and tables screeched.

“SHUT YOUR MOUTH,” *smack,* “-DAMNED MAID.”

“Damn, she took that slap like a man.”

“-I’m not laughing. We got her as trade by that fucker who owed us money. Can’t do anything with a living chick, besides the usual trade, she’s useless. There’s no point in taking care of a defiled product -buyers won’t pay money for a sack of bone. Look at her face, she’s not even pretty.”

“Come on, she opens her legs and clients will swarm.”

“Keep dreaming, we are Ye-motherfucking-O, standards to keep, the boss won’t be satisfied.”

“I don’t care, he just bought time. Hand her to the boss, we’ll kill him later.”

“I mean, we could have a little fun before sending off?”

“So much for the talk about standards,” a loud moan echoed from the next warehouse, music played, a drug-and-sex party, host of sin and unspeakable acts, so was the description by the local paper.

‘The scream, I’m sure I heard the voice,’ *clop, clop, clop,* ‘-sticking to the shadow won’t help,’ two warehouses stood before him, one empty and the other darker and host to atmospheric lights, the scream didn’t cross his ears again, ‘-maybe I imagined it?’ hands in pocket, he walked, the gang presence grew very obvious. Movements in the distance, *brr* ‘-shit,’ he jumped, ‘-damned phone,’ *incoming message – Mandl,* on it was the attachment of a picture, ‘-they went bowling, looks like she’s having fun.’

“Come on, we got places for two more.”

He ignored the message and followed the instinct, ‘-I was drawn here. Coincidence isn’t much in my favor,’ he turtled to a brick-wall, the warehouse laid a few meters away, music played in the background, ‘-who’s the unlucky captive,’ an argument broke, two figures loudly left one warehouse for the next, the mumbles was inaudible to recognize. Life in the step, he ran for the inside expecting a row of gunmen, instead, there laid an unconscious lass on the dirtied floor, she bled from cuts on her face – time slowed mildly, a study showed two aggressors, one had a gun to the prisoner’s head, the finger itched to pull, *kick,* a pebble flung at the gunman’s head – a nauseating crack followed in a drop, *smack,* another bone-shattering muffle gave into another drop.

“Claury,” quick to untie her restraints, “-Hey, wake up,” he tapped to no avail, the palms glowed in a green hue, the wounds rejuvenated, “-yeah, look at me,” consciousness slowly returned, “-Claury, can you hear me?” no answer came.

‘Getting trapped here won’t be good,’ hand on the closest pistol and Claury on his back, ‘-will saving her do anything?’ crossed the mind, ‘-I’m not Igna, I’m Xen,’ he shuffled to the front and snuck glances to the other warehouse, ‘-no time to consider my actions,’ he ran for the exit.

“HEY, HEY!”

‘Just my luck,’ the pace heightened, bullets landed close, ‘-trigger happy idiots,’ the gate laid in the distance, *bang,* a bullet hit his leg, the sudden change threw Claury off his back and onto a wall, her impact didn’t sound healthy nor did his, for he slid to a stop on his back, ‘-damn, my shoulder’s dislocated,’ he cringed in pain. Gang members swarmed the exit, ‘-we need to run, can’t feel my powers since yesterday. Fighting Lucifer,’ he gasped, ‘-took everything, Claury laid unconscious in a puddle of blood, ‘-so much for coincidences, they never go well for me,’ gun in hand, the first gang member veered across the corner, *BANG,* instant death, mentally challenged drug users jumped one by one without care for death.

*Bang,* “-that’s seven,” he panted and sat beside the wounded Claury, ‘-heal, come on, heal,’ spell in one hand and gun in the other, splitting tasks required focus and precision, both with he had no time nor patience to gather. ‘-Focus on healing, don’t matter if I’m hit,’ a slow realization crossed, ‘-my leg isn’t regenerating...’ *Blood-Arts: Bloody-Mary,* the departed disintegrated into crimson apples, ‘-no time to hold back,’ snack in mouth, a bite lit ablaze, an inferno of death and massacre, pain and emotion slowly eluded the consciousness, the world painted a bloody red scenery, ‘-di-‘

*Beep, beep,* “-XEN, GET IN!” screamed from the side, “-STOP STALLING,” cried Mandl. With injured leg and bloodied clothes, he grabbed onto Claury, leaped through the broken fencing – the wheels screeched to a sudden backward jump. Insanity washed the noble’s face; he tore through the street towards the hospital.

“How did you find us?”

“Don’t worry, I received the location and figured something was wrong.”

“What’s with the car?”

“We hired it for a test drive – seems everything worked for the best.”

“Yeah, sure.”

The unconscious Claury was taken to emergency, Xen’s wound healed on the way to the hospice, the erratic half an hour slowed, and for the next hour, Xen remained at the hospice, waiting for her condition to improve.

“Inspector Coftler,” he puffed, “-I was waiting when you’ll show.”

“We check the compound, complaints about a gang-shooting. Dozens of young men dragged in body bags, it’s nauseating. Why were you there?”

“I went to help a friend. She’s inside on the operating table, fighting for her life. Claury’s the king’s maid, why would she be here of all places, I saw her yesterday at the festivities.”

“Calm down, Xen,” he reached inside the coat and pulled a bag, “-remember this?”

“Yeah, that’s the pistol I used to kill my attackers. They shot at us.”

“Right, and there’s no one to interrogate...” the tone sharpened, “-everyone’s dead,” he slammed the wall, “-ARE YOU INSANE?”

He glared right back; “-my friend took the brunt of the mess.”

“This goes beyond her... it’s a matter of national security. I know you wanted to help. Next time, drop me a call.”