The empty roads stretched out before Grey as he sprinted with everything he had. The doctor’s office wasn’t far from Trinity’s school, and Grey, familiar with the area, had a shortcut in mind—a route often taken by Christian and Trinity’s centaur.
Hoping that Joseph’s centaur was oblivious to the route, Grey pressed on.
No. It doesn’t matter. I can be faster than a centaur.
In a moment of inspiration, Grey recalled one of his favorite heroes, Iron Man. The superhero flew using thrusters from his hands and feet, but Grey couldn’t do that. He only had one bracelet for his foot.
He remembered a video he had once seen online, where engineers developed a way for humans to achieve flight. They experimented with Iron Man’s methodologies, attaching devices to their hands and feet. The results were unstable until they removed the propellers on their feet and relied simply on their hands.
Hey, Wind Spirit. If I can bother you again, can you make me fast enough to catch a sprinting centaur?
Grey activated the bracelet around his wrists, simultaneously blasting wind from his hands.
At first, the attempt seemed precarious, and the winds were unpredictable. However, Grey adjusted his technique on the fly, finding a balance that allowed him to zoom through the empty streets with newfound speed. The wind roared in his ears, and the world blurred around him as he embraced the exhilarating sensation of flight, if only a few feet from the ground.
Grey saw the school and the forest where he was killed. A moment of hesitation built in his heart, but he shook his head and pressed forward, flying through the trees. He emerged on the front side of the campus and spotted Joseph’s carriage just a block away.
Quietly closing the distance, Grey positioned himself directly behind the vehicle. With a determined exhale, he released the spell, allowing the bracelets’ energy to fade away. Out of precaution, Grey removed the bracelet on his ankle and tucked it into his pocket, a calculated decision in case he was caught.
Once his preparations were set, Grey picked up a nearby rock and hurled it at the carriage.
It’s me again. Can you guide the rock like you did when you saved my family?
The rock sounded against the carriage with a loud thud.
You’re really an awesome spirit. I wish I could’ve spoken to you more.
The carriage came to an abrupt halt. Grey playfully made the tire’s screeching sounds, knowing that it was impossible for the vehicle to do so.
As the door creaked open, Smoke emerged, his sword unsheathed. But Grey was prepared.
We don’t have to hold back this time.
Grey lunged forward, tackling Smoke with a force that broke the door from its hinges, and sending them both tumbling through the dirt road.
The impact was jarring, and the cloud of dust hung in the air as Smoke grappled on the ground. The collision had taken its toll on Grey, so he was motionless.
Once Smoke heard Joseph’s screams, he was able to stand. Joseph was unable to fully hide from the sun, so his leg was starting to catch fire. Selene had only removed Trinity from his arms and watched his struggle with dead eyes.
The door was slammed back onto the carriage and Joseph was able to fight the flames.
Smoke held the door in place. More fumes were leaking from his body as the sun bore down on him. Still, his eyes were focused on Grey, who was completely motionless.
“Listen, boy! I’m going to tear your head off with my bare hands,” Smoke raged. Soon that anger waned. Panic gripped Smoke as he realized no sounds were emanating from the carriage’s cabin, not even Trinity’s familiar coughs.
“Joe! Is everything alright?” Smoke called out, his voice tinged with concern.
It was Selene who responded, her frustration directed at Smoke. “That boy risked his life to bring Trinity’s pills,” she sobbed. “She’s not moving, but she’s breathing. Her mana is circulating again.”
Smoke’s gaze shifted to Grey, who remained motionless on the ground.
When did he have time to give them the pills?
Recollections of the swift tackle played in Smoke’s mind. The impact had been so rapid that it seemed implausible for Grey to have discreetly placed the pills inside the carriage during the chaos. Smoke’s eyes darted near his feet, and his shock deepened as he spotted a few pills scattered on the ground.
One of Joseph’s hands, exposed to the sunlight, showed signs of charring, but he tenaciously used it to hold the door. Joseph’s voice cut through the tense atmosphere, commanding, “ That boy’s done his job. Go kill him.”
“No!” Selene protested.
Joseph returned a disgusting glare.
Smoke walked toward Grey without hesitation, reaching for his gun.
“At least kill him on the fodder field. He’s been Trinity’s personal servant. If you do this where she can see or hear, it will break her.” Selene waited but there was no response from Joseph. “She will hate you.”
Joseph growled for a moment while gazing at his daughter who was fighting to open her eyes. Trinity begged her lips to move, but they wouldn’t.
Before Smoke could pull the trigger, Joseph shouted, “Drag him back to the fodder field.”
Smoke, highly disappointed, removed a rope from the carriage and tied it to Grey’s wrists. While doing so, Smoke noticed the two bracelets and removed them. “So that’s how you caught up to us,” Smoke grunted.
Smoke’s body was practically ablaze under the unforgiving sun, prompting him to gesture urgently for the centaur to guide the carriage to the shelter of a nearby alleyway. Seeking refuge in the shade, they found a momentary respite from the scorching rays.
When they were surrounded by shadows, Smoke seized the opportunity to open the carriage door and step inside. The centaur moved, dragging Grey’s body with him. Once they were on their way, Grey stopped pretending to be unconscious.
With a swift, purposeful movement, Grey rose to his feet. Determination flashed in his eyes as he activated the bracelet on his ankle, harnessing the power of the wind to keep pace with the centaur.
+++
The carriage rolled back onto the plantation grounds, bringing with it a cascade of emotions. Selene, cradling Trinity in her arms, swiftly carried her daughter back into the estate. Before she disappeared inside, Grey, standing near the carriage, crossed his restrained hands over his heart and bowed respectfully, a gesture ingrained in him.
As Selene rushed upstairs, allowing her tears to flow unchecked, Trinity caught a fleeting glimpse of Grey. Something in her stirred, and though her body resisted, she began to move, determined to grasp onto the elusive fragments of consciousness.
Meanwhile, Smoke, ever dutiful, retrieved a change of clothes and reported to Joseph. “Christian’s missing.”
“Missing?” Joseph echoed. “It’s hardly two in the afternoon.”
“There was a hole in his room and it ran through the library, which faces the field—”
“I know which side my home faces,” Joseph blared, his cheeks reddened. “Could it have been another tantrum?”
Smoke crossed his arms and sat back in the carriage, noticing how light peeked inside because of the broken door. “Probably. You left as soon as you showed up. What else would you expect from the brat?”
“Drive, dammit.” Joseph regained his composure and uttered, “To think of the costs.”
While the carriage moved, Smoke asked, “Can I kill him instead?”
“You’ve already changed clothes. Grab a few of the fodder from the shack.”
Smoke obediently jumped from the carriage and replaced the broken door before running towards the shack.
+++
The centaur untied Grey’s hands. Once he was free, Grey strolled to the center of the field like he owned it. Grey closed his eyes and yawned, giggling as the wind tickled his face.
It’s fine, Wind Spirit. As long as they don’t resurrect me, I can die happily.
Recognizing that wind wasn’t the only spirit, Grey wondered how the others had suffered in this place.
Could the Earth spirit be in pain from all the deaths it had seen? Did the fire spirit love to illuminate this place?
Vampires controlled the dance of fate on this burial ground. And the field, which witnessed both the secrets and struggles of the plantation, now awaited the next chapter in its violent narrative.
Diego, Frankie, and Stacy emerged from the forest, accompanied by Smoke, who wisely chose to remain in the shelter of the shade. Isabella, alerted by Selene’s message, defied the instructions to stay away and sprinted from the house, making her presence known.
From the carriage, Joseph’s voice resonated, commanding, “Do you each have your enchantments?” The three fodder raised their bracelets affirmatively, their expressions a mix of readiness and tension. However, Grey, ever the jester, shrugged in a comical display to emphasize his lack of defense.
Joseph acknowledged the circumstance, stating, “This is an execution that should be performed by Christian, but I need to get back to my daughter.”
As Stacy moved into a fighting stance, ready to cast her spell, Diego and Frankie appeared shaken, as if confronting a ghost from their past.
Stacy turned her focus towards Grey, preparing to face him with determination. Yet, as her eyes met Grey’s, she was taken aback by the smug expression on his face. His head tilted slightly upward, and his eyes seemed to emit an ethereal glow.
Turning to the others for support, Stacy realized that her relentless trainers were practically paralyzed with fear, though Grey had no bracelet at all.
Diego’s mind flashed back to the unsettling memory of chasing Grey through the unfamiliar park, a place he had never been before. That day marked the only instance Diego had ventured beyond the plantation, accompanying Christian to a mysterious school he had never heard of.
In the haze of recollection, Christian’s voice echoed, poisoning the air with disdain. “That boy, Grey. He’s disgusting, isn’t he? He lives in the house and can stand by the main servant’s side. But did you know he was fodder, just like you? He’s getting privileges that he doesn’t deserve. Eating food you can’t. Seeing things you never will. So, I’m giving you the chance to take your anger out on him.”
Diego and Frankie had been initiated by the school’s servants the day before Grey, but it wasn’t a horrible experience. The rest of the day, Diego stayed in the shack with Frankie, plotting how they would teach Grey what life in the shack was like.
He could still remember rushing to inform Julian about Grey’s arrival. Diego believed he could vent some anger with a few kicks, but Grey changed everything.
Grey moved with an uncanny agility, almost like the wind itself. Even when someone managed to catch up, Grey retaliated with precision, using a rock to strike at a person’s legs or abdomen, avoiding the head unless absolutely necessary. Though he faced over a dozen people, Grey emerged unscathed.
Now, faced with the prospect of fighting that villain again, Diego couldn’t shake the unease. The vivid memories of Grey’s prowess and the disparity in their abilities hung heavily over him. How could he confront someone who had already proven to be a formidable force? Diego had seen what Grey was capable of doing with magic, and his tiny fireball didn’t compare.
I’m going to die.
“Do it!” Joseph shouted angrily.
Diego and Frankie finally stirred, taking a stance with Stacy.
In the midst of the charged atmosphere, Grey sneakily removed his hidden bracelet. His thoughts escaped into his smile.
Hey spirit, I’m going to die soon, but I plan to go down swinging. If you’re okay with that, could you be my shield?
All three voices shouted, “Fireball.”
The explosion that followed left a thick cloud of dust, obscuring the aftermath. Joseph reclined in his chair with a satisfied smirk, while Smoke made his way toward the carriage. However, Diego, now sweating profusely, inched away from the epicenter, a growing unease settling over him.
Diego’s thoughts raced, remembering Grey’s tactics. He uttered, “Grey always seemed to target the strongest person first.”
Stacy chuckled, “What the hell are you talking about? That skinny little thing is fried.”
Diego, his eyes still in a trance, continued, “That day, Frankie and I were last. But today…”
From the dissipating smoke, Grey emerged, slightly curled into a ball. The wind, his steadfast ally, slowed his descent, and he softly landed on Diego with a playful smile. In a surprising gesture, Grey kissed Diego’s forehead before being thrown away, the unexpected tenderness amidst the chaos leaving Diego bewildered.
Diego attempted to conjure another Fireball, only to realize that his bracelet was missing. Panic flickered in his eyes as Grey, calmly snapped the new bracelet onto his wrist.
Without moving, Grey was taken by the wind. It pressed him toward Frankie, tucking him beneath a panicked call of “Fireball!”
Grey seized Frankie’s wrist as the heat flew overhead. Casting a simple spell, Grey held up one palm and unleashed another powerful force. Frankie’s body was twisted endlessly, leaving nothing but his arm behind.
As the dust settled, Grey’s cold eyes portrayed a silent apology to Frankie before he calmly removed the bracelet and tossed the limb. He attached this bracelet to his wrist.
Grey harnessed the wind’s speed, avoiding lethal blows as he moved with unprecedented speed. A swift elbow to Stacy’s chin sent her eyes rolling as she collapsed and a strong knee to Diego’s solar plexus ended the match.
Grey retrieved the final bracelet as Christian secretly emerged from the forest. Now covered in a torn cloak, Christian grimaced, “Fire Javelin!”
