Run

Before I can think of anything it’s the first, I do,

Run

(Who was, no what was that?)

Run

“Aghhh!” I trip from hurriedly making my way down the spiral staircase, causing me to roll uncontrollably

Run

Oomph! My head hits the floor as I crash to the bottom of the stairs, blood starts gushing out, everything starts spinning,

Run

Picking myself, I continue on ignoring the pain,

Run

(I saw beastmen before, but that thing wasn’t one of them.)

Run

Crash! A vase hits the floor shattering as I accidentally knocked it over in my haste,

Run

What is this feeling?

Fear?

Despair?

Anger?

Hopelessness?

Curiosity?

Intrigue?

Or is it all of them?

Run

Badump!

“Oww Kage! Why are you…” Pinoki notices my bleeding,

“Did someone attack you?”

“W.e. h..v..e t..o g..t . out,” I mutter

“What!?”

“Out!” I point towards the way we came in

Pinoki’s face lights up in glee

“An escape! I’ve dreamt of moments like these!

What are you waiting for, let’s go!”

Run

The exit door bursts open as two figures leap through swiftly moving into the night,

Pinoki is acting quite jovial, despite the situation,

Strapped to his back I spot the outline of a few books

(He came to steal books?)

Run

“Are you sure we were being chased?” Pinoki asks dejectedly as the cathedral becomes more and more distant behind us,

“Don’t ask questions,” I reply, “just-

-Run”

Pinoki grabs my arm forcing me to a halt,

“We’re not going anywhere until you tell me what you’re actually running from because there’s nobody behind us, furthermore, were on top of a roof, and there’s nobody in sight for……”

Run

…… Boom!

The house we were above explodes instinctively Pinoki uses his shadow to push us upward, the blast of the explosion assisting in knocking us to the rooftop adjacent

He looks at me, fear begin to show in his face, jovial demeanour gone,

“Kage, I think we should-

-Run”

The cold nights wind blows against my face, a sound continuously ringing in my ear,

(Am I lightheaded?)

My sweat mixed with blood dries as I press on a little way behind Pinoki,

No-one is behind us, the night still peaceful and empty, but still we know,

We must,

Run

“There! Pinoki shouts as we near the old shack,

“Let’s get back quickly!”

“What took you two so long!” A distorted voice bellows,

The leader confronts us,

“Everyone else is already back, I only waited, to see what was so important that would take you this long...”

She notices Pinoki’s frantic expression and my bloodied face

“Where have you two been?”

“Leader we can talk about when we return,” Pinoki implores

“Why!?”

“Because I’ll kill them” a voice thunders

The hooded figure from earlier appears out of nowhere,

“I am afraid I cannot let you rats burrow back into your hole this time,” He enunciates

“I was going to let you all live peacefully in your little ‘sewer,’ but,” he points to me,

“This one has overheard something I don’t want to be known just yet, so sadly enough you three will have to forgo the enlightenment, and die right now,”

“You dare threaten my life!” the leader challenges

“Use the mask to return,” she whispers to us,

“I do threaten your life,” the figure yawns, “and escape, you shan’t,” he points one finger forward,

A ball of earth forms hitting the leader directly in her face,

Her mask shatters, as blood begins to flow down her cheeks,

“Karina!” Pinoki exclaims, “you were the leader?”

“No time!” she yells, her voice no longer distorted,

“Sound blade!” Her arm begins vibrating forming a chainsaw-like blade,

“You two can still use your masks, Go!”

As we’d been speaking the hooded figure had been using his, magic to form a massive stone ‘roof’ overhead.

“My mask is broken!” Pinoki quavers, “it must have been from the explosion from earlier,

Kage! You’re the only one left with a mask,”

The figure drops the stone, Karina jumps at once shattering it, the broken debris still hit us like hail stones,

Firing an arrow, I hit the figure’s leg causing a stream of water to knock him off balance,

(That magic stone came in handy after all,)

“Pinoki!” I yell, “extend your shadow to all of us, the moment I open the gate pull us all down simultaneously!”

“Ok, I can do that,” he obeys

(Ahh my head is spinning; the noise won’t stop)……

……. “Kage the password I told you!” Karina shouts stumbling to her feet, “do you remember?”

“Ready!” Pinoki affirms

Staggering to the entrance, I grip the mask tightly

(Can I even channel magic through this?)

Doof! A ball of black flames lands near me as the figure gets up

“I said no escaping!”

I squeeze the mask even harder,

The mask glows displaying a spiral pattern,

“Sound daggers!” Karina attempts to push the figure back

“Any time now Kage!

Squeezing the mask as hard as I possibly can, I whisper the password softly

“A bad King fights till the war is done

A good King knows when it’s time to-

-Run”