Tension settles throughout the room. Oppressed with a feeling of unease, Kenzo and Lando sprint outside towards the Pistil. A burnt sulfuric smell stings their nostrils as they approach.
The Pistil is more crowded than usual. Quiet plagues the area with only the faint sounds of sobbing cutting through the silence. They worm their way through the crowd. Breaking through the thick wall of people, their eyes bear witness to what lies on the other side. Nobody speaks. Nobody moves. The crowd just stares.
It’s horrific.
Arms, legs, an array of body parts and guts scattered throughout the pistil. Scorch patterns stain the ground and the scattered debris litters the floor.
Scratch having caught up, worms through the crowd shortly after, meeting the grotesque scene. Kenzo and Lando are speechless.
Scratch just kneels on the floor, and weeps.
Hours later…
Scratch’s Cabin - Outer City
The silence is heavy.
“Stop!” Manya says, waking up in a panic.
He shatters through the silence.
“What happened?” He says, laying back down.
“We should be asking you. You were the only survivor.” Scratch says.
Manya looks around the room, noticing the heavy atmosphere.
He says, “I dunno… I bumped into a guy then… Everyone started screaming. That's all I remember.”
“This is similar to what Bogdan described in the Maple district.” Lando adds.
“The Brummies.” Kenzo says.
Manya feels his pants.
Nothing.
He begins frantically patting himself down, checking every pocket.His breathing quickens. Eyes darting. He throws off the blanket and checks underneath it.
Nothing.
Nothing.
“It’s here.” Lando says, pulling out the baton from his pocket.
Manya exhales.
He begins walking over to Manya to pass it to him.
“Wait lemme see that!” Scratch yells.
“And who the hell are you?” Manya asks.
“This is scratch, he fixed the navigator.”
Manya relaxes a bit.
Lando walks over to the work bench passing the Baton to Scratch. He takes it, and begins inspecting.
“I see…” He says.
He continues, “Where did you find something like this?”
“It was a gift from someone dear to me.” Manya replies.
“This… Is an insane piece of tech.”
He inspects further.
“Though it seems, it can only be activated by the Pure. You’re better off selling it if you ask me.”
“No way.” Manya chuckles.
“We don’t have time for this… How do we get to the Brummies.” Kenzo says.
“Right…” Scratch agrees.
He continues, “You guys have grown on me so I'll be honest. Just leave Sepentria, the Brummies are far too dangerous for just the three of you to fight alone. Bogdan is tough, i’ll alert the Seven Deadly Sins and they’ll be here within 2 weeks. Just get out of here.”
“Nah.” Manya says bluntly.
“2 weeks?!” Lando exclaims.
“You’re starting to piss me off, old man.” Kenzo says.
“Alright, alright. It was worth a shot. I’ll give you one piece of advice then if i can’t stop you.”
He continues, “For abilities this destructive, you need to utilize sanguis to end things quickly. Do not neglect its use.”
The three of them all look clueless.
“Why would I need a sandwich in a fight???” Manya asks.
Kenzo pinches the bridge of his nose. Lando slowly looks away.
Scratch looks visibly disappointed.
He says, “If you don’t even know that technique, you should just go back home now. You’re no match for the other gangs out there.”
“How do we learn it?” Lando asks.
Scratch paces around for a bit, thinking.
“You need to feel the blood coursing through your veins. Feel its flow, harmonise with it. Then manipulate it.”
He gets a blade.
“You can direct the flow to a single area.”
He stabs his hand and it heals back almost instantly.
Manya leans forward to get a closer look. Lando takes a small step back.
“And you can concentrate it in a single area.”
He stabs it again, and the blade bends on impact.
“WOOAH SHOW ME HOW YOU DID THAT!” Manya yells.
“It takes years to master, kid. Like I said, just go home.”
“We’re not doing that dude.” Lando says.
Scratch thinks for a bit.
He says, “Perhaps I could help you out another way then…”
The following morning…
The cabin sits quietly in the early morning light. The group, now standing just outside the cabin, embrace the sunrise.
They’re ready to leave.
“Thanks for the new staff!” Manya exclaims.
“Yeah and thanks for the knife.” Lando says
“Whatever… You’ll still probably die but it’s better than fighting with a stick.”
He continues, “Are you sure you don’t need a weapon, Kenzo.”
“I am.” Kenzo replies.
Scratch walks up to them and hands them the fixed navigator. Kenzo collects it.
“It’s working fine so just boot it up and your destination should already be there.”
The navigator turns on, immediately demonstrating their route. The top of the screen reads “Destination: The Avens District of Skyland”. Lando peeks over Kenzo’s shoulder viewing the screen.
“So that’s where we’re going huh?” Lando says.
“Yeah… The Brummies HQ…!”
~ END ~
