Erik's heart raced as he got far from the remains of the abandoned building, his breath heavy and his fatigue high. He had a ager amount of mana at that point and was now only using Nathaniel's power to run away from that place, sure that the collapsed building wasn't enough to kill the thugs. He was barely fast enough not to get caught.
His eyes darted around, scanning the streets of the eastern district, searching for a way to get as far away as possible. The moonlight cast eerie shadows that danced on the crumbling walls and broken pavent destroyed by the thaids during the attack on the city, heightening the sense of desperation that gripped him.
Erik got 200 ters from the building, and Simone and the other thugs erged from its rubbles monts later.
Their eyes, especially Simone's, glead with determination. From a distance, he observed Erik running away from the place and watched as the others did the sa in different directions.
"Fuck," Simone said. Chase the ones you can; we will et here again once we have done our job. I will take care of the awakener," Simone said. His n nodded, eager to know how Erik could unleash all those powers.
During the fight at the club, it was hard to tell who was using what power, so no one besides Erik's friends found out he had more than two brain crystal powers.
The awakener didn't use them that much in the confrontations they had before they went to the alley where the thugs killed Patricia and Brittney, and he was smart about their usage and made sure no one found out. However, later Simone and the thugs did.
Since, at the abandoned building, Erik had already been discovered and confronted by his friends and decided to leave the country, he didn't hold back, and everyone found out what he could do.
Of course, the thugs' greed soared once they saw the powers in action, but since they were sure their boss would capture the kid, they weren't worried.
"I don't think I have to remind you not to tell anyone what you have seen today, am I right?" Simone said to his n.
"No, sir," they replied with a grin on their faces.
"Good. Now go!" and with that, everyone went their separate ways. Simone's strides were purposeful as he closed the distance between himself and Erik.
The older man quickly jumped over a rooftop and imdiately spotted Erik running a few streets away.
"Found ya, little mouse," he said to himself. With that, he jumped down from the building and headed in Erik's direction.
Erik veered to his left, ducking into a narrow alleyway that twisted and turned like a maze. The scent of piss and dampness clung to the air, creating a disorienting atmosphere.
The awakener's mind raced as he navigated the labyrinthine streets, his mind consud with thoughts of survival.
He darted through alleyways, leaping over discarded debris and broken fences, desperately seeking an escape.
Simone's determination seed unwavering as he relentlessly pursued Erik, his footsteps growing louder and closer with each passing mont.
***
As Erik ran away, he wasn't the only one in that situation. On another side of the district, Amber was running away from one of the thugs. Her beauty attracted the man, who decided to have a taste of her as soon as he caught her. Of course, he would have to kill her later.
Amber's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted through the dimly lit alley, her breath ragged and desperate.
Fear consud her, wrapping its icy tendrils around her every thought. She could hear the heavy footfalls of the thug behind her, their echoes growing closer with each passing second.
Her trembling form stood alone on the desolate city street of the abandoned part of the eastern district, cast in the eerie glow of the flickering streetlights.
The darkness that shrouded everything seed to conspire against her, creating sinister shapes dancing in her vision's corners.
Every sound, from the distant honking of car horns to the faint rustling of leaves, sent shivers down her spine, magnifying her fear.
Her legs burned with exertion, her muscles protesting against the relentless pace. But she couldn't afford to slow down.
Adrenaline surged through her veins, giving her a burst of energy as she pushed herself further, desperate to put distance between herself and her pursuer.
Her eyes darted around, scanning for any possible escape routes she could take, but the narrow alley offered no respite.
The best thing she could do was get to a populated area, but she wasn't even sure the number of people would deter the thug.
As she ran, she tried to reach for her phone, which was inside her pockets, but then it happened—a treacherous pothole hidden in the darkness sent Amber sprawling forward.
Her palms scraped against the rough asphalt as her knees collided with the ground. Pain shot through her body, but the adrenaline numbed it, making her more aware of the impending danger.
Fear intensified within her as she scrambled to her feet, her trembling limbs betraying her. The thug's gruff voice grew louder, his voice like a haunting siren in her ears. She couldn't let him catch her. She couldn't bear the thought of what he might do to her.
As she got back on her feet, the girl managed to reach her phone, and while running, she called her father. The man imdiately replied.
"Amber?! Amber?! Is that you?!" Caiden said.
The girl's trembling voice reached her father's ears over the phone, filled with fear and urgency. "Dad! Dad! Please help ! One of the thugs is following . I need your help!"
Her father's voice cracked with worry on the other end of the line. "Amber, stay calm. Tell where you are!"
As Amber looked around, the buildings towering over her seed like foreboding sentinels, their jagged edges reaching toward the heavens like claws ready to snatch her away. Shadows stretched and twisted along the cracked pavent, forming a labyrinth of uncertainty that threatened to consu her.
"I'm in the eastern district; I'm going toward the west," Amber whispered, her voice quivering.
Her father's voice held a mix of concern and desperation. "Amber, listen to . Go to Ember-field Plaza; the team is on its way, but you need to be fast. Find a place to hide there and stay hidden until the group reaches you. We won't let them get you, I promise."
Amber's voice wavered as she replied, "Okay, Dad. I'll head there," she said amidst sobs.
"I'm doing everything I can, Amber," her father reassured her, his voice filled with determination. "Just hold on; stay strong. We'll be there soon. I love you."
Tears welled up in Amber's eyes as she choked out her response. "I love you too, Dad. Please be quick."
With that, the girl closed the phone and kept running. Her mind raced with horrific scenarios, each one fueling her terror. Her legs moved fast, each step a desperate plea for survival.
The streetlights, their dim glow flickering intermittently, cast haunting shadows that danced on the worn-out facades of the buildings. Each flicker seed to mimic the beat of her frantic heart, amplifying her sense of vulnerability.
She fought against the urge to look back, fearing that even a glimpse of her pursuer would drain her of whatever courage she had left. She had no more mana or energy and couldn't fight anymore.
Amber's heart leaped as she turned a corner and saw an alley branching to the right.
Without hesitation, she darted into the narrower passageway, hoping to lose the thug in its labyrinthine twists and turns. But the claustrophobic walls closed in on her, amplifying her fear.
The graffiti-covered walls lined the street appeared like cryptic ssages, warning her of the lurking danger that seed to lurk around every corner. Every graffiti tag beca a haunting symbol of her vulnerability, a mark reminding her that she was just a kid in this ominous cityscape.
Her breath ca in ragged gasps, each inhalation burning her lungs. Her legs ached, and every muscle scread for her to stop. But she pressed on, her mind consud by the fear of what would happen if she allowed the thug to catch up.
The man's shouts grew louder as they reverberated through the alleys' walls.
"I'm coming, little bug…" he said with a maniac tone and a lustful grin on his face, but his presence faded into the distance.
Amber dared to steal a quick glance over her shoulder and saw that, luckily, no one was around, as the walls shielded her from sight. But her steps could be heard, and so could the thugs'. He was still chasing her.
The adrenaline coursed through her veins, masking the pain and exhaustion. Her heightened fear transford the once familiar city street into a nacing labyrinth of death.
Every detail, every shadow, and every sound seed to conspire against her, amplifying her terror. As she navigated the treacherous night, she longed for the embrace of safety, yearning for the mont when her father would get to help her and when the city would release its vice-like grip on her fragile psyche.
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