Riding high in the sky atop June, Erik's heart pounded like a drum.
"What in blazes just happened back there, Master?" June hollered over the roar of the wind, his voice a mixture of concern and confusion.
Erik wiped the sweat from his brow, his hand coming away slick with blood. He was panting. He fought against many people and many thaids, but never he had co so close to dying.
"Those bastards, the Blackguards, they ambushed ." When he said that, his voice was rough as gravel, and his breath was labored. "They caught off guard just as I was about to finish the job."
He glanced back, his gaze falling on Max's lifeless body. The man was sprawled across June's back. A shudder ran down Erik's spine. The Blackguards were stronger than he expected.
"Master," June's voice cut through his thoughts, "I think you should absorb that brain crystal right now."
Erik raised an eyebrow at him. "Now? Up here?"
June shrugged, his wings flapping steadily beneath them. "Why not?" he said. "We're clear of those goons for now. We've got maybe half a minute head start."
Erik considered this, his gaze drifting back to Max's lifeless body. But up there, in the open sky, where everyone could see him? Was that the right thing to do?
"Alright," he said. Erik realized he may not have another chance at getting Max's Power. "Let's do this."
Erik grimaced as he extracted the brain crystal from Max's fractured skull. Blood oozed out, sticky and tallic-scented.
"Bottoms up." He brought the crystal to his lips and knocked it back like a shot of whiskey. It tasted like copper pennies.
With the crystal down the hatch, Erik cupped the pooling blood in his hands. No use letting it go to waste. He slurped it up greedily, the viscous liquid dripping down his chin.
[MAX'S DNA GAINED. STARTING THE ANALYSIS.]
[MAX'S BRAIN CRYSTAL ACQUIRED. STARTING THE ANALYSIS.]
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]
[100 DNA POINTS ARE REQUIRED TO EXTRACT THE DNA. 500 TO GET IT WITHOUT INCURRING PAIN AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. 1000 TO INSTANTLY ABSORB IT.]
[100 DNA POINTS ARE REQUIRED TO EXTRACT THE POWER. 500 TO GET IT WITHOUT INCURRING PAIN AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. 1000 TO INSTANTLY ABSORB IT.]
[5150 DNA POINTS DETECTED. STARTING EXTRACTION?]
[BLOOD ABSORBED. DNA STORING PROCEDURE STARTED. PLEASE WAIT.]
[PROCEDURE COMPLETE.]
[BRAIN CRYSTAL ABSORBED. POWER STORING PROCEDURE STARTED. PLEASE WAIT.]
[PROCEDURE COMPLETE.]
After a mont, the blood-rush faded, and Erik caught his breath. He flexed his hands—the new power thrumd just under the surface.
Erik bared his teeth in a savage grin. Oh yeah, he could get used to this. The Blackguards wouldn't know what hit 'em next ti.
"What's our next move, Master?"
June asked, his feathered wings beating steadily through the clouds.
Erik gazed out across the skyline, eyes narrowed in thought. "We'll need to lie low for now. Head for the other clones' location."
He paused. "I ordered the clones to be ready to leave the city at any mont, right?" Erik asked. June nodded in his bird form. Then Erik's lips curled into a sly grin. "I've changed my mind. Let's have so fun with these pathetic blackguard bastards."
June banked, angling back toward the tropolis sprawling below.
As he descended from the clouds, panicked screams rang out from the streets. People scattered in terror at the sight of the massive flying Thaid plunging from the sky.
Those in flying cars gawked upward in disbelief before hastily slamming on autopilot, desperate to flee the beast's path.
It was utter chaos - vehicles swerved haphazardly, almost colliding in their haste to escape. Klaxons blared as ergency alerts flashed across digital billboards.
From June's back, Erik watched as the citizens fled like ants below him.
Erik's gaze fixed on the gleaming skyscraper ahead. "June! Aim for those floor-to-ceiling windows and crash right through them!"
"As you command, Master!" June folded his wings and dove, picking up trendous speed.
The workers inside the office tower had only a split second to react before the massive beast shattered the glass.
June's bulky Thaid body smashed through the window fras like tissue paper, sending razor-sharp shards exploding inward.
Terrified office workers fled their cubicles in panic as June's hulking form skidded across the polished concrete floor, overturning desks and shredding office chairs.
The beast plowed through the office's sleek minimalist decor, reducing it to wreckage within seconds.
Erik said to his clone through their telepathic link. All the other people already fled the scene.
June's body contorted, shrinking rapidly into a canine shape even as he continued sliding across the floor.
Finally he ca to rest against the far wall, now in the form of a panting husky.
Erik did the sa, changing his appearance to resemble one of the n that fled the room so seconds before.
The young mana focused his mana, feeling his body shift and morph. His slender fra expanded, muscles swelling.
Facial features blurred, reforming into the sharp-jawed visage of a businessman. Erik's posture changed as well, shoulders squaring as he adopted a brusque, impatient gait.
"Let's move!"
June bounded for the door, glass crunching under his paws.
They raced into the ergency stairwell, the fire alarm's shrill wail echoing off the concrete walls.
Down they fled, taking the steps two at a ti as screams and chaos continued around them.
Erik's features shifted into the unfamiliar visage he had copied. June's dog form bounded ahead, nails clicking on concrete.
As they neared a landing, a group of shaken office workers ca into view. It was the sa people who had been in the room when June crashed through. Oblivious, they huddled together, stunned and disheveled.
June leaped past them in one smooth motion. They jumped back, pressed against the wall by the large canine blur. Erik followed close behind, face angled down.
Erik adjusted his gaze away from one man in particular - the one whose appearance he had replicated.
Just in case, he shielded his face as he breezed by. No need to risk the man noticing a mirror image rushing past.
The workers gaped, bewildered, as Erik and June raced on without pause.
Their footsteps soon faded down the stairwell, leaving the n and won staring at them in confusion.
Neither man nor dog was identifiable to the group.
At the lobby, Erik pulled his coat collar up and dipped his head lower, masking his profile. June stayed close at his heels, playing the part of a dosticated dog.
They wove through the crowd and slip out the revolving doors in a few quick strides.
Once outside, they disappeared seamlessly into the flow of pedestrians on the busy sidewalk.
Erik and June's escape was complete, their identities still safely concealed.
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