I was slamd into a wall, my back colliding with the bricks behind . The cloaked figure's hand was clutched to my shirt, he tugged on it aggressively. His cloak concealed the upper part of his face, covering his eyes, casting shadow and leaving nothing but his mouth perceivable to my eyes. He gritted his teeth as he held against the wall.
I flinched. "Please ... don't hurt ." It was said so softly I had no idea whether he heard or not. But a part of didn't want him to hear my sheepish words. I couldn't show my fear to him. I still had one advantage over him.
The cloaked man scoffed. "What were you doing following around?" He yanked on my shirt. "Who sent you?" He demanded.
I quailed. His voice was deep, and gruff. I couldn't see his eyes, so there was no looking him in the eyes. But it wasn't like I was gonna if I could have. He was already daunting enough. His aura pressured the air around him. And since I was in his personal space, I got to witness so of it.
My skin tinged; the tiny hair strands on my forearm were aloft.
I looked up at him. "I wasn't ... following you around, okay? I don't even know who you are. Like who are you anyway? That's what I wanted to know for a while now."
The cloaked man gritted his teeth again. "What business do you have here ... in this part of the do?" His tone rose.
I fumbled to improvise an answer out of the blue. What could I have said? I didn't want to make him suspicious of . Ah, that's it! "Eh-exploration," I stuttered, "I'm looking for new houses to loot. I figured here would be a perfect place to start. Since, y'know, it's a lot more quiet and unexplored and such."
He clicked his tongue. "No. You're on the wrong terf for that. All the houses in this area is owned by . If you don't turn back; things are going to be very consequential for you. Or maybe," he leaned in, "it's already consequential I think I've secured myself so extra breakfast." When he had leaned closer, I was able to sll him. He slt like a fresh open wound. His entire body. It was a tallic scent. I was no stranger to the stench of blood.
"Sir," I said, "I don't know if you're a cannibal or whatever, but trust ... you don't want to eat . If you do, you might beco a coward. My ability," I looked at him, "is called Bad On."
He slamd my head into the wall behind . I winced. He leaned in; drawing his head closer to mine. He was much taller than I, so he had to look down. "I couldn't care less about the ability in your possession."
"I'm sorry," I looked away, my voice unintentionally sheepish. "It's just that I thought it'd be better if you knew. My ability causes you a lot of bad luck. If you kill or even eat"
"Shut up!" He snapped. "What did I just say!"
"Stop apologizing. Only just t you, and I'm already sick of it!"
"S-sorry." It couldn't be helped. I would have covered my mouth, but I didn't bother. He made realize just how stupid I was. I couldn't stop apologizing for nothing.
The creature at my shoulder started cackling. "That's hirlarious! This isn't the worst you'll experience. Because if you don't pay that little debt, things are going to resemble hell." It grinned at .
I shook my head. But I couldn't afford to make the man before suspicious. He couldn't see the debt creature. 'Maybe I can use this to my advantage ...' I thought, peering up at the man.
"Your presence and physique just irritates . I can't even live a second longer with you next to . That's why you have to die." He said it with ease.
I frowned. "Please, sir. Just spare this one ti. How was I supposed to know I wasn't allowed here? Now that I know, I promise I won't co back again unless I have no other choice."
He smirked. "Instead of begging, why don't you just use your Bad On to stop ?"
I shook my head. "No, it doesn't work like that. Soone is required to impose so form of harm upon . Only then will my ability activate."
It sounded quite legit to ; this improvised ability of mine, which I didn't even own.
The cloaked figure sneered. "I really wanna kill you. That would be one less annoying being in the world. But I won't stop until all evil peoplewho don't have a good reason for being what they areare stopped. So, yeah. I really want you dead."
"But," he sighed, "what good is your death doing anyway? I'm already at full capacity so your blood isn't needed. I'd kill you just for the fun of it like I did to many others ... but you can consider yourself incredibly," he scowled, "lucky. Then again, I didn't want to get this 'Bad On' of yours." He released my clothes.
He released ; but my heart was still thumping quickly. Raging in my chest. I retreated a bit. The cloaked figure just stood there. I couldn't see his eyes, so I couldn't confirm he was looking at . "Tha- thanks ..."
"Save it," the cloaked figure said, "I didn't do you a favor. You nearly got a heart attack exactly twenty-two tis during our conversation, and your face is battered from a single punch. What is there to thank for?"
To , the question was rhetorical, so I decided not to answer it. However ...
"Answer when I'm speaking to you, weakling!" He snarled at .
I narrowed my eyes. "The answer to the question is I don't know what there is to thank for you except the sparing of my life. Can I ask you a question now?"
The cloaked figure snorted. "Sure, ask the monster who just spared your life; and now has regrets and might just attack you any second now."
I paused for a bit, but then I said, "Okay. I'll be quick. Who," I furrowed my brows, "are you?"
The cloaked man stood there, silent and unmoving. When suddenly, he clenched his fists tightly. "Leave, and never return," he carried a hand to his hood, and raised it such that I could have seen his eyes. "Don't make change my mind." His voice was gruff and bold. Strong.
The eyes to which I was revealed were impenetrable. But they pentetrated my soul. The eyes were glowing red, energy emanating from them constantly.
I suddenly felt weak on my feet. I turned around, and walked imdiately walked away. I felt his eyes on as I edged away from the anomalous young man. I felt chills running down my spine upon recalling the image of those formidable, red eyes. In a way, they resembled the debt creature's.
But they were far more daunting yet less grotesque. By one look, I was able to tell that he was all but feeble: he was one of the most powerful I've t; at least twice as powerful as Jin.
I headed north; returning to the crowded areas of the new world. In the distance, I was already able to make out the busy people. A new civilization was being built.
After leaving the area, I noticed a different sll in the air. And this scent made recall the cloaked figure's scent. He slled like fresh blood. He even ntioned blood a few tis in our conversation. But he didn't have any wounds; and he wasn't bleeding either.
I walked through the area where comrce was eminent. There were a lot of people trading items. Strangely, so traded jewelry. Apparently so people still had value in those things and placed it above sothing as pivotal as a larger supply of food in these hard tis.
I scoffed. "Tsk. I don't get so people at all."
***
I started toward a bench, where two people sat. As I neared the bench, I felt a sudden relief. It couldNce even been considered a sense of safety. There was hardly any tension in my shoulders. They eased. My body deflated.
"Oh! Baby, look!" shouted Claudia, being excessively loud and overdramatic. "It's your ex, Ash."
What was she talking about? I missed my comfort zone, but I did not ss her. At all.
Hanso smirked, looking at as I sat down next to him. "Hey."
"What's up?" I asked, happy, looking at him.
"We almost had sex," Claudia said, excited, "but my adorable handso Hanso insisted that we'd use a shield on his pickle. It's bomber, really. Who would have thought doctors would be so hard to find around here. Those won in the white suits have issues too!"
'What did I just listen to?'
"Yeah, we had a great date. But before that, we ended up sorting out the problems with Claudia's ability. The old Fernando, m amigo, said we can to see expect results within ten to twenty days. In other words, we'll be duplicating the hell out of thing pretty soon, right babe?"
"Totally!"
"What about you, Ash?" Hanso asked. "WhatMs up? Where'd you run off to? We've been waiting for you for a while now."
I slowly turned to him, furrowing my brows. "Hanso," I said, "I think might've found Andrew today."
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