Percival's red eyes blazed brighter, boring into Drake's soul with intensity that made Havoc's aura seem like a candle flame.
"Where is Elsa?"
The question hung in the air like a death sentence.
Drake froze, their gazes locked in a moment that stretched toward eternity.
"Elsa?" Drake repeated, confusion and dread warring in his voice. "I... I don't understand. What do you want with her?"
The temperature seemed to drop as Percival's eyes narrowed, crimson fire dancing in their depths.
"Where is she?" Percival's voice was a growl. "Lylia said you were with her."
"I don't understand. Who's Lylia?"
"Vice Captain of the Solar Knights." Percival's jaw clenched. "Was her intel wrong? Damn it, I should have seen that image myself to confirm it was really Elsa."
*A photo?* Drake's memory stirred. *Tony the info broker—that C-class adventurer took a photo of Havoc attacking Elsa and me. Did he send it to the Vice Captain? And she sent this guy?*
*I need to thank him when I see him. He's saved me twice now.*
"So you don't know where Elsa is?" Percival asked.
Drake snapped out of his thoughts. "No, no—I do."
"You do?"
"Yes. Elsa Liana, right?" Drake winced, clutching his severed limb.
"Exactly." Percival leaned forward. "Where is she? Is she hurt? Is she alive? Tell me—I must know."
*Way to kill your charisma, dude.* Drake thought as questions bombarded him.
"Elsa is... gone."
Percival's heart raced, his eyes burning brighter. "So she's dead?"
The pressure of his presence increased, pressing Drake down like a mountain.
"No, no—she's not 'gone' like gone!" Drake strained against the crushing aura.
Percival calmed slightly, giving him space to breathe.
"Go on. Where exactly is my Elsa?"
*Your Elsa? That's new.* Drake caught Percival's burning gaze and jolted. *Okay, I'll talk now and ask questions later. I don't want to get whacked with this dude's hammer.*
Meanwhile, Havoc watched their exchange with growing irritation. *Who is this man? Drops in from nowhere and stops my blast like nothing. I asked him a question, but he ignored me.* His claw arm twitched. *How disrespectful. He doesn't know who he's standing against. I'll make him beg for his life.*
Percival's gaze snapped toward Havoc as if hearing his murderous intent, those red eyes making the Soul Wretch step back involuntarily.
*What's with this boy? Did he hear my thoughts? No, impossible. But his gaze... it's more terrifying than Lorenzo's. I must be careful, or I won't escape death this time.*
Percival turned back to Drake. "You were saying?"
Drake struggled to sit upright, blood still dripping from his wounds. "As I was saying, Elsa is alive."
---
[FLASHBACK]
*When Drake took that sharp turn at the corner, dodging the cart Havoc threw...*
Havoc searched for them, sniffing to catch Elsa's fear and blood scent.
Drake peeked around the corner. Havoc's gaze flickered in his direction.
Drake quickly withdrew, holding his breath.
SNIFF... SNIFF...
"I can smell Elsa's blood and fear from that direction," Havoc said, turning toward their hiding spot.
*Crap! He saw me!*
*I'm almost out of stamina—can't keep running. What can I do?*
"Come out, Drake. I know you're tired. Carrying Elsa can't be easy."
*Tell me about it—she's heavy.*
"Why don't you hand her over along with your head, and we can all live happily ever after?"
*What part of 'giving my head' equals living happily ever after? How can I live when I'm dead?*
*I need to get Elsa out of here... I've got it.*
"PARALLEL!"
An identical clone materialized from Drake's shadow.
"Clone me, take Elsa and run." Drake gently transferred Elsa to his clone, pressing the mirror net, healing flask, and her staff into his hands. "Follow the red dot to the Phoenix Rest. Give her this healing flask when you arrive."
"Use Stealth to get out of Havoc's scent range—it'll mask both your presence and smell."
"Understood." Clone Drake smiled determinedly. "Take care of yourself, real me."
"STEALTH!"
Both clone and Elsa vanished without a trace.
"Good—they're gone." Drake stepped from his hiding spot. "Elsa's safe. Now I can focus on this freak."
[END FLASHBACK]
---
"So you don't need to worry—Elsa's okay. She's probably resting at the Phoenix Rest as we speak."
Percival exhaled with visible relief. "Thank the gods."
*He's relieved. Who the hell is he?* Drake winced from his wounds.
Percival approached. Drake tensed, thinking, *Is he going to kill me now that he knows? What was I thinking, telling him where Elsa was?*
Percival stood above him, crimson gaze glowing.
He extended his arm. Drake closed his eyes, expecting a finishing blow.
Instead, Percival burst into laughter.
*What? He's laughing?* Drake opened his eyes to see the terrifying warrior who'd just saved him laughing like a normal person.
Percival grabbed Drake's remaining arm and pulled him to his feet, clapping his back.
"You're a strange guy, you know that?" His personality had completely shifted—casual, friendly.
*What's going on here?*
"Thanks, pal." Percival beamed.
"No, I should be thanking you. Without you, I'd be a pile of ash right now."
Percival's gaze fell to Drake's severed arm. "Don't thank me. I was too late. If I'd gotten here sooner, your arm would still be..."
*He feels bad about my arm. What a nice guy.*
"It's okay—my life's more important."
Percival stepped forward and bowed deeply, shocking both Havoc and Drake.
*What's going on over there?* Havoc wondered.
"Dude, what's wrong?" Drake stammered.
"Thank you for saving Elsa. If not for you, she'd be dead. I'm truly grateful."
"Man, it's okay—"
"No, it isn't. If anything had happened to her, I'd be mortified. Not to mention her parents." Percival's sincerity was unmistakable.
*He's serious. Elsa's equally important to him.*
"Raise your head, dude."
Percival straightened with a smile.
"I can tell you and Elsa are close."
"You bet. We go way back—childhood friends." Percival's hands gripped his hammer, steel groaning under the pressure. "Before a life-threatening incident occurred. She almost got raped by a man named Havoc. I swore I'd make that bastard pay when I learned he'd escaped prison."
Drake glanced at Havoc. *Bad day for you, my man. You're screwed.*
"It's all cool," Drake said.
"Yeah, it's all cool." Percival smiled back.
"HAHAHA! Are you fools done chatting?" Havoc's laugh cut through their moment.
"You dropped in from nowhere and ruined my fun. How dare you!"
"Give me a minute," Percival said to Drake, his mood instantly shifting as he turned to Havoc, eyes burning red.
"A talking Soul Wretch—that's new. What an ugly one you are. You disgust me."
Havoc had never been disrespected like this. "How dare you! I'll make you pay for that!" Smoke coiled from his cannon arm.
"You not only ruined my fun but disrespected me too. Who do you think you are?"
"I'm the one who's going to send you to hell." Percival's eyes glowed.
"Stopping my blast doesn't make you stronger than me. Hope it doesn't go to your head, cocky fool."
Percival's presence intensified. "Who said I thought I was stronger than you?" He smirked.
"You asked for my name—I'm Percival Ashduke. And you, freak, what were you called when you were human?"
Havoc smirked. "Since I'll kill you, I'll honor you with my name."
"You're awfully confident."
"Yes, I am. My name is HAVOC."
LUB-DUB!!
"Ha... voc." Percival's heart raced, his eyes widening.
"Surprised by my name? Are you scared of me now?"
Percival's grip on his hammer tightened.
*Poor Havoc,* Drake thought. *You don't know what you've just done. This man wanted your head after you tried raping Elsa, and now you're casually telling him your name. Tough luck, man.*
Percival's flames burned brighter, his hood beginning to rise as his dark, flaming aura oozed out.
"You said you were Havoc, right?" Percival's piercing gaze made Havoc jolt back, sweat running down his brow.
"Yes, exactly. Hahaha—who would have known a bastard like you would go so far as to become a Soul Wretch? Your malevolence never ceases." Percival's voice was menacing. "Killing young girls didn't suffice—now you've become a monster just to kill more."
"Do I know you?" Havoc wondered how he knew about his past.
"Fate has a cruel way of bringing acquaintances together, but this is the cruelest yet." Percival raised his massive war hammer, placing it on his shoulder. "I'll kill you."
Those three words sent a chill down Havoc's spine.
"Oh really? Why don't we test that theory?" Havoc smirked, but uncertainty crept into his voice.
*This is getting serious,* Drake thought.
"Hey," Percival called out.
"Yeah?"
"Don't worry—my teammates will be here soon. Our healer will patch you up real good, so just hold on. Don't die on me."
*There are more of them?*
"I'm not planning on dying." Drake managed a smile.
"One more thing."
"Yeah?"
"Is this freak the one who hurt Elsa again?" Percival's growl intensified.
Drake swallowed hard. "Yes, he is."
"That's all I needed to hear."
Percival's anger reached its climax. Both Drake and Havoc felt it—this man was powerful enough to kill them both combined.
*I need to know who this guy really is.*
Percival took calculated steps toward Havoc, his footsteps burning molten prints in the pavement.
"You tried hurting Elsa in the past, and now again?" Each word dripped venom. "How dare you."
Havoc stepped back. "How do you know Elsa?"
"I won't tell you everything, but know that she's special to me."
"Oh really? That ice witch always brings the most interesting people my way." Havoc smirked, but his confidence was shaking. "So be it—I'll just kill you and be done with it."
"Don't worry, I'll send you and your special somebody straight to hell." Havoc smirked
"Oh really? I'd love to see you try." Percival's words hung like a challenge, his gaze terrifying.
"I'll make you feel the same pain you caused Elsa. Expect it to be excruciating, and know this—I won't spare you. I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do."
The district fell silent.
Percival's presence filled the air, his runic flaming war hammer slung on his shoulder, burning bright and promising Havoc's inescapable doom.
—TO BE CONTINUED—