Song recommendation: SLAVA FUNK!
Zayden stared point blank at Stanley as if he had seen a ghost. He had not overcome the shock of having woken up in a new body much less hearing about the so-called beginning and end war. He shook his head in amusement and picked up a black worn out backpack from the ground. For some reasons, he was able to identify what was his. Just the way he remembered his sword.
Having secured the backpack on his back and the sheath around his waist, Zayden took one last look at the trampled bus and remains of the other three passengers that didn't survive the attack. "Peace," he murmured and returned to where Stanley was waiting for him.
"You ready?" Stanley asked as Zayden approached. Being a tall man himself, he still felt small in the presence of Zayden. Gripping the straps of his backpack, they went down the dusty road. Little did they know that they would have to lean on each other someday.
Stanley checked his pocket watch for the fifth time and gritted his teeth. "It's already six pm. We need to find shelter," he said to Zayden who was walking briskly, agile and less sweaty unlike him. "It would be very dangerous at nightfall," he tried to reason with Zayden who was hearing none of it.
"I can't stop," Zayden replied nonchalantly. The previous owner of his body was heading to Duskfall to collect an important piece. It's been five hours since the attack. "I need to get to Duskfall tonight," he replied and turned to look over his shoulder. "You can find somewhere safe to rest for the night." He doubted there was anywhere safe in this world if there was a wyvern earlier. "Besides, we aren't friends or anything like that." His cold reply made Stanley come to a sudden stop.
Standing alone in the road, Stanley looked around him in fear. He suddenly felt as though someone was watching him. He would have gone with Zayden but the dangers at night were high and he doubted he could survive it. Quietly, he made his way towards an old abandoned building. Holding his gun tightly to his chest, he peeked into the house from the cracked window. Inside was dusty and covered in cobwebs but it was better than nothing. He turned the rusty still knob and stepped inside.
"Idiot!" Zayden seethed as he kept walking away. The night was eerily quiet. There was no light or street lamps. In his former life, the world wasn't as vast as it was now or perhaps, the world he lived in was small to begin with. A little boy who grew up without the love of both parents. That was born weak. Of course the world was small to him.
Staring at his palm, he fisted it into a ball as the veins in his skin bulged. He could feel the power swirling within him. He wanted to let it out but didn't know how. Since he awakened in this body, Zayden has been having the urge to slash anything in sight. Apart from picking up something in Duskfall, he had used the excuse to stay away from Stanley. The bloodlust was wrecking his thoughts. Then he turned back, sensing a foreign presence behind him.
His body suddenly became alert. As if on que, he ducked as a large bluish lightening ball smashed into the spot he was standing a few seconds ago. A series of lightning balls followed and Zayden evaded them with ease. "What do we have here," he murmured in irritation. He landed on top of a huge debris which had fallen off a building years ago. He fingers brushed his sword as if reminding himself not to go berserk.
"Why don't you come down and have a nice conversation, midnight reaper," said a man in a black leather coat as he pushed himself forward. Five men in similar coats stepped out from the shadow with grim expressions on their faces. On their hands were daggers that gleamed in the nightlight.
"Midnight reaper" That was another name he was known as.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Assassins. They were after him. He knew that after he took over this body. Zayden had caused a stir in this world and most people were not going to sit idle and swallow the fact that the midnight reaper could do whatever he wanted and get away with it. The unbeatable silver haired man in a long red trench coat. Zayden smirked and tilted his head. "I might've upset one of those slavers, isn't it?" He taunted and jumped down from the rock.
The man's face came to view and Zayden instantly recalled the scarred face in his head. He had an awful encounter with the man before. "The scarred devil," he grinned. Gaining a second name was an important part among survivors of the beginning war. For those who took to fighting, it was like another life for them.
The scarred devil's jaw locked in suppressed anger as his fingers found the long black scar that started from his forehead to his cheek. "Enough chit chat–"
"I'm down for a conversation," Zayden replied and grinned. "What now? Are you scared of losing your second eye?" He berated the man.
"You scum!" The scarred devil yelled as he rushed towards Zayden. Zayden had slashed his face and rendered his left eye blind three years ago. "I'll take your head to him." He unleashed his anger and threw a punch at Zayden who backstepped and slipped past him.
"Still sloppy as ever," Zayden mocked. "Don't you think it's time you give up killing me?" He asked and menacingly unsheathed his sword. His eyes shone with joy and his tongue licked his lips. A cool breeze swept through the air, lifting Zayden's trench coat. It was a sight to behold as he drew his sword. "To the death." A cold expression descended on his face. That expression that scared them.
"Attack!" The scarred devil roared and the five men immediately picked up pace as they moved towards Zayden at the speed of light.
Now that they were gaining on him, Zayden realized something was off. As they rounded on him, he quickly slashed with his sword, jumped and spinned, swinging his legs sideways, he slashed a pair of legs and quickly teleported away from there. A powdery mildew suddenly filled the air and the hissing of serpents reached his ears.
"Don't let him escape," the scar devil yelled in annoyance, spittle flying out of his mouth. He had spent two years training these shape shifters so he could defeat Zayden one day. When he was approached by that man, he knew today was the day.
The powdery dust from serpent shifters were poisonous. Once inhaled, it melts the brain and kills immediately. "To think you can kill me in such a petty way was a shame," Zayden spat and flung himself at the serpent that was advancing. He struck his sword, separating the head from the body of the shape shifter. Blood splattered on his face and his thirst increased. His body moved as if he was floating. He thrust the sword into another shifter and tore it apart as the third one lunged at him. The slimy black log-like serpent flipped its tail, knocking Zayden off his feet and sending him flying a few feet away. He quickly struck his sword into the hardened earth, stopping his sudden fall. He groaned and dashed for the serpent. Fighting was nothing to him. Right now, he felt challenged. The serpent opened its mouth and the fourth one crawled speedily towards him.
"Die!" He growled as power charged within him. Fire suddenly lit on his sword as he parried to the left and sliced off the head of the beast. Two left. His knees were aching and his body was sweaty. With a loud yell, he sliced off both heads of the shifter and teleported towards the scar devil. Before the man could react, Zayden slashed his second eye with a smile and separated his neck from his head. As long as he was alive, they would keep coming for him. So he would keep eliminating anyone who dares cross him. Dying with regrets was the last thing he would wish for this time. If the world was going to end, Zayden would gladly die but he would do one thing first. He would find that man that has placed a bounty on his head and tear him limb by limb. Isabelle's face flashed in his head and her lifeless body lying on the floor of his tiny room painted in his head.
Heavy breathing. He could hear his heart pounding. His hold on the sword tightened and the burning bodies on the ground turned to ashes. His bloodthirst was quenched as the scarred devil's blood dripped from his body. "Pathetic," he spat.
"Zayden."
Stanley stood in palpable shock. He was scared to stay by himself even though he was armed with a gun. He also felt guilty for leaving Zayden by himself. Zayden had saved them from the wyvern attack and leaving him alone on the road has tormented Stanley. He knew Zayden hadn't gone far but coming to the scene where the latter was fighting serpent monsters left him speechless. What in the hell were they?
Zayden looked towards the direction and saw the scaredy Stanley standing with a pale face and eyes that bulged out from its socket. There it was. The fear. They always run when they see this side of him. He was a mess. Then they leave.
Stanley took a step back as his brain turned to mesh. Zayden was standing in the middle of the bloodbath and he wanted to puke.
"Are you injured?" He asked.
"Huh," Zayden raised his head as he stared wide-eyed at the young man. "It's not my blood," he replied in awe.
"I know," Stanley replied as he made his way towards Zayden. "You're a mess Zay," he said and shook his head.