Xavier wiped the sweat from his forehead as he stepped out of the small convenience stall. The flickering neon sign above the door blurred weakly, threatening to fade at any moment-just like everything else in this part of the city.
His shift had finally ended.
And yes, he had a job. How else could an orphan like him afford his tuition and everything else life demanded. The world wasn't kind-not to someone like him.
But tomorrow.... Tomorrow, could change everything.
He took a deep breath and started walking down the narrow alley behind the store. The air was silent as he moved. Normally, this path was always filled with chattering's of people coming and going, vendors calling out, kids running around.
Tonight, however –
It was quiet. Way too quiet.
A prickling sensation crawled through Xavier's spine. The hairs on his neck rose.
Something's off.
He was just about to turn back when-
"HELP! SOMEONE – PLEASE !!
A sharp terrified scream echoed through the alley. Xavier froze.
"That voice.....was strangely feminine", he muttered. His mind screamed at him to keep walking , to ignore it, to pretend he didn't hear anything.
But his feet moved anyway.
"Just a quick peek", he whispered. I will just take a look and walk away. Whatever happens, I mustn't get involved.
If only he has listened to his instinct and walked away earlier.
It didn't take long for him to reach the spot, peeping around the corner, he saw them. A large muscular man clad in dark heavy armour forcing a woman to the wall. Her clothes torn, her face streaked with tears as she struggled desperately, trying to push him away.
A violent assault in progress. It didn't take long for him to immediately understand what was going on.
His eyes immediately went to the man's gears-the rune-engraved gauntlets, the shimmering crest.
A mage. What is a mage doing in this part of the city. This was a quiet district that he lived in, nothing of importance actually happens here.
Of all the people he could have stumbled upon, it had to be a mage.
Shit...shit...shit.. he silently cursed every deity in existence.
He began to slowly back away but then – the man's head snapped towards him. Their gazes met. It was to be expected as mages had powerful senses.
Following his eyes, the woman turned to the corner and looked at him with pleading eyes.
"HELP ME! PLEASE!.
Xavier almost laughed at how absurd this woman was being.
Help? Me? Going up against a mage? She must be joking right? Lady, I am normie, that's practically suicide.
Saying that, he turned and bolted down the alley.
His heart pounding violently as he ran. He didn't even bother to check whether the man was chasing after him or not. The only thing on his mind right now was to flee.
But it didn't matter.
The next second, a gust of wind exploded behind him. The armoured man appeared right In front of him blocking his path completely.
Xavier's eyes widened in horror. This speed, he is a wind mage. "You've got to be kidding me", what kind of dog shit luck was this.
Seeing this he raised his arms in a defensive posture. He didn't beg for mercy or any nonsense like that. This was a not a movie, the bad guy won't let you walk just because you begged him to. He of all people knew how this went, witnesses to a crime scene were normally silenced.
No questions asked.
All it took was a flash of steel and a sharp slicing pain followed.
Xavier gasped, choking on the air in his lungs. He looked down to see the handle of a dagger buried deep within his chest. Blood soaked his shirt, dripping down his stomach in warm rivers.
The man smirked, obviously find this whole situation funny.
"Kid, in your next life," he said casually, learn to mind your own damn business".
He yanked the dagger free.
Xavier collapsed face first onto the concrete floors, not that he felt the impact or anything. He barely felt anything anymore.
The man turned and walked away, leaving him laid out like trash.
His vision blurred as he stared at the cracked pavement. The moon above seemed faint, fading and slipping away.
"This..... wasn't how it was supposed to happen, "he whispered. He coughed, blood splattering across his shin.
"I was supposed to awaken tomorrow....start a new life"
Fate you bastard.
"Is this how it ends?
After everything? After years of struggling?
His fingers twitched helplessly.
"My life is going to end like this? His vision dimmer further. The sounds around him faded. The light above him vanished.
Slowly.....slowly... His consciousness slipped until nothing remained. He had died or so he thought.
Suddenly his spirit shook disappearing from his body. He was suddenly transported to what looked like a palace, and the last words he had from the strange being that he saw before he lost his consciousness was...
"FOUND YOU"