(Kalemonath 13, 45 / 9:01PM)

  28 years ago.

  The white adobe which castled itself on the top of a hill, overlooking the city of Dodgerock, was at py. As the city gleamed and shone under the fake suns, making the people feel like they could never rest and sleep, the light pollution surrounding the town heavied and thickened.

  Because news spread out of a certain incident a couple of months prior.

  Inside one of the rooms of the adobe, a teenage boy gazed down at the small city from his room. Wearing a cowboy hat and an outdoor brown jacket, he wore the usual Pacithiest attire, as his palms firmed themselves on the edge of the window.

  (David’s thoughts) The city looks … restless…

  Without gncing at the newspaper to his left, it was imprinted with bck letters and with a white background.

  [BEAST-HUMANS ATTACK MILITARY BASE! HAXOUBURG SENDS ARMY TO DISMANTLE THEM!]

  The start of the beast-human skirmishes.

  Reading every single newspaper from the time of the incident to the present, he checked up on the restless city that fred up at night. Feeling his stomach drop to his abdomen, he raised his right hand onto the window, feeling the coldness of the gss which simmered his palms.

  Flushing out a simple breath of air, he stained the window with his hot breath, leading the gss to humidify and moisten. Unable to see his reflection, unable to see the city in front of him, he stared bnkly.

  Until a single knock on his door startled his body.

  Turning around, the door to his room swayed open. A teenage boy, looking to be three years younger than him, had his handle on the door.

  (David) Hey Kenichi, you need something?

  (Kenichi) Someone gave me this envelope.

  David looked down upon Kenichi’s right hand, seeing his fingers grasp and firm around the top of the paper. Both of his hands dropping down to his sides, he pushed his cheeks down, and let his eyes trail to the floor.

  (David) That same letter…

  (Kenichi) You were given it too?

  (David) That’s a letter we can't ignore. We're being drafted, forced to fight in the skirmishes.

  (Kenichi) You mean the rioting?

  (David) From the newspapers, it sounds like it’s an all-out war…

  Kenichi walked into the room, his old boots trickling the wooden floor with the soles of his feet. Leaving the door open, he stood in the center, his hands low as he tried to conjure up a smile.

  His hand, which held the envelope, started to tremble and shiver like he was cold.

  Pushing himself from out of his seat, his brown leather boots thud the hardwood floor beneath him. Once he reached and stopped right in front of Kenichi, he poked out his thumb from his hand, sticking it out while pointing it back.

  (David) But the good news is that me, you, and Gabriel could all join in the same regiment.

  (Kenichi) That’s not what I’m worried about…

  (David) You’re not going to die, so don’t worry.

  He pced his right hand on Kenichi’s shoulder, his fingers loose and unwilling to trench into his skin. Pushing up a warm smile, David tilted his head to the right, making him seem friendly, not cocky.

  Which caused Kenichi to loosen his body. Continuing to have his fingers grip the top of the envelope, he had it by a thread, as his eyes stared into David’s brown ones.

  (David) Governments love to exaggerate stories. I highly doubt the beast-humans would take things too far.

  (Kenichi) You sure?

  (David) I promise. All three of us will be fine. And besides…

  Pulling back his right hand, he pced it into his jacket’s pocket, staring into the window of his bedroom. Seeing a couple of lights fre up, the city continued to remain restless, leading him to narrow his eyes and push up a smirk.

  And turns his head to face Kenichi, using his left hand to stick out a thumbs up.

  (David) Both Iris and Jenny will be heartbroken if one of us dies.

  He dropped the envelope, letting it nestle onto the tip of his right boot.

  His fingers wiggled along his pants, and his lips quivered and pushed to replicate the same smile that David wore. With enough strength, he achieved it, closing his eyes as he opened his mouth to soften out a ugh.

  A ugh so warm, it made David push his smile evermore.

  (Kenichi) Sure do.

  Rubbing the back of his head, Kenichi turned and walked toward the exit, his face warm and loosened from David’s encouragement. As one exited out, another entered.

  This time, another teenager, having hair wrapped up in a small man-bun, walked into David’s room with both of his hands inside his jacket’s pockets. His brow furrowed, he made a ft face.

  (Gabriel) What did I miss?

  (David) Nothing much, just giving some words of encouragement.

  (Gabriel) Well, I talked with the Boss about the envelopes. He said he wants us to keep it a secret until tomorrow.

  (David) Why?

  (Gabriel) So that way Iris and Jenny will sleep soundly tonight.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Reverence 6, 59 / 7:10PM)

  Back to the present.

  The battalion of guards that Gabriel had, all ran to catch the sprinting Iris. Leaving the spartan to stand his ground, against a man with equal strength or even more, was the first thought for Gabriel.

  Seeing them flocking to the dark-purple hair woman, he scoffed out a dry patch of air, his hands and arms lowered to his sides.

  (Spartan Gabriel) I Guess Iris won’t be sleeping well after her injuries.

  David raised his right eyebrow while having his hands rustling in his pockets. Followed by sliding his left foot back, he pced most of his strength onto the heels of his right foot, leading the pavement to crack.

  His eyes narrowed, his breath steady, he pulled both of his hands away from his jacket’s pockets.

  In his right hand, he carried his pistol, his palm squeezing the metal of the grip. His fingers cracking the metal, making every mechanism shiver and timber, he lifted the barrel so that it pointed toward…

  (David) So are you.

  Both lunged away from each other.

  As a couple of bullets rang through the street, Gabriel quickly pulled out a mini frying pan from his suit. Having the pan tilt at an angle up, the bullets that shingled with the metal ricocheted up to the air, leaving it to pierce through a poor brick building instead.

  Moving his finger away, David lunged again, this time toward Gabriel.

  (Spartan Gabriel’s thoughts) Someone’s going on the offense.

  Wielding the frying pan with his left hand, he thrust his right into his tuxedo pocket, his knuckles grazing the fabric of his bck suit before pulling out another object. Looking to be a simir design to David’s pistol, it was none other than…

  His glock.

  Having it locked and loaded, he aimed dead center toward the lunging David, as he breezed through the air as well. Reaching up to him, Gabriel fired three bullets, all of them piercing the air in less than a second.

  (David’s thoughts) Oh really now.

  In less than a millisecond, he narrowly dodged the incoming bullets, with the edges of his jacket being scraped by the hot lead.

  Finally reaching Gabriel, he pulled back his right hand which was occupied by his gun, and thrusted his left hand which was occupied by none. His fist, which creaked and sorrowed under his abnormal strength, unched forward and low to Gabriel’s—

  (Spartan Gabriel) You fell for it.

  Just as David was about to sled his fist into his stomach, Gabriel lunged his body away in that split second. Within that split second, the heels of his feet pushed off parts of the floor like a man-made missile, sending the loose cobblestone to speed toward…

  Widening his eyes, he had no choice but to brace the incoming projectiles. Too slow to—was he that slow? To dodge a couple of pebbles?

  Moving his body away from harm, one or two pebbles smmed against his chest and shoulder, leading him to bite his lower lip to conceal the pain. Feeling like he was shot, his right chest pec and shoulder swollen and sore, he bit his lip even more. Letting blood dribble down to his chin, he extended his right hand without thinking, his pupils diting as he honed down on his—

  (Spartan Gabriel) You fell for that too.

  But this time, he wasn’t fast.

  Hearing the bring sound of a gunshot pinching his eardrums, tinnitus roared like an angry drum. The more it bred, the more his vision blurred between the lines of fake and real. Slowly, he felt his body become light, leading him to look up at the sky…

  And fall ft on his back.

  His stomach starting to burn, he moved his left hand to trace the area which felt scalded. Letting a liquid, unknown to him, scour his nails like jello, he turned his body around and hunched his back.

  As the pain finally swept in.

  (Spartan Gabriel) That looks painful, doesn't it?

  (David’s thoughts) ah…

  The cobblestone beneath him, allowed the putrid fragrance of his bodily fluid, letting it stain the pavement red. Clutching the wound, cwing the edges of his stomach with his nails, he soured his face like he ate something bitter.

  Unable to speak, unable to groan, his pain was silent.

  Seeing him keep his lips sealed, Gabriel swayed his head repeatedly, before jabbing his glock back into his tuxedo pocket.

  (Spartan Gabriel) I’ve never been shot before, but I guess this is a first for you, isn’t it?

  Standing tall, he stood above the balled-up David, as not a smirk or smile was given to him. His face pushed down and darkened, which only led him to quiver his eyelids the longer he witnessed his pain.

  Kneeling, he pced one of his hands onto David’s shoulder, his fingers loose and unable to trench into his jacket or body.

  (Spartan Gabriel) You’re strong, much stronger than me, so stop this farce…

  David ceased his groveling, keeping his body frozen like an unthawed armadillo. The blood from his stomach continued to spur out, he was unlike others who were on the bridge of life or death.

  No, David was different.

  (Spartan Gabriel) And show me what I missed out on—

  He flew.

  He didn’t blink, nor did the pores of his skin goose.

  Widening his eyes, he felt like his body was as light as a note card of paper, his arms like noodles and his legs like jello. Rippling with the wind, the distance between him and David only grew, much faster than he could see.

  Before his fingers flinched, his back smmed—no, he went through the wall. The protection of bricks was unable to cushion his fall, even though it wasn’t supposed to, and he tumbled and rolled like a ragdoll along the wooden floor.

  And stopped, as he spread out on all fours.

  Tilting his head up an inch from the ground, his blurred eyes couldn’t pin or cultivate a sight or observation. But his senses though…

  (Spartan Gabriel) What did he do…

  Fred up, his body feeling like he was set abze. Instead of lighting up his spirit, he felt his clothes and body were on fire.

  Turning the camera to David, he was already up, as every atom that stretched from his heels to his toes pressured the cobblestone pavement. His right fist extended out, he didn’t pull it back but kept it out while diting his eyes to a smaller size.

  His back hunched forward, his breath calm and loose, he ignored the oozing blood from his stomach. Despite every nerve within his stomach screeching out, sending the pain to rack his brain, he tilted his head to the very right.

  And cracked one or two of his bones.

  (David) Alright then…

  His palms unable to grip iron, he had his gun holstered to his waist, as he slid his left foot back. Pressuring all of his body weight on the tips of his toes, he made a lunging stance with his right leg, making his calf and thigh bulge and strain. All the while kept his narrowed eyes on Gabriel, who began pushing himself up from the floor.

  (David) Guess we’ll have to talk like gentlemen.

  He leaped; and faded into the wind.

  Like seeing the st chunks of a blurred screen until it turns to normal, Gabriel took a step back, his eyes trailing every st bit of brick and stone he collided with. Unable to take in the mendicant surroundings, he pulled out his glock, and had his finger on the trigger so—

  David towered over him.

  (Spartan Gabriel’s thoughts) Shit!

  Lunging to the right, he avoided the incoming fist which arrived on the wooden floor, leading the ground to crack open. Shaking the entirety of the building, David pulled his right hand to himself and lunged with gring eyes.

  Unlike before, Gabriel kept up with him. But now that the leash was off, it was like pying whack a mole with a rabid tiger.

  Drawing out his glock from his waist like a gunslinger, he was in the air as he aimed, while keeping his right eye closed. As soon as his left eye caught a whiff of David, the cowboy faded again, simir to how Luna used her blessing of teleportation.

  (Spartan Gabriel’s thoughts) I can’t get hit again…

  To describe the pain in Gabriel’s stomach, it was as if a hundred men repeatedly kicked into his abdomen. All at the same time, it made him feel queasy and exhausted, as sweat trickled his temples.

  The metal of his handgun shaking, he pced his left hand on his wrist. His right hand continuing to tremble, he bit the inside of his cheeks, causing blood to swell and move around his pearly white teeth.

  Trying to direct the pain, he wrinkled his face…

  As David flew toward him yet again.

  (Spartan Gabriel’s thoughts) Shit! Shit! Shit!

  Too slow to pull the trigger, and too slow to bring his glock back to his side, he pushed himself toward the right. Allowing his hair and clothes to flutter through the air, unknownst to him, he had leaped out from the building he crashed into.

  Leading himself into the street, he slid his right foot into a circle, the soles of his feet blistering on the rocky pavement. Hearing a loud boom from within the building, many of the windows shattered, sending shards of gss to litter the sidewalk. Along with the building on the verge of colpsing, the foundation of bricks that held it up started to shift and turn.

  Squeezing his lungs cruelly, breathless wheezes scoured his throat, as he aimed his barrel to the hole.

  (Spartan Gabriel’s thoughts) He has no choice but to exit out of that hole! There’s no other hole he could crawl out of—

  Another hole busted free.

  Plowing a mountain of bricks to set loose, the momentum of the monster in sight was enough to let him drop his gun. His hearing deyed, he couldn’t garner the simplest of metal to cnk on the stone ground, once his eyes settled on…

  David charging through like a bull.

  His cowboy hat shadowed his face, his knuckles glowed a ghostly white, and all the while he enacted his body like a raging bullet. Feeling his breath freezing in his throat, he lunged backward again, his arms covering his face like a shield.

  (Spartan Gabriel’s thoughts) SHIT!!

  Already reaching Gabriel, his right fist hammered on Gabriel’s forearms.

  Nothing happened.

  As if time had stopped for the both of them, no muscle itched or ached, or twitched or shivered. David’s fist, which burrowed into Gabriel’s bone, kept his hand still and frozen. Along with Gabriel, his entire body glued itself to the cobblestone below his feet, making it his life support regarding his bodily status.

  The air grew thin, and their ears rang.

  As the deyed gust of air plummeted toward the covered spartan.

  (David) Heavenly Rock.

  He was sent flying.

  Soaring in the air, his body didn’t feel light as a feather. As if his soul escaped from his body, his eyes rolled into the back of his skull, while flying at a 90-degree angle. His hands and arms dropped to his waist and sides, and his whole body shivered under the trembling air pressure, making it seem his body felt delicate.

  But the buildings near David were far worse.

  Next to him, all windows from a 10-meter radius shattered from the bst, delivering gss shards onto the sidewalk. Bricks dispcing on top of each other, they crushed and cracked the ground, splitting apart the very sidewalk the gss id upon. Creating a mini hurricane gust of wind from just one punch, David finally pulled back his right hand, his knuckles reddened and blistered.

  As he exerted all his strength.

  (David’s thoughts) I did it…

  Both of his feet felt as if fire ants were nibbling inside his skin. His hands swaying front and back, his knees buckled, and his feet remained glued to the ground beneath.

  Pushing his right foot forward, his eyes dited small and rge over and over again, while letting his breath hunk out from his lungs. Taking another step forward, he began his slow walk, his eyes squinting and keeping contact with the soaring Gabriel who flew and flew.

  Until his back smmed against another metal pole.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  Reaching the beaten-up spartan, his pushed-down eyes gazed at the bleeding specimen.

  His forearms likely shattered, Gabriel’s knuckles were nestled on the pavement floor, collecting and scraping dust like gems. The back of his head brushed on the metal, along with the entirety of his back, and his eyeballs were forced back to normal.

  Finally listening to the pain of his stomach as well as his shattered forearms, he bnkly stared in front of him, even though David stood 90 degrees to his left.

  (David) No matter how you put it…

  David raised his right hand toward the top of his hat, his fingers scourging the leather as he pced it onto his knee. His face softened, not a trace of darkness nor anger pstered on his face, making him seem warm.

  (David) I’m always going to be stronger than you.

  (Spartan Gabriel) Oh please…

  Gabriel tried to push a quivering smile, but his twitching lips only wrinkled and soured under the blood and iron inside his mouth. Staining not just his teeth, but his gums and parched throat, he continued to wheeze breathless patches of air from his emptied lungs.

  Unable to move his arms, he slid his numbed feet an inch toward him, but it didn’t make a difference.

  (Spartan Gabriel) At least I prepared for your arrival … many heroes don’t do that you know…

  (David) You call yourself a hero?

  (Spartan Gabriel) I fight crime, you’re criminals, go figure…

  Having his right hand occupied with his hat, he extended his left hand out.

  Slowly, Gabriel turned his head toward David, his eyelids on the verge of shutting down from exhaustion and pain. Since his forearm bones were shattered, he couldn’t dare move them, but even so…

  Gabriel raised his main arm, his bicep and tricep muscles bulging and burning through his flesh and bone.

  (David) Surprised you could still lift your arm.

  (Spartan Gabriel) Just help me up… I won’t pursue you as of right now…

  Grabbing a hold of Gabriel’s cold hand, he brought up the exhausted spartan to the soles of his heels. His lower body shivering under the weight of his upper body, he barely could stand let alone walk…

  David took note of this and hurled his left arm around Gabriel’s neck. Despite the spartan being a few inches taller, Gabriel hunched his head into his body like a turtle, as he moved his right arm around David’s neck as well.

  (Spartan Gabriel) Just what is your endgame here?

  (David) My endgame?

  (Spartan Gabriel) You want to protect your foster children, but there’s something more to it. Spit it out.

  His arm tightened around Gabriel’s upper back, as the both of them limped their way on the empty cobblestone street.

  The edges of their boots and church shoes scraping against the hardened stone, they looked forward, gazing into the howling early night which began sprawling out a couple of stars. With every step they took, they felt their feet blister and scorn from their old age.

  (David) The truth Gabriel. Tell me what you already know.

  Gabriel huffed out a wheezed breath from his throat, as his right arm dangled along his waist. The more they walked, the more their knees, feet, and legs wanted to give, but they couldn’t stop.

  Because if they did, they’d succumb to the demon's desire for rest.

  (Spartan Gabriel) That Zirardge man told me everything. In exchange, I had to abandon the Pacithiests and join the FUC.

  (David) You gave up your pride for a bit of knowledge.

  (Spartan Gabriel) I don’t see you doing it.

  David let out a groan, his arm tightening a bit more around Gabriel’s body. As both of them saw a bck van parked along a curb, David let his eyes traverse down to the street cobblestone, and his guidance was soon finished.

  Walking with a little limp in their legs, Gabriel almost tripped on a piece of loose stone, but he immediately kept his bance.

  (Spartan Gabriel) I knew Kenichi was with them, how he was brought back from the dead and whatnot. But I never told you or anyone about it…

  (David) But that doesn’t expin how he’s still alive.

  (Spartan Gabriel) Someone revived him.

  Both of them reached the bck van.

  As they talked, David opened the passenger door for the spartan, using his right hand to open the heavy metal. The smell of pinewood assaulting their noses, David nudged Gabriel forward, causing him to tumble into the passenger seat.

  Instead of walking back into the alleyways of the city, David kept his eyes and ears all focused on Gabriel.

  (Spartan Gabriel) You remember your war hero buddy? The one with the blonde hair?

  David remained silent.

  The night breeze whistled through him like a pack of wolves, he pced his left hand inside of his jacket while raising his right hand to the top of his head. Pcing firm, his cowboy hat, he let its shadow cover his eyes.

  Which caused Gabriel to narrow his eyes at David.

  (Spartan Gabriel) He brought him back to life … Joseph Fenix, right? Son of that sinner Luke Fenix?