Ugh, I got a headache.

I got up on the cot I was on. Wait, I'm on a cot? Where’s mama and the others? I looked around properly. I seem to be in a treatment tent. I looked at each and every cot. Each and every person around me. I remembered what happened before I passed out and immediately checked myself for burn marks. I looked normal. At least most of me.

I noticed that on my lower back, towards the side was a large mark on my skin. I couldn't make it out. Then again, I don't want others to see it.

My body is aching like hell. All around me, everyone is tending to someone else.

“…It had scales of metal. People had to run as fast as they could. Otherwise they were grabbed by the eight serpents on its back”

I heard someone recount what they witnessed yesterday. How can a human being turn into something like that? I thought. With my thoughts, fear returned. I started feeling extremely disturbed. I began to sweat. My heart started pounding. I need to find my family first.

"Excuse me!" I tried to talk to one of the overseers.

"I'm in a hurry, kid."

I saw somebody else and called out to them, but no answer. What happened to that monster I wonder? Did anyone kill it?

I noticed my shirt was torn. I need to go back home and get myself a new one. I don't want anyone to see the mark on my back. They could think I'm going through a possession myself. My sister Riv and the rest could also be back home, for all I know.

I felt tired. But I didn’t let that stop me. I reached the street where we live. Lots of guards were stationed. No one from the mining families or people I know of were in my line of sight. Are people not back yet?

"Boy, what are you doing here?", one of the guards shouted at me.

"Hello sir! I’m just here to check my home for my family."

"You live here, do you?"

"Yes."

"Well, everyone is at the treatment camps. No one is back yet. We are guarding the area. Since the attack happened here yesterday we are just taking a measure. No one will be in your house."

I looked towards my home, and the door was slightly open. I peeked at the guard and back at my home again. I just have to make sure. I just gotta run.

Whoosh*

"Wait, boy!"

"Oi!"

I went inside the house. Phew, that was quicker than I thought. The onion soup from yesterday—I can still smell it. Everything is as we left them. I walked all around the house. Our house isn’t big, but I had to make sure to check everywhere. I’m surprised the guards didn’t follow me. Usually, they run and stop me. Maybe they think they’re just going to punish me. I changed my clothes, walked out, and closed the door behind me.

When I turned around, I saw the two soldiers standing there, staring at me.

"I’m sorry, boy. I didn’t realise your younger brother was left inside. We didn’t bother checking. We thought everyone was at the camps."

I was surprised by their attitude, but I was surprised even more by what they said. "My brother?" I suddenly became aware of the weight on my shoulders.

"Yup, the one on your shoulder. Is he not your brother?"

"My shoulder?" I said and turned to my left. I first felt something touch my cheeks, and the next second, I saw the baby from before. Only he looked a bit older. He was rather plump too. He clutched his hands around my neck, hanging over my back.

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I froze. I was going to scream but didn’t. I didn’t realise someone was on my back.

"AHH!" I screamed in shock. Okay, I couldn’t help it.

The soldiers flinched.

"Cough! Cough!" I need to stay calm or the soldiers are going to cause me trouble. I have enough on my plate. I still need to look for everyone.

A dry laugh escaped me. "Yes. I came looking just for him. Sorry, I’m just tired."

"Okay… Go back to the camp where you came from, boy. We can't let you be here for long."

"Yes, thank you."

The kid on my shoulder just looked around silently.

I started walking away. Then the kid blurted out giddily, "Knube says hi to Straak!"

I tried to stretch my arms to get him off me. He just moved from one shoulder to the other. No use.

"Get off my back you brat!"

”Straak don’t like Knube?” He said sheepishly. I turned to my side to look at him. Where did this boy come from?

“Is Straak not going to look for his family?”

I eyed the kid again. He fell silent. I am almost certain this is the same baby boy from yesterday. How did he change? Where was he? And why is he here? I don't know.

I was able to reach him after trying a few more times, but he wasn’t budging. I give up.

“You better get off my back, before I find my family kid!”

He stayed silent. I went back to the camps and tried again.

"Sir!"

"What kid?", one guard finally replied.

"I’m looking for my parents. Where can I find them?"

"All the injured people and the ones involved have been moved to blocks 27, 33, 34 & 35 where the treatment camps are prepared. If they are not there, it means they’re probably dead."

Dead.

Those words rang in my mind.

"Don’t worry. You’ll find them," the kid said. Strange. It’s like this little guy can read my mind. Still, I decided to ignore him for now. I have better things to do. My fear of everyone possibly being dead overtook me. I thanked the guard and searched for my family in the first and second blocks he mentioned.

Not here.

Not here either.

No. No. No.

I was walking to the last two blocks. I couldn’t help it. Tears just started rolling down my eyes. They said some people were so badly injured it’s hard to distinguish who’s who. Many people were crushed too. I hope everyone is safe and sound.

Outside the camps in block 34, I asked one of the overseers of the camps for any information.

"Are you from Ivo’s family?"

"Yes, sir… That's my father", his tone scared me. The guard went silent. "Come with me."

He took me past the tents and beyond the block. We are going quite far. In fact we might be going to the middle of all the blocks where the treatment camps are. My nerves were building up all throughout the walk. He's taking me outside the blocks where they are treating people?

Clank*

A tile slipped from one of the rooftops. We were caught off guard, so I looked up where the tile slipped from.

“Not easy to find like the other one, are you?”

I saw a largely built man. He had short black hair, shaved sides with a ponytail. On his back were two giant swords. They looked half his size. The man jumped off the roof.

“Knube?”

The boy on my back was puzzled. Just like him, I looked at the man in disbelief. Is he crazy? What is he jumping off a roof for? Nonetheless, the look on the stranger's face was a bit frightening.

“Why is a rat like you playing around with a Daemon?”, he said calmly, turning around, pulling out his sword from its sheath. He eyed me and the boy sharply. The next instance, he rushed forward with his sword. He moved gracefully. But he was not so fast. I turned my legs to the side and jumped. With all my will hoping to dodge him.

It was then, a miracle happened. Something that should not be humanly possible. I found myself 10 paces forward in a second. It's like I skipped the space between where I am and where I was.

Wha- How did I gain such distance?

I dashed away in panic and ran.

“Now that I found you too, the minister will be overjoyed”, his manic laugh was as loud as thunder.

"You need to run away quickly, Knube.”

At the size this man is, he can catch up to me on foot easily. What should I do? Move Straak! Move!

Then it happened again. I disappeared and reappeared. All within seconds. I was perplexed. But now I have a way. “I need to use this.”

I was almost about to be caught but that's when I began to do the magic over and over. At first I appeared to transport to random locations. I did not travel more than 10 paces at a time. But I could only use this ability when nothing too big was blocking my way.

I could hear the tiles again. It sounded like… Someone is jumping. So I looked up.

I was not wrong. He is still chasing after me. Instead of running, he is jumping again from one roof to the other. The thought of my parents came to my mind again. I wanted to stop. But something tells me I will cease to have my life as mine, the moment I stop.

“Pesky brat. Don’t think your useless Intent can save you.”

I got past whatever guards and blockades there were till I reached the southern gate. I was not that fast because of the roundabout way I was going. But I was fast enough to pass people before they realised.

“What’s this magic?” I asked myself.

“You're using your Will, Knube.”

I don't get it. But it sounds like it's a big deal. I was a few metres away from the gate. Seeing it reminded me of the man who was here yesterday. With his strange instrument and strange power. Power that no one else could defy and gave him the freedom to stand up for himself.

“I see you!”

Before I was 2 jumps away from the exit, one of the massive swords on the man's back came flying at me. The sword luckily missed me, but it struck the ground. The impact sent me flying forwards.

Predicting the effect of his move, he threw the second sword at me. I didn't even have the time to use my ability. At the last moment, Knube pushed me just about enough to dodge the sword. Its impact too made me fly, this time completely throwing me off balance.

“Raven's Reach!”

My assailant screamed, and jumped off the roof towards me. He did not fall to the ground. No. He defied gravity and flew with such speed, that his movement reminded me of his sword. He flew like he could imitate its speed and reached where his second sword landed.

Before I recovered, he drew his sword from the ground and pierced the one who was the least nimble. Knube.

“Str..a..ak?”

As I watched him, Knube’s voice slowly faded, and his body turned to dust. I tried my best. But my ability stopped working. Now I, who was on the floor, am stuck right in front of the gates. Visible to all the guards in the area. Unable to move.

“I'm guessing the kind sir is a Weaver! Your power is incredible”, I tried to play the sucker.

My assailant just stood still, with a victorious look on his face. He grabbed my hair and growled at me.

“Rascal. I'm amazed you thought you could escape me.”

Slowly the gates began to fall in front of my eyes. The metallic grilles reminded me again that my destiny is to be caged forever, just like everyone before me.

“Your Daemon will not be able to materialise for an hour. For me that's enough time to take you to the minister.”

I didn't hear anything that was said. Knube turned to dust. And with him, my chances of escape did too.

Maybe this is for the best. I need to check if my family is alive anyway. It might be better for me to stay put. I should just let him be, and do what he wants to do.