The two soon arrived at a local fast-food Mexican restaurant, and entered the building.

(Ooh, what’s this place?)

Jack could hear Ellis’s fascination with the restaurant, although, she was surprisingly unfazed at seeing all of the cars driving around.

‘It’s somewhere you can get food quickly, although the quality is often reduced.’

The two approached the counter, and Jenny began ordering food, while Jack looked around the restaurant. It was pretty ordinary, with tables and chairs neatly organized around the room, and a bar with a soda machine to his right along with condiments, lids, and straws. As for the people, there were about three others, each eating alone, each at their own table. The only odd thing was they were all old-looking men with long, white beards, and each of them was wearing a different color hoodie, one yellow, one blue, and one red, each with the hood up. To be honest it looked a group of homeless men.

(They’re not human.)

Ellis said in a very serious tone.

‘They’re not? What are they?’

“Sir, What would you like?”

The voice of the lady behind the counter pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Nothing.”

Jenny gave him a cold stare for some reason.

‘She must not want to eat alone. It’s probably a girl thing.’

“On second thought, I’ll have what she’s having.”

Jenny’s expression returned to normal, and she happily accepted her cup before heading towards the soda machine. Jack followed suit, picking up his cup and turned his attention back to Ellis.

‘Ellis?’

(Yeah, I’m certain they’re not human, there is a magical energy surrounding them.)

‘So they’re gods?’

Jack collected ice from the ice dispenser on the soda machine, then began to fill his cup with sweet tea.

(No, not gods. There are many magical beings on earth, but I don’t have time to tell you about that now. Those things are furies, and they can be dangerous when they gang up.)

‘How dangerous.’

Jack’s cup overflowed slightly, and he reached to grab some napkins to wipe away the excess fluid.

(Their strength is comparable to an adult human’s, but their speed is quite impressive. They are only attracted to beings that release a magical signature, and tend to fear humans.)

Ellis continued while jack headed towards Jenny, who had picked out a seat by the window.

‘Fear humans?’

(Yes, humans have no magical energy and are based solely on science, so there is no reason for them to have an interest in them, not to mention humans are smarter. Furies can sense threats very well, and will often avoid situations that will get them noticed.)

Jack sat across from Jenny, setting his cup down on the table and leaning back in his chair appearing relaxed. Jenny, who was looking at her phone, looked up at him worry reflected in her eyes.

“You alright? You seem a little out of it.”

Jack smiled ever so slightly, he was not alright, he was either insane, or surrounded by magic-eating monsters. To his surprise, he found himself hoping for the latter, then he could at least trust his own mind.

“I’m fine, just a little tired.”

Jenny looked at him with suspicious eyes, she knew him too well. Luckily for him, she seemed to dismiss it, and stand up.

“I’ll be right back, I’ve got to wash up.”

She turned and walked off towards the restrooms. Jack returned his attention to Ellis who was grumbling to herself quietly about how stupid he was.

‘Do you think they’ve noticed me?’

Ellis stopped her grumbling long enough to respond.

(Yeah, you emit a magical energy, why?)

Jack thought of a way to test his sanity, but if it worked, he may not come out unscathed.

(You shouldn’t have to worry about them, they see you as a threat and will not attack as long as you don’t make any sudden moves.)

He would have to finish up before Jenny returned from the restroom. Luckily, the lady behind the counter had gone back into the kitchen, so she was out of sight, and hopefully earshot.

‘Sudden moves, you say?’

(Yeah-wait, what are you thinking?!)

It seems Ellis caught on. If they attack him, and he gets hurt, then he is likely not insane, but if they do nothing, then he is just a crazy person with voices in his head. It’s not foolproof, but it should at least help. Ellis didn’t seem to like this idea.

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(Moron! If you die, then I die! For real this time!)

“Here goes nothing.”

Jack ignored her and abruptly stood up, letting his chair fall to the ground with a loud clattering noise. In that instant, all three men’s eyes locked on him, all moving in sync like a horror movie. Their eyes were bright green color that emitted a threatening aura. They each stood up slowly, swaying back and forth, and their hands which were previously under the table, came into the light, revealing long claws that resembled knives.

Jack heard something fall to his left, and he turned to see a fourth fury climbing over the counter, this one was younger-looking maybe in his late thirties, and wearing the restaurant’s employee hat. Blood dripped down his claws and onto the floor, which likely belonged to the lady behind the counter. Jack maintained his poker face, he didn’t know how they would react if he revealed the fear he was feeling.

(Tch. Now you’ve done it. Your lucky there are only four of them, they normally travel in packs that are at least six, and sometimes exceed twenty.)

The furies edged toward him, surrounding him. Jack’s fists clenched as he prepared for a fight.

(They work well as a team, but their strategies are simple, it looks like they are trying to get around you. DON’T LET THAT HAPPEN.)

Ellis spoke with a very calm, but stern voice, one that Jack didn’t think she was even capable of. Luckily, he was next to a wall already, so he didn’t have to move much to have his back covered.

(They will likely attack you one right after the other, to wear you down. They are underestimating you.)

Jack felt the adrenaline pump into his blood, sharpening his senses, and preparing him to fight or run. Running was not an option since Jenny was still in the restroom, so he brought his fists up next to his face. He had been in a couple of one-on-one fist fights before, but he couldn’t help doubting his abilities when facing such terrifying creatures.

Just like Ellis said, the one to his far right that was wearing a blue hoodie lunged at him, baring it’s teeth and raising it’s claws while charging at a frightening speed. Jack barely had enough time to bring his arm between them before they collided, and he felt it’s claws cut into his arm. Without hesitation, he pushed back against the fury as the blades cut deeper, until he felt his arm hit it’s body. He pushed with all his might to inflict maximum damage, and heard the nauseating crunch of bones, and felt his hand dig into it’s torso. He pulled his arm around, and the creature went flying across the room, crashing into some tables.

Jack gripped his arm which was now covered in blood, and realizing the wound wasn’t as bad as he thought it was, while it drew blood, it didn’t dig into the muscle enough to cause any real damage. While looking at his arm, the one to his left wearing the employee hat charged with even more speed than the last one, but Jack was already prepared. He kicked the chair at his feet in the direction of the one attacking, then grabbed the table next to him before the others could react, and swung it towards their heads. One was blind sided, while the other just had time to put it’s hands up to defend itself, but both were blown away.

The one to his left was hindered by the chair, but quickly recovered and resumed it’s attack, this time coming up close before engaging in a one-on-one fight. This one was clearly on a different level from the others, it fought will skilled and well-calculated moves that could only be gained through first-hand experience. Jack turned to face the new threat, dodging or blocking each attack to the best of his abilities while looking for an opening. A couple of hits hit their mark, but most of those just knocked him back against the wall, and didn’t deal any real damage.

This creature clearly had the upper hand when it came to experience, but Jack beat it in strength and speed. The fury slashed downward at Jack at a speed most humans wouldn’t even be able to see, but it just looked like a normal attack to the new god of love, and he was able to catch it with his left hand before it landed a hit. The creature hesitated, seeing it was outmatched, and as soon as Jack saw the opening, he threw his right fist straight into it’s nose, which emitted a loud crunching noise. The fury’s head went back and it’s legs went forward as it’s face imploded from the force of his punch, and it hit the ground with a dull thud. The green lights in it’s eyes vanished, and were replaced with just ordinary human eyes.

Jack stood still for several moments while looking at the bodies in front of him, trying to calm himself. Blood dripped on the floor from his various wounds, but none of them were severe, the worst one was the one on his arm. The t-shirt he had been wearing was torn and had blood splattered on it, some of it his, and some of it the furies.

(That was cool. It’s a pity your ‘not girlfriend’ wasn’t here to see it, or she might have thrown herself into your arms! Damn, what a perfect opportunity wasted!)

Oh, shit.

“Jenny!”

Jack rushed towards the restrooms. He made a lot of noise while fighting those things, and she still hasn’t come out of the restroom!

“If anything happened to her, I swear...”

Jack mumbled under his breath. He only had one friend in the world, and she was more precious to him than anything else in the world, so he couldn’t let anything happen to her. He could take a lot of crap if it was directed at him, but he has a low tolerance for anyone that hurts someone he cares about. He ran around the corner, and saw Jenny exiting the women’s restroom.

“Jack! What was all that noi-omagod! What happened to-!?”

Jenny’s first though was interrupted by Jack’s beat-up appearance, and her second thought was interrupted by Jack’s hug. He ran right up to her with incredible speed, and hugged her without hesitation, which was pretty normal considering how he thought his only friend was murdered by green-eyed monsters. However, all Jenny knew was she heard some noise, she came out, and jack was covered in blood and hugging her. Her face was as red as a tomato when she finally found her voice.

“J-Jack... W-w-why are you-what happened!?”

Jack let out a sigh of relief, and stepped back to meet her gaze, but she had already snapped out of her stupor, and was now concerned with the blood.

“Jack! You need to go to the hospital!”

Jack looked down at his injuries, but they were all shallow despite their appearance, and should heal well without the expensive hospital bills. Not to mention some of the blood belonged to the furies, and he didn’t want to explain that to the hospital staff.

“I’m fine, it’s not as bad as it looks. I have some medical supplies at home I can clean it up with.”

“No! I will not allow it! What if you get an infection!? Huh!? What about the ones on your back!? Can you even properly clean those!?”

Jenny was legitimately angry, and that made Jack a little happy despite himself. She was right though, when he was hit into the wall, some of the wood cracked and cut into his back, and he couldn’t properly clean and bandage those.

“Hey, Jenny.”

Jack caught her attention with a calm voice.

“What is it?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

She calmed down and looked at him, still slightly upset.

“Would you mind bandaging my back?”

Jenny sighed, realizing she couldn’t talk him into going to the hospital.

“Yeah, I’ll do it. But you had better explain what happened.”

(You know, while your revealing secrets, you might as well tell her you love her. Not to mention you’ll already be at your house... hu hu hu.)

Jack smiled.

‘That would end poorly for me.’

Jack left the building, noticing the piles of dust where the furies’ bodies used to be. It reminded him of when he saw Ellis’s body disintegrate. Looks like all magical beings decompose like.

(I don’t think so... from what I’ve seen, she seems to be crazy about you.)

‘Your wrong. She isn’t.’

Jack took off his blood-soaked t-shirt before getting in Jenny’s car, and Ellis, who could see through Jack’s eyes, noticed a greedy look flash across her face, but was gone as fast as it appeared.

(I wouldn’t be too sure...)

Ellis mumbled while thinking privately to herself.

‘This one might be dangerous.’