"The methods to running are varied. If you ask a track runner, they will tell you to use the ball of your foot. A martial artist, the heel. Though you're undoubtedly going to find varieties of opinions in each. In the end, though, none of it really matters, maybe during training, but not the experience, for when you need to run, and you are running, you are running for your life, and all other thoughts fall from your mind." – an athletic philosopher

Alex throws up the table, immediately putting something between him and Bernhart, which surprises the man enough to back off. Alex then sprints, garbed only in the cloak he received from Bernhart, having left the blanket to the floor in his rush.

"Hey, wait," Bernhart yells as he stumbles, trying to get past the table and give chase.

Memories flash through Alex's mind.

'I've seen that mad glare before. I don't want anything to do with it.'

Alex makes it to the top of the stairs before Bernhart is able to get to the bottom of them. He quickly slams the door closed, bolting it soon after.

'That should hold for a bit, now I just need to get out of here before that other mage Able, or Daryl returns.'

After taking a chair to secure the door, Alex turns to see Able staring at him. Able's eyes go wide, and he drops his cup before he starts yelling.

'Oh right, Able never really said he was leaving, did he?'

"We've got an escapee!"

At the noise, Alex dashes forward, dealing an uppercut, and then a knee to the groin. Able falls to the ground and squirms in pain while clutching his privates.

For a few moments, Alex stands still, hoping that somehow, maybe, no one had heard and that he would be able to walk out without a chase. It turns out to be false hope, and one that denies him a lead he might have had, as he hears footsteps.

Then a gnarled hand punches through the door that Alex had just bolted, causing splinters to project out into the room. Alex seeing this, and the way the hand starts searching for the bolt gives him chills. He then turns to face the door opposite of the one he had just come out of and runs to it. He then opens the bolt and bashes the door open, stumbling into the outside world. A few passing civilians give him notice, and seeing his state, start yelling and disperse.

'This is going to attract a lot of attention... but for the moment, I just need to get out of here.'

As Alex thinks this, his back suddenly gets the chills prompting him to look behind himself. There he sees the door freeze and then crumble, with a slightly distressed, and now sweating, Bernhart on the other side.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," he pants for a moment, "But would you please wait and talk with me for a bit."

Alex seems to seriously consider it for a moment while slowly edging away, which spawns some hope in Bernhart's eyes. Then Alex darts into the street, hoping to find a sufficient crowd to lose his likely pursuer in.

'Looks like I was wrong to trust the police force of the western duchy, I had heard they were relatively trustworthy, but to being hiring someone like that, it mustn't be true.'

Alex, at this point, is in an all-out run, believing he could out-sprint the clearly beleaguered Bernhart.

'I wonder where I should go now? Maybe the city isn't safe for me anymore... Should I travel to the manor to see what happened?'

In thought, while running, Alex failed to notice the incantation being spoken, until it is a bit too late.

"Domain of Wind"

Alex, hearing this, has a feeling of dread.

'If mages chase, 30 seconds till you break. If mages tail, 30 seconds till you bail. How could I forget this?'

Alex dives to the floor, but not before Bernhart finishes his incantation.

"Realm of numbing smog."

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Mist rises up from the ground, the few spectators seeing this leave the scene.

Alex, having dived to the floor in order to avoid the type of attack he was used to, inhales the fog almost immediately. From the moment he does, he goes lightheaded, and he becomes unable to feel the extremities of his limbs.

Alex turns to the perpetrator, the recent turn of events erasing any idea of escape from his mind.

'I can't run in this state, barely stand as it is. The best thing to do is to go after him then. If I'm going to go into his fell clutches, he's going to pay in blood and flesh for it.'

Alex waits on his feet for Bernhart to approach.

"Mage-magic surely is inefficient, but it certainly has its uses," Bernhart smirks as he approaches, "but what really is powerful is when you mix it and bio-magic, it makes area of effect spells like these viable since the caster can be inured to the poison before-hand."

'Almost there, I just need to hold out for a few seconds longer...'

"We need to talk, Alex I'm sorry if I scared you, I slipped into my old persona for a moment."

Alex leans onto his haunches.

'He has let his guard down; if I can put him out of commission, I'll probably be able to works something out from there. Though I'm not sure if I'll be able to move much further at this point...'

"Here's hardly the place, and look at you! You need some-"

'now'

Alex rushes forward, grabbing Bernhart around the waist and forcing him to the ground, giving Bernhart's head a good knock in the process.

Bernhart's face contorts in rage, and he pushes the now flaccid Alex off of him.

"Even though that was a pain, at least I still have him," a grin flashes across his face, causing the now weak Alex to shiver.

Whether in rage, or fear, or even apprehension, even Alex himself didn't know.

Then the sound of footsteps can be heard. Daryl and two other guards that Alex hadn't seen before appear at the edge of the smog in front of him. Their figures are partially obscured, but still discernable, are joined by another one, this one even more surprising to Alex than the events that had happened in the last few minutes.

Brown hair and shaded glasses that Alex had seen him wear regularly, this man is someone that Alex knows well. A flash of recognition goes across the man's face after seeing Alex. He then starts walking toward where Alex and Bernhart are, ignoring the smog surrounding them.

'What's Reynold doing here?'

Reynold walks closer, and then gives an admonishing glare to Bernhart, "I know you are enjoying your new position, but badgering and casting magic upon my guest and student is going a bit far."

Bernhart looks confused, and a tad worried; he then responds, "He was found naked in the alley, I don't understand how someone with conduct like that could possibly be your student. Anyway, he's in the guard's custody, and I was called here to respond to an issue the propped up. You're not needed here, go away."

Reynolds gaze sharpens, "I would say quite to the contrary! If you do no stop touching my student this instant, I will get the academy involved, and we'll see how well your little class does then."

Bernhart looks at Alex's scornful gaze, and to the school. His gaze becomes clouded and conflicted before he whispers into Alex's ear, "I'll let you go for now, but there are some things that we are going to need to talk about later. Both for your sake and my curiosity."

Reynold's glare intensifies, and he looks ready to say something, before Bernhart backs off, giving some distance between him and Alex. The two teachers look each other in the eyes for a few moments, before Reynold nods, goes and picks Alex up off the floor, and then walks off.

Alex, the stress from the situation he had just been in leaving him, starts to fall unconscious.

'Why can't I just have peace?'