Heir Of Chaos

The shockwave from the explosion sent dust and debris spraying across the ground floor of Watchtower One. Dale’s ears rang, and his vision swam, but he didn’t freeze.

He sucked his teeth and ran.

He was already halfway up the stairs when the first figure stepped through the ruined doorway. The shape was tall, and broad, wrapped in dark fabric that blended with the desert night.

It was clear that the motif of his uniform was anonymity with no clearly discernible features.

Dale didn’t wait to see more.

He jumped the stairs in threes while his muscles screamed from the worm fight and his left eye still burned from the sand. He reached the second floor, then the third, and burst into the telescope room.

His fingers roughly tapped the screen and he was about to dial the number when something flashed in his peripheral vision.

He barely dodged yet the phone was not as lucky. The projectile hit it, knocking it out of his hand.

Dale ran to the phone but before he could reach it, the floorboards beneath him exploded into splinters and a figure clad in similar clothes emerged from the hole.

This person was clearly shorter and had a slimmer build than the first person he had seen.

"Give up." A feminine voice came out of the one with the shorter build.

From the stairs, the first person he had seen slowly came into view. He was even taller than Dale had thought, towering over both of them.

Dale sucked a breath. ’What do these people want?’ He had done nothing to offend them. Heck, he didn’t even know who they were.

The floorboards behind him rippled and a figure appeared behind him. Dale spun around, swinging his saber.

The edge of the blade clashed against a small dagger, offsetting his balance.

’Shit!’ He coated himself in lightning and spun around, dashing to the stairway. As he ran, the large man turned his head to him.

The man swung his large hand at Dale and despite the distance, the force generated caused wind pressure to toss him aside.

Dale’s back slammed against a wall and he barely managed to get his footing. He watched the three people opposite him.

The tall man was clearly fast and had a strength-based ability. The shorter woman’s ability skill was still unknown.

Then there was the third whose gender he didn’t know. The person seemed able to move through matter.

Just these three were more than enough to assassinate anyone but Dale doubted that was their mission. If it was, the one who could move through matter would have simply slit his throat while he was asleep.

Dale forced a wry smile on his face. "Really? Three adults against a kid? Have you no shame?"

The one who could move through matter scoffed and spoke in a deep voice, "Nice try."

Dale tutted. It was worth a shot anyway.

Lightning coated his body again and he sprinted forward. As he approached the range of the large man, he kicked off the ground, just passing above the range of his arm swing.

The large man swung his hand and the wind pressure blew below Dale, sparing him from the effects.

He landed on the floor behind the giant and continued running, the only thing that was on his mind was escaping. Yet, before he could, a shiny object flashed in his eyes and he raised both sabers.

A short sword clashed against them in a flurry of sparks. He glared at the person who had interrupted his escape, it was the woman who had blown open the floorboards.

She kicked back and charged in swinging her short sword in an overhead swipe. Dale leaned back, watching as the sharp edge cut a few strands off his hair.

’Maybe I am due for a haircut.’ He let himself drop and rolled out of the way.

As he rolled, he suddenly felt someone hold his legs. He glared at the man holding his feet in place.

The woman tossed a dagger at Dale. The blade pierced the flesh of his leg and he gritted his teeth.

"Oh hell no!" Dale sat up and gripped the face of the man holding him. Energy Pulse after Energy Pulse was released into the man.

He let go of Dale and fell flat, convulsing in place. Dale sat up and placed his hand over the man’s chest.

The former turned to look at the other two in the room. The giant man was still some distance away from him while the woman was rushing in.

By the time she got to him, it would be too late.

The man tried to become intangible but his convulsions prevented him from fully using his ability skill.

Dale unleashed an Energy Pulse directly into the man’s heart, stopping it. He had claimed his first human life with his ability skill.

He gripped the body and lifted it as a shield. The woman’s short sword stabbed the flesh of the man, temporarily trapping the blade.

Dale gathered his strength and shoved the body against the woman, throwing her off balance.

Lightning coated his body and he tried to dash but a massive blow landed on his back, sending him flying.

He hit his head against the wall and fell.

Dale picked himself up, wincing as he felt warm liquid dripping down his head.

Every inch of his body hurt and pulsed like there was no tomorrow. A few hours ago he had barely survived a battle against a worm and now, he was already fighting for his life again.

Even his right eye was still a little sore. His situation was bad and already seemed more grim with each passing moment.

He gripped the dagger in his leg and pulled it, wincing as it slid out. The blade was coated in his blood and a thick, clear, viscous fluid.

The woman among them smiled and pulled out her sword from the corpse of her comrade. She opened her mouth and a long tongue stretched out.

She licked the edge of her blade, coating it in the same viscous fluid.

Whatever it was, it was clear that it was her ability skill.

Dale’s eyes scanned between the giant man and the woman. A couple of plans for escape were formulated.

He took a step forward and his vision tilted. Black spots filled it, quickly consuming his eyes.

’Shit! Poison?!’ At least he now knew what her ability skill was.

Dale forced another smile. "Are you sure you won’t add attacking little kids to your resume?"

The woman chuckled, "You hardly qualify as a kid."

Dale shrugged. "Fair enough." And lightning coated his body. As the lightning spread through him, it increased his blood flow, allowing the poison to spread faster.

He knew that trying to leave through the stairs was going to be fruitless. So he decided to do something different.

He thrust the blade forward, unleashing a lightning bolt at the giant man.

The bolt struck him yet Dale didn’t stay to see the effect of his attack.

He spun on his heels and sprinted for the only window in the room. The telescope was in his way so he shoved it aside and jumped out.