Chapter 52 – Violent Tendencies
Uruvi took a quick glance at her smartphone. The time was 6:20, and there was still no reception. She promptly put it back into her pocket and returned to observing the folks navigating the cityscape below.
The wind had calmed down to a gentle breeze, and the sun had nearly vanished underneath the horizon, leaving the city drenched in darkness. Uruvi and Ashish sat on a water tank and watched as Nanda and his men headed towards the designated exit. Ashish continuously shifted about his place.
“Calm down, dude. Or you're going to pop a vein,” said Uruvi.
“I don’t know. So many people moving about… I don’t think it is a good idea.”
“Maybe. But I don’t have the time and patience to perform SWAT team rescues.”
They poured through the streets like small streams navigating water channels.
“We just look out for an ambush. They make sure to keep an eye out for any other trouble,” she said.
The progress was slow, but she noticed more people had joined the exodus. ‘I guess seeing a gang leader walk away gave them the courage to do the same.’
“There! Sis, I see a gang approaching!” he said, pointing at a small group of men running through the streets.
“Leave them to me. Stay here and keep an eye out for others.” She leapt off the tank and plunged into the city below, where she hit the ground running. Dashing over the rooftops of the houses, she reached the enemy long before they could find the others.
She clenched her fist and jumped over the narrow alley. Her eyes shifted between the five members of the squad, who were between levels 16 and 17. ‘Let’s make quick work of them.’
***
“New Level attained. 10 Attribute points, 2 skill points, and 2 spell points gained.”
Uruvi bent over, resting her palms on her knees as she caught her breath. She saw Ashish jump off the rooftop and land before her.
“Everyone made it. There were a few people who began to fight, but that got resolved quickly,” he reported.
She stood back up, stretching her back. “They were all Rajan’s men, right?”
“I am not sure.”
“So many. I counted at least 15 of them.”
“Maybe others joined them. You know… like how the weak flock to the winners,” he explained.
“Huh… that explains a lot.” She looked around the place, which was covered in darkness. “I need water.”
He pointed his thumb behind him and said, “I think I saw a tap over there.”
“Lead the way.”
As they made their way over to the tap, Uruvi found it perfect to check up on her upgrades. ‘Hey Arya, let’s do some stat upgrades, shall we?’
“Affirmative. You have 60 attribute points, 6 Skill points, and 6 Spell points,” Said Arya.
‘Whoa! That is a lot of points! Now then, where do I begin?’ She quickly went through her stats and skills list. ‘Let’s see here. I think it is best to focus on building on what I already have. If I have to fight rank 1, I will need to be at my best. So, perhaps going broad might not be a good idea right now. What do you think?’
“Affirmative. Focusing on a set of attributes and skills will build a stronger foundation. Diversification can be done once the foundation is set in stone.”
‘Since you agree too. Let’s dump our points into getting all of the attributes for the Root and Navel chakras to thirty. And… add the last 5 points to Perception.’
“Affirmative. Your points have been added. Your Root and Navel chakras are now Level 3 each.”
The level-up sensation overwhelmed her, forcing her to come to a stop and take a breather. ‘Whoa! One was crazy, two are insane. I wonder how it would feel when I upgrade the Crown chakra?’
“Is something wrong?” asked Ashish, noticing that she had come to a stop.
She shook her head and said, “No. Let’s move on.” Her eyes were fixed on the Skills and Spells section.
They reached the tap, which sat under a streetlight, illuminating it in an orange glow. When he turned the tap, a steady stream of water dropped from the nozzle. He let out a softened yelp on seeing the water flow. “Don’t mind me,” he said as he reached for the water with his open palms.
She stood behind and focused on picking the skills and spells. ‘I think I have got it. Arya, add 1 point to Reinforcement, Adrenaline Rush, Counter, Kickback, and Third Eye. For Spells, give a point to Thunderclap, Barricade, Mark them, Burning Fury, and Return to Sender.’ She chose to upgrade her existing Skills and Spells, instead of picking new ones.
“Affirmative. The points have been assigned.”
“Okay. I am done,” said Ashish, as he stood back up, wiping the water off his mouth. He walked over to the other side of the road, resting his back against the wall.
Uruvi quietly indulged in the cool stream of water that quenched her thirst and refreshed her mind. “So, this is what finding an oasis in the desert feels like.”
He let out a chuckle. “So, what is the plan now?”
She turned off the tap and got back up on her feet. “Now, I need to get to level 25.”
“Are you seriously thinking about fighting Rank 1?”
“Was dead serious from the start.”
“Okay. You have got to tell me. What is going on? Why are you being so secretive?”
“Oh, it is no secret from you. I just didn’t want Nanda to know. Or any other gang leader for that matter.”
“Well, shit. It must be some…” Suddenly, a large crack appeared in the wall behind him.
Before she could even comprehend what was happening, she watched as a shiny metal pierced through his chest. He rose up into the air as he spewed out blood from his mouth, and his eyes went cold.
Her body froze, and her chest turned cold. She watched as his body fell to the ground, cold and motionless.
“Ah shit! You were standing there?” Said a stranger.
She looked up and saw the face of a man she had spared, choosing to steal his gauntlets and not his life. Her skin began to burn, and veins in her neck bulged.
“Get over here!” He shouted as he lunged at her with his blade, ready to strike.
Her mind went blank, and her body acted on its own. She grabbed the handle of her axe and, with one fell swing, she sliced through the neck of the attacker.
His body fell to the ground behind her, while his head vanished into the darkness.
“New rank obtained. Current points, 13296. Local rank, 7,” said Arya.
The world around her turned silent, while her eyes were fixed on the cold body of Ashish. Her eyes turned misty, with beads forming in the corner. ‘Don’t cry… Don’t cry… Don’t cry…’ She felt her stomach turn violently, as anger flooded her body.
“There she is!” Shouted a stranger.
“Fuck! You were right! It is a girl!” said another.
“Get her! Get those damn points!” said a third.
Her third eye opened, and she saw the crowd of men charging at her. “Barricade…” She whispered.
Several men, armed with swords and maces, charged at her, only to smash into the shield. They let out a stanza of swear words.
She squeezed her eyes shut as streams of tears rolled down her face. Cracks appeared in her shield as the onslaught of attacks continued. She dropped her axe to the ground, while her gauntlets caught fire. Her eyes snapped open, and she said, “Return to sender…”
The shield shattered, causing a powerful explosion that threw the crowd of men off their feet. Only one managed to tank the blast.
Uruvi turned towards him and smashed her gauntlet into his stomach before sending him flying into the hut across from them. She watched as the others got back up, ready to fight once again.
“You want my points? Come and get them!” She shouted, her voice trembled with rage.
Wave after wave, the assailants came after her, and she kept knocking them down. A storm of emotions swirled about in her belly, but she kept punching and trying to fight through it. Their blades never made contact with her, while each one got to feel the blazing fury of her anger.
By the time she was done, a dozen or so men were lying around in a circle, either unconscious or rolling on the ground, seething in pain.
The rage-filled eyes vanished, replaced by a sea of sadness. The fire from her gauntlets vanished, and the darkness enveloped her once again. She picked her axe up and put it behind her back before quietly walking away. She dared not look back at the body of the young boy.
She walked and walked, unsure where she was going, letting her legs take her far from the site of tragedy. She finally came to a stop at a narrow alley that was lit up by white, fluorescent bulbs. She rested her hand against the wall and bowed low. She wanted to scream, let out all the anger and sadness she felt, but she hesitated.
“Hey, babe. Doing alright?” asked a voice.
Her eyes lit up as she looked above her and saw the face of a familiar friend wearing a cheeky smile.