As the presence of pursuers
Suddenly appears
“I guess a rain check is nothingto fear…”
My words like needles off my tongue
“I suppose.” She says“We’re nowhere near done.”
Stepping from the house, we face thecrowd
A crowd about to be taken out
By a pair of arrogant, hopeless fools
Fools, who’ll soon realize anunbreakable truth…
Trial10: Escape
The taste of ash hitting my tongue
As the song of war starts to hum
There she stands ready to fight
Her focus completely on Jack, not me
Same piercing emerald eyes
Her fire clear and plain to see
“We never finished ourconversation.”
Her tone like cinders, burning theground
Ready to kill, twitching withanticipation
“Pretty one-sided, wouldn't yousay?”
I feel Jack's violent tendencies on theair
Ice sharpened, cold – ready toplay
“After them,” My voiceclear
“You owe me answers. I can't waitto hear.”
“Shut up. And don't die.”
Jack's voice as ice, piercing my heart
No more words need pass between
As we both do our part
The redhead commanding a dozen O.D.seasy
As if a green light the wind blows,breezy
Us versus them, survival of the fittest
For the first time my instincts –fight not flight
Here I am, testing my limit
Truly embracing my criminality
Officially attacking the O.D.s
No longer a fallacy
They'll issue a warrant for both ourarrests
Jack probably has one already, I'd bet
The O.D.s, pitiful, sluggish, and slow
Not really, only to my eyes, I know
Flinging spells in desperation
As my reflexes only seem to hasten
Not one a challenge, at least for now
I, striking – One punch –Two punch
They crumble to the ground
Not a single spell even hits
Be it fire, water, lightning, or rock
A little underwhelming, I must admit
Finally, down they go...
As my mouth utters “You reap whatyou sew.”
Down the slope a few yards away
Fire and ice in violent interplay
I've no chance to get anywhere close
No need to fret, against Jack, fire hasno hope
I can't quite hear over the wind
Beneath the clashing of opposites
The saw grass, it burns - it bends
The milliseconds in between each ragingblast
Just enough to read lips – Lipsdebating the tragic past
I catch glimpses of “He's”and “Why's”
Jack defending her continuous lies
I watch them, doubts creeping in
Doubts of my adoptive mother
My closest friend
Trust, fragile – easily crumbles
As further down the slope the battletumbles
Back towards the house
I hear him cry
The boy I vowed to protect, taken bythat guy
That familiar jerk of an O.D.
Now just begging to bleed
I guess he didn't learn when I crackedhim in the face
Perhaps this second time will revealhis fate
“Let him go!” angry, I call
Running forward in no time at all
Steps away, almost there
Suddenly, from the sky, falls a flare
Fiercely igniting every blade of grass
A wall of flame impossible to pass
He looks at me with that arrogant grin
“Don't worry. I'll be back foryou kid.”
His conceited voice echoes proud
As instantly, my voice rings loud
“No!” I cry as a blast ofmanna parts the clouds
It pierces the flames
Giving me a path
The man's face panicked
I give a light laugh
Rushing forward while he's distracted
Another punch to the jaw
Throwing him like he's elastic
Releasing his grip on the boy
He falls to the ground like a toy
“Had enough?” I ask, nowguarding the child
The man stands – Looks to thehouse then back
And gives a sinister smile
The father's voice echoing through
He's still inside as from the window heviews
“Help!” He calls
The man still smirking
“Don't!” I cry
Too late- The house is now burning
“Father!!!” The boy calls,rushing to his own
As I grab him fast, saving him from hisburning home
“Is it clear now?” Theman's tone cold
“This is your fault.” Hescolds
The boy wrestles in my arms
As I struggle to keep him away fromharm
Looking back to the hill
Jack's battle continues to spill
I watch as my mentor flees
Upon the wind – Upon the breeze
This situation no longer favorable
But the boy – He's still savable
Once more I call to the wind
“Spirit of air,” I shout“On behalf of my friend,
Help me now!
Carry me and send
Us far from here
To safe haven known
Known by me and me alone!”
My last sight, the blazing field
I've lost this fight
It's time to yield
The wind courses, picking us up
I underestimated that man
It's gonna be tough
One last look as we're carried away
Looking at the boy, I don't know whatto say...
Onward to Italy
To see a friend
This isn't over
It's not the end
Not until sight and ice blend again
Trial11: Unwritten rules
Thrown from the field to the citystreets
The boy crying loud
As I look to see
Quivering and trembling with a saddenedheart
Here I begin fulfilling my part
How close are we to the meet?
Italy ever, pastures green
We need to move before we're seen
The last time I was here among thesestreets
Was a time of which Jack fondly speaks
This time the clouds, gray, are bearingdown
As the boy's mana begins to bound
Making our way out of light and sight
I look to the boy, his eyes full offright
“I know what you're feeling.”I begin
My tone faking confidence
“You're hurting a hurt that won'teasily mend.
But we're in trouble and I need you tobe strong.
You need to trust me.
Let's move along.
Can you do that?”
The child nods rubbing his eyes
His chaotic mana begins to subside
He's stronger than me...
If I'd have just watched my dad die...
Well, I wouldn't be standing...
Let alone holding back my tears
It's likely this kid would be thebetter Seer
At the thought of the clan
My heart sheers
I have no connection to that clan
Yet they're the only connection I have
To who I am as a man
Who someone is
That's the first question you shouldask
As it occurs to me I've failed animportant task
I now feel so ashamed
Guilt devouring me, yet he doesn'tblame
As I ask the boy
“What's your name?”
“Leo.” He responds withouta thought
This boy's something special
I need to make sure he doesn't getcaught
How can he be this ok?
It's kinda scaring me
Then again it might just be the wholeof today
I've been hit with a lot...
But right now I'm not the focus
As thunder sounds, harmonizing withlocust
“Well, Leo.” I say holdingback my shame
“We're gonna go see my friend.
He'll give us a place to stay.
I'm not gonna let anything happen toyou.
Stay beside me no matter what you do.”
Another nod, with a look beyondstrength
No matter what comes next
I will protect this boy at any lengths
Holding him close, we make our
