Knights of Hell

Chapter 17

Mint was delaying the inevitable. He knew this. He still hadn’t told Church about the knight's eventual rebirthing, nor had he told Azure that he knew what was coming in their future. How would he even start a conversation like that?

“So, we ready to do this?” Michael asked, smiling brightly as he walked over to them. Despite being early summer, it was cold today, the sun hiding behind the clouds, peaking out occasionally for a few moments of heat before disappearing.

“Oh, for sure,” Church replied, looking up and giving the man a thumbs up before returning to his phone. He had been paying attention for the past twenty minutes instead of listening to Rosalina, one of their teachers who would be coming with them on the trip, listing the rules and safety they had to comply with.

Micahel stood beside Mint, and he realised how odd this situation was. On his right was Michael, the university it boy, well his department’s it boy because that was a thing, he was often praised for his name, of how accurate he looked to the archangel, the blonde hair and blue eyes, and to his left were the Vause twins, also known throughout the university but more so for how you should have avoided them at all costs. How had he found himself in the middle of these three?

Mint stared at the bus that would be taking them to the in-between site, and he wished Azure had been more strict about not letting him go. Of course, Church talked to Nether, who spoke to Azure, and the man eventually caved in, but Mint was terrified that something would happen to him.

It didn’t help them. Rami had been glaring daggers at him from the moment he had walked over to the bus, where they had been asked to meet. He was sure something would go wrong, but they had to spend an hour cramped inside a bus on the road.

When they were allowed to get on, Mercy and Xavier were the first ones to get on, with Mint, Church and Michael getting separated. Micahel was towards the middle, while Church and Mint were some of the last kids to get on. “Who are you texting?” Mint asked as Church snorted at something on his screen and quickly replied.

“Mr Nether,” he replied. “He’s so silly.”

Mint eyed him warily. “Right.” Because never in his life would he have thought of linking the words silly and Nether in one sentence before.

Church sent one final message before sliding his phone into his pocket, and he looked up at Mint as the queue continued to move forward. “What is Mr Nether’s deal?”

Mint drowned a little, and he shrugged. “I don’t know his deal.”

“Is he single?”

Mint stared in horror at his best friend, almost tripping on the stairs as they had finally reached the bus. Mint whirled around to glare at Church. “Oh. You cannot be wanting to f**k my uncle-not-uncle,” he hissed.

He looked forward to see where Michael, Mercy, and Xavier had taken their seats. He was surprised to see the three awkwardly sitting at the back of the bus. Mint frowned. Rami’s crew always sat at the back. He spotted them a few rows down from the back, and something similar to a smirk appeared on his face as he walked past them.

Church grabbed his elbow, stopping him in the small, cramped alley between both seats. “I don’t want to f**k your uncle-not-uncle,” Church whispered. He smiled politely at Michael and the twins. “I want him to absolutely rail me into the bed.”

Mint pulled his elbow out of his best friend's grip and turned to stare at him with disgust. “Oh, absolutely not. You are not f*****g my uncle.”

Chruch groaned. “What part of absolutely rail me into a bed do you not understand? He would be-”

“Church! Mint!” Rosalia shouted from the front of the bus. “Can you both please take your seats and not talk about your s*x lives?”

Mint’s face turned red as he hurried to the back and sat beside Xavier, leading Church to sit between him and Michael. Throughout the journey, Xavier remained quiet, contemplating something as he stared out of the window for the majority of the drive. Still, Mercy, Church and Michael talked seemingly about everything and nothing, from the books they had read to their favorite classes to Mercy gossiping about some of the people in other departments.

Mint, on the other hand, also remained quiet. He knew he had to tell Church about them rebirthing, but if he was being honest, he still hadn’t processed everything himself. Since then, Yua has tried to get him alone so they can talk, but Mint has been actively avoiding the knight. He was too unsure of everything. Not to mention Michael, who was rather friendly. While Mint didn’t think that was bad, it was odd. He had never been one of the ones to poke fun of mint, but he had never stood up for him either, and so he wanted to know why the sudden change in heart.

When they finally arrived at the in-between, Mint was terrified. Once everyone was off the bus, they set off after another ten-minute talk on all the do’s and don’ts.

The temperature was significantly cooler near the site, with many people, Mint included, shivering. The sun no longer wanted to play hide and seek but remained hidden behind the clouds. From where he stood, he could see the one-hundred-foot gap where the earth had been split, and the demons had allegedly risen from twenty-five years prior. On the other side of the split was plain, rocky ground.

“What would happen if someone fell in there?” Rami asked nonchalantly. “Say, someone like a half demon?”

Mint tensed when all eyes landed on him. His heart began racing as the threat registered in his mind. Michael scowled, glaring at him.

“He would die. And you would be a murderer. So, shut up.”

Mercy, however, took a different take. Instead of calling the man out in front of everyone, she decided to beat him up instead. She stormed over and grabbed his head, the surprise leaving him unguarded, and she brought her knee up, smashing his face over it. Xavier watched quietly from beside him as his sister continued to beat Rami up.

The teachers were yelling and screaming at Mercy to get off, and when Eric got a little too rough with Mercy, Xavier stepped in. Without hesitance, he beat their teacher up. Mint and Church stared at one another before sighing. Mint walked over to the duo, tapping Mercy on the arm and then Xavier. “Can we talk?”

“A little busy,” Mercy replied as she twisted Rami’s arm in an uncomfortable angle.

Mint stared at her, and she groaned, finally releasing him. She wiped her bloody nose with a grin, and then the duo followed after Mint, Church and Micahel. They walked a decent amount away to have as much distance from the class as possible without getting lost. In the background, the other students and teachers were dealing with the Vause twins' aftermath. “So, can we not beat him up?”

“Why?’

“He’s going to come for me either way. And I’d rather you not get hurt in the process.”

Mercy sniffled, blood dripping from her nose as she redid her hair. “He threatened you. We all heard it. No one did anything, so I did. What are they gonna do? Kill me? Throw me in the in-between. I’d take them with me.”

Xavier let out a noise from the back of his throat. Mercy rolled her eyes as Mint and Church looked at him in confusion.

When Church’s phone buzzed, his face lit up as he grabbed it from his pocket and typed many messages before frowning and replying to something else. When he looked up from his phone, he shrugged. “What? It was Mr Nether. He’s very picky and choosy about when and to what he replies.”

Micahel ran his hands through his hair. “I know this isn’t an ideal situation to ask, but if possible, Mint, can you help me with something?”

Ah, the other shoe had dropped.

“No,” Xavier replied, his eyes narrowed. “He’s not helping you with anything.”

Mint frowned a little, but when he looked over at Xavier, the man stared at him blankly.

Micahel forced a smile, but Mint rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about him; I can see what you need help with later. We should go back before we all fail off of this f*****g unit.”

~*~