The Hellion Apocalypse

FOUR YEARS BEFORE (Part two)

Adrenaline pumped through Levian’s veins as his legs moved in an incredibly fast phase. Behind him was trailing a group of angry men craving to behead him and chop him to pieces. The sky was dark and he was in a maze of narrow alleys, trying to escape death as much as he could. Sweat was dripping from his forehead as his greasy unkempt silver hair swayed in the wind.

“Come back here you son of a b***h!” A burly store owner with an axe in hand shouted angrily, his bloated belly bouncing as he ran.

Levian threw his head back, before laughing maniacally with his feet still moving fast along the pavement. He sprinted and cackled without a care, all as if he wasn’t being chased by men who wants him dead. Well, maybe because this sort of event is no longer foreign to him. With the line of work he has, as a thief and a pickpocketing delinquent, of course he was bound to face several misfortunes in his life. So in conclusion, whatever was happening, is nothing out of the ordinary.

As the wild chase continued, Levian took turn after turns in the maze of alleyways trying to lose the mob behind him. Thankfully he had long memorized this area, so it was coming in handy. But sadly every time he looks back, the men would still be there, with angrier looks and sharp objects in hand that he was sure would penetrate his body if he doesn’t run faster. Well, this is what he gets for stealing an expensive jade bracelet. What more is from a high ranked gangster who was supposed to give the bracelet to his girlfriend, now because of what Levian did, the gangster’s girlfriend broke up with him and now Levian is famous among all the gangsters and mobsters in town due to the reward money for his head.

“f**k!” Levian hissed under his breath as his breathing became quick and shallow. He was already nearing a dead end, ahead him, he could clearly see a wall three times his size.

How come I don’t remember this being here?

He was baffled, he was sure that there was no such thing as dead end in this alleyway. So why was there a wall in front of him? He anxiously looked around for an escape route, turning his head left and right, but there was none. All he could see was a pile of trash next to an empty dumpster, that’s it. He was cornered with no way out. Gasping for air, Levian turned around to face the angry mob. He unknowingly gulped at the sight of the hoard before him. Each face he saw was scarred, ugly and just downright horrible with smirks on their lips. The scene made him wonder if there was a monster convention that he wasn’t informed of.

“There’s no escaping us now.” A muscled bald man with multiple piercings on his face said, twirling a glistening sharp knife on his hand.

“Yeah I uhh . . .” Levian trailed as he laughed nervously, his eyes roaming around for an exit. “Can you let me go?” He added with his face contorting anxiously. “I mean we’re all men after all. So why don’t we help each other out?”

The bald man looked at the others behind him with a knowing look “Did you hear that boys? He said we should help him.” He said.

There was a moment of silence between all of them, then a series of laughter erupted all throughout the entire area.

“Boy, we don’t care if you’re a man! All we care about is the cash waiting for us.”

Levian’s composure faltered, his body becoming rigid as he backed away from the inching mob. He took step after step as the smell of fear emitted from his body, literally. And the money hungry creatures surrounding him could smell it.

“Get him!” The bald man ordered in a thundering voice.

They were about to grab Levian but alas green coloured mist suddenly started to swarm the ground, the source of it unknown to them. They all paused simultaneously, their heads turning everywhere.

“What’s happening? Where is this thing coming from?” Someone asked, panic evident on the tone of his voice. Others began to whimper in fear as the mist grew thicker while others remained quiet, trying to put on a tough demeanour.

“And what is that horrible smell? Smells like s**t!” Another one asked. True to his words, the others also began to sense a stench so peculiar and foul it made them want to hurl. It was a mixture of rotting flesh, fresh blood, burning organs, century old garbage waste and everything disgusting imaginable.

It reeked of death everywhere resulting for some of the men to feel dazed, making them drop their weapons and pass out within seconds.

“Doesn’t matter, let’s just take the mutt and leave. We still have a reward to collect.” The bald man from earlier said, pinching his nose to avoid exhaling the murderous odor. When he turned around to face Levian, his face immediately twisted in anger and confusion.

Levian was gone, with not a single trace in sight. The bald man fumed in fury and because his back was turned, he didn’t see his comrades being dragged away into the dark by an unknown being. When the bald man turned around, not a single creature was to be seen. Just a haze of creepy green fog filling the dark alleyway.

“What the f**k?” He muttered to himself, fear beginning to rise within him.

As his eyes roamed around, his knees trembling in fright, a long tentacle-like figure slithered under the blanket of green mist. Before the man could even take another breath, his loud shriek echoed in the air as a slimy long thing wrapped around his waist. Dragging him into an oblivion of blackness.

“Yep, that’s what you get for messing with me” Said Levian in a playful tone as he stood on top of a four story abandoned building located behind one of the alleyway’s wall. He had a cocky grin painted on his face as his eyes remained on the scene beneath him.

There was no fog, and the silver moon served as the light on the formerly dark path. The air was crisp and the wind was not as cold as it was during the other night. Everything was clear and normal . . . except for the many men rolling on the ground, crying and whining for help as their eyes were sealed shut. They were screaming and moving around, as if they were being tortured and Levian watched this silently. Sighing contentedly every once in a while.

*Grrrrrr*

Levian looked down at his stomach. It was growling nonstop, as if telling its owner that it needs to be fed. Levian patted it gently while smiling before deciding that he should definitely find something to eat. His stomach stopped growling then he turned his back to leave the scene. Whatever he did to those men, it was only temporary. So he needs to leave before their sanity comes back.

“Holy f*****g f**k!” Levian cursed loudly when he came face to face with an old man with white hair and pointed ears.

“What’s wrong with you old man!” He yelled. “Why are you sneaking up on creatures like that? Don’t you know it’s rude?” Levian asked annoyed and startled at the same time. His hand now placed on his chest as he panted. “And why are you here? Are you hear for the reward too? Cuz if you are then I’m sorry, even if you’re old, I swear I will knock you out.” He added. The old man only smiled at him in response.

“I saw what you did back there young lad.” The man said pertaining to what happened to the mob. Levian raised his brow questioningly. “Yeah so? Do you want me to do the same to you?”

“No. I am not here for that.”

“Then what? You better hurry cuz I still have things to do.”

“I am here because I have an offer to make.” The old man stated.

“Hmm.” Levian hummed nodding while looking at the old man with suspicion. “Go on.”

“You have been under surveillance for quite a while now. Many of my men reported that something strange is going on with you. And now that I am here, I can say that what they said is indeed the truth. I can sense your aura. It seems peculiar and different, I don’t know in what way but I feel like your power has potential of becoming something special.” The old man explained, his hands clasped behind his back.

“And?” Levian said nonchalantly, completely uninterested.

“And I am here to ask you.”

“Ask me what?”

“Would you like to enter Hellion High? To discover your hidden talent and train to become a part of the Kellion Royal Guild?” The white haired man asked.

Levian gaped at the man in shock before looking at him warily as thoughts began to stir inside his mind.

Is he telling the truth or is he trying to trick me?

He has heard of Hellion High many times before, it is a school created solely for creatures with powerful and rare talents. Although everyone in his world possesses a supernatural power, only few has special ones. Those who do have special powers are called the gifted kind and all the gifted kinds are trained at Hellion High. He had only heard of the school at streets but now here he was being asked by a strange man to enrol at the said school. He had no idea know how to react, sure he wants to but is what the old man saying true?

“I’ll answer your question but tell me how you found me first. If it’s true that you’re from Hellion High, then that must mean that you being here is no coincidence. You weren’t just passing by so spill before I kick your a*s old man. You can’t lie either.” Levian threatened with a serious face but the man before him didn’t seem to be affected.

“You are being watched, that is all I have to say.” Replied the man.

“Creepy but okay.”

Levian shouldn’t trust the man but just like the old man, he too can sense other creature’s aura. So he knows that the elf-looking old man isn’t an opposing threat.

“So are you in or are you not?”

Levian was about to speak but his stomach grumbled loudly.

“Uhh . . .” He trailed off staring down at his stomach before lifting his face and connecting eyes with the man in front of him. “Is there free food?” He asked.

“Yes. Everything that you will ever need will be on the school’s expense.”

That was all Levian needed to hear.

“I’m in then”

The old man smiled and said. “Let’s take our leave the, shall we?”

They were about to leave but the old man halted which made Levian stop as well. “I did not see much of what you did to those poor lads back there, truth be told. So will you show me what exactly is it that you can do?”

Levian instantly nodded and opened his palm, a ribbon-like black string made of glistening black dust began to appear and glide along his right arm. Trailing towards his open hand and forming beautiful intricate patterns on the centre before it settled as a dragon hovering over and flying in circles.

“Well . . .I can do this.”