Dust flew in every direction as the ground shook beneath the weight of approaching footsteps. The commotion was unmistakable. It was all so predictable, so disgustingly human.
Men.
That was the problem that sickened me most about humanity. Men who allowed their instincts to dictate every action, who mistook their desires for necessities and their selfishness for entitlement. It was as though some of them had missed out on evolution's simplest gift: a functioning brain.
A girl's scream sliced through the air.
Michael turned towards the sound and spotted her. She was cornered, surrounded by five boys whose eyes were filled with greed. They approached her with hungry expressions, their intentions clear enough without a single word being spoken.
It wasn't the ordinary selfishness he despised. This was something uglier. Five individuals who seemed to have abandoned every trace of intelligence, restraint and decency in favour of their most primitive urges.
Of course, the girl wasn't entirely blameless. Her recklessness had brought her into this situation. She had found herself surrounded by predators and fools in a world where asking for help could be just as dangerous as facing the threat alone.
Michael's lip curled in disgust.
He took a step forward, his mind already calculating the situation. Five opponents. One frightened girl. No weapons in sight. No obvious abilities. And his own body was barely holding together after what Nome had done to him.
Every inch of the scene reminded him why he despised humanity. Yet, despite the disgust rising within him, he knew he couldn't simply turn away.
I couldn't turn away.
I wanted to. I was tired. Exhausted, even. My body was already struggling to endure the pain Nome had inflicted upon me, and the last thing I needed was another confrontation with a bunch of idiots.
But as bitter and empty as I may appear, I still care for those who deserve it.
So I ran.
Despite the sting of Nome's arrows, despite the pain clawing through my body with every movement, I ran. Elizabeth remained my one connection to humanity, the only thread keeping me anchored to a world I had long since grown to despise. And perhaps, somewhere along the way, I had come to understand that not everyone deserved the same fate.
No weapons.
No abilities.
Just clenched fists and a body running on whatever strength it had left.
I sprinted towards the pack of ravenous animals, a hunter charging into a den of predators to protect their prey.
The boys noticed me almost immediately.
"GET HER! DON'T YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME FUN?"
Their shouts carried across the open ground, followed by laughter and excited encouragement. My disgust deepened. There they were, treating another human being as though she were nothing more than an object to be passed around for their amusement.
Humans. Always finding new ways to disappoint me.
It was exhausting. Infuriating.
I was enraged, but anger alone wouldn't get us out of this situation. I needed them to believe I was one of them. I needed to give them exactly what they wanted to see.
So I played along.
I lunged towards the girl and grabbed her.
She let out a terrified scream, struggling in my arms as though I were just another attacker. Her reaction was convincing enough, and I made sure not to give the boys any reason to question it.
"Be calm, Precious," I whispered, keeping my voice low enough for only her to hear. "It's Ozor. Your real friend."
Her eyes widened.
For a brief moment, the fear on her face gave way to shock. Recognition flickered across her expression, as though a forgotten part of her past had suddenly resurfaced. She hadn't expected to see me here. Not like this.
But there was no time for explanations.
"Now scream," I instructed softly, my voice firm. "Let's give these animals a show."
I tightened my grip, lifted her into my arms and bolted.
My legs drove against the ground as I accelerated, carrying both our weight forward. Behind us, the boys reacted almost immediately. Their laughter turned into shouting as they realised their supposed entertainment was running away.
They pursued us.
I could hear their footsteps growing louder, their voices overlapping as they closed the distance. They believed I was delivering their prize straight into their hands. Perhaps they thought I was helping them. Perhaps they simply hadn't considered the possibility that someone would dare to interfere.
Either way, they had miscalculated.
I waited until they were close. Close enough that they could almost reach us. Then, with every remaining ounce of strength in my legs, I jumped.
The ground fell away beneath my feet.
We shot into the air, soaring high above the pursuing group. Pain erupted through my body as my muscles strained under the sudden exertion. Nome's arrows continued to torment me, but I couldn't afford to let the agony take control.
Fifty metres.
That was how far I carried us before gravity dragged us back down.
We struck the ground hard. My legs absorbed as much of the impact as they could, and I immediately pushed forward, refusing to give the boys an opportunity to catch up.
Their voices faded behind us.
Fortunately, none of them appeared to possess any speed-enhancing abilities. Whatever advantages they might have had, they weren't enough to close the distance. I was still ahead, and I had no intention of slowing down.
Not until we were safe.
The barren ground gradually gave way to patches of vegetation. Then, finally, Michael's feet found grass instead of dry desert.
He continued for a few more steps before coming to a stop.
His breathing was ragged. His muscles trembled, and his entire body felt as though it might collapse at any moment. Carefully, he lowered Precious from his arms and allowed himself a moment to catch his breath.
"Just..." He struggled to speak, drawing in another breath. "Just need to rest for a minute, Precious."
A faint grin tugged at his lips.
"I hope you haven't forgotten me."
He looked at her, waiting for a response.
But his body had already reached its limit.
The strength that had carried him across the barren landscape finally abandoned him. His knees buckled, his vision darkened, and the world tilted beneath his feet.
Michael fell.
And as his body sank towards the grass, consciousness slipped away, leaving him to descend into darkness.