by Samuel Small
All was quiet, except for the crunch of the grass as the three made their way to Dante. Jake could only see his back as he stared into the drop, dangerously close to the edge. His fists were clenched and trembling with rage. Jake wanted to thank him for dispatching such a powerful foe, but something made him hesitate. The end of the fight was too unnatural, as if the man let Dante throw him, and Jake didn’t know what it was the two exchanged either.
More than anything else though, there was a lingering sense of danger that niggled at the back of Jake’s mind, seemingly coming to the fore with each step he took toward the orange-haired boy. This fear cause Jake to hesitate, and his pace slowed, so he was not the first to reach him. Rather, Elizabeth came into view and stood at the boy’s side. He did not turn to see her when she reached for him. If anything, his hands seemed to shake even more.
“Listen,” she said, “I know I’m not always the nicest person to you, but you really saved me back there despite my behavior. I wanted you to—”
But that was all Elizabeth got out before Dante grabbed her by the throat. She placed both her hands on his and struggled to free herself, but it did little to stop him. His head was downcast, so Jake could not see the true intentions burning in his eyes, if he’d see anything at all. He raised her up until the girl’s feet dangled off the ground.
“Dante what are you—” Sara began, but the boy looked over, making eye contact with her, and she froze. They shifted to Jake, and his hand immediately left his sword and his legs felt weak. Those eyes, they were completely empty, yet all-knowing. He seemed to consider everything with an uncontrollable rage, only contemplating if they were worthy of destruction. He then turned those dead eyes back to Elizabeth.
She desperately kicked at Dante’s stomach, but without the ground to root her weight it was nothing more than the feeble outburst of a defiant child, and it did nothing to loosen the grip that was choking the life out of her. She began to inch her hand toward the hilt of her sword but Dante extended his other hand out and blasted the entire sheath – including her weapon – off of her waist. It spun over the edge of landmass and headed for the ground far below, never to be seen again.
Dante pointed his free arm outward and fired a few concentrated blasts. Jake was not initially sure what his target was until Sara’s icicles came into focus and promptly exploded. He then turned those dead eyes on Sara once more, but for whatever reason she seemed to be able to fight it. More ice lashed out at him, and he blasted them all away with his free hand, still keeping Elizabeth held into the air with his right. Jake could see the fight steadily draining out of her and that broke him from his shock. Finally he grabbed his sword. Dante turned those dead eyes on him but Jake fought through it and charged, brandishing his sword in front of him. As he swung, Dante fired his Sol into the sword and forced it backward, and Jake stumbled to keep it in his grip. While he was distracted with Jake’s attack, Elizabeth sunk her teeth into the boy’s forearm and he shouted in surprised pain and dropped her, grasping at the injury. While she was coughing and struggling for air at his feet, Dante lunged over and grabbed at her neck once again. From this range Jake could see it – the hot energy at his fingertips searing the girl’s skin. It was enough to drive his anger to full force and he swung at the boy once again.
The thing that turned to Jake was not the Dante he once knew. Not the playful, crude, and brash Dante he expected. The thing that now looked straight through Jake was far more terrifying than even the demon they had encountered together in that abandoned town. The orange-haired boy extended a hand out and gathered energy there, and Jake was sure he’d show no restraint. It was all going to be a matter of who would be faster – who would kill who first.
Spiraling backward, wind tearing at him, Jake hit his head as he rolled across the field. He came to rough stop, smacking into a tree, and he looked up groggily to see who’d awakened. Lennon, with his hand outstretched, dead serious.
“I don’t know what happened when I was out but—”
“Stay out of it!” Dante screamed and threw Elizabeth to the ground as he fixed his murderous gaze on Lennon. Lennon’s eyes widened at the change in behavior, but he looked down and shut his eyes anyway, seeming to accept the inevitable battle.
Dante shot his energy at Lennon, far brighter and more ferocious than Jake had ever seen from him before. Lennon dashed forward, and the energy seemed to hit him, but then split in two and rushed around either side. The point of contact grew closer as Lennon closed the distance, his wind protecting him from Dante’s attack. Soon he was before him, and Dante threw a quick combination. Lennon took the two blows, knocking his head back and forth, while shooting forward at an inhuman speed and planting a fist into Dante’s gut. The boy coughed blood as he soared into the air, and Lennon flew after him. When the boy reached his apex, he made one last feeble kick at Lennon, who caught it, then chopped him in the back of the head.
Dante fell unconscious and Lennon caught him in his arms, then slowly lowered him to the ground.
***
“So, you’re going with him?”
Sara didn’t respond to Jake, not initially. It was dark now, and Elizabeth was receiving treatment for her injuries. They weren’t severe, and she was going to be let out the hospital until tomorrow morning. Dante was to stay in prison until a few days after she left.
Jake leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets, just outside of the hospital. The night air was uncomfortably warm yet distant. He awaited Sara’s response, but she was having trouble finding the right words to explain her position. Jake turned his head forward. He wasn’t sure they existed.
Today had been hectic anyway. Almost immediately after he’d knocked him unconscious, Lennon rushed Dante to the prison, and gave Jake directions to this hospital. They’d all been treated and when Jake was free he was met with a horde of unexpected visitors.
The entirety of Icarus’ military, in fact, baring the Grand Priest.
Apparently, Lennon came around and explained to them exactly what that thing was, and exactly what happened when they killed it. When no end of days or whatever followed, the corruption of the church was revealed, and the entire military was in unison about a complete cultural reform. Since this place was very selective about who got to become warriors, and all of those warriors were in agreement, Jake had no doubt that they’d accomplish their goals.
Sara’s lips parted with a slight smack and she held them open for a moment, seeming to still be gathering her thoughts. Jake was almost about ready to turn away from her and get lost in his own before she spoke.
“Dante… isn’t like that—”
Sara stopped when she heard Jake click his tongue. He gripped the inside of his pockets tightly and glared at the ground. Evidently, Sara, he is like that, he thought.
She withdrew and looked down. “In prison, he mentioned something… something that man, Raph, said.”
Jake drew his attention back to her. He’d expected as much, but he didn’t know what the cloaked man could have said to Dante to make him attack Elizabeth like that.
“It doesn’t matter what he said. Dante shouldn’t have attacked her.”
“He said she knew something about that group he’s been chasing after.”“Well, he shouldn’t have believed him.”
“He didn’t,” Sara shouted back, then drew inward again, looking at the ground. “Or at least not at first. But the man said things… he wouldn’t tell me what… but he said things that convinced him.”
Jake thought back to odd conversation they had, one that they carried out for a while. Dante was arguing with him, trying not to believe it. But it was true. Elizabeth did know about that group. And so did—
“He also mentioned that you knew something too?”
Jake’s eyes widened, and he saw the conviction in Sara’s eyes. Her gaze was no longer downcast but tearing straight into him. She turned away and leaned against the same building, though on the opposite side of the doorway. She looke
d at the empty and dark space before her.
“That group did something to him. Something horrible.”
“They aren’t bad people. They wouldn’t—”
She whipped her head around at him, her hair lashing out behind her, and stared commandingly into him. “They did do something. And if you had information, either you or Elizabeth, you should have told him. As his friend—”
“I’m not his friend!”
It came out hoarse and rough, although Jake couldn’t say rougher than intended. He didn’t really mean anything by it, nor did he know what he was thinking. He looked at Sara to see if he’d hurt her, but she shook her head, tears running down her cheeks. “I’d hoped that wasn’t the case,” she said, then walked away. Jake watched her fade into the darkness, then fixed his gaze downward.
“Dammit.”
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About the author…
Samuel Small has been writing stories since he was four years old. His earliest book, titled Mario, was a thrilling tale in which the titular character had to jump up to get a key to open a door. His stories have gotten even more riveting over the years, now consisting of more than one sentence per page.
