Vessels

Chapter 6

The possessed man approached Raiden who lay still in the rubble from the wall he crashed through. He was covered in dust and blood and had blacked out from the impact. The man stood over the boy, a smug look on his face as he let out a menacing chuckle. He held out his hand and a vine began to approach the man and wrapped itself around Raiden's neck.

"That was easier than I thought it would be."

"Raiden!" Nami shrieked as she saw vine around her cousin's neck. She had grabbed a piece of pipe that gotten tossed from the explosion and ran towards the man, pain and anger visible in her eyes.

"Leave him alone!!!"

The man shot out his free hand towards Nami and a plant vine swatted at her like she were nothing more than a fly, sending her hurtling through the air in the opposite direction.

She thought she would have made contact with the ground but seemed to stop mid air, she turned to see the man who had checked into the Inn earlier holding his hands out in front of him. She noticed the soft blue aura around his hands and around her own body, confused as to what was happening. She had never seen magic like this before. 

He set her down on the ground and she immediately turned to confront him.

"Wh-what are you?!" 

"You need to get to safety." Was all he said in reply. 

"No! What's happening! Why is the flower man attacking Raiden?!" She shouted, ignoring the vine that came back at them again. Immediately Min grabbed Nami and threw his body in front of hers to take the brunt of the impact when a wall of stone was erected between the object and the two. 

"It's about time you stepped in!" Min shouted. 

"You were having a moment, I didn't want to ruin it." 

"Nami..." The voice was faint and gravelly. "Don't...hurt...Nami..." a crackle sounded through the air and their hair began to stand on end as electricity covered the area like a blanket. 

"What is that?" Min asked as all attention was drawn to the boy in the rubble. 

"Leave...her...alone..." The bricks stirred around the figure as Raiden stood up, storm clouds swirling above him and thunder clapped so loud it shook the ground beneath them. His brown eyes now an electric blue that seemed to glow as he starred down the disguised creature. 

"He's a vessel." Aris stated under her breath.