Nightfall

Chapter 13: A New Friend

Unfortunately, Ruby's oddly timed movie reference ended up being more accurate than I would have liked. The day started abruptly with the deafening crack of gunfire and a deep demonic growl. My eyes snapped open in time to see James's body jerk violently and ribbons of his shirt fly off. The bullet had apparently been aimed at taking him out, and had hit him perfectly in the middle of the chest. However, unlike the rest of the people in this world, this did little more than piss him off. Instead of embedding itself in his skin, the bullet reflected off, and by the time I had sat up from the rude awakening he was already on his feet and running at an inhuman speed. Panicking, I quickly put on a thick shield of aura and began chasing after him. The operation was apparently going to start a little earlier than we had planned.

Before I even had the chance to take a step I heard a screaming from the direction James had disappeared. It seemed to be approaching me, so I threw my arms up in front of me and braced myself. But instead of an attack, a person came tumbling down from the thick canopy of trees around us and crumbled on to the soft earth a few feet in front of me.

The man wore a full black set of body armor and had the appearance of a well-trained soldier, but as he rolled over onto his back he wheezed and trembled with fear. He was staring at something, and as I followed his gaze I saw a figure approaching from the forest. At first I tensed up, but I relaxed as I found James emerging from the shade of the trees. As he approached the man he broke from the shadows and his face became illuminated by the early morning sun.

He looked pissed in a way I had never seen before, but then again, he had just been shot. The area where the bullet had struck was exposed by the hole in his shirt, revealing the shockingly minimal damage. It appeared as if our would be assassin had done more damage to James' clothing than to his body. His shirt had been torn away in an area about the size of my hand, but James displayed only a small rapidly bruising welt from the bullet.

Apparently he was bulletproof.

I was staring in amazement at James's steel hide as he reached town and picked the man up by his collar with one hand. He reeled back his other hand, ready to strike the final blow. As he did the area around his fist seemed to darken, as well with his eyes. He was fixated on the trembling grunt in his grasp, but his face was as cold as ever. The only hint of emotion was in his eyes, which were wide and furious.

"That hurt." He said. Then he unleashed his wrath straight at the man's head.

"James!" Ruby's voice echoed through the forest and forced James's knuckles to top an inch away from the terrified man's face.

"Don't you dare kill him. Remember, these are people."

The man struggled and squirmed in James's iron grip. James, however, was unmoved. He just stood like that for a second, frozen in space, obviously debating his course of action.

Then after several seconds he mumbled, "Fine."

As soon as he said that a dark concussion erupted from around his hand and the man in his grasp went limp. He turned to face Ruby who was leaning on one hip, looking none too amused with the little stunt.

"He will be fine, although I cannot say I did not wish to do more."

Ruby pressed her lips together, "If you can't control yourself then don't participate."

James paused and took a deep breath. Then he looked Ruby in the eyes and insisted on coming. However, this time his word choice towards her was intentionally more gentle. Ruby caved and sighed almost immediately, but told him to take the man with us to the compound. She didn't want to leave him out here to die.

James obeyed without hesitation and lifted the unconscious man onto his shoulders. He turned to face us and said, "Well, seeing that we have already been found out, I say we go ahead and raise a little hell."