Pain ricocheted up his legs at the impact that he crashed onto the metal plate below. It'd been a fairly long drop, though not something life-threatening.
Lucas hissed, glancing down. He could make out a toilet in the corner and a marbled white sink at the side. Somebody's bathroom? Regardless, he couldn't go back up.
Staring at the metal, he slammed his leg down once more.
And again and again.
The noise would likely attract attention, depending on who was nearby since the apartment's sound proofing didn't seem to be the best, though it worked to some extent.
However, in an old area, the screws were likely old and more easy to break through sheer force, if he kept kicking. He had plenty of practice in both breaking things and kicking.
With a final slam against the metal, it pushed through, and he crashed onto the bathroom floor. Dust scattered in the air and he coughed, glancing around.
He heard movements from high above and quickly yanked a towel that hung off a rack, throwing it onto the floor. Mere seconds later, a large boulder came crashing down, a half-scream stuck down its throat.
Julian fell onto the towel in a warped position—legs kicked up into the air, arm hanging underneath him in an unnatural position while he groaned.
The towel hadn't helped much, but it was better than landing on the metal grates that had fallen down.
"S-sir..." Julian rolled around in misery, gradually pushing himself up. "Weren't we too loud?"
"There was no other option."
"Should we think of a plan? Maybe we should've waited to see what other options we had?" rambled Julian, clearly nervous as he glanced around.
Lucas shook his head calmly, speaking with such confidence that anybody would believe him. "Brains are unreliable—it's better to get through things with sheer force."
"My grades... were pretty good."
"Grades in school don't mean a thing in real life."
Well, they mattered in getting to a better education, but the learning done at school was often forgotten. In one ear, out the other. Of course, Lucas, having dropped out of school at a young age, respected those who hadn't.
Regardless, Julian's good grades weren't going to get them out of this situation.
He tapped out a message on his phone to alert Elias. They'd have to get Nora and Rome out—the situation had become too dangerous to proceed normally.
"I'll get your revenge another way, Wren."
A voice answered from beside him. "Well, I'm pretty disappointed. Can't blame you though, I'd hate for that pretty lady to get injured in all this."
Wren waved, sitting in the bathtub casually as Julian blanched, spinning his head around to see where she'd emerged from. Deciding to mess with the youth, she grinned wildly and said, "I'm a ghost."
"R-really?"
"Sure. Are you scared?"
"P-please don't eat me!"
She paused, and burst out laughing before looking him up and down. Putting on an obvious act, she licked her lips greedily. "I don't know... you look pretty tasty."
Julian jumped, and he grew paler by the second as a new tremble begun to overtake his body. Lucas sighed, walking over to lightly tap Wren on the head with a shake of his own.
"Stop messing with him." He turned to the other. "And you, stop thinking everything is going to eat you."
"B-but don't I look tasty?"
"....." Lucas answered honestly, "If it came down to it, you'd be the first I'd eat."
"...!"
The man looked over Julian's terrified face and turned to the door. Really, there was nothing to do about a cowardly youth.
"You two, go find the others. When you do, leave immediately."
Wren narrowed her sharp gaze questioningly. "And? What will you do?"
"I'll observe the situation. If there's a way to get involved without risking my life, I will. And I'll see if we can get your revenge in any other way."
"...it's your death wish."
She waved dismissively, shrugging past him as she dragged Julian by the arm behind her. However, when she entered the room, the woman cast a final look back.
Her 'Link' wouldn't die again, would be?
Though the man seemed to run into death like it was his calling, or deep desire. Wren sighed, deciding not to think further on it. Whatever he chose to do, it would only benefit her in some way at the end.
On the other hand, upon leaving the room and turning in separate directions, Lucas searched for a map. They'd dropped down a considerable amount, and if the dining room had been on the 3rd floor, he was either on the first, or underground.
What sort of apartment complex would have rooms underneath ground level was beyond him, but the possibility existed nonetheless.
His phone buzzed in his pocket—as it seemed to do endlessly since he added a certain two people's contacts—and he sighed, pulling it out reluctantly.
This time, the insistent texts were from no other than than his bothersome boss.
[Weed: Do you plan to face them alone?]
[Lucas: I'll see what can be done before I decide. If there's a method, then I'll attack.]
A moment of relapse before the three dots appeared again at the bottom of his screen. Lucas continued walking, glancing around cautiously in case of an unexpected attack.
The most foolish thing to do would be to get distracted at such a time.
[Weed: I'm inside the building. Where are you?]
The other frowned down at the phone. The scariest thing wasn't being ambushed anymore, but instead the strange helpfulness of that man.
[Lucas: What games are you planning on now?]
[Weed: Can't I come save you like a dashing prince, out of the goodness of my heart?]
[Lucas: You have no goodness in your heart.]
Elias, who'd jumped down from a tree to sneak into the building of crazed humans, stared silently at his phone.
Should he just jump back out?
Then, up ahead, he saw the faint glow of light in the dark halls and he glanced back at his phone, then back up again. Was it just a coincidence or was that crouching light perhaps...
He walked closer and tapped the squatting man on the shoulder.
Lucas flinched, spinning around, ready to attack.
Instead, he saw an insufferable smile. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."
"Aren't I looking at one?" replied Lucas plainly, scowling.
"Do you mean to say that you've mistaken me for one, because of my supernatural appearance? Or because you can see right through me?" Eilas nodded, satisfied. "I'm a fairly open book, I agree."
"...shut up, and get down."
"On you?"
"You weed bastard..."
Elias raised his hands up in surrender and crouched down beside the other, staring down the hall. "Are you squatting here for any particular reason...?"
"No, I was tired and wanted to take a break."
What felt like a sarcastic comment was in fact a genuine reason behind Lucas' current situation. Regardless, that wasn't what Elias was curious about at the moment.
His eyes were drawn to a circular shape near the floor, a round, smooth object at Lucas' back. Lucas, feeling the hard stare at his back, frowned. "What is it?"
"Are you able to give birth, darling?"
A click and Lucas' brain turned completely off. Could he what—
"I don't have any interests in your... ridiculous interests, Weed."
"Much as I won't deny that, I'm asking for a reason." Elias pointed down as Lucas turned his head back, freezing at the object on the ground.
A smooth, opaque egg rested innocently before him.
"......" The man was dumbfounded.
Elias hummed in though, lazily thinking through several ideas. "Although there's nothing wrong with a man giving birth, I would say your current organs shouldn't hold that ability."
"Unless..." Elias raised an eyebrow, more out of teasing than seriousness.
"Quiet." Lucas sent a pointed glare to shut the other up, before poking at the egg. "Even if I had that ability, I have no intention nor desire of allowing my DNA to run around in smaller, evil versions of myself."
"What a shame."
"...?"
"I'd quite like to see mini, evil versions of you running around."
Lucas' eyes turned a little dead, a blank expression void of any reaction before he shook his head, moving his attention back to the egg.
It'd been a while ago, but he vaguely recalled a certain reward he obtained from the Cinderella story. The reward, despite it's legendary status, hadn't been useful at the time nor had any physical body, so Lucas had forgotten about it entirely.
What had it been called?
Long-something. That was definitely not it.
Lucas' eyebrows bunched together in thought, and Elias almost laughed at the expression the other made, before the former spoke uncertainly,
"Shenlong?"
A screen appeared before his vision.
[Shenlong (legendary)
Warning: The dragon will be hatched in 30 minutes. Upon hatching, it will release a large amount of energy and there is a high risk of fire. Please avoid forests.
Additional: Actually, it is best to hatch it in a forest. This is the safe, truthful advice from the smartest creature on this foolish planet.]
A bright glow started to emit from the egg, and Elias poked it. "A glowing egg?"
"A soon-to-be dragon." explained Lucas because lazily standing up and expectedly looking at the other man. "Carry it with you."
"Is this not your reward?"
"You touched it last, didn't you?"
"Childish." chided Elias at the shameless reply, bending over to pick it up nevertheless. He stumbled slightly before regaining his footing, surprised at the weight.
When he looked back up, he saw a mocking look one Lucas' bland face. The lazy sponge glanced at him and wondered, "Too heavy?"
"I'm carrying your child in your stead," said Elias calmly, holding the egg close to his stomach. "And you dare to complain?"
"When did you become my wife?"
"Since I started to carry your baby."
Lucas stared at him in utter disbelief, nearly cursing the man out. He'd abandon this weed in the hallways, but he really didn't want to lug around the egg when there was a perfectly useful carrier before him.
Therefore, he walked forward and said shamelessly, "Then hurry up, wife."
Elias purposely pitched up his voice as he followed behind in powerful, long strides. He kept up with Lucas' pace easily. "Coming, husband."
"......"
However, despite his ridiculous words, Elias glanced down thoughtfully at the object in his arms. Never had he imagined that the other, disinterested and lazy as he was, would obtain such a powerful item.
A creature, alive as any of the humans still wandering around, would be born from the egg.
Elias wondered, gazing at the back in front of him that moved forward without looking back, if that man would treat the new life as a tool, or a friend.
The foolish thing to do was the latter, of course.
And he couldn't help but believe that his wonderful, deadbeat sponge would do exactly that.
"Well, what's the plan?"
Lucas stopped, tapping on the egg once more to check the countdown that had begun to play within the text. "20 more minutes. We'll use the explosion to create havoc, and separate the Spade King and his followers."
They fell back into a silence, only the sound of their footsteps bouncing off the walls. At this point, it was a waiting game.
However, staying in one place wouldn't benefit them—they'd be sitting ducks, waiting to be found.
Lucas had been able to confirm that they were on the first floor, and had also found a small storage room that contained several switches and buttons he likely wasn't supposed to touch.
He pressed all of them.
As a result, the lights had been powered off from as far as he knew, the first floor, but most likely the power had been shut off on higher levels too.
People were too accustomed to the light to adjust to darkness too quickly, more used to relying on sight to search than their ears or nose.
But for Lucas, he felt the most comfortable in this shroud, devoid of anything. Unable to see, only able to hear the sounds approach, feel the textured walls brush against his fingers.
He closed his eyes, listening to the rhythmic breathing behind him, slightly laboured due to the weight the man carried.
"Do you like the darkness? Not being able to see?" The question floated into the air abruptly, filling Lucas' sharpened sense.
Lucas kept walking, more inclined to answer when he had nothing better to do. "I like it. I'm used to it, more so than being able to see."
"You're more used to not being able to see?"
"That's not what I meant."
Elias hummed casually in response and didn't press. Thankfully, because Lucas wasn't sure what his words implied either.
"Do you like the quiet?"
That wasn't it. Lucas shook his head despite knowing the other could see, slowing down his step slightly. "I like how loud it is in the dark."
When all sounds became amplified, Lucas truly felt like he was surrounded, covered in a soft pair of headphones that would ensure the dreading silence wouldn't come.
Elias nodded at Lucas' response, thinking of his own lonely apartment building that overlooked the busy city. It was always loud outside, but within the glass walls, nothing existed but him.
And that was an awfully lonely existence.
"It seems like we have something in common, then. I prefer the noise too." They walked a little further, turning up the stairs—making their way back to Lucas' target, Elias assumed.
Lucas' pale eyes drifted towards the other. "Then keep talking."
"Making me do all the work?"
"I prefer listening."
An airy chuckle escaped the man's lips, the sharp outline of his face illuminated by the diminishing glow of the egg. It was as if the light had started to become more condensed, beating wildly in the center.
"Aren't we a match made in heaven? I prefer talking, though I wouldn't mind listening to you." laughed Elias, feeling the irritated look on Lucas' face despite not being able to see. "Anyway, how much longer?"
Lucas tapped the egg again, narrowing his eyes. "Five minutes."
"Soon."
"The dining room is up ahead, we'll check there first."
"Alright, dear subordinate."
"Hurry up, boss."
Elias picked up his pace, amused as they hurried to the room. The Spade King had likely left in search of them, but it was a good place to start. A little bit of noise, and everybody in the building would be running right over.
They slowed as they approached the room.
The door creaked open, and the timer before the egg would hatch was at three minutes. Lucas peered inside cautiously, hearing no sounds of life.
Branched scraped against the window outside, forming misshaped shadows that could be mistaken for a human. Swaying in the silence.
Lucas could almost feel his heartbeat drumming against his chest in slow, careful beats, gradually picking up as he took a step inside, body tense and alert.
Elias' presence behind him became inexplicable vivid. Even if they couldn't find the Spade King, a small explosion would still stir chaos within the people.
Two minutes left.
And a bony hand wrapped around his leg.
"...!" Lucas jumped back when he felt the chill brush against his skin, but the grip was tight and he was yanked down, kicking out as he tried to regain balance.
Failing, his body slammed against the ground and he jerked himself away, feeling the slippery floor with a frown. Lucas held up his hand slowly—but he couldn't see what substance coated it. However, it wasn't difficult to guess.
Strands of long hair had mixed and curdled with what he assumed to be blood, tangling in his fingers that grazed the ground.
He moved backwards in a rush, only to feel his fingers press into a soft, squishy object, digging right through in his hurry. It felt like torn flesh.
Lucas' stomach lurched.
A shadow appeared in front of him before he could blink, replacing the corpse that had been nearby a moment earlier.
"Boo."
The Spade King lunged out, just as Elias shouted, "Ten seconds!"
The man hurled the heavy egg towards Lucas, who madly searched for movement in the darkness, stretching out to grab it.
The tips of his nail grazed it.
Losing momentum, the egg dropped down slightly and Lucas raised his body up, slipping slightly as he threw his arms around it, holding it securely.
The screen flashed before his eyes, and time timer ticked down.
5 seconds.
The Spade King seethed, reaching out towards Lucas with a bloodied hand, his crimson eyes glowing in the pitch.
4 seconds.
Elias kicked off one of the half-dead humans that were clawing at him from the ground, spinning to face Lucas' direction.
3 seconds.
The egg pulsed brightly, a heartbeat with every burst of light as Lucas' eyes widened, feeling the burning heat sear into his skin. August's nails dug into his targets tender skin, tearing through the surface.
"You...!"
2 seconds.
Lucas jerked his body away, holding up a middle finger 'accidentally' as he pulled the egg towards the front of his body, ignoring the increasing pain in his arm.
1 second.
And the egg exploded.