Cloud catches Jason Aranborn on the way to the canteen, grabbing him by the shirt and pinning him to the nearest wall. "Where's the book?"
"What book? I don't know what you're talking about." Jason replies, looking down at Cloud without an ounce of fear on his face.
"Listen, I'm not in the mood for games, where's the," Cloud loosens his grip on the shirt when another wave of wooziness befalls him. "Where's the book?"
"Man, you don't look too good." Jason smirks before channelling a gust of air to push Cloud away, but because he's so light on his feet, he ends up being thrown to the ground. "So, why don't you quit hassling me and get your ass to the Infirmary."
Jason hears a grizzly snarl before he sees Hunter's imposing frame at the far end of the corridor, realising a second too late how innocent of a mistake he just made as the Hellhound charges towards him with flames burning holes in the t-shirt he's wearing.
He tries to go airborne but Hunter grabs onto his leg and grounds him, his landing making a tremendous thud against the ground that should no doubt catch the attention of more people.
Jason grits his teeth, making a hissing sound that rattles like a snake, releasing a concentrated pulse of air that thrusts Hunter backwards, giving himself enough to to climb to his feet.
He channels a few more of these attacks but quickly notices their impact declining as Hunter starts adapting to its power, shouldering the sixth strike of air without bugging, letting out a thunderous growl that bounces off the walls.
Jason roars back, widening his stance with his palm facing towards Hunter, using the same technique Cloud saw him use a few days prior to throw Hunter to the far end of the corridor, shattering the glass of nearby room and lights with the sharp decline of pressure.
He doesn't stop to catch his breath, turning to strategically retreat from a fight he knows he can not win.
However, when he remembers Cloud is still on the ground looking like a tomato that was just squished of its juices and left a husk of what it once, he sprints back.
Still misunderstanding the situation, thinking that this is just another attempt on his life, Jason picks Cloud up off the floor and tries to drag him along, throwing the half conscious boy's arm over his shoulders for some support as the two of them hobble away.
Meanwhile, Hunter lays on the ground with the bone in his left shoulder having popped out of its socket, receiving several fractured and bruised ribs and quite a few tiny cuts all across his body where the wind was fast enough to slice into his flesh.
Fortunately for him, his healing factor heals most of his wounds within a minute except for his shoulder which he has to pop back into place manually.
The veins in his neck burn bright as he stretches whilst the final threads of his shirt kindle away, revealing his bare torso burning like magma with cracks of fire appearing where some of the cuts have yet to heal.
Jason hears Hunter's growls long before he catches sight of the flaming figure, making it to the top of the flight of stairs before the impossibly heavy footsteps catch up to him.
He makes the split decision to direct the air towards Hunter with the simple aim of slowing him down.
The split decision saves his life once Hunter slams into him but it does result in both of the boys being shot into the air.
Jason and Cloud separate but he manages to cushion both of their landings with pockets of air that add a spring to their individual landings before skidding across the shiny, waxed, floors leading to the entrance of the Academy.
Jason Aranborn clutches his side, surviving the exchange but not without injury to himself, spitting out blood as he climbs back on his feet to face off with the flaming giant of a beast that descends upon him.
Instead of focusing on his own wellbeing, he barks for the approaching students to get back, lacking any belief in their ability to be worth much more to him than minor distractions.
Blades of wind swirl around his ankles, expecting himself to be able to react fast enough to be able to counter an attack but Hunter's speed seems to have doubled with his partial transformation.
In the blink of an eye he makes it across the floor, almost catching a punch to the face if not for Elijah intercepting the attack.
"Remember me?"
Hunter snarls, saliva dripping down his chin, his fury growing tenfold when Elijah's metal grip matches his own strength.
With him distracted, Jason swings his arm in an upwards direction that takes Hunter off his feet with a well placed uppercut strengthend by a quick spell.
Elijah instinctively takes to the front line, adapting to Jason's fighting style by giving him enough time to manipulate the air around him into a concentrated javelin shape, only barely managing to prevent Hunter from slicing his vital organs with those claws of his.
Jason's aim is true and levelled as he expertly launches the attack for the heart of the beast once Elijah is dashed to the ground.
It soars. It flies. But mid flight the nose of the spear tips towards the ground and misses its intended target.
Jason spots Casey catching his breath with his right palm raised in the air, suddenly explaining the failure of his spell. "Have you lost your mind? Do you know what that thing is?"
"I owed him one." Casey coughs, having sprinted all the way here with Sky, Neith and Tony, bending over with his hands on his knees after barely channelling enough of his mana to slightly alter the direction of a spell that took time to build.
Hunter prepares himself to charge at the growing crowd, purely running on instinct, having surpassed his threshold to control his bloodlust any longer.
He prowls towards them with black mist clinging to his skin as he nears his full transformation, looking to attack the weakest and smallest first.
"Enough!"
Hunter barely registers the command, only stopping because his subconscious vividly recognises Cloud's voice.
"You were only trying to protect me, but enough is enough...no more pain...stand down."
Hunter snarls when Cloud speaks to him in a soft tone in an attempt to appeal to his rational side, both of his eyes streaming out vents of mystical looking flames of gold and ash.
Cloud feels the rage radiating from Hunter but doesn't budge even when the Hellhound's frame continues to grow.
He towers over Cloud, attempting to intimidate him into submission, getting close enough for his nostrils to receive the pungent smell of his roasting flesh.
Cloud stares directly into Hunter's eyes, reminded of Helel's promise that control of oneself will always summon its own power.
"I said stand down." he repeats firmly, keeping his eyes trained on Hunter even after he bows his head, unknowingly tapping into the flames of the Dark Realm when his irises glow electric blue.
Just then Gallo arrives, taking one look over the small group of gathered students, along with the damage done to the school, and the half naked Hellhound kneeling at Cloud's feet before his face turns red enough that it looks like he's about to have a stroke.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're all in?" he yells, his voice really booming now that everything has gone quite.
"I don't, but I know you're going to tell us." Casey mutters, coughing to cover it up once Gallo's bulging eyes land on him.
Just then Cloud feels his phone beginning to vibrate in his pocket.
"Channeling inside the halls in forbidden! And anyone responsible will be severely punished!"
"Oh no, please, anything but that." Casey chimes in a mousey voice to avoid detection, blinding walking towards the back of the crowd to remain out of the firing line.
"Never! Ever! In all my years have I seen such disrespect!"
"So are we just going to ignore the Hellhound that attacked me?" Jason argues, gripping onto his tender side that is sure to bruise.
Gallo opens his mouth to obliterate the first voice to stand out against him in the middle of his rant but when he looks at Jason's condition he back tracks. "I'll get to you in a moment."
Cloud takes out his phone when it starts ringing, reading Mr. Jefferson's name as Gallo threatens him with a whole host of consequences if he answers.
He ignores the warning, defiantly glaring back at Gallo as he listens to Johnathan's voice through the phone, letting it slip through his fingers once he hears the news.
"What is it?" Sky inquires, picking up his phone only to learn that Mr. Jefferson is still on the other end.
"My mom...they put her in the hospital."