Chapter 2 - Part 4

[Tasgal looked at the goons on the ground, one of them was unconscious and the other held his throat sobbing quite loudly. He then turned his head back as if listening to something. Haiden too could hear footsteps.

"Who goes there!" A voice called.]

Footsteps echoed throughout the alleyway, quickly nearing in.

"Fuck! The guards must've heard that prick. Ready for a run?" Tasgal asked.

"What? No, can't we just –" Tasgal grabbed Haiden's hand and snatched the trunk from him under his other arm pulling Haiden after him

His legs were already sore, he could barely drag them after himself.

Tasgal pulled him through winding alleyways filled with garbage and a few homeless people. Haiden didn't had much time to think, or feel any pity for the unfortunate souls that laid on the cold dirty cobblestone ways. The smell of feces and sweat was stinging his nostrils. He ran past the walls of the wooden buildings that formed the very alleyways he was treading, tall and looming they formed a labyrinth with sharp edges and dead ends. In between the alleyways the walls lacked the white paint that plastered every building, instead the raw material laid bare.

A crack of light spilled a few hundred paces ahead. Once they stepped in the open air, he took a deep breath but Tasgal didn't stop there, he pulled him farther reaching a crowded open plaza where shouts and screams filled the air, hoping they would blend.

Both Haiden and Tasgal were trying to catch their breath, panting hard. The rowdy crowd was throwing venomous slurs at something. Haiden quickly noticed that some people had sticks, some had rocks, among which a few daggers shone in the dim winter light.

"Deviant whore!" an old woman cried.

"Yeva'ah, how dare you disgrace the Creators with your unclean compulsions! Grab her!" a man ordered. His robes flowed black and stern posture demanded command. The woman screamed and squirmed under the hands of the crowd.

"Wha-What are they doing?" With their hand still clasped Haiden squeezed Tasgal's hand as if to reassure himself. The shocking scene unfolding before them resembled a pack of creatures waiting to devour its prey.

"Shit," Tasgal whispered. "Haiden, don't look! Come on." he yanked his hand to continue their escape but Haiden didn't budge. Instead he let go of Tasgal and moved forward towards the crowd. Part of him curious and part horrified; he couldn't act on what he as seeing but watch and take everything in.

"Abomination!" another man grunted just before a loud thwack resounded throughout the plaza immediately followed by a heartbreaking scream of woman. Shrill and piercing, it was pure fear. The hair on Haiden's neck prickled, filling him with a familiar sensation of danger. Soon after, sticks swung in the air and rocks flew. The woman's voice quieted down to a pathetic whimper. Haiden didn't know if it was because of the loud slurs and curses or because the poor woman had given up and accepted her fate.

As Haiden approached the crowd he saw their victim in the center of a whirlwind of violence and hate. Naked, bruised and cut. They kept pounding.

As if she knew someone was watching, her painful gaze fell on Haiden. She needed his help. With clenched fists he called his power forward but the static never came, it fizzled into nothing.

No no no no no, not now, please!

Her thin hands, probably once pale and flawless now black and blue, tried to cover her head but to no avail. She was surrounded by people, they were monsters. Haiden felt bile rising up his throat. He prepared himself for a second strike at the crowd, to stop the battering on the defenseless woman and yet again nothing happened. Frustrated he opened his mouth to try...something...not even he knew what, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him. Looking up he saw Tasgal's face. He too looked nauseous, his eyes never leaving the sight he whispered.

"Don't. We can't do anything, Haiden. We need to go."

Haiden gave another glace and noticed that the woman's body went limp, the daggers he spotted earlier were jutting out of her sides.

Another person died because I couldn't help... he thought.

Nevertheless, the bloodthirsty crowd did not stop pounding at the woman. He felt his hand being pulled with such force that he was almost swept off his feet. Swallowing the sick in his mouth he pushed through and followed Tasgal through another labyrinthian alleyway that gave way to a quiet empty street.

Once Tasgal stopped Haiden yanked his hand and glared at Tasgal.

"Why, why didn't you helped her?!" Haiden demaded.

"Why didn't you?"

"I...tried" Haiden's head slumped and a warm stream of tears flowed on his cold red cheeks. "I can't..." he looked at his dirty palms. Tasgal sighed. A hot calloused hand brushed his cheek wiping at his tears.

"I didn't mean...we couldn't have helped her. She was dead the moment they discovered she was a Yeva'ah." there was something in Tasgal's eyes, but Haiden didn't know what.

"Why, what's a Ye-yeva?" Haiden asked. The warm hand was so comfortable on his face, he wanted to grab it and place it back once Tasgal withdrew it.

"YevA'ah. It means she loves...loved," Tasgal quickly corrected himself. "other women. It means 'against the Creators' will' in the old tongue. You saw the man in black robes?" He asked at which Haiden just nodded. " He's Thau, a powerful wielder from the Disciplinary Order that runs this city. The moment he identified the girl as a Yeva'ah, there was no hope for her. He would have killed us on the spot if we interfered."

She liked women...he was shocked, she was like me, he thought. Flashes of Regor's once bright and beautiful smile filled his painful heart. I am a Yeva'ah. A sudden sadness overcame him, realising what it meant if someone would find out. against the Creators' will... his face contorted in fear.

"Haiden?"

"Yes, sorry. I was just thinking." he replied in a meek voice, trying to relax his expresion. The look that Tasgal had still puzzled Haiden. Up until now, he was the tough, snarky guy, but now he was gentle, kind and looked like was about to cry. This gave Haiden a weird but welcomed comfort.

"You said you need to go to the Academy. I can take you...if you want." Tasgal offered.

"Thank you."

"Right, this way. Come on." Tasgal caught his hand and lead him through the empty streets and diving between alleyways. Haiden thought of Tasgal's action as reckless and dangerous given what he just withnessed, but the warmth of his big hand was a nice contrast to the cold air and decided just to enjoy the moment.

When they finally got out of the winding dark alleyways the light was already dimming giving the first signs of sundown. They emerged in a busy main street that ended with a bridge.

Tasgal quickly let go of Haiden's hand. The sudden coldness wrenched Haiden to reality. Earlier events had left him quite drained. He just wanted his damn bath at the Academy already.

"It'll be just a little further after we cross that bridge." Tasgal said and motioned Haiden to follow. He still carried his trunk and felt guilty, but he was thankful for it. It had been a hard day and an even harder journey to what now looks like a wretched city than a promise at a new beginning. Tasgal lead in silence, for which Haiden was thankful. He needed some time to process today's events.

Had Regor been of the same mentality? he recalled the warm embrace he had received. Had he known about my feelings would he had tried to punish me for being a...a Yeva'ah? No, he was a good friend. he assured himself. Was this city the right decision as it will never accept me? I don't know. he admitted. Will I ever make amends for the stupid mistakes that I making? he pondered, but didn't come to a conclusion. In the end he decided that these questions were useless, he was here now, that's all that mattered. In times like this he missed Regor's stupid jokes, they might not have been funny but somehow they helped. I hope this is worth -

"Ack!" Haiden grabbed his nose. "Whad'ye did that for?"

"You were walking too slow and making weird faces." Tasgal pointed out. Haiden's cheeks filled with warmth.

"I-I was just thinking." he replied.

"About?"

"Nothing,"

"You can't say you're thinking about nothing. By thinking about it, that nothing, it turns into something. Besides your face was saying otherwise." Tasgal said with an overconfident smile.

"That's the most stupid thing I've heard. Anyways, none of your business, thank you."

"Wow, you're a snappy one, aren't you?

Snappy? his eyebrow twitched, this was the second time he was called snappy today. He sighed. Tasgal had just helped him out of a bad situation, he at least could be nice to him.

"Sorry, it's been a long and hard journey to Elo'yn and today's been...quite eventful." he said pointing on the urine stain on his trousers.

"Yeah," Tasgal looked away and rubbed his neck. "sorry about that."

"No, it was my fault. I'm just glad it's over and soon I'll be at the Academy and everything will be as planned, and I can finally take a bath!" he said sniffing his pit resulting in a disgusted scrunched face.

"Are you sure you're a wielder, haven't seen you wield once." Tasgal asked blatantly with his back at Haiden maintaining his steady pace.

That's rude...

"YES!" Haiden answered then whispered "I don't want to talk about it, just let it go." he said pleased when he heard Tasgal sighed in defeat.

"Come one, we're almost there." they moved forward to the stone bridge weaving through crowds and carts of merchants. It was quite a difference between the quiet streets and alleyways to the lively main road. The carts grabbed Haiden's attention as they held deliciously smelling street foods. He tried not to think too much of the pit in his stomach but just like his wielding it had betrayed him growling so loud several people stopped in their tracks to stare. Tasgal chuckled and assured Haiden that they're almost there. Haiden was too out of it due to recent events to really pay attention to the road so he just followed Tasgal's broad back. Power and confidence, overwhelming confidence bordering arrogance emanated from his stance.

A true warrior, he thought lowering his gaze as blood rushed through his body. No, stop it! he chastised himself. He took a deep breath to calm down. Not the place, time or person.