Heartless

I can't afford to give whoever this person is any of my time, but I also can't just let those kids die. I promised myself that I wouldn't let others die if I had a choice, and right now, I have a choice. Continue on and let them die, or do as the puppeteer says and wait for an opening.

"Fine. I'll do as you say."

There was a moments pause as the many guards under the control of dark magic looked me up and down, before I was finally given a reply.

"Good. Follow me."

All of the guards spoke at once, which was slightly confusing, but then they all started walking while still around me. It seems they are all going to escort me to wherever the puppeteer wants me. We walked down many hallways and through many doors before finally arriving at our destination.

The room was plain, and all that was inside was a mirror. At least, that's what it was supposed to look like. I could clearly see that it was one way glass, and I was even able to look through it.

On the other side, a well dressed man sat staring right at me. I made sure to look at random spots on the mirror, so as not to give away the fact that I could see him.

"Now, I want you to take off your ma-"

There was never a better opportunity than now. This man wasn't under the influence of dark magic, and I could clearly see his concentration as the guards did actions such as talking or moving. This is him. Easier than I thought, but I'll take it.

Before the man even finished his sentence, I consteued a flame of such immense heat that the glass shattered in a mere instant. He didn't even get a chance to comprehend what was happening before he was dead and gone. Only a charred black skeleton remained, and even it was crumbling when I immediately removed the flames the next instant.

Now he's dead.

"That was a bad choice."

What?

Shit.

The kids!

I didn't even waste a moment, running straight through the walls in the direction of the kids, following them through the noises they make. Thanks to my incredible hearing, I know exactly where they are despite the fact that they are halfway across the building.

"AAHG!"

Wyatt?

Faster!

The walls are crumbling as I run straight through them, moving straight towards the kids. Their screams are echoing through my skull as I run as fast as I can. I'm only moving for mere five seconds before I get to them, but it felt like an eternity.

When I crash through the walls right into their room, I instantly conjure rock pillars on the guards, crushing them into the ceilings.

All that's left are the kids.

Wyatt...

His eyes are wide awake, but his face is quickly draining, losing its color. Blood gushes out of his throat with each beat of his heart. I watch as he slowly begins to fall to the floor, but just before he lands, I activate my healing magic with as much force as I can manage.

He passes out in an instant, but his injury heals in an instant as well. He falls to the floor unconscious, but not dead.

The rest of the kids are closely grouped together, scared out of their minds, but focused. Most people would go crazy eyed as their fight or flight instincts kicked in, but they manage to keep themselves in control.

How are kids able to do that?

"Did you really think you could stop me?"

No, not the kids.

All of them, they all suddenly had the blank, dull face of someone under the control of dark magic.

"I control this city. Obviously, I can't control everyone, but controlling those with power allows me to do however I please. You are simply a means to an end for me. A way to gain more control."

The kids gather the weapons from the guards I had just crushed, gripping them tightly in their hands.

"I don't care what I have to do to control you too."

Before my eyes, the weapons that some of the kids had grabbed were suddenly thrust straight into their neck and through to their spine. I didn't even have a moment to stop them, as the puppeteer had them use their full strength in that one thrust.

Those kids were dead before they even had a chance to hit the ground.

I froze, not moving an inch.

"Finally decided to stop struggling?"

"I'll kill you..."

"What was that?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

I didn't even think. Instead, my light magic shot out from within be, blasting in all directions throughout the city. It had travelled the distance of the entire city in less than a second, and I figures out exactly where the puppeteer was.

The kids that hadn't been murdered snapped out of their trance, dazed and confused. The guards in all of the rooms I had smashed through also snapped out of the magic, confused and dazed. Everyone seems to have been freed from the clutches of the dark magic. Now all that's left to do is chop off the hands that were pulling the strings.

When my light magic shot out from within me, severing all of the black magic being used, it also showed me where the magic was originating from.

I didn't even bother explaining what had happened to everyone, instead running full speed towards the bastard that was heartless enough to kill children.

When I got to the location, it was a dump of a building. The walls were dirty, windows smashed, all in all, a dump.

A suitable place for a monster.

I ran straight through the building, startling the bastard who was trying to get out of his chair and make an escape. I knew it was him.

"It seems like I'm not going to get away, huh."