The Path Ahead

As they walk by, another soldier stops them, giving them a piece of paper, probably a code. Despite the chaos and panic outside the building, things look… oddly peaceful, relative to what is happening out there in the city. It surely is a tad claustrophobic, but not enough to be a problem. "Did all that mayhem… change how I see stuff?"

A few hours ago, if someone had asked him what he hates, crowds and cramped places would be at the top of his list. Now? It is almost relieving, seeing a palace still working in order rather than panic.

The hardest thing to do is to avoid the swarm of people inside the buildings. Even being helped by a soldier did little to help make a way, due to the sheer amount of people. Looking around, he sees some of the school staff helping the military people around.

Something clicked inside his brain. Recalling his first meeting with Lily, her school uniform became a lot clearer, as if a mist left his head. "Isn't this one of the best schools in town? Her parents must be filthy rich."

His family isn't poor, but they aren't rich either. Makes sense why this place is crammed with people, more than normal. Now, the only question is why there are militaries there. "This one I can think about later on."

They make their way to the second floor, the corridor still full, after reaching a part with wounded people, the soldier helps him lean against the wall. "Sorry pal, you will have to wait for your time here. I'll grab your number, when they call you, you enter, okay?"

K.J nods, without really having an option… Looking around, people there mostly had bruises, and some deep cuts, first aid already applied. Much like how he found Lily… "Everyone is having it tough."

So tough, why is he here, when his problem is just a backache? "Self-loathing will not help me get better." Admitting to his weariness, he slides against the wall, sitting on the ground. Right now, the job is to wait for the soldier to get back with his number, and wait for his turn.

…

He is in the infirmary now— on a bed, he can see Lily resting, with a new bandage over her right eye. "Resting, huh?" It is shameful to feel envy of a 12-year-old, but right now, he couldn't contain a little bit of jealousy of her rest. He has to find his friends.

Before that, however, a little checkup doesn't hurt. His back was exposed, with a doctor trying to assert the damage. "How bad is it… doctor?" The pain is a bitch, but K.J has no eye to see how bad it is by himself.

"Hmm, not going to sugarcoat it, it is a nasty bruising. It will heal, but damn. You and the girl had a very bad time, huh?" Her tone is neutral, almost used by the situation she is in. "How much shit do doctors see on a day-by-day basis?"

Stupid question— they see too much shit. Normally, being checked in any hospital is awkward, but checked by a doctor in an emergency shelter? "You said a big green monster did it to you, right?" He already said it once, repeating feels pointless, but if she is asking again.

The view of the monster running to attack him was a very clear image, one he wouldn't forget soon. "Yes, big, green, built like a Gorilla." If it is as strong as one, is another question altogether. How many gorillas could survive having their skin melt off and chest pierced by a sword?

This time, the doctor sighs. "We already saw one of those, they can punch through walls and rip open cars, boy. The fact that your torso is still intact is the strangest thing I saw today." Once again, a bitter taste spread through his mouth. "She called me a freak?"

The doctor is not wrong, yet calling someone so bluntly like that… "You will heal, actually, it is not that bad. You just need a good nap, and some anesthetics and you will be good again."

Saying in a tone that would only stay between them, K.J asks the one million dollar question. "... Do you know anything about an evacuation? This school is already an emergency shelter, so shit went off the rails already." A blunt and invasive question, but one he has to get off his chest.

A moment of silence. "... I shouldn't tell you, but well. You have the right mindset. We will evacuate people out of this town in a few hours." no point in denying the truth to someone who is already aware. "Thanks, Doc. I have to get my friends out of here too. Can't waste too much time."

Taking his red shirt and wearing it again, he cracks his fists. "You— Wait. Boy, you got beaten up on your way here, and you want to go out?" A reasonable reaction to his actions. Yet he had come here with no intention of staying for too much time.

"Yes. I have to see if my friends are okay…" Looking in the doctor's eye, he could see the dumbfounded expression on her face. "You do you. I don't care. Ask a soldier and they will escort you out." Sighing, she goes to check on another person.

Time to grab the sword, and go on. "Ouch." As if criticizing his recklessness, his back aches in pain.

…

Like she said, he just had to ask to get out, and a soldier came to escort him out. The way out is like his way in Trying to navigate through a crowd of people. Easy but somewhat troublesome. Despite the crowded place and escort, he and the soldier didn't trade any words, being silent all the way to the exit.

When he entered there, the soldiers were still patrolling the perimeter. Seeing him, the one who helped him stand up, waves. He waves back and runs straight towards the sword.

He grabs the shoulder with his right hand, putting its blunt part to rest against the shoulder. K.J picks up his cellphone and, on the other hand, opens the GPS to see the shortest path towards the park. With his sight settled on the "shortest path", he bites his lip. Time to run, to run and fight.

Taking a breath, he charges forward. His back hurts again, but he ignores it. He has a mission, an objective. To reach his friends, and see if they are okay. This amount of pain won't stop him.

Without having Lily to worry about, he can run as fast as he can, worrying only about himself. Contrary to the paths Lily had guided him through, more signs of human activity appear, street by street.

Some shoes on the ground, and torn clothing, as he turns around into another street, screams echo. The initial chaos of the start of the day coming back. He runs, trying to forget about the widespread chaos going on.

The "calm" before the storm— The silence and empty streets almost made him forget, the order and discipline in the school numbing his perception. There is no order right now, there is chaos, goblins, and a dragon somewhere in the sky.

As he makes his way forward, a lot of people run and scream in the opposite direction of where he is going to— a good indication of what is coming their way. A bunch of green freaks, and a bigger one coming ahead.

They are tough and don't die easily, he needs to kill it with one hit or face the consequences. Holding the sword with both hands, the young man runs towards the monster, cooking a way to kill it. Noticing the sword, someone screams: "There is a freak running around with a sword!"

"Just what I need for my esteem." This would probably become a common occurrence, not everyone carries a sword the size of a person around, much less run with it! The creature, guided by the scream, locks its eyes on the sword, and K.J by proxy. "A strong human, finally."

Its figure towered over the crowd, setting it apart from the people running. The chest of the monster bleeding heavily, with many bullet wounds on it, probably of small calibers. "These freaks are bulletproof?" It would explain their insane resistance and difficulty in dying. "How strong are those black flames to melt their skin?"

This time around, there is no help from the black flames— only this strange sword, and his own strength. The monster rushes, coming towards him like a train. "This is cheesy, but I will make it!"

Running towards the monster, he lets it get closer, to get the kill attack easier. Instead of holding the hilt with both hands, K.J grabs the blade's back with one hand, to keep its alignment straight on the mark.

When just a few meters apart, the young man projects his legs forward, starting a sliding tackle, with the sword held up and forward. The sword cuts a straight path on the creature's waist, belly, and spine. Slashing flesh and bone with reckless abandon.

"I learned from the first time." Sliding into the goblins' swarm, the creatures stay paralyzed, as their leader falls to the ground, a glaring rupture in their guard. Taking the sword's handle in both hands, K.J brands the blade in a wide horizontal arc from right to left.

Rather than cut straight through them, the best assignment to it is mauling through the goblins, due to poor edge alignment taking away cutting power. He would slaughter them all, he would kill as many as he could, to keep them from hurting as many people as possible.

Hatred, anxiety, rage, scorn, fear, and hope all fuse, becoming a highly inflammable mixture inside a young man's confused heart

"I will reach my friends." Resonating deep within himself and with fuel to devour, a raging inferno of black flames explodes forward.