Chapter 7

I felt my entire body shiver, it might've been from the cold breeze of the night or from the fear that is now consuming me this very moment.

With my eyes refusing to look away from the sight in front of me, laid upon the man who held on to the chain, and I could swear that he and my gaze met.

Ben who realized that we've been seen grabbed my collar and dragged me back into the forest.

"Shit… Run!"

Without any second thoughts, I too started running. Even without looking back I could hear the sound of someone chasing us from behind.

Ben all of a sudden stopped from his tracks, I slightly landed on his back confused on why he stopped. Now in front of us, is the said man from earlier who met my gaze.

"Oh~? what do we have here?"

As the man said those words 4 other men surrounded me and Ben. They all had similar clothing and masks, with their hair the only distinguishing factor between them.

"Piss off, Albany." Ben said.

It seems like the two of them knew each other.

"What a way to greet an old friend. You truly have never changed have you? Benedict."

"The person you are talking about is long gone, along with that name."

The man heard what Ben had said but decided to turn his focus towards me.

"Who might this be?"

Ben pulled me closer behind him trying to hide my appearance.

"Since you say we are friends, how about you go on your way and we pretend none of this had ever happened."

I held tightly onto Ben's shirt, as my eyes wandered around trying to find a way to escape.

"No can do, if it was some other individual maybe, I would let you, but seeing that you have quite an item with you, how could I?"

"He is not a thing!!" Ben yelled out. His arm that held onto my arm tightened up even more. I could now hear the small steps the people around us were making.

Ben himself knew we no longer have any choice or chance to even talk our way out.

The man from behind me then jumped towards me, Ben saw this and brought his face straight onto the man's face.

Unexpectedly the man flung a few feet away from us, with a number of trees breaking down. I looked at Ben shocked.

How can this old man give such a punch?

"It seems you still have some of it in you, say Benedict, why not handing that being you have there to the organization and we'll even welcome you back in open arms."

Ben's eyes almost shot blood after hearing what the man Albany said.

"I've long forgotten that hell hole and there is no way would I even dare associating myself with the likes of you!"

Albany now looked quite annoyed despite his full expression being hidden away by the mask.

"Do you think you can leave your past behind just like that? you may have think you finally got rid of your sins, but you're wrong. Even how much you do good your past will never change!!!" After shouting these words he held his hand in the air as a sword materialized out of thin air.

He jumped towards Ben who was unarmed he used his one hand to cover the sword his other still tighthly held onto me.

I then now saw blood trickling from his hand, fearing that he would be sliced I remembered the certain spell I learned,

If I just think of it coming out from my body then…

Albany, out of nowhere was flung away. Both him and Ben looked at me shocked, my hand was still spread out towards the direction Albany was flung at.

I expected Albany to be inrage from what I just did, but all I could see was his gleeful expression.

"It can use magic!! ha! how dare you hide away such a merchandise!"

Ben who was still in shock had no choice but to snap out of it. He grabbed my arm as we both ran away yet again. The remaining 4 men Albany included, still chased us from behind. Now, it seemed like Ben knew where we were headed as he made sharp turns.

"Ben! who are they?!"

Despite my shouting, Ben still did not respond, instead he stopped running, we were now at a cliff. Below this cliff was a river and sharp rocks surrounding it.

"I can no longer protect you."

Upon hearing thi words I got the idea of what he was planning to do.

"Do not be scared, I am not doing this to simply get rid of you, but this is the only way I have left to protect you."

"I- I don't…"

"You will not be hurt, I promise that. Just think of it as a way of resting."

"Resting…?"

"We're running out of time… You… no, Sal. I truly did not want this to happen. My selfishness of showing you the reality of this world has caused you to fear this world. I saw how you enjoyed learning. That I feared you would be blinded by the things you've read that will put you in grave danger."

"Ben…"

"Oh how I could wish me and Sally could keep on seeing you grow up."

I could see the tears forming in Ben's eyes. He now placed both his hand on my shoulders.

"The time we've spent with you were the most beautiful moments in our life. Forgive me Sal, this is the only way to keep you safe, one day you will understand the reasons for my actions. I beg God to not let this be a goodbye but simply a, See you again,

our beloved son."

In those short minutes that I was left speechless, Ben turned his head towards the river and was shouting something, and before I knew it I felt myself falling, next thing, my being felt as though I was moving with the flow of water.

The last thing that I could see was Ben looking down on me from above the cliff, I could not see his full expression but all I saw was a small smile and a tear trickling down his cheek.