Momentary Respite

"Mister, do you need to rest again? I… can wait a little longer. We are almost at my school, too." A warm and reassuring voice echoes through empty streets. Although not terrified anymore, a bit of anxiety still lurks in the little girl's voice. Who could blame her?

"Don't worry too much about me. I can still walk." Despite the stinging pain over his back, and the heap of iron in the format of a sword being carried by his hands, he doesn't stop. Not until the girl is delivered to a safe place, and he can reunite with his friends.

The heat wave expected for today never came. Minutes pass by, but the sun's dimmed light doesn't get any brighter, as if the city got stuck in perpetual twilight. What should be around midday, looks more like sunset.

A strange event, but no stranger than the day had been already. "Why indeed…" Like a spark, the memories of the black flames come to mind. "Maybe those flames… ate the light? Nah… it would be too far-fetched."

How could meager flames even eat the sunlight? It doesn't make any sense. The streets are still empty as ever, a strange occurrence, with the only common factor between them being the guidance of Lily. Maybe a sixth sense of sorts?

"Thinking of a sixth sense…" From the moment he was fatally hurt, and somehow got up, his senses had been sharper. Vision, smell, and specially: his hearing. Even if they didn't dare to show themselves, there are green freaks around, creeping in the abandoned buildings.

Thinking that staying out of sight would mean they avoided detection… Not only the green freaks, but far away, the sound of engines roaring and wheels rolling against asphalt enter his ears. "Skoll is a type of wolf… no."

Breaking his funk, Lily raises her voice, pointing her index finger down the road. "Here, we just have to go down the street, and we will be there." His little guide says with more enthusiasm, their small journey will soon end, and they will part ways. "I hope your parents are there too."

Like she said, the back of a school, down the road. A big school, even on a higher point, he still couldn't see its full size. "Hmm, I think we should get to the entrance, if we enter by the back, it will be suspicious."

From the edge of his vision, some people, around five, are patrolling the perimeter around the school. With military attire and guns too. "Well, this makes things a tad more complicated." Explaining the situation would be more problematic than if they just went straight ahead to the main entrance.

"And your sword? It won't draw suspicion?" K.J couldn't come up with words to refute her. She is right. "When it comes to that, I will think something up." He won't, but Lily doesn't need to know that.

Without wasting time, they walk down the road. "Hey Lily, get behind me." If the worst comes to pass, maybe he could summon the black flames again. Until they get a clear intention on the soldier's intentions, better try to shield Lily with his body— he no longer is normal.

With a nod, she gets behind him, Unbeknownst to Lily, his back cracks as pain bites his spine. "That fucker landed a nasty blow… Either way, it doesn't matter. Lily needs medical attention immediately."

Even if the soldiers stop him from getting in the emergency shelter, as long as Lily gets the medical attention, he will not have anything more to worry about. As they approach the school, the soldiers finally notice them, a good twenty or so meters separating them. "Who is there?!" Screaming due to the distance, the soldiers raise their guns.

Their posture disciplined, and body ready to react, a response to adapt in the combat and not be a hindrance. Nothing like him when facing that monster. "I still have much to learn if those monsters become a common occurrence." K.J thinks grimly.

Sticking the sword on the ground ahead of himself, K.J raises his hands. "Now is the time of truth…" He whispers, taking a breath, the young man raises his voice, to reach the soldier's clearly. "Well, ahmmm. I'm Kyrie Jensen. Twenty-year-old. I am with a girl with a serious eye wound, she needs treatment immediately."

Taking a peak from behind him, Lily waves her hand, before going back into hiding. The "leader" starts to mumble something, "Jensen… Jensen… are you related to Lieutenant Colonel John Jensen?" Asks the "leader".

This is convenient. Very convenient. "He is my uncle! I'm his nephew." For a moment, the soldier paused, picking up a radio.

"Yes, we are with Kyrie Jensen here. He was carrying a big sword before he got here. Let him? Roger that." Despite the distance, he could still hear him talking on the radio. "Alright, Kyrie Jensen. You have someone in need of medical attention, right? Follow me."

With a sigh of relief, they walk towards the school and the soldiers. With Lily finally having medical attention, one less problem for him to deal with. "Besides, how did they know my uncle… Did he leave a message or something?" He should thank his uncle when they meet again. "Wait."

One of the soldiers approaches them, standing before him. "Why were you carrying a sword so large around?" He points at the sword stuck in the ground. Oh, well. "Huh… I don't think you will believe me, but there were these green monsters that attacked us. This sword was the only thing I had to defend myself."

"It wasn't a sword back then, too…." This was only after his near-death experience. "A 4'9 feet tall sword? Well, should we allow him to take the sword? He already knows about the monsters."

The "leader" stops for a moment, thinking. "I see the problem, but he should keep the sword somewhere out of view. We will store the sword, and give it back to him later. Are you right with these terms?"

Telling them "no" wasn't an option to people with actual guns. Besides, it was just a metal bat before. "I think it is… better to leave the sword there. It will be troublesome to carry it around inside the school grounds anyway." He nods, while Lily pulls his sleeve. "Mister, is it alright if I stop hiding?"

A blush of shame appears in his face. Being so focused on the soldiers, he forgot to say it is alright for her to come out. "Ah, yes, yes it is!" One of the soldiers chuckled, but suppressed it before making any noise. To normal people. "I will remember that!"

"Sorry if it appears as bluntness, but we don't have time to waste. Could you two follow me?" The "leader" calls for them. He is right. They, especially him, have no time to fool around. Another wave of pain washes over his back.

"Aah. Could you… take the girl first to see a doctor? I can wait." He couldn't see the soldier's eyes due to his helmet, but for a moment, a moment of "kinship" was formed, an innate understanding. "Alright, Girl, follow me."

Hesitantly, Lily steps forward, giving K.J a few looks behind her back, to see if it is okay. "Don't worry, Lily. This old mister just needs a little rest." For an instant, she stares into his eyes. She didn't buy his lies.

"Okay… be well, Mister." Following the soldier, they go to enter by the back of the school. "Finally, I can rest a little." Without having to keep the facade anymore, K.J collapses, falling on his knees.

His breathing became ragged, cold sweat falling off his forehead. One of the soldiers approaches and helps him to raise up in a human crutch. "You did well, champion. Protected the little girl and reached there."

"All movies lied about soldiers being assholes." A reassuring thought in these trying times. Just hope it is nothing serious and just a sick back pain. The soldier helps him walk into the building. "Don't worry, we have nurses and medic here, you will be good in no time." Reassuring words, but ones K.J needs to hear. He will need strength and courage to reach the park.

Walking into the building, they enter what he thinks is the hallway of the storage area. A few gloomy and dim lamps to illuminate their path. Ahead in the hallway, despite the dimness, the young man can see the soldier guiding Lily. "Good."

After a few minutes walking through hallways, they reach the main building. Full of people, crammed like canned sardines. For a moment, Lily and the soldier leave his sight, disappearing into the crowd, even his now heightened senses couldn't spot them. This shouldn't bet that bad right now, they are safe. They are in a safe place. For the first time since the start of this mess, K.J allows himself to relax.

"Things will be okay, they will help you, Lily. I… completed one of my missions." A bit of pride feels in his heart. He succeeded. There still are homes for him to succeed in meeting his friends too. If he could manage it, so could they. "We will meet at Blue Evening."