7 Second Meeting

Jel stood at the very top of a building, looking down at the empty roads in front of him and the buildings with no lights on as the wind blew his cape and hair everywhere.

"Man, and Lumi just fixed my hair." He said, trying to get it under control. "Oh? You're here?"

"Tell me," Osbert said, walking to him carefully.

"You really are a kid." Jel chuckled, patting the man's hair. "I didn't think someone with your … line of work to be someone so clueless about the world around you."

"You said that I made a mistake and I want to know what I did wrong," Osbert said, trying to keep him on track.

"How did you escape them? Aren't they always with you?" Jel asked, his left eye glowing. "Come on, tell me."

"We usually divide up," Osbert said, shrugging. "It's nothing impressive."

"You don't look like you are telling a lie," Jel said, moving away from the man. "Well, fine. I'll trust you for now."

"Why?"

"Donno." Jel held his hand out to the man, leaning against the railing. "Take my hand. I'll take you there."

Osbert stared at his gloved hands and then back at him before sighing and taking his hand in his.

"Why-"

"Sh." Jel placed a hand over his lips as he pulled the man closer, until their bodies were touching.

"What-"

Darkness covered the two from the shadows below them, sucking them into the ground as Osbert subconsciously grabbed onto the man.

I hate travelling like this.

___________________

"We're here." Jel chuckled, patting the head of the man clinging to him, a gentle smile coming on his face. "You can let go of me now."

"Right," Osbert said, clearing his throat as he pulled away from him quickly, embarrassment written all over his face. "Sorry."

"I didn't know you don't like travelling like that." Jel chuckled, ruffling the man's hair again. "I'll not travel that way again if you are so afraid."

"I am not."

"If you say so." The man said, staring at a worn own building in front of him. "You are wearing your mask right?"

"Yes."

"Keep it on and keep your hood on too," Jel said, something flashing in his eyes before he turned to the man behind him again. "If you are scared, you can hold my hand."

"I am not," Osbert said, rolling his eyes behind the mask as he pulled the hood over his head.

"Good. Now don't even be a foot away from me." He said walking into the crooked door, pushing it open with his leg.

"What is this place?" Osbert said, walking into the run-down house with rotting woods everywhere. The smell of several dead things filled his nose, almost making him reel in disgust.

"Is this a little much for you?" Jel asked, placing a hand over Osbert's nose and murmuring something under his breath.

"What did you do?" Osbert asked when the man pulled his hand away and the awful smell didn't bother him as much anymore.

"Many things happened in this house." He explained, walking in front of him casually. "It's awful for me but I am sure it is worse for your nose."

"You know what I am?"

"Shape shifted." Jel grinned at him. "It was quite easy to figure out. Maybe I should teach you to try and hide it bet-."

Thump!

Jel grabbed Osbert before he could run in the direction of the sound like an idiot.

"What are yo-"

"I told you to not try to be separated from me." Jel scolded, frowning at the man. "Did you forget? You are not with those two that will protect you from anything. I WILL leave you to die if you disobey me."

"Sorry," Osbert said, looking away from the man.

Sighing, Jel softened his voice. "Never mind that. Just stay beside me and stop running at whatever you hear."

"Ok. Ok."

Still very cautious, Jel held onto Osbert's hand as the two climbed the rickety stairs that sounded like they could collapse any minute.

Upstairs was not any better, parts of the floor were broken, windows boarded up with even more rotting woods and there was a leaking sound somewhere.

"Stay close." Jel reminded again as Osbert nodded, keeping only an inch of space between the two.

They walked to a pile of boxes, looking behind it to see a pale little white-haired girl covered in blood as she stared at them, tears streaming down her red eyes.

Vampire? Osbert thought. But she is just a child.

"Cover your ears!" Jel shouted, turning Osbert to look at him as he placed his hands over his ears the moment the girl opened her mouth and screamed.

This scream shook the entire house, tearing the already unsteady wooden boards, especially those under the girl as they fell off, one by one.

Osbert froze in place, even with Jel's hands over his ears, the screeching sound was still reaching him and it stabbed into his eardrums like a hundred needles.

Though it did not look as bad as Jel's whose ears were already bleeding as the ground beneath them started to break.

Gritting his teeth, Jel made eye contact with Osbert who nodded, making him break into a smile as he murmured something under his breath.

"Wha-"

Releasing his hands, Osbert froze for a second before forcing himself to concentrate as Jel made his way to the girl, a golden hue coming out of his hands and to the girl.

While Osbert stared at the girl growing mesmerized by the golden hue, her scream slowly dying down, he saw a movement in the corner.

In the split second, he noticed the boy was holding a holy weapon while his own hands were slowly being burnt away. The boy with the same eyes and hair colour of the girl charged at them, tears rolling down his eyes.

He is aiming for Jel!

Jel looked at the boy from the corner of his eyes, one hand moving in the direction of the boy.

Without thinking about it, Osbert stepped in front of the man, making him pull back the magic he was about to release before it could hit him.

"Osbert." Jel caught the girl falling unconscious as the boy tried to pierce the knife into his body.

Grabbing the weapon with his hands, Osbert broke it, clenching his teeth as the weapon burnt his skin as well.

Seizing the opportunity, the boy tried to attack again but Jel waved his hands to the boy, pulling him up in the air with the golden smoke wrapped around him.

"Enough." He said, standing in front of the man, the unconscious girl in his arms. "I have no intention of harming children. But I cannot say anything if it is done out of self-defence."

"Who are you?!" The boy shouted, trying to struggle out of the golden smoke that surrounded him. "Where is she?!? What did you do to her?!?"

"Her?" Osbert asked, looking at Jel who had a hard expression on his face, not looking at him.

"I will tell you, if you calm down," Jel said, looking coldly at the boy. "If not, I can keep you there until you are tired out."

"Fine!" The boy shouted and immediately stopped struggling.

"Good boy," Jel said, putting him down.

"Tell me no-"

"Your mother is dead."

"Wha-. No." The boy fell back on the ground. "No. She can't be dead. She promised to be back soon. She- She promised!"

The moment the boy shouted, Jel stood in front of Osbert, creating a barrier that kept the shockwave from hitting them.

"No! NO!" The boy shouted over and over again, the shockwaves growing stronger and stronger. "NO!"

"This is bad," Jel said, looking around him. "The house is going to collapse. Alby."

He turned to the man whose mask had fallen off and a dazed look appeared on his face.

"Oh no." Jel chuckled. "Seems I am in a bit of a bind. Hey, Alby. Osbert!"

"H-huh?" The man suddenly snapped out of it looking at Jel, confused. "W-what?"

Their entire surrounding is covered with golden light and shaking as the boy continually sent shock waves from his body, destroying the house bit by bit.

Every time the shockwaves hit the barrier, little gold specks dusts flew everywhere, like some kind of fairy dust.

"Here," Jel said, handing the tiny girl to Osbert. "I will create an opening, get out of here with her."

"I have so many questions," Osbert said, looking at him with furrowed brows.

Jel's expression softened immediately as he patted Osbert's head gently. "Poor thing. You've been kept in the dark about a lot of things haven't you?"

"I don't thi-"

"I'll answer them if you keep her safe," Jel said, pointing to the girl and smiling. "Can you do that?"

Osbert looked at the girl clinging onto his shirt and back at Jel before nodding, "With my life."

"Good. Now, wait for my signal."