Choice

Few minutes later...

"Father, where did you go to? Hmm...", James looked at the four branching streets in front of him.

"Maybe that one?", he chose the second street to the right and entered it.

Living in this city for many years, James already knew most of the streets in this part of the city, so he was not worried that he would get lost.

As soon as he left the vicinity, Melanie arrived at the intersection point and quickly went to the second street to the left.

"Huff... huff...", she kept panting due to the heavy basket of food she was carrying while running.

'Not again, not again. I can't lose him again!', Melanie thought. She ran even faster this time, she didn't know why, it was wasn't just because of James' condition; but also because, she didn't want to repeat what happened several years ago.

The snowflakes that landed on her head accumulated, making her hair look like it has a crown of white color.

When she turned around the corner of a street, she stumbled on somebody else, making the both of them fall down on the ground.

"I'm sorry! Huh, Albert?", Melanie saw that it was her husband she stumbled on

"Melanie? Damn it, don't follow me!", Albert hastily stood up and ran into a nearby alley, ignoring his wife.

"Hey! Help me find our son!" Luckily, nothing fell from the basket; so, she immediately followed after Albert.

"Albert, help me find James!", Melanie shouted out.

When Melanie reached a wide part of an alley, which was also the dead end. She only saw Albert's back because he was looking at the wall. The buildings surrounding the alley were all abandoned, making their walls look old due to not being maintained.

"W-why did you...?", Albert held his stomach and fell to his knees. The snow under him was painted with his blood.

Melanie's eyes widened and screamed in panic. She let go of her basket to run away, but two black-robed men blocked her path in front of her and other two went near Albert.

-pshew-

***

"Where did father go now?", James slowly walked on the street, carefully looking around.

"Ehh, isn't that father's voice?", the kid turned his sights to an alley as he heard a familiar voice.

"But why would the surprise be in an alley?", he asked himself.

Still, he entered it and followed the only pathway available.

"There are other people?", nearing at its end, James noticed the voices of other unfamiliar people.

Before taking the last turn, he stopped at the corner and peeked his out his head to see what was happening.

'What kind of surprise must be it to have a lot of people? Maybe the neighbors are here too?'

When he spotted what was happening, horror automatically plastered on his face, then he didn't hesitate to start running away.

However, he felt that somebody held his clothes, and then he was dragged back and thrown into the wide area.

The four men wearing black robes surrounded James. By the corner, the kid spotted Albert and Melanie who looked like they were unconscious. Blood leaked out of their wounds, turning the snow under them into color crimson.

"Mom, dad!", James immediately stood up to run towards his parents.

One of the men kicked James on his sides making him stumble back down. The kid held the injured part as he hissed in pain.

Nevertheless, he still tried to stand up, but was pinned down by one of the men again.

"What should we do with this one?", one of them asked.

"No witnesses, remember?", the man pinning down James said.

"Tsk, tsk. A whole family getting killed. This probably the fifth time I'll be doing this.", the man who first booted down James shook his head in amusement.

"Let's take him back, he might become useful." the last one said, who seemed to be their leader, "We are running out of available agents. Knock him out!"

"Alright.", the one who was restraining James raised his hand in a chopping position and striked the back of the kid's neck.

-clang-

Suddenly, the man felt that he just hit a steel wall with numerous thorns, causing the bones in his hand to break with a crisp sounda

"AHHH...", the man clutched his own hand due to tremendous pain. He didn't expect that his bones would break by just trying to incapacitate a child.

Unexpectedly, James jumped up and kicked the pained man on his head.

Another crack sounded out and the scream ceased as the man's head flew away from his body.

The head splattered blood as it landed and rolled on the snow. When it stopped moving, the agony of the man could be seen on his face.

The headless body dropped on the ground with a thud. The other three men were caught off guard, but they regained their composure at once and started attacking James with their spells and weapons.

Now, the kid's eyes were as dark as the pure night sky. Devoid of light therein like black pearls. Afterwards, he kept dodging the numerous assaults of his opponents.

Seeing a flaw, James took the chance to kick one of the men's legs who was slashing with a sword, stumbling him down. After dodging a few attacks from the other two, he pounced on the enemy on the ground.

-crack-

Another head flew across in that zone, further staining the ground red once again.

This time, one of the saboteurs showed slight fear when he saw how his one of his comrades were murdered in a terrifying way. James turned his head towards that man, cold sweat flowed out of his body even though the temperature was freezing when he saw the eyes of the kid.

In a fast rate, James turned into a shadow and charged towards that man.

The man ran several steps back while hurling attacks at the kid; however, all of them only passed through him as if he was an illusion and the distance between him and the man shortened!

In the last bit of space between them, James dashed even faster and he reverted back to his human form and...

-crack-

A third head separated from a body.

"Die kid! Eat this fire!", the last man shouted, who was the leader. He was controlling the growth of a large ball of molten lava and fire with his hands.

James didn't notice it earlier because he was busy with the other one. When he became aware of the ball, it was already near him; so, he could only brace himself and met the attack head-on!

-bang-

Due to the impact, he was sent flying through the air and eventually hit a wall.

His body slid down and collapsed to the ground facing the snow.

Just like Edwin, the last man standing could also control internal energy and mana at the same time!

Taking out a sword from under his robes, the leader injected it with internal energy and rushed forward to the kid.

With a sharp whooshing sound, the man hacked his sword down at James' head.

All of a sudden, the kid raised his head and spat out some sort of pure, black ball made of smoke which proceeded towards the man at a fast speed.

The man didn't get to act on time and when the ball hit him; he was catapulted away and broke through the wall at the other side of the area.

Slowly standing up, James tightly held one of his burnt arms with the other. He took a few steps forward, drawing closer the wall where the enemy leader was; however, the kid stopped on the way when he heard a breathing due to the temporary silence in the surroundings.

"Huh?", James looked at the spot where his mother and father were. Right after hearing another breathing, he quickly rushed to them.

"Father!" First, he checked Albert's condition.

As soon as he touch his father, he only felt a very cold body, as cold as the snow they were stepping on.

The kid's hands began shaking Albert to see if it could do something, however, there was nothing left to be done anymore.

After a few more shaking, James' grip on Albert's body loosened and the latter fell down to the ground.

On the kid's countenance, what could be seen was his slightly opened mouth and wide eyes, along with it was a few drops of tears trickling down from them.

His hands were still shaking even after Albert fell down the cold ground.

James started sobbing, but he paused when he heard another breathing making him hastily go to the side of Melanie.

"Mom?", he examined if his mother was still living, to his relief, she still was.

"Mom, let's get out of here, come on. That bad guy is still alive!", James tried to pull Melanie up.

"James, I can't move anymore.", Melanie faintly spoke out.

"I-I can still carry you.", as James was about to carry Melanie on his back when she weakly said, "No, leave already, or else they might take you away."

"But..."

"James! Follow what mama says, alright? Now get away from here, run as fast as you can!", Melanie interrupted the kid.

"But...!" He didn't get to continue his sentence when he saw the resolute gaze of her mother.

Seeing the gaze, James slowly ducked his head down, "I'm... I'm so sorry."

"I know what you are thinking. It's alright, it wasn't your fault in the first place."

"No, not that! What I mean is that... I was the one who killed Summer!" James cried out, "She wasn't missing, I killed her! I killed her!"

"I know.", Melanie replied.

"W-what?!" With a short gasp, James looked with a confused expression towards Melanie.

"How did you...?"

"I just know, don't worry, your father also knows about it.", Melanie vaguely explained.

"I-I-I..."

"Now please, get out of here... please."

Swallowing his saliva, James answered, "I-I will."

However, before he even got to stand up, he clutched his stomach as it ached, if he could explain how painful it was, the kid would say it was like he was pierced by millions of needles.

Then three men wearing the same robes as the ones that James killed earlier arrived from the roof and helped their leader up from the rubble.

"Kid, you're not escaping from us!" The leader shouted, "It's either you obediently join us and we will save your mother... or die with her!"

He added, "And from your looks, you won't be able to fight much longer."

Witnessing the kid's earlier capabilities, the man still all the more wanted to take James in! In fact, that kid could become a great asset in the organization.

Right now, he was imagining the glee from the promotion he would obtain if he recruited such a powerful kid with unknown strength.

"Y-you can save mom?", James asked.

"Yes we can!", the man replied.

"No son, don't!", Melanie said.

"But you'll still remain alive. I won't be able to fight anymore and... I don't want to lose you!", James stated.

"No! Just... do what you have to do.", Melanie said. As James was about to respond, he saw the resolute gaze of her mother and kept quiet.

"So what, kid? What's your choice, come on I'm being impatient here, the mines aren't going to blow themselves up!", the man stressed out.

"My choice?", James muttered. He looked over to Melanie then to man, then to his mother then back to the man and vice-versa for several times.

Finally, he opened up his mouth towards Melanie's face and sucked in air. White smoke came out of his mother's orifices which went into his mouth.

All the men were startled when they what was happening. The three newcomers were about to stop James from what he was doing, but it was already done in a flash.

"My choice? My choice... is to kill you baddies!", James slowly rose up his head and looked at the men.

Black tears fell down from his eyes while he gritted his teeth.

From the corners of his already pure black eyes, he saw Melanie and Albert, his mother and father, resting peacefully as if everything that occurred never took place.

Before his mind started to blur and forget them, he muttered out, "Run, run, run!"