Chapter 32: Red Smoke

Hydro then turned to Bùtóng and covered his ears, though confused Bùtóng mimic Hydro and covered his ears.

Hydro closed his eyes as he inhale a deep breath before Hydro screamed. "SLEEP!"

And within an instant, all the people in the cart felled into unconsciousness. Hydro slowly opened his eyes as he saw Bùtóng, Johanna and Leonard were still conscious.

"What... did... you... do?" Leonard muttered as he fidgeted slightly.

Bùtóng walked over to Hydro and lifted him into Bùtóng's arms. "That was quick thinking, though next time. Don't do it until you fully managed your blessing, okay?"

Hydro nodded and smiled. "Okay."

Hydro soon patted Bùtóng on the arm before he pointed to Leonard. Bùtóng then nodded his head before he walked up to Leonard.

"Are you okay Leonard?" Hydro whispered.

Leonard's trembles while he tried to hold himself up against the counter.

"What did you do?" he repeated.

"It's my blessing." Hydro replied.

"I can see that! But exactly did you do?" Leonard said with a shaky voice.

Bùtóng sighed before he placed Hydro on a seat. Bùtóng jumped over the wooden counter and guided Leonard to a corner. Bùtóng then gently pushed Leonard's shoulder downwards.

Leonard breathing was within a haste, his arms and legs were numbed, his flame grew to dim. Leonard's world spin out of control, as if the cart flew off track and went down steep hill.

Bùtóng patted Leonard's shoulder. "Yeah... how about you take some rest for now."

"Is Leonard okay?" Hydro asked while he crawled over the wooden counter.

"He's fine, Goldie. Your blessing just took longer for Mr. Leonard to take an effect on him than the others." said Bùtóng.

"DID HE FAINT? I BET HE FAINTED!" Cairo squawked loudly.

"Hush! Not so loud Cairo." Hydro said before he pinched Cairo's peck.

Cairo continued to squawked while Hydro growled at him. Bùtóng and Artty merely watched them argued.

The atmosphere was then suddenly cut with knife by a voice.

"Quieten down, I'm trying to focus." the voice itself didn't sounded harsh nor cruel, instead it was calm yet sinister.

Ting...

Something felled to the floor, along with a continuation of haggard coughed and desperate gasps.

"I can finally breathe..." coughed a horse voice.

"If you're healed then get up. We've have delivered our orders, let's go." said Johanna with a cold tone.

"Couldn't you give me a break? I have been shot you know." Ruth growled as he stumbled onto his feet.

Johanna glared. "You recovering is your break. We have to move immediately before "he" comes and gets us."

"He? Whose he?" Bùtóng blurted.

Both Johanna and Ruth laughed before they said. "He see, he hears, he knows. Attempt to protest him, the more his power will grow."

"What?" Bùtóng stared at Johanna and Ruth with confusion, as they reached for their pockets.

Johanna and Ruth then pulled out their pockets red stones before dropping them. Bùtóng grabs Hydro before he hid themselves behind the counter. A huge explosion was heard with a red cloud of smoke.