Chapter 30.4: The Angry Sack

Wzzzt-BANG!

A behemoth, easily twice the size of Vander, stumbled forward, shouting in pain.

Orion had thrown a Chemflash just past the man, a brilliant flash of light and deafening explosion that ignited chaos among the four street thugs. Confused and angry shouts erupted as the one furthest away dropped a sack to the cold stone floor.

He winced, Vi was in that bag. She had pissed off the wrong group of street thugs, as usual, and Powder had come running to tell him, breathless and frantic. Orion told her to stay behind before rushing to the scene Powder described, not checking to see her expression.

Panting, Orion arrived at the alley and saw them bickering and arguing angrily among themselves. They matched the description Powder gave him spot on, and the sack one was holding practically confirmed it- violently thrashing around with muffled shouts.

'Usually, it's about her being Vander's kid' Orion sighed, shaking his head in resignation.

Orion grabbed and primed a Chemflash in his jacket, shoving it into his pocket with a firm grip. He was unhappy to use it, to say the least. Powder still hadn't managed to replicate one successfully, her sharp little mind still picking apart its workings.

Casually, he strolled down the street, drawing the attention of the thugs. The largest of them- a shirtless behemoth covered in tattoos- smirked and approached him.

"Get lost, kid" the man rumbled, crossing his arms and taking a wide stance to intimidate him.

Orion only tilted his head with a wry smile. "Ah- sorry, no. You've got my friend in a bag there."

A bewildered and muffled, "Orion?" called out from inside the sack, its violent thrashing seizing.

"Yeah, yeah. It's me, idiot." Orion called back.

Immediately the sack started thrashing around angrily again, accompanied by a string of muffled shouts.

"Shut up," one of the nearby thugs snapped, smacking the bag hard with the butt of his machete. The thrashing stopped abruptly, the sack going silent and limp.

"That's not going to fly." Orion stated dryly, pressing the detonator in his jacket.

Immediately, he began channeling his offensive magic, stepping back to toss the device between the behemoth's legs.

Noisily it clattered across the stone floor, the behemoth's smug expression faltering as he unfolded his arms and looked back in shock- right as the Chemflash exploded.

For Orion, who anticipated the blast, and stood farther back, shielded by this massive figure, the explosion wasn't very effective. As the behemoth stumbled forward, Orion darted in and drove a right hook into his chin. 

The behemoth's entire body few sideways, crashing into a pile of scrap. His jaw hung limp, dangling unnaturally from his unconscious figure that slid to the ground.

Orion didn't wait. Sprinting past the fallen behemoth, he charged toward the recovering gang.

It happened in a flash. Orion sent a kick forward, landing brutally in the gut of one of the thugs and sending him flying back several meters into the hard pavement, his bat flying noisily into the alleyway.

Another barely had time to react before a vicious hook slammed into his face. The man's body slammed into the nearest wall, his head ricocheting off the metal before collapsing into an unconscious heap, a small knife skidding into the street filth.

Orion whipped his head around, unintentionally pausing to observe his work. That moment cost him. 

The last thug- the one that knocked Vi unconscious- was already charging with a wild look in his squinted eyes as he swung a machete in blind, panicked aggression.

Orion tried to push off the front leg, hoping to channel his energy for a boost, but he was too slow. It ripped through his shirt and across his chest, carving a deep gash into his chest.

He cried out with pain, stumbling backward with white flashes in his vision. The thug started to scream incoherently, swinging again—wild and reckless.

Seizing the opportunity of a wide swing, Orion stepped in close using his forearm to block the inside of the arm. He quickly followed it up with a short, sharp left punch to the jaw.

Teeth flew as the thug's grasp of the machete went limp, the weapon clattering noisily to the floor.

Seething through pain and rage, Orion wasn't done. He grabbed his arm before he could fall backward. With his other hand bracing just under the elbow, Orion pushed upward, channeling his magic.

CRACK!

A bone-snapping sound echoed through the alley before Orion let go, the thug already unconscious before he hit the ground.

Hissing in pain, Orion staggered backward while looking down at his wound, carefully trying to expel the remainder of the wild, offensive magic still whirling chaotically inside him.

Orion blinked, his head whipping around in every direction, not wanting to make the same mistake twice before sighing with relief, his tension fading.

"You're a handful," he scowled, glaring at the motionless sack before sitting beside it. The after-effects of using the combat magic were already catching up to him- his muscles burning and energy spent. Still, he breathed out, making one last precautionary sweep of his surroundings before moving a hand to his aching chest.

Compared to previous times where the healing magic glowed with the radiant light blue of arcane, it now shimmered a soft, gentle green as it delivered a similar effect. His skin still looked stretched, like curtains forcibly pulled shut, and he was dying of hunger- but it was more efficient and faster.

"Food..." his thoughts trailed off, glancing glumly at the ground. "Hungry, tired, sore..."

"I CAUGHT YOU!"

An excited screech rang out from above. Orion's head snapped up, dumbfounded as he spotted Powder perched on one of the industrial pipes. She was smiling from ear to ear and giggling maniacally as if she pulled off the heist of the century.

"I CAUGHT YOU!" she shrieked again, scrambling down the pipes with wild energy and the nimbleness of a cat.

"No, you didn't!" Orion retorted flatly.

"Yes, I did!" Powder shot back, pointing triumphantly at his chest. "You're the night light! What was that!"

Orion froze, his expression still stunned and unable to find words. "Night li-" Powder smirked, a knowing look that she won plastered on her face.

Sighing with defeat, Orion raised a finger to his lips. "Can you keep a secret?" 

Powder's eyes went wide as saucers before her head jerked, a panicked look darting to Vi and back to him as she clamped her hands over her mouth. Smiling, Orion motioned her closer, leaning in to whisper with a mischievous look in his eye.

"Magic."

"AAAAA! I WA-" 

"SHH!" Orion hushed her furiously and Powder's hands clasped over her mouth again. The two exchanged nervous glances at the motionless sack before Orion spoke up again in a low whisper.

"If you can keep the secret from everyone, I'll show you more." 

Powder nodded her head furiously, bouncing in place with furious excitement. Smiling faintly, Orion continued and gestured toward the sack, "Let's get Vi back."

"Okay!" Powder giggled, still bouncing like a rabbit as she waited eagerly.

Orion opened the sack carefully to check on Vi. She was bleeding lightly from her forehead and still unconscious. Beckoning Powder over- who hopped like a rabbit- he channeled his healing magic again. A soft green glow enveloped Vi's wound, sealing it shut.

Powder's eyes went wide with awe, snapping out of it only when Orion's voice broke her trance.

"A secret, remember?"

"Not even Vi?" Powder asked, pouting slightly.

"Nope. Just you," Orion said firmly. "Vi's a loudmouth when she gets going, and you know what'll happen if more people find out about me, right?"

Powder paused, excitement fading into a frown as she looked down, a slight slump in her shoulders, "...Oh." 

Ruffling her hair with a smirk, "Come on, let's get going."

Powder nodded, returning a faint smile as Orion slung the sack over his shoulder.

"At least it's not an angry sack anymore," Powder giggled, skipping beside him as they made their way back to the Last Drop.