Sorry but I have to leave

LANCE

With a crunching noise, the next guy lunges at me. He's not as big as the previous two but his lean biceps proves he's equally strong. 

When he slice the air with his fist, I deflected it with my arms, giving him a little push to stumble himself to the floor. But it wasn't enough. He's intuition is good, reflexes quick to respond. He twist his body and attempt to strike me in the neck with his arm again. 

I'm not an expert in fighting moves to identify what technique he used but I can tell. How he bring himself, his stance, his powerful fist strike, he has own share of training as well. 

The spiky kid and two other gang are cheering for my opponent. Instead of feeling happy he clicked his tongue in irritation. 

Wonder why? 

If only Dad would cheer me like this, or any possible friends I could have to raise their voice for me in a fight, I would be so pleased to the point I'll lose my concentration.

Friend...Moon rose. 

I'm tempted to look back at the door but can't when I'm cornered like this. 

He raised his leg to strike me down in the shoulder yet I step back and bend my knee to evade his attack. Using both my arms to defend my head. 

Without wasting any second, I lock his leg and twist until his whole body fall in the ground with a loud thump. 

I heard him groaning. 

"Your strike is weak. You have power in your fist but your legs don't carry the same amount of force. You don't know where to properly aim as well. Tell me, are you doing ballet or acrobats?" 

The spiky blond kid snickered. 

"Feeling mighty are we? After doing your little stunt, you think your the best? Think again transferee stink, the fight's not over yet. "

He readied both his fist. Take a step forward, bend knees slightly, fist at shoulder level... No doubt that's boxing. 

The area where I suck the most. Even without the fight starting I can tell he's good. 

You'll know how good a fighter is if you observe his stance - is what my father said. 

From my experiences in boxing with Dad, I know silly kicks won't work. Boxing don't have those little openings in karate. 

It's a close combat with your arms acting as attack and defense. 

I make a quick glance at the door, checking if Moon Rose is really there.

She's not. 

Damn. 

I'm five to six steps from the door. If I sprint straight, I could get out immediately. But they shortened my distance from the door with two steps away. With just one leap, they could yank me from going outside.

I have to do something. Distraction. Anything. I look around in circles. Desperate to come up with anything plausible. 

"Hey, what are you looking around?" Spiky blond hair asked, irritated. Something in the glint of his eyes changed. 

The mock disappeared. There's a little bit of apprehension. He's sizing me up. Trying to figure out if he's strong enough to take me down. 

It's like he's treating me in equal footing. A formidable enemy. I chuckled. Under different circumstances I would be glad for receiving a bit recognition from a bully but not right now. 

I need to find Moon Rose. 

I can't mistake the black unreadable ink on her arm, a chunk away from being hidden under her uniform sleeves. 

No doubt, she's an Eklektos like me. Which means, she's the only one I could trust. 

A distinct shadow caught my attention from the ventilator overlooking outside. I thought it's just my imagination. 

But the second time around it passed, Spiky blond kid and the others noticed it as well. 

"Hey, you see that? Outside...the ventilator, there's something -" 

The chubby cheeks guy with freckles stop talking. Silence filtered the stinking air. 

Another shadow of a figure came, this time it did not pass. With a hideous hand, it clawed it's nail on the small fan and tried to rip out the metal warped. 

I instinctively took a step back. 

When the figure realized it wouldn't work, it tried it's other hand. Determine to tore the ventilator apart. 

The other two tried to leave but spiky blond kid ordered them to picked up their two unconscious friends.

I lend them a hand. Especially on the biggest guy who tried to shove my face in the toilet sh*t. 

A low growl came from the outside. And I'm suddenly reminded of the old man and his friends, kneeling in front of the snake like woman. 

'Spread far and wide' is what she hissed. I know she wants me. I know she sent Magnus in order to lay a 'trap' on me. 

I know she wants to have the Mark. If she sends these 'Auf' in my way...and I slipped to Magnus about another Eklektos in this school. 

Damn. 

I shudder. This is bad. They're going to take Moon Rose. 

The figure is desperately shaking the ventilator, causing some of my supposed bullies to tremble. 

I know they don't get scared easily. But if you see a webb hand with sharp talons as nails, crashing and clawing on the ventilator with an ears splitting shriek of a creature you've never heard before then I doubt you still have your reasons intact. 

Is he on league with that old shifting bat man? They're guttural voice don't sound alike. This one is more raspy and croaky, like it's fallen deeper from desperation...into madness. 

"Hey stink! Get a grip of yourself!"

I'm shaken out of my thoughts when spiky blond kid screamed at me. 

"We're getting out of here - and you need to help us drag our friends out. So get a firm grip of yourself and haul!" He ordered. 

Somehow, I can feel the authority of a real leader from him.

He took the arm of the guy I struck in the jaw and put it over his shoulder. I did the same. 

We counted to three and managed to pull him up. The other two we're helping the groaning boy who's leg I twisted earlier. 

All six of us safely got out of the bathroom. Spiky blond kid ordered we go to the infirmary. Which isn't that far from here. 

I tried to protest. If that was thing we're really after me, it means we can't go out. 

Infirmary can't be safe. 

If I'm there. 

"I need to get back there." I said when we reach the stairs.

"Are you freaking insane?" Spimy blind kid exclaimed. 

"That bear out there will eat you. No - we must call the police. Local volunteers, anyone strong enough to shoot it down. There has been an increasing number of bear attacks that could take down walls with their oversized arms. If you know better, stay." 

I shake my head. 

"Can't. I'm sorry. It's for your own good." I let go of the oversized guy and they both almost stumbled it it wasn't for the other one filling my spot. 

With one last glance I left them shouting names at me, telling me to come back. 

I really cant. 

I retraced our steps back and arrived at the bathroom. The door's wide open and inside...

Is Magnus. Brandishing his teeth at me.