CHAPTER 7 - Target Practice

Ezekiel was quite surprised that his boss gave him such an order.

Though he didn't mind killing anyone, he still felt it a bit cold hearted to decisively kill a harmless kid.

"Well what the heck are you waiting for?...the Squirt's getting away!"

Ted's yell woke him from his thoughts as he quickly brought out his gun and aimed at Peter's fleeing figure.

_"Sorry kid"_ Ezekiel thought as he pulled the trigger.

~Blam!~

---------------------------

Few seconds earlier....

_"Whew....that was a close one!"_

Peter thought in great relief as he ran.

He couldn't believe that he came this close to being kidnapped!

All he wanted to do right now was just to get the hell outta here and go home while giving his mother the excuse that he was sick and couldn't stay in school.

While he ran with great fervor, a group of golden words appeared before him;

_{A dangerous weapon have been trained on you.....analysis in progress}_

What?

_"What does that mean?"_

Peter thought as he tried to process the words he was seeing.

_{Analysis complete...weapon is void of magical properties....danger is imminent}_

_"What the f**k are you talking about? What sort of danger?!"_

Peter screamed in his thoughts as he felt exasperated by the ethereal voice's vague and incomprehensive display of information.

But then, an idea flashed past his mind;

If the ethereal voice is warning him of danger, then.....

He turned slightly and glanced behind him as his eyes quaked and his heart jumped at what he saw.

_{Executing defensive measures...}_

The ethereal voice said urgently as the staff glowed and spun rapidly behind Peter, followed by the loud sound of gunshot.

~Blam!~

**********************

Larry stared at the painting which was so life-like that it felt like the figures would jump out of the placard anytime soon.

"Er.....what do you want me to do with this?"

Larry asked with a confused look while indicating the painting.

"I want you to help me find the identity of the boy in the painting"

Mocheda said simply while taking a sip of her tea.

"That.....would be quite difficult" Larry said with an incredulous look on his face.

"You meant to say impossible right?"

Mocheda asked as a smiled formed on her face.

"Believe me when I tell you that the boy in the painting actually exists"

"Really?" Larry asked with raised eyebrows as he studied the painting more closely.

"So what do you say?" Mocheda asked after giving Larry sometime to study the painting.

"You'll do it?"

"Well even if this boy exists as you say, finding him successfully will be as difficult as finding a needle in a hays–"

Larry's excuses were quickly cut short as Mocheda spoke;

"Cut the bullshit Larry, I know that you were hired by the CIA few months ago due to the advanced facial recognition software that you created"

Mocheda stared at the gawking Larry as she continued;

"And if am correct, this software of yours takes approximately five minutes to find anyone that is within the country and thirty minutes to find anyone out of the country even if they be dead or alive...am I right or wrong?"

"Uh....how do you know this?.....it was supposed to be classified"

"Larry dear...nothing is classified for me"

Mocheda chuckled in amusement at the shocked expression of Larry.

"So I ask again....and am pleading with you"

Mocheda gazed at Larry with a solemn look on her face.

"Will you help me?"

************************

Peter slowly opened his eyes as he felt the touch of grasses and plants brushing his face and grazing his palms.

At first he wondered what just happened, until his memories snapped back in place as he involuntarily gasped.

He was shot or so he thought as he tried to feel his body for any gunshot wound.

Feeling no pain whatsoever, he tried to recollect what happened exactly, when his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the ethereal voice and it's golden words;

_{Danger successfully averted}_

Peter's eyes widened upon seeing and hearing this.

The danger that the ethereal voice was warning him about;

Was it the gunshot?

Peter remembered glancing behind him as he saw Ezekiel shooting at him which made him to trip and fall due to shock.

And from the look of things, the bullet missed him.

Or...he raised up his head to see the floating staff and remembered the latter words of the ethereal voice.

The bullet was blocked.

The staff or whatever entity that resided in the staff saved him from being killed!

Sigh

Peter heaved a sigh of relief as he felt how close he had come to dying which made his body shiver involuntarily.

But before he could feel relaxed, the ethereal voice and it's golden words appeared in his sights and ears;

_{Warning...hostile human approaching}_

Oh shit.

-----------------------------

Few minutes earlier....

Ted never really planned to kill Peter in the first instance, after all with the human trafficking business that he was running, the best commodities were children, due to the fact that they were easy to brainwash and control.

But then he had a secret which was unknown to anyone.

And that was his friend and lackey; Freddie.

Freddie has always been a weird one ever since they met years ago.

Due to Freddie's spooky mojo, Ted had escaped a lot of terrifying disasters that had killed many and took the life of some of his friends.

No matter the danger, all he had to do was listen to and obey Freddie's mojo warning and all would be well.

Of course he had tried to prove Freddie's mojo wrong many times but the consequences of such act were quite substantial.

So when Freddie said there was something wrong with the kid Peter, Ted instantly knew that he couldn't allow the kid to live.

After Ezekiel pulled the trigger, they all saw Peter fall to the ground among the thicket.

"Go and bring me the body" Ted instructed with a straight face.

"Yes boss" Ezekiel nodded as he walked forward towards Peter's fallen body.

-------------------------------

In the present moment.....

Peter quickly glanced behind him from his lying position as he saw a tall figure heading towards his direction.

_"He's coming to confirm if am dead!"_

Peter's body shook in fear as he pondered on what to do.

_{Peter Watson}_

The ethereal voice suddenly spoke.

Huh?

_{How do you want to handle the current threat?}_

Huh??

_{Fight or flee}_

********************

"Do you think that he will be able to do it?"

Carla asked as soon as Larry left after agreeing to Mocheda's request.

"What do you mean?" Mocheda asked as she turned to look at Carla who stood behind her.

"Well we are not looking for just any human, but the human that has been chosen by the highest legacy in the land"

"I understand what you mean" Mocheda said as she resumed her pruning.

"But while I look for him through my own means, we still need to make the net wider by employing other conventional means"

"Very well" Carla heaved a sigh as she said.

"Henry just called"

"Yeah and what does he want?" Mocheda asked with a slight frown.

"He asked to meet with you over dinner"

"Very well" Mocheda said after a moment of silence.

"Tell him I accept his invitation"

"You accept?" Carla asked with wide eyes and surprise laced in her voice.

"Don't worry Carla" Mocheda said as a smile formed on her face.

"Until we find the chosen one, even Henry has a part to play"

**********************

_{Fight or flee}_

Peter stared at the floating group of words before him in surprise and confusion.

The ethereal voice was actually giving him a choice to stay and fight?

But those were bad guys armed with guns!

And even if he chooses to fight, what skills does he have to stand against four guys armed with guns?

_"Info"_

Peter called through his mind, as his stats panel appeared before his eyes.

Attack ~~~ [0]

Strength ~~~ [0]

Agility ~~~ [0]

Perception ~~~ [0]

Mana ~~~ [0]

Skill (1) ~~~ <Additional info>

Soul Tribute ~~~ [0/100] <Additional info>

Soul Rebuke ~~~ [0/100] <Additional info>

{You have received the legacy of Yukon and you're now a participant in the contest of might and magic}

{You'll be shortly summoned for training when the given time elapses}

[02:47:20]

_"That's just great"_

Peter stared at the floating panel with exasperation.

All his eyes could see were the zeros, which made him believe that he had no ability, be it physical or magical to fight a bunch of dangerous bad guys with guns.

Then why would the ethereal voice ask him to choose either to fight or flee?

Was it not obvious that he would choose to flee?

Would it make sense for a kid with no power or strength to fight a bunch of scary guys with guns?

_{Warning.....hostile human approaching}_

_{Make your choice now...fight or flee}_

Peter snapped out of his reverie as soon as he heard the words of the ethereal voice.

Also he began to hear the rustle of leaves or grasses behind him as an indication that the lackey Ezekiel was getting closer.

Obviously he was going to flee.

Peter thought as he was about to communicate his decision to the ethereal voice.

But then, he felt a deep strange feeling as if choosing to flee was the wrong choice.

But f**k that!!

How was he expected to fight when he wasn't given anything useful?!!

As he began to curse and blame, the ethereal voice coldly reminded him;

_{Time is almost up Peter Watson.....make your choice now..}_

_{Fight or flee}_

At this point, Peter gritted his teeth, as he felt that he was about to make the greatest mistake of his life.

Very well then, Peter sighed in resignation as he made his choice.

_"Fight"_

_{Your decision has been received}_

_{Fight sequence initiated}_