The line sent shivers down Maxwell’s spine.

  “What do you want from me? Why do you keep on hunting me!” shouted Maxwell.

  “Don’t take it personally,” said Null. “You’re simply a tiny thorn in the paw of a massive beast and you will be crushed like the bug you are.”

  Loud footsteps approached. “The blood rams have been spotted! Subjugate them at once,” The armour soldiers from before were heading toward them. Several more followed him.

  Maxwell paused. “Hey, wait a minute, I think there’s a misunderstanding here, I’m not part of the blood rams.” Explained Maxwell. I’m putting an end to these rumours before they really get out of hand. It was really starting to get on his nerves that he was being associated with such a crude bunch.

  A punch clipped Maxwell's cheek, he groaned as copper seeped from the roof of his mouth. He held his jaw, looking in the direction Null and Kur had sprinted off. Those little… While he had been distracted, Kur had taken a potshot at him. Maxwell was taken aback at their audacity. They really didn’t have any shame, not one ounce of it.

  He joins them, going down the road, the smell of cinnamon strong in the wind. I can lose them in the market.

  He rushed past stalls as the steps of the soldiers thudded right behind him. I might not have any choice. He looked behind him, the soldiers were fast approaching. Despite their heavy armour they were moving fast. Can I take on an imperial soldier?

  “Hey, get back here!” shouted the soldiers. They don’t seem that tough. He recalled how easily he had cracked the man’s cart with his ice. If I use my abilities, I could probably break through the armour in a couple hits. Maxwell flexed his fingers calling forth the everlasting coldness within him. He raised his hand, taking a deep breath. You’re probably just doing your job but this is for my survival!

  “Unauthorised magic, cease at once!” boomed a voice from behind Maxwell. A metallic hand tightened around his, crushing the ice on it. My magic! He sent more out of his hand, it crawled up the armour. If he couldn’t escape he would at least freeze the sucker! The soldier simply shifted, snapping the ice at once. Large ice-pieces fell crumbling to the floor. It’s like my ice has no effect on them! Other soldiers were approaching. They were several meters away he could still make a run for- their bodies disapeared in a grey blur; With impossible acceleration they closed the gap, less than a second was all it took for them to scissor through the dense crowd. The wind generated from the sheer speed made Maxwell's eyes water. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. It happened right in front of me, yet I can’t believe it.These soldiers are strong!

  Gongs sounded, blasting his ears. The soldiers paused too, their heads tilted. People streamed past them.

  “Long ago in the age of chaos, there was a fishing village.” The voice seemed to come from all directions. ”There was a lake next to the village and in that lake there lived a great serpent king.”

  Maxwell stumbled back somehow slipping free from the soldier’s grasp.

  “Get back here!” snarled the soldier, lunging forward.

  He slipped up onto a box. The soldier's fingers caught on his collar.

  “The serpent king was not a benevolent king. At the end of every month he would request a sacrifice.”

  A swirling maelstrom of colors cut Maxwell off from the soldier. He stared in confusion at the wall of colour in front of him. No, it wasn’t simply a wall. In the brief second it appeared, he observed shiny overlapping protrusions. Scales? Fabric? He didn’t know what he was looking at. It didn’t make any sense. The feathers swirled around. Children giggled, and there were fast footsteps.

  “They would sail out onto the lake and be swallowed whole by the serpent.”

  It danced and buckled. It took form to what it really was- a serpent. He was surrounded on all sides by the fast-moving sides. Its head flashed ever so often into view as it circled him before it open mouthed, darted into the air. Long poles were attached to its body. If it weren’t for the figures clad in light blue with their arms high above their heads, he would have thought it alive. It moved and rotated expertly in the hands of those figures. The swirling mass disappeared and he looked around in astonishment at the many faces looking up at him. He was on a stage. It was wooden and somewhat raketty but a stage. The crowd wasn’t looking at him but at the swirling creature, as it buckled and swirled.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  ”Quick, what are you waiting for!” said one of the figures clad in blue, pointing a thumb behind them. A path had appeared from the coils of the serpent.

  Maxwell ran to it.

  “Thank you!” he shouted behind, exiting the stage. A section of the creature’s underside was open, revealing several figures, all clad in blue working its inner. It really is just a puppet, yet it looks so alive.

  After exiting the stage he zigzagged through the crowd. He still wanted to create some distance between them. His feet pounded the ground, his knees aching with every step. All this physical exertion was shearing away at his joints. He’d never been physically active much in his past life and it had long since been clear to him that neither was Ignard. The stares he got from those around him made him instinctively quieten his breathing. He could easily be mistaken for a pick-pocket, not that he would steal of course.

  Maxwell craned his head to see how much progress he had made.

  “Doomed to die the villagers would surely succumb to fate, devoured until there was nothing left.”

  “That’s 132,133…” he heard the voice moments before crashing into them. They both fell to the ground. He’d looked for too long and smacked his head against someone. He stumbled before falling on his butt. It wasn’t painful but it had come out of nowhere.

  “Ow!” exclaimed the woman, a hand against her temple, grimacing. She swiped her long black hair that had come loose from the collision. She was tall and around the same age as lady Gamiere(.

  What is your problem kid!” she shouted.

  Something clinked to the ground. Two small bags were on the ground on either side of the woman. They were so full, he could make out individual coins along its surface. The woman scrambled, grabbing it. His gaze darted down.

  His fingers twitched, brushing against an object. He grasped the satchel.

  “Is this-” He forcefully cut himself off, nearly biting his tongue. It was a chance, revealing itself right in front of him. He licked his cracked lips. Anxious sweat beaded on his brow.

  Persevere, don’t do it! He shook his head, snapping out of it. I vowed not to steal and I haven’t broken that promise once. Breaking it now would be pointless. I don’t have much, my clothes are ripped, my stomach is eating itself alive but at least I have my pride.

  His shoulders slumped.

  “You should watch where you’re going!” She said. She paused, staring intently at him. “Hey, are you sure you’re alright!” she said. She took out a white handkerchief and began cleaning his face.

  He pushed her away, narrowing his eyes. “What are you doing!”

  She looked at him sternly. “Hush now, I can’t just leave you be,” she said. “Where did you get all these injuries? You poor thing.”

  What the hell is going on? Is she not going to hurt me? He had instinctively created distance between them but she ignored that entirely.

  “My face is fine,” protested Maxwell. He pulled up his shirt “These are much worse so I barely even notice them. I’m fine really.”

  She held a hand to her mouth. “Dear Luminus.” No words came from her mouth as she stared at the splotchy bruises and long crimson lacerations. To his confusion the sight only seemed to make her more determined.

  Her touch was gentle. The scarlet handkerchief dabbed his chin.

  “I’m sorry I only have my handkerchief on me,” she said.

  As she cleaned some of the scratches on his face a sense of calm overcame him. “Seriously stop it,” his voice shook.

  “Hey if you wait a while , I could hel-”

  Maxwell took off, his breathing ragged. He disappeared into the crowd. He found a wall to take refuge from. He collapsed against it, sinking to his feet. He buried his face in his hands.

  “What is wrong with me,” he groaned. “Dammit, god-damned it,” he whispered. They weren’t supposed to be so kind. A tear rolled down his cheek. He reached into his pocket retrieving a satchel chock full of coins. He vowed to never steal yet there in his hands was the proof of his crime. He didn’t have much, and what he had was being stolen by these streets. Yet… “I thought I at least had my pride, I thought that was the one thing these welcoming streets(c wouldn’t be able to take from me.”

  Why did it have to be one of the few people that have been nice to me that I had to steal from. I can’t even keep a promise with myself, I didn’t know my convictions were so weak. He sniffled. That makes me scum.

  His face no longer slick with sweat and half-dried blood; cleaned by the woman was now smeared with his tears.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Hello, sorry if I’m disturbing you.”

  “What is it!” snapped Maxwell looking up, he blinked back his tears. Unblurring the blue-clad figure. They removed their hood.

  The boy was around his age - his real age from before he had been moved to this world. The boy had striking brown eyes and judging by the straw tuft poking out the front of the hood he had blonde hair. He wore glasses as well one side cracked straight down the middle.

  I just want to be left alone, he wept. He couldn\t pretend to be fierce right then, There was only so long that he could be strong.

  looked at max with an inquisitive gaze

  “Are you broken too?”