"Please do me this favor? I have to see my grandmother tonight, she's very sick!" said Safit.
Acacia gulped, feeling her cheeks warm while talking to the man in the candlelit coffee shop. He was slightly older than she. His square jaw and strong build distracted her while he was talking. "Ferti told me that it's not good in this area after closing time. That's why I work during the day."
"It's not so bad, Acacia." he said, placing his hand on her arm. "You'll be fine, I promise! It's just like during the day, but I'll show you how to lock up before I go soon."
"Well, okay. But you owe me." she said, giving him a poke in the chest.
"Anything for you." Safit said, making her blush further.
The evening passed into the night without much trouble after he left. The customers out at their tables near the curb were loud and somewhat obnoxious, but that was normal. Nothing she couldn't handle by herself. She enjoyed the work- alongside feeling that serving tables was something she was better at than competing with Gelland, she liked Ferti and especially Safit's company. Tonight, however, she worried. Not about closing, but for Gelland. Acacia had discreetly Densed a small tunnel underneath the wall of the building that kept the next slave hideout. The two entrances would be indistinguishable, easily able to be lifted from their stone setting, which she had turned into a putty-like liquid. The rescue was planned for this night.
When the time came, she politely shooed away the stragglers from the curb, pulling down the metal roll up door. She set the lock on the bottom, and set out on her way to the bank. This happened every night for the closer, according to Safit, who would drop off the earnings into a latch on the side of the building. The earnings were kept underneath her shirt in a belt pouch. The designated bank was not far; the way dimly lit by torches and Kahton up above.
It's about time for her to assault the Master of Trade's building. She better not get-
Her thoughts were cut off by the gloved hand that shoved a rag into her mouth, pulling her out of the street lights, which instantly puffed out. She screamed into the cloth, pulling at the arm, trying call out for help. "Shh... This can be over before you know it," the stranger whispered, pulling at her clothes with their free hand. This was a nightmare. This was every woman's nightmare. She kicked at his legs, but couldn't get enough leverage to make an effective counter. She didn't expect to be able to fight a man with strength alone. They may have the advantage she thought but skill is an equalizer between any fighter!
Planting her feet on the ground, she transformed the path into putty, causing him to sink and stumble. Acacia then reverted the liquid back to solid, feeling at a mask that covered his face, vaporizing both the mask and his shirt. They both were blasted backwards. He yelped, his feet and ankles cemented underneath the surface, and she broke his grip as they slammed down. She rolled and crouched, noting a second shorter person that had just entered the alleyway. "What are you doing?" the young woman's voice questioned, "Get the money!"
She turned to run, mind frenzied, but was caught at her ankle. The man turned over on the ground. In Kahton's light, she saw his face without the mask. Surprised Safit, grasping at her legs, glared at her. "Safit?" she croaked, having taken out her gag. This was a trap! He never cared for me, I'm so stupid! "She's seen me now. We can't let her live!" Safit said.
The other girl quickly rounded the both of them. Though Acacia freed her legs by a kick to his face, her path was cut off. She was outnumbered, but silently thanked Gelland for all the training when the other girl whipped out a dagger. She then made a sign, fire forming over her left hand. Which explained why the torches had gone out in the street. The girl ran towards her, flinging the fire around herself with one hand. The fire left streaks in Acacia's vision, the heat passing near her face several times. She came around with the dagger, but Acacia already knew that the girl was trying to distract. She told Acacia exactly where she would strike by her swing, and she took her by the wrist, twisting her around. Acacia jabbed her knee into her back, feeling a pop where she connected. The girl stumbled towards Safit, who managed to get a foot unstuck. I could run, but he'd catch me. I just need one shot to finish them off!
"This wasn't the plan!" the girl said.
"I didn't know she was a Breaker, must be one of those deformed ones." Safit huffed, struggling in his hole.
"There'd still more for you to learn about me." Acacia hissed. "If you had any time left."
Acacia formed her signs as the girl came back at her. She made her three signs, jamming her thumb outwards to engulf both of them. Nothing happened. The girl closed in with the dagger aimed for her heart. Acacia panicked.She had made the Call sign on accident! It was all over. She dodged the attempt at the heart, but leaned back too slowly to remain unscathed. The dagger sank deep into her abdomen.
Sudden bursts of light came forth from her thumb, the jumble of electricity splayed out before her. It reached straight out, consuming their upper bodies in a ten foot vortex. They were halted in their movement, suddenly convulsing, eyes rolling upwards which steamed in their sockets. Their faces and hair searing off by the blue bolts, the three screaming in agony. The two fell, unconscious and smoldering, to the ground. Black and red marks covered their faces, hair completely singed off. A low whine came from them, smoke and the smell of burnt flesh started to thicken in the air.
What was that? she managed to get out in a complete thought, falling to one knee. Having used so much aug, she worked through the mud of her mind. She had to get away, no time to finish them off, though desperately wanting to. She quickly encased part of them in the ground, for others to find. She hobbled out onto the street opposite of where she had been dragged from, dagger hilt still protruding from her stomach. She heard people shouting and scrambling into the alleyway once she'd gotten out. Her breathing halted after small gasps, but she needed to leave it in, lest she immediately bleed out. Making her way past the block she had been on, she deposited the pouch into the slot of the all-black building, which stuck out against the white.
She felt that if she didn't get rid of it, she may be mugged on her way again, as the square bulge would be noticeable through her shirt. Staying clear of others on the streets, she found a nearby alleyway, slumping against the wall into trash. This better work, she thought or I'll die right here. She made the sign she had picked up from Gelland, Call Coffee. A metal flask dropped into her hand, warm against her shivering skin. With shaking fingers, she unscrewed the top, downing half the thick contents. It burned with bitterness in her mouth, yet soothed her insides. Next, she tried to relax, pulling out the blade, crying through clenched teeth. Simultaneously she gambled, not knowing if it would work. Pouring the glowing, hot ooze onto her wound, it seeped into her. She watched as the bleeding ceased, the hole closing. Dropping the flask, it disappeared. She laid back, drained in more ways than one.
Her vision flashed, even the ring's light growing dim to her. She curled up, closing her eyes. So much had just happened, and it was so hard to process through her addled mind. "I pulled from a Stockpile... so my parents are still alive?" she mouthed. Her home wasn't far, but despite her desire to get back, she couldn't manage to stand. Nestling into the trash to be concealed, she allowed herself to fall into unconsciousness.
