Aethelos: The Bastard of Light

Eli approached with extreme care, using the trees as cover. With every step he measured the pressure of his weight on the leaves and branches. The voices grew clearer. · A group of men stood gathered in a small clearing. In the center, someone was speaking with authority. The voice was familiar (professor Lito with a mask to don't be discover). Eli felt he knew it, but he couldn’t place the name. · “You idiots. How did you lose to a bunch of kids last time?” The voice sounded irritated (professor Lito with a mask). “I disabled the security on purpose so you could infiltrate, not so you could get discovered by a bunch of brats.” · One of the terrorists answered defensively: · “Sorry, boss… we also didn’t know there would be people on a mission at that time. You could have warned us.” · “I didn’t warn you because I didn’t know either, you incompetents. Even when I make it easy for you, you still have to be stealthy.” · Another terrorist asked: · “Okay, boss. What now? Do we invade while everyone’s asleep?” · The familiar voice hesitated for only a second. · “No. Wait for Zakrom. He won’t be as stupid as you guys.” · Eli leaned a little further, trying to see the face of the speaker that he knows but with not sucess. His heart was pounding. He needed to confirm. · That was when his foot landed on a dry branch. · Crack. · The sound cut through the night like a scream. · The terrorists fell silent at once. The figure with the familiar voice turned his head toward the noise. · “I have to go. Handle the situation.” · He disappeared among the trees before Eli could make out his features more clearly. · In the same instant, ten men surrounded his position. · “Well, well… a student,” one of them said, smiling. · “It’s rude to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations,” another added. · Eli had no escape route. The circle was closing. · He didn’t use aura. He knew any explosion of Light would attract even more attention. He fought only with his body. · The first blow came from the side. Eli dodged and answered with an elbow. The second attacker grabbed his arm. He twisted free, but the third was already coming. A punch to the stomach knocked the air out of him. Another to the shoulder made his left arm tremble. · He was at a pure disadvantage. Every second that passed, the blows accumulated. The blood at the corner of his mouth tasted like iron. · That was when the terrorists started using aura. · Flames, gusts of wind, chunks of earth rising. The air filled with raw energy. · Eli felt the change before he saw it. · The Luzlon and Schulon of the forest reacted to the turmoil. First one. Then three. Then more. The creatures emerged from the darkness, drawn by the excess of power. · Still on the ground, Eli smiled inwardly. · Finally. · With the last of his strength he pushed his body upward and grabbed the nearest trunk. He climbed with trembling arms, nails scraping the bark, until he reached a branch high enough. · Below, the chaos began. · The terrorists, who moments earlier had surrounded him, suddenly found themselves facing the creatures of the forest. Shouts. Explosions of aura. The sound of bodies slamming against trees. · Eli stayed motionless high in the tree, breathing hard, watching. · The night was still far from over. · But for now, he had bought himself time.