The air vibrated around Raikuto, charged with an energy that he did not understand. His fingers tingled, his breathing was ragged, and his heart was pounding in his chest.
The silence that followed the explosion of energy was heavy.
One of the men had just been thrown against the wall, his inert body sprawled on the cobblestones. Light smoke rose from his coat, as if lightning had struck him.
Raikuto instinctively stepped back, his trembling hands still covered with electrical residue. He stared at his palms, eyes wide.
"Did… I do that?"
His voice was just a whisper, barely audible.
Aïsha did not move, her eyes going from the man to Raikuto, then to his hands still covered with blue sparks.
—What is this madness?!
She seemed both excited and shocked.
Raikuto tried to calm his breathing, but a strange shiver ran down his spine. The energy that had just flowed from him was not a natural phenomenon. He could still feel a diffuse warmth in his chest, as if something alive had awakened inside.
The leader of the attackers seemed neither afraid nor surprised. He observed Raikuto with cold interest.
"Electricity…" he whispered.
His men exchanged worried glances.
—Is it a usorch?
One of them took a step back, visibly nervous.
The chief gave a hint of a smile.
— No… It's something else.
He turned to Aisha.
—And you, what are you hiding?
Aïsha gritted her teeth.
— Nothing at all.
— Let's see.
The leader waved his hand quickly, and a powerful air current burst out of nowhere, forcing Aisha to step back.
She barely caught herself, but Raikuto felt his annoyance explode.
The electricity around him crackled again.
— Do you want to see what I can do?
He had no idea what he was saying.
But his body knew.
A second lightning burst from his hands, more powerful this time. An electric arc split the air in a blinding flash.
The attacker just had time to raise his arms before being hit head-on.
The explosion briefly lit up the entire alley.
The shock threw the man backwards, his body rolling on the cobblestones.
Raikuto panted, the energy slowly dissipating around him.
Aïsha, still stunned, shook her head before giving him a fiery look.
— Damn it, Raï! What are you exactly?!
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
He himself had no answer.
The leader of the men slowly stood up, wiping the corner of his mouth.
He was no longer amused.
He spread his arms, and a strange shadow formed around him.
—So, you're not just a kid...
His voice was lower, more threatening.
The lever the main.
— Let's see what you're really capable of.
A wave of black energy materialized around him, crackling like dark fire.
Aisha clenched her fists.
— Oh no...
Raikuto felt his heart skip a beat.
The man had just summoned chaos.
And this time, it wasn't just a test.
It was a real declaration of war.
****
The residual sparks from Raikuto's attack were still dancing in the air when one of the men leapt towards Aisha, a glowing dagger in hand.
Raikuto, still in shock from his own power, does not react immediately.
But Aïsha moved before the attack reached her.
She raised her hands in an instinctive movement, and the next moment, an invisible gust exploded around her.
A powerful energy hit the man head-on, lifting him off the ground and sending him rolling across the cobblestones.
Raikuto blinked in disbelief.
- You too…
Aïsha slowly lowered her arms, slightly out of breath. Her hair, agitated by the swirls of air, framed her tense face.
— We'll talk about it later!
The man with the piercing gaze, still impassive, narrowed his eyes.
- Interesting…
He observed Aisha and Raikuto with growing interest.
— Two children who manipulate chaos...
His men exchanged troubled looks.
—Are they usorchs? one of them whispered.
The leader remained silent for a moment, as if analyzing the situation.
Then, slowly, a grin stretched his lips.
—It would change a lot of things...
He spread his arms slightly, and the next moment, a wave of dark energy burst out from his hands.
The air around them grew heavier, charged with an overwhelming presence.
Raikuto and Aïsha took a step back, a feeling of unease creeping into their bodies.
—What is this thing...? Raikuto growled, trying to stabilize his breathing.
The wave of black chaos stretched towards them like a creeping tide.
Aisha clenched her fists, instinctively raising her arms.
— Back off!
A new squall broke out, trying to repel the attack.
But this time it wasn't enough.
Dark energy cut through the wind like a blade slicing through paper.
Chaos slammed into them, pushing them violently against the wall behind them.
Raikuto felt his breath taken away from the impact.
Aïsha tried to get up immediately, but the pressure of this energy pinned her to the ground.
The leader of the attackers advanced slowly, observing them like trapped prey.
— Do you really think you can take on us?
Raikuto tried to stand up, but his body was numb from the strange force that was oppressing them.
"It's not normal…" he whispered.
Aisha gritted her teeth, fighting against the invisible pressure that was crushing her.
— He… is stronger than us…
The leader raised an eyebrow, an amused smile on his lips.
— Of course I am.
He raised a hand, and a new wave of dark energy gathered in his palm.
Raikuto felt his heart racing.
He was ready to attempt another shock, regardless of whether he controlled this power or not.
But before he could move, a deep voice echoed through the alley.
- Enough.
A shadow appeared from the side of the alley at lightning speed.
The chief only had time to look up before a blade came between him and the children.
A shard of steel split the air.
Then a brutal shock.
The black chaos dispersed into dark wisps.
Raikuto, still stunned, raised his head.
In front of him, a familiar figure stood, sword drawn, his gaze sharp.
—Idriss...
The leader of the attackers stepped back slightly, analyzing this new arrival.
A thin smile stretched his lips.
— Ghadib's dog…
Idriss did not answer. He simply placed himself between the children and their enemies, his sword pointed at them.
— You have only one chance to leave.
The atmosphere becomes even heavier.
Raïkuto and Aïsha knew that they had just narrowly escaped something uncontrollable.
****
The attacker waved his hand, and a dark wave traveled through the air towards Idriss.
But the head guard was ready.
With one fluid movement, he swung his sword, and immediately, a barrier of translucent water formed in front of him. The dark energy hit her head on before dispersing into silent swirls.
Raikuto and Aïsha remained frozen, observing the scene in amazement.
"A water manipulator," murmured the leader of the strangers, smirking.
Idriss did not answer. He clenched his sword and narrowed his eyes, analyzing their movements.
One of the men in black suddenly jumped towards him, fast as lightning.
Stepping to the side, Idriss spun around and slammed the flat of his blade toward the ground. A wave of water gushed from his feet and slid beneath his opponent, forcing him to step back with an agile leap.
"Impressive," admitted the leader of the strangers.
The air was charged with a new tension. This time, it was the man with the piercing gaze who raised his hands. Dark filaments formed around him, crackling slightly.
— Let's see what you're capable of.
A new wave of energy surges towards Idriss.
The guard raised his free arm, and a column of water erupted to counter the attack. The collision dispersed the energy in the air, casting a fine mist around them.
Idriss gritted his teeth slightly.
— We'll have to be more subtle.
With a gesture, he executed a fluid movement, and immediately, several droplets in the air gathered around him before heading straight towards their opponents in the form of thin streams of water, fast and precise.
The unknown leader skillfully parried with a wave of chaos, dispelling the attack with ease.
"You manipulate water with talent," he observed.
Idriss remains impassive.
— And you, you play with forces that you don't completely control.
The man with sharp eyes gave a slight smile before lowering his arms.
— My goal was not to harm them.
His gaze shifted to Aïsha and Raïkuto, who were still standing back, catching their breath after the intensity of the moment.
— I just wanted to see what they were capable of.
He made a discreet sign to his men, and immediately, they slipped away into the shadows of the alleys, disappearing without a sound.
Calm slowly returned.
Raikuto felt a strange fatigue invade him, his body still filled with an electric sensation.
Aisha crossed her arms, staring at the spot where their pursuers had disappeared.
—What was that?! Who were they?
Idriss sheathed his sword and gave them a serious look.
— Problems.
He placed a hand on Raikuto's shoulder.
- And you…
Raikuto slowly raised his head, still stunned by what had just happened.
— You have just awakened something that can no longer be ignored.
****