|STR:10 > 14|
|AGI:10 > 14|
|END:9 > 13|
|VIT:8 > 12|
|STA: 8 > 12|
|PER: 8 >12|
–CRACK–
All the joints in my body cracked simultaneously.
I almost fell to the ground. In fact, I barely held myself together.
My head felt woozy, and I blinked way too fast as every object warped and blurred in my vision.
It felt like my skin itself stretched on my bones as I staggered.
I gritted my teeth, enduring the weird feeling that circled my heart from my stomach.
I almost clenched my belly in a desperate need to ignore the overwhelming urge to vomit.
Suddenly, the grip around my heart loosened, and the weird feeling dissipated.
My breathing finally stabilized as sweat flooded my vision and drenched my entire body.
I blinked.
"Just some stuff?" Marcus's voice streamed through, the pitch oscillating from high to low.
Damn, it's like I'm high or something.
I clenched my fists.
Feeling the new influx of pure strength, my lips widened.
Heh.
"Just some stuff," I replied.
BANG–!
A loud sound echoed.
I turned my neck Eastward immediately, toward the direction of the sound.
It sounds like a gunshot.
"Was that a gunshot?" Marcus asked.
Took the words right out of my mouth.
I nodded. "I think it was."
BANG–!
It resounded again.
Damn, is the person shooting that gun foolish? There's an Endorath out here!
Marcus flinched slightly, clearing his throat. "Uh… should we?"
I narrowed my eyes.
There's something…
"We're heading toward the source of that gunshot," I said.
"Alright."
As soon as we both agreed, we bolted, wasting no time as we zoomed out of our position, heading toward the source of that gunshot.
It might be someone trying to fight off some small monsters.
Say, maybe a pack of…
My lips widened.
Rethons.
I shook my head; the sounds of the gunshots were getting louder now. It meant we were close.
But more than just slaying of Rethons, I need to stop that noise. It could attract the Endorath. Plus, that gun. It sounds like a Glock.
Like Jericho's…
Nahh.
Or wait.
Might it be him?
"If it is him.." I whispered, turning to look at…
Unc?
Where's he?
I could've sworn he was running beside me a second ago.
"Slow down, Duz!" Marcus yelled.
I turned my neck.
Oh, shit.
His pace wasn't bad. For a drained-out guy, he was surprisingly fast. But still, he was slow compared to me.
He's behind me.
I yelled. "Try to keep up!"
And I faced forward.
No way I'm slowing down just for you.
BANG–!
The person's still shooting?!
I halted immediately. I'd arrived.
I really need a new weapon.
I clenched and unclenched my right fist.
But my fists will do for now.
I stared ahead with slanted eyes.
Behind the dregs of a crumbled building lay an enclosed alley too dark to see properly.
I began to walk toward the alley, taking slow and cautious steps.
–HiHiHi…
My pupils enlarged. And my smile stretched farther than my lips could carry.
Ah, yes.
That familiar laughter.
Rethons!
–BANG–BANG–!
I ran toward the alley, yelling, "Hey! Stop shooting!"
As I stepped into the alley, I paused.
The scent of a familiar cologne trickled into my nose, making me huff a little.
At that same moment, Marcus arrived, breathing heavily like a sick old man that just climbed up a mountain.
"I… I told you to wait for me!" He spouted in between thick breaths. "But you… huh?"
I had the same reaction as him.
A slightly widened jaw, widened eyes and a cocked brow.
A lone figure stood about seven steps away from us.
The back of his black, flowy trench coat greeted us.
A trail of smoke rose from his face, dissolving in the air.
Surrounding him was a pack of Rethons, no less than 24.
They were all alive. But even alive, they lacked the strength to move properly. But they still taunted the figure.
"Hm?" The figure hummed.
Two glocks were tightly clenched in his black-gloved palms, and he aimed them at the Rethons around him.
None of them dared to take a step closer. They measured their movements.
My momentary stun dissipated, replaced by a knowing chuckle.
"Jerry," I called.
The figure slowly turned his neck as he heard my voice.
Our eyes met. Mine pierced into his widened, cold blue eyes.
The cigarette in his lips dropped to the ground as his mouth hung open.
"Duz?" Jericho called.
Would you look at that?
He's alive after all.
"Huh? Duz?" Marcus, too, called.
I ignored Marcus, though. And I walked forward, toward Jericho.
Jerry's widened eyes narrowed, and his brows knitted. "How are you here?" He asked with a dark voice, "How are you alive?"
I sneered, furrowing my brows as I asked, "What the hell do you mean?"
"I know the world has gone haywire, but… the dead resurrecting?" He asked, shaking his head as a wry smile formed on his lips.
I paused.
Uh-oh.
That smile of his.
It's not really a smile.
A lone sweat slid down my temple.
He raised one of the pistols, and hit the side of his head with it. "You know what? Anything can happen at this point. It means you might not be Dustin. You might be an imposter or something."
What the hell is that logic?
Why's he being as shrewd as me? That's my thing.
"Hey, let's take it easy now." I voiced out, raising my arms. A surrendering posture.
All the Rethons around Jericho flinched as I raised my arms. And they visibly began to quiver in fright.
They looked like chickens out of water.
I took another step. And that was enough for all of them to run away, following the other exit of the alley.
Damn it. My Exp is gone!
"Hey!" Jericho yelled, "Stay where you are!"
I halted once more.
"Now, tell me..." He said, pointing a pistol at my forehead.
My eyes widened.
"Dustin…" Marcus called, nervousness oozing from his voice.
"...Who the fuck are you?" Jericho completed, cocking the pistol.
I gulped.
Goddamn.