Elemental Zodiack

Chapter 3: Escape

["Intruder! Intruder! Someone from the "outside" got on the academy's territory!"

"What is happening...?"

Then a tile from the room's floor starts to move. A person comes out of the floor and talks to Yoso that was watching with a questioned expression,

"Hey, kid! I came to get you out of there!"]

"Huh? Wh-Who are you?" asks Yoso while staring at the unknown person that came out of the floor.

"I'm Seno! Details later, just come now! You want revenge for what happened here, right?!"

"Yes... Fine! I don't know how you got here and how you know me, but I'll trust you!"

"Well, that was easy... As they said, he trusts too easily. But right now, this attitude is good." thinks Seno while leading the way.

While running through a secret tunnel behind the academy, Yoso asks:

"But, Why me? Why would you want to save me? And how did you know about my situation? I don't even know you."

"You ask why, huh? Well, I actually don't know either. Those are my orders. But if my kingdom's king ordered me to help you escape, you might be more special than you'd think!"

"And how are we going to escape? Do you have a plan?"

"This tunnel has an exit right at the academy's principal gate. We are going to run three kilometres from there and get to my ship. They won't be able to catch us if we move fast enough."

"O-ok!"

The tunnel ended pretty fast, or more like the two boys' speed is above average. However, at the end of the tunnel, the two fugitives have some company.

"Can you fight?" asks Seno

"I have one broken arm and some broken ribs. I think this handicap is enough for those guys!"

"Big words... I like your attitude, kid! But I think I won't need any help if they are that weak!" Then without even a bit of hesitation, Seno draws his catalyst,

"The twin knives of sadness and happiness!: End and Hope!"

"Dark magic: One thousand dark slashes!"

"Incredible! Just 3 seconds ago, they were all at full force, and now- They are all kneeling!" thinks Yoso

"Fast! Let's go to the ship!"

"Y- Yessir!"

---Meanwhile, in the academy

"We need reinforcements! All of us are down! With almost half being dead!"

"How many they are?! Who could do this?!" shouts Braum, who just arrived at the radio headquarters at that moment

"O-only two! And one didn't even fight! We identified the identity of one of them being the number 7: Yoso student! He was already pretty beaten up, this probably being the reason for him not fighting!"

"Beaten up, huh?" murmurs Braum while thinking about the student he punished earlier today.

"It should be him... That brat!"

"Are we going to send more reinforcements, sir Braum? Yes, and I'll go too! I am going first, so tell the groups to follow me!"

In the forest

"We are almost here!"

"What are you going to do after we get in your kingdom?" asks Yoso

"You will go to see our king since my orders are just to bring you there. I will, hopefully, return to my normal life after this."

"-I am sorry... But the normal life isn't suited for invaders like you!" says Braum that quickly caught up to them. He then launches a strong attack from behind, with his catalyst,

"The Judgement: first form: Shotgun!"

"Get back, Yoso! Dark twin s***h!"

Seno's attack slashes through Braum's, but his arm starts bleeding afterwards. He couldn't fully protect himself from that attack.

"Well, that was a goddamn strong attack! But I couldn't feel anything special about it. It didn't have any magic affinity."

"Magic affinity, huh? I don't need that thing! My magic is a pure brute life force! It doesn't need an element! This is how you train soldiers without weaknesses!"

"Element, huh? I wonder what element I would be able to use if I trained normally..." thinks Yoso.

"So it is true that this academy creates magic soldiers that don't use their natural element. Is it because of those special catalysts of yours? You are going to get them killed because of this..."

Then Seno starts whispering to Yoso: "Listen... This guy is really strong. I don't need to fight him more than this to realise that. When I give you the signal, you run straight ahead until you find my ship. The coordinates are in, so you're going to get to my kingdom easily, without even needing to do anything."

"But what will you do? Won't you come with me?!"

"I will get there eventually! My orders are to get you there! Just do it!"

"I can't let you alone! You just said it! He is probably stronger than you!" then Yoso remembers Kuro's blood falling on him. "I can't let you here!"

"You stubborn kid... Fine, I will use one special skill and block his vision for a moment. We run after that, fine?"

"Yes!"

"Okay then... Here I come! Dark magic: Darkness wall!"

At Seno's command, a wall as black as tar appeared right in front of Braum. The two boys start running at maximum speed towards the ship.

"Like I could let you go like that, kid. I will let you see what happens if you defy me."

"The Judgement: third form: Sniper!"

"I will get your head, brat!"

A powerful shot from Braum's sniper pierces through the dark wall and goes straight to Yoso's direction.

"Tch, I have to stop that! Until the very end, I will respect my orders!"

Then without even thinking of the consequences, Seno jumps to Yoso and pushes him from the bullet's trajectory. However, the bullet pierces right through Seno's chest. Spitting blood, Seno says:

"Run! Now or never! Id that didn't stop him, nothing will! You have all your life ahead!"

"But I can't just let you the-"

"Stop! If you stay there, I would have died for nothing! Escape... and live!"

Then with tears in his eyes, Yoso runs without looking back at the new friend that he had to leave behind him.

"Now... What will you do with me, Mister So Strong?"

"I won't kill you. That kid's heart is bigger than his brain. He will someday come after you. And I still have some questions to ask you..."

In the meantime, Yoso finds Seno's ship, enters it, and the ship automatically flies where the coordinates are supposed to bring him.

But will he really get there safe and sound...?