Chapter 164
BLAZE (2)
Reuel could feel the wind tearing through his hair, his limbs flailing as the world tilted and spun in a nauseating blur. The ground below twisted in his vision, sky and floor flipping with every rotation as he hurtled toward Yohan like a thrown weapon.
"Watch out!!!" he managed to yell, his voice loud and ragged as it cut through the air.
Yohan's head snapped over his shoulder. He slowed instinctively, eyes widening at the surreal sight of Reuel flying toward him like a sack of bones and panic. His brows furrowed with his different coloured eyes twitching—clearly caught in a moment of internal confliction.
Should he run, keep his pace, and let Reuel hit the floor? He could spare himself and widen the gap between him and Blaze. But if he slowed down… if he tried to catch him…
He might not get back up again.
And yet—
He slowed down.
There was a brief moment where both their eyes locked mid-flight—Reuel's wild and apologetic, Yohan's tense with grim resolve—before the two bodies collided with a heavy, wet smack of limbs and momentum.
They crumpled together, tumbling across the floor like discarded dolls, tangled arms and legs scraping against the ground. Groans of pain escaped between gritted teeth, their breaths knocked out as they finally rolled to a stop in a disoriented heap.
Faint mumbles and wheezes followed, their senses scrambled, pain humming in their joints. The world spun gently around them, and the sound of approaching footsteps began to draw closer.
Yohan looked up, his vision still reeling—just in time to see the towering figure of Blaze looming above him like a shadow cast by violence itself.
Before he could move, Blaze's hand lashed out like a striking beast, fingers clamping around his skull. With one arm, he hoisted Yohan off the ground as if he weighed nothing, laughing viciously, a guttural, unhinged sound that echoed through his skull.
His other foot planted itself squarely on Reuel's back, pinning him down like he was simply stepping on a bug. Blaze tilted his head back and shouted mockingly, voice soaked in derision:
"Hey, you! Aren't you going to stop me? You were acting so righteous before, weren't you? So I'm sure you'll help your friends over here… Am I right?"
His grin stretched wide, tongue flicking across his sharp teeth like a predator savoring the moment.
He was shouting toward Henry.
Henry had been running—every instinct screaming at him to keep going—but the words halted him.
His legs stiffened... His arms dropped to his sides. And then, slowly, his body began to tremble, the tension building in his back and shoulders like a string pulled taut. His eyes stared blankly ahead.
Then he tilted his head back and screamed at the sky, a raw, hoarse sound that tore through the wind and echoed off the distant stone walls.
Blaze burst into laughter, gripping Yohan's hair tighter as he leaned forward, eyes sparkling with malice.
"Ka ka ka ka ka! I knew you'd stop! Of course you would! Ka ka ka! Losers like you always wanna play the hero!"
Henry slowly turned around.
His face had twisted into a painting of anger. It was barely restrained within it's canvas. His lips were curled in a snarl, and his sand-colored eyes burned with pure rage.
Blaze's grin stretched wider, his voice dripping with scorn as he spoke.
"Even though you know you can't save anyone… you still try. You always try."
He leaned forward, his eyes wild.
"Knowing full well that you're going to fail—because you're weak."
He let the word linger, then spat it out again like venom."To be weak… is a sin. You hear me? A sin! You can only be like me! Strong! Only the strong have any right!"
Henry didn't respond.
He simply started walking.
Step by step, slowly but steadily, his shoes scraping lightly against the ground. His fists hung at his sides, clenched tightly. His breathing was heavy but even.
Blaze tilted his head, frowning slightly as his eyes scanned the area. "Tch… looks like your other friend got away."
Henry kept walking.
He finally came to a stop just a few paces away from Blaze, lifting his head. His voice, when it came, was low and deep.
"Let them go."
Blaze smiled. A twisted thing that split his face. "You're gonna have to make me."
Without another word, Henry lunged. His right arm swung upward in a tight arc, a sharp downward chop aimed directly at Blaze's neck.
But Blaze didn't even flinch.
With a cruel smirk, he used Reuel's back as a platform, pushing down hard and leaping backward. His body flipped with ease, landing with feline grace. The moment his feet touched the ground, he spun on his heel into a vicious roundhouse kick, his long leg slicing through the air like a blade.
The blow caught Henry squarely in the chest.
The impact echoed through the clearing like a whip crack.
Henry staggered backward, falling hard onto one knee. He clutched his chest, coughing once, the wind knocked clean out of him. Dust swirled in the air between them. He glared up through narrowed eyes, his gaze locked on Blaze—who still held Yohan by the collar like a ragdoll.
Blaze let out a slow, mocking laugh.
"Ka ka ka… Are you an idiot? Only a fool would keep fighting a battle they know they can't win!"
Henry's hand curled into the ground beneath him. Slowly, with effort, he pushed himself back to his feet. He swayed slightly but stood tall, raising his chin.
"If…" he began, his voice ragged.
"…trying my best to help the people around me—no matter how hard it is… whether it's a stranger… or my—my friends…"
He looked up and locked eyes with Blaze. His breathing was uneven, but his gaze didn't waver.
"…then I wouldn't mind… being the biggest idiot the world has ever seen."
Blaze looked at Henry with a sneer twisting his face, his lips curled in disgust.
"There is nothing I hate more than people like you," he spat like he was throwing up bile mixed with venom.
But before he could take another breath, Yohan's leg shot upward in a swift kick.
His foot struck Blaze square in the face, snapping his head back with a grunt. The blow blurred his vision and caught him completely off guard.
Just as Blaze began to recover, preparing to retaliate with a furious swing—his body suddenly lurched.
He was falling.
Reuel, who had been motionless on the ground moments before, had wrapped his arms tightly around Blaze's legs, locking them and yanking hard.
Blaze's balance gave out, and he slammed into the dirt with a heavy thud, his grip on Yohan breaking in the process.
Before Blaze could rise again, Henry roared and launched forward, leaping with everything he had.
He came down hard—his knee driving directly into Blaze's face.
A sharp, wet impact echoed through the open space.
Blaze's head bounced against the earth, stunned.
In that split-second, Reuel and Yohan threw themselves into the fray, piling on top of him.
Fists, elbows, knees—the three of them struck all at once, unleashing a storm of blows on the stunned Blaze.