Chapter 104: Chapter 104: The Vulture’s Fall

Chapter 104:

The Vulture's Fall

Evelyn was only a child at the age of seven. She had been walking home from school, as she usually did, when these scary men grabbed her. It was the first time anything like this had happened to her. She knew who her parents were, so she knew they had enemies. However, no one had ever been so bold as to do something like this.

"Papa will come, I'm sure of it..." Evelyn huddled against the wall of the room with her knees hugged to her chest. Her father was someone who wouldn't let anything happen to her. He'd come for her; she was sure of it. So, why wasn't he here yet?

Evelyn was getting anxious. She had been here for what felt like two days now. The bad men came to give her what little food she was allowed. She was very thirsty. The room was dark, save for what small amount of light came through the boards on the window on the wall.

She had tried to pry them off, but she wasn't strong enough. The door to the room metallic and locked. It wouldn't open no matter what she did. Even the small amount of mana she had within herself wasn't able to do anything. She was exhausted.

She refused to use the bed they provided. It was barely holding together and just thrown on the floors. It was also cold. She had been using what little mana she had to keep herself warm. She wasn't as strong as papa even though she was also an Ascended.

She had a long way to go before she was. She could only do very little tricks right now, so all she could do was warm herself. Even so, she shook from the cold. She could see her breath in the air around her. "Papa...Mama..." She was getting sleepy when the door to the room opened and fluorescent lighting whirred to life.

Her heart pounded in fear as she saw who was there. A man with a tattered, long coat that looked like it was made of feathers. He had a wicked smile on his face that scared her. His gleaming white teeth and glowing cybernetic red eyes gazed from underneath his shaggy dark hair.

She began to tremble as he walked into the room. Following behind him were nine others. This room was large, as if it used to be an apartment, but all the walls had been torn down. That meant, the hallway behind them was the way out. Her eyes flicking to it, but the man with the crazy smile simply tutted.

"Now, now, little bird," He cooed, his voice grating and not at all friendly, "Thinking about leaving the nest?"

Evelyn didn't answer as she looked away from the door and down at the floor. Her papa told her never to talk to strangers. Especially bad strangers. These men all wore feathered long coats, as if it was some kind of statement. Evelyn found it kind of silly, but she was too afraid to laugh.

"Boss, what are we gonna do about her?" One of the men asked, leaning next to the door, "It's been days now. They haven't answered, should we just kill her?"

"No, no," The man clicked his tongue, "They have one more day. After that, we'll be nice. We'll send her back...Piece by piece."

Evelyn began to tremble as the feeling of the room changed. They all began to laugh after saying something so mean. Tears began to form in her eyes. "Please...Papa...Save me..." She pleaded, begging to whoever would listen.

As if her prayers were answered, she felt it. The flow of mana. The sound of crackling and a scream of pain. Her eyes shot towards the location it came from, along with everyone else in the room. Standing there was a man with electricity crackling over his body. His eyes glowing a fierce neon blue.

He had ahold of the man who had leaned against the door, his hand to their throat. She had thought it was her father, but it wasn't. He wore a hooded, sleek jacket and a scarf around his lower face. His eyes turned towards her, and despite it not being her father, she felt like she was safe. So much so, that she gave them a small smile.

"Who the hell are you?" The cruel man sneered, tilting his head like a bird, "A bird not in their proper nest."

"...Evie?" He spoke, his voice gentle as he ignored the bad man, "Can you do me a favor? Close your eyes and plug your ears. Don't open them until I say, alright? Can you do that for me?"

"Mhm!" She nodded, immediately closing her eyes and plugging her ears.

She didn't know who this man was, but something about him made her feel safe. He even said her name like only those who know her would. He wasn't papa, but just from hearing his voice, she knew he wasn't a bad man.

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Jace smiled as Evelyn listened to him. He wasn't expecting everyone to be so neatly gathered together. It was a bit of a shame that Evelyn was so nearby. He had honestly acted on impulse as he heard them threaten her.

He wouldn't let them lay a single finger on her. She was a cute kid with dark, midnight hair that fell in curls around her rather angelic face. Pointy ears poked out from its silky strands. Hazel, golden eyes seemed to glow with hope as she saw him. Her fair skin held rosy cheeks from the cold in the room. Jace couldn't believe these bastards kept a child in such a freezer.

However, Evelyn was an Ascended. He could feel her mana from here. It was very small, and she was using it to keep herself warm. "What a smart child..." Jace mused before turning his attention to these fanatics.

Each one oddly resembled birds. Lanky with feathered coats, and all seemed to walk low to the ground, almost hunched over. Their leader, the man with the red eyes, stared at him while shifting about. His head and body tilting as if he was mimicking a bird.

"Answer me, little bird," He narrowed his eyes and flicked his wrist, "These birds talons are sharp."

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Blades protruded from the tips of his fingers, much like claws or talons. Jace could see in the fluorescent lighting how sharp they were as it glinted off their surface. Cautiously looking among them, he calculated his moves. The training Liana had given him was already showing itself.

He saw openings everywhere but could tell just how quick each of them was.

"Tell me," Jace tilted his head, maintaining eye contact with the leader, "Who are you to kidnap a child? Never thought The Sparrows would stoop so low."

"Ha! Stoop..." The leader laughed maniacally, "The Sparrows are weak. The Vultures shall rise! We take what we want. Scavenge and eat. We shall grow and-"

"Blah, blah," Jace let go of the man he held, their body dropping to the floor, "So, you really are a bunch of lunatics."

The leader sneered, and the others practically chirped in irritation. Their eyes looking towards the fallen member before back at Jace. Gathering his power, ozone filled the room. He had been practicing, trying to feel what he did before in Little Asia. He wasn't quite there, but he did learn something.

"You know..." Jace told them, his voice charging with power, "A bird who flies too close to the storm...lose their wings."

The electricity around Jace suddenly fluctuated, growing in frequency and power before all of it converged and entered his body. He felt the tingling sensation as his entire body became charged. His hood came undone, flowing backwards as his hair began to float around as if caught in a magnetic field. He felt much lighter.

Taking a breath, the birds all charged him at the leader's orders. Jace moved fluidly past the first strike. The sound of thunder clapping as his hand hit their chest. He heard the sound of their bones breaking as their ribcage gave in. Coughing up blood, the first one fell to the ground, dead.

One after the other, they charged him, but he was much faster than any of them. He saw their weaknesses, their flaws. It was all thanks to Liana's training as well as his now enhanced senses. This state of being was one he came to after many hours of training and experimenting. Trying to retain what he did before.

This was nothing but a weak imitation. Something he could honestly only maintain for a short time before he'd be putting himself in danger. Which meant he had to finish things quickly. He could honestly already feel the strain upon his body.

This "charged" form of his was still experimental, but he believed it was plenty to take care of things. A knife straight to his throat, dodged by a hairsbreadth. As Jace dodged, he used the momentum of the attack and his own power to hit under the strike. Aimed at their head, their neck snapped back, broken. Crumpling to the ground, Jace continued his flow.

As he weaved among them, it took a mere few moments before it was just Jace and the leader. Unfortunately, Jace had overestimated himself. He felt the warm liquid of blood trailing down his nose. The red-eyed man smiled maniacally at the sight.

"Overdid it, little Ascended?" He taunted, clicking his bladed fingers together.

"Eh, hardly," Jace had no choice but to release his current state.

He knew if he pushed himself, it wouldn't just be the aftereffects he'd had to deal with, but three very protective and very adamant women back home. He didn't want to upset them, not to mention he wasn't going to test their promise of tying him down and confining him to the house. As much as he loved them, they also terrified him...in a good way.

As he came down from the surge of power, his hair returned to normal. Stretching his arms, he licked the blood free from his face. The taste of iron hitting his tongue.

"I don't need some gimmick to beat you," Jace told him, centering himself.

As long as he remembered Liana's training, he would be fine. Even without his enhanced state, he was more than enough for this crazy bastard. Glancing towards Evelyn, she was being a good girl covering her ears and keeping her eyes closed. "I have to finish this quickly..." Glancing back at the man, Jace taunted him by motioning with his hand to come at him.

Sneering at the taunt, the man fell for it like the crazy bastard he was. Running low against the floor, he swiped up at Jace with both his clawed hands. Jace saw it coming, jumping back from the attack. The man was quick, recovering and rushing Jace before he landed.

Smirking, Jace twisted his body, kicking at the man who blocked. This allowed Jace to kick off from him and land safely. The two stared at each other, contemplating. This man was good, but Jace had many years of experience and many hours of harsh training under his belt. Liana never went easy on him.

Jace saw the attack before it even came out. The clawed hand moving past his face as he sidestepped, bringing his elbow around straight into the man's temple. He recoiled, shaking his head and getting low to the ground. Letting out a breath, Jace became light on his feet.

Bouncing on his heels, he readied himself. The first attack came low and was easily dodged with Jace stepping out of his reach. The next attack came at his legs, but Jace was prepared. Kicking their hand before the full attack could come out, he knocked their arm away. He followed it up with a kick to the man's face.

Blood splattered across the floor as he was sent sprawling. Jace took this opportunity to gather what mana he had left. Flowing it through his body and along his right arm. As their redeyes glared back at Jace, they opened in surprise and fear. Crackling through the air was a single bolt of fire. Just like the Drowned, the fire bullet penetrated their head, making a clean hole through it.

As their body dropped to the floor, Jace took this time to stretch his back and take a quick breather. It had taken more than he thought, but now wasn't the time to rest. Making sure he was clear of blood; he turned his attention to Evelyn.

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