Chapter Three

Escape

Obviously, when you see a freakish monster running at you with a pointy sword, you do whatever it took not to get sliced and diced. You could jump out of the way, duck into something safe and solid and then run when the blade gets stuck…

Or you could just be a suicidal idiot like me who immediately grabbed a chair and threw it at the monster's face.

The fun part about modern chairs being mostly made of metal meant that the object didn't shatter into splinters the moment it struck the monster. It instead sent Mr. Zombie Face crashing down to the floor due to the heavy weight it didn't anticipate, its sword spinning away from its grasp and landing near the bed with a loud clatter.

My eyes were on the sword the entire time. I quickly dove for the disarmed weapon before anything else happened. I didn't know whether I did that due to the severity of the situation or because I just decided to act on instinct for once, but I only knew one thing: that sword was better off in my inexperienced hands than the monster's murderous ones.

I managed to grasp the hilt just in time before Mr. Zombie Face recovered. I straightened myself up, pulling the sword with me… and, well, the weapon did weigh heavy in my hands, but it was a manageable kind of heavy. Suddenly I wondered if the books or movies were exaggerating the weight of swords. Then I promptly dismissed that question because, Earth to Robin, your life was still in danger. I watched the monster shove the chair aside, stand up, and still appear capable of maiming me without a weapon. I gritted my teeth.

You'd think, hey, this was the best moment to do something heroic. This was the best time to be that badass everyone wanted to be. But then, reality check: the likelihood of me surviving this encounter? Not very good. I wasn't about to take my chances and commit to killing this creature. I was more likely to die making a "brave" attempt at playing hero than making a tactical escape.

So, I ran. I slipped through the huge, gaping hole in the door, sped through the hallways while ignoring the lying, unmoving bodies around me, and felt thankful that I lived on the ground floor as I emerged into the open. There were no doors to block my way.

My plan had been to run to safety, wherever that was. I wasn't supposed to stop until I've found it. But as I took in the sight of all the chaos around me, I found myself unable to move a step further.

It was… how exactly could I just explain it in just a few words? What I saw basically amounted to an apocalypse: buildings, still standing but a good, strong gust away from total collapse. Pillars of smoke rising up into the atmosphere. Fire. Roads cracked and uneven. The sirens of both ambulances and trucks blared everywhere, and I was certain I could hear the loud bangs of gunfire and feel the tingle of offensive magic in the air. And there were people, many of them armed, trying to fight or against the monsters that somehow invaded the city while the civilians were evacuated from the premises. Where did these freaks come from, anyway?

"Grr…"

I stiffened. The growl I heard from behind me had me deciding that that question would have to be answered later. Stupid, Robin, stupid. Should've kept running. My knuckles grew white from the tightened hold I had on my sword and I turned slowly, knowing what was to come. A feeling of dread washed over my entire being.

It was the monster from earlier. And judging from the red liquid dripping from its clawed hands… it had just finished a slight diversion.

I swallowed and struggled to maintain composure. I was described as 'unflappable' for a reason. So think. Think. Maybe running wasn't the best course of action here. Either I try to fight tooth and nail to get out of this alive, or I run like a headless chicken and attract more of those monsters as I pass by. Yeah… the former was definitely far more appealing than the latter. I could just finish this monster somehow, go find the local task force or something, and then let them take me to safety while they reestablish order. It wasn't a bad plan.

"Fine," I said, decision formed. Fine. This was the kind of crazy shit that's supposed to exist in the movies, not in real life, but fine. I could do this—I'll get hurt, I'll get traumatized, but at least I'll be alive. "You want to dance? Let's—oof!"

I was shoved harshly aside before I could finish my sentence. My vision tilted, shifting from the monster to the cloudy night sky. I felt my sword snatched away from my hands as I fell. Pain flared in my hands when I caught my fall, skin scraping against the rough asphalt, but I ignored it. Right now, I just wanted to level a glare at the rude jerk who happened to be…

…Raven?

I could only stare as the white-haired man held the sword firmly in front of him. He managed to look every inch the warrior he probably was. And when he dashed forward to deliver many brutal slashes, I was nothing short of awed at the skill he'd exhibited as he minced the crap out of Mr. Zombie Face. Definitely a warrior, then. One slash, two slashes, three. The monster's head was then severed from its body in three final slices before it could even do anything. And then it dissolved into purplish dust.

Yes, I kid you not. It really turned into dust—ashes?—before my eyes and was carried away by the wind.

Raven let out an exhale as he lowered his sword arm, eyes shut. Inhale, exhale. When he opened them again, there was a certain intensity in those amber orbs as he started gazing down at my still-sitting form. He stepped close to me, offered a gloved hand, and pulled me up the moment I gave him mine. I felt like a lightweight when he did so with supreme ease.

"You're hurt," he said, referring to the scratches on my face and the cut on the side of my forehead.

"It's nothing fatal. I'll worry all about it later," I replied. My fingertips lightly brushed over the gash and realized that I'd stopped bleeding. That was good. "Nice save, by the way. Thank you for that."

His tense expression softened a bit. He nodded. "You're quite welcome. I'm just glad I managed to find you in time."

"And now you want me to come with you because shit has hit the proverbial fan and you'll take no for an answer?" I supplied for him. For once, I wasn't pissed he was around. It was hard to be when the very person stalking me was the one who'd just saved my life.

But thinking about why he was here and why tonight's main event was actually happening… it opened up a whole new can of worms I didn't have time to completely think about.

"Yes," he answered. "Does this mean you finally believe me?"

"Yes and no. But it's not like I have any other choice now." Right now was not a good time to be difficult. All I could do for now was go with the flow until things calmed down again.

With a slight inclination of my head, I motioned for him to get a move on so I could follow him. He nodded. He pointed to a certain direction, broke into a run, and I followed suit, keeping pace with him the best I could. I didn't even mind that he was holding onto the sword now. It was just going to be a hindrance in my hands now that he was around.

We navigated through the ruined streets filled with cars, rubble from broken structures, and dead bodies. Some which even had a limb or two missing—I tried not to focus on those too much. The ground was very uneven, there were these huge cracks everywhere, and for one moment I was fairly certain I saw the glow of lava flowing somewhere deep within. There was nothing but destruction everywhere I looked. And desperation. Some people we passed by even tried calling our attention for help, maybe for a trapped friend or an injured family close by, maybe for themselves because they could hardly move and death was looming close. I could only assume that the people fighting to reestablish control in the city were spread too thin that they couldn't help everyone.

And as much as we both wanted to, we knew we couldn't just stop running.

Raven had a destination he wanted to reach as soon as possible. And I couldn't lag behind because that could possibly mean not-so-good things for me. It was that fact itself that made me feel uneasy inside as the cries sounded fainter and fainter. Made my stomach twist, but it couldn't be helped. All I could hope for was that they got the rescue they needed before it was too late.

Other than those encounters, things were smooth-sailing for the most part. Certainly wasn't feeling particularly appreciative of Ylisstol's vastness today, though. What more if this happened in Plegia?

…What if this also happened in Plegia?

"Where are we going, anyway?" I asked sometime later, shoving my worries deep, deep down. At this point, my lungs were already tightening from all the running. My heart was beating loudly against my chest, and it took everything in me to keep going. I exercised as much as possible to prevent that from happening too soon, but unfortunately I could only be so healthy.

"To the park. The place where we first saw each other," Raven said. "Hold on." He spotted one of the undead blocking our path in front of us. He immediately went for the offensive and struck a blow before it could fully turn to acknowledge us. There was a brief moment of steel clanging against steel, and seconds later, Raven emerged victorious. We continued running.

"Why there?" I then asked a beat later.

"That's where our portal's located. It's our way out of here," he answered, "and it's our only way of preventing this whole thing from happening again."

For that one moment, my incredulity started rearing its ugly head. Portals. Really. But then I remembered how unbelievable the night had become, and I went on to reinforcing my suspension of disbelief. After tonight, anything was possible. Portals appearing out of nowhere should be the least of my problems.

"So… no pressure," I said in a forced, light tone. "And the events tonight?"

"It is as I've said, Grima has returned. Naga could do nothing against him," Raven said darkly. "And if we could feel his wrath all the way over here when his body should be sealed somewhere in Plegia… you can see how serious a matter this is."

No kidding, I wanted to say. My defense mechanism was definitely up in arms tonight. One majorly pissed off Fell Dragon is the one thing this world needed the least. But when I saw what was in front of us, the words ended up dying in my mouth.

"Shit."

Several pairs of red, glowing eyes. Rotten faces, and equally rotten, yet surprisingly muscular bodies. Weapons, lots of them, glinting under the streetlights. Our path was blocked. And they… they did not look happy to see us. Raven cussed under his breath as he brandished his sword once more. And me, I could only take an uneasy step back as the only capable fighter in my side was the only thing standing between them and me. But those numbers…

Raven was at a tactical disadvantage.

The white-haired man regarded the horde warily, the latter registering the sight of us with their scary, scary eyes. Silence. The tension in the air had increased tenfold. It hung so heavy, I felt like I was about to be choked. "Shit" did not even begin to describe the predicament we'd landed ourselves in.

And then, one by one in a horrifying way, they stirred. A collective howl escaped their rotten lips soon after.

"Run." Raven decided to lower his sword, realizing the same thing I had. A look of genuine fear flashed across his features as he made several steps back, almost bumping against me. "Run!"

Didn't need to tell me twice. I spun on my heel and ran like hell the moment he did. I could hear the monsters' enraged roars from behind as I took the lead and turned sharply on the first corner I saw. Wait… I knew this part of the city!

The road ahead showed more of what we've already seen, but it was mercifully not as cluttered as the others. Thank the gods. Shops with broken windows line one side, and on the other, various restaurants that clearly wouldn't be serving anything tonight. No signs of life anywhere. The authorities must've evacuated everyone from this part of the city already. Anyway, past this avenue would be a labyrinth of twists and turns. It was the portion of the city that had me horribly lost several days ago until someone gave me directions. And a tour.

If my luck would have it, I could lose our pursuers there and emerge in the correct path towards our destination.

"This way," I said to Raven. Without waiting for his response, I made a silent prayer to the gods, pumped more energy into my legs, and sprinted so fast my parents would have been found.

I didn't really know what was up with the person who planned the city layout and why they thought this kind of twisty-turny fiasco would be okay. But right now, I didn't care. I was too busy being thankful this existed because it was apparently good for something, after all (in fact… why hadn't I thought of this when Raven was nothing but a creepy stalker?). I took a right when the familiar house with the funky color scheme came into view, ran straight when I saw a small salon that offered ridiculous prices for haircuts, turned left after passing by a police outpost, then right, left, right, and on and on until the sounds of footsteps faded behind us.

But, gods, they were a persistent lot. Even if looking over my shoulder revealed nothing, I knew they weren't too far behind. I could hear their bone-chilling roars.

And Raven, bless him, found a good spot for us to hide in for the meantime. He pulled me into a house that showed all the signs of hasty evacuation: open front door, half-closed cabinets or drawers, and clutter on the floor. After making sure that nothing was going to come jumping out at us from within, we slammed the door shut, barricaded it with a table, and slumped down by the nearby wall to take a breather. Collapsed, in my case. The gasps of breath that escaped our lips were the only noises we heard as we got our breathing back in order and our bodies rested.

We could hear the enraged sounds of the monsters coming closer, but for now… we were safe.

"This night," I said in a very, very soft voice. I was leaning against Raven for support; every part of my body felt like it had melted into jelly. He didn't mind in the least. He was equally exhausted as I was. "Is so messed up, I have no words."

"Agreed." Raven nodded. "Fortunately for us, we're not very far from our destination now."

"…You've been in this part of the city before." I shook my head. "Wait, I shouldn't have been surprised."

"That was you being surprised? It sounds more like you already knew beforehand," he responded in a light tone. Lightening the atmosphere, no doubt. At the tired, but still pointed glare I shot him, he was quick to backtrack. "Still, that was a smart move you did back there. You handle pressure well."

"Barely." I moved away from the man, wiping the sweat off my forehead with my torn sleeve. "But now what? We're essentially trapped here until those freaks have finally gone off to some other part of Ylisstol. We need to get to our destination."

He lowered his head. From what I could see in the darkness of the night, his eyes were seemingly narrowed in deep thought. "There are too many of them for me to handle… and you can't exactly fight, can you?"

"I can cast spells, if that helps," I informed him. Focusing on my magic resources inside me, I tapped into them, concentrated on getting the energy flowing into my hand, and managed to produce a small ball of flame over a hand I spread open. The tingling sensation I felt in my fingertips was something I'd long grown used to. When I closed my hand, the flames were dispelled and with it, the faint source of light I'd provided. Raven's eyes were on me the entire time. "But without anything to amplify it tenfold, the most I can do right now are party tricks."

"Like a tome?"

"Rather old-fashioned, but yes," I said.

Magic tomes that enabled mages to perform destructive spells had long since been phased out by the onset of better tools to be used for. Even then, a person these days couldn't exactly cast magic all willy-nilly without some sort of license. There had been too many incidents in the past that resulted to destruction of property or forfeiture of lives due to mishandled spellcasting. It had gotten so bad that the government finally decided to intervene. Or at least, that was the case back in Plegia because a good portion of its population had magic in their blood.

"And can you use one?" Raven proceeded to ask.

"I think so. Application would probably be different, but I think the theory involving the usage of one is the same," I said. At least, if the books I've read on the topic were of any indication. That one I decided not to voice out loud.

Before I knew it, a thick, rather worn book was dropped into my lap. Blinking at this and the energy I could feel emanating from it, I moved my head to stare at Raven.

"I couldn't just carry a sword around the city, as I've been made aware when I first got here. It's not a fond memory," Raven said with a hint of a wry smile. "So I had that on my person instead. I couldn't pull it out quickly enough to save you earlier, so I apologize for the brash treatment I gave you in exchange for your sword."

"Apology accepted. But how did this even pass inspection?"

"I have my ways." Ways that, no doubt, he wasn't going to share with me. I stared at him, he smiled mysteriously, and I decided to let go of the topic.

"Fine, problem solved. But again, now what? Unless we can funnel them in a narrow alleyway or something, we're sitting ducks here—at least for now," I said. "Also, I don't even want to begin asking about your 'portal' once this is all out of the way."

"I suppose that means you're not wholly on board with what I'm planning?"

"Refer to my earlier 'not like I've got a choice but to believe' comment before we did all that running." I said. I stood up, walked towards the window, and carefully peered at the street in front of me to assess our situation. Still the same, ruined street that was hardly any different from the other parts of the city, earthquakes and all. I could see no signs of the animated dead anywhere, but my ears still managed to pick up the sounds they made. "And once I manage to cross through and get sent to the past—unbelievable as that still sounds—what then? How in Naga's name do I even salvage this particular future from the end of the world?"

For once, it seemed that Raven hadn't thought that far. Momentarily, he was at a loss for words. But then he shook his head. "One problem at a time, I suppose. What do you say to dealing with our current problem before we deal with the next one?"

There had to be a solution of sorts because every problem had one, but… he had a point. I nodded grudgingly and backed away from the window. "Alright, I can take that. Once we're there, though, you're helping me out. You got me involved me in this."

He grinned. "That's why I'm here."

I walked back to him and held out my hand for a shake. Realizing what I wanted him to do, Raven chuckled in amusement before pulling himself up and firmly grabbing my hand. We shook on it.

"Why is that, anyway?" I said after we pulled apart. "Who are you?"

Oh, yes, just go Mr. Mysterious on me just like that. I crossed my arms. Seriously, after all that had been happening tonight, I could use a bit more honesty. Especially from someone who suddenly shifted from stalker to some weird kind of mentor. I was rolling with all these twists life was throwing at me like frag grenades the best I could, but some things I just could not stand not knowing.

"Someone with a mission, someone who wants to help set things right. I've only got one shot at this, and I intend not to make any more mistakes," Raven answered. He smiled at me apologetically. "Forgive me for the lack of a straight answer. I'll tell you the truth someday, I promise. But right now… we really have more pressing matters."

I stared at him long and hard before shaking my head and looking away with a sigh. Part of me really wanted to just trust him and be done with it, dealing with the consequences later, but a part of me was still too cautious for its own good. But then the former won over the latter. It wasn't sensible, but nothing tonight was. "Oh, fine. Judging from the lack of any noise now, I think we can finally move on from here."

It was true. The night was silent once more—at least for this part of Ylisstol. If I listened hard enough, though, I could make out the sounds of sirens continuously blaring from afar. Must've been difficult navigation for vehicles with the ruined roads and all. No wonder most people opted to abandon their cars in the middle of the road.

Raven strained his ears to listen for what was lacking, and he nodded in agreement. Reaching for the sword he'd laid down on the floor, he grasped it firmly as I pulled the table away from the door and slowly swung the thing open. And, fingers figuratively crossed, I grabbed onto the frame for support and popped my head out.

Nothing.

I pulled back and turned my head to Raven. "We're clear."

He moved past me, and took the lead once more.

"Then let's get going. The sooner we're out of here, the better."

Raven and I were careful to navigate around the remaining distance left before our destination. Despite aching legs and feet, we moved as quietly and as cautiously as we could, ears sharp, eyes even sharper. We must've been walking for around fifteen minutes when we finally emerged from an alley and into what I knew was the central area of the city, the fenced park making up a good part of it. And it was just as abandoned as all the other parts of the city that we've passed through.

We entered through the creaking gates and turned towards the general direction where the Naga statue would be located. As we walked, I didn't realize until now how eerie this place was without the usual signs of life it exhibited during the day. The swings on the playground nearby absently swung from the light breeze that blew by. There was an abandoned backpack by the seesaw, and on another part of the park, there were a few upturned benches and trash bins. I decided not to follow the trail of blood I'd spotted heading away from a duck-less pond. This place was deader than dead.

It was horrifying how in such a small amount of time that this city had shifted from peaceful to chaotic. I suddenly worried about my family back at home. Were they alright? Safe?

"They'll be okay," Raven said from beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. The corners of his lips quired in reassurance when I curiously turned to him. He must've noticed the concerned look on my face as I tried to soldier on. "And once we fix this issue once and for all, doubly so."

Friggin' 'destined to save the world' crap that suddenly was pushed on me. But I was sinking deeper into the game now. No more backing out.

"I hope it's occurred to you that I'm leaving everything behind for the sake of a better future, cheesy as that sounds," I said in a quiet tone. I casually shrugged off his hand on me. "I'm not going to lie. This is the biggest sacrifice I'm making for something I'm not so sure about. It's ballsy. Very ballsy, and very not me."

"But you're doing it, anyway, and I'm very grateful for that."

"So you say." I left it at that.

Silence once again ensued as we crossed the remaining distance left. Minutes later, we were finally standing in front the statue—right at the spot where I'd first realized that someone had been watching me. Did I just go full circle? It seemed like it.

"Ah, yes, this is the place. I can feel the power in the air," Raven said, nodding to himself. He circled the place, found an appropriate spot, and stood still. "Now, then. Moving on… Naga, we're here."

I was pretty sure that, at that very moment, my suspension of disbelief was being harshly challenged once more. What was happening in front of me was something I'd thought only possible in books, in fiction. I mean, sure, I've read of this happening in the legends, but I'd dismissed that as a more fantastical version of the past events when the other historians had made far more sensible records.

Before the two of us materialized a being that was semi-corporeal, and as it was made more apparent, feminine in physical appearance. Long, green hair, and pointed ears, a gentle face with eyes filled with love, and a long, flowing dress. The exact copy of the statue right beside Raven and I.

Naga.

"We do not have much time," the Divine Dragon said. Her voice had a certain echo to it. Faint as her current form but still dripping with immense power—that was one way to put it. "And so, I will be brief. Hear me: the world, as you know it, stands in the brink of demise. Grima has risen. However, while I do not possess the power to destroy him, this resurrection may yet be prevented." She looked over to me with a meaningful, knowing stare.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but he's already told me the gist of it," I said, pointing to the white-haired man. Raven actually stared at me with jaw-dropping shock. Was he expecting me to, what, just stand there and listen until Naga—an actual deity—finished? I thought the situation too dire that I cut right to the chase. "No need to explain. The more time saved, the better, yes?"

Let it be known that even a divine being like Naga had the capacity to smile a dry one. I was impressed. "Very well, then. But realize this: once you are sent back to that moment in time, you must not fail at all costs. To do so would only ensure this world's plunge into chaos. And soon after, into oblivion."

My heart was rapidly beating as everything I was supposed to be doing sank in, but I managed to nod all the same. I was never going to be sure how I'll even do something so… impossible, but if it meant my home surviving to see a better future? What other choice did I have? "Got it."

"Then I wish you the greatest of luck, child. Your road ahead will be a difficult one, Fellblood." With one last, encouraging smile directed at me, Naga faded into nothingness.

But just as quickly as she disappeared, a shimmering portal came to be in her place, shining white and wide and looking more like a large, complex, magical rune full of lines and shapes. It wasn't a huge, gaping hole of nothingness I'd been expecting. A huge, gaping holes with maybe stars to make it look nicer. But I could feel the magic singing, feel its power wash over me. This was the real deal. I shivered when I tried dipping a finger into it; the portal actually felt pretty ticklish.

Okay, I could do this. Cross the portal, get into the past, and… profit? No, not yet. But just before I could muster the courage to step into something that would lead me to a total unknown, things suddenly went down south.

"Rrraaagh…!"

I whirled around and felt the temperature drop by several degrees as I realized that we were suddenly surrounded. They just appeared out of thin air—no, not out of thin air. They were magically summoned from a rune that appeared and soon faded on the ground. And the monsters, they looked every inch the kind of things that should only linger in a nightmare.

"They can't follow you through the portal," Raven said, brandishing his sword and standing by me protectively. There was nothing but seriousness on his face now as he regarded the monsters around us. Monsters that were one sudden movement away from ripping us to shreds. He gripped his sword so hard, I knew the knuckles hidden by his gloves had turned bone white.

I slowly registered the words he'd said into my mind.

Then it hit me like a truck.

"You idiot. You're not thinking of—" I said, but he cut me off.

"It's the only way to make sure you don't die the moment you've landed somewhere else." He smiled thinly and glanced at me from aside. "Heroic ends do seem to fit me better, don't you think?"

"There's always a plan C," I told him. He shook his head.

"Not this time, no."

"But you've just agreed to—"

"Robin. I know what I've said. But sometimes, deviations happen. Now, I won't hear any more of this," Raven said. "You best get a move on. Don't waste your only weapon on this encounter."

Now I just wanted to smack his tome across his face because it made apparent that it wasn't seeing any use tonight. But…

"Ugh. I'll wait for you on the other side, no matter what you say." I turned to move towards the portal, suddenly feeling ill at what I was about to do. I felt sick to my stomach; despite having eaten nothing this evening, I wanted to throw up. Funny how that worked, me wanting to vomit over the responsibility I suddenly had than all the carnage I've seen earlier.

My movement was apparently all it took before the monsters regained their senses and started running at us with enraged roars. The sudden noise was enough to make me freeze in shock. And after noticing this, Raven shut his eyes and let out the deepest sigh I'd ever heard from a person.

Time seemed to slow the moment he did so. Raven opened his eyes. Frowned as he quickly glanced at the charging undead. Then, he turned to me. A thousand thoughts seemed to flicker across his eyes as he considered my still frame. I could only stare back. And after coming to a decision, he stepped towards me, and…

"Sorry."

And he shoved me into the portal.

The last thing I saw before everything faded into black was a grimly-smiling Raven, the man who turned to face the monsters that would surely haunt my dreams.

A/N: Okaaaaay, not much to say about this chapter, but I sure as hell am glad that I can finally get on to the next portion now. Is that the last of Raven? Maybe, maybe not. You'll just have to see.

Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I know I tend to be busy at times and completely forget to reply to reviews, but I'm glad to hear from you all. I hope this chapter is to everyone's satisfaction!