Chapter 4

 “Fools!”

Edward threw a glass of red wine at a scarred man and the cowering individuals behind him. The man lowered his head, liquid dripping down his shaggy locks. His eyes focused on the carpeted floor and it took all his effort not to show any visible anger.

“You couldn’t do one simple thing I instructed, could you? How hard is it to capture a little girl!” Spittle flew from Edward’s mouth as he paced back and forth, chest heaving with rage. There was nothing gentlemanly about his demeanor now.

He had planned to come to Everly’s rescue after his henchmen confronted her, but Everly was nowhere to be seen when he had arrived. The men he’d hired had been on their knees wheezing and looking dazed, wiping at their red pepper-covered eyes. Grunting in disgust, he eased their tears away with his magic and turned back toward his hideout.

~ ♧ ~

The sky was dark by the time the henchmen left Edward’s cottage. It was far from town and hidden, perfect for keeping Edward’s shiny reputation intact while he plotted on the side. The cottage was where they usually met Edward and were given their assignments. The leader glanced back, muttering how he would make Edward pay for his humiliation. Luckily, none of the other men heard him. Though they worked together he didn’t trust one hair on any of their bodies. 

The night was dark with no stars to light their pathway, even the moon is hidden behind the clouds. A gust of wind blew through the air causing the thugs to shiver since they are still slightly damp from Edward’s water spell that was dumped on them.

Walking down this gloomy path, feeling the cold from the breezy wind; Spiky Hair clenches his fists as balls of fire surround the group of thugs.

The circle of fireballs instantly light up their dim surroundings. They are instantly enveloped under the warm blanket of the fire. But, instead of letting out a sigh of relief; one of the thugs grabbed Spiky Hair’s sleeve with trembling fingers.

“Bo-boss, Edward said he wants us to walk back in our damp clothes.” The chubby thug said after he gulped.

Spiky Hair glared at him and the chubby thug instantly release his grip.

Spiky Hair gritted his teeth and threw a fireball towards a tree breaking one of its large branches. He walks towards it and grabs the broken branch that fell from the tree.

“Who cares what the two-faced bastard says, I’ve had it with that shitty asshole. I’m flying back with or without his permission!” He said, ready to climb on the branch.

“Bu-but, Boss…”

The other thugs exchanged worried glances as they see Spiky Hair climb on the branch, ready to take off.

However, before he could fly off; darkness loomed over them even the lights from the fireballs got put off.

“Who’s there?!”

All of them immediately have their guard up, their eyes darting around the dark forest. 

But, all they can see is pitch black and all they hear are the whistling of the wind.

They could feel something zooming around them, but they couldn’t see, they don’t know what is out there. With something unknown, the seed of fear began to sprout within them.

Spiky Hair cried, throwing balls of fire all over the place: “Come out and fight! I’m not afraid of you!”

He said sweat drip down from his forehead, looking around the dark forest. Fire envelops his fist, ready to fire at the target whenever he is ready. His group also cast their own spells shooting at the unknown target to no avail.

One by one they all drop to the ground until Spiky Hair is the last one.

Then, the darkness fades away as well as the clouds that block out the light from the moon. The moon regained its freedom, shining brightly at the night sky.

With the dim light from the moon, Spiky Hair finally saw the figure that is attacking them. His eyes widen and his body shakes uncontrollably because under the light, he saw what happened around him.

His group they are all dead. Detached limbs are all over the place, blood splatted around dying the earth and the forest red. He is standing in the middle in a pool of blood. Seeing the frightening scene, he couldn’t help but bend over and throw up.

After he almost vomited his guts out, he pants heavily standing up. His legs are trembling, he looked at the angelic-looking boy a few feet away from him. Spiky Hair felt like his blood went cold.

He felt like he is facing the devil himself.

The angelic-looking boy took slow steps forward with his black feathered wings spreading behind him, his blood-red eyes are looking directly at Spiky Hair. Dark magic crackled around him as he bared his fangs.

Spiky Hair tried to plea, he tried to beg but no voice came out is like someone is strangling him, he feels like he is choking. He couldn’t move, tears flow down his cheeks as he trembles like an autumn leaf.

The boy zoomed over with dark magic crackling around him and then, Spiky Hair felt like he is flying. The room seemed to be spinning, then he saw a beheaded body that looks awfully familiar as if it was his body.

Pluto briefly glances over the scene around him, his expression remained stoic, not influence by the horrifying surrounding at all.

He coldly took one more look before he shoots a wave of dark magic over, in merely a few seconds the corpses and the blood that stained the forest was nowhere to be seen.

The bat that he sent out to scout for him came back to report about its findings, that’s when Pluto knew that this is all a plan that Edward set up for Everly. He just happened to be unlucky to pass by that alleyway.

However, they are not innocent.

He swore to himself that he wouldn't let those who caused misery to him went by without any harm, he won't let them off that easily anymore.