My acceleration seemed almost leisurely as I tumbled through the air, and my mind raced with anticipation of what I would feel when I eventually landed. When I landed, I felt as if almost all the bones in my body had shattered. The white-hot agony of broken bones and bruises overwhelmed my senses, and for a moment, I thought death had come for me, an ironic consequence of wishing for it many times before. Today was not one of those days.
I lay there, my body limp and motionless, the sounds of the city assaulting my ears. Loud cars passed by, engines roaring like dragons, and the clatter of the evening traffic bustling about its business seemed to ring in my throbbing head. The chill of the sidewalk that seeped through my clothes as I lay on the concrete stunned my aching body.
Heavy and numb, I couldn't move my limbs. Squinting through the haze of dizziness, blood trickled down my forehead into my eyes. Anxiety seized me as the distant sound of harsh voices drew closer. I silently begged my muscles to respond. Willing myself into a sitting position, with immense effort, I sprang up onto unsteady feet. Despite the pain in my head, I forced myself to stand tall, determined to fight for my life.
My hands trembling, I scooped up a handful of coarse black salt that had spilled from my hip bag. I mixed it with my blood and drew a wide protection circle on the ground as I muttered an incantation.
The attackers seemed to sense what I was doing; they grew more aggressive with each word I muttered, their energy flickering violently, trying to wash away my feeble defenses. With a desperate yell, I unleashed the magic I had conjured, and an immense surge of light saturated the air. A powerful force pushed the attackers back, though not as far as I'd hoped; clearly, this body of mine needed to be stronger to make much difference in a fight. I was too weak to do any real damage. Focusing on getting stronger would be my top priority if I survived and wanted to avoid becoming prey again.
The men’s heavy boots pounded the ground with each step as though eager to reach their target. I darted from face to face, searching for a way to take them out quickly, but I found nothing. They didn't show a hint of fluster and were built like brick buildings surrounding the alley. Their muscles bulged under clothes that stretched over their thick limbs.
A cool gust of wind blew through the alleyway, swirling around us a warning. The streetlamps illuminated their smirks in bright yellow, casting eerie shadows across their faces. Clenching my fists tight, I stiffened my stance, preparing for my last dance in this life. My father's wise words echoed in my mind, and I suddenly remembered his advice—if I needed help, call out for it, and someone would answer. With a renewed sense of courage, I called out despite the mocking laughter of the men ringing in my ears.
I’m determined to battle the evil that plagues our world. I lack any special skills, but I am doing my best. I’m too hurt to move alone, I call on the universe for help in this fight—a guardian angel to give me courage.
With closed eyes, I prayed for help. Despite the chaos closing in around me, I wondered if I was brave enough to continue—strong enough to face this fight without surrender. In a determined voice, I whisper, “Who will be my warrior?”
“I will!”
A celestial voice resonated through the air, filling me with a strange sense of calm despite my frightened and battered state. I spun around, searching for the source, but no one was found. I heard them closing in—their voices cutting through the fog. My hand instinctively gripped tighter around my knife, but an unknown figure appeared from the clouds and swiftly snatched it away. He stepped in front of me to shield me from harm and pushed me aside just as my attackers had reached me.
Who? An angel, perhaps?
The hooded man moved in a blur of black fabric as he launched between me and my attackers. Punches flew, accompanied by grunts and gasps for breath from all opponents. Even in the dim light, I could make out his athletic build, wild determination in his stance, and heroic courage. I was left with my mouth agape as my savior blocked punch after punch, risking his life to protect mine.
Surrendering to my wounds, I stumbled backward. Dazed and unsteady, I could only watch in awe as he spun and leaped through the air with lightning speed. His body moved with poise, slicing through his enemies and striking with deadly accuracy. His weapon glinted in the light, and blood shot up from its impact. It felt like it took forever before the demons were finally defeated and obliterated in a sea of flames.
The aftermath was excruciatingly painful. Seeing innocent people’s lifeless bodies thrown aside after being held captive by demons suffocated me with emptiness. Their vacant eyes stared up at me accusingly. Evil was indeed defeated, but at a terrible cost.
He stood in the dark, his hand shaking as he clutched at a bloody wound on his leg. His grunted breaths were heavy and husky, and a plume of mist floated in the air with each exhalation. I limped closer, desperate to show my gratitude, but he shifted away abruptly as if to hide further in the shadows, avoiding my gaze.
I asked if he wanted help with his wound and waited patiently for his answer, studying his movements in the moon's light. He seemed almost hesitant, debating whether to accept my offer before eventually walking away. I trailed behind him, eager to offer whatever help I could. Rushing off, he rejected my assistance.
As my feet pounded the pavement, chasing after my savior, waves of agony pierced my body. Finally, I dropped to the ground, close to the mangled remains of what were once people. The torturous pain weighed heavily as I considered surrendering and allowing myself to die right there among the bodies. Instead, I gritted my teeth and pushed myself back up again, still dazed but determined. I couldn’t be there when the bodies were found.
As I trudged to my car, the ground slid away beneath my feet. The tiny pulses in my temples had become a full-blown headache, pounding through every inch of me. A lingering presence was near the passenger side door, but I took a chance, assumed it was a human passing by, and ignored it. I was too injured to do anything if it was something more. With every ounce of strength I had left, I dragged myself into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, locking it securely behind me. Heaviness pressed down on my chest. Almost too heavy to move, I slumped back in my seat, and my eyes drooped without realizing it. My vision blinked until I was in a silent sea of nothingness. No sound pierced my ears—all gone, except for one voice.
His voice surprised me, low and gruff as if a worn record playing in the fading night sat beside me. "Why did you do this?" The edge of sadness lingering in his tone pulled me from my trance. A surge of emotion and memories flooded through me as I heard him speak. The shock of hearing his voice again made me forget the throbbing in my head for a moment, yet my face hurt too bad to talk. "You're going to get yourself killed!" His voice's tenderness seemed to drive away the chill from the winter’s air. "You don't like hospitals, so what do I do with you?" Though I tried to respond, my eyes gave way, and his words ebbed away until all I could sense was gentle energy surrounding me again, soothing the ache in my skull until I finally drifted off to sleep.