Chapter 2 - Part 3

[Haiden was now on his back on the cobblestone ground of the alleyway. Pain flared through his back. But it was inconsequential, taking a sharp breath he froze as he felt warm liquid on his thigh, the sound of burbling water was right on top of him. But it wasn't a roof drain. He was mortified.]

In Haiden's attempt to outrun the three thugs in the labyrinthian alleyways of Elo'yn, he had crashed into a man just as he took a sharp turn. The worst part was that the man happened to be taking a piss during that moment resulting in a heavy spray of urine in Haiden's general direction.

"Shit! Sorry!" The man quickly wrestled his cock away in his thick leather pants.

Haiden's mouth gaped in shock, his eyes quickly darting from the man's groin to his face, forming a scowl. Flush faced - from both embarrassment and exasperation - Haiden pinned his eyes on the man's angular face and sharp features, locking eyes with him only for the man to return his scowl with summery sky eyes. It seemed like an eternity of humiliation as he laid there at a loss of words and panting breathless from his run.

The sound of boots on the cobblestone woke him from his stupor, the man had noticed the sound of the approaching thugs as well shifting his attention from the Haiden.

This day keeps getting worse and worse, he thought and mentally groaned.

The thugs still chased after him. He quickly stood up on his shaking legs, leaving his trunk and backpack on the ground. Noticing the hilt of a sword at the man's waist he had two options; either pray his wielding will work this time or beg the man for help so, he made a snap decision seeing how praying hadn't helped in the past. He didn't want to face the guy that just drenched him in his bodily water, but what better alternative did he had.

Haiden rushed to face the man that stood two heads taller than him and swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling his face growing warmer. He couldn't look him in the eye so he just stared at his boots.

"Please, help me!" Haiden begged. "you've got to help me. They're trying to murder me." it wasn't necessarily an exaggeration, he didn't know if they'd just leave him be after taking his belongings, but he'd be damned if he'd give them anything from his precious trunk.

He felt the man's intense gaze on him."Uh...sure." the man nodded, the corners of his upturned lips twitched. Haiden felt relief surge through his body when he heard his low voice agreeing. "But you'll owe me, little guy." the twitch fully formed into a smirk.

"Owe you!? LITTLE GUY!?" Haiden could feel the moldy walls on either side of them spin, dragging him into a sensation of vertigo, he couldn't believe it. The audacity of the man gave him an ounce of courage to look him in the those blue summery sky eyes his legs still shaking from his earlier race. "You just emptied your bladder on me! The least you could do is help a guy out!"

"Services require payment, little guy. You should be thankful I'm even considering helping you out." the man said crossing his arms over his noticeably large chest.

"Now, listen here I –"

"You what?" he interrupted. "You crashed into me, little guy. It's not my fault I just happened to take a leak in the middle of your escape. Which has nothing to do with me." he said accentuating his words by pointing at Haiden. "You want my help, I want something in return. Simple trade, right?"

Haiden pressed his lips together and screamed in his head. If only he could better control his powers, none of this would've happened and he would've just simply dealt with the three idiots with a simple push of his thoughts. But, this wasn't an option now and the time was running out, the footsteps were approaching fast.

"Fine! I'll owe you, just help me, for fuck's sake!" Haiden said just as the three men built like boulders stepped up from behind the corner.

I'm so going to regret this, he thought.

The man moved past Haiden as a barrier between him and the thugs in one fast motion. The thugs eyed them and laughed in triumph.

"Look boys, our lad got 'imself a wee lover." said the one in the middle that could only have been the leader, he looked at the other too to make sure they laugh. The man raised an eyebrow bemused. "Say, pretty boy." he said addressing the man shielding Haiden. "Give us the trunk and all the money both of yous have and we'll think about not hurting you."

"Too badly," one of his lackeys added at the end crossing his arms. They were so thick, and bulged with every movement.

"Shut it, you!" The leader chastised.

"How about...I give you no trunk and no money and you and your brain dead brutes run with your tail between your legs before you regret chasing my little friend over here. What do you say?" he said while reaching for the hilt of his sword. His deep voice tingled Haiden's ears. The leader of the three frowned and grunted in displeasure.

Damn asshole, he may be significantly taller than me but I'm nowhere near little...Am I? Haiden thought. The man he'd just employed to help him was as aggravating as the thugs and this didn't help Haiden's already foul mood.

"Get'em boys!" the leader pointed his chin at them. The man didn't bother getting the sword out of its sheath and hit the two thugs with lighting fast strikes. A fast jab in the throat to the first one that collapsed his airways. He was down fast, squirming. The second one received a shattering blow over the jaw that knocked him down in one sweep motion. They didn't had time to lay one hand on him. The remaining thug took a step back, his face now devoid of blood, white as a sheet.

"So, what do you say, buddy?" he waited for an answer with his sheathed sword in hand. He gave the leader an inquisitive look, to which the thug only murmured something in fear. "Huh? I didn't quite caught that. Better speak up. Are you going to leave my little friend alone?" he insisted between his teeth, accentuating the word 'little'. Haiden had heard that and rolled his eyes. He now wished he had risked dealing with the thugs himself. The thug clenched his jaw and just nodded then turned around and ran back the way he came, sliding and tripping on the mucky wet cobblestone, leaving his friends on the ground grunting in pain. The one who got a blow to the neck was quite vocal for someone who sustained a neck injury.

The man turned to Haiden, pleased with himself. "You're welcome, little guy." His face displaying a smug smile and placed his sword back on his belt. Haiden let that remark slide as he was genuinely impressed with the man.

"Thank you." Haiden sighed in relief.

"Don't thank me just yet." his smile widened even more. "You still owe me, remember?"

"Aye," He said dismissively while picking up his backpack and trunk from the ground. They were damp and smelled of garbage and urine.

Just my luck, indebted to a creep and now my stuff stinks, he thought.

"Tasgal Kay, Ashen cadet at the Academy, at your service, little guy. And you are?"

"Haiden, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop calling me little." He said shortly still busing himself with his moist backpack and damp trunk. "It's not like I'm - wait, did you just say Academy?" Haiden's eyes filled with hope.

"Oh, impressed you, didn't I? Yeah, the Academy only takes the most gifted non-wielders like myself to train as Ashen." Haiden could see his broad muscles flexing under his long winter coat making him roll his eyes so far up his skull that it hurt. He brushed his hand through his hair eyeing Haiden expectantly.

"I ain't going to squeal and fall to my knees in reverence, you dickhead. That's where I need to go!" Haiden said out loud, he couldn't believe the level of arrogance this Tasgal individual had. "But I don't know where it is." he said in a small voice.

"Ouch," Tasgal fanned his hand as if it got burned.

He had to admit that Tasgal displayed real skill just moments ago saving him from the thugs, but his sheer annoyingness overshadowed any shred of skill he had."If you must know I too am a soon to be a member of the Academy. As a wielder, mind you." he continued.

What an arrogant, self-absorbed fellow just like the rest of the people in this city, no matter how handsome he might be, he thought, pausing for a moment in shock. Handsome!? his trail of thought was quickly interrupted by Tasgal.

"If you're a wielder, how come you didn't wield your way out of that mess, huh, little guy? Tasgal taunted in a mocking way.

"'Cause I..." A flare of embarrassment overcame Haiden. He didn't want to admit the truth to this...this stranger.

"Because you what?" Tasgal pressed further raising a thick eyebrow.

"It's none of your damn business." He said and let out a long sigh calming himself. "I don't have any money so I'll have to pay you some other time, but I will do so as soon as I can so we can be done with it and never remember this...this unfortunate incident." Haiden's face quickly turning bright red, remembering the embarrassing incident. Haiden couldn't stop staring at Tasgal's face, it infuriated him even more that he found him attractive, however Haiden was caked in mud and urine, and stank to high heaven. Nothing would deter him from finally getting his bath.

"Who said I want money." Tasgal said smirking.

"What do you want then?" Haiden asked.

"Hmm, I don't know yet. When I think of something I'll come and find you. Shouldn't be that hard as we'll both be at the Academy." Tasgal looked at the goons on the ground, one of them was unconscious and the other held his throat sobbing quite loudly. He then turned his head back as if listening for something. Haiden too could hear footsteps.

"Who goes there!" A voice called.