It had to be less than 30 minutes before Billy dashed into Jack's room at the inn. His chest moved in and out in large oscillations. Sweat dripping on the floor.

"Is everything okay? Where is Ace?"

"Everything...is fine...I...I left him...cooking...at home." Billy leaned over and put his hands on his knees.

"Take a breath man, or this is going to take forever." Billy drew in so much air that Jack was sure he felt a draft. Something big must have happened.

"I think I found some members. After leaving Ace, I went to talk to the inn keeper where the guys were staying. The guys that Ace talked to. I asked him to keep anything that was dropped off to them. He asked if that included food. He says that they always had goods delivered to them. I guess they can't update their ledgers. The delivery happens all random times but it's always after lunch. We can probably scope them out."

Jack was ecstatic. This was perfect. "Billy, you are amazing!" Jack grabbed his shield and his blade, making his way to Stella's room before completely stopping in his tracks. What if they miss them? What if it doesn't work out again? He didn't want to break Stella's heart anymore. He would check this out and find something concrete to bring back for them. He signals to Billy, and they begin running.

***

Jack and Billy sat on a roof a fair distance away. Billy had already checked with the inn keeper to confirm no deliveries were made yet. They should be able to see what happens without being spotted. It wasn't long before their luck paid off. Three guys escorting a pull cart with goods had stopped at the inn. Two stayed outside while one took the goods inside, taking a few trips to clear the cart.

"We should follow them up here. We can see where they go after deliveries."

"I can't use Wind Walk. It would be hard for me to keep up."

"Okay we will be careful on the ground."

The pair try and keep their distance. These three looked way scarier than the hunters. They all had a lean build and stern looks on their faces. They didn't speak to each other, but Jack wasn't sure if he just couldn't hear at this distance. The two that wasn't pulling the cart constantly looked around causing the pair to stop a few times. Tailing them proved extremely difficult since they took as many narrow paths as possible.

Jack broke the corner, but they were gone already. His heart dropped to the ground, and he took off dashing to the next corner. The side of the cart smashed into his face and chest, launching him into the wall. The three stood there, ready and poised. Billy came quickly with his sword drawn.

"They must be the ones that caused trouble earlier," one of the guys uttered with an interested look on his face.

"Tsk. We have to get out of here," another one said while bending down with his hand an inch from the ground. The other two put their palms close to both side walls. Three separate yellow walls formed meeting in the centre. Jack couldn't see anything. He wiped the blood from his mouth and quickly got up.

"I'll chase them. Follow the green trail and get to me as fast as possible," Jack ordered before shooting off without a response from his comrade.

A green trail took him up and over the artificial wall where he looked in the distance for a direction. Can they Wind Walk? Why is there no wisp trail? He felt the air being pushed around him. He glanced back, and his eyes dilated. He threw his shield in front of his face but the red orb burst sending him crashing into the wall. This was real. They were on another level. He peeled off the wall and began to decent to the ground. He wanted to land on his feet, but they didn't seem to respond. This is a strange feeling. It hurts. He still had command of his hands and tucked it onto is chest letting the surface area of the shield disperse as much force as it could.

"You thought we would run away after you found us? We can't let you live now," the cart puller said walking forward. They all had daggers drawn. Only the cart puller dashed forward. Jack spun his right wrist towards the ground and created a giant yellow pillar that took him higher than the building. Way too high. He had to get a handle on his nerves.

"My friend already got away. What are you going to do now?" Jack called down to his opponents. He had gotten back all his feeling, and he was feeling extremely sore.

"He will come back to help. If he decides to go and get back up, then we would already have killed you and be long gone. Either way, you are out of luck kid," one of them called back.

The cart puller was coming straight at him. He definitely seemed like the most proactive. It would be great if he could get him one on one. Jack waited for his attacker. The dagger aimed at his throat. Jumping backwards off the pillar, he kept enough distance from the full stretched blade. He was moving slower than the attacker and the blade would catch up to him soon, but that is what he wanted. He threw his left hand at an angle that allowed the dagger to glance upwards and grabbed onto his shirt. He felt the breeze coming again. He twisted his body dragging his attacker into the line of fire. The erupting red orbs pushed them onto the edge of the nearby roof. The attacker let go an unnerving scream on impact before falling unconscious. Jack laid there for a moment. Deep breath. One of them was down. He could do this.

Standing on the ledge, looking down on them, they continued their barrage of fire blast. The red orbs were a couple feet away from Jack. He had finished adjusting his breathing. Holding it now, he ducked and used Wind Walk to appear directly in front of them. He drove his shield into one of the attackers while spinning, using his gauntlet blade to knock the dagger out of the other attacker's hand. He pushed him back with a front kick and planted the flat of the blade into the back of the opponent that just got hit by the shield. They were tough. Both now standing on opposite sides of him. He kept his guard tight while slowly circling around. It would be better to react right now. The opponent with the dagger attacked as soon as Jack's eyes diverted. The blade edged Jack's shoulder. He had shifted just enough to be on the side of the man who was being carried by a forward momentum. Jack gathered red orbs in his left hand. This distance would require less power. His thoughts interrupted by a sweeping leg from the other opponent. Jack jumped away just in time. He used the red orb he already gathered to launch at them, but they both ran around it. They were quick and coordinated. Punches, kicks, high, low, earth wall, all came at opportune moments. Jack had to keep his guard tight, but he couldn't stop everything. He never got to practice against this level of teamwork. Being reactive wasn't working out. Jack planted his back foot and swung high in the air. He kept with the flow of his swings, not to hurt them but give himself some distance. He just had to find an opening.

"Jack!" Billy called from the end of the alleyway after circling the building. This was the opening he needed. Jack cast a quick red orb with enough force to send the dagger less opponent crashing into the yellow barrier they created.

"The alley! Get to the alley!" the injured one yelled while kneeling on the ground. The other one's eyes lit up. We can't let him get to that alley. Jack rushed but the opponent used Wind Walk to dash forward and over Billy.

"Damnit! Jack, go ahead! I am just going to seal this guy. I'm right behind ya," Billy said while crossing paths with a sprinting Jack.

"There is one on the roof." Jack was out of sight.

"How? Ugh, I really have to learn to Wind Walk," Billy mumbled under his breath.

Jack felt his breath get shorter. His arms and legs were heavy. He clearly overdid it with the earth pillar. Using Wind Walk to catch up feels like it would be a bad decision. What if he got close and the opponent dashed ahead again? He would be less likely to use mimics. It's better he stores what he has and brace for whatever is in the alley.

Jack was thankful that his speed allowed him to keep on the trail naturally before it faded. The man ahead turned the corner into an alley. This was it. He slowed down to make sure it wasn't a trap. He stood facing the path and saw the man walked into a dead end. Jack inched forward. The man just stared at him. This was not a good feeling. Jack glanced up and around. Was it an ambush? No signs of anyone on the roof. He came this far. Their lead is right there. He dashed forward.

"Stop him!" the man yelled. Jack stopped in his tracks. A small person jumped into view from behind his target. They were hidden behind a cloak, with the only visible appendage being the person's hand that held onto a staff of dark wisps attached to a scythe. This was Jack's first time seeing a dark wisp user, but he had no time to admire because they were quick. The top of the scythe drove straight into his shield protecting his chest. Jack's feet slid a little on the ground. The feeling of the impact was still on his arm, but the scythe was already heading down at him. This time he wedged his blade to the corner of the scythe blade and handle. The cloaked fighter pulled forward freeing their weapon.

They twirled the blade around them. Their footwork must be amazing under that cloak because they effortlessly closed the gap they needed. Jack could only block. The scythe changing directions and digging into his shield and blade every chance it got. He had to get in closer. He had to get into range. He waited directly until a strike came high and used it to dash close into her reach. The fighter's bottom hand released the handle and casted another dark wisp into Jack's shoulder. He jumped backwards landing on the wall, yelling out in pain. The cloak came closer.

"Jack! Are you okay?" Billy yelled from the start of the alley.

"Run! Get out of here!" His stomach twisted. Billy was moving towards him in slow motion, no everything was slowed down. Jack could feel the sweat on his forehead and every thump of his chest. He could feel how painfully slow his body was moving. The cloaked fighter was moving towards Billy. Jack pushed forward stretching. Reaching. Just a couple of inches. Move! Move please! It was the fastest he ever commanded the wisps. A green blast got to him before the swing of the blade. It wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough.