Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck, fuck!!!!!
I sped past buildings with no direction, gripping my bleeding shoulder, tears falling from my face. Where's the inn?! No, I need to find a guard. Where the fuck is my memory when I need it!! How long have I been running? Nevermind. Don't think, just keep running!
After dashing through another street, I threw myself into an alley, slumping onto the ground. I gripped my shoulder tighter, my lungs screaming in my chest as I tried to see through my blurred vision. Stay calm Phuong, you've survived worse, just calm down. I breathed in and out despite my crying lungs, letting my brain work. Spells, I need a stealth spell to hide. Flipping through my memory, I landed on one. It's not that good, but as long as I don't make any noise I shouldn't be caught.
I hugged myself into a ball, chanting the spell under my breath.
"𝕴𝕹𝖁ΙΣ𝕴ΒΛΗ."
I watched my body turn translucent, then completely gone. I slowed down my breathing, trying to hear anyone coming. A little while later, I heard someone running towards this way, and then they stopped at the alley. I turned my head to the person, holding my breath, now being able to see them in the lantern light. It was a woman with dark brown hair tied into a bun, wearing a dirty apron over a blue dress.
Welp, there goes my job.
Jacquin looked into the alley before passing by. I let out a breath, slowly standing up from the ground. I walked out of the alley, watching Jacquin walk away down the street. I waited there as she passed the crossroad and turned the corner down another road, counting the seconds I couldn't see her.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.... 10
I let out a breath from my soul, hands clenching. Then, I walked away, the spell wearing off with each step as I saw my own hands again. As I walked, I felt a weird sting in the back of my head.
The fuck? Seriously brain, now you give me a headache?
I shook my head, taking a few more gulps of good old oxygen as I kept myself walking. God fuck, why does everything have to hurt?! I stared at my shoulder, blood staining my shirt and left hand. The pain wasn't that bad anymore, it still hurt like a bitch though. Suddenly, I heard someone running, and my heart dropped to the floor.
Fuck.
I turned around to see Jacquin running at me with a bloody knife in one hand and something else in the other. She was close, really fucking close. How the fuck can she run that fast, god damn!! I stumbled back as the knife came down at me, and for a second, everything slowed down. And for that second, I was actually pretty calm, and my brain finally did its fucking job. I scrolled through my memory, I held my arms out, and screamed at the top of my lungs.
"Σ𝕳Ι𝕰ΛΔ!!!!"
A purple translucent dome appeared around me, blocking the knife. I took another step back, hands shaking, frantically looking around. Then I saw it. A crack. It was tiny, but it was there. A crack in the shield where the knife landed.
God fucking damn it!
I stepped back, before bolting away, the shield shattering around me. Jacquin chased after me, quickly catching up with me. I'm starting to think she's using hacks, 'cause this ain't fair!
"Γ𝕺Δ-ΣΠ𝕰𝕰𝕯!"
Instantly, I sped up, everything turning into a blurry image. I turned the corner, stopping myself in a random square. I held myself up, panting as sweat ran down my face.
Hey, oxygen. Could you like, not abandon me right now?
I looked back, there was no one. For now. What was she holding back there? I mean, I know the knife was there, but I meant like, the other thing. Was it a compass? Oh shit, did someone make a compass to track me? Since when the fuck did I piss you off dude???
Suddenly, everything blurred, like someone just hit me with a hammer.
"Holy- fucking damn it!!" I cursed, holding my head as I felt it take another swing.
I hit the side of my head a few times, searching around for anyone. If I'm right again, she'll definitely find me soon. I just need to find the station and report this to the guards. They'll arrest her and me and Minh will be safe. If only I could remember where it was. Oh, and thinking about things I forgot about, I should probably get my shoulder checked out. It's kinda weird, it stopped hurting a while ago. I turned my head, checking my shoulder wound to see it already stopped bleeding.
Oh shit. I know I have a kickass immune system, but god damn, I shouldn't be healing this fast. Maybe it has something to do with being Asteria's vassal or whatever. I'm not gonna meet her in a while, but maybe I can like, call her or something? I mean, she's a god, so maybe like a ritual will work? Probably, right?
Then, I heard running again. Oh fuck me, I've just been standing here like an idiot this entire time! Fucking shit! And also, does this woman never skip leg day?! Oh, hey that was actually a good one. Yeah Phuong, keep making jokes like that. Remember, you don't have the time to cry right now. It's all gonna be fine. More running never hurt anyone, you loved running back then.
Yeah... running never hurt anyone.
I turned to where I came from, I think, and saw Jacquin in the distance. Then I looked around, landing on three directions. I have no idea where they go, but fuck it, it's better than staying with someone who wants to kill me.
I dashed to the left, running down an empty street. I didn't find anyone around before. Does everyone have a sleeping curfew or something? Are there really no night shifts for the police?! Hey world, if this is a joke, it's not funny anymore okay??!! I promise I won't be an atheist anymore, just stop trying to kill me, pleeeeaaasee.
I kept myself running, even with my leg screaming at me to stop, I kept going. If I stopped without getting far enough, she'll definitely fold me like a lawn chair and yeet me off to the yard sale for less than a penny. Yeah, fuck that, I'm worth at least two fifty. As I ran, I suddenly heard footsteps not too far from me. I looked back and there was Jacquin with Mr. Knife, and weird compass thingy.
Woman, if you weren't trying to kill me, hard smash, but right now, I'd rather not.
And then, unprovoked, my brain just started hating me. I groaned, my vision blurring for seconds as I saw little white dots fucking around in there. Brain, this is not the time to be fucking me right now!!! I could hear Jacquin getting closer as my legs started to give out.
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!!!
I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!
Just as I felt something cold come near my neck, I screamed, "ℌυρρℑℭ𝔄νε!!!"
Once my foot hit the ground, a shock wave of wind, blowing away everything thing near me. I tripped on my foot, legs giving out as I tumbled to the hard ground. A second later, my head throbbed again, this time feeling like someone was ripping my brain apart. I screamed, holding my head, tears poured down my face.
Fuck that hurts like a bitch! What the fuck?!!
I breathed in and out, uneasy and fast as I shook my head around. Jacquin was on the ground, the spell threw her pretty far. But this woman never skips leg day, so that won't do anything. I'll just fucking run.
I tried to pick myself up, but my legs wouldn't move, my vision started to blur again as another headache smacked me. Fuck you brain. Fucking run damn it!!
I felt my throat close as I choked through my tears and pain, watching as Jacquin got up, blood dripping down her head. Fucking good! You fucking deserve you bitch! But as soon as she stood up, she start running at me, looking fucking pissed.
Ah shit, I take it back, I take it back!!
I scrambled away, looking at my blood-stained hand, before looking at Jacquin. If I get sued, I'll just plead self-defense. Taking a deep breath, I threw out my hand, chanting another spell.
"𝕱𝕴Ρ𝕰-Β𝕬Λ𝕷!"
A ball of red fire manifested in my hand, shooting towards Jacquin point-blank, exploding on impact. I got tossed away by the shockwave, I rolled around for a minute, landing on my back, head facing the place my spell exploded from. A wave of a shittier throb came, more tears falling from my eyes, vision blurring for the third time.
Fuck.
I felt like something was broken in me. Probably bones, most likely my skull. I'm gonna need stitches after this. I blinked my eyes, trying to stay awake as everything started going dark. My body felt hot and cold at the same time, and for a moment, I thought I was somewhere else. Somewhere, where I was lying on a crossroad in a pool of my own blood, Minh lying nearby as I saw the light leave him. People screaming, ambulance sirens in the distance, and a truck completely destroyed by the road.
No. Not again. I don't want to die.
I saw windows lighting up, people coming out of their houses as they shouted. Then I saw a red uniform with someone else running at me. I tried to reach my hand out.
"PHƯƠNG!!!"
Then darkness.
A/N
Hi everyone, how are you doing after this chapter. I hope all the Phương fans liked it, I worked very hard over this week to bring one of my best works of trauma. May I bring suffering to all ;>