The next morning was worse.
Not because of the beast.
But because gangs held grudges longer than hunger did.
They were cornered in a narrow corridor between two collapsed structures. The walls were too close, the path too thin. No room to maneuver. No room to run.
The Frostwalkers had come prepared.
Five of them. Armed with broken pipes, a chain, and a sawed-off spear shaft.
Lux flinched instantly. Varik rolled his shoulders, already calculating escape angles. Gavin's face hardened into something that wasn't anger, but resignation.
He'd expected this.
Just not so soon.
"Well look at that," Bulag said. "Our favorite trio."
Gavin stepped forward, jaw tight. "We're not doing this." "Aren't you tired Bulag, let it end or one of us is going to die and I assure you it won't be any of us."
"Oh, we are, that's why we're ending it here and now," Bulag said. "We run these slums so we can't tolerate disrespect from anyone, or else people will think we're weak and the boss doesn't like weakness."
"Be happy we're just gonna kill you here and not parade your defiled bodies through the streets" Bulag said with arrogance.
Varik smirked. "Oh wow, you'd really do that for us lowly curs?" "Sir Bulag your kindness truly knows no bounds."
"Kill him first and cut out that sharp tongue of his," Bulag snapped.
Two gang members lunged.
Varik moved fast, faster than most people expected from someone half-fed. He ducked under the first strike and slammed his head into the attacker's chin, then pivoted and slashed at the second one's thigh. Blood sprayed across the wall.
Gavin intercepted another attacker, blocking a metal pipe with his forearm. Pain shot through him, but he ignored it and drove his elbow into the man's throat. The attacker gagged and fell to his knees.
Gavin followed up with a brutal knee to the face.
But five-on-three is never fair. Especially when cornered an all five had weapons.
Gulag swung the chain at Gavin, wrapping it around his wrist and yanking him forward into a punch to the ribs. Gavin gasped, barely keeping his footing, he felt the air leaving his lungs then fell to his knee.
He got snuck from behind and hit over the head by a rusty metal pipe and finally fell.
Bulag and the other Frost walker began violently beating on his already battered body.
Varik got grabbed from behind,arms pinned. He struggled violently, twisting, biting, kicking, anything to break free. Another Frostwalker punched him in the gut, over and over until he puked.
The last attacker rushed Lux.
Lux backed away until his spine hit the wall.
"You're the freak," the attacker sneered.
"I won't kill you, I bet we can get a good bag if we sell you off to the right buyer."
He raised the spear shaft
Dodged and tried to attack with the budded shiv he had stored away but the man was taller, stronger and older than him.
The man easily sidestepped the shiv only getting nicked in the cheek.
"You fucking brat, change of plans, I'm gonna torture you until you till your bones bleed you little shit," The man snickered.
Lux tried to stab the man again but he used the shaft of the spear to hit the shiv out of his hands.
The man struck Lux in the stomach then grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up and whispered in his ear.
"Before we do all that though, we're gonna kill your friends to send a message and you get the front row seat."
Lux struggled to escape the man's grip.
"Stop don't hurt them—" Lux struggled
Then—
A wave of heat erupted. It was violent and overwhelming.
A wave of shimmering air blasted outward, knocking the attacker back hard enough to bounce off a metal beam. The Frostwalker dropped instantly, unconscious.
Lux collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest.
But the warmth didn't fade.
It intensified.
Steam rose from Lux's hands. His breath glowed. His eyes shimmered with faint, pale-gold rings.
"Gavin—" he rasped, terrified. "Help me—"
Gavin forced his arms free from the chain, and shot up in a moment of power and overpowered his attackers, ignoring the flare of pain, and ran toward Lux.
But Bulag intercepted him, slamming him into the wall. Gavin hit hard enough to see sparks. Pain tore through his back.
Varik roared, breaking free of the man holding him while the one beating him was distracted. He struck his captive in the face with the back of his head breaking his nose.
Before the other attacker register what happened Varik sunk the shiv directly into the side of his neck and tackled him to the ground.
The man began flailing his arms and body trying to get the boy off of him.
But Varik stabbed him
Again and again and again and again and again
With each stab all the frustration building up in Varik poured out.
"STOP TRYING TO GET IN OUR WAY," Varik roared in fury and release.
Then finally the man's body grew limp and colder then the light faded from his eyes and Variks eyes became more luminated.