Guardians of The Damned

Chapter 9 - Some Clues

"Where are we going?" I asked, watching as she slipped on a black jacket over a pink hoodie.

"You fought the boy, right? We're going to the place where you last saw him. Maybe he left us some clues," she explained.

"How did you know that?" I eyed her, alarmed and cautious.

"Thanks to my powers, obviously. Come on, let's go." She passed me, heading out the door first, leaving a stranger alone in her apartment.

She's awfully careless, I thought. Is this safe? The concern nagged at me for a moment, but I quickly brushed it aside, taking a slow puff from my vape.

Before leaving, I exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. By the time I stepped outside, she was already gone. I found her crouching down, meowing to a white cat.

The cat responded with a meow of its own, as if understanding her words. I walked over to them, but the cat noticed my presence and fled deeper into the alley, disappearing into the shadows.

"I didn't mean to scare it," I muttered, still watching the cat retreat.

"It's alright," Yin Hee said, standing up with a smile. "So, how are we getting there?"

I took another puff and exhaled, shaping the smoke into a large hoverboard.

"Hop on," I said, mounting the board and looking down at her.

She hesitated, eyeing it uncertainly. "Is this safe?"

It's faster than an average car and lacks any safety features, not like a plane with enclosed space. Wouldn't she just get blown off at high speed?

"Don't worry," I assured her. "It's the safest and fastest transport in the city."

She nodded and, with a little jump, climbed onto the hoverboard. It wobbled briefly before stabilizing.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

With my hands in my pockets, I lifted the hoverboard into the sky. In an instant, we were five kilometers above the ground.

"This is incredible," Yin Hee said, her eyes wide as she took in the breathtaking view of the city below.

"Yeah," I muttered, focused on the path ahead.

It didn't take long to reach our destination. I hovered the board above the ground and landed on a building three stories high. Yin Hee jumped off and began scanning the area.

I watched her, curious to see how she would track him down.

She closed her eyes. Suddenly, an indescribable sensation washed over me, as if someone was peering into my deepest secrets.

Her power? I stiffened, my guard instantly raised.

The feeling lasted only a moment before it faded. She opened her eyes and walked off, picking something up from the ground.

"Did you find anything?" I asked, moving closer.

"Yeah, his hair. I can track him now."

"How can you find him with just a strand of hair?" I frowned.

She did something unexpected—she swallowed the hair. I stared at her, shocked.

"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." She stood up and quickly added, "I've found him. He's in Olympus. We need to hurry, though—my power only reveals his location for a few seconds."

She hopped back onto the hoverboard, and I followed, taking off for Olympus.

As we arrived, it felt like stepping back in time. The streets were lined with buildings from the Victorian to medieval era. Steam trains could be heard in the distance, their thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky as they shrieked down the tracks. The people here wore elegant suits—men in black vests and top hats, women in flowing dresses.

"There, near the bridge!" Yin Hee pointed to a bridge not far ahead.

I flew us over, landing on the roof of a three-story building.

"This is his last known location," she said. "He shouldn't be far."

It would take time to find him, but at least we had a lead. "We should ask the locals if they've seen him," I suggested.

But then I noticed Yin Hee was staring at something behind me. I turned and saw two figures on top of the bridge, engaged in a fight.

"This isn't even the climax yet," I muttered, looking at her with a knowing glance.

She understood immediately. Without another word, we soared to the top of the bridge.

There, the boy stood, a mecha looming behind him, facing off against an office worker. The man was covered in blood, his shirt stained, his hair matted with it.

"Please, spare my life," the office worker begged. "I'm a single father of two... I'm sorry for what happened to your father! Truly, I am!"

"It's too late for apologies," the boy replied, his voice cold. "Even if you're sorry, you can't erase the past. My father did so much for you—what have you done for him in return?"

"I was taken by beasts," the boy continued, his eyes hardening. "I cleaned their mess, did their bidding just to survive, while you lived your happy life with your family. You shared laughs while I... I suffered. So tell me, are you really sorry?"

His killing intent was palpable, and I felt a chill run through me as he stepped closer to the man.

Yin Hee, clearly ready to intervene, started to shout. I quickly covered her mouth, holding her back.

She struggled, then licked my hand. The sensation was oddly ticklish, but I let go of her as she spoke, "If he kills him, he's going to be a monster. Not even you or the whole city will be able to stop him!"

I paused. Her words carried weight, and a strange feeling of certainty settled in my gut. I nodded.

"Let me handle this," I said, slowly approaching the boy.

"Hey, kid!" I called out.

Both the boy and the office worker turned, confusion crossing their faces. The office worker's expression shifted, his relief evident as his eyes locked on me.