Page 168 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

One by-product of zantrax is that its users are highly sensitive to spiritual energy since it’s the only thing they seek once the addiction has sunk its claws into them.

He takes a step forward, and my fears suddenly materialize.

He must sense the energy of the pin, or he might even be able to sense the shadow of energy I still emit.

“Run!” I shout to Mine.

But it’s too late.

Without hesitation, the man locks his crazed gaze on us. He charges forward, heedless of the militia still lingering in the background or the innocent bystanders caught in his path. His sole focus is on me, his next source of energy. His eyes are wide and wild, dilated and unfocused as they search for their target. Blood, tainted with zantrax, oozes from his nose in a dark purple stream. Just as he prepares to pounce, Mine quickly shoves measide, taking the brunt of the man’s attack himself. A blur of motion and chaos ensues as they collide in a desperate struggle for power.

“No!” I scream.

He’s human. He can get injured. And here we won’t be able to find medical help if that happens.

The man attempts to release another energy burst, but Mine is quicker. He realizes that he uses his mouth to release the energy so he covers it with his hand while he brings his knee up and hits him in the stomach. Gripping his nape, he yanks his head backward, releasing his hold on the mouth at the same time the man unleashes the blow of energy. It flies into the sky, not injuring anyone.

The soldiers moan in pain, but they attempt to regroup and grab the man. Yet instead of falling, the man once more turns to stare at me.

He takes a step forward, but Mine grabs him again, this time putting pressure on his neck in an attempt to immobilize him.

It works—for a second. Another wave of energy rolls off him, the force once more pushing everyone in his vicinity back.

I fall backward and onto my back.

He can’t control it, I realize. He can fire blows with his mouth, but he cannot control the pure energy that’s dripping from him. Goodness, but how much zantrax did he consume to get to this level?

Mine stumbles back, but he manages to keep upright. His eyes widen as he sees the man advance toward me, now only a couple of steps away.

I push my hand in my pocket, searching for the pin in an attempt to fight him off. But Mine is quicker. He glances back at the soldiers and, rushing toward the one closest to him, he snatches the sword from his scabbard, and with an unusual speed, he charges at the addict.

The sword swishes in the air. One cut in the middle of his body. There’s such precision in the blow, such force, that the man is cut into two. The upper part tumbles onto the ground, his blood a mix of blue, red and purple from the amount of zantrax in his system.

I stare at Mine in disbelief.

Did he just… cut him in half?

He rushes to my side, his hand reaching out to help me up. I am a little disoriented by the chaos around us, and it takes a moment for me to realize that most of the crowd has scattered at the sight of the militia. Their arrival has sparked fear and panic among the people.

“We need to make a run for it. Now,” I tell him as I note the soldiers set their sights on us.

We take off running, the sound of our footsteps echoing loudly in my ears. The soldiers are close behind, their weapons drawn and ready to fire. My heart races as we weave through the chaotic streets, trying to evade capture.

Damn it! Mine may have acted heroically by eliminating a zantrax addict who posed a threat to the public, but to the militia, he is just another criminal who dared to kill a civilian and steal a soldier’s sword.

As we near the end of the boulevard, two more soldiers appear in front of us, cutting off our escape route. Three more approach from behind.

“Damn it!” I curse under my breath. “This is all your fault,” I grumble at Mine, giving him a harsh stare.

“Me? What did I do?” he asks innocently, a mischievous smile pulling at his lips. “I saved you, didn’t I? I think I deserve a kiss for my chivalrous behavior and?—”

Before he can finish his sentence, I kick him in the shin.

“And now we’re caught,” I say exasperatedly. “Exactly what we needed to avoid.”

The soldiers surround us, their weapons aimed at us in case we try to resist arrest.

“So what’s going to happen?” Mine asks curiously, not seeming too concerned about our dire situation.

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