"Guh-!?" Suddenly, Houston groaned in pain, stumbling a few steps forward.
A sharp object had pierced through his back, causing him to falter with anguish. Houston looked back with shock. There, the perpetrator stood. A little boy, maybe about eleven or twelve, hair black and messy, eyes resembling a black hole and smile like a demon's.
This demonic child was so terribly malnourished and worn out. His eyes and cheeks were sunken in, ribs showing, arms and legs shrivelled to point one wondered how he even walked on them. There were purple bruises and small and large cuts riddled all over his pale skin, as if his body were some kind of canvas, the wounds painting a picture of cruelty and abuse.
The child pushed the blade deeper into Houston's back, twisting it with murderous rage. He stared into the shocked Houston's eyes, eyes expressing only delightful glee.
Houston glared back at the boy, trembling with anger and frustration. "BASTARD!!!" He swore as he swung his arm at the child, hurtling him across the flaming room. The child flew through burning hot flames, burns adding to his canvas of injuries. He hit the wall at high speeds, sliding down with a thud and fortunately fell where there were no flames.
The child curled up like a prawn and stared emotionlessly at his abuser pulling the dagger he had found on the ground out of his back. Blood flowed from his lips and the back of his head, forming a small puddle of blood.
Houston swiftly pulled the dagger out and burnt his wound once again. By the time he did that, the boy had already fainted, perhaps already at death's door. However, feeling pale from blood loss and the throbbing pain in pain, rage and indignation built up inside Houston.
"I've dreamt of this moment for so very long, to watch Kin burn by my flames like the miserable bug he is and you RUINED it for me! This was supposed to be my most glorious moment!" Houston roared at the fainted boy. Tears welled up in his eyes to show how enraged he was.
"I've done so much for you, I clothed you, I fed you, I gave your pathetic life a purpose! And you ruined my stage! You fu*cken backstabbing mutt, Albert!" [A: ...backstabbing, hehe]
Houston turned his back towards Kin and stormed towards the child, intending to teach him a lesson. "YOU'RE RUI-"
Without managing to finish his sentence, the anger blind Houston was mercilessly slain by Kin. While Houston was idiotically going on his tangent, Kin escaped the fire siege and conjured a sharp lance of water. The water lance flew at high speeds, evaporating along the way but still sharp and fast enough to be deadly. The lance stabbed into Houston's back, flying past his ribs and straight through his heart.
Houston fell to the ground, right in front of the boy he terrorised. They both lay on the ground, bleeding out. Houston bled faster, his blood trickling out like an open faucet. He went pale, hands grappling at the floor, wishing to turn around and face his murderer. Alas, he was too weak. Not having suffered for too long, Houston's mortal life finally came to an end.
It was like the world suddenly fell silent. The sound of fighting outside, the flickering flames and intense stench of blood all faded away. Kin stood still staring at Houston's unmoving corpse. Blood was still leaking out of his mutilated neck but all signs of life had already ceased.
Kin reached into his pocket once more and pointed his other hand at Houston. His eyes glowed blue and a water lance shot towards the body. It drilled into Houston's chest, scattering and mixing with the blood once its job was done. Meanwhile, Kin was stuffing himself with sugar tablets and walked pass the dead Houston.
Kin stared at the boy, who had miraculously still clung onto his life. Blood still seeped out of his open wound and his chest fell and rose rapidly. He was in critical condition and would die if he wasn't given treatment.
Before Kin did anything, he felt a strange sensation in his eyes. It was warm and comfortable but unlike anything you'd feel in a normal life. In reaction however, all Kin did was nod, closing his eyes and reopening them again.
When his eyelids parted once more, the way he saw the world changed. It was like his vision was split into two. One was what he saw and the other what was being transmitted to him.
The additional sight depicted that of outside the burning building. From what seemed like a tall tree, the originator of the sight stared out into the distance. There were numerous cars with tinted glass headed straight towards them. It would make sense if they were firetrucks but they were not. They were normal cars racing towards Houston's hideout.
The scene was suddenly zoomed into. Each driver and passenger of the cars were scrutinised even despite the heavily tinted glass. After identifying each individual, the scene zoomed out and showed a piece of paper with the words, [Retreat?] written on them.
Kin nodded and his vision then turned back to normal. He walked to the boy and picked him up in his arms. Kin then stylishly walked out of the blazing building without looking back.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the hideout, Kin's men were still fighting Houston's henchmen. One such member suddenly saw an image of the order, [RETREAT] and called out to his team, "Retreat!"
The men immediately wrapped things up and left the site. Such a scene repeated itself numerous times. Eventually, all teams received the message and focussed on retreating, not even bothering to finish off Houston's remaining men.
The 5 teams of 10 men each met up with Kin in the flower field. They were similarly donned in a black suit and unadorned face mask and looked all the same. However, it was apparent to all that Kin was the leader.
""Boss!"" The men greeted.
"The heroes are coming, leave at once." Kin ordered.
""Yes Boss!""
Kin turned away and left the scene of the crime with the boy in tow. He didn't have to walk for long and found his car and chauffeur waiting for him nearby.
"Head to the hospital." Kin commanded, taking off his mask to reveal a cold yet charming face and getting into the car.
"Yes, Boss."
Just like that, all the villains left before the heroes could even catch a sight of their shadows.