Kira's feet pounded the pavement as she ran through the crowded streets, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Sapphire, the boy pulling her along, dodged pedestrians and leaped over obstacles with an ease that left Kira struggling to keep up. Sapphire seemed to sense her distress, slowing his pace to match hers, falling behind his other friends. The air was thick with the smells of exotic spices and smoke from the nearby blacksmiths and bakeries.
As they ran, the sounds of the town grew louder - a cacophony of merchants' calls, clanging swords, baked goods, and fancy jewelries. Kira's senses were overwhelmed; her heart raced with every step. She could feel the weight of the guard's pursuit bearing down on them. Sapphire's eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for anything that could throw the guards off their trail.
That's when he saw it - a small fireworks shop to their left. A mischievous glint sparked in his eye, and he shouted to his friends in front of him, "Keep running!" As they passed the shop, Sapphire switched positions with Kira and swiftly grabbed a glowing stick, striking the boxes of fireworks. The shop owner cried out in protest, but Sapphire ignored him, calling out, "Nirro, ignite!" Kira's eyes widened as the boy, Nirro, zipped past her, wove his magic, and unleashed a wall of flames that engulfed the pursuing guard.
The street noise was drowned out by the sudden explosion of colors, sounds, and sparks caused by the fireworks caught amidst the flames. The whole street was purged into chaos.
As the echoes of the explosion faded, the others exclaimed excitedly, but Sapphire just smiled, his ego rising as Kira's admiration shone in her eyes. Nirro caught up, sharing a fist bump with Sapphire's free hand before moving forward to the two other boys in front, who were already showering him with praise.
They cut into another street, jumping, bouncing, and scaling from one rooftop to another, gaining momentum and height.
Their relief was brief, as another guard appeared, and they took off once more. Accelerating their pace, they displayed impressive parkour skills. Sapphire had carried Kira on his back, matching his friends' speed.
Seeing their pursuit increasing their speed, the guard activated his power, releasing ice spikes in hopes of slowing them down. But it was less effective, as the boys used their surroundings to their advantage, dodging the spikes. Some they could not dodge; they met it head-on, countering it.
As they approached a particular building, the boys jumped down and vanished into an alley. But before Sapphire could follow, the guard froze the rooftops, causing Sapphire to miss his jump. He hastily leaped to the next building's roof but lost his footing and his hold on Kira loosened.
Kira felt herself fall, but Sapphire caught her by the hand, her body swinging in the air. "Sapphire, jump down now, unless they will get you!" one of the boys who had jumped down called out, realizing Sapphire had not followed behind. Disagreeing with the boy, Sapphire replied, "No, Kaelor. If I jump now, the guard will get us, worse - he'll know our hideout." Pulling Kira up, he carried her on his back once more. "Go, I will meet up with you guys when I have lost the guard," Sapphire said to Kaelor before taking off again as the guard continued his pursuit. Before Kaelor could protest, Sapphire was gone.
Meanwhile, Sapphire knew he had to divert the guard's attention. With that in mind, he and Kira continued their desperate run. The chase dragged on, with neither side giving up, until the guard secretly released another ice spike.
As if feeling uneasy, Kira turned back to look, only to meet the ice spike directly, her eyes widening in fear. But just as the ice spike was about to pierce her eyeball, it exploded into dust, propelling Sapphire and Kira forward. They screamed, suspended in mid-air, before landing softly in another alley, caught by a clothesline.
The close call left them shaken, and Sapphire knew they couldn't afford to linger. Upon landing, Sapphire and Kira caught their breath. They had to find a secure hiding spot, and fast. Sapphire took Kira to the darkest corner of the alley, hiding with her crouched down. They waited, watching, to see if the guard would follow.