Lucius clenched his jaw, bewilderment clouding his thoughts. It appeared that Hubert Duval, the Frecitannian with whom he'd clashed earlier, had trailed him. But what was even more troubling, Hubert hadn't come alone. He'd brought along a few friends.
Two students from the Academy were standing on each side of Hubert in the dark alley, appearing suspicious based on their expressions. Lucius squinted to get a better look at their faces, assuming they were Frecitanians, only to find out they were Japanese which had surprised him.
The two boys had squashed faces with prominent features, like large noses and small, beady eyes. Their short stocky frames were almost identical, making it easy to mistake them for twins while their unkempt hair stuck out in all directions.
Hubert wrapped bandages around his body to conceal his injuries, which had worsened from the scuffle earlier. He mentioned, "I've been following you since you left school, but you started behaving erratically and wandered into an alleyway." Then, he reached into his pocket and took out his smartphone. Switching to the camera app, he activated the flash to capture Lucius in the dim alley. "I trust you don't object to me filming you, right?" Hubert taunted Lucius with a sly grin and started recording.
Lucius rose to his feet, his expression twisted in fury. With no escape route in sight, Hubert and his group had sealed off the exit and further down the alley was only a dead end. He couldn't help but observe his surroundings suddenly noticing the repulsiveness of the alleyway. Initially overlooked due to his earlier headache but now this realization now struck him.
The dimly lit path was lined with piles of garbage, emitting a putrid stench that filled the air. Rats scurried around, their beady eyes gleaming in the darkness as they searched for scraps of food. Cockroaches crawled out from crevices, their antennae twitching as they moved swiftly across the ground. The sound of their tiny legs skittering echoed off the walls, creating an eerie symphony of dread. This was a place where danger lurked around every corner, a place where only the brave dared to tread.
Hubert ordered with a gesture if gands, "you kniw what to do boys!" And just like that the two Japanese boy, listening to Hubert like mere sheep started sprinring towards Lucius taking him my suprise. Lucius was already fatigued from gym class in the evenih, there was little he could do.
The two boys, their faces twisted in malicious glee, advanced on Lucius with menacing intent. They taunted him, pushing him against the grimy brick wall of the alleyway. Rats scurried around their feet, cockroaches skittered across the ground and the stench of the overflowing garbage container filled the air.
One of the boys threw a punch, landing a solid hit on Lucius's jaw. Blood dripped from his split lip as he stumbled backwards, trying to fend off the relentless onslaught. The other boy grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall with a brutal force.
Lucius was too weak to fight back and could only watch through a haze of pain and confusion as the boys continued their assault. They kicked and punched him mercilessly, leaving him battered and bruised on the ground. The world spun around him, his vision blurring as he struggled to stay conscious.
Despite the brutal beating, Lucius refused to cower in fear. He couldn't understand why Japanese would work under and side with the Frecitannians. The betrayal only fueled his determination to survive.
Blood trickled down his face, mixing with the dirt and grime of the alleyway. "Are these they foolish?" He pondered unconsciously. "Haven't they heard the news? It's obvious that the Japanese are destined to fall by Frecitannians, yet here these two are working for one..." His vision started to blur into darkness, and even his thoughts grew weary.
"Who gave you permission to lose consciousness already?"
Lucius was jolted from unconsciousness by a sharp pain in his head and the constant clicking of a camera. He struggled to open his eyes, his face appearing distorted and swollen.
His once handsome features were now unrecognizable, a mangled mess of swollen flesh and bruises. His eyes were nearly swollen shut, his nose crooked and bleeding, his lips split and cracked. The skin on his cheeks was a patchwork of purple and red, a stark contrast to his pale complexion.
Hubert was crouched in front of him, holding a knife in his left hand and his phone in his right hand, taking numerous photos of Lucius' battered face. A Japanese boy was holding Lucius' head up by pulling his hair, making sure his face was seen for the camera.
Hubert put his phone back in his pocket and tilted his head in a menacing manner. A smirk appeared on his face, revealing his yellow teeth in the dim light. "Ever since I saw you earlier, I couldn't quite figure out if you were Japanese or Frecitannian," he said casually, twirling the red handle of his knife. Despite its short length, the blade was sharp and pointed. "Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter in the end, does it? I don't know if you think you're some kind of hero, but anyone who dares to make a fool out of me will face consequences," he stated calmly.
Hubert looked at Lucius's eyepatch, which miraculously stayed in place and a thought came to mind, causing him to chuckle slightly. He firmly held his knife and reached out with his other hand to remove the eyepatch, saying, "Let's begin here, shall we?"
Lucius quickly understood the situation unfolding and became agitated. Despite his limited mobility, he attempted to stand up but was held down by the second Japanese boy with his feet. He groaned and tried to speak, but only mumbled words came out due to his swollen mouth.
Lucius could only grimly watch Hubert place his dirty fingers on the eyepatch, a sinister smile on their face as they slowly started to remove it from Lucius' face. However, when the eyepatch was finally taken off, something miraculous occurred.