As they all watched the mutant shapeshift into human, they had loosened guard on their defense as they couldn't believe that mutants could level up to a special grade and become human. But something was distinct about the mutant. It still had the features of a mutant as well as a bit of human features as well.
It was truly surprising and it was a new theory they all had learnt on the field instead of learning such things in the academy. The mutant finally evolved and gave them all a small smirk.
"Hello, student mages!" The mutant greeted cheerfully.
"Wait a minute!" Alden gasped. "It can…talk?"
Ashton looked sideways at Alden to ask him the question that had suddenly piqued in his mind.
"Can mutants not talk?"
"This is a special grade mutant. We have to confirm its level before we strike!" Aurelia warned, holding out her swords from their sheath.
"How do we check that too?" Ulysses who was also as confused as Ashton was asked with fear strickening his mind as it seems their seniors had never encountered a mutant that could shapeshift into a human.
"The back of its neck will have a symbol drawn on it. That is the only way we can know its level." Marcus explained hurriedly.
"One thing is for sure," Damien began to say, his eyes ferocious as he glared at the mutant. "This mutant is a special grade and it has probably killed the guys from the first group to attain such a great feat!"
"Hello?" The mutant called as he saw they weren't answering his first cheerful greeting. "You all had better be polite if you do not want to end up like your other classmates."
"What a monster!" Alden cursed under his breath as he began to pull out his weapon.
"You do not have to call me 'mutant' as I have been bestowed a holy name from my clan. Ahh what was my name again? Zura!" Zura said. When he had finished talking, he began to cackle loudly and a lot of smoke exhaust puffed out from its mouth as it laughed.
"We have to attack it now!"
"Let's go!"
"Arrrrrr"
Damien and Marcus were the first to charge at Zura and they both jumped in the air at the same time pointing their sharp swords at the mutant. Zura was still cackling loudly and they had thought he had failed to notice their swift attack but they were wrong.
Before their sword blades reached where Zura had been standing, he had looked up for a bit and the moment his eyes came in contact with both boys, they both got frozen in thin air.
"What?!" Ashton exclaimed as they all watched what had unfolded before them. Both Marcus and Damien had been frozen in thin air and they couldn't move a muscle at all. Ashton's gaze trailed back to Zura's within a blink as he heard Zura began to talk again.
"You know not the scope of my power, child." Zura said creepily looking into Ashton's eyes that one would have felt he was staring into the depth of his soul. "You all will die today, just like your pathetic friends!"
He continued as it clenched its first tight and with one single swoosh of its hand, it slammed it against the boys it had suspended in the air, sending them crashing into the cars that were parked recklessly on the street road.
'It is strong.' Ashton thought to himself as he tried to not allow fear creep into his heart but then again the words of Zura were still tingling in his ears. 'I cannot die here! Not now! No..'
"Of course, Zura is strong and it might kill you as well!" Callista suddenly said, interrupting his thoughts.
"Will I die today?" Ashton mumbled but only Callista could hear him speak.
"Maybe!"
*DING!*
[You have received a new quest]
[Survive the raid for five minutes]
[Reward: 50 points]
[Hidden reward: ???]
*DING!*
[You have received a major side quest]
[Defeat the already evolved mutant and collect its soul before it ascends into the soul rector]
[Reward: Instant level up to level two]
[Hidden reward: ???]
"Callista!" Ashton called with a determined voice as he tried his possible best to kick his fear behind him.
"Yes, boy! Need any help?"
"If I survive this mission, you owe me one okay?"
Callista remained silent for a while as she was thinking whether to gamble with Ashton's offer or roll with it. She finally came to a resolve and a small smile spread on her lips.
"Of courses! I will be at your service if you manage to survive this raid."
Without warning, Ashton began to charge at Zura ferociously. As if being timed with Ashton, Ulysses, Aurelia, Alden and Jamil began to run behind him and they all dashed towards Zura.
As they approached him, he let out a sly smile and watched them advance with a look of determination etched on their faces. Again, he made eye contact with all of them and within a blink of an eye, they all stood still, stagnant in the middle of their dash.
'Shit!'
As if Zura was enjoying stalling them in time, he began to walk towards where his new fondlings had stood still and the first person to grasp its attention was Ashton.
"Well, well well," Zura rasped as it began to walk round where Ashton had stood still. He bent itself to match with Ashton's height and sniffed his hair.
'Creep!' Ashton hollered in his thoughts as he couldn't move his mouth to say a word.
"I must confess," Zura began to say as he kept on sniffing Ashton as he walked around him in circles. "You really smell nice…for a scrumptious meal. I'd like to snack you first."
'Callisattaaa! Do something, will you?!'
'"Apparently, you are the only one who possesses the ability to set yourself free."
'How do I do that? I really wanna stay away from this demon!'
Before Callista could give a reply, the freezing attack had faltered, making everyone of them break free from Zura's time hold.
"That is not nice at all!" Alden raged and charged towards Zura again to attack it but Zura was fast enough to deflect Alden's sword move.
Alden fell back behind Zura due to its swift move but he wasn't giving up yet as he got back to his feet and charged at Zura again. His attempt failed again as Zura froze him in time before he could reach him.
"This mutant is one fierce special grade!" Ashton complained to whoever was beside him.
"It has its level mark behind his palm." Aurelia who had been beside Ashton announced. Her eyes darted across where they were staying and she could see both Marcus and Damien were still reeling from the attack.
"You charge first, Ashton. I will come sneaky behind you."
"Eh?" Ashton shrugged. "What if it stops me in time again? It sure isn't a good thing to get frozen in time you know."
"Shut up!" Aurelia shushed. "You alone cannot handle this beast. I stand a chance against it but you, a weakling, cannot even manage a level one mutant yet!"
"Hmph!" Ashton huffed.
"I'm guessing Zura can only freeze us in time if we make eye contact with it. So, watch up for his eyes…make sure you avoid boring your gaze into his."
Ashton nodded and set out to charge, as he was dashing forward at Zura, Jamil and Ulysses also stepped out from behind a car where they had hid to observe Zura's move.
As they dashed towards Zura, it was quick to hear their resounding footsteps which was coming towards him and with a swing of its hand, it sent all of the advancing soldiers into the walls of the building that was nearest to the scene.
Zura only kept Ashton active but still he could not move a muscle.
"Speak!" Zura rasped and its spell began to subside on Ashton's mouth. "I really want to devour you first but I'm guessing you are a new student hence you are not in a high ranked level."
"Argh!"
"Go home to your family boy, when the time comes I will come back for you."
"Well, I have none!" Ashton snapped.
His sudden change in tone seeped a mild anger into Zura's mind and with a snap of its hand, it sent Ashton in the same direction he had thrown Marcus and Damien.
"Are you okay?" Marcus managed to ask as he was already regaining himself from the attack. "Lie low Ashton, I will deal with this beast myself."
Ashton quickly held Marcus down and looked him in the eye firmly like he wanted him to read the words his eyes were screaming out.
"What?" Marcus irked as the stare began to elongate.
"Get a room!" Damien nagged from where he had cascaded
"Zura seems to be having fun playing us around like this…it wants us to lose guard completely before it finishes us off."
"So, what's the point?"
"I have learnt a small secret of his which will be effective for a counter attack against it."
"Tell me!"