The word cut through the alley's chaos, a deep, assertive voice, steady and unyielding, echoing from the light beyond.
Her eyes fluttered open, drawn to the source.
A figure emerged from the glow at the mouth of the alley, gradually taking shape through the heavy fog with each heavy step.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Each strike of the boots against concrete reverberated ominously, the sound rippling through the space and freezing her attackers in place.
As the figure drew closer, one of the men broke from the group, trying to summon some semblance of bravado.
"Hey. If you know what's good for ya…!" His voice cracked, confidence wilting as he took in the sheer size of the newcomer.
'Holy shit, this dude's massive,' he realized, craning his neck to make out the man's shadowed features beneath the dim light; with the harsh rain dripping on his eyes - obstructing his vision even more so.
"D-Don't get any funny ideas, buddy! We're six, you're just one! Walk away, or we'll mess you up!" he blustered, though fear laced his voice, betraying him.
The woman's eyes widened in disbelief.
'Ma...? Are you seeing this...?' She thought, starting to sigh of relief. Yet that sigh was cut short as she shook her head.
'This ain't some fantasy tale! This guy's in trouble if he's not out of her!!' She clenched her eyes, suppressing the hope that swelled in her chest.
"W-whoever you are, run! Call the police or something!" she cried out, desperation thick in her voice as she remained pinned against the cold, rain-slicked wall. "It's too dangerous—they're too many!"
The tall and imposing figure, without a word, examined the man who had dared to confront him. The uncertainty in his voice, the tension in his posture, and the way the rest of the group halted their assault to witness the confrontation.
"Like I said, buddy... Six of us... One of you..." The scum murmured as he looked at the big man.
With a breath that seemed to draw the night around him, he uttered in a rough, commanding tone, yet imbued with an eerie calm,
"5."
"The fuck are you—" The man started, but was cut short as a massive hand collided with his temple at a blinding speed, hurling his body against the wall of a nearby building. The impact was brutal; his blood painted the bricks, consciousness slipping away before his body even slid to the ground.
A collective gasp filled the alley, and the towering figure advanced towards the group once more, his presence now a clear and present danger to the assailants.
Her eyes widened, a shimmer of shock and budding hope reflecting in them as she beheld the formidable strength of the stranger.
"FUCK!! WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY!?" one of the assailants barked in panic. Abruptly, they shoved her aside, their attention snapping to the advancing figure as they braced themselves for confrontation.
"Agh!" she cried out as her body met the grimy, soaked pavement.
Struggling to her knees, she watched the assailants regroup to face the enigmatic savior, noting the assortment of crude weapons clutched in their hands; Metal pipes and bats alike.
He was strong.
But once more, she reminded herself that this isn't some story about a hero. In this city, nothing good ever happens getting involved with types like those.
Once more, she suppressed that hope of hers with a clench of teeth - shutting that knowing and warm smile of her mother at the corner of her mind and shouted,
"H-HEY!! DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME!?!! Get out of here and call for HELP!!" she screamed, her voice laced with urgency.
"Shut your mouth, bitch! After we're finished with Mr. Hero here, you're next!" one spat venomously, their focus narrowing back on the lone figure.
"Don't think you can protect yourself after pulling this shit!" he shouted at the figure.
'Damn it… He's all alone! He's going to get himself killed because of me… No!' She looked away, eyes squeezed shut in frustration.
His voice boomed through the gloom, snapping her attention back to the man.
"That's assuming you'll even get the chance to be 'finished' with me," the stranger retorted, his stride steady, voice laced with an unsettling confidence.
'He's… not even slightly scared! Who is he…?' Awe crept into her thoughts.
"You've seen what I can do. You think those pathetic makeshift weapons give you a chance? Stand down—unless you want me to move beyond merely 'defending myself' and bringing you in."
'Bringing you in…? Defend himself…?' Her mind spun, piecing together the implications.
'That's the kind of talk you'd hear when someone wants to cover their ass in court before a fight…'
'He must be a cop!'
"Shit, are you a cop?!" one of the assailants shouted, reaching the same conclusion.
"Who cares if he is?!" another rebuked, defiance swelling in his voice. "He just laid out Darko! Badge or no badge, we're not backing down from this bastard!!"
"I don't give a damn about your badge, pig," another chimed in, their tone dripping with contempt. "Thinking you can take on 5 of us, all armed, all by yourself... You're signing your own death warrant, asshole!"
The enigmatic man exhaled, a hint of lament in his voice as he observed their unwavering stance, their weapons still poised for conflict. "Honestly... The times..."
"They've certainly grown more forgiving," he mused.
The woman noticed her pepper spray lying nearby. Seizing the moment, she took advantage of their confusion and reached for it.
"What!?" one of the assailants barked, his aggressive stance wavering in confusion.
"Never mind. Just try not to scream—you wouldn't want to disturb the neighbors," the stranger murmured, his tone unnervingly calm. In the dim light, the woman caught a glimpse of his face; his eye were lifeless and hollow, as if all light had been drained from them, leaving a vacant shell.
The assailants felt a chill as they met his gaze—the eye of a killer, they realized; that one shut eye and that scar on his nose... He was no stranger to battle.
But she… she saw something else. Her expression softened as she took in the emptiness within his stare.
'He... Seems really sad… I wonder what happened?' she wondered, her gaze softening even more.
"Scream..!!? You're out of your—"
While they were preoccupied with his words, he suddenly vanished the short distance to one of them, moving so swiftly it seemed akin to teleportation. In a fluid motion, he twisted the man's arm, audibly snapping it.
The remaining attackers barely had time to register the move. One swung his bat towards the enigmatic figure.
"Fucker..!!" He cried as he swung the bat with full force. The figure's pupils didn't even need to register the bat-swinging assailant as he used the other injured assailant's body as a shield, absorbing the impact before hurling him into the bat-wielder, effectively incapacitating both.
Another assailant, fueled by desperation, screamed, "DIE!!!" and lunged forward, knife aimed at the man's side. With astonishing reflexes, the mysterious figure pivoted, catching the blade between his palms.
"What?! In his hand..!? You fucking stupid!!? This ain't a movie...! I'll cut your fingers off..!—" the attacker shouted with resolve, only to realize he couldn't move the knife; like the blade was stuck between two metal slabs as he caught it with his palm, "Fuck, HOW—" before he could finish his sentence, he was yanked forward and met with a devastating punch to the face, rendering him unconscious before he could process the pain.
The last of the group, armed with a metal pipe, stood frozen, a battle waging within him between the instincts of fight or flight. Meanwhile, the enigmatic figure, now revealed to be a police officer, advanced with an imposing calm.
"Surrender now. Your ecstatic friends are incapacitated. Let's not escalate this further," The man advised, his tone firm yet devoid of malice.
Yet, the fifth assailant, still reeling from the earlier pepper spray attack, with eyes reddened and nose running, attempted a stealthy approach from behind, clutching a pocket knife with intentions of a lethal strike..
"This shitty luck of mine these days...!!" he muttered under his breath, a mix of desperation and rage simmering within.
"Time to end this...!" he hissed, lunging forward with the knife aimed at the stranger's back,
"Die...!!"
...Only to be halted by a sudden burst of pepper spray to his face.
"Not on my watch!" the woman roared, discharging the last of her pepper spray into his eyes. She had silently maneuvered behind him, seizing the moment when he thought himself unseen.
"AAAAH, FUCK!!! MY EYES..!! Not again...!!" he shrieked, writhing on the ground in torment, his plans thwarted once again, drawing the stranger's gaze.
Seizing the diversion, the remaining assailant with the pipe found his moment of courage, swinging with all his might at the stranger's back.
"Behind you!" she screamed.
"GOTCHA, YOU FUCKER!!!" the assailant exclaimed, a twisted satisfaction in his voice as the pipe made contact.
Yet, the anticipated outcome unraveled not as he envisioned. The stranger stood unshaken, the impact seemingly inconsequential against his formidable, wide and muscular back; hidden by a thick leather jacket.
Turning back to the remaining assailant, the stranger found him visibly shaking.
"I-It wasn't my idea, I swear... Please, I'm sorry!" he stammered, his grip on the metal pipe betraying his fear as the stranger loomed over him. In a panic, he squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for a blow that seemed inevitable.
Silence hung in the air for a moment before the stranger reached out, his hand closing around the pipe with a firm but measured grip, prying it from the assailant's grasp.
Feeling the unexpected restraint, the assailant dared to peek, only to meet the stranger's gaze just as a swift, decisive punch landed. The world went dark for him as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"S-strong...!" the girl murmured to herself, watching as the stranger retrieved his communication radio from inside his jacket.
"10-78. Dispatch, Officer Dust here, Badge number 00012. I got a 10-15 here with code 220. Situation is contained, assailants neutralized. Got an injured civilian here, 10-52. Requesting backup at Highlands Blvd, 462. Over." He calmly stated into the radio.
"Dispatch here. 10-4, Officer. Backup is on the way. Standby for debriefing and assessment. Over and out." The voice called from the radio.
"Uhm... Excuse me, Officer?" She mumbled. Her hesitant voice broke the short silence, drawing the officer's attention.
"Yeah?" He responded, his demeanor calm as he turned to face the woman civilian.
"Ah... Are you... Oka—" She started, but was abruptly cut off.
"C..." His voice faltered, a mix of surprise and recognition coloring his tone. "Caska...?" He blurted out, his eye widening at the sight of the woman before him. Her tanned skin, short brown hair, and deep, piercing eyes resembling the Caska he once knew over 1,500 years ago.
"Who...? My name is Castella," she corrected him gently, a hint of confusion in her voice at the unexpected recognition.