Tales of Arcadia: Mordred's Curse

Part 18

Krel wasn't used to having Cara back yet. He'd been getting up at random hours to work on fixing his tech for two months, so when he woke up at 4 am, he went ahead and got up to go to his lab and double-check his recognition and shutdown program. Krel wasn't used to having Cara back yet. He'd been getting up at random hours to work on fixing his tech for two months, so when he woke up at 4 am, he went ahead and got up to go to his lab and double-check his recognition and shutdown program.

He'd been restless all night- he kept thinking of things he wanted to talk with her about, Stupid Lab Mistakes stories he wanted to tell her...

Not to mention the fact that now he knew she was in love with him. That could have kept him up all on its own.

He walked into his lab, turned on the light, and stopped short.

A cloaked figure was standing at his desk, observing his tech.

Krel pulled his serrator. "Who are you and what are you doing in my house?!"

The figure didn't seem to respond with so much of a word, not even gasp or laugh. They almost seemed completely unbothered altogether.

"Ricky, Lucy, get in here!" Krel called out the door.

The figure's face barely went in Krel's direction as it passed by to head out, its behavior almost seeming like a ghost.

Krel narrowed his eyes and fired the serrator.

His aim wasn't great, but when you're aiming for the center of mass, you're probably gonna hit something.

The figure muttered something in an almost demonic sort of distorted voice, and the laser reflected and nearly hit one of Krel's inventions as he left the room.

Lucy chose this moment to come flying in out of nowhere, Screeching.

Ricky was close behind with a knife.

The figure sent them both flying and conjured an orange fireball in one hand, which he aimed at Krel.

He hadn't walked far enough away to give Krel space to dodge, really, but he managed to move enough that the fire missed his torso.

... mostly.

It engulfed his left shoulders and side.

Krel leaned against the wall for support with a pained yelp. He tried to start moving as he watched the figure simply walk out of the door, but the trauma from the searing burn made it harder to move.

With tears, he eventually got to move towards the door, just to see the phantom was gone.

Ricky and Lucy picked themselves up. "Oh, no- Krel, you need help," Lucy piped up.

"No- yes-- I just-" Krel's voice cracked a bit, "I... I need to tell someone..." He muttered breathlessly as he got to a specific group chat with a shaky hand.

"Get help first, text later," Lucy said firmly, grabbing one of his uninjured arms.

"Who's closest?" Ricky asked.

"The Halls are a couple streets over," Lucy replied, "and Sofia is a nurse."

"To the Hall's," Ricky commented.