The Forgotten Masters (Return to Dark Island)

Chapter 12: Does anyone have some rope?

Kai leaps up out of his chair.  "YOU!!!"

A young man walks towards him.  His long, wavy black hair frames a smug face.  "Found you before nightfall.  My brother owes me a new phone."  He laughs, seemingly unconcerned  with the fact that he's vastly outnumbered.

"Who's this clown?"  Rhea mutters.

Ava immediately steps in front of Emily, shielding her.  "Acronix, I presume?"  She asks warily.

He glances at Ava, and his eyes momentarily widen before he smirks at her.  "Of course I am.  What have these guys been telling you about me, hmm?"

"Nothing that I didn't already read in the Museum, creep."

Acronix huffs and pouts at her.  "That's disappointing, and not very nice, either.  Are you always this rude to strangers?"

Ava scoffs.  "I don't like your ridiculously cocky attitude.  Deal with it."

Acronix rolls his eyes dramatically and turns to Lloyd.  "You have something of mine.  I want it back."

Lloyd feigns confusion.  "I have no idea what you're talking about.  By the way, you're looking rather young these days, Acronix.  I guess that Reversal Blade really packed a punch, didn't it?"

Acronix grins and flexes his arm.  "I haven't felt this good in years.  But back to the point.  Where is the last Time Blade?"

Lloyd shrugs.  "I honestly don't know, I wasn't paying attention.  But I'm sure it's somewhere."

Acronix purses his lips.  "I see..."  He pulls out a Blade of his own and aims it at your gathering.

Emily squeaks and moves from behind Ava.  

"Em, no!  He can't have it!!!"

Emily gives Ava a pained look.  As the girl hesitates, Acronix grabs her.  "Well, well, well.  You were in the Museum earlier, weren't you?"  He tightens his grip on her and digs the very tip of his Blade into her neck.

Ava stiffens beside you, and her irises quickly shift into blue as her breathing speeds up.  "..Perhaps you were the reason that I lost the last Time Blade, were you not?"  He squeezes her even harder, and she cries out in pain.

Rhea counts down under her breath.  "Three..  Two..  One.."  

"That's it!!!"  You see the glint of rage in Ava's eyes as she yells out.  She raises her hand, snaps her fingers, and then the room is suddenly plunged into a deep and inky blackness.

You hear an unearthly roar, running footsteps, a thump, and a howl of agony as something heavy hits the floor.

Ava's voice then rings out calmly.  "Lights, please, Em."

Emily murmurs compliance, and the restaurant is illuminated by a softly glowing ball of light.

Ava has Acronix's arms pinned behind his back as he moans in pain on the floor.

"What'd you do to him?!!"  Cole gasps.

Rhea smirks.  "I bet I know..."

Ava wriggles her eyebrows in a rare gesture of humor.  "I crotch-kicked him.  Nice move, huh?"  She pauses and readjusts her hold on Acronix as she addresses him.  "It's a shame that you can't see in the dark like I can, isn't it?"  She quickly twists his wrist, and he drops the Blade with a grunt.

Ava looks up.  "..Does anyone have some rope?"

497 words.