The Last Crusader

1

As the clock struck 11:55 pm, there was a quiet but urgent knock at the window. Devlin had been awake already, staring intensely at the obituary of his friend Bren. He had never forgiven himself. The more people told him it wasn't his fault, the guiltier he felt.

Another knock. Whoever it was wouldn't wait long before breaking the glass from frustration.

Devlin stole himself away from his brooding. He arrived at the window leading to the fire escape, opening it up for another young man to slide inside.

"It's cold AF tonight, man. You got me waiting." The other young man wore a white and black mask with a matching sweater and sweatpants.

Devlin held his red and gold mask tightly in his hand. Bren's obituary was hidden in the other hand, along with the tears he buried in his chest. Devlin pulled on the mask, pushing his friend aside and climbing outside. Not before tossing the obituary aside as discretely as possible. The window would be their doorway back.

"You good man?" his friend pressed.

Devlin nodded, knowing exactly where they would be going tonight. He blamed himself, but if he was going to endure his guilt. Others needed to face the same justice. They would have to live with Bren's death as much as he had to process it.

Just another dead kid in a mask, they say.

Another dead kid in Exigo.

Didn't your parents tell you to go to bed?

It was your fault.

Don't you have school in the morning?

It was your fault.

Devlin hadn't much to say as they ran. They climbed to the top of the building. His friend jumped in place, stretching out as Devlin looked over the edge. As comfortable as he had gotten. The height never felt the same after watching Bren fall to their death. It's alright. It would all be figured out soon. Everyone will face justice soon. At least he had help.

"Ready?" His friend had Devlin's back, receiving only a curt nod, "You sure?"

Devlin took off running. As he got to the edge, he leaped up, squatting down like a loading spring. Devlin launches into the night sky, outstretching his arms as if flying. He was tucking his head and rolling along his shoulders to spring onto his feet, practically flying to the next rooftop. He looked back to see his friend right on his heels. The pair rushed up, sprinting across the rooftops and then vaulting to the next building. It felt lonely without Bren by their side. They wouldn't be the only ones missing friends tonight.

The two stopped on a rooftop, suddenly catching all of Devlin's attention as he fled the roof and hopped onto a fire escape. He stood on the railing, then jumped across the alleyway to the next building's fire escape rushing down to the 3rd floor as a man possessed.

"We're here." Devlin determined, sniffing the air to the pungent odor of crack cooking from the open window.

"You sure?" his friend insists.

Devlin tosses himself inside the open window. He wraps his legs around the unsuspecting man's neck. Devlin's hurricana threw the man to the floor. Devlin nipped up to his feet, pouncing on the man. Unaware of the other men in the room reacting to rescue their friend. Devlin's friend came right in the nick of time, chop-blocking the third enemy, forcing them all to trip over the mound of bodies. The two boys were on their asses in no time: Stomping and punching the men in army fatigues relentlessly until one remained conscious.

He crawled away from the boy slowly.

"What should we do with him?" Devlin's friend asked.

"Throw him off the roof." Devlin had already decided long before they arrived.