The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 14: Time passing. (Part 2)

Ardent Friend:

I rushed to where the police were already on sight. They were in an alley, a man was cuffed and lying on the ground. Aria and another girl beside her were standing with a blanket covering them, drinking something hot.

"Aria!" despite having spoken to her already, seeing her fine brought me no end of relief. "Thank god you're safe."

"Calm down," she smiled softly. "It's fine now."

I couldn't help curse myself for not being there, "Why do all these things keep happening to you?"

"It's because I'm pretty," she joked.

I wrapped her in a hug, "I'm just glad you're safe. Did you call the police? Did they help you?"

The girl beside Aria perked up, "No! Aria did it herself. She punched that man in the throat and threw him to the ground like it was nothing!"

"Really?" I moved back, looking at Aria.

She laughed shyly, "I did say Zen has been teaching me a thing or two."

"Right...." It was one thing to be taught, it was another to do it in practice. Not only that, but Aria seemed completely unfazed, as if it were just another day. Her friend however was more what I pictured she should be. Even now she was shaking, and I could see she had been recently crying. Aria had changed... and seeing the white streak in her black hair only reminded me of that fact. The question was by how much.

"Ardent," a familiar voice called from where the police stood. Agent Wester approached us. "Can I speak with you?"

"Sure, just give me a second. Aria are you really okay?" I asked again.

"Yeah, I actually feel relieved," she replied easily.

"And you?" I looked at her friend. "Sorry I don't know your name. Are you okay?"

"I-I am," she nodded but was still clearly shaken. "I'm Izzy by the way."

"Ardent, Aria's brother," I smiled to reassure her. "Thanks for looking out for Aria."

"N-no, she looked out for me."

"Then thanks for being her friend."

"It's my pleasure," her face reddened.

Aria suddenly frowned, "You should go talk."

"Ah right," I stepped away and moved to where Agent Wester waited.

He pointed towards the cuffed man, "Do you recognise him?"

The answer was yes. While I couldn't picture him before, seeing him again, the visual pierced my mind. The man was Aria's original stalker. The one who had caused her to shut down in the past. Seeing him now an anger I hadn't quite expected built up within me. He deserved to be punished for what he did. As I was now, it would be easy.

"Ardent," a hand grasped my arm. Agent Wester caught onto my emotions, "We'll handle things."

"Sorry. I think I might have seen him before, but not clearly," I answered ambiguously to hide my hesitation. In a way the stalker was lucky, had we met without the police, he wouldn't end up simply being tied. I pushed the thought away and changed the subject, "Is he part of it?"

Agent Wester understood what I was implying, "No, he's just a regular creep. This was a false alarm but still very dangerous. Your sister has serious bravery to do what she did."