RED HOOD ✔

18: BOY VS DRAGON

We sprinted away from the gate at breakneck speed, my heart pounding in my chest as the sound of guards echoed from behind. Their footsteps grew louder, closing the gap with every second. I tried to summon my weapons again, but nothing happened. The magic still wasn't working—whatever was interfering was still in play.

A spear whizzed past me, close enough to ruffle my clothes. The second one came faster, aimed directly at my torso. Instinct took over, and I snatched it mid-air, spinning on my heel and throwing it back at the guard with pinpoint accuracy. The spear struck his thigh, and he collapsed, screaming in pain.

"You almost hit the moneymaker," I said, gesturing dramatically toward my face with a grin. There was no time to stop, but the brief moment of banter fueled a flicker of confidence. Even in this chaos, I couldn't let fear win.

Apsychos was up ahead, delivering a flying kick to another guard's chest. The man crumpled, and before he could even react, Mitchel followed up with a punch, sending the guard crashing into another. Both hit the ground, unconscious.

I jogged over to the guard with the spear lodged in his thigh, wincing as he whimpered in pain. "Sorry about this," I muttered, before yanking the spear out. His howl pierced the air. "You'll live."

Apsychos and Mitchel had already scooped up weapons from the fallen guards, following my lead. The halls stretched out before us, an endless maze of stone corridors. The scent of smoke hung in the air, faint but unmistakable. Something was burning in the distance.

"So, where are we going, Apsychos?" I asked, my voice carrying a hint of urgency as we kept moving.

"I don't know," Apsychos replied, his wooden limbs creaking as he ran beside me. "They've changed everything since I was last here. It all looks different."

Of course. We were practically running blind in a labyrinth where people threw spears at us and sent monsters to hunt us down. Great.

I turned to Mitchel. "How about you? Any clue how to get out of here?"

He didn't answer right away. We had come to a fork in the hall—two different turnings, neither of which I could distinguish. I paused, unsure which direction to take. Mitchel finally spoke, his voice steady but distant.

"Well," he said, gesturing ahead, "you can escape that way. And over there..." he pointed down the left path, "there's a room where they keep seized weapons. They sell them weekly. You could probably find your weapons there."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You're not coming?"

Mitchel shook his head. "No. My little brother is still here. I can't leave without him."

Joshua. I'd almost forgotten about him. The thought of leaving the kid behind churned my stomach. "I'll follow you," I said without hesitation.

"You don't have to do that. You can go," Mitchel replied, his expression softening as if trying to spare me.

Before I could argue, Apsychos interrupted. "Yeah, Vincent, we don't have to do this. We need to get out of here. Now."

I sighed heavily. "Sorry, Apsychos. I can't leave Joshua behind. It wouldn't be right." My voice softened as I added, "Go on. You can get help. Keep Anna safe."

Apsychos hesitated for a moment, his wooden fingers tightening into fists, but then he laid his hand on my shoulder. "Good luck, my friend." And with that, he turned and sprinted off, disappearing into the shadows.

Mitchel and I took the other turning, racing down a narrow hallway until we reached a door. He held up a hand, signaling me to be silent.

"There are guards at this door," he whispered. "They monitor who comes in and out."