Pixelation

Spread

Point of View: Nathaniel James
Time: Six months earlier

"What do you mean that asswipe escaped?!" I yell, watching the news. So it seems Timothy Allen's escaped.

Perfect. Just what I needed to hear.

I tear my phone out of my pocket and frantically text my friends.

"We need to get going, now." -Nathaniel

"We heard. We're on our way." -Anthony

I close my eyes and the world around me becomes quiet. I exit my house and I extend my wings. It felt good to fly. Like, really good. I launch off of the ground and take off toward the prison where he was being held.

In New York, there was a prison known for holding very dangerous criminals. It was in a remote area, so it was more or less off limits. With my abilities and flight training, I can fly at the speed of Superman.

I land at the prison and speed up time. The clicks of weaponry fill my ears and the distant yell to lower their firearms fills my ears. A man walks out and faces me. I had my clothing and mask on, so he couldn't recognize me.

"You are the man who put Timothy Allen in here, correct?" He asks. He seemed to be studying me, as if he couldn't believe I existed.

"Yes. Timothy Allen. I put his dumbass here." I respond. Two more people pop into existence, one on each side. Guns click again and I raise my hand. The guards lower their weapons.

"Follow me. All of you." The warden says, the prison doors automatically opening for us.

We pass through hallways that looked prison like, yet not lined with cells. I'm guessing that's in another block of the building.

He leads us to his office and once he closes the door, he falls onto one knee. "Your majesty. I remember seeing that mask before in the Hidden World." He says, catching me off guard.

"So you also know about that world." I mumble. "Get up and explain to us what you know about the escapee."

"Yes. The 'Lord of Shadows' escaped. Timothy Allen was seen yesterday in his cell. We don't think he got a hold of a ring, but if he did, then that's an issue. I'd love to say we saw who gave him the ring, yet we didn't." He apologizes.

"Don't apologize. I'll get him again. If I got him the first time almost inexperienced, then I'll get him now." I say, before realizing blood was dripping down his neck.

I jump back and the Lord of Shadows drops the corpse. "Oops. Looks like we got some blood on the tiles." He laughs, the three of us preparing ourselves for battle.

"Come on, are you really that worried? Just one man-"

"Just a man with a life you ended! I'm gonna put you back behind bars!" I yell before I hear the sound of metal tearing flesh. I heard it before feeling it.

I look down and grab the blade, attempting to push it out. "Sorry, King." Alyssa whispers in my ear. I fall to my knees and I see Anthony on the ground, either unconscious or dead.

"And here we are! I finally get to watch the fall of a king." The Lord of Shadows manically laughs. "Let's unmask you, shall we?"

"Fuck... you..." I say to both Alyssa and Timothy Allen. I pull a scroll from my pocket and am encased by light. I hear a yell before collapsing in Darren's room.

"Holy shit!" He yells, the sword still inside me. "Nathaniel! What the hell happened?" He asks, carefully trying to pull the sword from my back.

"Alyssa... she freed Timothy Allen. She tried to kill me." I grunt as he tears the blade from my body. Since I was using my Hidden World body, I wasn't affected with my real world body. I'm encased with red light and I find myself in my normal body, unharmed.