Reflections of Mist

Nine seconds

He had his jacket hood pulled up over his face when they winched him out of the hole.
Levering himself out over the lip of the opening, resting on the ground for a moment, breathing hard.

A man crouched next to him, reaching out a hand towards his shoulder.
"It's alright, son. You're safe now... Holy Crap!"

The man fell back in a jerk reaction, having glimpsed the face that hid under the hood.

He didn't get much chance to do anything else, as he was grabbed by the throat roughly, Sebastian's fingers digging brusingly into his flesh, and was thrown back into the surrounding group of people, hitting the floor with a crack.

Without even a break in his motion, he turned tail and ran, dodging the snatching hands grabbing to stop him, not checking back to see what had happened to the man.

He couldn't help but note that Alysha's 'gift' rang true; none of them were prepared for a serious fight yet, having not being expecting one, although they would be really soon, once the realisation clocked through.
The element of surprise was his weapon, as long as he used it well.

Every second counted.

Hands grabbed at his clothing, and he tore them off, clawing and lashing out like a caged animal.

His hood had slipped off some way back, and there was no chance no one had recognised him now, however unbelievable it may seem to them.

And it was only a short time until someone was going to come at him with a weapon.

Almost as if on cue, a woman came at him with a blade, head on.
He dodged out of its path, kicking out at an assailant nearby with the momentum, shoving him into her path as an obstacle.

The man collided with her, knocking her back...

... And seconds later, an blast of power from a source off to the side struck them, knocking the sword out of her hand to the ground.
A pattern of icy spirals decorated the frostbitten skin of the right side of the woman's body, encrusting her arm and trailing up her throat to spread across the right of her face, as she slumped to the floor.

"Don't just stand there gaping like a muppet, grab the fucking sword!" Luci yelled at him, arms outstretched, prepared to throw another blast.
"And hurry the fuck up! We're leaving now or never!"

From a short distance away, Alysha snatched up a hyperventilating Nyx's arm, dragging her upright.
"That's our cue to go as well."

"What about Maddie?"

"Leave her. She'll be fine."

"Fucking hell I won't!" Maddie yelled. "I'm not staying here to pick up the flack, and that's assuming I survive!
Besides, I'm not leaving her alone with you!"

Not sure if it's the best, but I'm gonna say it took some work to get it this good.
Hope it's not too bad!
I'm willing to rewrite it in the future some point, if need be.

Also, sorry for not updating yesterday!
I got caught up making my Halloween costume!