Book 3 | Agent 34 and the Storm of Darkness

Chapter 34 | The Last Scale

Marque and Sercon watched as Braunick killed off the golden dragon. A scale plopped onto the roof with a clank. Braunick flew down to it and picked it up, eyeing it with dismay. He tossed it over his shoulder and began to fly towards the storm.

Marque slowly lifted himself onto the roof, Sercon beginning to lecture him about what not to do in a crisis. Marque ignored him, and made his way across the gaps between buildings and made it to the building where the dragon's only remains were. He picked up Wímad's single scale that had survived his burning and turned on his heel and ran back to Sercon as quickly and quietly as he could.

As soon as he ducked down behind the building with Sercon, Braunick turned around midair. "You think I forgot about you, Destigems?" His voice was loud enough to hear over the entire city of Durmist. "I killed your dragon friend, and you're next. There's no escape. I've finally won and all of your gems are mine," He laughed evilly as he descended himself into the streets of the city and began searching for the Destigems.

Marque and Sercon looked at each other in fear and jumped back down into the street, running in the direction Arenia and Agent 34 went.

~ ~ ~

"Evilslayer!" Arenia called. "Ben!" Agent 34 yelled.

The two of them stopped yelling once the battle above the city went silent, only ran through the streets and searched for Calvin and Ben. 

Suddenly, Braunick landed in the street with his back facing them, slamming his metal fist into the ground and cracking the road. Agent 34 and Arenia threw themselves into an alleyway and hid behind some trash cans.

"I'm coming, brother!" Braunick called.

"What is he doing down here?" Agent 34 whispered to Arenia. "He shouldn't be here unless..."

"Unless...Wímad was defeated!" Arenia exclaimed a little too loudly. Agent 34 slammed his hand on her mouth and pulled her down to the ground as low as she could go and they hid behind the garbage.

Braunick flew by the alleyway, taunting them and calling their names. Both Destigems tensed up and waited for him to pass by. When he did, they both let out a breath neither of them knew they had. 

They sat in the alleyway for another few minutes to avoid alerting him when they left. When they did, they ran the complete opposite direction he went in silence. Both of them could hear him shouting in the streets, looking for them.

When they turned a corner, they ran into two people who were also running around the streets in fear and were knocked backwards from the impact. 

"Guys!" Marque said quickly. Before Agent 34 could pick himself up off the ground and see Marque and Sercon, he was suddenly thrown into an alleyway and some trash bags were thrown on top of him. Agent 34 began to struggle, but suddenly realized what was going on once he heard Braunick's evil voice pass by.

Once Agent 34 was sure Braunick was gone, he sat up and pushed the trash off him, spitting on the stone ground quickly. He spotted Sercon hidden under some trash and Arenia behind some metal trash cans. Marque, however wasn't there.

"Where's Marque?" Agent 34 asked.

Sercon sat up out of the trash that was on top of him, all of it falling to the floor with a clatter. He pointed across the street to another alleyway, and Agent 34 nodded. "Are we still looking for that soldier?"

"He doesn't matter anymore," Sercon said. "Wímad is dead, we saw Braunick kill him. Venon is coming to pick us up and we just have to survive until he comes,"

"What do you mean the kid doesn't matter?" Agent 34 said. "Of course he matters. No man left behind!" 

"A little soldier won't hurt the Zena," Sercon said, poking his head out of the alleyway in worry.

"That isn't just a solider–Wímad confirmed this. He was dubbed Evilslayer by Thad himself. That's a huge accomplishment!" Agent 34 argued.

"Shhhh! Shut up! Braunick will find us!" Sercon said quickly.

"We are going back for Evilslayer!" Agent 34 said, practically yelling.

"Fine! Damn it, you're just screaming for Braunick to come find us!" 

"Yes, and I thank you heavily for that," A deep voice said from the street. The three Destigems in the alleyway froze as Braunick floated down the street and soon stood in the entrance to the alley. "Hey, brother. I missed you,"

Agent 34 said nothing, only stared in fear. 

Suddenly, the three of them soon began floating upwards in the air, twisting and turning as they did. Braunick raised his arms in the air and all of them began to fly upwards until they were on another roof, and he dropped them there.

"I want some entertainment," Braunick said, leaning backwards and crossing his feet while still in the air. He tucked his hands behind his head and tapped his feet slightly. "Go ahead," He said. "Fight to the death,"

The three of them just looked at each other until Braunick floated towards them with anger. "Did I stutter? Kill each other!" He screamed.

Sercon slowly drew his sword, and Arenia slowly drew hers. Agent 34 was last to pull out his sword, feeling all of the guilt wash over him as he did.

~ ~ ~

Marque sat dumbfounded in the alleyway alone. He had watched the entire events of Agent 34 and Sercon arguing and getting them caught.

Braunick had taken them somewhere, and Marque prayed that they were alive and he hadn't killed them. The human took off from the alleyway and down the street, desperately searching for Calvin and whoever his friend was.

As he ran, he looked up at the top of the building Braunick took them to and saw something he didn't want to.

The three Destigems were circling each other with swords drawn, preparing to duel each other. Braunick was forcing them to fight for his own amusement.