ACE

Chapter 6

After going around to several stores, Layla and Eric took a break inside a small food court, Layla drinking water and Eric eating some fries. Eric now being exhausted, rested his head on a table. Turning to look at Layla, he eyed the one bag that rested on her lap.

"Out of all the stores that we've been in and out of, you only bought one green dress. This was such a waste of time." Eric then sighed with disappointment placing a french fry in his mouth.

"It's teal and what did you expect? It takes a long time to find something that you would truly need, you know. Besides isn't it cute?" Layla then lifted the dress into the air and smiled happily.

"Uh sure," Eric replied examining the dress's color.

Layla placed her dress back into its original bag. After doing so, she looked at Eric and reached her arm out to him. Before even grazing his hair, Layla stood up quick, her chair falling back. Eric then shot his head up from the table, shocked at the sudden fast movement.

"Is something wrong?" Eric questioned looking at the girl.

Layla said nothing but her eyes were squinted and in a daz. She started to walk to the back of food court leaving her things behind. Puzzled Eric followed grabbing the left belongings.

They stopped in a small secluded area of the food court and Layla reached her hand out to Eric.

"Give me the water," the still dazed girl demanded. When she got the water in her hands she spilt some in her hand and wiped the concealer behind her left ear. Layla then tapped her now revealed mark twice. A teal mask appeared covering Layla's upper facial appearance and a holster filled with cards was wrapped around her left upper thigh.

"What's happening?" Eric asked confused.

Layla then turned to him snapping out of her daz and examined Eric from head to toe. "If I remember correctly you are the school's ace in sports and can pick up information quick, is that right?"

"I guess yeah. But why would you brin..."

"Eric double tap your mark quick and no questions may be asked. I'm going to be giving you some on hand practice, we have a corrupted in the room," Layla stated and a small smile forming from her lips.

Eric shocked from hearing "corrupted" leave the girl's lips then looked around to area, to make sure no one can see him, and tapped his mark twice. His mask covered his face fully and his sword appeared in a scabbard made of leather.

When the young miss saw Eric done with his task, she pulled out two cards. One of them she placed over the pairs belongings causing them to vanish. Layla then used the other and uttered, "card illusion: fire." The whole food court was then caught ablaze and screams were heard throughout the area.

"Layla, what's going on?" Eric query frantic.

"Relax and refer to me as Ace when I wear my mask. What your seeing is all an illusion to get everyone out of the area and it seems the corrupted is still here. Perfect. Follow me." Ace then dashed off quick into the false flames and Eric quickly followed.

When Eric caught up, Ace dashed under a table and signaled Eric to follow. She then peaked out from the table to see a tall ominous black figure wandering near.

"Eric do you see that thing walking around over there?" Ace asked point to the distant figure.

Looking out from the table Eric saw it and shuttered. "What is that?"

"That Mr. School Pres. is a corrupted that only you and I can see. Now here's the plan: I'm going to distract the creature and you goal is to quickly take it down with your blade. Simple," the masked girl shared with glee.

"What?! You expect me to be able to take that thing down on my own? I never even used a sword before!" Eric stated with fear.

"You'll be fine since you have the memory technique in your head. All you have to do is..."

Bam!

The table that was used for shelter was now flung across the court. Ace turned around and saw the corrupted standing only a foot or two away.

"Run," she exclaimed and swiftly withdrew a card out from the holster throwing it at the figure.

Eric then dashed past and hid under another table behind it. He looked out at the girl and saw her running around throwing her cards at the creature buying her more time to gain distance. Though she was also drawing nearer to a dead end.

"Eric! I am not going to take this thing down! If you don't get out here and slay it, then I'll leave you with it for you to deal with on your own!" Ace yelled with anger.

Eric not wanting to be left behind got out from the table shaking. He then pulled out his sword from his side and gripped it tight. Closing his eyes, he tried to remember the flashing memories he gained last night. Reopening them, Eric felt confidence and sprinted towards the black figure. Drawing near he slid under it and stood between Ace and the creature. The creature out reached its arm. Eric then swiftly thrusted the blade into the black arm.

The creature started to glow from its wound and soon spread across its tall self. The black it possessed then shattered falling to the ground in pieces. The food court was now back to normal, without its former guests, as if there was no fire or monster roaming in it.

Eric now exhausted snapped his fingers, his mask and blade vanishing from him. He looked at the pile of black and saw it starting to shift. Eric then grew fear but felt a hand upon his shoulder. Turning around he saw Layla no longer Ace.

"It's fine the corrupted is gone. Just watch," she told him.

Looking back at it again, Eric saw the pieces start to form a human figure and the black disappearing. When the movements stopped and the black vanished, Eric saw an unconscious man upon the floor and a broken wrist watch.

"You saved that man from a corrupted and that watch was what was most likely behind it. That's it for today's practice." Layla then walked to the watch and picked it up, placing it her pocket on shorts.

The two then hear voices coming from outside the court. "Is anyone there? It's the fire department. We heard there was a fire."

"Let's get out of here. I don't want to explain why we're here or what happened," Layla said and touched her mark to gain her cards. Taking one she muttered, "card trick: teleport." They then vanished out of the room as soon as people entered it.