Potential

Chapter Five: Three Seconds or Four Taboos

When the Taboos were five feet away, I made my move.

"Aaauuggghhhh!" I ran towards the younger Taboo, yelling the way the Rogues taught me to to scare my opponent. In a second I was right in front of him. I pulled my arm back for full power, ready to bash it into his diaphragm to knock him over. A millisecond more and the guy would've been bending over to catch his breath, but tiny movements from behind him gave me pause. A faraway figure was running towards us, up and then down the many intervening hills. It was a reminder that time was of the essence - soon, the entire local Taboo cult be upon us.

That little pause was all the younger Taboo needed. He aimed a punch at me, but I was able to jump out of the way enough for it to just hit my arm. I tried to knock him out with a punch again, but I had lost the element of surprise and he was able to block my hit.

A fist from behind me punched the area an inch away from my head. I spun around to land a kick to that man's sternum that left him sprawling.

The other two Taboos were coming into proximity. I launched myself at the twenty-year-old again, knocking him down with two punches and the momentum of my leap. The other two men continued advancing, now strategically moving 180 degrees from each other.

Out of the corners of my eye, I could see the two Taboos I had knocked down start to regain their stance. I realized then just how weary I was. I was exhausted because I hadn't eaten or slept since landing in Lakesville. My breath was coming out in heaving puffs, and I could feel my heartbeat racing in my ears. The Taboo nearest me sprang in front of me, and I knocked him down with a hard blow just as a dull ache started resonating in my temples. I knew I couldn't keep this up for long. 

Focus Aura.

I stood to face the Taboos. Two were slowly getting up, and the one I had just hit was still sprawled on the ground.

My eyes sprang forward. Where was the fourth Taboo? 

"Behind you!" yelled a voice. I spun around to see the fourth Taboo with a fist aimed for my head. I closed my eyes and braced myself, too weary to move knowing there was no way I could block such a commenced attack. Besides, a black eye would be fitting - it would match the Taboos' tattoos as they dragged me back to their lair.

Seconds past. I didn't want to open my eyes to see what had happened. Maybe I had already been hit and it was so painful my brain numbed it out.

Nothing.

I counted 6 seconds before I opened an eye. I closed it quickly. I opened it again. A fist was right in front of my face, milliseconds away from contact.

What had happened? 

Footfalls were approaching. Someone was coming - the Taboo I had seen in the distance! I had to get up, but I couldn't. I was so tired. I couldn't fight any longer...

Focus Aura. 

"Aaauuggghhhh!" I leaped away from the fist, hands up, and pivoted to face the approacher.

"Whoa," he said. He had a hint of a smile on his face.

It was the ivy-eyed potential I had met at the gate.

"Next time," he said, holding up the black disc. "Don't let this thing roll. It took me a while to find you." 

What?

"What.. what did you... happened ?" I managed to get out.

"I put a stinting spell on them," he said. "They've lost all their senses and the ability to move, basically becoming statues for the time being. It won't last long though, so we better make it out of this park now."