When Magic Was Discovered

Chapter Six

It felt like slow motion as Graham watched the bullets pierce through his magic. He couldn't be sure if it was truly the Dispersion's technology advancement or his inferior skills. As he watched the bullets come towards him, he could only think about his family never hearing from him again.

"Come on, Graham," Acetto's voice said.

Time seemed to return to normal. The bullets stopped in place inches away from Graham's face and body. Graham looked to see Acetto nearby leaning on one of the crude wooden walls. Thin gray energy was wrapped around each bullet. Graham could barely even see the magic being used.

"Another one?" the soldier questioned.

Acetto let go of the bullets and turned towards the soldier. "Graham, I want you to keep going where you think that girl went. I'll take care of this."

"You aren't going to kill him, are you?"

Acetto didn't respond. He stayed focus on soldier. "Go, Graham. I'll be with you shortly."

The boy frowned. He knew that Acetto could handle himself without bloodshed, but he hadn't seen him against a Dispersion soldier yet. At the moment, he had to trust that Acetto wouldn't needlessly kill a soldier just because of their profession and beliefs. "Alright, I'll see you in a bit then."

Graham felt he could sense the exact trail the girl had gone. It picked up after he used his magic as a barrier. It was the same feeling he got when he noticed them in the caravan. The trail was faint but it was similar to the magic Acetto had just used. Barely visible, but still there. He followed it around the corner, the soldier was occupied with Acetto now. 

"I'll let the kid go for now. I haven't enjoyed a proper Spellbinder fight in a while," Graham heard the soldier say to Acetto.

"Hate to break it to you, but you won't be touching another Spellbinder in this city."

The soldier laughed. Graham stopped and listened from the other side of a building between him and the soldier. Graham heard the stomping of several boots, as well as the clicking of firearms being brought up.

"Looks like backup arrived. There's some Spellbinder kids around the corner, or you guys can help me deal with this one."

Several of the soldiers began to move around the corner. Graham decided to move before they saw him again. This time, he was determined to put as much distance between him and other soldiers.

The trail became easier to traverse now that Graham knew what to expect. Houses and established shops were sturdy enough to climb over the fences and walls that were used to separate the properties. In minutes, Graham could no longer hear the soldiers looking for him. Instead, he was now able to follow the trail calmly among residents and a few traders.

Before Graham knew it, he was in an older part of the city. There, ruins of pre-Settling buildings still stood, when the buildings were made of stone and brick. A lot of the materials had been scavenged and probably used for the shops and trading stalls. He had never seen anything like it. There were some ruins that looked to be inhabited. Graham imagined that non-traders probably stayed within the city, because it was safer than traveling in the wasteland outside.

"Hey, you!" the girl's voice called out. Graham looked over passed rubble and debris to see the girl sitting next to what looked like a hole filled with stone and rock. Graham approached her.

"I caught up, I guess. Are you okay? What about the other boy?"

"He's already inside. Where's the older guy that was with you?"

Graham blinked a few times. He wasn't sure what she meant by inside, but he hoped it wasn't the hole completely covered in debris. "Uh, yeah. His name is Acetto. He was holding off some of the soldiers back there."