An Anon's Journey: Remnant Act 1

V2E5: Style and Substance

A breathless step and a sudden slide under an attack aimed from his head. Hope kept dodging and running as he was relentlessly pursued, the wind rushing through his hair. He gritted his teeth as he eyed a chain-linked with a small indent in the wall next to it. He took a quick breath before dodging another attack aimed at his crotch.

I have to hurry. The sooner I get to that witch, the sooner I can get rid of this fucking talisman!

A mad dash that was almost killed as soon as it started, were it not for Hope's reflexive hop. He ran as quickly as his body could take him away from his shadowy attacker. Running up the fence then jumping for the indent, he then springboarded himself over the barrier and landed with a roll. Still, on his knees, Hope found himself surrounded by three assailants. He glared around before rising to his full height. He took out of his pocket a small chain necklace made of some grey metal holding a polished bone bead. The talisman was unnaturally cold and it pulsated with some kind of otherworldly power. He looked between the assailants and the talisman before putting it back in his pocket. He cracked his knuckles and his neck.

"Ok... Three on one..." Hope smirked cockily. "Sounds about fair."

One of the figures lunged at Hope, a clumsy strike that saw the attacker winded by a knee to the gut. The other two attacked in unison, their weapons aiming to incapacitate him. He swiftly rolled under the attack and between the two. Hope didn't stop and went all-in on his escape. His lungs started to burn but he didn't let it slow him down as he caught sight of a roof access ladder. Hope felt a rough hand grip his shoulder before being thrown against a wall. The attacker went for a cheap kick but Hope caught it and sent the assailant on his ass. For good measure, Hope kicked the downed man in the head before going for the ladder.

The ascent was a bumpy one as he felt something bouncing off the ladder's cage. Once at the top, the only things he could see were the depts below and other rooftops. His blue eyes kept scanning for any kind of escape route. The closest building was still too far for Anon's taste, with a busy street right below. Hope whipped his head around as one of the shadowy figures made his way to the roof. The figure held his hand out.

"Give us the talisman." His voice rasped with an ethereal echo.

Hope snarled and shook his head.

"Not in a million years."

"Usually, we could have waited that long... But this will not do." The figure held a hand out and sickly green energy poured out of his hand, crackling eerily. "This is your last chance, thief."

Hope backed until he was a meter from the edge. The figure was joined by its compatriots, dark energies crackling like electricity around them. Anon eyeballed the distance between the buildings.

This is gonna be close.

He looked back at the quartet of warlocks and steeled his nerves.

Time to fly.

He turned and ran, bolts of dread powers flying by him as he reached the edge. At the last possible moment, He lept. Time slowed down for him as he flew through the air, the void below threatening to shatter every bone if he were to touch it. His heart pumped faster and faster as he approached the building.

It wasn't enough, He was still too far from the roof.

Hope's eyes watered as he found himself at gravity's mercy, his momentum finally dropping. The talisman began vibrating, feeding on his distress. Suddenly, Hope felt his foot land on something. He looked and saw a greyish green outline of a platform.

Must be the necklace.

Without a second thought, he propulsed himself forward towards the ledge of the roof. Hope fell short but managed to grab the ledge. Hope dangled from the roof's edge, looking back at the warlocks. One of them prepared to launch another blast at him. Hope quickly scrambled over and hid behind the ledge as the warlocks let loose a barrage of magical bolts.