Black Equation - The Hunted Ones

EIGHT

"There is no good or evil. Just moral subjectivity. Every villain is the hero of his story."

EIGHT

"There's not much to say."

Jules playfully popped the dislocated shoulder back in place with an evil smile hanging on his disturbingly friendly face. Meric barely registered what happened before Kreuz hauled him back into his feet.

"Are you okay?" Kreuz asked in a concerned voice.

"I think so." He shook his slightly muddled head. "What --"

Jules, unhappy he was ignored, interrupted them with a gesture. "Lesson Number Three: You don't ask questions."

"Why?" Meric asked reflexively. Then, he grimly shut his mouth. Kreuz wryly smiled, patting his back in understanding.

"Sir, isn't it a given that we need to understand our situation?" Kreuz braved his shoulders, stepping in front of Meric like a mother hen protecting a chick. It earned him a raised brow from their instructor.

"Questions can get you killed."

Both Meric and Kruez grew stiff with apprehension. Jules merely chuckled like he enjoyed tasting their fear.

"Since you're here, in order to survive, you must obey. No asking. As part of the Family, you obey the rules of the Family. I'm stronger than you, so you are to obey me. My role is to train you. When you can defeat me, then we'll move onto another phase. Maybe you can get a chance of revenge and beat me up. But as you are now, you have one job: to survive my training. Got it, kiddos?"

Meric was confused and irritated and in pain, but when he caught his friend's eye, Kreuz merely shook his head in response to his silent question. They had no other choice. Things were out of their control, and no one was explaining. Right now, they could only listen to Jules and probe this so-called Family before they can make concrete plans.

Everything was happening way too fast for Meric to understand. Still, at the very least, he could see that they weren't entirely out of danger yet. He had to swallow everything he wanted to ask. Kreuz woke up earlier than him, he would've likely collected bits of relevant information.

Meric touched his aching shoulder, the one Jules dislocated just a few seconds ago. They just got out of a viper's pit, only to fall into another monster's den. What the hell was up with this Creed Family? Why was hurting someone seemed so effortless for this mad man?

"I asked a question, didn't I?" The mad man's sly smile grew wider, like a serpent hissing at its prey. "I am yet to hear an answer."

Kreuz quickly elbowed Meric, and they dejectedly saluted in unison.

"Yes, Sir Jules!"

***

Sleep! Bed!

Those two words were the only motivation that kept Meric and Kreuz on their feet. The moment they were released from training, it was like they were drowning divers given their first breathe of fresh air. They would have happily collapsed on the ground if it were not for the presence of their devilish instructor, whose smile they now feared.

Mad man? More like downright lunatic!

The moment Jules said 'Dismissed!', they snappily saluted before running towards the barracks. They had this suspicion that if they lingered a bit more than necessary around that man, he would have ordered them the ninth ' very last last lap' on the field.