Enter Desperation

Disruption

The door is awfully different from the way he left it 30 minutes earlier. On closer inspection, he finds the lock completely ripped off with clean scratches across. Someone, or something had forced their way through.

Both of them look at each other for a brief moment before Cordial peeks past the door.

The sight horrified him.

In the darkness, Cordial makes out a huge mess inside. Whoever that had broken in, clearly violated their home. The sofa had multiple scratches, the paint completely peeled off walls. Even the antique vase that their mother had bought for them as a gift from a long time back, was shattered onto the ground, leaving the floor is covered with papers and glass shards throughout.

That was a gift from Mom! And I have just finished spring cleaning the house! Dad's so going to kill me! Cordial screamed inside.

A sudden shuffle followed by the sounds of books falling came from the study.

"Tsk, whoever it is, that person is still here," Cordial whispers over. "Yumi, get Dad here asap."

"What about you?"

"Whoever it is, I'm not letting them get away with messing the place." He glances back into the house. "I'll be fine. Go."

Cordial removes his sandals without a sound and tip-toes cautiously across the mess into the kitchen. The kitchen is untouched, meaning he can retrieve the broom with ease. While treading over the mess back towards the study, he readies his improvised weapon above his head, ready to ambush the intruder.

Just then,

"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!"

The sound shattered the silence and startled Cordial, causing him to drop the broom and announce his presence throughout the house.

Crap! I forgot about the washing machine!

He froze in place, hoping the intruder will not bother to investigate, however,

"It's you again huh?" A deep voice spoke.

Cordial recognised this voice. He knew that he just heard it today too. Slowly, he looks up, coming face to face with a huge burly figure. He dives for the broom, only to be stopped by the figure pointing something sharp and shiny at his face.

"Put that down." He commands.

Cordial's vision barely adjusts to the darkness, allowing him to see the figure more clearly, and whatever it is in his right hand, a large claw, fashioned and coated in gold. In the darkness, the only facial feature that Cordial can see of the man standing before him is the large mole on his right cheek. He wore a white thick singlet with tightly fitting brown track pants. Along his huge arms, are tattoos of dragons of sorts, with the head of one in the shape of a white Jolly Roger.

This intruder is, none other than the same man Cordial had bumped into at the lobby earlier.

"Never knew I will actually find you here. Today must be my lucky day." The man smirks, adjusting the haversack with his free hand. "Here I am getting frustrated at not finding anything that is super important, but I guess that changes now."

"Hmm, so it's just kids huh," another voice speaks from the door, with a small feminine figure entering, dressed in a pink track suit with a similar skull tattoo on her right arm. "Found this one by the lift trying to get help. But don't worry, I managed to knock her out before she could even do anything."

"Well double lucky then Caroline." The man replies, keeping the claw pointed towards Cordial.

The lady, Caroline, proceeds to walks towards Cordial. She had short black hair which barely covered her slightly rough looking face. Along with the thick lipstick, Cordial can barely see visible hints of makeup is present on her cheeks and eyelids.

"Well well, what do we have here." she studies him momentarily, before gesturing to what she has in her arm. "I will wager that you know who I have in my hand now, don't you?"

He did not need to look to know.

"What do you want?" Cordial questions the intruders.

"Aw, kids are just so cute these days, getting more and more direct." She notices the band on his hand. "And look, he's just a Void, well boo hoo. Guess there is nothing you can really do against us now." She leans over to the man beside. "After all, he's going to chop you if you dare lay a finger on me. Oh yes dear, it's sharp. So have we found anything else my dear Marco?"

"Sadly not Caroline, but I guess we're done here. Boss will be pleased to see what we found." Marco snickers.

"No you idiot. You've served Boss for almost 5 years and you still don't know what he wants?" Caroline irritably replies, before pointing to Cordial. "Him, removed from this world. We would do the world a huge favor you know?"

Crap. Cordial feels sweat dripping down his forehead. If this was a normal street fight in an alley involving some random thugs he accidentally offended, he would just run and try to get help instantly. Heck, if it only involved him, home will be the safest haven he could find.

But this situation is completely different. With Yumi's life at stake and nowhere to run, he cannot afford to just leave her behind. Who knows what they will do to her! That is why he had been trying his hardest to keep his cool, calmly analysing the capabilities of the threat that is standing before him and finding a solution.

With the two distracted in their argument, Cordial sees a small window of opportunity opening alas. He slowly picks up the broom before inching his way around, sidestepping towards the door.

"Wasn't his will to be the removal of all beings with magic? Why are we taking the girl instead Caroline?"

"Are you even listening to yourself? You got into yourself beaten down into this sorry state stripped off your magic because of a Void. A Void! Isn't that embarrassing enough?"

"How about we take them both and use them as a hostage instead?"

"Marco you idiot! Taking a Void with us is more dangerous. The brat has a tag on him in the metal band!"

"He does?"

"Didn't you learn from the last time?! Goodness me, all that muscle with no brains at all. See for yourself then, look!" she turns, only to find the boy had vanished from the spot. "Huh? Where did he go!"

"Weren't you watching him?"

"You're the one who is keeping the claw on him! Don't you dare put the responsibility on me!"

The lights to the house come on without warning, causing both of them to squint their eyes in response to the sudden brightness. With both of them stunned, Cordial rushes forth and swings the handle of the broom across Marco's face. He stumbles, dazed momentarily. Cordial then arches the handle aimed towards Caroline's head, only for her to catch the impact with her free hand.

"Now that's just rude, trying to scratch a lady's face." she glares towards Cordial.

At this angle, it should be just right, just as how Yumi normally does it. With that, he tries exerting his whole body against Caroline, shifting weight on the broom and kicking off the ground.