CHAPTER 87: CH 87: UNCONVENTIONAL INDIVIDUAL.

"Nightwalker’s saved the day again!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs before turning back to Nightwalker who hovered above him.

"What are you doing?" He asked, shocked by Aegon’s action.

Through the broken bones, internal bleeding and probably PTSD he smiled. He pointed to his back, off the roof. "Give it a minute."

"WOOOOO!!"

A cacophony of cheers and whistles broke out from the crowd below, enough to make Nightwalker drop down to his feet and free his hands.

Aegon was done riling them up, he faced them with a smile, wiped the blood on his face with the back of his hands and started the chant. "Nightwalker! Nightwalker! Nightwalker!!"

Soon after the crowds joined him too, singing the Paragon’s praises so much so they put a smile on his face.

He shook a fist into the air and drove them crazy. Even tossing a hand over Aegon and pulling him closer as he waved at his adoring fans.

The Paragon leaned in close. Kept his lips movements subtle and whispered through his smiling face. "We’re not fucking done here."

Aegon didn’t show the instant chill that ran through his body. "I wouldn’t dream of it, hero."

They stayed on the movement for about a minute reveling in the cheers and applause until he remembered Mira was still down in the bank alone with the robbers.

So he escaped Nightwalker’s hold and headed downstairs to deal with thieves.

"..."

He was shocked to see that Mira had already incapacitated the rest of the thieves. Some were knocked out while others were still struggling to free themselves from the ice she’d trapped them in.

The hostages were now free but were still antsy to leave the building.

Relief watched over her as she laid her eyes on him. "Oh thank God. I thought he’d kill you." She said as she moved towards him.

"Not now." He winced but tried to walk straight, forced another smile as he clapped his hands and faced the hostages. "How about we get you out of here?"

The doors of the bank finally free wide open as the hostages scattered out, they ran into the police who were now checking on them.

Aegon glanced up to the roof of the building where Nightwalker still stood—drilling a hole through him.

But seeing as the lot of people gestured him down, he finally descended from the roof.

Aegon and Mira fell back into routine like he didn’t just try to kill them, smiles on their faces as they followed closely behind him.

"Excuse me?! Nightwalker, sir!" A news reporter stopped them as they made way through the multitude. "Just a minute of your time sir."

He did. He faced her as she raised the mic again. "Another successful save by the mighty Paragon..." That alone earned her a smile. "And what seems to be very competent upcoming heroes."

"They just follow my lead and we get the job done." He said smoothly.

"Yes, sir. But while I have you do you have anything to say about the latest scourge of Aether weapons in circulation?"

His smile faltered. "No comment." He waved the mic out of his face and continued forward.

Finally escaping the crowds as the decibels reduced but the awkwardness lingered heavily. They all saw what happened in that bank and it was impossible to ignore.

~BAM!~

Without warning Nightwalker took off into the sky. They stared at each other for a second before Mira lost it.

"You just had to do something, didn’t you?" She fixed him a cold, unblinking look.

He just stared at her as she continued. "Of course you had to do something—it’s you." She ran a hand into her hair. "Do you not get how being in a novel actually works?"

"So, I was supposed to let him just kill everyone?"

"Yes!!" She screamed on the sidewalk, disregarding they were on the streets. "He’s a Paragon. If he wants to kill everyone in this continent then you let him because you can’t stop him."

"Then let’s come up with a way to stop him." He stepped closer to her. "When I was in the tailor’s shop yesterday, she mentioned something about a fight—"

Mira scoffed as she moved away from him. "You wanna know why you’re a beacon?" She gestured towards the space around him. "Because of this."

She flounced out. Leaving him standing on the sidewalk with no idea what to do next.

"..."

After a few minutes of pointless wandering the streets the scanner screeched to life.

[ Hello. Is anyone there? ]

He glanced down at it, unsure whether to answer or not but decided to get it over with. "Yeah? This is Aegon. What’s the problem?"

[ What?! Aegon, where’s Nightwalker? ]

"He flew away." Aegon replied dryly.

[ Oh... well don’t worry about it then. ]

"Oh come on." He brought the speaker closer. "I’m an awakened who can stand his own. Where’s the threat?"

"..." The channel was silent for a few seconds before she finally answered.

[ Fine. But if at any point you feel it’s getting too dangerous then you call for backup. ]

"Yeah. No problem."

[ A hospital near your current location is said to have a crazed psycho issue and they want someone to check it out. ]

"That’s it?" He raised a brow. "Sorry but that doesn’t exactly scream awakened issue."

[ It isn’t. Which is why I’m giving it to you.

It’s a private hospital that doesn’t want to answer questions from cops if they call them and no one’s as swift and as discreet as us...

so, are you gonna do it? ]

He sighed. "Yeah, I’m on it."

"..."

After a minute or five of walking he finally reached the hospital. Most of the nurses, doctors, patients and security were already on the outside of the building.

As he approached a doctor walked up to him. "Are you from Sunborn?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I was sent here to deal with an... unconventional individual."

"You can just say crazy." He pointed out. "He’s wandering the halls with a cigarette and humming something song."

Aegon tilted his head back. "That’s specific."

"Could you just go deal with him before any of these people start asking too many questions."

He nodded as he strode into the hospital. The smell of antiseptic and false hope lingering heavy in the halls.

"..." He searched every room. Floor by floor until he finally saw him—fourth floor. The man walked forward with a stain ridden coat, dirty black hair and smoke curling into the air from the cigarette.

"Hello!" Aegon called for him. "Sir! You’re not supposed to be here."

He began humming a strange sound as he trailed forward—wondering aimlessly, not even looking at Aegon.

Aegon moved quickly, stretched a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Sir, I’m sorry but I’m gonna have to ask you to leave."

"..."

The man said nothing for a while, he reached for the cigarette in his mouth. "You actually showed."

He whipped back to Aegon—in his hands no longer a cigarette but a weirdly shaped gun.

Before Aegon could move.

~ZZRP!~

He fired round after round of a peg-like bullet that pumped him full of electricity.

"Arrgh!"

He screamed as his body involuntarily locked up and he fell to the floor.

"You shouldn’t have come."