MLTE- Part 1

This is the first part of "ML:TE".
It was released on 28.08.2023.
== Plot ==
After facing many hardships in their short lives, Will and Mysta finally manage to grow up. No longer the weak and dependant children that they used to be, they are ready to leave their marks in the world, even though there is a chance that they might be small and insignificant.
As if Life finally understands it, it pushes them into the jaws of trouble almost immediately. Their attempts to make themselves useful lead them into the way of Alwyn Grayson- the son of a powerful (and influential) mafia boss who has grown tired of his father's regiment and tries to escape from his grasp. Unfortunately for themselves, they will end up facing the mercenaries who were sent to hunt the boy down. And it is no easy task to take down a bunch of strong, burly headhunters- especially when they're armed with high-tech weaponry and armor.
Will our heroes pull the young rebel away from his targets... and keep him away from the rest?
== Story ==
On a bright and sunny day, Will and Mysta meet in Silverdale's park. They decide that the weather is too nice to be neglected and go for a walk, hoping to catch some of the sun's rays and feel the hope once again.
"Man. The last few days have been quite tedious for me. Ever since auntie suddenly fell ill, me and uncle had to watch over her. And the worst part is that some villains were foolish enough to attempt a "surprise" assassination. We had to deal with them, swiftly and violently."- Will says- "How has your day been, Myst?"
Myst sighs.
"Ugh. My dad keeps complaining about how depressed he feels. The citizens of our kingdom haven't sent any requests to our chancellor and the wraiths who normally rebel against his regiment have, strangely, grown quiet."- She says- "Me and Wisp had to act as personal entertainers for him. And, even then, he was not satisfied!"
Will shakes his head.
"Parental figures can be like that sometimes. And we- the children- are forced to watch the whole charade. On the first seats, too."- He says- "Don't worry about it. Your daddy's just having a silent tantrum, probably relevant to the current state of the world. It will take time for him to cheer up, but I'm sure that he will."
Mysta raises her eyebrow.
"You think that he... won't be grumpy and annoying all the time?"
Will smiles.
"Well, it has worked on my uncle."- He confirms- "So, I'm sure that it will be the same for your dad!"
Mysta smiles back.
"You know what? Maybe you're right."- She says- "Me and my family have been hiding in the mists for a long time. Life has always been boring for us, especially when nobody visited us. Perhaps it's time for a change. A real change."
Will grins.
"That's the Myst that I know and respect!"- He exclaims- "Deep inside, you're a positive soul- just like myself! Don't let life drag you down in chains!"
Mysta nods.
"With you by my side, I'm not afraid to take risks."- She says- "Humans can be mercurial and disrespectful, but their home is much better than mine. I don't regret the decision that I made in the past. I'm glad that I stayed."
Then, she looks back at Will and smiles.
"I know that you don't like to hear things like those, but a heart-to-heart revelation is always in your favor."- She says- "Will, you're like a diamond in the sky. A white pearl in the dark sea. Were it not for people like you, this world will fall apart. And mine wouldn't last for long, either."
Will nods.
"That is... awfully honest of you. I'm impressed."- He says- "Thank you,, though. To think that you respect me as much as I respect you... it is thrilling."
Mysta nods back.
"Well, I've been nothing but honest with you in the past few years."- She says- "Think about it. If I'm perfectly capable of lying through my teeth when I talk to other humans, why do I treat you in such a... special way?"
Will raises his eyebrow.
"Because I... am your friend?"
Mysta smiles.
"Even better!"- She exclaims- "You're my best friend! And you'll always be!"
Will favors Mysta with another smile.
"Well, that makes me feel a lot better."- He says- "Thank you, my friend. I am glad that we managed to help each other."
Mysta nods.
"Likewise, Will."- She responds- "If it's for you, I'm always eager to do much more."
Will and Mysta attempt to start another conversation. However, they soon hear the distant yells of a gruff-looking man. Upon closer inspection, they notice that he is holding some sort of a high-tech gun-like device in his left hand... but , surprisingly, it is not pointed at them.
"Hands in the air, buster!"- He yells- "We know you've been runnin' for a while. You can't hide from us."
Suddenly, a tall, young man walks away from a wall. Just as he is told, he lifts his hands in the air and prepares for the inevitable.
"How did you find me?"- He asks- "Did my father send you?!"
The gruff-looking man laughs.
"We know you from head to toe. Your daddy made sure to describe ya very well before we left."- He says- "There are rumors that the mafia boy's hiding in the big city, away from the clutches of his destiny. Don't pretend to be ignorant, kid. We know you're better than this."
He smiles.
"Now, will ya make it easy for yourself? Or will you make us teach you a lesson that you won't forget?"- He says- "Choice's all yours. Don't take too long."
The young man shakes his head.
"Look, I didn't want any trouble. I swear. But seeing how he sent you instead of hunting me down personally... it's a very humiliating aspect."- He says- "My father is a bloodthirsty creature with no sense of honor. He never loved anything in his life, other than money and fame. He wanted me to become just like him- the puppet of an external force, flapping around like a worthless sack of trash. That's not the life that I want to have, though."
Much to his assailants' surprise, he pulls out a fancy contraption, similar to the one that the mercenary is carring, and aims it at them with no regards for self-preservation.
"You want to bring me back, huh? Turn me into a slave for the rest of my life?!"- He yells- "Well, that's not going to happen! Like it or not, I'm going to stand my ground! And if you want to take me back, it will only happen when I'm dead!"
The mercenaries smirk.
"We were hopin' that you'd say that."- The lead mercenary says-"Get the young rebel, boys. We're in for a feast tonight."
As Will and Mysta continue to stare at both parties, a familiar person joins them.
"A slave, huh? So, he's just like us- a prisoner of his own thoughts. A victim of his most fervent desires."- She says- "We should rescue him. A kid like that can be invaluable in dark times like these."
Will looks back and sees his aunt- Aurelia. He raises his eyebrow.
"Do you know this person, auntie?"
Aurelia nods.
"I've heard quite a few things about him."- She says- "His name's Alwyn Grayson and he's the heir to a notorious and powerful criminal organization. A mafia, if you prefer. He's been living in the shadows for years, corrupted by the foul ideas of his own father. His heart, however, remained untainted by the man's ambitions. Where he saw a bright future, Alwyn saw ruin. He wanted to run for a long time... and I guess that he finally got the chance."
Will gasps.
"So, this means that we must help him!"- He exclaims- "An enemy of the criminals around the world is definitely a friend of mine!"
Mysta raises her eyebrow.
"Are you sure, Will?"- She asks- "He looks like a genuinely good person. He might even mean well to us. However, he could also be a double agent. What if this entire scene is meant to lure unsuspecting heroes into an elaborate trap?"
Will looks at his friend.
"Think about it, Myst."- He says- "There are many good people in this world. Many are willing to keep it safe from the evil that we face every single day. Sure, he might look like a vagrant. He might not be the kindest of them all. However, a rebel's heart beats in his chest. He is willing to break free from his father's regiment... and he needs all the help that he can get! Besides, how can we possibly leave a band of fiendish mercenaries to roam free, on the streets of our city?"
Mysta sighs.
"Hmm. I think that you make sense."- She says- "So be it. But I hope that you don't regret it."
Will smiles.
"Well."- He says- "Even if I do, I know that you will back me up."
Mysta nods.
"Without a doubt."
Aurelia smiles.
"Hey! Don't forget about me!"- She exclaims- "We've been through a lot together!"
Will raises his eyebrow.
"No offense, aunt, but aren't you supposed to rest?"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"And to miss such a golden opportunity?"- She says- "No, sir. I'm not going back there."
Will sighs.
"As you wish, auntie."
The three of them draw their weapons, cautiously approaching the mercenaries until they're ready to launch their attack.
"Are you ready?"- Will says.
The girls nod.
"We're ready to roll those heads."- Mysta says- "Bring them on."
The trio attempts to reach the group of mercenaries. However, Aurelia's unlucky enough to step on a fallen branch, alerting the vagabonds to their position. Their leader sends some scouts to investigate, then goes to deal with Alwyn himself.
"You know, I thought that your father would've been more... merciless."- He says and laughs- "But that's not a problem! He's sending a bunch of hired thugs to beat up his own son when he could've done so himself. Now that's pretty evil."
Alwyn sighs.
"So. There's no way to convince you to leave me alone?"- He asks- "At all?"
The leader shakes his head.
"I'm 'fraid not."- He says- "You're quite the prize, kid. Every mercenary back in the deeps is talkin' about how they're going to kick you down into oblivion. We can't just let you get away when we've already got you, can we?"
Once again, Alwyn surprises the man with his laser gun.
"If I'm the prize, then you must first earn my money's worth!"- He says and fires a laser round, nearly hitting the man's shoulder- "No prize has ever been easy to obtain! So, defend yourself already!"
The mercenary wipes some sweat from his eyebrow and smiles.
"I'll send you back to your daddy, one way or another."- He says- "Watch out, kid. A storm's brewin'. And you're in the middle of it."
Having said that, he pulls out two laser guns and lunges at Alwyn. However, the boy manages to leap away in the last moment and start firing at his enemy. Soon, the small scuffle becomes a full showdown as the mercenary and target fight for the morals that they must uphold.
Alwyn continues to leap out of the way as the mecenary leader attempts to gun him down. However, just as he prepares to jump again, the man fires another shot, striking the boy in the left foot and sending him flying toward the nearby bakery.
As the mercenary laughs, Alwyn grabs several pieces of toast, coats them in the contents of a nearby trash can, and hurls them at the headhunter. One of them actually manages to make it into his mouth, making him gag and retch almost immediately.
"This is how you make me feel, bloodhound!"- Alwyn yells as the mercenary continues to gag- "Accept it, just like I accepted you!"
As the mercenary unsuccessfully fires a few shots, one of the lasers manages to hit his ally in the shoulder, alerting the entire party.
"Oh boy!"- Aurelia exclaims- "There's a lot of them!"
Will shakes his head.
"Big or small, an army is not indestructible!"- He exclaims- "Don't let them become more of a threat than they already are!"
Mysta watches as the first set of mercenaries appear. As they brandish their daggers at her, she takes a deep breath. She has not felt the thrill of a real battle for years, and this moment is about to change her life. Again.
Without any hesitation, she uses her wind magic to blow her enemies back. When they attempt to reach her again, she traps them in a ball of pure wind. Then, as the men start to scream, she hurls the ball far away, never to be seen again.
"Nice one, Myst!"- Will compliments her- "That one hurt, for sure!"
Mysta nods.
"The winds are my allies. And they are angry."- She says- "That man spoke of a storm. But he never knew which way the wind blows."
Aurelia grins.
"Yeah! Tell them, Mysta!"- She exclaims- "Blow them away, like a wild tornado!"
As a group of bandits surrounds Will and his aunt, the boy spawns a wall of fire, burning many of those who were foolish enough to approach them at that time. The rest of their allies attempt to cut through the flames, but it is too late. As soon as they attempt to get further, the wall of fire explodes, incinerating the fools almost instantly.
Suddenly, one of the mercenaries fighting by his leader's side has a change of mind. He looks around, realizes how doomed he is, picks up his figurative tail and starts to run away, just like an animal from a mighty predator. And the predators are all around him.
"Mommy!"- He screams as he runs- "Save me!"
As the mercenary continues to run, Mysta aims her claws at him. She prepares to cast a spell to prevent him from escaping, but Will stops her.
"There is no point to chase him, Myst. Let him go."- He says- "We are not bloothirsty killers like them. We do not need to stoop so low."
Mysta nods.
"Fine."- She says- "I won't."
Taking the hint, more mercenaries decide that the other part of the city is much safer. More and more at once, those once proud and unbreakable units of the tainted law start to break apart, thus crushing the delicate formation that their leader formed years ago.
"No, you fools! Come back!"- He yells- "The enemy's right here! Stop acting like a bunch of screaming housewives!"
As he attempts to call them back again, Alwyn bashes him in the head with his gun. However, even when stunned, this tower of a man is a truly formidable fighter. He ripostes Alwyn's blows, casts a brief spell to bind him with invisible chains and grabs him by the neck.
"Nice try, buster."- He says- "But a mercenary's always ready for the worst."
Alwyn attempts to break free. When he sees that it's no use, he shakes his head.
"Cursed mercenary tactics!"- He mutters- "I should have known!"
Seeing that Alwyn is about to be brutally murdered, Mysta shakes her head.
"Oh no, you don't."- She mutters and conjures a powerful wind spell.
Suddenly, two wind blades appear to the left and right of the mercenary. Although they are made of mist, they still cut hard, leaving nasty marks on the man's skin as he is thrown back. Then, just as he attempts to get back up, a shield of wind bashes him in the stomach, forcing blood out of his mouth.
Though she is not much of a fighter, Aurelia is still able to do some decent damage. As the man attempts to pull himself up, she smacks him with her staff, so hard that she makes his right eye blue. And then, she whacks him again and makes his other eye blue, for good measure.
As the final blow that will decide it all, Will jumps in the air and conjures a powerful light spell. Suddenly, a barrage of ethereal swords pierce their way through the mercenary leader's chest, leaving the man in a lot of pain. And it does not stop there, because he soon uses a light crystal to disintegrate both of his guns and cause him even more pain in the process. A long process, but very, very effective.
As the four heroes surround him, the man chuckles.
"So, you found yourself some friends, huh?"- He says to Alwyn- "How creative of you to think that you can escape from our gr-- "
And then, he takes a good look at Will and Aurelia.
"You're... a Kaos!"- He exclaims- "What's a Kaos doing here?!"
Will shakes his head.
"Our work is not your business."- He says- "You tried to take out an innocent person because some influential freak paid you a good price. You cast away your own pride, just to allow your greed to take over your mind. If there is a question to be asked, there it is- what are you doing here, you ruffian?"
The mercenary leader shakes his head.
"You don't know who you're messing it!"- He yells- "Stay back, or you'll regret it!"
Will raises his eyebrow.
"Regret what? That I did not murder you earlier?"- He asks and snorts- "There are a lot of people who work for money out there. Some of them do honest work, but most always have dirt and blood on their hands. Just like you."
The mercenary glares at him.
"Then... then you're as good as dead!"- He yells- "Nobody can escape from Mr. Grayson's grasp! Nobo-- "
Suddenly, a truck swerves away from the road. It quickly heads toward the mercenary and runs over him, killing him almost instantly. Our heroes are barely able to survive themselves, cloaked in mist by Mysta as she temporarily hides them away from the scene.
"Whew! That was a close one!"- Will exclaims- "What an unfortunate coincidence, right auntie?"
Aurelia shakes her head.
"There's no coincidence in this world, my dear."- She says- "Unfortunate, it is. But a coincidence? I don't think so."
Will nods.
"Anyway, that freak is finally dead. And we are still on the road to nowhere."- He says- "Does anyone have any ideas?"
Myst sighs.
"I hate to suggest, but maybe it's best if we check his pockets."- She says- "What if he has some valuables that are useful to us?"
Will nods.
"Perhaps it is for the best."- He says- "Alright. Let's get down to searching."
As the four of them approach the recently deceased mercenary, they discover that he has reanimated. Apparently, the truck's wheels did not crush his head, and he is very angry about his current situation.
Mysta decides that she's had enough of this annoying headhunter. Swiftly pulling out her dagger, she approaches the undead man and slices him twice, in quick succession. She watches as he falls to the ground, finally satisfied with her hard work.
"Well, that's the end of another fool. Again."- She says- "Let's get to work."
The four of them search for useful information, and it does not take them long to find it. They discover a crumpled piece of paper, hidden deep in the man's pocket, and soon realize that the man who sent him and his people... is Damien Grayson himself.
"So, the mob boss is real."- Mysta says- "And he's hungry for blood."
Will shakes his head.
"We got in a real battle, with the servants of a real mafia leader."- He says- "It is hard to believe that we made it out alive."
Mysta raises her eyebrow.
"What about the divine being back in Sunrise Sanctuary?"- She asks him- "Wasn't he fearsome enough?"
Will looks at her.
"I mean, this is my first major battle without my uncle."- He says- "He always backed me up when I was younger. And he still does. But to think that we fought those freaks alone... and managed to hunt them all down... it is astounding."
Aurelia shakes her head.
"It's always the ones who devote themselves to the money who lose the most."- She says- "That.. person was no different."
Will nods and turns around.
"Anyway, we still have to talk to the elephant in the room. You know what I mean."- He says and looks at Alwyn- "So. Are you ready to speak?"
Alwyn raises his eyebrow.
"About what?"
Will continues to stare at him.
"About your presence in our humble city."- He says- "We have a lot to talk about."
Alwyn sighs.
"Alright. If that makes you trust me more, I'll do it."- He responds- "Let's get this over with."