Relic of the Future: Chapter 112

Thumbing his last weapon other than his sword, Jaune tossed the canister down, spewing out thick, acris smoke that belched into the clearing. The military-grade Atlas smoke went off, spinning on the floor as it expelled smoke so fast it propelled itself in circles like a firework candle. The smoke spread and built up, some drifting away in the breeze but enough remaining to not fully obscure them but reduce their outlines visibly. Taking a deep breath and tightening his grip, Jaune charged into the smoke.

Pointless, Hazel thought, barging through it. He fixed his tortured eyes on the dark shape that ducked low and away, spinning to follow it, quickly finding it again rushing in from his left. His hand came up, swatting the blade away with the back of his knuckles. The ring of steel on bone echoed. Pushing through it, he snapped a hand out and caught Jaune by the scarf, fingers winding in tight and dragging him close. Hazel drove his other fist into the man's stomach, driving the air out of him.

"Did you think smoke would blind me?" he asked calmly. "That was a long shot, even for you."

"N-No," Ashari spluttered, holding Hazel's wrist tightly. "I thought it'd distract you."

Red hot metal pierced out from Hazel's breastbone, curving up and between his and Ashari's faces, stained red with blood but also, he noted with some shock, red itself.

The blade was blood red.

"Grk. H – How…? You…"

His eyes slid back, head turning to see the second shape in the smoke. The smoke grenade hadn't been to blind him. The constant fizzing and spitting sound of gas propelling the liquid smoke had only been to silence the sound of a portal opening. And of footsteps in the grass.

"Me," Raven Branwen said, twisting the sword inside him. "Hello."

—Relic of the Future: Chapter 112