After a couple of days, Corin has gotten used to having the red gecko follow him everywhere he goes.
Currently, he is traveling to the market district near his house with a backpack and a list of groceries he was sent to get.
As Corin walks across the pavement toward the market district, he can already smell the different herbs and spices that are being sold.
Entering the market district you can find things that are unimaginable, but the most important part is getting the best type of deals.
Corin thinks to himself as he looks around the many kiosks.
Looking down at the list Corin plans a route that will optimize his speed so he can go home.
"Starting with the fruits I can go down to the leftmost area, then come back around to get the dyes, beef, and seasonings.
He starts to walk in the direction of the fruits where the sellers are waving around berries on the vine and gourds of every color.
His eye is caught by a crowd surrounding a kiosk, by the sound of it they're claiming to sell a fruit shaped like a star, he thinks that there's no way, so he makes his way over there.
The seller grabs the fruit shaped like a star and diced it, afterward, he mixes it with ice and strawberry to make a chunky liquid.
The seller then pours it into little cups and hands them out as samples, "This here is called a star fruit, and this liquid I am allowing you to taste is called a smoothie, a drink perfected by the royals, but don't let them know I am showing you this!" He follows with a hardy laugh.
Corin looks at the price, "600 Tel for just-" when suddenly he is interrupted by a loud womanly scream from a few kiosks down.
By the time he turns to see the commotion, crowds of people start screaming and evacuating.
He looks around terrified, trying to understand what's happening and quickly comes to the realization that the worst has occurred.
The Barrier that separates the destructive winds and the market district, has shattered at the top and is gradually deteriorating.
Corin knows that the wind will start to flush inward, destroying and uplifting everything in sight. So he makes a run for it. All he has to do is make it to the housing district barrier that is only a miles distance from him.
He takes off running but to his surprise, everyone has stopped and started running in the other direction.
Left and right people bump into each other away from the safety of the housing districts, What the hell is happening?! Corin yells in his head.
He hears more prevalent screams toward the end of the crowd, but they sound blood curled.
As the crowd clears he sees a group of monstrous goopy, tar-like creatures, with a humanoid figure gnawing away at bodies.
Corin starts to slowly back away, he thinks if he tries to stay quieter than the noise around him than he won't be targeted.
As he takes a step back he crushes a walnut that sat upon the floor, the distinct noise alerted the creatures and they set their expressionless eyes onto him.
"Damn it…", Corin quickly turns and runs in the other direction to avoid the creatures, but they are faster, running on all fours, clawing into the ground, the monsters are just so much faster than him.
Corin is grabbed by the ankle and trips, and upon hitting the ground he not only feels but hears his skull crack against the pavement.
This pain is too unique for him to know how to react, so he sits there with his eyes wide and face twitched.
The creatures start to plunge at him while he's down.
The Gecko that Corin has grown accustomed with crawls out of his pocket and siwftly makes its ways to Corin's head while the monsters are mid air.
The crystal that is imbedded in its forehead starts to glow a deep red and a warmth surrounds Corin.
The creatures land on Corin but are quickly burned by the warmth, they keep trying to get close but burn upon contact, so they back off.
Not only is the warmth acting as a repellent but it also is healing Corin, with small cracks being heard as his skull heals.
He screams from the accelerated healing but he quickly recovers as the pain resides, allowing him to stand back up.
He looks at the gecko gratefully and confused.
"We gotta get out of here." He says speaking to it as it climbs back into its pocket
The creatures are still focused on Corin, and they can sense that the warmth the gecko is producing has started to fade.
One pounces at Corin, managing a scratch, but Corin manages to punch it across its face knocking it back a bit.
"That's disgusting," he says waving the gunk from the creature off his hand.
The creature gets back up and attacks again, but this time it throws the exact same punch that Corin just used and it connects.
Corin rocks off balance but plants his feet
Did it just punch me? He thinks as he wipes the tar off his face.
The lizard's crystal starts to fade until it stops glowing.
Whatever it was doing was protecting me, but now it stopped. I can't beat one of these things and now the others are getting ready to attack.
As he steps back the creatures advance, anticipating his next move.
Corin immediately starts to run away, and the creatures follow in pursuit but he quickly shifts his weight backwards, he turns, and runs right past them.
He now makes his way back toward the housing district's barrier with some creatures in pursuit.
As he runs they pounce at him but he manages to avoid by dodging at just the right time.
They can't move freely in the air, so once they jump I have a chance to change direction.
While Corin avoids the creatures, more start to gather around him, until there are too many to avoid, and one finally latches onto his back.
Corin manages to get free but by the time he does, he's now surrounded by a good dozen of them.
One of them rushes Corin, but he quickly moves out of the way and delivers a gut punch to the creature, rendering it stunned.
Another comes rushing in, and grapples Corin by the waist, lifting him and slamming him into the ground.
It hurt but not enough to keep Corin down.
Unfortunately, two more come and hold him down, while the one he punched recently stands above him.
Corin swings his arms setting them free one by one, but the creatures regain control and force them back down.
The one standing above him kneels over, clenches its fist, and punches Corin in the face.
"That all you got? I have a kid sister who hits harder than that!" He screams
The creature starts repeatedly punching Corin as he tries to free his arms until a warmth starts to emit from Corin as he screams.
As Corin's body grows hotter the Geckos light that emits from its crystal glows brighter until his body is completely engulfed in a flame, turning the creatures to ash.
As the fire burns, Corin steps through, his hair red and sizzling like a fire, and both his iris, a matching deep red like the gecko's gemstone embedded within its head.