Alveaenerleasth

– Hello. – A soft voice broke through the cries of the seagulls. The girl turned. Behind her stood a short redhead with countless freckles on his twelve-year-old face. His gray eyes gazed at her with adoration.

She knew him. He was a messenger. And they called him Rudy. He might be twelve, but he was the best and most expensive. The girl began to wonder which gang had hired him.

“What do you want, Rudy?” she asked casually. She leaned forward slightly and looked into the vast gray of his eyes. To her irritation, the boy held his gaze. In his eyes lurked an immense power she didn’t want to oppose. But she knew there would be a duel between her and him. That he was her enemy. That someday they would meet again, and then she would have to fight him, oppose this immense power…

“I have a message from the boss,” he said, smiling. The girl smiled back, which made the boy's face flush violently, then turned and looked out to sea. She spread her arms, looked up at the sky, and froze, as if in anticipation.

Rudy watched the whole scene with fascination, unable to tear his eyes away from the girl.

A strong wind blew, the girl's coat filled with the sea breeze, and her gray beret fell from her hair, causing it to spill over her shoulders. She stood there for a moment, savoring the sea, the adventure, and the wind. After a moment, a quiet question reached Rudy's ears:

"What does the boss want from me?" She had no idea which boss she was referring to, as every street gang had its own "boss."

"He wants to meet you.

" "I don't date just anyone," she said, to the boy's utter astonishment, still staring out at the sea. "If your boss was someone important, you'd brag about who sent you. Unless your boss is just the boss." Like shit is shit...

"Shark.

" "Excuse me?" she asked, turning to face him. "Uh-huh. Shark..." She toyed with the word like a toy, savoring its power.

Shark was, and is, the boss of the local gang. He's too important for any of the weaker street bosses to get away with it. But, currently, Shark is waging war with Gray's gang. Ha! It's like a battle between two titans, one clever, the other strong. The strong fool is, of course, Shark.

"When?

" "Today," Rudy replied. The girl turned sharply, her breasts level with his gaze. Rudy blushed, but she paid no attention. She was furious.

"Tomorrow. Tell Shark I'll meet him tomorrow. I don't have time for him today. Tell him to come to old dock seven tomorrow. I'll meet him there."

The girl looked past him. He looked there too. His gaze fell on the gray beret resting at the end of the pier where they had met. Rudy, with a swift movement, reached for the lost item and handed it to its owner.

Their fingers touched for a brief moment. The girl didn't withdraw her hand, though Rudy's were icy cold.

"Rudy, I'll tell you again what you have to tell Shark." She broke the awkward silence. "Namely, have him come to old dock number seven tomorrow. Have him come at high noon. Late means he's not worth talking to me. So, if he's late, I won't be there anymore."

The boy nodded meekly and hurried toward the city center. He hummed a tune she didn't recognize. But the tune, for some reason, didn't sound pleasant to her.

"

Rudy, say it again, I think I misheard," said the leader of the gang, colloquially known as Shark.

"She said she didn't have time to meet you today. You're to come tomorrow at noon to dock seven," the boy recited obediently, like a litany. "She won't meet you otherwise." That's what she said.

The boss cursed under his breath. He had, in fact, ignored the girl's instructions and was currently in dock seven. That's what he ordered, and despite the objections of the others, they went.

Rekin was the oldest of the twelve-person gang. Seventeen years old, which was a long time. His black hair, cut close to his skull, gave him an egg-shaped appearance, but he wasn't particularly concerned. The gap-toothed smile that often graced Rekin's face was also present now.

Rumors circulated among the gang that Rekin already had a girlfriend. And having a girlfriend was no joke, in the 19th century.

Pinta, standing next to his guru, sniffed loudly. Rekin looked at him. He smiled and with a quick movement pulled a handkerchief with the initials RM emblazoned on it from his pants pocket, then handed it to Pinta. The boy accepted the gift and used it. A loud sniffling sound echoed through the hall they were in.

But he had prepared himself for unexpected eventualities; with him were: the snotty Pinta, a fifteen-year-old who was a great fighter; Mergin, a tall man with the brains of a bird but the strength of a bull; Cortez, a short, blond boy with a girlish face and an incredible talent for picking locks; Mander, a sixteen-year-old who could steal a Cyclops' eye. That was it. The rest of the boys remained in the city. But Shark was absolutely convinced that such a bodyguard would be enough for any eventuality.

And Rudy was with them. But no one was considering him.

It was so dark on the dock that his eye was disfigured

.

Alveaenerleast looked at the group of people standing in the largest puddle, right in the middle of the dock. If it weren't for the loud sniffle of one of the boys below, which alerted her to the presence of Shark and his gang, she probably wouldn't have realized anyone was inside. And now she was sitting on a ceiling beam of the enormous building, observing her unexpected guests. Her eyes, normally catlike, now looked uncannily human; the black pupil was surrounded by a green iris.

Slowly, she began to make out the people in her "home." Shark, Pinta, Cortez, and Mergin. Hadn't Rudy given them the information? No, he had. Rudy was with them.

To her surprise, Rudy lifted his head. She thought he was looking at her, but that was impossible, unless... No, it was impossible.

But Rudy continued to look in her direction. Had he seen her eyes glow? No, that couldn't be possible, because she'd eliminated the glow. Hmm...

Shark stopped. He looked back and followed the boy's gaze, but saw nothing. When his gaze returned to Rudy, he was already looking in the other direction. Toward the entrance... where seven more people stood.

Shark knew these seven. It was Gray's gang, with whom he had a rivalry. Gray liked riots and brawls, which is why he often entered the territory of another gang. But this was too much. Shark swore to himself that Gray would learn his place. And it would be he, Shark, who would show him.

Shark leaned in and whispered in Rudy's ear,

"When this starts, go get the boys." After a moment's hesitation, he added. "If necessary, let them avenge us."

Shark straightened. He looked at his companions. Four people and him. Five people. Four people and a child, he quickly corrected himself. Horrified, Cortez looked at his boss as he moved forward toward the enemy gang. But Cortez didn't give up. He charged with his companions, even though he knew the fight would be tough. Very tough.

Two gangs, two enemies, two gangs. That's all Alvea could see from her position. Shark was out of position, she thought. Gray and his "boys" had metal pipes; somewhere in the darkness, the steel of a knife glinted. Alvea smiled to herself, seeing that the knife belonged to none other than young Pinta.

"Shark, our day has finally come," Gray said in greeting. His calm voice pierced Shark with fear.

And that's when it all began.

Seeing the flash of metal, Shark instinctively jerked his head back, preventing his nose from quickly meeting the cold metal. A lightning-fast counterattack allowed him to knock his attacker off his feet. When Gray rose from the ground, he saw Shark's angry face.

Their eyes met, and Shark was convinced that Gray would beat him to a bloody pulp.

Two men attacked Mergin: a tall, wide-eyed blond and a small, plump man, the very opposite of his colleague. Mergin reacted instinctively; he threw his right fist forward, followed immediately by his left, which allowed him to transform the blond's beautiful eyes into purple, making them less large than before. But Mergin's second opponent was smaller, faster, and, surprisingly, more agile. Mergin's fists, as large as bohemia, tried in vain to reach their target.

Pinta had similar problems. The small, agile fifteen-year-old posed little challenge to two nineteen-year-olds with the build of athletes and Mergin's strength. And, as if to spite them, they also carried metal pipes. Pinta briefly wondered if such a weapon was standard issue for Szary's gang, but decided it wasn't. Little Pinta dodged a blow to the ribs and swung his knife...

Cortez, a master at opening all manner of locks, was also having considerable trouble. And two opponents pounced on him. They were his height and looked like brothers. Both used only their fists. These fists were equipped with brass knuckles.

Just when it seemed Shark would lose decisively, she appeared in the arena.

Alveaenerleast.

All

four sat against the dock wall. Their wide eyes stared at the fight. She versus him. Rudy versus Alvea.

They remembered exactly what had happened a moment ago. They remembered how she had dealt with Gray's gang, saving them from certain defeat. They remembered, and they believed they would never be allowed to forget. But now they were admiring another display, one that surpassed their concept of Knowledge and Understanding...

Alvea was intrigued by where such strength, such inner power, came from in such a young man, but the matter was clear. Rudy was no ordinary man. Rudy, in fact, Aenyeanna Teadh aep Feainne. He was a Hunter. And he hunted those like her. But he was young and she was experienced, so the fight was quick. Aenyeanna Teadh aep Feainne lost. His psychic powers were at first level. Before she landed the final blow, Rudy managed to use Mind and evacuate. The oval portal flashed on the wall.

Alvea could easily catch him, but food was waiting. It was not worth stressing Shark, or Shark would be frightened. And she didn't like the stench of fear and sweat.

"

My name is Alveaenerleasth. And Alvea is just an abbreviation. Rudy, as you call him—or rather, you called him, because I don't think he'll be here anytime soon—was a being from another world. I know it's hard for you to believe, but he was someone who exterminates creatures like me. They call themselves Hunters. Shark, sit still, you'll ask questions later."

"As I said, Rudy won't be back anytime soon. Yes, you heard correctly. He possesses the ability to travel through time and space. Just like me, and my ancestors, relatives, and my potential offspring. Cortez, why are you blushing so much? A relationship with humans doesn't bear any fruit. Aha... Cortez, one more thought like that and you'll end up like Gray. Well, not literally. Your brain will splatter on another wall. Yes... with my eyes, that's me...? Aha. Portals. Even you humans could open a portal, all it takes is a little practice and mental strength. Oof!!!" The last of the air escaped her lungs. She clutched her stomach.

As she spoke, Rudy returned. In his natural form as a multidimensional being.

Before a single thought could enter the minds of Cortez, Shark, Mergin, or Pinta, their hearts stopped beating.

This time, the fight was more intense. Alveaenerleast, trapped in a three-dimensional body, was limited in both physical and mental capabilities. She knew she would win this battle, but if she didn't transform, her strength might be permanently weakened.

She dodged another blow. Her rage was almost palpable. With a mere glance, she pinned the monster to the wall. Or rather, those limbs of his that were visible in three dimensions. She focused all her willpower from the third plane, the fifth level, on him. On Aenyeanna Teadh aep Feainne. She succeeded.

Her opponent writhed and thrashed, trying to free himself, but she wouldn't let him. She quickly opened a portal. If she was to emerge from this battle unscathed, she would face him on her own territory. If he had the courage to follow her.

She passed. She deliberately left a thread of contact behind her.

Seven

dead bodies were discovered by the janitor around 6 p.m. To his annoyance that someone might have been killed on his property, the police found four more bodies. The first seven had been brutally murdered. The four boys, the four dead bodies, resting against the north wall of the dock, looked as if they had died of fright.

Their wide eyes stared blankly into nothingness, their faces masks of terror. Their injuries suggested they, too, had fought a duel earlier.

To this day, the case has neither found the culprits nor an explanation.

Alveaenerleast

appeared in the building's doorway and quickly approached her waiting mother.

"So, how was it?" she asked.

"I feel faint, Mom," Alveaenerleast said. "Can we sit down somewhere?

" "Child, what happened? Have you had another unpleasant experience with the service? Or maybe the food was expired?

" "Mom!" she said reproachfully. – We're at the best restaurant in town. It's the best because they serve the best dishes, because the service is friendly, because... you don't have to pay for the restroom...

"Daughter, I can see from your expression that something's wrong. You have to tell me, right?

" "One thing! Don't try their new dish; this... '19th Century Earth'"—but her mother seemed incredulous. Her father shook his head resignedly and sighed.

"Mom! Everything's fine.

" "If it is, then why has your mind switched to defense mode? Why are you on the fifth plane? Defense level! Why?! Did something unpleasant happen to you? Tell me, otherwise I can't help you."

Alveaenerleast sat down on the chair. Her tendrils and tentacles calmed down, no longer twitching like they had a moment ago. She sighed. In her own way. Alveaenerleast was about to transition into her third-dimensional form when the door to the premises suddenly opened. A short male stood there. The few hairs decorating his three bodies were tinged red. Most eyes were on her.

"That's my problem, Mom." But I'll solve it myself," Alvea said to her mother. The vampire, currently using the fifth dimension, moved her body. In the human world, this would have been a gesture inviting her opponent to come outside.

They left. Alveaenerleasth, despite her form, saw the depth and gray of the Hunter's eyes. Before the fight, she had wanted to ask him how he did it? How did he maintain his eye color even here?

But she didn't have time. The fight began.

The mother watched for a moment as her little one solved the problem. And she was impressed by how well she was doing.

The fight continued...