1~ |The Eccentric Savor: Part 1|

⚠️Warning⚠️: This chapter contains attempted rape. If you're sensitive about this topic, I suggest readers consider it carefully before proceeding.

*******

"Where am I?" Oswin uttered, looking down on the wet cobblestone under his feet. He lifted his face and sniffed. "What's this stinky smell?"

Seeking the answer to his question, he exited the narrow path and moved onto the main street where the air was a bit fresher but still held a pungent smell to his nose.

The night was late, for the moon was already high in the clear, dark sky, but a few passersby and night-owlers were still roaming around the street. As the man traipsed along the pavement, he noticed everyone stopped and stared at him with eyes full of shock, confusion, and disbelief.

Don't look at me like that. I'm as confused as you, he thought to himself.

However, it was hard to blame those people. After all, no one expected an abnormally tall guy with long, waist-length blonde hair to roam around the city street. Not to mention the out-of-place ankle-length silver robe that was vivaciously fluttering behind him in rhythm with the gentle night breeze.

"I hate this place," he muttered under his breath and made a right turn into a road that had fewer streetlights and people.

*********

"Okay, boss. I'm done now. Don't forget to come and lock the door," Sean, a lively guy with short, black hair, shouted from the front door as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Be there in a minute!" echoed a voice from the kitchen, followed by a man in his early forties a minute later. "I'm sorry to keep you this late again, Sean. I’ll give you a bonus this month."

"Thank you so much, boss," the young man replied cheerfully before turning towards the door. "I'm leaving now!"

"See you tomorrow."

"Good night, boss."

"Good night."

Closing the door, he stepped out into the silent street and began walking toward the direction of his house.

Wow. It's late, he thought.

He quickened his steps, hoping to get to his small yet comfortable living space that was not far away. He wanted nothing more than to get behind the secured, locked door and called it a day. But before he could make it to the corner, he heard footsteps coming from behind, making him stop and turn around.

There was no one in sight.

Am I hearing things? He shook his head and resumed walking.

However, the footsteps' sound resurfaced with just three steps, causing him to gulp nervously in fear that he didn't even dare to look the second time. Clutching his bag's strap firmly, he broke into a run. But he couldn't even make it far when a group of well-built men appeared out of nowhere and surrounded him.

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" said a guy in blue mohawk hair. His sleeveless t-shirt exposed both his muscular biceps and a tiger tattoo.

"Look, Tim, we've got ourselves a high schoolboy. Must be tasty," said the smaller guy on the right, ogling at Sean while licking his lower pierced lip.

"I-I'm n-not a h-high s-cho-oler," he stammered. His eyes remained on the ground without daring to meet the gang's eyes.

"All the better, then. We don't have to face harsh punishment later," smirked Tim as he, too, was leering at the trembling Sean up and down as if to undress the poor guy with his eyes. "Well, that's if we get caught."

Evil laughs reverberated throughout the night, escaping everyone's mouth, except Sean, whose lips were quivering. Not long after the laughter died, he was pushed into the alley, falling on his butt with a loud thud.

"Please, I don't have any money. You can check my bag." He crawled away from the approaching gangs and was about to hand them his bag when Tim's words cut his action off, freezing him on the spot for a split second.

"We're not interested in money, flower boy. We want to have some fun," Tim said, unbuckled the belt of his faded jeans while approaching Sean slowly.

"B-but I-I am a man!" Sean snapped himself out and resumed crawling back, away from the lustful beast coming for him. Though his throat was dry, he still tried his best to breathe the word out.

"Well, blame it on yourself. Who asked you to have such a pretty face that can bring shame to women?"

Sean's back touched something cold the more he crawled back, and he didn't even have to turn back to confirm that it was a wall.

He was trapped.

He watched as Tim dropped the belt to the ground and sniggered, advancing towards him. He pulled both knees up to his chest to hug them tightly and curl himself into a ball.

"No, please. Don't do this. Please!" he begged relentlessly. His body shook like a fledgling, but neither Tim nor his gang showed any mercy. Only a sinister smile.

Sean told himself to run or scream, but he found himself too weak to do both. All he could do, at this moment, was helplessly watching the big hand reached towards him.

"Come to me, sweetie."

"Please, somebody help me," he murmured weakly. His voice came out as a whisper that sounded so weak to hear, even to his own ears. He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing no one was going to listen to his plea and coming to rescue him.

But someone heard it.

"What do you filthy creatures think you're doing?" A guttural voice reverberated from the alleyway's opening, making everyone stop what they were doing and turn to look at the nosy person who didn't seem to know his place.

Sean opened one of his eyes and peeked past Tim's muscular body to see a tall man's silhouette in ...a long dress?

Great. Just what I need. How is this flamboyant loony going to save me now? With a desperate sigh, he inwardly complained inside his head.

*******

Oswin stood at the entrance of the alley, looking at what he called a disgusting scene. His bloodshot bluish-silver eyes glared at everyone inside, except the one shaking on the floor like a fledgling.

"Look! Someone forgets to return the costume to the crew!" the smallest guy in a grey t-shirt and jeans said, standing the closest to the appealing tall figure.

"What ancient movie did you just film, dude?" laughed the guy with dyed white hair.

The entire gang subsequently joined his laughter, making the newly arrived individual narrowed his eyes and shot a deadly glare at them.

How dare these mere mortals made fun of me? They're going to regret it, Oswin thought to himself.

"I've no idea what you servants are talking about," he hissed. It angered him, seeing these people showed no fear of his presence.

"Big brother Tim, looks like this guy portrays the role of a king. He gets absorbed way too much into the character that he forgets this is no longer the film set," shouted the guy with dyed white hair, directing his eyes at the squatting person.

Oswin watched the one addressed as big brother stood up and walked to join his peers. They were now standing opposite to each other, with five against one.

"Look, your majesty," Tim emphasized the last words in a mocking tone, making everyone burst into a peal of laughter again. "You should know better than to get your pretty face beaten and end up taking a day off from shooting your movie tomorrow. How about you crawl back to where you've come from?"

"How dare you talk to me like that?"

"Perhaps, you want to join the fun? I don't mind threesome." Tim licked his lips, leaving behind a trace of saliva on his soft flesh.

"Disgusting."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

"Mortals are so pitiable. Even their hearings are weak." He clicked his tongue in annoyance. His face and voice remained stern despite the threatening voice coming from Tim's lips. "Now, servants, I'll give you three seconds. Either you scurry out of here on your own feet, or I'll have you flying out."

"Hey, do you guys even understand what he's saying?" Tim frowned and turned to ask his gang, only to receive either a no or a headshake.

"One." He began counting with an orotund tone.

No one moved. No one spoke.

"Two."

The gang kept staring at the eccentric, long blonde hair figure, wondering what would happen on the count of three.

"Three."

As the counting reached three, they heard fingers flicking. The gang held their breaths, waiting to see what was to come. Even Sean peeked from behind the gap of the row of people to see the result.

*Crickets* *Crickets* *Crickets*

"Hey, did anything weird happen to you guys?" asked Tim after witnessing nothing out of the ordinary a few minutes later.

"Nope," the gang answered simultaneously.

Oswin narrowed his eyes in confusion. What happened to my power? Was it...disappear? He asked himself. Impossible! Curiously, he flicked his fingers again. Just like before, nothing happened.

Sean's shoulders slumped in complete disappointment after witnessing the whole thing. The scene just killed his last string of hope.

Right, he really is a loony. Instead of getting myself rescued, I'll also have to think of a way to save my so-called hero, too, before that guy got himself killed. Sean sighed alongside his inner thoughts.

"Let's not waste any more time, guys. Get him!" bellowed Tim as he ran out of patience.

At the big brother's command, everyone lunged towards him. But he was too busy to care. The only thing he cared about now was how or when his magic disappeared.

<TO BE CONTINUED>