Titans - March of Progress

"There comes a time when you just gotta do what you gotta do" Jalel stated as he stood at the front of the group of gathered youths.

Sain could only just see Jalel, encased in shadows as the youth was. All Sain could see was the huge youth's silhouette in the darkness, as well as a twinkle of light where his eyes should be.

"And today is one of those times. So, I won't have any bitches trying to run away, or not pull their weight in what we gotta do" Jalel added and turned to look out over the couple dozen youths gathered. Even though Jalel was obscured, Sain was sure he felt eyes linger on him for a moment. The comment was a pointed barb he knew, considering he had run from the alley on Jalel's previous gig.

"We are gonna get into a few scraps, no doubt about it. Stick by your mates and watch out for each other" Jalel added and then shifted, moving forward. He stepped out of the shadows, and Sain saw Jalel's face clearly. The youth bore a hard expression on his brutish face, his jaw clenched tight. Sain instinctively shrunk away, stepping back into the crowd packed around him. A hand pushed him on the shoulder though, stopping him and he froze.

Looking back, Sain saw Minda behind him again, staring down at him with a frown.

"Keep it together. Don't run. Cowards don't survive these streets" she said and tightened her jaw as well. She clearly looked displeased and for some reason, it just made Sain feel ashamed. He just gulped and nodded his head, before looking back to Jalel, finding the youth staring straight at him.

"Sain, Minda, step up front either side of me" Jalel stated suddenly, and Sain just stared, freezing to the spot. Not that it did any good as Minda pushed him from behind, right through those gathered around them. She gave Sain a last shove, causing him to stagger before Jalel. Sain just gasped and caught himself and came to a standing position on Jalel's left side. Then he turned around to look at the gathered youths, his eyes flitting to Jalel briefly, noting the scowl on his face. Sain cast a quick look to Minda who took up a position on Jalel's right side.

"For those of you who don't know, these two are both casters. There are casters in the other two groups as well, but these two are the ones to look out for" Jalel stated and lifted his hands, before dropping each one onto the shoulders of those flanking him. Sain winced at the force and weight that landed on his right shoulder, and he felt his knees wobble a little.

"They are on standby in the event other casters appear in the other gangs' ranks. I am aware there are a few, and even know what they look like. So, while we are fighting, make sure to look after these two, because they will only fight once other casters appear. Got it!" Jalel said and murmurs of acknowledgement sounded out. The hand on Sain's shoulder just tightened and Sain gulped.

"Alright, we have some time before it starts. Rest up, check your weapons. Do whatever. But be ready" Jalel added, and the youths dispersed with little delay, most going to lean against the buildings that flanked the alley. A few flashes of orange light appeared as matches were lit and touched to pipes or cigarettes. After a few moments the smell of tobacco and loose-leaf herbs drifted through the area.

"Sain. Look at me" Jalel grunted quietly, and Sain just flinched as the hand on his shoulder tightened even more, painfully so. He was forcefully turned to face Jalel, who then placed a hand on his left shoulder and gripped that as well, trapping him. Jalel was far larger than Sain, so there was not even a contest of strength. So, Sain just obeyed and looked up at the youth, holding his gaze only for mere seconds before looking away nervously.

"Sain. This is your last chance to prove yourself. You got that? You fucked up the other day and let me down, while Ricky proved his worth" Jalel growled quietly, barely a whisper.

"If you run, or don't do shit, I will flog you myself, break your legs and throw you in the canal. Understand?" Jalel added, anger in his tone this time. Sain just shook in the youth's grip and looked up sharply, wide eyed as a rush of fear hit him. He swallowed, staring into Jalel's face, which bore a deadly serious expression. Sain just nodded, despite shaking like a leaf in the wind as fear ran rampant through him. He just clenched his palms, feeling them to be clammy and shaking horribly.

"I... I yeah, uh... I got it. Won't let you down" he stammered out, tearing his gaze from Jalel's. After a few moments Jalel removed his hands from Sain's shoulders and then just stepped back.

"Good. Now, you stick with Minda and do whatever the fuck she says. Unlike you, she has proven her worth many times over. Don't fuck up" Jalel stated roughly then stepped away, producing his own matches and pipe from his coat pockets. After taking a few moments to pack in some loose leaf, he just lit up and went to lean against a wall with some of the other gang members.

Sain turned his gaze away from Jalel and just looked at Minda as she approached. He saw her expression being one of irritation complete with a frown, and he just tightened his shaking fists even more, feeling ashamed still.

"Kid, chill out. You have been in fights before, haven't you?" Minda queried as she stood in front of Sain, only slightly taller than him. But where he was skinny and small, Minda was at an age where she was filling out, so she just felt larger than him. Sain gulped at the question and just looked away sharply.

"Um... yes. I have been in fist fights. But I have never used magic to hurt another person! I have a master that forbids it! If he finds out I am here, he will end my apprenticeship! I will be done!" Sain exclaimed suddenly, in a rush. His words tumbled out, getting louder towards the end of his sentence and he looked to Minda sharply, staring with a pleading look in his eyes, hoping she would understand his concern. His desire not to be here.

"I shouldn't be here at all. I am not even part of this gang! I am just friends with some of the younger members" Sain continued and stared into Minda's face desperately. Surely, she would understand? Maybe she could stick up for him. But as Sain stared at Minda, he just saw her look of irritation turn to disgust and she just stepped back.

"Well, you are here. Jalel seems to think you are a member, and no one says no to Jalel. Not even I do. So, pull your shit together kid. If you don't, you could die tonight. It is that fucking simple" she snapped and then turned away with a look of scorn, leaving Sain to just stare at her, confused. After a moment he just scowled and looked away sharply. I should have known she would be like that. Jalel always gets his way. There is a reason he has earned a reputation for cruelty, and no one stands up to him.

Sain just retreated into himself, going to lean against one of the alley walls, and wrapped his arms around himself to provide some sort of comfort and just looked down at his feet. He stayed like that for a while, his mood getting more sullen and more withdrawn by the minute. Occasionally he would look up and survey those around him, catching glimpses sent his way, along with the odd snigger and murmured comment. Each occurrence just made him scowl even more, building up a gradual feeling of resentment at the situation.

After some time though, a noise broke out in the distance, a sort of gong and Sain just stood bolt upright and looked around, seeing everyone else doing the same. He moved his gaze to Jalel who pushed off a wall, leaving whatever quiet conversation he had been a part of.

"That's the signal people. Let's move. Everyone follow me" Jalel grunted, and then turned away, walking in the direction of the warehouse district, his strides long.

A flurry of movement occurred around Sain, and he noticed a number of youths pulling out a variety of makeshift weapons. They ranged from knives and lead pipes to clubs and hammers. Weapons typical of a gang of hoodlums. Sain just gulped and shuffled away from the wall, eyes wide as his nervousness returned, replacing his feeling of resentment. As everyone started following Jalel, silent and tense, Sain just fell into the group, slipping into the middle of the throng. A moment later Minda appeared by his side, and he looked up at her, noting her jaw was set tight, and her face bearing a look of concentration. She was focused.

Sain turned his gaze away and just walked with the group, swallowing nervously as they started winding between buildings and alleys. After a few minutes of walking, the types of buildings started to change, turning from small shanty houses and shops to large structures, surrounded by tall walls and fences.

The mob came to the end of an alley, and then spilled out onto a wide main road. The main thoroughfare through the warehouse district. Sain recognized it, as he walked along it whenever he went to work. The mob came to a halt in the road, and turned to face to the right, looking up at the road. Sain did too and widened his eyes as he saw a large group of people a hundred or so meters up the road, quickly closing ground towards them. They were lit up and easy to see under the many streetlights that lined the thoroughfare, but they were still too far for Sain to work out who they were.

"Right lads. Looks like it's the Hard Hats we are up against. Let's show these laborers how to fight. Spread out" Jalel called out, as he came to stand at the front of the group. Sain just squinted, trying to look for signs the group was the hard hats, and sure enough, as the group got closer, he saw a number of the people wearing what looked like shiny domes on their heads. Probably helmets.

Hearing the scuffing of feet and muttering around him, Sain looked around, seeing the Blue Fang members spread out. Many of them reached up to their left biceps, and touched the blue, white striped strip of cloth tied around it. Sain instinctively did as well, grimacing as his fingers grazed over the cloth. He had said he was not part of the gang, but here he was wearing the gang colors.

His thoughts vanished though as Jalel held up a hand, quieting all noises. He just stared forward as the group of hard hats approached. They seemed to be about fifty meters out now and were slowing their pace considerably.

"Sain, Minda. I see all three of their casters. A stocky red-haired fella, and two lanky guys with black hair. Twins. Deal with them" Jalel stated, his voice carrying even though he spoke forward, not turning back to the group. His gaze was simply locked on the group in front. As Jalel waited, he just pulled out his club, and swung it before him, testing his swing before balancing it on his right shoulder. Then he just slouched, taking a relaxed posture.

Sain gulped as he stared forward, sensing Minda step closer to him, and just place a hand on his shoulder as she leaned down to whisper into his ear.

"Stick with me kid. Gonna go for one of the twins first" she whispered, and Sain just gulped again, eyes wide as he clenched his hands, which were starting to tremble again. He stepped up on his tiptoes then, looking past the few ranks of people before him, searching for the ones Jalel had described. After a few moments he found them and locked their image in his mind.

All three of the casters from the other gang were clustered in the middle of the opposing group. The twins stood behind the red-haired caster and looked nervous. They looked to be around fifteen or sixteen. Sain grimaced, guessing neither wanted to be here either. The red-haired caster looked older, and even had the makings of a patchy beard. He looked confident and relaxed, and seemed to be surveying those before him, sweeping his eyes over the blue fang members.

"Jalel. It has been a while. How about we just skip this fight and you guys run away like the little bitches you are" came a voice from the other side, and Sain turned his attention to the speaker. It was a huge youth who had stepped forward and was resting a wooden bat on his right shoulder, his right hand wrapped around the handle and drumming his fingers along the grip. The youth was massive, over six foot, and bore an amused expression on his wide, flat and brutish face. Sain just frowned. The youth could have been a relative of Jalel for all he knew, for the similarities they shared in their bearing.

"Greg, how about you shut the fuck up, and go fuck your sister you inbred piece of shit" Jalel just grunted as he stepped forward, raising his right arm and club. And then he just kept moving forward without hesitation. There seemed to be an instant of confusion on both sides, right before a roar sounded from the Blue Fang members at the front, who then surged forward after Jalel.