The high-pitched scream of the bell delivered joy to the exhausted workers, especially Rex. Since the confrontation with the enforcer, he couldn't concentrate. Having full control over his feelings wasn't something he excelled at. No matter what he did Rex still wound up under the influence of his inner emotions which led to him acting irrationally. Many told him this bad habit would disappear as he matured. If anything, it only worsened.

Rex and Chase were the last to leave as Rex's reaction caused Mr. Fredrick grave distress. He spoke to them of how mouthing off to an enforcer wasn't an idea he entertained. The person they'd offended, a supposed high ranking officer named Donovan Richley, could potentially spread false rumors regarding his company. Should he choose to do something so heinous, poor Mr. Fredrick would lose business. If worse came to worse, the shop might close permanently. They'd be out of a job. This burden, this domineering hindrance weighed entirely on Rex.

Chase punched him on his head, Rex jolting forward. Fiery eyes razed him. A scorching glare capable of incinerating him on the spot. "You honestly amaze me! What possessed you to assault a higher-up?! An enforcer, no less! What if he decides to search for us and demand payment?! Dad will have to spend much of his hard-earned jen for your dumb mishap!"

Rex knew nothing more distinctive or berating than a scolding from Chase. His every word punctured the heart and penetrated his soul to ensure Rex experienced the raw intensity of Chase's unbridled rage. Rubbing his bruised head, Rex dwelled on how he could defend his actions. He knew what he'd done was wrong, reckless, and childish. He'd learned while living with his adoptive family there were always consequences for a person's actions.

Even at an early age, his father taught him the importance of knowing where the path he chose could lead. It might guide him to fortune and happiness or, like right now, could bring him to a future of frustration and regret. Rex waited to what he deduced to be the conclusion of his brother's rant, it ending with Chase slamming him on top of his head again. For a while, the two walked in silence.

"I'm sorry, truly I am. I . . . Lost my temper. That enforcer jerk crossed a line. Taunting me about not knowing where I came from. Saying the king saw me as filth. As petty as those insults were, I couldn't so simply brush them off." Chase said nothing. "But I know I screwed up. You've every right to be mad." His hands balled into shaking fists. "Nevertheless, I won't submit to the likes of him. The same goes for any higher-up, enforcer or otherwise. As mysterious as my past is, it's as sacred to me as the walls are to Sanctuary. Scold me as much as you wish but I don't think I can ever ignore such acts of impudence, especially in regards to something so sensitive."

He flinched upon seeing Chase raise his hand. To his surprise, however, he wasn't immediately struck. Chase ravaged through Rex's set of brown hair, leaving it unkempt and wild. "Your past isn't something to make light of. It's why Dad and I don't mention it. It sounds selfish but he once told me he hoped you'd forget and try to move on. Still, I knew it was unlikely to happen considering our society is keen on making you remember. And then, there's the issue of your recurring nightmares." He glanced at his stunned brother, his shocked expression making Chase chuckle. "Concerning today's affairs, I suppose you aren't the only one who acted recklessly. I clearly injured the commander's pride."

"What were you supposed to do? Stand back without saying anything like everyone else?"

"That'd be the most reasonable decision. However, I also possess a nasty habit. Whenever my family's in danger I can't stop myself from intervening. I must be cursed."

The two turned into an alleyway stretching in between a pair of stone buildings. Dumpsters and black bags of garbage passed them, the foul-smelling odor invading their nostrils. As unpleasant as it may appear this route acted as their personal shortcut. Holding his nose, Rex sideglanced at Chase and grinned, "I guess we both have personal issues to work out. For me, it's controlling my emotions . . . For you, it's learning how to cope with letting your loved ones face their problems on their own."

Chase chuckled some more. "Seems like it."

"At least your problem is reasonable. I just come across as an immature child."

Chase laughed some more. "And I'm not?" he joked, knuckling Rex atop his head. The alleyway filled with laughter, their problems and concerns momentarily disintegrating. Chase hung his arm around Rex's neck, pulling him in for a surprise bearhug. "We'll get through this, won't we?"

"Without a doubt!"

Metal abruptly struck the floor, Chase swiftly peering ahead. The noise vanished as instantaneously as it arrived. What replaced it was the tapping of advancing footsteps. The brothers stopped when they spotted three approaching shadows. Teenaged delinquents baring cocky grins. "Isn't this interesting," said the ring leader. He matched Chase in height and thus taller than Rex. He'd eyes of ash, freckles covering his cheeks, and a set of unkempt burgundy colored hair. Similarly to his lackeys, he was around the same age as the brothers. He went by Caiden Singh. Every kid in the neighborhood knew of him and his gang who'd constantly demand respect. In spite of this, the two individuals who refused to acquiesce were none other than the Hunt brothers themselves. Despite being outnumbered they didn't display a droplet of fear.

Chase sighed. "It's getting late, Caiden. Let's not."

"That makes two of us. I'm in the mood to let off some steam." Rex announced, cracking his knuckles.

Chase would've liked to resolve this peacefully although he realized it was an unrealistic outcome. They couldn't afford to backtrack, not with curfew nearing. Boys their age weren't permitted to be on the streets after seven o'clock and it'd already passed six. He suspected Caiden knew this. His smug smile was an obvious indicator. The bullies chose now to intercept them because they wielded the advantage of time. Should an enforcer spot them they'd technically have the right to arrest and detain them for their actions. Their only choices were to head back or bust through. Chase already had a notion of which option favored Rex most.

"Here's what I'm thinking, Chase," Caiden started. "Cough up all the jen you've got and we'll let you pass. We won't fight or anything. Sounds like a pretty fair deal to me." His pair of numbskulled friends nodded and snickered, unsurprisingly amused by Caiden's nonsensical offer.

"Why should we relinquish our hard-earned jen to a bunch of lazy degenerates?" Rex grunted.

The freckled-faced hooligan's right eye twitched. It always did so when things didn't go his way. "I don't believe I was talking to you, Desert Boy!!"

There went the name again. It followed him wherever he went. Familiar emotions bubbling within prepared to torrent. Rex countered Caiden's scowl with a monstrous glare, shadows seemingly encompassing his eyes. Desert Boy was what the enforcers and even some higher-ups started calling him. They saw him as an outsider. A freak. A monster from another world. After his discovery, Rex quickly learned many had hoped he'd receive the death penalty out of fear for what they couldn't understand. He was sure death would've been his fate had Professor Hunt not offered to adopt him. Rex would always remain in his father's debt for the act of kindness. Every time someone mentioned that bastardizing name it brought to mind a past he couldn't remember. It told him no matter how hard he tried he would always be seen as an alien. It often made him wonder why the king chose to spare his life in the first place.

"Let's get something straight," grunted Rex. "We don't have anything on us right now. And even if we did, we'd never give it to a pack of dogs!" Rex's emotions peaked. "Curfew hour is nearly here and we don't want to get arrested! Either you move on your own or we'll move you ourselves!!"

After half a minute of undisturbed silence, Caiden smirked. "Too bad. But, as with all things, there's a silver lining." He raised his hand in the air. His middle finger pressed against his thumb as his lackeys branched away from him. "Now we have an excuse to pummel you two losers into the ground!!" His friends, more like henchmen, bolted at the snap of his fingers. Rex, having anticipated what'd follow, got into a battle-ready stance. His legs spread out and his feet planted beneath the soil as he brought clenched fists close to his body. He wouldn't let these idiots get the better of him. They may be outnumbered, however, both Rex and Chase knew their opponents were greatly outmatched.

The first of Caiden's goons, a boy with rusty-colored hair, swung a massive punch. Rex promptly sidestepped the attack, following with an equally powerful blow to the gut. Rex felt the lunch of his opponent swirl in his stomach, the boy petrifying on the spot. Taking a step backward, the kid recollected himself, desperately attempting to ignore the pain engulfing his diaphragm. When he summoned the impulse to initiate a counterattack Rex noticed his fighting style became a lot more coordinated . . . At least in comparison to before.

Each punch succeeding his first targeted a different region. One went for his throat. Another his stomach. And another his rib. To no one's surprise, they were instantly blocked. Rex defended himself by using his forearms to absorb the assault. These portions of his arms were rather numb to the pain. In fact, Rex didn't detect anything whenever his opponent's knuckles slammed against them. Throughout the exchange, Rex perceived the boy's accumulating exasperation. Smirking, Rex went on the offensive. He started to advance while simultaneously blocking. The two ended up striding backward in a prance of combat. His opponent wore an exhausted grimace, his limbs aching in agony. Meanwhile, Rex was raring to go. Spending your days repairing machines in the blistering sun did wonders for his endurance. Who would've guessed?

Chase received no difficulty with his duel either. A bored expression sat on his face as he swatted away every punch and kick using a single arm. "Dammit!" cried, Joseph. The pain of striking a punch directly on Chase's elbow coursed through his arm like electricity. What resulted was the blonde screeching in anguish. "Dammit! Dammit! Why the hell can I never hit you?!"

"Come on, Joseph. You know this is a waste of time. If we don't leave soon we'll be punished by enforcers."

"Screw that!!"

A sigh escaped Chase as he watched the ass charge forth in a desperate display of flailing arms whilst tears flooded uncontrollably out his eyes. The sight surely was something to behold, and not in a good way. It reminded him of a rat trying to evade the clutches of a hungry cat. In other words, it was the saddest thing he'd seen all day. Chase effortlessly jumped back, completely avoiding the swarm of attacks, and landed a couple of paces from Joseph. Taking in a deep breath he lunged forward, his right fist cutting through the air and on a collision course with Joseph's left lung. The impact of the punch lifted him off his feet and sent Joseph across the alley. He crashed into a collection of metal garbage cans, his body lying unconscious on the grime infested floor.

Talk about overkill! Rex was ready for this pathetic excuse for a fight to end as well. He broke past the bully's "defenses" then delivered a strike to the nose. Blood breached his nostrils, staining the floor in red ooze. Before the howling boy could recover Rex finished him off with a kick to the chest. He was sent promptly to the ground thereafter. He hardly had a chance to relish his victory prior to Caiden's ambush. He surprised an unprepared Rex with a nasty kick to the face. Rex was nearly forced to the floor, a red mark tarnishing his cheek. Fortunately for him, the throbbing affliction was nothing compared to Chase's "Punishment Punches".

"Cheap shot!" grunted Rex, spitting out a ball of blood.

The bully cracked his neck muscles. "What's the problem, loser? I'm sure you'd have done the same were you in my position." Caiden looked at his two unconscious friends, Joseph muttering something unintelligible while the other laid face-first on the alleyway dirt. "Tch. Utterly useless."

"I don't recognize the guy Rex fought. Is he new?"

Caiden rested a foot atop the downed boy's head. "I believe his name is Stephen. He told me he could beat anybody he wanted. Obviously that was a load of garbage. He didn't land a single hit on you did he, Desert Boy?"

Rex scowled. "You'd treat your own friend like that?!"

"Friend? Like I'd consider these losers my friends. They're weak!" He pointed finger down at Stephen. "No, the only reason I keep 'em around is so they can fulfill my desires. I'm the lion and they're the pathetic sheep. But you've gone and broken them! Now I'm pissed off!!" Caiden's smile transformed into an unpleasant snarl. "Come at me you worm! I'll finish what these weaklings started!!"

The "worm" took the bait.

Powering off his brain, Rex lunged at Caiden. His face turned red and his arms shook in eager anticipation to hit something. Preferably, Caiden's nose. Caiden himself was sure the tempered idiot would lead with a punch. Shockingly enough, Rex rammed straight into his gut. It felt like he'd gotten run over by a stallion. Chase watched as Rex plowed his enemy, driving him through the alley while Caiden struggled to free himself. As he was pushed he drove an elbow onto Rex's back. This undeniably hurt but Rex, so consumed by rage, hardly noticed. They eventually escaped the alley's confines, Rex throwing Caiden into the street. Onlookers stared and chatted as the boys continued their brawl.

Caiden rose to his feet, kicking dust into Rex's face. Another dirty move on his part. Capitalizing of the foul play he swung a great number of punches. Rex managed to block a few. Even so, since his eyes were hindered, most of them connected. Pain washed over him as waves of rocketing fists razed his body. Retaliating against the excruciating blow, he extended his right arm forth and managed to capture one of Caiden's fists in his palm. The onslaught was unceremoniously halted as Rex pulled him in for a headbutt, a hardened skull colliding with the young ruffian's face at full force.

Caiden barely received a moment to breathe before Rex grabbed him by his shoulders and headbutted him again, his forehead cannoning Caiden's nose. Crimson-colored guck discharged out Caiden's left nostril. Cursing, he broke free of the outsider's grasp and then retreated a couple of steps. Despite looking like he'd been beaten Caiden was far from done. He wiped the blood from his top lip then charged at Rex.

Chase had just exited the alley when he saw his brother get tackled to the ground. Now pinned to the dirt Rex was struck in the face by a chaotic punch. Before long, a barrage of fists assaulted him, Rex's blood flying in every direction. If this continued he'd never win. Transferring all his remaining energy to his waist, Rex sat forward, surprising Caiden with a blow to the chest and removing him from atop his ribs. Acting quickly, Rex pinned the savage to the dirt, his confidence returning. Rex struck him in his lower jaw, Caiden spewing out more blood.

It was clear to Chase neither of them had any intention of surrendering. They were too hard-headed for such a resolution. He advanced to them, preparing himself to put either one down himself. Before he could make such an attempt, however, a familiar voice spoke over everyone.

"That's quite enough!" The call of the order forced the crowd of people, Rex and Chase included, to grow quiet. Striding through the mass, her protector following closely behind like a loyal dog, was the next rightful ruler of Sanctuary. Her snow-colored hair swayed as she stepped towards the boys. She crossed her arms and looked down at them with cross sky blue eyes. "Stop this needless conflict right this second!" It didn't matter if Rex wanted the fight to proceed. He'd no choice but to comply. For this girl was the princess of Sanctuary, the next leader of her people, and the person who'd discovered him nine years ago.