The duo eventually reached a huddled group of men and women who seemed to be discussing something with urgency, their backs turned towards Kyo and Raphael.

[i]"Excuse me,"[/i] called out Raphael, a gentle cadence to his voice so as to not alarm them. [i]"We're here to help. Is anyone injured?"[/i]

The group whirled around with a strange mixture of fear and frenetic energy, eyeing the two Wanderers with apprehension and distrust.

"Stay back!" warned the ostensible ring-leader, a frail-looking man with trembling hands.

"It's OK!" reassured Kyo. "If there's anyone hurt, we can heal them."

"I said stay back!" he yelled, producing a gun from his blackened coat pocket. The man lifted it up and pointed it straight at the two, immediately causing them to stop advancing.

[i]"Stay here, Kyo. They might be more friendly if I go in first."[/i] reasoned Raphael, halting Kyo with his outstretched arm. Kyo nodded his approval of the idea and with this go-ahead signal, Raphael began to cautiously step towards the group of humans. [i]"Sir, please put the gun down."[/i]

The man did not reply. Instead, his eyes widened and the gun stopped shaking as his muscles tightened. Raphael raised both of his hands up in the universal symbol of surrendering, hoping that the man with the gun would be assuaged.

[i]"We just want to-"[/i]

Raphael gasped sharply and fell hard on his back as a bullet ripped through his abdomen and rocketed out of the other side. He gripped the wound tightly as Kyo scrambled forwards and landed on his knees next to him, flinging an arm upwards and creating a telekinetic sphere. Unfortunately, healing the injured had exhausted him and this barrier was nowhere near its usual strength. The continued volley of bullets, from more than one gunman, impacted hard against the barrier and dented it, continuously reducing it in size until both Kyo and Raphael were dangerously close to execution by firing squad.