42. Conflict With Astra Part 10

Turning into a ferocious beast, Schalberg, gritting his teeth, targeted Claude. The source of his anger and transformation has no intentions of backing away.

"He's totally lost it," Silvana said worryingly. "Where did everything went wrong? He used to be a good person."

Long before Claude join the kingdom's trusted knights or guards or soldiers, he used to be a pugnacious street boy who would always get into a fight. Growing up in a poor environment, where money and food is everything, Claude found living hard and would always need to resort to violence and crime just to put food on the table, swore to himself that he would never starve.

One day, when Claude had a scuffle against a bunch of troublemakers, a man in his prime, riding a fine-looking horse, gathered his reins, stopping the animal on its tracks. Before he arrives, the troublemakers who made a mess out of Claude had long gone ran away.

"Oi, you over there," Schalberg dismounted. Bruises and a wound on Claude's stomach spurted blood. "They have got you good. You are a mess, Claude."

Confusedly, the injured young Claude wondered how this man knows his name. Before he could even ask how Schalberg learned of his name, he lost consciousness after losing a considerable amount of blood.

Awoke from the noise of the chatterings, Claude sprang from laying. Painfully, his swollen face and wound ache when he tried to move.

"You better not move much," said Schalberg, puffing out smoke from his tobacco. "Your wound will open." His white teeth beamed, chewing on his cigar.

"Where am I?!" The injured Claude looked around only to find out that he was inside the city guards' clinic.

"General Schalberg, how many times have I told you not to smoke inside the clinic?" The nurse of the clinic came in after temporarily healing Claude's wounds. His injury was deep enough for her to fully heal him. He needs rest to fully recover, and a *stomach growls.*

"Oi, oi, first, we treated you, now we need to feed you? Ain't that a bit much."

"I didn't ask for your help!" Claude exclaimed.

"Now, now, guys," she approached Schalberg and scolded him. "We have leftover spicy curry. Wait here while I serve it."

"Kind as always, eh, Mary."

Instead of talking back, she smiled and began preparing a plate of the heated curry.

Upon being served the still hot dish, Claude did not pay any mind to the audience and, like a beast, scooped a spoonful of curry and eat. In less than two minutes, the spicy curry was emptied, leaving only the plate and the wooden spoon.

"Seconds, please!"

Unsatisfied with the amount he had eaten, he even unashamedly asked for another round.

"Look at this brat." Schalberg's brow trembling in annoyance. He may not look like it but, he was quite soft on the inside.

Their first encounter led to another until Claude decided to join and work for the city's protection. General Schalberg became his mentor on how to use a sword. Ever since he thinks of the general as his father.

Until the arrival of Silverwar on the town, General Schalberg changed and, all he was about on was money, money.

After reminiscing the past memories, Claude stopped the general in his tracks, blocking his path with his wide long sword.

"Too strong! Such grips strength!"

Schalberg won't let go of Claude's strength from his grasp. To free his reign over the sword, the guard kicked away Schalberg, putting a distance between them.

Snarling at the two individuals, Schalberg kicked off against the ground. From where he stood, Schalberg disappeared in their sight. Moving at an incredible speed, Claude and Silvana searched for the general.

"From above!" Yelled Silvana. "He just made himself an easy target!"

Loudly growling, still repeating the word 'Ungrateful' over and over again, Schalberg, to avoid Silvana's 'Ice Spears,' span and shifted his body.

Bewildered by it, Silvana was confident that she would not miss for the second time.

Not only she was an expert on using the sword but the ice magic too.

Five more icy spears flung towards the rapidly descending Schalberg.

This time, instead of doing the same thing, the general forced his way through, crushing the spears with his steel fists.

"Shit, he is targeting Silvana!"

"That stings you damn old man!" Droplets of blood seep from the grazes. To fend off the general, she quickly drew her sword and perpendicularly slash. Too bad Schalberg managed to dodge before getting hit.

"Let us perform a pincer attack— Eh?" Silvana bear witness to her left arm got torn off in an instant. Everything happened too fast for her to react but, not for Claude.

Like a brewing storm that let out thundering claps of anger, Claude exploded with anger upon seeing Schalberg tore off his lover's arm. Bloodily spurting from her arm, blood leaked out of her wound, which caused her to feel dizzy immediately.

"General Schalberg!"

"Rah! Ungrateful!"

Both were furious but, both had different reasons. Claude and Schalberg clashed into a rageful skirmish.

~