Ch. XIII - "Fifty Percent!"
"Guess I will have to do it myself.
I will begin by breaking every single bone in your Body."
[First Division Commander]
[Hamilvan.]
(ENRAGED)
————
With a bruise opening up on his left cheek, Calestro tilted his head towards the stature of the individual a few meters away from him.
"..."
It is still, the armour, gray yet polished from all corners, the left portion of his breastplate bearing a golden insignia whilst his shoulders had straps that connected it to a cape which fluttered gracefully with the breeze.
Blade undettered by the impact just now, he maintained it pointing directly at the troubled Calestro, reflecting the sunlight peering through the canopy of the forest with a blinding silver-like glow.
Feeling a searing sensation on his left cheek, He hovered a set of fingers above it before softly bringing it down, blood oozing out in an irregular pace.
Calestro clicked his tongue, gaze unwavering on the figure before him.
"What's wrong.. with this man..?
—why would he attack me out of nowhere..!?"
- A million thoughts whirlpooled themselves at the center of Calestro's brain, slowly flushing out every ounce of control he currently possessed.
"..Is he planning to.." - "why would he just attack me like that..!" - "was he ordered by someone..? no.. but why..?" - "??????????" - "are the others on this too..?" - "is this some sort of mischief..?" - "is he.. serious right now?" - "..am i still half-asleep?" - "i can't tell..!! but.. is this.."
Though one notion stood out like a slow prickle unto his lobes.
"..is this..where i die..?"
Calestro quickly shook off the thought before focusing his gaze once more on the location of the First Division Commander.
"..Huh—?"
Empt—
*RIP!* *WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!* *RIP!*
*RIP!* *WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!* *RIP!*
*RIP!* *WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!* *RIP!*
"..Ack..!!!"
Just then, twelve thrusts originating out of thin air manifested themselves as rays of light before piercing Calestro's thighs, shoulders, forearms, torso and even chest akin to that of lightning striking faster than what the body could register.
And before you know it;
"Tch..."
The impact caused Calestro to instinctively leap backwards, right hand grasping his left which had three new visible wounds unto them, blood freely flowing out.
"O..ow.."
- He wobbled to maintain a proper posture standing up as his thighs protested in pain, deep wounds were engraved unto their flesh all the way to the bone.
The young man then squinted his eyes, a blanket of blood flowing towards his right eye.
As Calestro looks down on his stature which were ladened with wounds, a notion dawns upon him as his vision devolves to that of a blurry sight while he was ravaged with a nauseating realization.
"O-okay..! No more messing around..!
..I..I might really die..here..!"
With widened eyes he thought, zoning out on the crimson-coloured areas on his clothing that slowly proliferated in all directions.
*Woosh!*
Calestro gasped, before an armoured leg emerged from his right out of nothingness and slam on his cheek which had sent him flying towards a set of trees, fast enough that it leveled a few and even left a small depression on the ground.
*Boom!*
The trees trembled with Calestro's speeding body breaking through the trunks causing some of them to fall.
Calestro, while lying down on a leveled tree trunk found himself staring at the sky, eyes minimizing as they shook with his body that similarly trembled.
"..Will I..really die here..?"
*Fwish..*
After gust of wind blew through the ground a few steps away from the young man, there appeared the armoured Hamilvan, face contorting in irregular fury.
"Scared..?" - Hamilvan uttered before tightly gripping his sword.
"You should be."
He waved his blade, sending another gust of air towards all directions.
"..Sir Haustor.." - Calestro thought, recalling a distant flashback consisting that of a man passing a bowl of piping hot curry towards a dirty, raggedly-dressed young boy beside the counter.
—
"You passed.."
Haustor..
"Go out and chase it."
..i can't anymore..
"..Hey kid." — Haustor called out.
(..?)
"Retirement is still far, you one year kiddo. I'm not firing you.. therefore. You better fucking come back alive from whatever you do.. dammit. I won't forgive you if you do."
..Haustor..
"Deal. I will, Dad."
...!!!!!!
—
He saw his vision blur as the sounds of a metallic footsteps slowly dissolve into a cacophony of..death?
"..no..!"
In a wobbly manner, Calestro attempted his hardest to lift himself back up from a half-conscious position, teeth gritting as his eyes were beginning to glaze.
While he struggled to just sit upwards, more and more blood began to seep out his wounds like lava, sending a blazing shrill to resonate throughout his affected muscles.
"Ack..!"
Calestro flinched before briefly shutting his eyes, then, with newfound vigour he continued, finally being able to sit though slouched as he locked gazes with the approaching Hamilvan, his eyes.. fiery, eyebrows furrowed, teeth gritted amidst the blood that coated his forehead.
"Still Conscious huh.. then.."
*FWOOP!*
With extreme speeds, Hamilvan leaped from his position with enough power that it left behind a small crater, akin to that of something piercing through the wind, in a split second the distance was covered.. causing Calestro's fiery eyes to expand widely.
"You're finished."
Hamilvan retracted back his right arm that bared the sword, preparing it for a quick, seamless thrust through Calestro's body.
"..Crap..!"
As Hamilvan closed in, he brought the sword forward with enough force to incapacitate the young man but not take his life.
"..?"
- Though while he gazed on the eyes of the horrified Calestro, a distant.. almost hazy memory flashed inside of his head, depicting the obscured face of an individual standing amidst a burning town.
"Ick..!"
As it flashed, a headache almost tore off his head in half. Pain causing his right hand to falter and his eyes to close, briefly catching a glimpse of the amber-like glow emanating from Calestro's pouch before it closed shut.
*BOOM!!!!!*
Dust suddenly bursted upwards causing Calestro to raise both his arms and hover them above his closed eyes, teeth gritting whilst his brown-coloured garments slowly transitioned into a more crimson-like hue.
*Vrim..swirl..Thunk.*
Feeling no blade ripping through his guts nor hilt shattering his bones to a fine powder, the young man slowly opened his eyes, only to have them widen as he slowly tilted his head upwards.
Beholding the back, the behind of an.. individual standing at seven feet tall, with wide short arms, wide short legs and a large, fluffy torso with brown, toy-like fur.
Then suddenly, a monotonous voice pierced the the air consisting that of the shrill of machinery with a side of warning laced unto it.
"I sensed. A Bad Kid. Who are you."
As the smoke cleared, the imposing figure of a large teddy bear was presented in its full glory, glowing pairs of amber-coloured orbs acting as its eyes, two semi-circular plates atop its head akin to that of ears while a small blue bowtie was attached to its upper torso.
Calestro, seeing the bear's back towering over him could only stare in disbelief
"just..how..?"
before another wave of excruciating pain shooting up from his leg made him flinch.
"Ack...!"
Then, behind him there emerged another similary-textured bear. Only this one was a bit smaller, standing at a height of Six feet, five inches, it had the same short wide arms, short wide legs and large brown, seemingly fluffy torso, it had two pairs of glowing amber-coloured orbs acting as its eyes, though no blue bowties, it had a large pink flower embedded on the left side of its head.
With the shrill of machinery emanating from its body, a monotonous voice spoke, this time, not low nor raspy, but feminine just unchanging in its tone.
"..Son.. Don't move."
The Bear kneeled down beside the Injured Calestro before it wrapped both arms around him in a fashion that wasn't too forceful it hurt, but not too loose it wasn't felt. Only right to the point that its fur accommodated the injured areas of Calestro's stature, the fur circling above it.
"..Huggies..My son.."
"..Mama..Bear? It's dangerous..! Stay in.." - Calestro protested, face becoming a breeding ground of urgency and sweat.
- The bear spoke once more, before its eyes transitioned from the amber-coloured glow and unto a more, emerald green-like colour. Afterwards; a circular object inside of its stomach began to radiate a similar colour causing its strands.. almost vein-like threads embedded under its skin to start glowing a similar green-colour.
"..side.."
"Shh. Son."
As the threads began to reach the arms which embraced the injured Calestro, sparkles of green-glowing dust began to materialize from his body which was outlined in an emerald-colouration before slowly ascending unto the air, the wounds of which was present unto his exposed skin began to slowly close off, though visible, it was comparable to that of a snail in speed.
"Hehe." - With its pre-recorded voice, the bear let out a small cackle.
"It has been a while.. since I had you in my arms like this."
- Hearing the bear's response, Calestro's once troubled, eyebrow-furrowed expression softened into a normal one which eventually caused his lips to form a small smile.
"..thanks."
Without faltering in her healing, the mother bear tilted its head.
"You're welcome.. my so—"
*FWISH!*
"His summons..!? Don't screw with me!"
Hamilvan flew out of the smoke which was a few meters away from the three, effectively causing a breeze that penetrated right through the floating dust and clear it.
As he raced through the air, the events that transpired just now replayed itself inside of his mind.
————
"You're Finished..!"
Hamilvan closed in, as he was about to thrust his blade of which the wind coalesced unto, he saw Calestro's wide-eyed, horrified expression. To which he scoffed, thinking he found delight unto his terror, though.
"Ack!"
An image flashed inside of his mind, like a blade that ripped through the lobes of his brain almost turning it into a pile of mush. The pain he felt resonated throughout the nerves surrounding his skull, causing an ineffably excruciating headache to grip his skull like a vice, while his brain throbbed from the memory. Akin to that of a star, his skull wanted to implode whilst his brain explode, to his unluckiness though, it sustained both.
The sensation that almost burned his nerves quickly flowed throughout his entire Aetherna reserves, eventually to his right hand that effectively disrupted the flow of his Aetherna, consequently destroying the stability of his thrust.
His right arm faltered, he fought hell and back just to keep an eye open but he couldn't, the last thing he saw was the amber-like glow from Calestro's pouch before..
*KRASSSHH..!!*
- A gray-smoke suddenly bursted out from the young man, before he felt a..
"..?"
large, wide, hardened object collide with his left cheek, with such speeds that it left no room for reaction.
The punch was strong enough that it launched him flying from the young man and unto a set of trees that were bended upon his landing.
"....!!?"
————
As he closed in once more on the young man, this time towards the bear which embraced the slowly-healing Calestro, his eyebrows furrowed similarly to the small wrinkles prevalent on his forehead. He raised his sword to his right before the pair of his silvery irises shined like the appearance of a moon in its full glory.
Calestro caught up with Hamilvan when he was just a few inches away from them, the bear that embraced him tightening its hug way before he took notice of the approaching threat.
"FIRST ROAD : [SWORD!]"
Visible muscles began to contort and harden themselves on the arm that held Hamilvan's sword, before he launched the slash unto the two;
Shoulder rotating to accelerate,
elbow secondly to accommodate more force,
and lastly, the wrist slightly tilting towards the two to skyrocket the strength into its maximum level just for a split second.
*SWOOOOSH!!!*
With so much energy gathering unto the blade, it generated an audible shrill as it raced against the resistance of the air, it was brought down after the three joints rotated.
Expecting themselves to be mutilated in half, Calestro slowly opened his eyes once more which he blinked, his amber-coloured irises gazing upon the back of a seven feet tall bear, a sword digging deep into its left shoulder.
"..Pa..Papa Bear!"
Calestro attempted to extend out his hand,
"Hush."
Only to be stopped by a nudge from the Mama Bear, her arms moving a little to block Calestro's hand from rising.
"..hey..Hey!"
"It.. used its body to block me..?"
Hamilvan paused, eyes staring down on the non-moving bear as his sword dug a deep slash unto its left shoulder while he hovered a few feet unto the air.
"Ho..How ridiculous..!"
Hamilvan's face contorted once more, as he attempted to push the blade even further down the Bear's torso, teeth tightly gritting as his irises continued to be minimized.
"..STOP..!!!"
Calestro yelled, small tears prickling his eyelids akin to that of a child losing.. something dear.
The Mama Bear paused and stared at the Back of the Papa Bear.. before releasing its monotonous voice, yet feminine and.. with a little bit of exasperation laced unto it.
"Are you really planning on riling up the Kid.. I'm healing him, can't you see?"
The Papa bear paused, before slowly turning its head back and lowering it slightly.
"..I'm sorry dear.."
It was met with a gesture of sighing, despite having no organs to do so by the Mama Bear.
The Papa Bear then looked back at the Hamilvan in front of him with his amber-coloured orbs rapidly transitioning into crimson-coloured eyes that glowed even brighter than the canopy of the early day sunlight, before an arm of his.. which was now elongated, with those tentacle-like appendages that connected it from its torso, grasped the sword that was dug deep unto his shoulder.
"PUNISHMENT MODE : [BAD]"
With that piercing proclaimation from his low, raspy voice. It changed unto a more, sinister, guttural tone.
"I. W.I.L.L. P.U.N.I.S.H. Y.O.U. N.O.W."