Ch. I — Act 39
"..So brutal.." - Voices gradually began to emanate into a collective whispering as they saw the individual bluntly shutting down the young man.
"That's the Head Prefect for you.."
"..Only the best of the best huh..?"
"I don't know whether he's lucky or not..."
"..Yeah..those people can be quite cruel to new arrivals.."
"Poor guy.. if he wants I'll happily scoop up their attention..!"
"Don't dream..!"
"HUSH!!!" - With a singular yell from the individual in the middle did the room quiet down, replacing the slowly proliferating casual atmosphere with a tense, highly-pressuring one.
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"QUIET! ALL OF YOU!" - He proclaimed angrily despite his face consisting of an expression filled with utmost solemnity.
"..Now. I wish to identify what exactly sets this apart.."
One of the individuals behind him fixed his monocle—
"I do believe..a closer examination shall be beneficial.." —Before he chimed into the conversation as they leaned in even closer, now noticing the wires that were strapped unto the backs of the bears.
During this time, the other competitors whom were passed by the group of men were glaring daggers at a silent Calestro, who could only maintain his upright posture while a troubled sweat slid down his cheek.
"..I'm..i'm sorry.. you guys..!"
"Hm." - A hum with a rather amused intonation escaped the mouth of the man who was in the middle, catching the downcasted gaze of the nervous Calestro.
"Interesting.." - His eyes narrowed towards the wires that were attached to the bears.
"Puppet engineering huh..?" - He whispered before caressing the wires.
—Which when he did, caused the young man to flinch.
"The strings are not present." - He added, shocking the individuals whom were previously uninterested causing them to also lean in closer.
"..that's..strange.. this is not puppet engineering.."
"Where does this..wire end to.."
"Interesting!"
One of them exclaimed, His face lighting up.
"Puppet Engineering without strings huh..? If all puppets requires a string system to function.." -
"Then..this doesn't.." - One of them trailed off, eyes marvelling at the sheer size and height of the two bears towering before him.
"..Qualify as a puppet.." -
- The old man in the middle took notice of the cylindrical object hidden behind the two bears before he attempted to reach for it.
"..!" - Calestro's eyes widened as he became overwhelmed with pure panic.
"Sir..please don't—"
"Hush! Shhh!!"
*reach..*
As the man's hand finally reached the cylindrical object—
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!*
It spontaneously combusted, bursting into a thick black smoke that pushed everyone away but caused no visible structural damage.
"...touch that.."
"...YOU BUFFO—!!!!!!!!!!!"
-
As the memory finished, Calestro found himself internally complaining while his eyelid twitched.
"..Dang it..! If they just listened to me..!"
Bakzeu took notice of Calestro's silence before he wore an intrigued smile.
"Hm! Do you perhaps need an assistant?" - Bakzeu remarked, earning him a flinch from Calestro.
"As-assistant..?" - The young man stammered.
"...the..the machinations are a bit... complicated per se.." - Before he diverted his eyes away.
Which made Bakzeu scoff before flashing him a knowing smirk.
"Complicated Machinations you say..? Hmm.."
- Bakzeu leaned in before inquiring;
"How..can I qualify to assist you in these..; 'Complicated Machinations' then?"
Calestro diverted his eyes away, a sweat sliding down his cheek while a visible expression of discomfort was etched on his countenance.
"That's..a bit..hard to assess.." - He muttered;
"..Something..like that could happen again..! I can't..risk anymore mishaps..!" - Calestro yelled, bothered by the recent recollection just now.
Bakzeu though had paused for a short moment, only had his smirk widen even more.
"Will saying;
A barely-perceptible tracking device is present inside of your belt..that is hanging over there?"
- Bakzeu pointed towards Calestro's belt that held multiple empty pouches just hanging from a loose nail off the wall.
Causing the young man to freeze before dropping his screwdriver onto the floor.
*Clank..*
"..Wh..what..did you just say..?"
————
Under the azure-coloured blanket illuminated by the mid morning sunlight there stood a nearly-broken shack that was missing a door from a recent shenanigan caused;
By the red-cloaked individual that sat beside a young man as they fiddled with a leather belt where a few pouches was strapped unto it, the lamp on the table beside them slowly losing its ember.
"You're right.."
- Calestro slowly pulled out a spider-like device that trashed its little legs around violently using a pair of metallic tongs.
"I never..seen something like this.." - Calestro muttered before he laid the spider-like organism? device on a little glass tube where it couldn't escape.
"This is what happens when Magic is mixed with Machines.." - Bakzeu explained, eyes analyzing the animated organism.
"They give life to things that shouldn't be living.. yet.."
*KRAGGDHDHDJEJ* - A muffled noise was heard emanating from the small opening of the glass tube as the organism inside of it seemingly convulsed.
"They do so anyway.." - Bakzeu shrugged his shoulders before scoffing.
".." - Calestro paused for a few moments, eyes diverting from the spider-like creature, to his belt and towards the exasperated Bakzeu. His mind recalling another memory again; this time however, much more fresher than before.
"hey.." - Calestro uttered before adding;
"Weren't you.. with the other..Commander the one who gave me the belt..?"
Earning him a pause and a solemn countenance from the previously sly Bakzeu.
"That's right. However.." - The Third Commander leaned in on the table before fiddling with the glass tube.
"Would you believe me.. If I told you that; we weren't the ones who planted such a thing..?" - Bakzeu politely smiled towards the young man.
Calestro paused and pondered for a few moments before he recalled the face of a certain noble, causing him to heave a sigh.
"There..really is no point in accusing you either.." - Calestro scratched the back of his head.
"I have a hunch.. but I could be wrong." - He added, earning him a slight nod and a soft smile from the third commander.
"No. It is correct." - Bakzeu retorted, straightening his posture once more.
"...Am I..that easy to read..?" - Calestro's face wore an exasperated expression before it was refuted by the shaking of the commander's head.
"Nope. Rather I would consider you as sharp.." -
Bakzeu cackled before he raised an index finger
"So..Who would it be?" - He added, giving the young man a piercing gaze.
A long pause followed afterwards before Calestro opened his mouth only for it to briefly go agape until his voice came out;
"..Sanum..Bal Osidal." - He muttered, earning him a knowing nod from Bakzeu.
"Indeed. Wonderfully sharp you are, Kalyees.."
- Bakzeu trailed off, causing the young man to sigh.
"Calestro.. you don't drag off the second syllable." - Which the Third commander did light up at.
"Calestro huh? Got it!"
"Anyway..If Sanum was the one who planted the tracker.."
"He must have some sort of intention."
"..Yes, it doesn't really make sense why he would.. go that far." - Calestro trailed off.
"Well.. you were identified as a lawbreaker during that time.." - Bakzeu added.
"..If the law I broke was that severe.. that there would be a tracker.. I wouldn't be allowed to step outside the encampment..2 days..ago.." - Calestro's face went sour as his gaze was downcasted.
Bakzeu softly chuckled-
"Was that a coincidence..? Or are you just too sharp?" - Which earned him a raised brow from the young man.
"See this.. don't you think it is a bit odd that.. Commander Hamilvan..conveniently found you during that time..?" - Bakzeu stated, causing Calestro to pause.
"..Are you perhaps suggesting that.."
- Bakzeu smiled and nodded.
"Both events are connected."
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ACT 39 - FIN