Chapter 29: Beatdown
Getting healed by Laura once more alongside her worried warnings, I hastily dodged a glistening blade aimed at my neck, "Can’t you just give me the boy and forget all about this?". I asked with a wry smile.
Could this attempt be called cowardly?
Of course not!
It was best described as tactic, a very good one if I do say so myself.
"For you to be able to dodge my attacks so many times, you’re definitely not simple". He muttered with a rare serious expression.
"Your ability to exploit openings – even the most minute ones, speak of your experience, yet you don’t exude bloodlust like the other warriors I have faced". He continued.
I was at a loss of words as he stopped attacking and started analysing me like some battle junkie. I could’ve attacked him while he was yapping, but my skill couldn’t spot any opening while he just stood there.
It was like he was prepared for any offense or defense, even moreso than when he was fighting against me.
I had no choice but to listen to him rambling, so I had to use that chance to locate the half dead bodies of the people I came to save.
"I’ll have to ask for your head once more, to avoid any potential trouble for our organization". He added.
Looking at him with a deadpan expression as he bowed, I responded with a smile, "Thanks for the compliments, but uhh no thanks".
A brief moment of silence ensued as he remained in a bowing position – to which I still couldn’t find any openings in, before he straightened up and faced me with a crazed look on his eye.
Licking his lips, he replied, "As expected, I’ll have to take you more seriously now"
’Wait, Wait, Wait, he wasn’t going all out from the start?!’.
Taking a deep breath, he charged towards me faster than my eyes could capture – talk less of my skills, and landed a punch much more lethal than the last ones we exchanged, precisely on my chest.
*Khwaaakk*
My heart nearly exploded due to the sheer shock that the punch exuded as I collided and broke a few trees – causing me an extra layer of pain and discomfort.
Before I could get back on my feet, I caught a blurry figure from the corner of my eye and what looked like a foot connected with my temple and knocked me unconscious for a solid second as I flew midair and crashed into the rubble of the temple.
’This.....is way above my paygrade’. I thought with a grimace as Laura’s healing energy basically made me an unkillable roach.
Walking over calmly and picking me by the collar, he said, "Your regeneration abilities are nearly on par with vampires, but what would happen if I didn’t give you a chance to?".
My body shuddered at his words, but I couldn’t respond under the barrage of punches he assaulted my body with.
My body regenerated and got pummeled over and over again and I couldn’t differentiate pain from relief anymore. The warmth of the healing energy and the breaking of my teeth alongside bits of my gums felt the same to me.
’Urgh....Gigehd fjbd me alokbsjvd’.
I received serious brain damage and couldn’t form coherent thoughts, my cheek bones dislocated more times than I’d like to admit, I heard the sound of my eyes pop and the pain I felt could not be described with words, my respect for blind people rose to unbelievable levels and the suicidal thoughts I buried, reared their ugly heads once more.
"Bwahahahahaha, I’m enjoying this so much, come on!, don’t die yet!, I’m going to relish the sounds of your bones cracking and the spatter of your blood every time I hit you!". With a maniacal laughter, I was punched more times than I could count and the pain was amplified to amazing degrees.
"ENOUGH!!"
A loud voice akin to that of a god, descended over the area and the pressure it exuded could crush all the beings in a second.....it was a very familiar feeling.
"Laura, what are you doing?!". I screamed frantically after removing the hand of the now pulverized assailant.
"I tried to watch and just heal, I really really did, but I couldn’t take it anymore!, especially when he started saying those repulsive things!". With the wind going increasingly violent with each word, Laura responded as she floated high in the sky and her eyes shone a deeper shade of red.
"Laura, I’m fine now, calm do–"
"Yes, you’re fine NOW, but what about later?, when I’m not here to protect you anymore, huh?, what happens then?" She interrupted with wide eyes as she gestured.
My eyebrows furrowed in mild annoyance and discomfort as I listened. Although she wasn’t wrong when she said I was far from potent in caring for myself, the idea of being protected all the time didn’t sit right with me.
"Just come down and let’s talk". I responded as calmly as possible as I gestured her to ease her anger.
After a solid minute, her eyes finally went back to the normal state and the surroundings became less hazardous. Luckily, Greg and his guards were all safe from the onslaught and only the Crimson freaks were pressed into a bloody pulp.
Floating downwards after taking deep breaths and placing the people– whom we went through all this trouble for in the first place under the tree we stood under, Laura and I stared deep in our eyes for a long time.
"This could cost you alot of trouble" . I started.
"I mean, I’m thankful for you doing all this for me, but you have to weigh the consequences of what you plan on doing before executing it".
"That’s not–"
"You’ve already used your powers on people before we came down here, you used it on the henchmen of that bastard but those times were more.....covert"
"I will say this again, I am extremely thankful for having you in my life, but you always said you weren’t allowed to use your powers and breaking that rule could prove fatal or something right?"
".....I don’t care anymore"
"What?"
"I said I don’t care about the rules!, you’ve suffered so much – from your first kill, to continually being in situations that are far beyond your level, to nearly falling over the cliff of death continually!, it’s just one thing after the other and I’m sick and tired of watching and only healing when the damage has already been done".
I turned silent at Laura’s outburst, the wind blew silently, as if to break through the tension that was continually growing, "I can’t be under your wing the whole time".
"You don’t have to be, I–I didn’t interfere all this while until now, and I’ll probably not do anything like this ever again, I promise."
"...Mmph"
A low groan sounded from behind us, breaking the tense emotions that threatened to spill out all the more.
"Clark.... what.... happened?".
Greg asked as he sat up groggily and took a long glance at his guards before turning back to face me.
Holding his head with clenched teeth, Greg muttered with a strain in his voice, "I remember hearing your voice before I passed out....".
"Yeah, you were smashed into the ground alot of times". I answered with a wry smile as I could still feel Laura’s gaze on me.
"Where are the Crimson Blade members?". Greg asked with vigilance written all over his face.
’How do I explain this to him?, that my guardian angel squished him to death?’. I considered while facing the direction his eyes were.
’Oh, I guess I don’t have to explain’. I sighed in relief and anxiety as I watched Greg stand and walk wobbly to the spot where the maniac was squished.
He stared at the puddle of flesh and blood for a long while with an unreadable expression before turning his face slowly towards me with hidden surprise in his eyes.
"Did...you do this to him?". He asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
’I hate misunderstandings the most, but I don’t see a way out of this one’. I sighed inwardly and replied, "Would you believe me if I said he was crushed by a building?"
Greg stared at me with a deadpan expression, clearly not buying my lie.
With a sigh, I answered, "Trust me, I didn’t do this alone, heck, I’m not sure I did all that much work except from being beat up that is".
Greg studied me for a while before responding, "Thank you for saving my life and that of those close to me".
His response caught me off guard, I definitely didn’t expect him to drop the topic of an F rank supposedly killing an A rank with such ease – as depicted by the bloody mess of flesh, but I assumed he attributed it to an extremely powerful treasure.
Little did I know that this incident would throw me into a shit fest of massive degrees.
Carrying the unconscious Winston and the other dude who’s name i still don’t know, we made our way back to the surface of the hidden temple and the sight he met only left more questions than answers.
Dead bodies were strewn across the floor, the expected scent of blood was nowhere to be found – probably due to the fact that Laura’s outburst caused them to die on the spot.
Although he didn’t ask any questions and simply moved forward with his hand still on his blade, I could see the emotions in his eyes and the confusion deeply laden beneath all of them.
Sadly, I couldn’t – not was I ever sure I could ever tell him the truth about what happened here today and I was sure he got the message and maintained his silence.
A few minutes passed and we made it past the now destroyed gate of Brinehurst – which was more of a cemetery than a town, after all the people died and the environment forever corrupted by [Fear].
"Thank you, once again". Upon reaching my tree house, Greg bowed lightly once more, alongside his now conscious bodyguards who had confusion written all over their faces but gratitude still present in them.
"It’s not a big deal". I answered with a smile as I scratched the back of my head, ’It was a big deal!!!, ask how much you can repay me, you rich kid!’.
"How can I repay you, and I will not take a no for am answer". Greg answered....my wishes that is.
’Oh, my sweet sweet Greg, I see the universe has nothing on you, huh’.
With a chuckle, I answered, "I wouldn’t mind a new weapon".
".....That would take some time though". Greg muttered as he fell into deep thought.
"It’s fine, you can just give me a skill book or something". I added.
"No, a new weapon is what you asked for and my life is definitely not below that". Greg rejected flatly.
Turning to the silent guard, he asked calmly, "Salem, do you still have that scythe that we took for evidence before being caught?"
The bodyguard named Salem nodded slowly as he pulled out a scythe from the storage ring that he brought out from his mouth.
The blood red scythe shone in the setting sun and emanated a red hue that could make anyone lose himself in it’s sight. Tiny gems of similar color were spotted all over it and they each had a peculiar shape that added to the mystique of the scythe.
"It’s beautiful". I muttered absentmindedly as I stared at the scythe being held out to me.
"And it’s yours, but this is nowhere near enough for the price of my life". Greg interjected calmly as I received the scythe with starry eyes.
"I, as the heir of the Vandemire family, solemnly grant you five wishes of your choice that you can use at any time, no matter the consequences or situation for as long as you like".
My jaw dropped in surprise as I heard the shocking proclamation, ’Five wishes?!, I’m definitely going to live a good life in future with that in mind’.
A wide smile formed on my face and I leaned against a tree in an effort not to fall asleep due to the amount of stuff that happened.
"Thank you for your kindness". I answered tiredly
With a nod, Greg and his guards turned around and headed out of the forest, "I’ll be going back to my home to tell them about what transpired here.....and rest assured your secret is safe with me".
’Bro, what secret are you talking about?!, you don’t know shit!’. I screamed inwardly as I waved him goodbye with a smile on my face.
"Haa....that was exhausting". I sighed audibly as I walked into the tree house and laid on the average sized bark ground.
Laura flew out and sat next to me with a grim expression on her face, "There’s a problem".
With a tired expression, I answered, "Of course there is".