Chapter 12

(Anger Management)

Cora dropped as low as she could dodging the fist that tore through the wall just behind like wet paper. Using her hands to stop herself from slamming into the ground, skipping slightly the blond took off running down the road. She could feel her fellow S class mage right behind her, his rage was leaking from his body that she swore she could taste it. She could see the edge of town closing in, her head slowly looked back… That turned out to be a mistake.

The glowing red eyes of Jaron burned into her mind, but not just that, a giant hound with similar red eyes was chasing right behind him. The sight alone put more than enough fear into her to give her a boost of speed.

"No one said anything about monsters!" She turned her head back forward, her face drained of color. "I don't deal well with Monsters!"

The change of incline almost caused Cora to fall right on her face but thanks to her hands she was able to quickly pick herself up. Just in the nick of time too as Jaron slammed his fist right behind the young girl. With a quick turn, she swung a hard right hook across his face. She felt a right hook of her own. Cora felt herself flying through the air only to skip off the ground once or twice. Use the momentum from the skipping she was able to roll back to her feet sliding to a stop. Just in time to see another punch heading towards her face. She jumped backward, her guildmates fist slightly grazing her nose.

Cora readied herself as she stared at the man. She really didn't want to fight him but she would if she had too. Jaron took a step closer just before a giant pew blindsided him, sending sailing away from the blond haired girl. Slowly lowering its head the dog opened it's mouth dropping Ryder from it.

"Uhhh… At least you brush your teeth like I told you too." She heard the white-haired boy say as he picked himself up. She would normally go help him up but he was really gross at the moment, he could help himself.

"Ryder what do we do now?" Cora asked, not really sure what to do with the two embodiment of wrath facing off.

"We'll have to let them fight it out." He answered as he moved to her side. "All's we have to do is keep them from doing any more damage to the town."

"I feel like we should really try stopping them," Cora spoke up. "Jaron will be willing to hear us out if we get him to calm down."

"But Wrath won't." Ryder had to stomp on that idea. "She has been looking forward to this moment for a long time, even before I met her."

Cora turned to see Jaron dodging Wrath's pews from crushing him into the ground. She noticed his arms had a dark red aura around them shaping them like claws. She was about to speak but Ryder beat her to the punch.

"Wrath watch out for him!"

Jaron jumped high with a slash knocking the dog high off its feet sending it toppling over onto her back. Not wasting the opening Jaron leaped into the air over Wrath, arms pulled back ready to stab the underworld lord. Wrath lifted her head up, her mouth quickly opened sweeping black flames from his mouths engulfing the sin user. The stream of flames sent him crashing and burning to the ground but Wrath didn't stop as she kept bringing the heat.

"Jaron!" Cora yelled about to rush over to his aid but Ryder stepped before her. "Ryder move! She killing him!"

"Redemption!" She heard Jaron's voice. Suddenly Wrath's mouth was slammed shut as he jumped from the flames uppercutting the hound. Wrath let out a roar of pain as she staggered backward. Shaking her head to remove the dizziness, she could see Jaron now had a red aura around his whole body.

How dare you keep using my power!

"It's my power now!"

Cora could feel her blood turning cold as the two Sins spoke with dark soulless voices.

Ryder.

"I know Wrath, but you are not allowed to kill him. Just beat him." He ordered the hound.

Fine.

"Ughh!" He dropped to one knee and Cora was quick to check him. His vines turned purple and his heart rate increased to an unreal rate. His breathing has become heavy but very slow. Touching him revealed that his body has become very cold.

"What's wrong!?"

"Nothing, Wrath is just using my magical power to become stronger." He explained quickly. "I'm just still not used to her taking so much in a short amount of time."

Cora turned back to the battle to see Wrath shooting at black flames at Jaron who was running around the large Sin. Scrounging the poor grassy plains with dark fires, smoke slowly started to rise up.

"Oh man… How do I explain all this to mom?" Cora had to ask herself once more.

"How about you explain it to me." Cora's head almost snapped back as she turned to see her cousin walking towards her. Even if her face didn't show it Cora could tell when Serrano was upset by the way she walked and she wasn't in a good mood. But it seemed like no one was at the moment. "Why was there a giant hound rampaging through our town? And why are you not helping Jaron help take that monster down?"

"Well… you see…"

"It's my fault." Serrano's eyes turned to Ryder as he stood up. "Wrath holds a grudge against Jaron and I can't send her back home."

Serrano stared at him for a moment before speaking. "Fine, then I will help him take down this monster."

"You can't!" Ryder yelled as he took a step before her, Serrano stare quickly turned into a glare.

"Move now or I will remove you."

"I can't let you fight her," Ryder said as he held his arms out blocking her path slightly more.

"And why is that?" Serrano asked as she placed her hand on the hilt of her blade.

"I have a deal with Wrath. I have to help her beat the man stealing her power if you interfere then I'll have to fight you too." Serrano nodded her head to his explanation. Sadly she didn't care as she drew her sword slashing at Ryder if it wasn't for Cora already pulling him back the bad might have been badly cut.

"Cora does not protect him!" She readied her blade. "He has attacked a member of the guild, attacked the town and is now willing to attack me."

"Look this is just a lot more complicated than it needs to be, all's we need to do is to let them fight it out."

"Move, Cousin," Serrano ordered her fellow blond. She got her answer once Cora's arms glowed for a moment before red braces appeared on her arms and hands. The two stood in their ready to fight.

"Do you really want to do this Cora?" Another voice was heard. Suddenly a red blur landed next to Serrano, slowly rising to her feet A stood aside her guildmate before lowering herself into her fighting stance.

"A, please don't do this. It's a big misunderstanding." Cora beseeched the redheaded girl. But seeing her not moving from her spot nor her stance Cora could only let out a small sigh.

"Cora, that monster made a mess within the town." A said. "My town."

"Hey, Jaron was throwing cars too."

"Cora, you know I don't want to fight you." A spoke as red lightning came off her body. "But I will not leave my friend to fight this monster alone."

"She is not a monster!" Ryder snapped gaining the girls attention. "You both keep calling her that. She's not a monster, she's just an upset little girl and I will not let you hurt her."

"… A, you take Cora. I'll take the monster." Serrano order before sprinting towards the white-haired body.

Cora quickly got in front of Ryder knowing he didn't stand a chance against her cousin. But A quickly breezed past the sword-wielding blond. Cora's leg quickly shot up blocking A's kick. Her head quickly dodged back barely missing the punch meant for her cheek. She noticed Serrano quickly moving past the redhead before her, reaching her arm out only to have it slapped down by A who followed with a shoulder shove knocking Cora slightly back giving both girls a bit of space.

Ryder noticed the Blond in the white kimono, he quickly stepped before her once more. But she didn't try to slow down as she reached for her blade. Ryder really didn't know what he was thinking, he didn't know how to fight and he knew the girl before him was an S Class member of the guild. But he couldn't let her fight Wrath, it was bad enough she was already fighting another S class mage. He couldn't let that happened, he couldn't. The blond quickly dawned on him, slowly drawing her blade.

"Wind God's: Gale!" Violent dark purple winds kicked up throwing Serrano into the air who easily twisted her body to land back on her feet.

"How cliché," Serrano said as both Elyse and Karma stood before Ryder who dropped to both knees. "Of course you would show up, Elyse. But you, Karma, what will you do?"

"I don't even know what's fully happening, We just saw Wrath running through the town and assumed there was danger near."

"The only danger here is that monster."

"She's not a monster!" Ryder yelled as he tried to get to his feet but just couldn't muster the strength.

"Ryder, what is going on here?" Karma asked.

"It's simple, that boy and his Monster attacked an S class guild member and ran rampant through my town, he must answer for his crimes." Serrano returned her blade to its sheath as she glared at the rivals. "Now Choose. Stand with me, Stand against me, or move to the side."

"Well, I've been meaning to throw down with you anyway, Rabbit." Elyse wore a large smile on her face, cracking her knuckles she couldn't help but find joy with a chance to fight the S Class member. She turned her head to her teammate/rival. "Karma, you in?"

"I…" Karma sighed slightly. "Ryder is what she says true?"

Ryder looked up at the blue haired girl who was staring back. "It's complicated, Jaron is stealing Wrath's power and I have to help her beat him. It's the deal we made, and if anyone tries to step in against her. I'll have to fight them too." He was able to pick himself up at last and he could see that the blue haired girl was deep in thought.

"… Did Wrath throw the first punch?" She asked her last question.

"Yes," He answered quickly knowing there was no point in lying. "Karma, I'll understand if you can't help."

"No… The problem isn't me not helping, it's that I don't really want to fight my friend." Karma slowly moved over to Serrano's side, turning to face her friends she drew her blade. "Wrath is running wild and the sooner we stop her, the sooner this will all be over."

"That must be a tight leash around your neck, huh mutt." Elyse spit venom towards Karma.

"You understand. Don't you, Ryder?" With a nod from the white-headed boy, Karma stood ready but Cora suddenly flew between the two swords-women. Both her hands planting on the ground helping her flip next to Ryder as A walked next to Serrano. Both sides prepared themselves for combat when suddenly Ryder fell back onto his knees.

"Ugh!" Ryder yelled as a loud howl was heard from behind them.

(Rewind)

Wrath slammed her pews down towards Jaron once more, she couldn't land a hit on the guy and that alone pissed her off more. She felt a blow the back of her front legs making her buckle under her weight. She saw the small big guy come into her line of sight, whipping her head around she slapped the man away with her snout. Wrath growled as she slowly opened her mouth and black smoke flowed from her jaws. Her body became smaller as Jaron got back to his feet. Shaking the dirt from his spiky red hair the towering man cracked his neck as he glared at the hound before him. She was no longer the huge two-story beast but was now around the same as a horse.

Wrath lifted up onto her hind legs before quickly slamming her pews down onto the earth. Bleed red chains shot from the ground heading towards Jaron. He didn't wait to react as he slammed his hands down onto the ground summoning black chains which smacked against his Wrath's chains.

Feeling a dark entity drawing near Jaron's head shot up seeing the hound leaping at him with her mouth wide open. His hands quickly shoot up catching her mouth keeping it from shutting it on him. He soon noticed that he didn't stop the beast either as he felt his feet digging into the ground doing his hardest to hold the beast back.

Jaron quickly moved his hand so the hound clamped down on his wrist, swooping his hands under the hound he lifted the beast onto his shoulder he then slammed Wrath hard on her back. Wrath released a heavy grunt as she bounced causing her to let go of his wrist. Lifting his foot he went to stomp down on the dog, but the hound was quick to react kicking his plated leg out from under him with her hind leg giving him a face full of grass. He slowly tried to pick himself up as another kick hit him on his shoulder. He swung his arm and hitting Wrath on her side forcing her away from him. Both combatants slowly rose to this feet and staring each other down.

Why is this hound pissing him off so much, after all that training and work to keep all this rage under control he's losing it just by being near this beast. Is it because what the boy says is true and his powers does belong to her. That means there are six others, just as strong or strong. She's a child and she's pushing him back, he couldn't have that. He would not let this beast kill him. Nor could he let the rest of them find his siblings.

"Vengeful Chaos..."

Jaron took a small breath before exhaling a red cloud of smoke, the smoke fully engulfed him which caused Wrath's eyes to widen. She knew what he was doing and she wouldn't stand for it. Not only that but she just left that form to fight him, wasting her time. Her jaws open releasing a black smoke that slowly surrounded her.

Sorry, Rydee. I'm going to need a lot.

The red smoke slowly fused with the black turning it into a more darker twisted color, a bloody color. Two dark shadows can be seen growing from within the smoke, their outlines slowly getting bigger and bigger. The shadows twisted, slowly changing growing. If not for the smoke this would be a hard sight to miss. Suddenly a massive howls blow all of the smoke away, revealing Wrath back in her hound form with only a few slight difference. The two extra heads was a start also, so was the snake she had for a tail. The hellhound looked at her foe, the foe that caste a shadow on her. Before she was Jaron who know take her old appearance, A single-headed hell hound but his fur was blood red with soulless black eyes. Also, he was bigger than her, by a lot. Her mother always told her she would grow up to be big and powerful, now she had something to look forward too.

All the onlookers didn't really know how to feel looking at the two monstrous beasts. The only thing they did know.

The line was drawn in the sand.

(Fin)

Hey, it's me, Late To The Party.

So we have one or two more chapters left in this until this Arc ends and I can move onto the next one. The real question is which side will win? Team Ryder vs Team Serrano? Tell me your guess in the reviews.

See you next time.