Chapter 5: The Calling Out (Howl vs. Carge)

Howl barely got any sleep that night, he just couldn't stop thinking about Carmesi's run-in with Lt. Carge, around 3 in the morning he got out of bed and went for a soak in one of the hot springs on the roof of the Tower. He then heard something from behind him; he turned around to see Roland working on something. He got out of the hot spring and with a towel wrapped around him walked over to Roland, "What you doing?" he asked. Roland looked up and said, "Oh just making something I feel I'll need later, I'll be quite relaxed when it's finished."

Roland offered Howl a cup of coffee, which Howl thanked him for. Roland then looked at Howl, "Is something the matter?" Roland asked, Howl told Roland about Carge. "Okay…and what sort of past does this guy share with you?" Roland asked next, Howl went on to tell him about the factory accident that Howl and Carmesi always thought had killed Carge. "And now that you know he's alive, you sort of wonder if any of the other Imperial soldiers you killed survived." Roland pointed out; Howl hung his head and gave a slight nod. Roland looked at him and said, "Would it make you feel any better if I said you look like such a fierce warrior that you make me want to wet myself?"

Howl chuckled a bit, just then he told Roland to be quiet, "What is it?" Roland asked, Howl looked at him and said, "We're not alone up here." Howl walked over to where the noise was loudest, he then turned the corner and found…nothing, and he started to make his way back, when he heard a voice say, "Don't tell me you're giving up Howl…or is it that your skills have really grown that lax?" How looked up and there on the edge of the elevator structure roof was Carge, and Carmesi wasn't kidding…he did look like hell. "YOU!" Howl hollered, he then leapt up to attack Carge. But instead of striking armor, his fist went straight through him…causing Howl to fall flat on his front. Carge pushed himself off and landed behind Howl, a smirk on his face. "You obviously don't think I'd show up here in person…now did you, it'd be a suicide mission for me. What you're seeing is a physical manifestation of my body."

"What did you come here for?" Howl asked getting back to his feet, Carge looked at him and said, "Well I just assumed that since you know I survived our last little endeavor years ago that you'd like another chance to put me to rest?" Carge then handed Howl a small sheet of paper, Howl unfolded it…it was a map. "Meet me at that location, and yes it is drawn to scale…I'll give you your chance to settle me there." With that the manifestation of Carge disappeared.

Howl came back and looked at the map a bit more, Roland came over and asked, "Howl…what is that?" Howl looked at Roland and said, "A map Carge gave me, he wants me to fight him…and I'm going so I can put him to rest once and for all."

With that Howl took off, Roland turned around, "Oh shit!" Roland then took off for the elevator; he knew there was only one person who could possibly help him now.

Carmesi was still sleeping when a thunderous knock on the door woke her up, "Who is it?" She asked irritated, "Carmesi…its Roland, get up…we have to hurry!" Roland said rather quickly, she looked over at the clock, "its 4:15 in the morning, go back to sleep!" she groaned. "If you don't get up right now…your husband could be sleeping the big sleep!" Roland told her sound more anxious, "What are you talking about?" Carmesi asked. What Roland told her next caught her attention, "Howl went off to fight Carge!"

With that Roland heard the unlocking of the door and saw it swing open, "Are you sure?" Carmesi asked, Roland didn't answer though…instead he had a look of shock on his w/ his mouth agape. Carmesi saw where Roland was staring and said, "Hello, Roland…can you hear me!"

Roland finally broke his gaze and said, "Yeah, he had a map drawn on a piece of paper and everything…uh, if you couldn't mind could you please—." Roland started, "Of course…I'll get dressed, get my swords, and then we'll leave."

"Thank you, you're tit—I mean too kind!" Roland said with a bit of a frustrated growl, the door closed Roland put his back to the wall and thought, "I was closer to an organism then I ever should've been."

Meanwhile Howl looked around as he flew; he knew he was close to where Carge said he'd be. Howl looked down and standing right there was a figure in a black traveling cloak that looked like it had seen better days, Howl landed and looked at the robed figure. "I knew you'd show up Howl, so are you surprised to see me again?" Carge asked, removing the robe. "I didn't come here to talk Carge; I came here to put you to rest." Howl snapped, Carge nodded, "Very well…but as you'll soon find out I won't be that easily rested!" Carge then pulled out two swords that looked strikingly similar to Carmesi's, "Those look like Carmesi's blades!" said Howl, Carge nodded, "Almost perfect simulations…except I traded the deep blue handle colour for black, the golden colored blade for grey tempered steel, and I placed pearls on the hilt in place of the rubies Carmesi has on hers."

Carge was the first to attack, leaping into the air and come back down swinging both blades, Howl dodged both blades and countered with a kick to Carges' chest. Carge then returned with a dropkick, both combatants circled each other…refusing to break gaze.

"I have to admit I'm impressed," said Roland, watching the fight with Carmesi from afar, "But something doesn't feel right—about Carge I mean, there's something unique about him."

"Let's hope Howl senses it too." Carmesi whispered to herself.

Meanwhile the battle between Howl and Carge had started up again, this time Howl attacked with a barrage of punches, but Carge dodged those and with one of his swords made a shallow cut across Howls' chest, Howl winced as he felt the blade cut him. Howl then felt the dark energy flowing through him, Carge could sense this energy and saw the runes lighting up on his armor again. Howl then came at Carge with another kick to the chest, only this time instead of hitting it sent Howl flying away from Carge about twelve feet, Howl looked at Carge stunned. Carge smiled and said, "I guess you're wondering how that happened…well my armor is enchanted to block any Crest energy that comes near it, but it not only does that but it sends the attack back to the attacker at 2/3 the force of which it was given."

The battle then started to gain intensity, Carge came at Howl again with his swords, Howl dodged them again and delivered a sweep kick, Carge dodged the counter and threw a roundhouse kick at Howl's side, Howl back-flipped over this and threw another kick at Carge. The kick struck Carge and knocked him to the ground, Carge retaliated by kicking Howl in the chest, knocking him to the ground as well. Both of them finally made it back to their feet and started circling again.

Carmesi watched this amazed, Roland rubbed his chin and thought, "Where have I seen this fighting style before…it seems so familiar."

Howl looked at Carge, he was breaking a light sweat…obviously the battle had begun tiring him. But Howl himself realized he couldn't keep this up forever, his legs felt slightly numb. "I have to admit Howl…out of all the people I slayed in my past, you're the only one who offered any real challenge to me."

"But Carmesi said you couldn't remember your past." Howl said to him, Carge said, "Well…yes and no, I remember a few things…but my memory is still in bits and pieces. But I've changed from the last time you saw me, that little blade trick I used on Carmesi was only one power I have. Allow me to show you another."

Suddenly Carge's eyes rolled back into his head, he crossed his blades in front of him for a few seconds, and then he snapped back to reality and ran at Howl with the blades trailing behind him. He swung one of the blades at Howl; Howl caught it though, and felt a slight jolt of something go through it and into him. Howl flew across the ground again dazed, he looked at Carge, he had a big grin on his face. "I can control the power of Thunder too, as well as Fire, Earth, Wind, take your pick."

Suddenly it hit Roland where he'd seen this fighting style before, "A Drakonian Elementalist…I should've realized it from the start!"

"A Drakonian Elemental…that's what's so unique about Carge." Roland told Carmesi, and she believed it too…the Guardians had told her and the rest of the Crest about Drakonian Elementals, it was just hard to believe that they would ever be fighting one. "But the Guardians said they were extinct, how could Carge be one?" Carmesi asked, "They weren't all extinct…some were exiled from Drakonia, but how Carge became one is beyond me." Roland told her.

Suddenly it started to rain, making the electricity on Carge's swords appear, Carge came running at Howl again. Swinging his blades like crazy, Howl knew that getting hit by those things when he'd been dry was bad…but now that he was getting soaked one hit from those blades could be fatal, so he had to keep dodging until he saw a moment to attack. That moment finally came when Carge swung one of his swords out wide, Howl ducked beneath it, delivered a kick that released the sword from Carge's hand, and caught it.

Carge brandished his blade in front of Howl, "So what if you now have my blade, it'll be mine again before long." Carge taunted, Howl charged the sword up with his Crest energy, "That has yet to be seen."

Suddenly both Howl and Carge took off into the air, with lightening fast speed…this was followed by several small explosions that lit up the sky for brief moments before both combatants again came to the ground facing away from each other, Howl looked at his forearms to see a series of cuts across them, Carges' handy work. But Carge had not escaped unharmed either, he had a small cut across his left cheek, and his bracers were starting to crack and fall apart, both of them were breathing heavily…Carge then stood up, and with gallant strides kicked Howl in the small of the back, forcing him to give up the other blade, Carge grabbed it before it hit the ground and then both disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Howl finally stood up and watched as the sun rose, Carmesi walked over to his side, "We're going to have a fun one explaining to the others how this happened? Aren't we Roland." She looked around, but Roland was gone as well. But it didn't matter…Howl and Carmesi flew back to the Tower together.