Where the group from Rhodes Island and Azazel were, the tension was at its highest. It had been ten minutes since the sky in the distance had calmed down, but still the anxiety remained like smoke lurking on the ground from not understanding what had just happened. Some thought it was a lightning fast cathastrophe but others simply did not know. Blood-curdling screams, earthquake-like tremors, red lightning, and rays of molten liquid slicing through everything in their path. Something was definitely wrong. But soon the robotic voice of PRTS came through the earpieces of the Rhodes Island members breaking the dead silence that had fallen.
PRTS: The doctor's sanity is raising. Communications will be restored.
As soon as the AI's voice spoke, a certain feline began to speak as well.
Kal'tsit: This is Kal'tsit, does anyone read me?
Nearl: Dr. Kal'tsit I think we have a problem.
Kal'tsit: I got the PRTS alert, tell me what happened and where is the doctor?
Nearl: I don't know ma'am, but the doctor went to distract us so we could evacuate the academy, but it's like a cathastrophe hit where he was.
The kuranta's voice remained panicked because of all that had happened, trying to explain the whole situation.
Kal'tsit: And the doctor?
Sebastian: I'm fine. Bastion of the resunion destroyed. I'm almost to Nearl's team position already.
The doctor's voice came over the radio, cold and calm.
Kal'tsit: Sebastian, what happened?
Sebastian: Nothing. End of transmission.
You could hear him turn off his radio and the tone of his voice indicated that he really didn't want to talk about it.
Kal'tsit: Well... Good luck.
The feline also cut her transmission leaving Nearl alone with the rest of the Rhodes Island troops. She could see in the distance that W was talking with Shining and that the former seemed worried. Hellagur, who had long since gotten back on his feet, walked in circles and looked questioning, then approached the kuranta, tired of waiting forever.
Hellagur: What are we still doing here? Shouldn't we be leaving?
Nearl: We are waiting for our commander. He should be here any minute.
W: Calm your impatience gramps, they are not going to abandon him.
The liberi turned his head to the sarkaz mercenary and his eyes widened before filling with rage as he recognized the former reunion. He drew his sword and approached her.
Hellagur: You... You thought I wouldn't recognize you...?
His steps were quick and the mercenary tried to move out of the way, but was stopped by Hellagur's sword, which was about to cut her neck. The other operators hesitated to intervene, but due to the fact that she was an ex-leader of reunion and her abysmal behavior, the Rhodes Island operators stood still. Not feeling the need to help the sarkaz because they did not see her as a comrade or as something worth saving. But still in an extreme situation her mercenary attitude came to calm her down as her face gave up everything that made her look so snide all the time.
W: Old man, put your weapon down.
Hellagur: You are evacuating the refugees...? When you're part of the ones responsible for all this around us?
W: I am a mercenary. Money changes sides, so so do I.
She tried to lie as her eyes remained fixed on the blade, the money argument seemed more plausible than saying she was scared to death of an amnesiac doctor.
Zima: Wait, what do you mean she's responsible?
Hellagur: You didn't know? This woman was a leader of the reunion and defected right after the Chernobog attack...
The ursus and her companions were shocked by such a revelation before their faces and souls filled with rage, Zima turned to Nearl the kuranta leaning against a car waiting for the situation to resolve itself.
Zima: This is a damn joke! You're hiring fucking reunion people?! Do you know what they did to us inside that academy?!
Nearl: If it were up to me she would never have come to Rhode Island.
W: So what, you're going to kill me?
Hellagur: I like the idea very much...
They looked into each other's eyes, the tension rising little by little. Then the Liberi suddenly began to move his sword quickly with the goal of bringing it down on W's neck and cutting off the young woman's head, but the Sarkaz, also battle-hardened, had time to draw her detonator and was planning to summon claymores via her arts.
But as the two prepared their attacks, a figure appeared between the two fighters, the detonator escaped from the hands of the sarkaz preventing her from attacking as she would have liked. A metallic noise resounded in the air as Hellagur's weapon was deflected from its trajectory.
With the action taking place in less than half a second, the figure responsible for interrupting the attacks of the two fighters came into view. And to move so fast, it could of course only be one man to move so fast and so precisely. Sebastian was now standing between the two fighters with his back to W and holding Hellagur at bay with his sword, the point of which was grazing the old man's Adam's apple.
Sebastian: Put down your weapon starik, she's under my orders.
A second of silence passed. The operators of Rhodes Island were surprised by the sudden arrival of the doctor, as were the ursus students, who were even more surprised that Sebastian was moving so fast that it was impossible to see him clearly. W she could even feel her brain stop working when she saw the doctor defending her. But Hellagur's eyes widened as they danced along Sebastian's black blade. That sword. It was the same one from ten years ago. The way he called him, the particular accent he had when he called it old man. His eyes, the scar, what had happened two miles away. All the gears inside the liberi's head began to turn.
It was him.
Nine years the world thought he was dead. And yet there he was. In front of him.
The general lowered his arm slowly, almost dropping his weapon in surprise, and Sebastian did the same, thinking that his opponent had surrendered, but what he didn't expect was that the old man, to everyone's surprise, embraced Sebastian as if he had just found an old friend, laughing out loud with an almost fatherly expression on his face.
Hellagur: My friend! It has been so long-
He was surprised when Sebastian pushed him with phenomenal force not really accepting to be caught in a hug with an old man he didn't know.
Sebastian: I have no idea who you are so leave me alone.
The joy on the old man's face disappeared and was replaced by incomprehension.
Hellagur: It's me?! Don't you recognize me?
Sebastian: Not at all.
Hellagur: But we've known each other since you were little!
Sebastian: I see... Whoever you are or were in my past, I'm sorry to say that I have amnesia. I don't remember anything from two weeks ago.
Hellagur: Really? Nothing at all? Ursus? Who are you from?
Sebastian: I am a doctor for Rhodes Island and my name is Sebastian. As for my background in Ursus the only thing I know is that I was born and raised there.
The old man seemed almost disappointed at the revelation he had been given.
Hellagur: Sebastian, right?
He said, his voice once again tinged with disappointment as he thought hard about what he was going to say or do. He had disappeared for almost nine years after all, maybe he had rebuilt his life with another name. At the same time he couldn't blame him. Maybe after tasting a quieter life he wouldn't want to become the most feared man in all of Terra again. But that thought was thrown out the window as soon as he remembered that his former comrade-in-arms was there now in one of the most dangerous areas of Terra protecting a group of kids, even if their ages were close to Sebastian's, with an undermanned squad. Especially the fact that he was announcing he was a doctor... it almost made him laugh but even now Sebastian didn't seem to be a big fan of the Hipocrates oath.
Speaking of squads.
Hellagur's eyes found themselves back on the Sarkaz mercenary after seeing the sniper rifle barrel she had strapped to her back. The young woman tried to hide behind the back of the giant who was twice her size as the old man's grip on his sword tightened.
Hellagur: I appreciate seeing you again after all this time but please get out of my way. This woman has killed many people.
He took a step forward but was stopped in his tracks by the same sword that was pointing at him a few seconds ago. W preparing her combat knife
Sebastian: Whoever you are in relation to my past, I forbid you to raise a weapon against one of my subordinates, and I won't say it a third time.
Hellagur: But she is a leader of the reunion!
Sebastian: Was. Tell me W, who gives you your orders?
W: I am my own mistress~.
The doctor gave him a murderous look this time telling him that this time was not the time to mess around.
W: You doc.
Sebastian: So you're fighting for Rhode Island now?
W: Yes. Like I did before I joined reunion.
That was a lie and both the giant and the sarkaz knew it, being there on Rhodes Island only for fear of having her arms and legs ripped off by the teeth of the giant who was protecting her there now which surprised her more than anything, but there was no time for truth and they both knew that too. They just had to be convincing enough to get out of this tricky situation.
Sebastian: One of the mottos of Rhode Island is to accept everyone. It doesn't matter what their background is or who they are and I believe in that motto.
Hellagur had to face the facts. Despite his so-called amnesia, Sebastian had not abandoned his warrior's soul. He used to do his best for his soldiers, he would do it again now, and without remembering him, if Hellagur managed to kill W, who was protected by Sebastian, he would surely die within the hour. So the Liberi lowered his arms and sighed.
Hellagur: I hope you don't regret your decision.
The doctor lowered his sword thinking he was done but was reminded of the harsh reality when Zima approached the two men with rage inside the young Ursus bubbling to the point of explosion.
Zima: Are you kidding me?! Are you going to leave her like this? She's a member of the Reunion for God's sake!
Sebastian had enough. He pulled out his handgun and took W's hand in his surprising the young sarkaz, then he pulled her towards him with only a few inches separating them. No one really knew what was going to happen and then Sebastian slipped his handgun into the mercenary's hand before forcing her to raise the handgun just below his chin.
Nearl finally began to react as she saw that the gun barrel was perfectly aligned to blow her skull off if fired and it was W who had a finger on the trigger and was gripping the gun, the doctor preventing her from letting go, but surprisingly it was Sebastian who signaled her to stay still. A second passed as Sebastian and W just stared into each other's eyes.
Sebastian: Come on, do it. I know you're dying to. And I'm sure Kal'tsit won't even mind.
They both knew that W really wanted to kill him and see his skull explode in front of her to get her revenge with ease. It was stupid, Laterano weapons didn't have safeties, W could feel by his weight that the weapon was well loaded, and at this distance he wouldn't be able to dodge if she had to fire. But when W looked into the doctor's eyes, she could see and feel that he would not stop her from firing or try to dodge if she fired. He was almost asking to be killed.
After all, it made sense in the mercenary's mind.
Sebastian was as crazy as she was.
Behind all this well-constructed facade of honor, fighting spirit, pride and virtue was a monster driven by violence, rage and hatred, whose brutality was matched only by his strength.
A second passed.
She could kill him now. She would have her revenge. She could make Talulah believe that she had pretended to betray them to get rid of one of the pillars of Rhodes Island. Kal'tsit probably wouldn't mind. But yet when she looked into the emeralds in front of her, she found herself unable to pull the trigger. Why, she asked herself. About to get the revenge she had been seeking for nearly five years she was unable to. Would she agree ? She asked herself. Probably not. But in any case it was what she wanted, so why was she unable to kill him? W wanted to see him crawling on the ground, screaming and crying for an ounce of mercy, she wanted to break him to his soul as he had broken hers that day.
But there he had decided to trust the young woman and decided to put his life in her hands as a crazy bet. And that was enough to sow doubt in the mind of the young woman.
Two seconds had passed since Sebastian had spoken and the tension was at its peak. Then that tension was broken by W who sighed and closed her eyes before lifting her finger from the trigger, Sebastian releasing her hand defusing the whole situation.
W: Even if I shot you right between the eyes I'm not even sure it would kill you. You're fucking crazy doc.
Sebastian: Anything else you want to teach me?
He asked, raising an eyebrow before turning back to Zima, who could not have been more surprised.
Sebastian: If you have any doubts about who we're fighting, just ask how many soldiers from the reunion we killed. Her included.
He said, his tone of voice more serious than ever, making Zima shut up, surprised by the blind trust he had just given to a leader of reunion and especially by the fact that it had ended without a drop of blood being shed.
Zima: You let an amnesiac run this whole mission...
W: Don't worry, you get used to it...
Zima: But what have we gotten ourselves into...
She said almost in despair making the emerald-eyed giant laugh slightly, then Hellagur seeing this had an almost paternal smile on his lips once again.
Hellagur: It's a strange feeling to see you as a teenager and now to see you as an adult... When the hell are you going to stop growing up...
He muttered under his breath but the doctor heard him easily making him turn to the old man.
Sebastian: Sorry for what just happened. It's just some principles I hold dear.
Hellagur: Don't worry, you were like this before.
Sebastian: As much as I'd like to keep talking I'd like it even more if we could get out of this situation. So I'll be frank. Do you need help evacuating?
Hellagur: Is that old hag Kal'tsit still running Rhodes Island?
Sebastian: The same. You seem to know the house.
Hellagur: I mostly know the owner. But yes, Rhodes will be a great help to us to get out of here.
Sebastian: Let's go then. The distraction I created should be enough to give us time to leave. And if you have any information about my past, you're more than welcome to come along.
He turned back to W, the demoness giving him back his sniper rifle, as well as his handgun that he had not taken back, causing Sebastian to raise an eyebrow at the fact that she was handing him his handgun while holding it with her demon tail. She seemed to have a lot of control over it. Picking up all of his weapons the doctor began to walk again with the rest of the group instinctively following him like soldiers for their commander Hellagur as well after signaling to his men to get ready to get out of here. Walking beside the giant the old man laughed very lightly having the same feeling as a long time ago.
Except for the tens of centimeters more he had grown since then it was exactly the same feeling when they were side by side walking on Lungmen. But without an entire army behind them this time.
Nearl started walking on the other side of the giant this time with a sorry face, apprehension filling her thoughts. He must have seen her acting heartlessly to leave W at Hellagur's mercy when he had tried to get her out of this predicament. Taking a deep breath she spoke with sincerity written all over her face as she looked at the giant.
Nearl: I'm sorry about what happened... I-
Sebastian: It's okay, I don't blame you. I wouldn't force you to save someone you hate. And that goes for you all too.
He said, turning his head towards the rest of the Rhodes Islanders.
It was surprising for some not to run into reunion troops along the way, but after leaving two of the most powerful reunion leaders dying, the situation was too chaotic for them to notice hundreds of refugees walking down the streets. The group had been walking for almost thirty minutes through the streets of Chernobog filled with originium, the students discovering with horror the state of the whole city, and it wasn't the worst of it, because the place where the catastrophe had fallen was almost at the other end of the city. But now after their long walk they could finally see the city outer walls signaling that their escape was near, a smile forming on the faces of some as they arrived at a large city square. A ruined police station stood on one side of the square, the other sides occupied by stores and homes, but the thing that caught everyone's eye was the gargantuan statue in the middle of the square, as they passed it Sebastian stopped in front of the statue with his hand on the pommel of his sword, the others not wishing to linger near it. Only Hellagur remained near the doctor, looking at him with anticipation, waiting for any reaction on his face.
Jill: Too bad we don't have the camera anymore, it would have been great to add to our report...
Says the vouivre looking intensely at the giant in front of her and the kuranta, blaming them for breaking their work equipment and for asking Nearl to break their camera.
Sebastian: We'll get our engineers to fix it for you if you want...
He had answered her but more by reflex and politeness than anything else, because all his attention was absorbed by the statue that gave him a strange feeling of familiarity. A man it seemed, difficult to say because of the integral armor in which he was, impossible to say either because of the black metal in which the statue was made. Metal plates, engraved and forged divinely, each piece of the armor seemed to fit perfectly to the human morphology and anatomy to be able to move almost without any problem, it seemed to be also made to fit a morphology of someone in growth but above all it was made to intimidate, something easy to understand seeing all the little useless but scary looking details. The pose of the living armor was simple holding a long sword in one of his hands. The horns on his forehead showing that the individual was a sarkaz.
Sebastian as an experienced blacksmith admired the work in front of him. He looked at the pedestal of the statue to see a bronze plaque. "A soldier is nothing without the nation, the nation is nothing without the soldier."
...
Very Russian. Or Ursus in this case.
He liked it.
Nearl: Doc?
Sebastian: Huh, the statue is classy. But it doesn't even have his name on it. Poor guy...
He turned his head to the rest of the group, looking puzzled as everyone else had a look on their faces as if he had just insulted their dead grandmothers. While Hellagur laughed at him.
Sebastian: What?
Zima: But how?!
Rosa: He has amnesia, Zima.
Nearl: I guess it's not in the history books yet...
Sebastian: Can you elaborate Nearl?
Nearl: In less than ten years he changed the whole of Terra. The legend of Ursus.
Istina: The legend of the whole world would be more accurate ma'am...
Nearl: Yuri, the red demon. The emperor's right hand.
Sebastian: Nice name.
He said with a touch of irony.
Again it was as if he had just blasphemed in front of an executor of the notarial hall. In short, it was something that should not be done. Even if this time he would not risk getting a lead shot in the head.
Nearl: It's a normal name for someone who has fought in a hundred battles in nine years. Fought entire armies alone and came out victorious every time. Colombia, Kazimierz, Sami, Lungmen, Victoria, Sargon, Yen all knelt before him.
The others nodded silently at the perfect description from the kuranta who tinged her voice with respect, fear and hatred.
Sebastian: A strong guy...
He said with a mix of respect and intrigue.
Nearl: Indeed.
Sebastian: And where is he now?
Nearl: Dead. I hope so.
Istina: Officially reported missing.
The young ursus says as a response to the kuranta formulating a slight anger.
Sebastian: Was he that important?
Nearl: If you see the world as it is today it is because or thanks to him. For nine years Ursus was invincible thanks to him.
Sebastian: And do we have any proof of what he has become?
Rosa: Not the slightest. Some people say that he murdered Duke Koschei and then wanted to disappear.
W: Maybe he went to Kazdel. Every sarkaz dreams of it's nation.
Nearl: It's ironic because even in the countries he stepped on, some people worship him. Including in Kazimierz.
Sebastian: It's rare to love an enemy you have no chance against.
Nearl: I say that mostly because we are talking about Kazimierz. He respected the knights at that time so much that there were only about ten deaths in all the battles that were fought in which he intervened. Judging all the other knights to be honorable he left them alive after defeating them. I remember the stories of my father and grandfather who met him on the battlefield. But other nations were not so lucky... Sami for example lost half of it's territory. In his last battle against Yen, Ursus was defending a city that they had taken deep into enemy territory. There were only about 100 Ursus soldiers left in the city, including Yuri. He came out of the fortifications and faced the enemy soldiers. Two weeks later there were only the corpses of fifty thousand Yen soldiers left.
The doctor seemed surprised by such power.
Nearl: And don't even think about it. I wouldn't stand a chance against him and neither would you.
Once again Hellagur laughed, making the eyes turn to him.
Sebastian: Anything to say?
Hellagur: Nothing. It's just that I remember when I first met him.
Some of the Ursus students let their surprise show.
Rosa: It's not really surprising... I also saw him several times at the annual Chernobog balls... I even talked to him once...
Most of the students were shocked, but after all their classmate was a Chernobog noblewoman, so to be able to meet the top of Ursus' class was not that unlikely.
Zima: Really?! What was he like?
asked the young woman like a fan-girl hearing about her idol.
Rosa: He was quite nice, but our discussion was brief... What shocked me at the time was that he seemed to be a child at the time.
Zima: Are you sure?
Rosa: Not a hundred percent. But every time we saw each other he got taller, wider and his voice got deeper every time. It's hard, I've never seen him without his helmet...
Istina: So he should be in his early twenties nowadays according to my estimations...
Sebastian: huh... So let's hope he doesn't get in the way of Rhodes Island...
Nearl: If he does, we won't have any cha-
The doctor didn't listen to him finish his sentence instead hearing something in the distance with his superhuman hearing, a noise he recognized because it instinctively reminded him of Chechnya. A bang, then a whistle in the air. He turned his head towards the noise and squinting his eyes he could see objects flying through the air in a bell-like pattern seeming to point in their direction.
Sebastian: Uh... Does the reunion have mortars?
he asked with concern and disbelief in his voice.
There was a second of silence.
Then everyone began to feel a deep fear, showing on their faces.
The doctor didn't have time to be afraid because he had to help the others, so he looked around at the buildings around him trying to find a shelter that would do the trick and his eyes fell on the police station that was the closest and in better shape than any of the other buildings.
Sebastian: Everyone inside the police station now!
The students started to run led by Nearl who cleared the debris in front of the door of the building letting the refugees in by the dozens and dozens so that after a few seconds everyone was safe, the doctor being the last one to enter as the first mortar shell hit the ground at the other end of the square projecting a huge ball of flame showing that it was incendiary shells that were fired, probably filled with gellified originium or in other words. Napalm but worse. As the explosion caused the refugees to scream, the doctor entered the police station, pressing the emergency closing button on the riot hatch at the entrance.
But the metal door did not close, much to Sebastian's dismay, and he began to panic slightly as more shells fell on the square. Something had to be blocking the closure and if he didn't fix it, they would all be burned to a crisp if the flames got into the building.
In situations like this Sebastian didn't bother to think about what might happen to him. All that mattered to him was that at least two people survived.
Two lives saved for his death. It was a deal Sebastian would accept with a big smile.
He walked out of the building looking at the metal hatch several inches thick placed just above the door like a portcullis, the only thing holding the fortification from falling down being two cables that were supposed to lower when the emergency button was pressed but this time they didn't. Nearl turned back to the opening to make sure everyone was inside, but her eyes widened when she saw Sebastian outside.
Nearl: Doc what are you doing!
The emerald-eyed giant drew his sidearm and fired at the cables one by one.
The kuranta could swear that the world was slowing down around her, as the security wall slowly came down and the giant was on the wrong side of it as the flames reached his back. And at that moment, as the doctor's emeralds looked into Nearl's desperate eyes, he began to smile, before his eyes closed as he was completely surrounded by flames. The door closed completely without anyone being able to do anything. There wasn't even a second of silence as time seemed to run out, and then a blood-curdling scream was heard from the other side of the door, a scream of unimaginable pain.
It was the doctor's voice on the other side, distorted by the pain of burning alive.
He screamed for several seconds, banging on the metal door loud enough to be heard as a series of shell explosions erupted. The entire police station shook, and Sebastian's screams stopped, pounding on the door one last time.
Nearl fell to her knees, her eyes nearly popping out of her sockets as she lowered her head, her hand instinctively placed in front of her mouth to prevent any sound from escaping that would indicate the state of despair she was in, tears streaming down her cheeks.
She who was always trying to be perfect in the eyes of others, storing up mountains of negative emotions that she tried not to let show to anyone but her friends, had broken down.
In front of everyone.
All reason had left her. She couldn't think straight, horror being the only thing filling her mind, the moment the door closed running like a movie loop in her head.
The rest of the group was almost as shocked. Shining began to pray while Nightingale tried to comfort Nearl but to no avail. But most of the refugees gradually calmed down, already accustomed to the hell that was Chernobog where someone dying and burning alive had happened more than once. The two reporters, far from being used to such a horror once again, sank into fear. Istina, flipped through her book to cope with the intense stress like she did for Gummy's near execution. Zima looked calm in appearance but it was to hide the fact that she was terrified of the death of the one who was supposed to get them out of this situation. Rosa was biting her nails, trying to come up with a plan to get her friends out of this situation. And Gummy looked at Zima and Rosa and with a trembling voice asked a question that made some people tremble because of the innocence of the girl who already knew the answer to what she was going to ask.
Gummy: The doctor... Is he okay?
Silence was her only answer.
Of all the people in the room, the ones who were the least affected were Hellagur, who remained impassive, apparently waiting for the bombing to stop outside, and W, who also remained impassive, even though inwardly she prayed that he was dead.
Several minutes passed, and some people began to notice that the shaking had stopped as well as the explosions.
Patient: Is it over?
Student: I think so...
Doctor: Hurry, we have to get out of here!
Patient: But how? The door is blocked.
Hellagur moved through the crowd, standing out with his impressive size and build, reaching the door where the radiant knight was already standing and the only thing on his mind was to open the damned partition. The Liberi looked around and then grabbed a rock from one of the stone walls of the police station and placed it in front of the door, then drew his sword and jammed the end under the metal of the heavy hatch, using the rock and his sword to pry open the door. Using some of his strength he was able to lift the door a few inches, just enough for someone to slip their fingers through the opening and Nearl took advantage of this, beginning to lift the bulkhead several tons inch by inch, the difficulty of the effort showing on her face, a few weeks ago she wouldn't have been able to do even half such an effort.
But now she was much stronger, she didn't even care about the tiredness or the pain she was feeling, her mind was only thinking about one thing, to find him. He was the cause of the new strength she had found, he was the one who had made her laugh, smile, comfort her and he was the one who had broken through the shell of radiant knight she had created for herself in such a short time after meeting him. Nearl's mind didn't even imagine that Sebastian had died as a way to protect her sanity from the effect of losing someone she held dear. She lifted the heavy door over her head and could see the square in front of her, the buildings, the ground and the statue, all covered in soot. The kuranta's eyes scanned the whole square and finally stopped on the ground between the police station and the statue.
There was a body.
Lying on his back, a sword in his right hand being the most visible thing.
That and the fact that the body was completely charred.
From head to toe only his equipment and weapons seemed to have survived the incendiary shells, his skin looking like crumbly coal, interspersed with bits of flesh that were still red and had not burned perfectly to the point where the slightest gust of wind could blow the body to dust while some of his bones were visible because of the flesh that had been vaporized. Seeing this, the kuranta's heart sank. Maybe deep down she knew it, but she refused to believe it. Rosa and Zima, far from being idle, approached with metal blades blocking the opening by placing them in the gap between the hatch and the walls, making the effort a little more livable for Nearl as the refugees and students behind her began to pour out in droves, some finding a way to block the door completely.
And that was a relief, because as soon as the door was blocked, troops from the reunion arrived from the same street they had taken to get here. A small group, maybe a few dozen light soldiers. Probably sent to see if there were any survivors after their incendiary shell strike. Hellagur was the first to jump into the fray, covering the distance between himself and the enemy before the few crossbowmen had time to fire. Gravel was also gone, but the anaty used all his speed to flush out the mortar teams.
It didn't take ten minutes to wipe out the reunion's troops, and Gravel had just signaled over the radio that the mortars were dead. Nearl cleaned her mace of the blood of the soldier she had just killed without mercy, looking around to make sure the skirmish was over. Not the slightest difficulty during the fight it was hard to believe that this was what had gotten them into trouble so quickly and what had earned Sebastian-
As soon as she thought of the doctor, she turned to where the charred body was. Hellagur and W were already present at it's side, while Shining and Nightingale were praying in concert for a potential god somewhere. The kuranta's footsteps were heavy as a ball knotted in her stomach. Ignoring the foul smell she looked at the body in front of her. She could recognize the sword, as well as the rest of the equipment that was the only thing that had resisted the gellified originium. His equipment was the only thing that allowed her to recognize him and his extraordinary size. And of course it could only be one person. The said corpse was indeed Sebastian.
To her own astonishment Nearl felt nothing. Nothing at all. No anger, no sadness. Nothing, her mind was so empty of thought that even her breathing stopped. She couldn't even imagine it. She looked around and then her gaze fell on W. Especially when a relieved smile came to the face of the sarkaz. And that's when she started to feel emotions again.
Rage.
An unimaginable anger began to fill her. He had saved her less than an hour ago and she was smiling at his death. He had shown more mercy to the mercenary than anyone else and his death satisfied her. It was then that for the first time in her life Margaret Nearl felt a certain urge.
The urge to kill.
Right then and there, she felt like slaughtering W with her fists until she begged her to let her live, only to enjoy killing her even more. She clenched her fists until the inside of her gloves were clawed off, biting the inside of her cheek until it bled. It was the first time in her life that she felt such dark emotions. Her facade as a radiant knight was slowly crumbling, to the point where Nearl was ready to abandon it forever.
She had already lost too much today.
It wouldn't much more if she lost her aura of radiant knight.
Hatred filled her completely. Shining stopped her prayer feeling all the negative emotions around her, and widened her eyes in surprise and terror at Nearl. All the hatred she was emanating. Only the worst of Kazdel's sarkaz fighters had ever inspired so much negative emotion.
Like a bolt of lightning Nearl raised her fist, tears streaming down her face ready to commit the irreparable. W didn't realize it until it was too late to dodge, for the first time fear was written on the face of the sarkaz, this time she was sure she was going to die, maybe it was fate-
*growl*
Everyone froze and there was silence, even Nearl's fist stopped just short of hitting the sarkaz's face as his eyes returned to the corpse they all surrounded. A second of silence passed before the body began to growl again, its voice as foul as one could imagine from someone whose lungs were filled with ash. And if that wasn't scary enough, Sebastian's body started to move. Especially his left hand, which terrified all but two of those gathered around the doctor's body to their very souls. They did not have time to express their fear aloud before the corpse began to move again, slowly rising to its knees, and it was then that the fear could finally be expressed.
Nightingale dropped her arts scepter, Shining took a few steps back like Nearl, but where the sarkaz pulled herself together, the kuranta fell to her knees almost hesitating to lay her hand on Sebastian's charred back. Istina dropped her book, her jaw hanging open to what seemed to be an illogical sight right in front of her, seeing a skeleton with no muscles moving as if it had any. Gummy, simply did not understand as Zima and Rosa both fell backwards in surprise. And what a surprise.
Sebastian, was nothing but a skeleton with bits of coal piled on top... Burned alive by the equivalent of napalm if it had been invented by mad Nazi scientists...
And yet he refused to die.
Sebastian: Healing, please!
His words were as mangled as his grunts, but upon hearing him call for help thefollowers began to use their medical arts almost instinctively in the face of the doctor's more than pitiful condition, Nearl clutching her mace to avoid casting her arts through her oripathy and making it worse as she had done earlier. Light began to appear from the giant's feet, restoring the doctor's flesh and clothing like a miracle through the unparalleled power of the sarkaz and kuranta trio's arts, and no sooner had his legs and pants been restored than Sebastian rose to his full height, while his upper body was still in the same state as pork ribs that had been left on the barbecue for far too long, slowly regenerating. No one knew how he was still standing, let alone how he was still alive. But he was. His upper body healed in turn, bringing back to life all the fabric that had melted and fused with his skin from the heat, finally ending with his head, the light surrounding it and changing the appearance of an almost bare skull back to the doctor's face that everyone loved so much, even his beret reappeared standing proudly above his head. The few people seeing the scene were incredulous at what was happening before their eyes, which Jill was filming with her phone as a way to compensate for the lack of a camera in front of the more than supernatural scene.
Sebastian reopened his eyes as if nothing had happened and sighed, his body having regenerated in its entirety exhausting Nearl, Shining and Nightingale from the prolonged use of their arts for several seconds coupled with the immense vitality of the doctor who asked them to concentrate even more power into their arts. He looked at his hands as the healers took a breath and in a tired voice said.
Sebastian: And I don't even get paid for this job...
As soon as he finished speaking, Hellagur breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that he had been worried for nothing. The doctor's first instinct was to look around to make sure everyone was okay, only to see faces frozen in surprise or terror for some. But he was stopped in his tracks when he felt someone cling to him in an embrace. Surprised, he turned his head toward the person who was embracing him to see Nearl grabbing him with all her might. He didn't have time to say anything as she broke the embrace to resume a calm and dignified expression. Rebuilding the radiant knight's facade before anyone could notice the sudden changes in her personality.
Nearl: You had us worried doc...
Hellagur: It's true that it was quite a scare we had. But I knew I shouldn't have worried so much...
W: Especially Nearl I thought she was going to kill me...
The sarkaz said with a Machiavellian smile returning to her lips.
Nearl: Next time don't smile when someone is probably dead...
Sparks flew between the eyes of the two women who were presumably engaged in a contest of looks and hatred for each other.
W: It was because I had seen him move. I've seen him survive worse on my side...
Gummy: Doctor...
He turned to the young ursus wondering what she wanted to tell him to see her with stars in her eyes.
Gummy: You are so cool! You were like a superhero, going out in the flames to save us and miraculously surviving at the end!
She exploded with good humor surprising everyone around her in a torrent of nonsensical speech like a child talking about her favorite superhero, the girl's energy bringing a smile to most of the people in the square and warming their hearts, like a good humor infection purging all the negativity accumulated during the last hours. The doctor simply replied by patting the young ursus' head.
Sebastian: I'm not a superhero. I'm missing the cape.
He said with a slight laugh at the end of his sentence, Gummy being silenced because she was enjoying the pat she was receiving.
Sebastian: More seriously, is everyone okay?
Rosa: We've been pretty shaken up but we should be fine from here on out.
Sebastian: What about the mortars?
Gravel: I just took care of that... Damn, I need a shower.
They turned their gaze to the zalak and not an anaty like I thought Gravel was because I'm a dumbass-
*cough*
Excuse me, let's start again.
They turned to the zalak to see her completely covered in blood with a few wounds here and there, and her face was disgusted probably because of the state she was in after her rampage. But she opened her eyes wide to look Sebastian in the eyes intrigued.
Gravel: Weren't you a lump of coal a few minutes ago?
Sebastian: Yes.
Gravel: Huh... Their medical arts are a wonder. By the way, do you have any energy left for me?
Nightingale: Sorry, I used it all to treat the doc...
Nearl: Same here...
Shining: Me too...
The doctor, feeling somewhat guilty, took one of the vials of chlorophyte he had strapped to his holster and threw one to Kazimierz's assassin who caught it on the fly.
Sebastian: Here. I took them so it might as well be good for something.
Gravel: Wait a minute, aren't those the Kal'tsit vials?
All the Rhodes Island operators turned to Sebastian in surprise.
Sebastian: Maybe...?
Gravel: Oh my god...
W: I remember what she used to do to him when he took a vial without telling her... The poor guy wouldn't be seen for days...
Nearl: You're definitely suicidal that's it...
Shining: May he rest in peace...
The sarkaz said, striking a prayerful pose, as the doctor began to get seriously scared.
Sebastian: I-I'll deal with this later... Are we finally ready to go?
?: General we have a problem over here!
A young woman's voice echoed in the air, both Zima and Hellagur turning their heads in the direction of the voice, although the latter was more out of habit.
Sebastian: Damn it, we have to finish this chapter...
A young ursus woman approached the group, carrying another young ursus woman on her back.
Zima: Leto? What's the problem?
Leto: I found this girl in the ruins of the building. Make some room.
The student placed the body in the middle of the others, giving a glimpse of what she looked like to the others. Apart from the few superficial wounds she had, the most alarming thing was her thinness, which seemed to be as bad as the doctor's when he came out of the sarcophagus, except that the young woman didn't have one percent of the doctor's constitution and she was more likely to die than to face the soldiers of reunion. She was wearing a police tactical vest that was too big for her. Her coat was gray and her skin was pale white.
Leto: She was under a pile of rubble. I don't know how long she was there.
Zima: So we don't need a dead body-
Sebastian: Her heart is still beating.
Answered the doctor with a cold tone of voice trying to hide the vein that had appeared on his forehead because of his irritation.
Leto: As he said. It was the fact that she was in my class that shocked me.
Zima: She was in Peterheim too? that means she had to get out of there on the first day, the day after the disaster they welded the gate shut.
Sebastian: Peterheim?
Istina: That's the name that most of the students and the inhabitants of Chernobog call the academy of excellence. For the Peterheim family has been the head of it for a dozen years.
Sebastian got down on one knee and picked up the young woman's heartbeat, using all his senses to the fullest to try to see any pathology she had.
Shining: Anemia...
Sebastian: A whole bunch of other deficiencies as well... If she's been immobile... I'd say she's been here two weeks...
Shining: Our arts don't cure this kind of diseases...
Nearl: And it's not like we can use them right now.
Nightingale: I'm not sure in her condition she'll make it to Rhode Island.
Sebastian: I'm sure she won't...
The doctor seemed pensive for a few seconds.
Rosa: Do any of you have an idea?
Sebastian: I have one. A very bad idea.
Rosa: Go ahead, it's better than nothing.
Sebastian: I'm a universal blood donor and I'm healthy, so I can give her a transfusion of my blood and hope that she gets enough nutrients.
Shining: She'll need several liters, not to mention the fact that we don't have the equipment here to do a transfusion and we'll have to purge her of the excess.
Sebastian: I hold four liters, thanks to my constitution I can lose two before it's too severe for me. And the rest is where the really bad part of my plan comes in.
He opened his doctor's bag. And pulled out two catheters and an IV tube. Connecting everything and doing his best to keep it sterile, he inserted the needle of his side into his forearm, the red liquid that was his blood flowing into the infusion tube pushing the air out of it, until Sebastian stuck the other catheter into the ursus' arm. Making sure the IV was holding, the doctor pulled a scalpel from his medical bag before looking at the young woman's face, an almost disgusted expression on his face.
Sebastian: Sorry kid.
He cut a hole in the young woman's pantyhose at the level of her ankle, surprising all but those with enough medical experience to know what he was going to do. Then, thanks to the opening he had just made, he began to incise with his scalpel slowly and precisely the blood flowing opposite to where the infusion was. The doctor listened with intent to the girl's heart which after only three seconds resumed a healthy beat, the doctor's blood and its effects already beginning to work on the ursus earning a sigh of relief from the emerald-eyed giant.
Sebastian: That should do the trick... Hell, I'd take my medical license away myself...
Zima: Can we agree that your medical experience was reset two weeks ago...?
Sebastian: Um... Yes...
He started to slide one of his arms under the ursus' knees and the other arm behind her head before standing up carrying the young woman in his arms bridal style, making sure that her Russian made IV system would stay in place, not suspecting the few jealous glances he was receiving behind his back.
Sebastian: Let's go, we've been hanging out here long enough. God, I hate this city...
Hellagur: Don't worry, you hated it before.
The whole group started walking again. Organizing themselves quickly despite the hundreds of refugees, students, caregivers and patients of Azazel. Hellagur had moved to the back of the group with Gravel providing the rear guard while Sebastian and the rest led the group, our dear doctor still holding the ursus in his arms surrounded by the other students. Nearl and her friends decided to stay slightly behind them. The relief did not leave the majority of the refugees when they passed the gates of the mobile city arriving slowly in the desolate and deserted lands, contrasting with the artificial winter created in the city by the weather control towers. But it was when the cursed Chernobog was finally out of sight that all the pressure, fear, anxiety and unhappiness finally disappeared. Smiles appeared on the lips of the students around the giant, the happiness of being alive after going through hell was a feeling he knew all too well and Rosa a beautiful smile adorned her already beautiful face and broke the silence looking at the doctor.
Rosa: So your name is Sebastian?
Sebastian: Da. We are not in operation anymore, you can call me that now.
Rosa: Natalya. That's my name.
Istina: Rosa!
The other students were shocked that their classmate would reveal her name when the rule they had established was to do so only when they were among students. But they soon came to their senses. They could trust Sebastian and Rhodes Island, at least that was the message they wanted to send after they saved the students from that cursed academy and town where they could have stayed much longer if no one had intervened. So resolved it was Istina who started to speak again.
Istina: I'm Anna...
Zima: ... Sonya.
Gummy: Eh eh... I already said it...
The other students turned to the smallest of their companions.
Gummy: Sorry, I didn't mean it...
Faced with the expression of the girl, the rest of the group could not have anything else but smiles on their faces. And not even a second after the end of their short conversation the doctor heard a faint voice emanating from the young woman he was holding in his arms. He immediately turned his head towards her, seeing that the ursus had opened its eyes to look at him. Her gaze was empty of emotion, but still inspired great sadness in the doctor. Her voice, although weak, reached his ears.
?: Are you an angel...?
He was surprised to hear this and somewhat embarrassed, his cheeks turning a slight shade of pink before he calmed down as best he could.
Sebastian: N-no I'm not an angel... And you're not dead.
His soft, melodious voice echoed in the air, being like honey to the ears.
?: Is it true...?
Sebastian: Yes.
?: Where are we?
Sebastian: Outside Chernobog. We're taking you to a safe place. Go back to sleep and get your strength back. You'll need it.
?: Zoya... My name is Zoya...
Absinthe
Sebastian: That's a beautiful name.
He said, using the hand he had on the ursus' head to move a lock of her hair back from her face, giving her the most beautiful smile he could. The young woman slowly closing her eyes and clutching the doctor's clothes as hard as she could as if to cling to the warmth he was giving her.
Absinthe: Thank you...
Rosa looked at the doctor's face, finding herself captivated like a moth by a flame. But it was when Sebastian looked up at her and gave her a smile that she felt her heart melt, her cheeks turning bright red and she looked away before falling completely under the doctor's spell. Even if it was only a matter of time...
Far away from the troops of Rhodes Island, near the heart of Chernobog the two leaders of the reunion walked side by side, their troops behind them, all walking with the weight of defeat weighing on their shoulders like a heavy mist lining the ground and following them everywhere. Frostnova had her wounds healed but remained weakened by the confrontation with Sebastian, as did Patriot, except for his antlers which had been torn off. It could not be healed but it would grow back thanks to the powers that the wendigo had from his race.
Frostnova: It was a humiliation...
Patriot: We're lucky. To be alive.
The cautus stopped in her tracks deciding to finally break the ice.
Frostnova: Father. That man or beast we faced. It was him, wasn't it?
Patriot: ... Yes. It was.
The young woman was shocked to get such a revelation from her father figure and especially to get it so easily. Fear and doubt began to tint her face.
Frostnova: Does reunion still have a chance...?
Patriot: ...I don't know. Maybe. If what. Happened to the academy. Doesn't happen again.
Silence hung over them.
Patriot: Are you going to leave?
Frostnova: No!
Patriot: Not me, not anyone. Would blame you.
Frostnova: I said no!
The wendigo gave up trying to get his adopted daughter to abandon the reunion when he saw the sheer determination on her face.
Frostnova: Would you give up? Even if you knew that all was lost?
Both of them knew the answer very well.
Frostnova: Then neither would I. Reunion is all I have... All we have... Me, you, my brothers and sisters, your soldiers... So this one thing we created with our hands. We the infected. I will not stop defending it until I am dead.
Patriot: Don't make the same. Mistakes than me.
They began walking again until they reached the core of Chernobog and the city's control tower, with snow falling around them, where the rest of the reunion's troops were stationed. Hundreds of fighters of all races and backgrounds, all infected. Hundreds of tents were piled up around the control tower, the soldiers idling, the few leaders doing the same.
Soldier: Hey, Frostnova and Patriot are back!
The soldier who wanted to announce their arrival stopped when he saw the state they were in, as all the soldiers in reunionand the leaders turned their heads towards them, reassured to see them arrive after seeing everything that had happened to the stronghold they were supposed to protect. Between the explosions, the lasers, the screams and the apocalyptic weather, the doubt had settled on their destiny. But after the first phase of relief, the shock came. Talulah, Faust, Mephisto, Crownslayer, Skullshatterer, their faces decomposed when they saw the state of their comrade. The guerrillas and yetis were injured, apart from the normal injuries like fractures and cuts, some of them had marks as if they had been under a rain of molten magma, while parts of their armor and clothes had melted in some places because of the blood rain generated by the beast. Without some noticing their wounds had healed themselves without them looking at them. Some were carrying the bodies of their comrades, but the most shocking thing was the state of Patriot and Frostnova. The cautus seemed to have been fighting for two weeks straight without any rest and the wendigo was in an even worse state, his shield that he had never abandoned in a hundred years was gone, as well as his antlers above his head and he was leaning on one of his halberds to be able to walk. Patriot, though in his condition, walked toward Mephisto slowly, looking him in the eye, not stopping to answer the worried soldiers who were asking him about what had happened. Once he was within arm's reach.
Patriot slapped Mephisto in the face.
The sound of the slap echoed through the air as everyone was surprised at such an action from a man who was usually calm and composed. Mephisto didn't even have time to recover from his shock as he began to cry out in surprise.
Mephisto: What have I done?
Patriot: All of it. It's all your fault. You shouldn't have. Attack the academy.
He said, raising his arm toward his soldiers. All eyes that were already on the two leaders of reunion, began to fill with hatred when they heard about the academy. He had been trying to convince everyone that the massacre he wanted to carry out was justified, and even though a small part of the reunion agreed with his demonic ideas, the vast other majority of the reunion found the idea repugnant and hated Mephisto for it even among his own men. Everyone had told him not to attack the academy, the soldiers, the leaders and even Talulah. But he had disobeyed orders.
Patriot: In the eyes of our enemies. We have no mercy. Because of you. So why should they. Have mercy on us? We were lucky. To fall upon weak enemies. But not anymore.
The wendigo had always been confident. Powerful as a god. And fearless. But now he seemed almost desperate. And so fear crept into the hearts of the members of reunion because, after all,
What could frighten a god?
But Talulah had the answer. Even if she would have preferred not to know. There was only one being on this planet capable of making the wendigo doubt. And because of a series of events, each more unfortunate than the last, he found himself in front of them. And neither Talulah nor Patriot could hope to discuss it because of his amnesia and moreover because of Mephisto they had crossed the line of no return...
Guerrilla: I saw it was him! Krasnyy demon!
The mad guerrilla shouted in the middle of the rest of the troops of reunion in a way that warned them. And even though he had just called him in Ursus all the other soldiers in the reunion could understand who the soldier was talking about.
Guerrilla: It was exactly as people say, there was red lightning and it was as if all around us the earth was turning to hell!
His words hardly made any sense, but some people were already starting to panic at the guerrilla's statements.
Soldier: That's not possible, he died nine years ago!
Yeti: It was him! I saw him! We all saw him!
Engineer: But I thought he was protecting the infected!
Guerrilla: We've been messing with ursus children! He doesn't care anymore if we are infected or not!
Soldier: My God we're all going to die!
Pure anarchy began to reign among the soldiers, who were almost going crazy themselves at the thought of having to face the one who had brought the world to its knees, with the leaders unable to do anything to hope to calm their men down.
The first seeds of discord had been sown.
- at Rhodes Island -
Everyone had been back on Rhodes Island for a while. Kal'tsit was already waiting for them at the public arrival area of Rhodes Island, not so much to give Sebastian a scold for stealing those healing vials from the feline, but to get a full mission report from him and maybe even ask him what happened when his sanity reached 0. But when Kal'tsit recognized Hellagur at the doctor's side, she simply gave Sebastian a few instructions and then slipped away with the Liberi to interrogate him. The reporters assigned to private quarters, Sebastian just had to took care of the treatment of the refugees and was currently with the ursus students in the hospital making preliminary diagnoses with Shining and Nearl, waiting for other competent doctors to arrive to take over. Lowering his notepad, the doctor looked at the students who were lying on the hospital beds, some with IVs in their arms. Absinthe was still asleep, regaining her strength, and the rest of the students were also sleeping, their minds at rest after the hell they've been through.
Sebastian: Are you going to be alright on your side?
Rosa: Don't worry doctor, you've already done a lot for us.
The giant raised his wrist to look at his watch and bracelet for oripathy, Nearl next to him also looked at the clock and noticed that it was time, her cheeks turning very slightly pink.
Sebastian: I have to go, I have something to do. I should be back later this evening. If you need anything, just ask.
Rosa: You are kind doctor. I just need to get some sleep.
Sebastian: Alright. Goodbye Natalya.
Rosa: Goodbye doctor.
The ursus closed her eyes feeling at last at peace after weeks.
Sebastian: Shining, can I leave them to you?
Shining: Of course, no problem. Ansel and Hibiscus should be here any minute anyway.
Sebastian: Will you make sure that Hibiscus doesn't cook for them? One of her dishes is definitely not what I would like to eat if I were them.
The sarkaz laughed lightly.
Shining: Sure. See you later, Sebastian.
Sebastian: See you.
The giant left his notepad for those who would take over and left the room, followed closely by Nearl. A few minutes of silent walking to his office was punctuated by the wagging of the kuranta's tail, which was already wagging with impatience. The doctor opened the door to his office and began to enter, Nearl following close behind, both dropping their weapons, Sebastian put his sword in the coat rack as usual while the kuranta put her mace and shield against one of the couches.
Nearl: I didn't think you would remember after all that operation...
Sebastian: And after all that's happened I didn't think you would be willing to do it right after coming back... I would have think you had priorities...
Nearl: I'll take a shower after... I just think it would be good for both of us to blow off some steam...
Sebastian: Eager, aren't we? You start on your side and I'll be there in a second.
She started to turn to the other side with her back to Sebastian who started to look for something in his closets. She began to remove her armor from her clothes starting with her shoulder pads as her cheeks began to turn completely red from all the embarrassment, and she could feel herself burning inside as she removed her chestplate and gauntlets which came to rest on the coffee table like the rest of the armor. She turned to Sebastian as her breath became heavier and hotter, to see that he was already sitting on the couch waiting patiently for the kuranta. Slowly and apprehensively she moved closer to him and sat on the couch as well. She bend forward on her knees and forearms, she buried her head in a cushion to silence her moans in advance. Even though the walls and the door were soundproof, and fortunately so. Nearl looked at him with intent as she stopped her tail from moving as best she could. And when she saw his hands moving slowly towards her rer she closed her eyes, already waiting for what would happen, and slowly but surely Sebastian-
Began brushing Nearl's tail.
A/N: What else did you expect, you sick fuck?
The kuranta let out her first moan of pleasure, so soft that it sounded like honey to the giant's ears, not stopping to take care of the young woman's animal part.
Nearl: *moan* Oh yes... I really needed that...
Sebastian: Me too...
He continued his routine of taking care of the young woman's animal part, doing it carefully and gently, sending waves of unfathomable pleasure to the kuranta. Neither of them could say why it felt so good when it was the doctor touching the animal parts, but they were both happy that he had this gift.
Nearl: It has been a long day...
Sebastian: It has... And I still have to report to Kal'tsit, assure myself the students are fine, take care of those reporters... I really need a shower and a drink...
Nearl: *moan* God this is so good... Do you want to go for a drink tonight?
Sebastian: Sure. But with all the operations today the bar will be packed... It'll be the time to mix drinks and change lives on my side...
Nearl: That's not important if we're not alone... By the way why do you always say that ?
Sebastian: Say what ?
Nearl: Time to m-mix drinks and change lives. *moan*
Sebastian: Oh I just feel like it... 'I bet she would be laughing her ass off where she is...'
A/N: And yes that subtile reference is for you right there. You know i'm talking about you.
After a few dozen seconds of pleasure in the kuranta's thicc blond floof Nearl broke the silence once again.
Nearl: Did you find out who was responsible? For the academy?
He stopped brushing her tail, eliciting a needy whimper from the kuranta.
Sebastian: Mephisto.
Nearl: The kid in the sailor uniform?
Sebastian: Yes.
He clenched his fist with all his might. He didn't need to speak for the kuranta to know what he was thinking at that moment. The next time he saw him. Kid or not Sebastian would kill him. The giant sighed before putting the brush aside. Then he started to look at his library finding something odd.
Sebastian: Huh, someone must have took one of my books... Well, I'm going with the shampoo...
Hearing this the young woman began to claw at the pillow and bite into it in anticipation as her body began to burn from the heat she felt. And it was when the doctor ran hot water over her tail that she knew the most interesting part was beginning. He pressed his soapy hands into the warm mass of Nearl's tail feeling the warmth of the hairs stick to his hands that were sinking in a fluffy paradise. As the kuranta let out a cry of immense pleasure clawing at the cushion she was holding her eyes rolled back.
And that was just the beginning before Nearl turned into a moaning mess. But with a really well cleaned tail.
Somewhere else inside the arch in one of the interrogation rooms, away from two fanatics of animal parts washing was a feline and a liberi. Kal'tsit and Hellagur. The two were not exactly happy to see each other again. It had been almost forty years since they last met.
Kal'tsit: And so you say you know him. General.
Hellagur: Indeed. Grand Duke.
The two took turns calling each other by the title of nobility they had in Ursus. Another time that both hated.
Kal'tsit: And yet you didn't even know he was alive.
Hellagur: And you claim to know him when you don't even know who he was before he was seventeen or what he was doing.
Kal'tsit: Then I am listening to you general. Who is Dr. Sebastian really?
Hellagur: First of all, Sebastian is not the name I knew him by. Secondly, I just thought you knew. But if you don't know then I have no interest in telling you.
Kal'tsit: But for God's sake we only know three years of his life! So tell us what you do know, any information you can give us.
Hellagur: Neither you nor the world is ready to know. I'll tell you all about it in time once he makes the first move. Then I can tell you who he really is.
Kal'tsit: In other words, you are useless here?
Hellagur: Apart from the cooperation agreement between Rhodes Island and Azazel that I am interested in, I will also stay until 'Sebastian' is ready. Because once you know the truth I'm not sure you'll let him stay here longer than a second...
To be continued...
