Sebastian: Cardigan pay more attention to your sides! Steward you are too careful, Melantha is covering your back so concentrate on giving your comrades support! Adnachiel, I could hit every part of your body while you're supposed to be behind cover!
As the operators fought in the morning drills, Sebastian watched the whole scene from the observation platform, Amiya supporting him in his work, the young cautus visibly surprised by the doctor who for once was much more authoritative than his usual calm and pleasant self. The reserve teams were fighting hard against each other, all the teams receiving various advices from the emerald-eyed giant to improve their efficiency of their fighting abilities, like a oiled machinery that the doctor was observing with attention. His eyes once again roamed the improvised battlefield to notice a certain lack of support at from height in the A1 team. Reaching out, he realized what was going on just as soon as he heard a familiar heartbeat that signaled someone asleep, hiding in a sniper's nest. As a vein appeared on his forehead reminiscent of a certain grumpy lynx or bossy perro, Sebastian grabbed a pebble at his foot that had been thrown up to the observation platform due to the various damages caused by the operators. He took it firmly in his hand and threw it to the other end of the training area causing the young cautus to raise an eyebrow in surprise. If one listened carefully enough one could hear the stone fall and a slight cry of surprise.
Sebastian: And you Kroos stop sleeping in the middle of a battle for god's sake!
Soon arrows started to fly supporting the A1 team and making the giant sigh. Amiya next to him had a drop of sweat beading along her forehead at the sudden severity of the doctor.
Amiya: Hey dokutah, are you sure you're not being a bit too strict today...?
Sebastian: *sigh* I know Amiya... It's just that I'm afraid they won't make it on the battlefield if I'm not strict enough with their training.
Amiya: That's something you share with Dobermann...
As soon as the young cautus had finished her sentence, an arrow was shot towards Melantha who parried it with her sword, surprising all the witnesses of the scene with a feat accessible to few swordsmen, but the arrow continued to fly to the observation platform and more particularly to Amiya's head. Hardened by combat the cautus was about to dodge the training arrow, but so quickly that it seemed invisible, the arrow broke into several pieces and fell to the ground. The leader of Rhodes Island looked at the giant next to her to see him put his right hand back behind his back and that's how she understood that Sebastian had just sliced the arrow with the side of his hand as if it was a blade made of the sharpest steel.
Amiya: If you are there with them on the field I think they won't have much to fear... Most of the time you are the most dangerous thing on the battlefield...
Sebastian: That's just it, you or I won't always be there to watch their backs. So it's better to make sure they can do it themselves.
Amiya: I'm surprised that Melantha can parry arrows... The progress she is making is incredible...
The doctor laughed lightly and pointed to the purple-haired feline on the battlefield.
Sebastian: Watch carefully how she does it.
The cautus shifted her gaze and focused on the captain of the A4 team, analyzing her way of moving and her movements with the sword and soon she found herself intrigued, as if she recognized the technique that the feline was using. Searching her memories she tried to remember where she had seen those movements but it was when Melantha brought her sword down on Fang slowly enough for the kuranta to dodge, and the feline stopped her training sword just before it hit the ground to deliver another, much faster sword strike in the opposite direction of the first that Amiya finally recognized the new style the A4 team leader was using, a light bulb going on and her eyes widening at the revelation.
Amiya: She's imitating you...
Sebastian: And she does it well on top of that... What's impressive is that I never showed her my techniques, so that means that she assimilated them by watching me during the fights.
Impressed, the cautus went away in silence. A few minutes passed and the training came to an end when the A1 and A6 teams were unable to fight. The young operators looked around and could see that they had won and then confirming their victory, the voice of the emerald-eyed giant rose into the air.
Sebastian: End of the exercise. Good job A4.
He said giving them a smile and a thumbs up, and as small as the gesture seemed, a compliment from the doctor was priceless to the young operators who saw the giant as a model fighter. The A4 team members jumped for joy and joined in a collective hug, as the other two teams looked on in defeat. Sebastian had a slight smile forming on his lips...
In one of the corridors that led to the training room a large group of operators were walking towards the room, led by a feline carrying a chainsaw at her waist, the latter having a smile on her lips as well as her cat tail wagging energetically behind her back, signaling some form of excitement. These Rhodes Islanders stood out for their ease of movement with weapons and armor, their more exotic and customized equipment than the other operators, and the aura they gave off. They had shared more than one battle and were the armed wing of Rhodes Island. The elite operators.
E.O. 1: Remind me why we're going there again?
E.O. 2: Ask the big cat...
E.O 1: Stop it, she'll hear us. But more seriously, why?
E.O 2: Didn't you hear when she said she wanted to beat up the doctor?
E.O 1: Uh no...
E.O 2: You were still watching your stupid Higashian stuff, right?
E.O 1: Hey, they're called anime. And it's not that I don't like the idea of beating up the doctor, but I doubt that Amiya, Kal'tsit or Ace would let it happen...
His argument was valid. The elite operators had been there since Babel for the most part and they had known the doctor as he was before his amnesia.
A cold, heartless scumbag.
That's how most would describe him. The price of sending many of their comrades to their deaths without batting an eye. A monster who saw the world as a chessboard from behind his mask. Blaze herself had only joined Rhodes Island after the doctor's disappearance, so she had only heard about the doctor's past actions, but even she, hearing the stories of her colleagues, said that she hated Sebastian. Which she strangely didn't say anymore since the good doctor had returned to Rhodes Island.
But let's face it, beating up the doctor for revenge wasn't the brightest idea. Not only because he was the legal owner of Rhodes Island and could send them away or stop treating their oripathy if he wanted to, but also because Kal'tsit, Amiya and Ace and many others were still loyal to the doctor and would try to protect him. This is how the doubt took hold of the elite operators. Why didn't Ace stop Blaze from committing such an act? Perhaps the doctor had committed an act infamous enough for the Pythian defender to stop believing Sebastian almost blindly. But what was even more disturbing was Blaze's behavior, she didn't seem upset. Not at all, on the contrary you would think she was excited like before a boxing match in Rhodes Island.
E.O 2: But wait, where did Rosmontis go?
E.O 1: She went to give flowers to Ace's son.
E.O 2: Is he still in the hospital?
E.O 1: Yeah... His Oripathy is not stabilizing... I wonder how he stays so calm all the time when his son spends three quarters of his time in the hospital...
E.O. 2: He and his wife remain optimistic. I guess that helps...
As soon as they finished their conversation, one of Rosmontis' squad members approached them.
Qing: Hey, I heard the doctor got amnesia since they rescued him at Chernobog...
E.O 2: Amnesia?! But then why did they bother to save him?!
E.O 1: God forbid...
Said the first elite operator, a laterano sanktah with a shotgun strapped to his back. Quickly they found themselves in the training room. A real artificial city made of concrete inside the Rhodes Island vehicle. Not far away the elite operators could see the Rhodes Island novices who had just finished one of their training sessions, as well as Amiya and a giant that most of them did not recognize, the last two obviously debriefing the operators.
Sebastian: And finally Melantha I wanted to talk to you about your sword fighting style...
The feline flinched slightly and her cat ears went down on top of her head, as fear began to take hold of her. Most fighters didn't appreciate being imitated. So he must have realized that she was watching him fight with attention to imitate his style... So she waited for his reproach.
Sebastian: You have shown yourself excellent. And bravo for managing to reproduce my fighting style just by watching. Especially to succeed in blocking the arrows, it was a beautiful feat.
Her eyes widened and her face started to redden because of the avalanche of compliments she received from the doctor. The feline had only seen the doctor fight once, and she had fallen in complete admiration of Sebastian. To the point where she could see the good doctor as a role model. Not only as a fighter, but also as a doctor, a commander, and all the other duties Sebastian performed on Rhodes Island. Whatever he did or was asked to do, he did it well. So why wouldn't she want to try to be like him. Someone that everyone could rely on.
Melantha: T-thanks!
Sebastian: If you ever want something more rewarding, we can always train together. I'll try to show you a few things. If you agree of course...
Melantha: Yes! Please!
She said with determination, her cat tail wagging frantically in her back. Surprised to hear Melantha speak so loudly the young woman who was usually so shy, the giant took a step back. Seeing this and the surprise of her other classmates the girl returned to her shy self, while her squad mates beginning to laugh.
Melantha: Sorry...
Sebastian: That's okay. Come and ask me when you want to train.
Melantha: Well... Thanks a lot.
E.O. 2: Hey Ace, who is this guy? Do we have a new instructor?
Ace looked at the operator before laughing. Blaze took her chainsaw out of its case and let the heavy accessory fall to the ground, the two sudden noises diverted the eyes of the few Rhodes Island members who were there to the ten or so elite operators. When Amiya's eyes landed on the feline, she had a beaming smile on her lips.
Amiya: Blaze! Ace!
The cautus ran towards them, probably in order to hug the feline who was a family figure for her, but the will to look more mature took over and she stopped in her run.
Blaze: Yo donkey!
Hearing the end of the sentence of the feline and the laughter that the giant let escape, the young cautus filled with rage turned to Sebastian and hit him just below the ribs cutting his breath. It was necessary to admit that the young girl had a hell of a left hook...
Amiya: It's because of you that everyone starts calling me a donkey!
The cautus' assaults came to a halt when the giant dodged by leaping backwards like in one of his real fights. The elite operators were at first to see the proximity that had their leader with this stranger, raising some eyebrows, Blaze approached in the back of Amiya discreetly and took her in his arms by surprise embracing her warmly and raised her above the ground.
Amiya: B-Blaze! S-stop!
Said the cautus as her face was completely red.
Blaze: Well, you don't even give your big sister Blaze a welcome hug anymore? I remember a time when you couldn't even sleep if I didn't lie next to you... And look at you now, trying to look all grown up, you're going to break my heart you know?
The rabbit tried to free herself from the bear hug that the feline gave her, her face changed completely because of the embarrassment and even more when she heard the operators around her start to laugh. Then finally after having satiated herself with the warmth of the Rhodes Island leader, Blaze put Amiya down, having finished restoring her batteries.
Amiya: Blaze! Stop treating me like a child! I'm a grown woman!
She received a flick on the forehead from the feline.
Blaze: You're not in age and you're not in height.
The young woman began to sulk at what the big cat said to her.
Amiya: Say something!
She said, turning to the giant.
Sebastian: Sorry, but I can't really contradict her... You are not an adult... Whatever country...
Amiya: B-but I'm tall for my age!
Sebastian: Huh... No.
Her donkey ears drooped on top of her head in defeat until Ace took a step forward with a sigh.
Ace: Doctor, Blaze it would be best if you stopped harassing our boss...
The cautus' ears perked up on top of her head.
Amiya: Exactly. I can lower your pay very well... If you continue to call me a donkey.
Amiya's threat did not fall on deaf ears on Blaze's side, the feline having her cat tail stiffened with a bead of sweat beading along her forehead at the thought of having her pay cut.
Blaze: You wouldn't dare...
Amiya: You think so?
Sebastian: Then your threat is excellent my dear Amiya but the problem is that I don't get paid.
Amiya: A-ah...
Blaze: Wait, you don't get paid?
Sebastian: No.
Everyone started to look at him.
Sebastian: What?
Amiya: And why don't you ask to be paid?
Sebastian: I don't need it.
Blaze: But is this guy human?
Sebastian: So sorry, donkey... But I'll still call you a donkey.
Ace: Oh everyone I forgot to tell you, this is Dr. Sebastian...
He says with apprehension in his voice.
Sebastian: Hi.
He said, raising his hand and giving a smile to the elite operators, as their faces broke down.
The doctor is a man who appears to be in his mid-thirties with no animal features, short ebony hair an inch or two long, with a thick beard the same length as his hair. His emerald eyes radiated warmth, and his handsome face, though inspiring strength and maturity, was not frightening even with the scar Sebastian bore on his left eyebrow. Everyone knew the doctor was tall. Gigantic even. Much taller than anyone else on Rhodes Island for that matter. But what they noticed now was that the good doctor didn't have that thin figure he had in the past. Now he was so muscular that his forearm was as wide as Ace's head.
Every estimation they had made about the doctor's true appearance had fallen to the ground. But what was even more shocking was that the good doctor...
The doctor seemed to be kind.
He was smiling at them.
This demon dared to smile at them.
A forte one among the elite operators took a step forward toward Sebastian as Ace was more nervous than ever, his hand brushing against his hammer.
Then the forte raised his hand as if to shake it. A smile hiding all the darkness of the world on his lips.
Ace sighed with relief, and let his hand fall back to his side. The doctor had not been told about his past self. It was a sort of silent promise that everyone had made, not to talk about it. So Sebastian thought that the operator was just being friendly and raised his hand to shake the operator's hand.
Of course the forte wasn't just going to shake his hand in a friendly way. In fact he was known to use his hands as a weapon on the battlefield. In addition to being a forte he was an elite operator and his strength was far beyond the rest of us and even more so the strength in his hands. Some had seen him crush diamonds and blocks of titanium just to show his strength of grip and Ace knew it. But for all that he was reassured. Because after Chernobog, he had more faith in the doctor's strength than anyone else.
Then suddenly the forte squeezed his hand as hard as he could, his veins showing on his hand, along his arm and even on his face. Despite his smile, he had only one desire, to crush the doctor to his very soul for what he had done to them all.
A second passed and then two.
The other operators realized that there was no noise and no crushed flesh. Instead, the forte was giving all his strength in his hand, which was visible by his frantic breathing and the sweat that was forming on him. Sebastian, on the other hand, didn't even blink.
Sebastian: What's wrong dude ?
The doctor asked. He wasn't stupid either. He felt that the pressure on his hand was much more than what was recommended to be friendly. So he too began to apply pressure to his hand and soon the forte gave a grunt of pain and began to twist backwards. And that's when the elite operators understood.
That the doctor was far from being able to be crushed like an insect.
Giving a slight pressure enough that he felt the bone start to crack Sebastian let go of the elite operator's hand, the forte taking several steps backwards holding on tightly to the hand because of the pain. Sebastian's heel was rising from the ground preparing to tap the concrete under his feet to get the knife out of his ankle when he saw that the other elite operators were hostile and preparing to draw their weapons. Incomprehension filled him, but his instincts warned him of the danger. But next to them, too dense to notice anything, Blaze whirred her weapon, already preparing for battle.
Blaze: Good! Now that the introductions are done maybe I can finally get the fight I wanted!
Sebastian sighed and rubbed his temples with his fingers before turning to Blaze, completely ignoring the elite operators and deciding instead to deal with the most pressing emergency.
Sebastian: Again?
Blaze: And this time I'm going to grind you into dust! I'm sure this time I'm strong enough to beat you!
Sebastian: And let me guess... You spent a whole night watching battle records?
He says, raising an eyebrow and glancing at Ace.
Ace: More like two hours...
Sebastian: Jesus...
He kicked his heel on the ground and his dagger flew through the air, spinning around to be caught by Sebastian's hand. A long, thin, double-bladed dagger that looked like it could be used in combat with armor, but was also ready to be strapped to a rifle. A magnificent work that came from who knows where, black metal like the rest of the weapons Sebastian used. He had it since he woke up in Chernobog and no one knew why. except him of course...
Sebastian: Good Ace on the track?
Blaze: No! I don't need him this time! I'll beat you by myself!
The giant looked at the pythia and raised an eyebrow, a gesture to which Ace simply answered by sighing and shaking his head left and right, obviously tired of the feline's endless energy.
Sebastian: Well...
He stopped spinning his dagger in his hand and gripped it tightly as those around them began to back away, preparing to watch the fight unfold before their eyes. The elite operators were intrigued by the giant's warlike behavior, but they were already looking forward to the beating he would take. Ace was already getting ready to see quite a show. The feline whirred her chainsaw and already began to cast her arts, the temperature rising around her as flames appeared in the air.
Blaze: Aren't you going to take your sword?
Sebastian: If I don't train with something else I'm going to be in trouble the day I lose it...
Hearing a pencil on paper the doctor turned his head towards the novice operators to see that Melantha was furiously taking notes on a notepad listening and watching avidly.
A second passed.
And suddenly Blaze leapt forward with her chainsaw whirring through the air and ready to slice Sebastian in half.
Sebastian: Too slow!
As the feline's weapon descended on the giant, he landed a punch to the liver, so fast that compared to the young woman's attack, the doctor's seemed to be out of time. And as his fist hit the feline a sound similar to an explosion echoed through the training room, Blaze disappeared simply because of the speed at which she had been thrown by a single punch, the concrete floor under Sebastian's feet fracturing because of the force he had used. The glide Blaze took only stopped when she hit one of the buildings in the training room and went through the wall, disappearing into the darkness of the building. Sebastian straightened up and took his dagger firmly in his hand, watching where Blaze had landed. Then a smile played on his lips.
Coming out of the shadows and dust Blaze started to run towards Sebastian, moving at a superhuman speed so much so that it only took a second for the feline to cover the hundred meters that separated them. Her arts themselves were pushed to the maximum which was confirmed by all the flames that were floating around the feline as well as the temperature that was becoming hellish. Her chainsaw started to roar and she hit Sebastian again, her speed increased tenfold by her excitement and adrenaline the feline was finally at the level of her opponent. This gave Sebastian an almost sick smile. Finally a fight where he was going to have fun. Moving his arm with agility he parried the first attack of the feline with his dagger deflecting the chainsaw and projecting a spray of sparks. Anticipating what was going to happen he moved his dagger once again and parried another chainsaw strike once again parrying the young woman's attack.
Dozens and dozens of weapons passes like this one followed at such a speed that each one was almost invisible to the naked eye. Sparks flew all around them as the flames of Blaze's arts began to blacken the giant's clothes and skin.
His heart beat faster and faster, his unique body began to adapt to the conditions of battle and began to make so much more blood that every one of his veins, blood vessels and capillaries became so full of blood that his skin began to take on a slight gray tint. The flames and heat soon became nothing more than an annoyance and not a mortal danger. Palliating the increasing speed of each of their attacks the blood vessels in his eyes also filled with blood, turning his irises from green to red and increasing his vision as well as making the world around him slow down slightly.
Through this he could see that Blaze was getting tired. She was too pissed off to think of any other strategy than hitting as hard as she could. But even if she was strong, even if she was fast, she couldn't compete with Sebastian, for whom this fight was a joke compared to the fights Nearl knew how to give him.
*cling*
The hundredth clash of metal rang through the air only seconds after their exchange had begun and Sebastian was weary. Having understood the feline's attack pattern Sebastian promptly threw himself to the ground, holding parallel to the ground by holding on his free hand, causing the feline to miss the attack and lose her balance, but not stopping there Sebastian kicked the young woman's legs causing her to fall due to her initial lack of balance and the giant immediately followed up with another kick to Blaze's chainsaw disarming her. Blaze fell backwards with the air leaving her lungs as she hit the ground heavily. She would have gotten up immediately but she was tackled to the ground by Sebastian who sat on the feline's torso with his one hundred and fifty pounds doing a wonderful job of pinning her down. Opening her eyes, which she had closed in pain, her breath was taken away when she saw Sebastian's knife stop only two centimeters from her eye. A precise gesture. Almost surgical. No trembling, perfectly controlling the distance between the eye and the blade despite the erratic movements of the young woman.
After a few seconds, she stopped moving, realizing her defeat. Sebastian started to smile and then-
*crack*
that was the sound the giant's skull made when a piece of rock hit him so fast that he could neither hear nor see it. An image that froze in the heads of the others before Sebastian was thrown by the impact rolling on the ground before crashing against a wall and fracturing the concrete. Blaze, on the other hand, was paralyzed by the surprising violence that had taken place and by the shock that the doctor's blood had created when it splashed on her face.
Amiya: Doktah!
Of all those who were there no one understood what had just happened, that is until Amiya noticed another feline behind the elite operators. She was young and small like the leader of Rhodes Island, her fur on her cat ears and tail oscillated between white and light gray and her pale green eyes were focused on casting her arts. Soon hundreds of other concrete fragments that had broken off during the confrontation between Blaze and Sebastian began to mysteriously fly through the air. Weakened, Sebastian tried to stand up, but was in too bad a shape to dodge again.
The rocks that had been levitating in the air were once again thrown at Sebastian who was still on the ground.
Ace: Godspeed.
As soon as the elite operator had finished speaking his word, the world around him slowed down to a near standstill. He began to walk across the training field and eventually stopped in front of the doctor. Looking at Sebastian, who was also vulnerable, he had a memory that flashed before his eyes. That moment in Kazdel, when he had joined Babel... Becoming their first member who was not one of Theresa's followers. For his son. For his wife. At that moment the doctor had reached out to the Pythia family when everyone told him it would do no good. That moment when Ace had glimpsed Sebastian's deepest, purest heart. An innate and immense goodness that had kept the elite operator's faith in the doctor even in his darkest hour. Ace dropped his hammer and used his free hand to reinforce his strength on his shield. Taking a deep breath he stood guard as time resumed its course.
Rock after rock crashed into Ace's shield, sending up clouds of dust each time a projectile hit the elite operator's protection. Anyone would have been blown to bits by the assault, but the elite operators were far from being just anyone. And certainly not Ace. Two seconds passed and the assault finally stopped. The pythia let out a sigh and straightened his head looking the little feline in the eyes through his sunglasses.
?: Ace... Move over this man almost hurt Blaze nee san...
Her voice was cold and calm as if almost all the emotions had been removed from the young feline.
Amiya: Stop!
Surprised to hear a voice she knew so well the feline turned her head towards the cautus.
?: A-amiya?
She was surprised, not so much by seeing Amiya, but more by the eyes of the Rhodes Island leader. Eyes that begged for mercy...
Amiya: Please leave doktah!
?: But... He tried to hurt Blaze...
Blaze: We were just practicing!
through the psychic "web" she had stretched with her arts she began to feel the fear of everyone. The one that came from Amiya of course, the one from Blaze, Ace, the elite operators and the novices who had seen the whole scene unfold before their eyes. The only psychic shadow she could not access was that of the good doctor as if his mind was completely locked. But it is thus that by seeing and feeling this fear in and through the others that the feline could realize that she had just made a huge mistake. Her eyes went wide and her cat ears dropped down on top of her head in shame as the debris she had grabbed with her psychic powers all fell to the ground.
?: E-excuse me...
Slowly but surely the doctor got up behind Ace while Amiya was already next to him after a quick run.
Amiya: Doktah! Are you okay?!
She said as she put her hands on the giant's shoulder as he stood up holding the top of his skull which was bleeding from a cut with one of his hands.
Sebastian: I am fine Amiya... I think so...
Amiya: Oh thank God...
Sebastian: Thank you Ace.
He said, looking at the pythia who only answered with a nod of the head. For the elite operator he owed Sebastian more than his life as the donkey and the giant began to walk towards the rest of the operators who had stayed behind.
Sebastian: Is anyone hurt? Blaze?
Blaze: I'm fine... Oh fuck, I have your blood all over my face...
Sebastian: Don't get it on your clothes...
Just as he arrived in front of the operators he could feel the soothing effect of the medical arts on his body as well as the wound on his head closing, the giant giving a simple smile to Hibiscus as a thank you, before his eyes returned to the little feline in front of him.
?: Sorry... I thought you were going to hurt big sister Blaze...
Blaze: Don't worry! He has no chance to beat me!
She said with a radiant smile as her tone of voice and mood returned to her usual explosiveness reassuring the feline and making Sebastian raise an eyebrow.
Sebastian: I did kick your ass twice...
Blaze: That remains to be seen...
Ace: Don't be in bad faith you big cat, you are no match for the doc.
Sebastian: Anyway... Don't worry, I'm already fine and nobody was hurt but me. Everything is fine...
The young feline, reassured despite her mistake that could have caused the life of a member of Rhodes Island, raised her head and looked at the giant with emerald eyes. Squinting her eyes she wondered where she had met him and quickly the gears in her head began to turn, his physical description, the fact that Ace was protecting him with attention, that Amiya was also worried about this man... The light bulb in his mind lit up in his head.
?: Are you Dr. Sebastian?
Sebastian: Yep. In the flesh!
He said in good humor, giving a smile in the corner of his mouth as the feline's eyes filled with interest.
?: I was sure it was you... Amiya has told me so much about you and how she was waiting to be old enought to marr-
The cautus who had been at Sebastian's side until then threw herself at the feline in front of her and put one of her hands over the feline's mouth to silence her while her face was completely red.
Amiya: Don't ever talk to him about this!
The young feline nodded in understanding of her friend the cautus.
Sebastian: To what?
?: Nothing...
Sebastian: Tell me, I appreciate that you know my name, but what is yours?
He asked as his hand unconsciously started to caress the top of the feline's head, earning a jealous look from Amiya and a nice purr from the little girl under his hand.
?: Rosmontis... That's the name they gave me...
Sebastian: Nice to meet you Rosmontis.
Rosmontis: Nice to finally meet you too... Doktah.
Sebastian: Oh no, not again...
Ace turned to the elite operators.
Ace: Everyone! I should warn you that the doc has had amnesia since his rescue at Chernobog. As of last month he doesn't remember anything. He's a new man, so treat him like one.
Shock filled the elite operators when most had just learned the information.
A second of silence passed and amidst the crowd of elite operators discussing what they had just heard from Ace, one operator made her way over to the doctor and raised her hand for them to shake.
E.O: Nice to have you back with us doc.
Sebastian: Thank you.
He replied with a smile and shook the operator's hand.
Gradually the other elite operators jumped in, deciding to experiment with the new doctor as well. This one gave warmth and kindness. So little by little, one after another, the elite operators wondered if it was worth hating a man different from the one who had caused them so much harm.
And one by one they decided to finally turn the page and come to greet the doctor. And to maybe, just to try, forgiving Sebastian.
Blaze: Hey i want headpats too!
- A few hours later -
In another part of Rhodes Island Dr. Kal'tsit was sitting at her desk reading medical files. But those of one man in particular. The records of the health monitor Sebastian had on his wrist, and more specifically the records of when his sanity had dropped to zero.
The feline knew that there were many ways in which the doctor's sanity dropped to zero. Sometimes after working behind a desk for too long, his sanity was drained and the doctor became... strange... Like cooking instant noodles and pouring hot water into his mouth at four in the morning while she tried to sleep... But that was before... Now he was content with devouring Vanilla's originium slugs, sitting in his office muttering incomprehensible things about pity gacha and banners, abducting Provence to take care of her wolf tail or other things like those that caused the maid incident...
And there was another occasion when the doctor's sanity reached zero... On the battlefield. Each time nobody saw what was going on, and those who saw remained silent or traumatized or both. But one thing was certain, wherever it had happened unprecedented destruction had taken place when the doctor's mind was pushed to its limits. It didn't take long for Kal'tsit to make the connection that when the doctor reached zero in sanity the situation was bad. Not to mention the PRTS alerts or the worry that Theresa and Priestess were feeling...
She shook her head left and right and continued to look at the reports. These reports were from the operators who had gone on the mission and had seen Sebastian when his mysterious powers surfaced. By paying close attention to the times, she was able to match the operators' observations with the anomalies the doctor's vital signs monitor had perceived... But what the monitor perceived was limited, but from what she saw she thought it was due to a bug in the monitor. A heart rate that defied the laws of biology and even physics, a blood pressure so high that if you cut a vein it would create a jet of blood capable of slicing through metal, an internal body temperature so high that it could almost boil the water Sebastian contained, and most of all, pulsations in the nervous system so intense and frequent that they could be used to power an entire city...
Kal'tsit: *sigh* I should not have started looking...
She had opened a real can of worms on subjects that were beyond her intelligence. To the point where it was no longer time for logic but simply to connect the dots...
Kal'tsit: Lightning... Maybe because of the overloads in his nervous system... But why red... Heat explains it... But not the skin and eye color... The pressure... Maybe too much blood in the body? But it should be several liters that would be created in a few seconds... And why the drop in air quality? Damn...
She rubbed her temples once more and got up from her desk to get the coffee that her machine had just finished preparing. And as she filled one of her many cups the sliding door of her office/lab opened making Kal'tsit's head turn towards the entrance so that she could see Wafarin's bags under her eyes. She took out a second cup and filled it with coffee.
Warfarin: Kal, we need to talk, for God's sake, I've been studying the samples you gave me for two weeks and I need you to reassure me. Tell me that what I was looking at wasn't from an alien.
Kal'tsit: Come sit down.
She said as she pulled out a desk chair opposite hers, Warfarin sat down in the chair and quickly drank the coffee Kal'tsit had just given her.
Kal'tsit: Those samples were from the doctor.
Warfarin: I knew it...
she said with a sigh.
Kal'tsit: Tell me.
Warfarin: Get ready, It'll take a while.
She held out a folder that she had kept in her hand until now.
Warfarin: First of all I did the blood type and DNA tests... We already know the results of the first and second. So I started by looking at his red blood cells more in depth. And I could see, that it wasn't iron that was in his hemoglobin, if you could call it hemoglobin.
Kal'tsit: And what was it if it was not iron?
Warfarin: Iridium...
Kal'tsit: But iridium doesn't oxidize...
Warfarin: It hardly oxidizes at all... That's why in his body there should not only be a few grams, but several kilos...
Kal'tsit: Warfarin, you are completely hallucinating...
Warfarin: I know what I'm saying Kal, I've been working on this research for two weeks now...
Kal'tsit: But how? We're talking about one of the rarest metals on the planet, not just iron...
Warfarin: That's exactly what we're talking about. Then I did some tests on his stem cells. Look at page three.
There were two pictures taken by an electron microscope. One with a stem cell and the other where they were all clustered together.
Kal'tsit: What's wrong?
Warfarin: They were in sterile distilled water... For six seconds...
Kal'tsit's eyes widened at this.
Warfarin: I took my eyes off them during that time. And when I came back they were like that. The only explanation I had was that they had reproduced by mitosis while I wasn't looking.
Kal'tsit: But that's impossible-
Warfarin: Wait. That's just the tip of the iceberg. I'd like to talk to you about something else, the page right behind it.
This time the feline looked at another picture where along with the stem cells were all the other cells and a kind of cell, similar to a virus in shape but much bigger.
Kal'tsit: What is this?
Warfarin: This is the same sample as the one with the stem cells. The cells turned into red blood cells, white blood cells and these cells. I was able to isolate them and I started to observe them. All my other observations are from page ten on. These cells here... I can't understand they reproduced themselves and produced glucose and iridium in mass and from nothing... To the point where after a few hours the culture box was overflowing with black liquid glucose because of all the iridium that was in it. These cells reproduced and made all this from nothing... I'm telling you... This stuff is practically alien...
The feline lowered her head and felt a migraine coming on as she rubbed her temples...
The more she tried to understand, the more she found herself facing a wall of impossible things...
Kal'tsit: Could it be some kind of symbiotic being in her blood?
Warfarin: No. I looked at the DNA in their nuclei. It's Seb's. This thing is an integral part of his body...
Kal'tsit: But how do these cells get the energy to function?
Warfarin: I don't know. I did all the tests I could and the only explanation I got was that they get their energy from nothing. Or at a subatomic level.
Kal'tsit: But how did he end up with that in his blood...
Warfarin: That's the million dollar question.
Kal'tsit: But wait, why glucose?
Warfarin: I analyzed his mitochondria. ATP production is through the roof. At least ten times higher than average. So the cell's demand for glucose and oxygen is ten times higher... The loop is closed ...
The feline put the file on the desk behind her and sighed before finishing her cup of coffee.
Kal'tsit: That will be all Warfarin... Thank you...
She nodded and stood up, obviously eager to get a good night's rest or two after giving Kal'tsit his report. But just before she opened the door she turned back to the feline who seemed to be thinking too much.
Warfarin: And Kal? Don't ask yourself too many questions. There are some things that are beyond our understanding no matter what we do.
The friend of the sarkaz merely nodded in response, Warfarin raised her hand to the control panel to open the door, but the door opened on its own, startling Warfarin. In front of her in the doorway was Dr. Sebastian with a notepad in his hand and wearing a white lab coat, making the vampire even more afraid. The giant seemed to be equally surprised, judging by his face, but this surprise was quickly replaced by a smile.
Sebastian: Oh Doctor Warfarin. What a pleasure to finally meet you.
He said as he extended his hand to the young woman for a handshake. She stood there for a second looking at his smile while all her other senses were in turmoil. An irresistible smell was emanating from him, was it pheromones? Was it just her mind playing tricks on her about the smell? She didn't know. But as her breathing became heavier and heavier and her mouth began to salivate she began to find Sebastian more and more... Interesting... Sebastian raised an eyebrow at her strange reaction but the sarkaz was quickly brought back to reality when she instinctively felt in danger. She turned her head to Kal'tsit who was still sitting by her desk watching her. But knowing the feline, Warfarin recognized the look she had when she was about to call Mont3r, and soon all of her most primal instincts that had been stimulated by the doctor fell to nothing because of the fear of dying.
Warfarin: A-ah ah... It's good to see you back here doc...
Kal'tsit: What are you doing here?
Sebastian: You asked me to tell you when I was taking my shift at the children's hospital. So here I am. Do you want me to take care of any particular ones? Or do you have something to tell me before I go?
Kal'tsit: Oh, it's true that I told you that... But no. Just try to get back into the habit of working as a doctor.
Sebastian: Hey! What does that mean? I'm already a doctor for the operators...
Kal'tsit: Sewing someone back up on the battlefield doesn't count, and neither does playing pharmacist doctor when the operators are too afraid to be treated by Gavial...
Sebastian: Gavial or you...
Kal'tsit: Sorry?
Sebastian: If they come to me it's not to go to you or Gavial. You know there is a reason why we are called the kind doctor and the mean doctor.
He said, pointing his hand at himself and then at her, making the feline close her eyes as a vein appeared on her forehead because of what Sebastian had just said.
Kal'tsit: You can go doc...
Sebastian: Don't be so upset... It's not my fault... Bye Kal.
Kal'tsit: Good luck.
He said before leaving the feline's office to continue his work day. Deprived of the doctor's scent, Warfarin came to her senses and looked at Kal'tsit.
Kal'tsit: It would be nice if you didn't pounce on the doctor when you have the chance, Warfarin...
Warfarin: Are you jealous Kal?
She said, raising an eyebrow that deserved a little more annoyance from the feline.
Kal'tsit: Me jealous? The doc does what he wants. It's none of my business...
Warfarin: But you are completely jealous...
Kal'tsit: Mont3r!
from the feline's back a cloud of black crystal rose into the air, making the vampire panic.
Warfarin: Ah stop, I was just kidding! Please don't!
Not far from there in the corridor the emerald-eyed giant sneezed, sensing that someone was talking about him, before resuming his walk towards the civil parts of Rhodes Island...
A few minutes was all it took for him to reach the elevators and go down to the parts of Rhodes Island where he was not used to go. It was strange for the doctor to come across some normal people, after all the time he had spent with the operators who were among the strangest people on this planet... Some who crossed his path were startled by the appearance of the good doctor, it had to be said that his size and width was more monstrous than normal human. Passing through the corridors Sebastian decided to go through what they called the Rhodes Island Hub, it was that hollow part of the base that Pramanix and Cliffheart had looked at with interest when they arrived at Rhodes Island. It was like the town square of Rhodes Island. Taking advantage of the air outside he could see families and patients enjoying their time outside, some sitting on benches, some in the shade of trees or still others sitting at wooden lunch tables outside, lunchtime having just ended.
Such a sight was an incredible blessing to the giant... Infected, uninfected, they lived in harmony. It gave him an idea of what a normal life was like... Outside the battlefield... A vision that contrasted well with everything he had seen during his time on Rhodes Island, mostly the ruins of Chernobog. Seeing life unfold was so good for him. Finally, proof that Sebastian and Rhodes Island were not fighting for nothing. Maybe he could come here after his shift was over and lie down in the grass and enjoy the warmth of the evening... But he remembered that tonight he had plans with someone... Too bad, he could always come here another day. Finishing crossing the hub he passed the entrance of the hospital, glancing at his list of patients his attention was immediately captured when he saw something pass in his field of vision.
Sebastian: 'Floof'
His head turned in the direction he thought he had perceived his furred Eden and just as soon he could see the Silverash next to each other seemingly coming out of the hospital. Pramanix was the first to notice the emerald-eyed giant followed closely by the other two, the young feline started running towards the good doctor, the latter thought she was going to stop right in front of him but instead she hugged him tightly surprising Silverash Cliffheart and Sebastian himself.
Pramanix: Sebastian!
Sebastian: Easy Anya, you are going to hurt me...
Silverash: Ah my friend... How nice to see you again...
Cliffheart: Oh hey doc... Anya, this is not a game...
Sebastian: What a surprise to see you all here. Is one of you sick?
Silverash: Oh no everything is fine. We just had to go through some medical tests because of our recent arrival in Rhodes Island...
Sebastian: Good... I'm surprised not to see Matterhorn and Courier with you by the way.
Silverash: Oh, they volunteered as operators, they are going through the training...
Sebastian: Which instructor did they run into?
Silverash: I think it was that dear Dobermann...
Sebastian: Poor guys...
Silverash: Don't worry, they are not novice fighters. They will survive her training.
Cliffheart: This Dobermann, do you know her too doc?
Sebastian: Indeed, she is a colleague and one of the first people I met in Chernobog I consider her a friend of mine...
As soon as he finished saying the word friend he could feel Pramanix's grip tightening on him, reminding the giant that he had an adorable feline in his arms almost unconsciously his hand went to the leopard ears on the top of the young woman's head and started rubbing them with his fingers. At first the young woman was startled before letting herself be caressed... It was pleasant for her, to the point where she had to restrain herself from letting the slightest suggestive moan escape from her mouth.
Sebastian: I almost forget that you also passed the selection tests to become an operator Enciodas. I'm sorry that a man as illustrious as you had to endure such a degrading moment.
The big féline laughed very lightly.
Silverash: It is true that it was no fun for those who took the tests with me, especially since they were prepared with Dobermann, but as surprising as it may seem I rather enjoyed it. It reminded me of my classes at the Victorian Guard Academy.
Sebastian: Well, I just heard that you went there. Indeed, the training on Rhodes Island must have seemed like a walk in the park compared to...
Silverash: You are right my friend, you are right even if I am far from being the best of what the academy has trained. Only a few years after I graduated, a class that contained two of the best people the academy has ever had arrived at the academy... I believe that the first one became the head of the LGD and the second one disappeared... What is the name of the first one again...?
He wondered to himself.
Sebastian: Ch'en. Ch'en hui-chieh.
Silverash: Exactly... Do you know her?
Sebastian: In name only. She's an important person, I would have been remiss if I didn't know who she was. But yes, I heard that story. The other student was a man who used the false name Simon Cyrene.
Silverash: Well informed as always my friend. But tell me, does that name sound familiar to you too?
Sebastian: Simon of Cyrene was the one who helped Jesus carry the cross before the crucifixion. I guess this man was a religious one...
Silverash: Well, I see... And now that this cursed medical examination is over, tomorrow will be the day I join the operators under your command. I look forward to seeing your tactical prowess in action.
Sebastian: And I look forward to finally seeing you fight.
Cliffheart: I imagine we'll be spending less time with you, brother...
Silverash: Don't say that, we're still on Rhodes Island, it's not a few floors that will separate us.
Cliffheart: about that doc I wanted to thank you. You were right, Rhodes is a wonderful place. No one looks at me particularly because I'm infected and my crystals have stopped hurting me. I was even able to climb the mountain we stopped at last time. The food is good, I'm not locked up in a hospital and I'm with my family. To be honest I couldn't ask for anything better.
Sebastian: And I'm glad you like the place Encia. And you Anya, is Rhodes Island to your liking?
She let out a few noises that were made difficult to understand because her face was buried in Sebastian's shirt.
Sebastian: Anya?
Cliffheart: Sis, please behave like an adult...
The feline who until then had been in Sebastian's arms removed her head from the giant's chest and looked at him, tears threatening to appear in her eyes as she expressed displeasure and sadness at the same time on her face but in a way that was far too adorable for anyone to take her seriously.
Pramanix: It's been two weeks! Two weeks since we last saw each other! Why are you avoiding me like this?!
Sebastian: Oh please Anya, I'm not avoiding you. It's just that work is getting to me and I spend most of my time in the operator's quarters on Rhodes Island. This must be the third time I've been in a civilian part of the base...
Pramanix : Will you come and see me?
Cliffheart : Stop it Anya... The doctor is probably very busy... 'Sis, stop it, that's unfair competition!'
Sebastian : She's right, my schedule doesn't allow me to come here, but if you want I'll do my best to visit you.
Pramanix: Thank you...
Said the young woman as she tightened her embrace...
Cliffheart : 'Do I still have a chance to win him...?'
Seeing his sister caught in a hug with the giant Silverash remembered the deal he tried to make with Sebastian.
Silverash: I was thinking about it doctor, maybe you changed your mind about the proposal I made to you in Kjera-
Sebastian: No.
The giant's voice was both cold and tired.
Silverash: Tch. 'When are you going to accept to marry one of my sisters?'
Sebastian: Anya, can you let go of me? I have to work...
Pramanix: Mmhhh...
Sebastian: Anya.
With a hint of regret the young woman let go of her embrace on the good doctor and took a step back. Her face taking on the same expression as a child who was upset, but without abandoning the adorable side she always had being one of the reasons that made the giant's heart melt.
Pramanix: Promise me you'll come see me.
Maybe it was more of an order than anything else, but it was a smile that came over the doctor's face.
Sebastian : Of course. I promise to come see you as soon as I can, Anya.
Cliffheart lowered her head in defeat wondering what his sister had that made her so close to the doctor... Maybe something had happened between Pramanix and Sebastian at Kjerag... She shook her head left and right and began to think. Apparently his sister had some kind of charm that she didn't have that was having an effect on the doctor and in the situation they were in, if she didn't see him more often her sister would inevitably come out the winner of this battle for the doctor's heart... So the first part of her plan had to be geared towards that, finding a way to see the doctor more often. It didn't take much intelligence or thought to guess that the doctor was attached to his job, a job that required him to be present most of the time in the militarized parts of Rhodes Island. She could have joined one of the medical corps to be with the doctor, but she had no knowledge in this field, so it was an option to throw out the window... She needed to participate in a profession in which she had knowledge or talent and that had a connection with the operators...
As she said her goodbyes to Sebastian who left to continue his day's work, she had an epiphany when she walked out of the hospital with her brother and sister by her side and saw a recruitment poster for an operator.
This is what she could do.
Cliffheart: Encio?
Silverash: If you call me by that nickname, you're going to ask me something...
Cliffheart: I want to become an operator.
The cold and rather intimidating face of the feline froze as Pramanix let out a sudden sound of surprise and for a second Cliffheart could swear that his brother had just had a heart attack and that his soul was escaping from his body. Then resurrecting Silverash put his hands on his sister's shoulders calmly.
Silverash: BUT IN THE NAME OF THE GODDESS HAVE YOU LOST YOUR HEAD?!
He said while shouting and shaking the young woman, his face showing his concern about his sister's mental health attracting the eyes of the few witnesses of the scene.
Cliffheart: But I am perfectly fine Enciodas!
Silverash: No matter what happens I won't let you run into the battlefield and slaughter!
Cliffheart: So Matterhorn and Courier are running to the slaughterhouse?
The feline's face expressed concern for a second and he took a slight breath, realizing that he had just made a flawed argument. Cliffheart knew how to fight, and not just a little. In her excursions into the mountains it was not uncommon for her to come across bandits or wild animals that she had to fight to survive. It was not uncommon for her to defeat Matterhorn and Courier in a fight...
Silverash: Anyway, I won't let you get involved.
Cliffheart: Please, and anyway you, Courier and Matterhorn will be there to look after me if anything happens to me...
Silverash: No. And why are you looking to hire yourself in the first place? Your salary is already paid for.
When he asked this, the feline couldn't help but blush, she avoided her brother's inquisitive gaze and embarrassedly started rubbing one of her arms as if to reassure herself.
Cliffheart: I-I... It's none of your business.
Far from being stupid Silverash understood in a single split second. He began to review the aspects of this opportunity as the good businessman that he was... If he accepted he could keep a close eye on his sister, make her happy and give her an opportunity to get closer from the doctor... And although this option held a risk, it was a risk that the feline was willing to take for the sake of his lineage.
Silverash: *sigh* Okay...
He said with a tone of voice not very cheerful.
Cliffheart: Yay! Thanks bro!
she exclaimed in a burst of joy as she threw herself around her brother's neck to hug him. But next to them, a furiously jealous Pramanix was already thinking of a counter attack...
*sigh*
That was all that had left the ursus's mouth as she looked at the picture in her hand. This year's class picture. An artifact she had kept in the pocket of her uniform coat, she couldn't stop looking at the picture despite the fact that every time she did she felt like she had a dagger stuck in her heart. The hospital room she had shared with her friends was now empty, the other ursus students having already recovered, but Rosa's internment had unfortunately taken a little longer and they had been transferred to a refugee section.
A few days after their arrival on Rhodes Island, the uninfected students were given the choice of returning home or staying on Rhodes Island. Some were sent to other Ursus cities where they had family, but the infected all stayed so as not to end up in one of Ursus' forced labor camps, those who had lost their families and homes in Chernobog or wanted to stay with their fellow students with whom they had bonded decided to stay here, and Rhodes welcomed them with open arms, where they were offered treatment, housing, food, and even schooling for those who hadn't finished theirs, all at no cost.
Finishing packing her belongings she took the photo and stuffed it in her pocket, but when her hand went into the garment she almost cut herself with the box cutter that was left in her pocket... She took it in her hand and looked at the trash can, an internal fight in her mind followed.
Her train of thought was quickly stopped when the door to the treatment bay opened making the young ursus turn to the door frame recognizing the gigantic figure she quickly put a fake smile on her face.
Rosa: Oh doctor! What brings you here?
Sebastian: You of course.
It took her a second to understand what exactly the doctor had just said and her face began to blush profusely.
Rosa: E-eh?! Me?!
Sebastian: Take it easy Natalya, my poor ears won't get over it... But yes, I was coming to see you and ask about you of course.
Rosa: O-oh I see... That's nice of you doctor.
Sebastian: Stop calling me doctor. Call me by my name Natalya.
Rosa: It's a surprise to see you here Sebastian, I thought we would never meet again after Chernobog...
Sebastian: And you would have regretted not to see me again?
His teasing tone of voice made the young woman blush slightly and she found herself helpless in front of the good doctor's advances, but deciding to keep a little of her component she regained her calm as best she could.
Rosa: Of course. I wouldn't have wanted to never see you again without even having the opportunity to do anything to thank you for saving me and my comrades.
Sebastian: Something you don't need to do. Speaking of which, where are the other girls?
Rosa: They have all been released and moved to refugee quarters unfortunately I was just released... They come to see me from time to time.
She said, checking one last time that her things were ready.
Rosa: Although Zoya comes every day. Only three days after she arrived she left here and was in a much better state than I was. When you said that the transfusion was going to make her well because you were a healthy man I didn't think it would work so well. She's coming to give me news, but mainly to try to see you.
Sebastian: Excuse me?
Rosa: You must have made an impression on her at Chernobog. Every morning she came to see us, thinking you were coming and hoping to run into you...
Sebastian: I don't remember talking to her much. But are they okay at least?
he asked, concerned about the condition of the students. He certainly couldn't consider himself a psychologist anymore. But it didn't take a degree to know that their mental condition was even worse than their physical condition and that it could leave lifelong scars in the psyche of young women. And deciding that maybe it was for the best he focused his hearing on the young woman's heart, ready to listen for the slightest lie.
Most of the time he refused to use this ability, hating it when he couldn't trust people.
Rosa: Yes, they're doing just fine.
Lie.
The doctor detected his face distorting for a fraction of a second when he had just caught someone in the act of lying to him. But this time he decided to ignore the lie instead. At least he could always go to the students in question to help them with their problems. They were too young to spend a lifetime filled with regret and trauma for acts they had been forced to commit justified by survival. But what interested him more was Rosa herself.
Sebastian: And you? How are you doing? Morally.
He managed to perceive the slight surprise that the young woman had, turning her head briefly towards him.
Rosa: I'm good Sebastian thank you...
She said, giving a smile to reassure herself. But once again Sebastian perceived the lie. That was enough for him. He had a deep desire to help the young woman, so with a sigh he whistled drawing the attention of the ursus and a medical intern at the back of the room, his eyes fixed on the student's.
Sebastian: You in the back. Get out.
Intern: B-but sir-
Sebastian: Get out I said.
His cold tone of voice showed perfectly how angry he was. The intern knew the doctor's position in the hierarchy and decided to follow orders and left the room, taking his few belongings and leaving the room apologetically. With a wave of his hand he pressed the door control panel and locked the door of the treatment bay from the inside.
Rosa: S-seb...?
Sebastian: Stop lying to me.
Rosa: But I-
Sebastian: Stop it. I can never help you if you don't admit there's a problem first.
The young woman looked at him before bursting into tears. Letting all her negative emotions finally overflow. This immense sadness that she had accumulated during this eternity that she had spent in Chernobog in hell, during these two weeks of torment in Rhodes Island where the only thing she could do was to think about hell. She dropped onto one of the hospital beds as the giant compassionate man approached her and sat down next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder and trying to comfort her as best he could.
Rosa: I should have died there... I have no right to be alive...
Sebastian was shocked when he heard the young woman's crying. He knew she must have been shaken by the events. But to the point of wanting to die...
Sebastian: Hey calm down...
Rosa: You don't understand... I've done things...
Sebastian: You did what you had to do to survive.
Rosa: No!
She hit the doctor's arm, releasing him from the shoulder of the ursus, who got up angrily and distanced herself from the doctor, which he let happen. Rosa turned to him, the face filled with anger.
But anger towards whom?
Anger at him for trying to talk to her without knowing anything in the first place, or without even knowing her.
Or maybe anger at herself for screwing the doctor when he was just trying to help her and be nice.
Or anger at both of them.
Rosa: You have no idea what I've done...
He looked at the nightstand next to the bed and saw a jar of fresh red roses. Presumably picked from Perfumer's garden if Sebastian was to believe the smell, the thorns still present on the stem. Careful not to prick himself, the doctor took one of the flowers between his fingers and returned his gaze to the young ursus.
Sebastian: You formed a caste of upperclassmen who fought and killed the other students for two weeks, pulling the strings in the shadows, until they all died. Then you joined Sonya's group, pretending that you had been hiding in the academy until now and that you were not part of this group so that she would avoid killing you. Sonya now, she burned all the supplies warehouses by accident and killed students at every turn if they contradicted her or to maintain order. Anna convinced her class to leave the academy and she and the rest of her class were caught and forced to play a game where they had to kill each other. Manipulating everyone to make them kill each other and leave her safe. Lada she was the one who proposed cannibalism as she was starving to death and pushed everyone to accept it but after you all tried to cook the body she ran away to get food outside. Rosalind tried to deflect this Mephisto scum bag into battle so you could get food and she lost. She claims to have forgotten everything but in reality she is too ashamed to say that she begged and offered her body so they would not kill her, and they ended up taking pictures of her before beating her until she begged them to kill her... That's it. I didn't missed anything ?
He asked, raising his head while Rosa was completely silent... How did he know...
Sebastian: Just think, there is a bar in the operator's area of Rhodes Island. Maybe she heard a rumor but somehow Rosalind ended up there. Maybe there's something special about her that makes you tell her all your secrets and she probably keeps them very well. But that's not what I felt like when she had three shots of vodka in her blood and she started to tell everything she knew while crying... So yes. I actually have my own idea of what you did. But you know why I feel sorry for you? Why unlike those assholes at the reunion where I want to go to Chernobog and slaughter everyone I meet on my way without distinguishing between those who attacked the academy and the others to make sure that none of those bastards do the same thing that happened to the academy, I want to help you and not kill you with my own hands?
Sebastian: Did you think of any other choices at the time?
Rosa: No...
Sebastian: Do you think anyone else would have made a better choice than you?
Rosa: Maybe-
Sebastian: Not maybe! Are you sure?!
Rosa: No!
Sebastian: Do you regret what you did?!
Rosa: Yes!
She exclaimed in response to the doctor's voice getting louder and louder.
Sebastian: Good. There are a lot of people who did horrible things on Rhodes Island and I could find some who would have answered the opposite to most of the questions I asked you. But the key, which differentiates you between those I hate and those I cherish is in that last question. Regrets. Everyone here on Rhodes Island covered in regret is trying to work for the good of others. Those regrets you have are a good thing... It is the pain on the surface of the heart that makes us realize our mistakes and makes us do good by doing everything to avoid feeling that pain again. But your regrets, Natalya, you let them eat you up. And if you continue like this I'm afraid it will end up killing you. No matter what you do, you won't be able to change what happened. You won't be able to go back in time and save everything you've killed. That only exists in novels. Those regrets will never go away no matter what you do. They will never go away with time, like the blood on your hands. You will learn to live with them somehow. Like those others did on Rhode Island. Write letters to the families of those you've harmed or anything else that might make amends. And if you think I'm not setting an example then look at me, and go ask someone else about the horrible things I did before my amnesia that everyone tries to hide from me. Now when I walk I feel like my own shadow is a monster. But there it is Natalya. Do what makes you feel like a good person and you will manage to survive this journey that is life in Terra and that you have just started.
Rosa: So this is life...
She said almost in disgust, wondering if this life was worth living, and when Sebastian saw the look in her eyes he recognized it. The look of someone who had been broken. The same look he had seen staring back at him in the mirror when he was a teenager, or more the bad part of his teenage years. Such an image broke his heart, but having an idea he raised the rose in his hand.
Sebastian: Come here.
Hesitantly the young ursus approached the giant until she was in front of him.
Sebastian: I remember reading that life was like a rose. A good smell. And thorns.
Suddenly he grabbed her hand and wrapped it tightly around the rose, as well as his own, both hands being pierced by the thorns, causing a slight thread of blood to run down their hands. The young woman thought of quickly withdrawing her hand but was unable to do so because of the doctor's iron grip.
Sebastian: You feel this pain... You smell that... That's what life is about. Every second of pain will give you a second of pleasure, every second of pleasure will give you a second of pain. But tell me, what do you smell there?
Rosa: T-the rose and the blood!
Sebastian: Well...
He let go of the young woman's hand and she looked at her hand, seeing the blood flowing.
Sebastian: Concentrate on the smell of the rose. As long as you smell it, you will live.
She looked at her hand more insistently as she let the doctor's words enter her mind, s strange as those words were she understood them.
Sebastian: Sorry I got carried away...
Said the giant as he cleaned the wound he had made on Rosa before wrapping it around the bandage, the two of them sitting on the hospital bed facing each other.
Rosa: It's okay Seb... I'm the one who should apologize for when I hit you when you sat down... And I really needed to be set up on the right track again... So, thanks...
Sebastian: You're welcome I guess...
Seeing him working on the dressing of her wound that she could no longer feel, Rosa began to smile in a way she hadn't in a long time, observing the doctor's concentrated face. He certainly had something special that she couldn't explain... Finishing his bandage, Sebastian looked into the young ursus' eyes and never left them.
Sebastian: There you go. Are you okay?
Rosa: Yes I think so...
She didn't even glance at the bandage, her eyes never leaving the doctor's as her fingers caressed the giant's hand. If he wanted to comfort her then he had done his job beautifully but now she hesitated to ask for a little more comfort from the doctor by throwing herself into his arms and taking him in a hug to ask for just a little more warmth. Looking at Sebastian's face she tried to decipher if he would accept this embrace but on that beautiful face she saw only the smile of the giant. And that smile, by God... It was even more magnificent than anything she had seen.
Sebastian releasing this contest of charming glance turned and took another rose in the pot of flower, that he took between his fingers and taking out the knife that was on the table near the bed. Then with a gesture so lively that it was invisible to Rosa's eyes he cut all the thorns of the rose letting them fall into the palm of his hand. Impressed by this gesture, the young ursus was slightly surprised once again by the supernatural speed that the doctor seemed to possess and to which Rosa was not accustomed. Then taking the rose Sebastian fixed it on the uniform of the young woman on her chest, tinting Rosa's face slightly of red because of the sudden intimacy but not complaining nevertheless.
Sebastian: They are beautiful. It would be a shame to leave them here.
Rosa: It's true...
She said, smelling the rose as her hand grabbed the doctor's to hold it to her chest, making him feel her heartbeat. She did not know how she had found this new courage that filled her now. The one that Sebastian managed to give her by being charming and that made her want human warmth... Caressing the giant's hand with the tip of her thumb, Rosa opened her mouth and spoke for the first time in several dozen seconds of silence.
Rosa: Would you agree to spend some time together after i get out of the hospital...?
Her cheeks turned completely red at the request she had just made. It was a good thing her father wasn't there or he would have slapped her for talking to a man who looked much older, whom she hardly knew, as if she was trying to seduce him. But it was something she surprised herself with.
Sebastian: Of course I-
The giant didn't finish his sentence but instead turned his head quickly in the direction of the door of the care bay as if he had heard something that Rosa hadn't. The young ursus focused on her hearing and after only a couple of seconds she could hear a scream and a chainsaw noise but clearly enough to determine that it was right outside the healing bay that the noise had occurred. Seeing the doctor's face she could tell that this noise was not usual and that was without mentioning the young woman's heart and brain that told her that something was wrong.
The giant got up from the bed and threw himself at the door, trying to open it, his instincts pushing him to run to the aid of whoever or whatever had shouted, Rosa, following shortly behind him. His fingers wandered over the control panel but a beep signaling an error escaped from the control panel signaling that the door was blocked, trying again the same beep resounded hitting the control panel because of the irritation. Then all of a sudden the hospital alarms sounded, adding a little more stress to the doctor, and all that stress was enough for Sebastian to decide to do it the hard way.
Sebastian: Move over.
he asked Rosa, the young woman following the order so soon. Sebastian drew his fist back and quickly slammed it into the armored door. The metal twisted and the door was torn from its place to crash against the wall of the corridor with a bang, the student had the jaw hanging by seeing the supernatural strength of Sebastian at work, then the doctor rushed into the opening he had just created the student ursus following him once again like his shadow Sebastian could see the intern of earlier a deep cut to the arm run from something. But no sooner had they passed the doorway than Rosa was pushed by the doctor, as she heard a chainsaw dangerously close to her.
The chainsaw grazed Sebastian and went along the wall in an arc, but no sooner had the doctor dodged and pushed Rosa out of harm's way than another attack came his way, this time the chainsaw attacking him in a horizontal arc forcing Sebastian to leap back to dodge. As the alarms blared, the doctor finally got a glimpse of what the danger was.
It was a woman, wearing long gray nun-like robes, the white hair and blood red eyes and lack of apparent animal features made Sebastian recognize the young woman as an Aegir. She seemed to be wielding an R.I.M. Billiton chainsaw that looked like an enlarged pizza wheel.
Just by looking at her Sebastian could tell she was completely crazy so he raised his fists ready for a fight.
In a way this young woman reminded him of the huntress he had seen in his dream back in Kjerag. Even if the one he had seen before didn't have this plastic madness on her face.
Kal'tsit: All security personnel and operators to the D wing of the hospital and the rest to evacuate from the wing, Specter has been released! This is not a drill. Specter has been released!
Sebastian: Specter huh...
Murmured the giant his fists raised in a pose that was more like a barroom brawler than a martial artist.
Specter: Wh-what did you do to me...? Why did you make me drink this strange medicine? Who brought me here? Answer me!
Ok she is definitely crazy said the giant inside, lowering his guard he put them in front of him in a way to show his pacifist intentions for the moment.
Rosa: Seb I'm not sure this is a good idea...
Sebastian: Listen... Specter right? Put the weapon down, I don't want to hurt you, I just want to help you...
The aegir's hieratic breathing gradually calmed down as the young woman seemed to be thinking but soon she started to scream.
Specter: Liar!
She lowered her chainsaw on him but he dodged again in-extremis.
Specter: You liar! You all said you could protect me from them! But every night I hear them chanting my name in my sleep! The only way they'll leave me alone is if I kill you all!
Rosa: Doctor, we have to leave and let the security people handle this!
Once again she lunged at him with her chainsaw, but this time instead of just leaping Sebastian dodged by taking a simple side step, again using such speed that he disappeared for a split second. Rosa was right next so no matter what Sebastian wouldn't risk her getting hurt let alone the kids on the other side of the hospital wing so he wouldn't let a crazy woman go around with a chainsaw and slaughter everyone in her path.
The only option left to him was to eliminate the aegir. The doctor gave a kick that was immediately blocked by the nun who used the handle of her weapon. She was already extremely fast, but it seemed that her reflexes were equal to his. His body already understood that the next fight was going to be a real difficulty, his body became gorged with blood and became more resistant, the blood went to his eyes and increased his reflexes. He dodged the aegir's attacks one after the other with some difficulty and after only a few attacks Sebastian could see an opening in the young woman's guard. Then moving his arm back again Sebastian threw a punch with his left arm aimed at the head of the nun.
But instead of shattering the young woman's skull as he thought would happen, Sebastian's fist was stopped in mid-stride, creating a shockwave sufficient to send a rush of air and nearly knocking Rosa over. And that shockwave was the one created by the impact between Sebastian's fist and Specter's palm, which blocked the punch as if it was nothing. A punch that even Nearl should not have escaped unscathed. It was then that a realization hit Sebastian.
This Specter was strong.
Terribly strong.
As strong as he was.
Sebastian cringed in terror as he realized that he had just run into someone as strong as he was in this world. Briefly and fearfully he retracted his fist but his hand was gripped by the aegir's.
Specter: Die!
She said as she dangerously approached her chainsaw with the free hand she had, Sebastian using his head, pulled back his head and with all his strength gave a headbut to the nun who was completely disoriented by the attack and was forced to let go of the doctor's fist and abandon his attack, the giant taking advantage of this to once again leap backwards and get out of the immediate attack zone, as a thread of blood ran down his skull ceasing to be stunned by the headbutt the aegir took back her weapon with both hands and clenched his teeth which were sharp like those of sharks.
Specter: I will tear you to pieces!
Sebastian: 'Think, think...'
If he dared to fight at full force inside Rhodes Island there might be thousands of deaths as collateral damage. He had to find a way to get this woman off the base somehow. That way became clear to him when he noticed that on their left along the wall of the corridor was a window that looked out over the deserts of the wastelands. Well, now all that was left was to find a way to get it through a window that was literally designed to withstand meteor showers.
Easy.
His period of reflection lasted less than half a second and was enough for Specter to pounce on him again, but this time the doctor was thrown off balance by the aegir's speed, which had increased another notch, enough to rival his own. Sebastian merely dodged and threw a couple of punches that had as much effect as a blowgun on a tank. For not only was this crazy nun strong, she was as resilient as the giant. Then after a few seconds of what seemed like an endless exchange of weapons Specter scraped his chainsaw across the floor and sent one of the metal shards created by the healing bay door straight into Sebastian's face. Sebastian raised his forearms in a protective manner, the metal shard sticking in his arm instead of his face. But that second of blindness to protect herself was all it took for Specter to bring her chainsaw down on the doctor, but this time instead of dodging, the rotating blade made contact with the doctor's forearms, spraying unnamed blood and causing the doctor to scream in bloodcurdling pain. Seeing the poor doctor being cut up alive, Rosa decided to stop being inactive and turned to her right to see a fire axe behind a glass case. Opening the window Rosa took the axe with both hands and with a few steps she threw it with all her strength at the aegir who was laughing like crazy. Too busy with her madness, she didn't hear the axe flying through the air, unlike Sebastian who threw himself on his back to dodge it. The impromptu weapon stuck right in the nun's chest, making her scream in pain. Her red eyes filled with madness like never before and as she stared at the ursus she raised her chainsaw towards her with one of her hands, seemingly ignoring the axe she had planted between her breasts.
Specter: I'm going to cut your bear ears off and make mittens out of them!
She didn't have the time to finish her sentence that Sebastian who was until then on the ground gave a kick to the face of the aegir who disoriented her, taking advantage of the state of his opponent Sebastian grabbed the axe that she had planted in the chest and tore it off before giving another blow of axe at the level of the intestines giving a wide cut to the young woman. Ignoring the pain once again the aegir grabbed the steel head of the axe and crushed it in his hand to render the weapon useless.
Then suddenly a shot rang out and a spray of blackish liquid hit Specter's head at great speed, hard enough to push her back a few inches. Recognizing the attack immediately, Sebastian didn't even have to turn around to see who was behind him.
Andreanna: I'm here doc! And others are already on their way!
She said as she positioned herself next to Rosa only a few meters behind the doctor.
Sebastian: Andie, cover me as much as you can. And be careful, even with a perfectly placed shot you won't be able to take her down.
Andreanna: Copy that.
She raised her sniper rifle once more and with her unparalleled marksmanship was able to hit Specter in the head once more as she lunged at the doctor with superhuman speed, weapon in hand. Then surprising the aegir, Sebastian removed his white coat and so quickly that it was invisible he threw it towards his opponent. He parried the blind blow she gave by deflecting her chainsaw, he followed up with a hook to the jaw strong enough and fast enough to once again trigger a detonation.
Discombobulate.
Using both hands he struck both temples of the aegir with his palms.
The confused Soecter tried to give a wide punch desperate but guessing the next attack of his opponent once again Sebastian blocked the punch with his elbow and with his other free fist he followed with a blow to the liver.
He blocked the desperate chainsaw blow with ease with his right hand and weakened Specter's jaw with a left elbow hit.
Stunned by the pain, the aegir could do nothing as the doctor's fist slammed into the same spot as his elbow a second ago, this time fracturing the jaw.
Quickly following up with another punch he fractured one of the nun's ribs, another attack came immediately after, damaging the solar plexus. Like lightning he raised his right fist and this time brought it down on the right side of Specter's face dislocating her jaw completely.
Heel strike to the diaphragm.
The reinforced iridium sole of the shoe hit like a club and sent the young woman backwards a few feet.
Anyone would have died from such an attack from the doctor. But here it looked like Specter was just half beaten. She remained completely sore and stunned for a few seconds but she raised her head as she was about to collapse. After that second of respite they had deigned to give Specter, Andreanna raised her sniper and sent a shot straight into the aegir's face, obviously causing enough internal damage to leave the young woman half comatose for the time being, but wary of the nun's resilience, Sebastian lunged again and grabbed Specter's ankle to smash her with all his might against the window, And with the idea of finishing her off Sebastian concentrated all his strength in his right arm and struck Specter in the face hearing a crack from her skull, the glass of the hallway window shattering completely as the aegir passed through it falling to the sand below.
The doctor's breathing was heavy, with blood running down his forearms where inch-deep gashes had been created by Specter's chainsaw. His wounds looked fatal to any ordinary human being, so thankfully Sebastian was not.
Andreanna: Doc, are you okay?
Sebastian: I'm fine, I'll be fine. Natalya are you still in one piece?
Rosa: I'm okay...
He raised his forearms and looked at his wounds and let out a grunt of pain and damn it, he'd have to deal with it... He hadn't even taken his knife or his sidearm, let alone one of the vials of cholorphyte he was stealing from Kal.
Rosa: Hey!
He turned his head to the ursus and grabbed an emergency care kit she tossed to him, after taking it from a wall, giving a simple nod of his head in thanks he opened the care kit and pulled out a vial of chlorophyte which he opened and poured over his wounds, the wounds quickly healed after they began to glow green.
Sebastian: Come on, we need to disable her. Andie continue to cover for me.
Andreanna: I'll do my best.
Sebastian: Nat?
Rosa: Y-yes?
Sebastian: Thanks, but go somewhere safe.
The young woman just nodded her head in response and Sebastian took a deep breath and looked up at the window he had just broken and ran to the opening before throwing himself out of the window.
His breathing was heavy as his eyes darted through the clouds of sand kicked up by the wheels of the mobile base. He was off the base now, and didn't have to hold back. That thought alone caused his unique abilities to manifest themselves. His nervous system overloaded, causing electricity to flow through his entire body, electricity that soon became too much for his body to contain, creating red flashes all around him. His muscles filled with oxygenated and iridium charged blood. Some of his veins turned charcoal black as they became as strong as the metal they were charged with while the rest of his skin however less charged with blood became as strong as kevlar.
A few dozen feet above him Andreanna leaned out the window and emboldened by her role as sniper she walked over the edge of the bay window to some pipes outside the hull of Rhodes Island and then grabbed onto the pipes with her tentacles, the rest of her body swaying above the ground as her full attention was focused on her sniper rifle.
Only a few more meters before Sebastian reached the ground and the world around him began to slow down with a rush of adrenaline and oxygen throughout his body, and concentrating all of his strength he hit the ground with a kick just before he made full contact with the ground.
The air and sand was completely blown away from around them for hundreds of yards sending gusts of wind strong enough to be mistaken for tornadoes, the sand beneath their feet was blown away for hundreds of yards leaving the rock beneath the yards of desert sand bare. As the sand conducted electricity into the air around him, an unprecedented discharge ensued, making an almost apocalyptic thunderous sound and charring any life form within the range that had already miraculously survived the shockwave. Under his foot the rock broke spreading cracks absolutely everywhere as if a bomb had just been dropped.
Around him the sand flew, clearing his view.
Of course... He should have known it wouldn't kill her...
Specter was still standing, her wounds bleeding heavily not to mention all the internal ones Sebastian had to cause her. But still, she was still standing. Her red eyes bellowed with madness and rage and then suddenly she let out a blood-curdling howl of rage. But she needed to be impressed more.
Making a leap forward the aegir attacked Sebastian arriving on him faster than a car launched at full speed, she lowered her chainsaw on him the weapon turning at full speed and surprising the young woman the doctor did not dodge on the contrary, he raised his arm and blocked the attack. The nun's eyes widened as she saw that her chainsaw was not cutting Sebastian's arm but instead she felt as if she was trying to cut a diamond with a butter knife. Focusing her attention on where her weapon was making contact with the giant's skin, she realized that the precise part she was supposed to injure was a black vein that seemed stronger than anything she had seen. Then all of a sudden blood red lightning bolts went through her weapon to reach the aegir and shock her with several thousand volts paralyzing her and making her scream at the top of her lungs.
Taking advantage of this crucial moment created by the electricity of his body on the nun Sebastian hit the young woman in the face sending her several dozen meters away and creating an explosion from the impact that would have undoubtedly blown the metal walls of Rhodes Island. Following his attack the giant ran towards her but she had already risen before he could reach her. Then suddenly the aegir took a shot in the head, making her bleed slightly but destabilizing her for two seconds which was enough for Sebastian to reach her and give her a monumental heel blow to the skull that cracked the bone. Then throwing himself on her he caught her at the collar and tackled her to the ground not leaving her a second of respites before hammering her with a punch at the level of the head. If he killed her or just made her unconscious it was not his problem as long as she could not hurt Rosa. So he struck again and again until Specter stopped moving and making noise and then again a few seconds later.
When he stopped breathing it was as if he had just run two marathons in a row the phalanges of his right hand all broken by his merciless attack the skin of his fist being in a state that was no better, the skin almost gone from his fists.
He stood up leaving Specter to fall, her face altered and bloodied, her bones broken and countless internal injuries she was no longer breathing so thinking he had peace Sebastian took a few steps back and tried to catch his breath.
Putting his hands on his knees he looked down at the ground exhausted as he caught his breath, but suddenly he heard movement right in front of him.
Terrified he looked up to see that Specter was getting up, but what was most disturbing was the blackish haze she had all around her and her right eye was glowing with an unearthly red glow. But it was not so much these supernatural phenomena that worried the doctor but more what was imperceptible to the common man.
He could feel the psychic presence of the aegir, and it was dark... This presence reminded him of the one that had invaded him during his sleep in Kjerag. That of the dark gods... Lying at the bottom of the sea... Their millions of eyes and tentacles in their grotesque appearance ready to make crazy all those who dared to look at these things. He had faced thousands of these gods, more than he would have liked to face and more than he could count. But now he could understand that this young woman was not a god, his only theory at the moment was that she must be possessed by one of his gods but his theorizing was cut short when Specter dropped her chainsaw and began to scream in rage.
Specter: I will kill you with my own hands!
Her voice was as distorted as her mind the doctor raised his guard ready to fight again, a shot from Andreanna's sniper rang through the air again to hit the nun in the head once more, but this time she didn't move an eyelash as she took the shot in the skull, even though blood was flowing once more.
Right after being shot the nun ran at the giant with a speed that had increased again and seemed limitless. A speed superior to the giant's, and when she gave him a punch that he could not dodge because of the difference in speed Sebastian could also discover that her strength had greatly increased. With an uppercut right at the sternum, Sebastian felt his bone shatter and his hundred and fifty kilos lift off the ground as if he were a leaf in the wind. He flew up and hit the ground a few hundred meters away, shattering the rock beneath his body and a few more bones in his body. He tried to get up but no sooner had his back stopped making contact with the ground than Specter was already in front of him ready to attack, he rolled to the side dodging another punch from the aegir in extremis. When the aegir's fist made contact with the ground the ground cracked for hundreds and hundreds of meters long and tens of meters wide, creating a gigantic canyon by its sheer brute force that will have to be added to the maps for decades to come. Another shot came from Andreanna, but with the same effect as the one just before. Sebastian got up and dodged another attack from the aegir, but quickly followed by another that sent the giant flying several dozen feet away. Once again the ground cracked beneath him, the giant spitting out a spray of blood.
He had two options before him.
Let himself die.
That option was to be thrown out the window...
Or use the ace up in his sleeve.
Which was the same as the first option...
Sebastian: 'Think, think, think!
He shouted inside his mind struggling to find a third option as he stood up, Specter approaching dangerously close to him on the run, as time slowed down all around him. Yes... Maybe there was a third option after all, but it was all or nothing...
Sebastian began to draw all the energy he could from every cell in his body, all the energy he had to use for this day... And began to concentrate it in his right arm. Starting with his fist his arm turned completely black as night as his fingers slowly transformed to resemble those of a ferocious beast. The air around him was drained and the temperature rose a notch turning the rock into magma under the giant's feet. Then he drew back his fist as this Specter was only a few meters away from him. All his energy, all his strength, concentrated in one fist.
Sebastian launched his punch, while Specter was still a meter or two away, but it didn't matter anymore.
A blinding white light was all Andreanna could see before she was violently shaken by a deafening explosion that shook all of Rhodes Island as the gush of air and nearly knocked the sniper off her feet if she wasn't firmly clinging to the pipes with her tentacles, she caught her sniper in-extremis that had slipped out of her hands and breathed a sigh of relief. Her breath was heavy and uncontrollable, her ears were ringing from the sound of the explosion making her hear only her breathing. Her gaze turned to the area of the explosion where Sebastian was fighting to widen her eyes in surprise. The doctor was still there, albeit on his knees, as was Specter on the ground. But the most surprising thing was behind Specter. Behind her the ground had been hollowed out in the shape of a cone, for dozens and dozens of miles, in the same direction that Sebastian had struck with his fist. The sand had turned into glass because of the intense energy that had been released by the attack, for miles, everything had disappeared... Annihilated... A mountain that was visible a few minutes ago in the distance had been split in two, the mountain collapsing on itself.
Sebastian's eyes grew heavy as he fell to the ground. Deciding to crawl the meager distance between him and the aegir, Sebastian knelt beside her in pity.
He put his hand on the nun's forehead and let the little psychic power he had speak. Using the same technique as in Kjerag. He threw a ping through the psychic web like a bait. The young woman's subconscious responded to this bait by invading Sebastian's mind and as soon as the connection was made, the doctor took control of the aegir's mind...
He was transported. Somewhere else. Seemingly everywhere and nowhere at the same time. In the middle of a cold, black void, he continued to float until through all the shattered memories he could see a young woman. This young woman was Specter, she was on her knees. In a position of prayer, and crying... Apathetic with sadness, Sebastian continued to float until he reached her. He landed right in front of her and slowly took her hands in his, letting her know that he was here. The young woman felt the warmth, stopped crying and opened her eyes. Her red eyes, were like two rubies, directed straight towards hiss...
She was scared...
He could feel that she was terrified...
Lost in the middle of all that darkness... Terribly alone... Scared, freezing to death... Her soul and her memories, stirred by those dark gods that tormented her, the possession of those gods being the only thing that held her soul in one piece. When he saw her, he saw a broken woman, begging for help. She bowed her head slightly and Sebastian did the same, bringing his forehead to hers.
When he saw her... Broken... Begging for help. He couldn't refuse her. He wanted her to know, he would be there for her. And so she was able to understand, sharing a part of her mind with the giant, that this man in front of her, was far from being an ordinary man, these gods who tormented her from the depths of the oceans, in front of him was their nemesis. If they were the gods who only aspired to absorb all the hope of this world, to devour this world, he would give this hope, he would build this world, and fight these gods.
This man...
This was her only hope.
Sebastian's energy ran out, his mind fading as he fell into total unconsciousness.
Sebastian: 'Comfortable...'
He said to himself taking advantage of the pillow he had before getting a little more comfortable. The giant sighed before realizing that he was conscious again but he decided to keep his eyes closed. His senses came back one by one and he felt a hand caressing his hair, and he could feel that his head was resting on something incredibly soft but with a little relief. That and the perfume he smelled and recognized he could already know where he was. He was lying on a bench and his head was resting on Specter's thighs...
It's not like he was complaining at the same time. She didn't seem to be very aggressive judging by the way she was stroking his hair. And her thicc thighs were making a marvelous pillow. Sebastian focused his hearing to discover that there were three other people in the room. Kal'tsit, Andreanna and Rosa...
Well, they could wait until he got up because his current position was most comfortable...
Specter: There is no point in pretending to be asleep any longer...
And shit...
Slightly grumpy, he opened his eyes and closed the psychic connection he had left open accidentally.
Specter: So you like my thighs...
Rosa: Mrs. Kal'tsit, the doctor is awake!
Andreanna: Doc!
Sebastian: Kal ?
Kal'tsit: Are you feeling okay, doctor?
Sebastian: I fell like hammered shit...
Kal'tsit: Considering the state you are in it's not bad...
Sebastian: How long was I knocked out for?
Kal'tsit: A good hour. I did an emergency treatment but we'll have to do some more tests or give you some rest...
Sebastian: And you ? You're okay...? Or you won't attack me again...?
He asked, looking up at the nun who had a huge smile on her face all her injuries disappeared.
Specter: Oh no, I wouldn't attack you for anything in the world... And I am doing great my love...
...
...
Sebastian: Excuse me? 'WHY ARE THE CRAZIESTS ONES THE HOTTESTS ALL THE TIME ?!'
He could feel the temperature in the room had just plummeted.
Specter: What is it, my love?
Sebastian: 'Come on not again... Akagi get out of this body'. N-nothing...
He said as he struggled to gain control of his body to keep the blood from reaching his cheeks.
Kal'tsit: 'I don't know which of the two I should kill...'
Andreanna: 'Why the hell when i find the two hottest people of my life they get on each other right in front of me?!'
Rosa: My love...?
The ursus was the first to formulate her thoughts out loud.
Specter: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love...
Said the aegir as she continued to caress the doctor's head with an almost insane smile on her lips, the giant feeling more and more uncomfortable.
Rosa: Is that from the bible...?
Sebastian: John, chapter 4 verse 8...
Specter: Do you know the bible?
Asked the nun, taking Sebastian's hand firmly in hers, her eyes burning with interest.
Sebastian: Uh... A little bit...?
Specter: Oh, I knew it! I knew you were worthy to be my husband!
Those eyes reflected almost the same madness as during their fight and deciding that he had had enough Sebastian got up abruptly although regretting his pillow and started to leave.
Sebastian: Well I'm going to go I have work to do, goodbye Natalya, Andie, Specter. Oh and please don't attack anyone on Rhodes Island eh?
Specter: If that's something you ask of me, love, of course.
Sebastian: W-wonderful... Goodbye!
He said as he left through the door and closed it behind him, to lean against a wall in the hallway and breathe a sigh of relief as he left the room and all the pressure he was feeling. Then suddenly from the doorway through which he had just passed Kal'tsit too came into the hallway, taking care to close the door behind her. A vein on her forehead, arms crossed, eyes closed. She was definitely upset... A bead of sweat broke out on the back of his neck and then suddenly Kal'tsit opened her eyes wide and pointed her finger just below Sebastian's chin, hitting his head against the wall in surprise.
Kal'tsit: listen to me, if you ever find out that you've been in a relationship or even slept with one of our patients I will not only fire you for malpractice, but I will also...
She pulled a pair of scissors from her white coat pocket and held them up to the giant's eyes.
Kal'tsit: I will also cut off what makes you a man. Is that clear?
The doctor sighed before disarming Kal'tsit and crushing the banana cutters in his hand so quickly that she didn't realize it until she heard the metal bits fall to the floor, her attention distracted she couldn't stop Sebastian from moving her arm and starting to walk away.
Sebastian: First of all, Kal don't threaten me, because that's not the kind of joke I like, especially not from you. Secondly, I'm not going to get into a relationship with her. 'Yet.' And finally this girl is possessed it is not a hospital that she needs.
He said as he began to take a few steps with his hands in his pockets.
Kal'tsit: And what do you know?
He turned his head toward her, looking at her with only one of his eyes, obviously as amused as if someone had just made a joke about his age.
Sebastian: Kal, you know and you're hiding a lot of things. Things you'll never tell me, Amiya or anyone else on Rhodes Island. But I, unlike you, can't hide and ignore the fact that the ocean calls me every night. So if you want to keep trying to hide the dark secrets you have about Aegir, just pray that the steam doesn't come back to bite us in the ass while I try to do my best with what I know to keep us from getting our asses kicked by giant octopuses with teeth and wings or any other such crap. I heard them calling me through her.
He turned his head from poor Kal'tsit who was shaking with shock and fear at what Sebastian had just said. He said things, that should be forgotten for eternity.
The doctor left peacefully... At least his working day was over...
And what a shitty day...
Well, now he just have to go to the dormitories.
It was a little after seven o'clock in the evening on Rhodes Island and exhausted Sebastian was walking through the corridors of the dormitories, but maybe it would surprise some people to see that he was not heading to his own quarters. Finishing his walk and stopping in front of one of the doors he raised his hand and knocked on the metal plate of the door.
Sebastian: It's me...
He waited a few seconds and then the door suddenly opened, a smile forming on Sebastian's lips as he could see the young woman behind the door.
Exusiai: Oh my poor thing you have a face fresh out from the grave...
Sebastian: Thank you Exia...
The young woman burst out laughing with the charm she had so much. She was only wearing a hoodie that was too big for her and shorts that came out of her pinguin logistics outfit that she always put on for something a little more comfortable but still. The laughter that captured the good doctor's attention faded as Exusiai walked into her quarters and released the doorframe.
Exusiai: Go in, make yourself at home.
Sebastian stepped through the doorway and began walking through the young woman's quarters to the kitchen, pulling out the object he had been hiding behind his back and placing it in front of the sanktah.
She stared at the object and then looked the giant in the eyes before opening the cardboard box, revealing her favorite dessert. She let her hands fall to the kitchen counter and laughed slightly.
Exusiai: I knew it...
Sebastian: I made it myself...
Exusiai: Wow... Go get settled in, I'll be there in a second...
The giant nodded before heading to the living room part of Exia's quarters. These quarters were rather small, there was only one bedroom and a room with the kitchen on one side and the living room on the other, the whole as big as a student's apartment with a little budget. Sebastian dropped down on the gigantic beanbag that served as a couch and breathed a sigh of relief as he let his muscles relax.
Exusiai: Tough day?
Sebastian: Long... Very long...
The young woman laughed again and once again it was a pure melody to the giant's ears. He was enjoying being here... With her. Some people thought he only had eyes for Nearl, but that was not the case. He admired Exusiai. Her ability to stay in a good mood all the time even in defeat, to restore everyone's morale by her mere presence. She was a true angel fallen from heaven and he admired her terribly for that. Not only for that. In a way the young woman was rather like him. Friendly and smiling to everyone, but letting few people get really close to her. Just like him. In fact only Nearl and Amiya had managed to break through the almost invisible shell Sebastian had and get close to the doctor. Nearl Amiya and Exusiai. A real privilege after all. The doctor didn't worry anyone about what he personally felt most of the time or about his emotions deep inside. No one but these three. He appreciated the ability Exusiai had to break through his shell, and he knew it was mutual because without even wanting to, he too had broken through that shell she had. Something he didn't regret, being so close to the sanktah was a pure delight. And after the long day he had just spent he was happy to relax for the evening with her.
Focusing his attention on the TV hanging on the wall in front of the footstool Sebastian frowned.
Sebastian: Exia, can you turn up the sound on the TV?
Exusiai: Oh okay...
Taking the remote control next to her, she pressed a button and turned up the volume.
Reporter: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to 3B for the 8 o'clock news. Political tensions are escalating following the discovery of this photograph in the royal palace of Kazdel.
On half of the screen an image was displayed, a photograph showing a queen with a white and black dress and pink hair sitting peacefully on her throne. Next to the queen was a giant covered in thick plate armor from head to toe and a long sword hanging from his hip. But the thing to note was the crystalline formations that floated above the heads of both having the shape of a crown that said much more imposing on the side of the man in armor.
Presenter: You can see in this photograph the Queen of Kazdel, as well as an unknown person. This crown that you see above their heads is related to Kazdelite traditions. These crowns are formed unwillingly by those who are the most worthy of leading the nation, the last one to have manifested this crown being the queen. Found during an expedition to save the national treasures in the royal palace. Unfortunately no other information could be gathered about this photograph from local residents, nor who the person next to the queen might be. After an analysis by our laboratories we were able to determine that this photo is authentic and has not been tampered with. The question of an heir possessing this crown could put a complete end to all tensions in Kazdel, because this heir would be more deserving of the Kazdel throne than the current regent Theresis. All these questions have brought us to the attention of a distinguished guest, ladies and gentlemen I present to you the regent of Kazdel, Prince Theresis. Thank you for being with us Theresis.
The camera turned to a man to the left of the announcer and as soon as it did Sebastian was filled with rage that he could not explain. This man was a black-horned sarkaz with pale pink hair, dressed in an overpriced armor for what it was and a long black cloak and a liar's smile on his face.
Sebastian: Tch. You motherfucker...
Exusiai: You don't seem to like him...
Sebastian: You bet... A captain sinks with his ship, a king sinks with his kingdom. But this asshole left as soon as the war started... So yeah, I've got it a little bad... And then look at this, not even a knight would come on a TV set in armor, he's just trying to pass himself off as a warrior. The holes in his capes were torn by hand and the scratches on his armor were all made at the same time as if he had been standing still... As if they had hit a dummy with the armor on. And then look at him... He's supposed to be a leader of a world power and he comes to do a show on a TV set...
The young woman put a pizza box on the coffee table in front of them and dropped into the beanbag next to Sebastian, before wriggling to put her head on the giant's arm, to sigh with relief as well. Then she handed him a beer that the doctor opened with his fingers. They toasted each other before both taking a few sips of their drinks.
Theresis: But thanks for having me here Jordan.
Presenter: So. There are a lot of unanswered questions that we know about and we hope that you can answer them.
Theresis: I will do my best.
Presenter: My first question will sound simple, but I think you are currently the most likely to have heard of a potential heir to the Kazdel crown, so the question is, have you heard of this heir?
Theresis: Absolutely not. I have never seen this picture, let alone this man in my lifetime. And I can say that there is no remaining family member besides myself.
Presenter: And could it not be a potential child of the Queen?
Theresis: Ah, I was close enough to her to know that she never had a man in her life so I doubt she would have had a child...
He said with a laugh, his laughter spreading quickly to the other guests of the show near him. Seeing this, Sebastian gritted his teeth.
Sebastian: Talk about respect for a dead woman...
*zap*
Exusiai: Ouch!
The sanktah gasped just as Sebastian could hear an electricity sound that worried the giant.
Exusiai: Seb be careful you just electrocuted me!
Sebastian: A-ah p-pardon... Are you alright?
Exusiai: Yes... But please calm down, your eyes turned red...
Realizing that his eyes had turned blood red Sebastian lowered his heart rate and his blood pressure which had increased without him realizing it, his eyes returning to their usual color.
Exusiai: Mhh... That's better...
Sebastian: Sorry.
Exusiai: It's okay, don't worry...
The young woman took Sebastian's hand and moved her arm over her shoulders, resting her head on the doctor's chest as the giant's arm wrapped around her. Goddamn it... The giant loved this kind of close-up time with her. But he would love it even more if these moments could happen a little more often and not just when they had finished their work hours. Hell, during the day she didn't even call him by his name even though he had asked her several times to do so...
Presenter: And so you think that nothing threatens your safety on the throne of Kazdel.
Theresis: Absolutely. I am the only member of the royal family still alive and no one else has managed to prove themselves worthy of invoking the crown of kings.
Announcer: Okay, now we'll take questions from our listeners, so please call the number on your screen.
The sanktah looked over to Sebastian when she felt movement to see him pull his cell phone from one of his pockets before quickly dialing a number. As he looked into Exusiai's eyes a smile on his face signaled to the sanktah that he was about to do something stupid.
Announcer: Ah we are already receiving a call from the border between Ursus and Yen. Hello dear listener and welcome to 3B.
Sebastian: Hello my name is Oleg, I was watching your show and I wanted to ask Mr. Theresis a question.
Theresis: Well please go ahead Oleg...
Sebastian: I grew up in Kazdel and normally if you have the power of the crown you can make it appear and show it on TV now right? To prove that you can take the throne.
If someone was looking closely enough they could see him flinch slightly.
Theresis: Well, no, my dear Oleg, unfortunately I am not the holder of the power of the crown, even though I belong to the royal family...
Sebastian: But then you don't have the right to rule according to the laws of Kazdel if you can't summon the crown and any peasant will be more deserving of the throne than you if he can get the crown-
Presenter: That will be all, Oleg... Um... Another listener, perhaps?
The person on the other end of the line hung up on Sebastian's side, while Exusiai laughed so hard that he could not stop. On the television we could see that both the sarkaz and the presenter of the show were terribly embarrassed and moreover Theresis was boiling with rage at what he had just heard, and even more so knowing that everything the giant had just said under a pseudonym was entirely true.
Exusiai: I can't believe it! *Laughs* The first call you made with your phone was to make fun of a king?
Sebastian: Yeah...
He says with a satisfied smile on his lips before he also starts to laugh and after a few seconds they both calm down to finish their beers.
Sebastian: Come on, change, I'm tired of his sack of shit face. What are we looking at this time?
He said as he took a piece of pizza from the box.
Exusiai: I heard about this new thing, it's about a guy who gets transported to another world because of a book with other people and he has a shield while everyone else has super stylish weapons, and I heard it's so cool.
Sebastian: Why is it always a guy who gets transported to another world...
Exusiai: I don't know, I guess it's just a trend among Higashien animators... Can we watch this please?
Sebastian: It's a good thing I trust you Exia, because your skills at summarizing stories are worth throwing out the window. But go ahead and put this on.
Exusiai: Thank you!
She took the remote and started to put on what she wanted to watch.
Beers, pizza in front of the TV, and most importantly the best company he could have.
This was his night today.
Not the noise of the bar being crowded and countless drinks, just two people enjoying each other's company and proximity.
That was all it took to fill the giant and the sanktah with joy.
...
...
Exusiai: Hey since this morning Blaze is spreading a rumor about you...
Sebastian: Huh, she must be salty from losing in our fight. But what does she say?
Exusiai: That actually, if you don't count the four years you spent in cryo sleep, you're nineteen...
The giant widened his eyes at this. Three people knew his age. Himself, Amiya and Kal'tsit... instantly knowing the proximity between the cautus and the elite operator Sebastian understood where the leak was coming from.
Exusiai: Yeah, I thought it was all nonsense too...
Sebastian: Tell me Exia, how old do i look?
Exusiai: Thirty two.
*CLUNK*
That was the sound of Sebastian's head hitting the coffee table in front of him. Followed quickly by the giant crying.
Sebastian: Fine, give me a gun and I'll shoot myself!
Exusiai: What the hell for?!
Sebastian: Look at me! I look twice as old as I really am!
Exusiai: Wait but you are really nineteen? But why do you look so fucking old?!
Sebastian: STOP STIRRING THE KNIFE IN THE WOUND FOR FUCK SAKE!
Exusiai: Sorry I didn't mean old but mature I swear!
One week later.
Amiya: Well I think that the operational section is left, doktah it's your time.
Sebastian: Thank you Amiya. Following the incident at the hospital a week ago, Miss Specter has been transferred as a combat operator following her request and has come under my sole command, given her particular mental condition. She will, of course, enjoy the underlying privileges. Anya and Encia Silverash have also started their classes to become operators under their brother's blessing. They will just have to watch out for them on the battlefield. This month, exactly forty operators have been promoted to elite one status, one of them being Specter, to make the most of her destructive force.
Amiya: Forty?
Kal'tsit: Doc, that's going to put a big dent in our expenses.
The heads of the leaders of the other branches of Rhodes Island crumpled in fear at such an expense.
Sebastian: I was going to say something about that, actually I've taken 1.2 million lmd out of my budget as a bonus.
The cautus who was drinking from her glass of water almost choked on what Sebastian said.
Kal'tsit: How? That's well over half your monthly budget.
asked the impressed feline.
Sebastian: I was content to be thrifty, and buy the materials needed for promotions and skill training when they were cheapest on the market and using my contacts. I also did some information retrieval and selling for Rhines Labs, that's mostly what helped the coffers. I didn't do anything that would put us in a bad light of course. I took the accounting files.
He said, holding out a file that Amiya quickly read, looking for a potential mistake, and then passed it to Kal'tsit.
Kal'tsit: This is not your handwriting...
Sebastian: It's Natalya's. One of the students we rescued at Chernobog, she volunteered to be my secretary for the week.
Amiya: *incoherrent yandere donki noises*
Kal'tsit: I see...
Sebastian: I would also like to note that this extra money should be directed to the engineering department and only to restore the base.
Amiya: This money could be used for other doktah things...
Sebastian: No. We already have the money that Silverash is offering us to loosen our belts a bit. But the complete restoration of the base can't wait any longer. We've been lucky to be able to house Silverash in places that are in good shape. But here I must remind you that in some places the metal beams on the ceiling are held together with tape.
Amiya: Aren't you exaggerating a bit?
Sebastian: There's this in your office.
Amiya: W-what?!
Sebastian: I took a picture.
The giant took out his phone and showed a picture that the leader of Rhodes Island could recognize as being taken in his office, where we could see the not very encouraging situation Sebastian was describing.
Amiya: Oh my God it's true...
Kal'tsit: What?! But we have to fix this as soon as possible, why didn't you say anything doctor?!
Sebastian: I've been saying it for three weeks, I have the same thing right above my bed, I can wake up one morning with my head crushed under a steel beam.
Kal'tsit: We'll have to fix it as soon as possible Closure...
Closure: Aye aye...
Amiya: When we say as soon as possible, we mean as soon as you get out of this room, and I hope that money will be used to restore the base where it is your job that is on the gallows Closure.
Closure: A-aye...
Sebastian: Well I think we're all good on my end. I'll turn it over to the human resources branch.
Amiya: Thank you very much for the great work this month doktah... It's good to have you back in charge.
Sebastian: You're welcome. I'm just doing what I was taken out of the freezer for.
He said with a smile that made the cautus laugh slightly and the other leaders of Rhodes Island. He listened intently to his colleague from human resources, but suddenly his phone began to vibrate jerkily, signaling him of an incoming call. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and immediately recognized the number, his face breaking down.
Sebastian: Excuse me, I'll just be a minute.
Not needing to point out the importance of this call, Sebastian was distracted by the other Rhodes Island leaders who let him get up and walk a few feet away from the table so that he wouldn't be heard when he spoke, then he picked up the phone and began to speak in Ursula. A few seconds passed, and it was clear that the doctor was extremely worried just by looking at his face, and Kal'tsit, who could understand the Ursus that Sebastian was speaking, also had a very unsettling expression. Then after a few more seconds Sebastian hung up to look at a picture that had just been sent to him, and suddenly the skin on his face turned from olive to snow white as his face took on a less and less reassuring expression. To be honest, the doctor looked like he was about to faint. He returned to the table and fell back in his chair without saying a word...
Amiya: Doktah what's going on... You are scaring me...
Sebastian: There was a movement of the reunion... A huge troop left Chernobog.
Amiya: What?! Where are they going?!
Sebastian: Lungmen... Reunion is heading towards Lungmen...
?: Yes. Good. Thank you for your understanding, sir. Of course. Goodbye.
She hung up the phone and closed her red eyes to sigh and relax with the never-ending mountain of work. Opening her eyes again she looked at the framed photo on her desk that she had put there. The photo of her graduating class from the Victorian Guard Academy... She could see herself in the front row, her posture upright and authoritative, her two swords a sign of her fighting style that she already had back then. She was not interested in all the other people in this photograph.
All of them?
Except for one.
Behind all the others was a figure taller than everyone else, his posture relaxed and his expression calm, the medic intern from their promotion. His chaotic ebony-black hair had a certain charm she thought, not to mention his model-like face, always clean-shaven. The tip of her thumb caressed the spot where that man was, those blood red eyes never leaving the emerald ones of the one in the picture. As an unusual smile formed on her lips she began to say something.
?: I hope tomorrow we will meet again...
As she said every single night since almost nine years...
