21: Chains (V): The Brat who altered destiny

Perfect. Immaculate. Constant. Stubborn. Layd's resonance forced him to follow those precepts to the letter, not the slightest bit of error was allowed. And less now.

He just finished commanding the land waves straight to Garyon he set out to seal the outcome of the fight. There was no reason to wait ten minutes if he performed that technique, to explore his limitation to the full.

While Garyon managed to avoid the stakes and the gigantic rock that were coming at him in that shaking earth on which he leaned, Layd buried his hands in the hard ground like soft quicksand.

He narrowed his sore eye, it was time. Layd's expression tightened and stiffened than the entire mountain. Natsume and Echsos immediately noticed what his plan was so they backed off respecting the range of the technique. Layd's breath hitched and his arms —which weren't particularly muscular —veins spread out to look like a pair of massive roots.

At this stage, the control limit that Layd possesses over the ground is close to five meters, however, that control is not restricted to a mere radius above the ground, no, it was a radius in all directions and —obviously —down.

Garyon survived the flurry of attacks, with his arms wounded on all sides and a large bruise on his forehead over his left eye. Layd watched him and reaffirmed his motive for his actions, there is no way he could spend ten minutes launching attacks at that rate with so little effect.

Garyon gave him a pair of red, angry, murderous eyes and started to move forward.

But it was too late.

A thick, broad earth mace began to rise along with Layd's arms. He just had to lift it until he could put it on his head, then from there the fight would end. Garyon's only possible option would be to flee to avoid the attack —to no avail because of the immense size —. If instead of that he decided to approach, Layd calmly would drop the stone on both of them and everything would come to an end for the psychopath and he would use his resonance so as not to die on the spot.

Yes, a perfect plan. Controlling the land, the ground, in all directions allowed him to make this ridiculous.

But it was too late.

" Do you think you are the big thing, brat?" Garyon's words penetrated his ears like a knife. They weren't strong, yet they changed the environment immediately.

Suddenly the force Layd had to exert to lift that wall of rock out of the ground almost tripled. Something was wrong, seriously, little by little the stone gave way to gravity and his arms weren't able to do anything about it. Garyon was approaching and with a furious face.

Was there that a revelation came to him.

"Is he using his damn resonance on me ?!" Layd thought in shock. Yes, Seng told him that he could affect the resonances of others, but from five meters away?!

Layd abandoned his course of action and proceeded to get his hands out of the dirt —which cost a lot more than necessary —and slid his hands over the dirt behind him to create a couple of discs and throw them at that idiot.

It may be because he had no time or Garyon's resonance, those discs weren't even solid and Garyon was able to put his hand before them as he ran to him.

"I have to get out." Layd tried to get her feet off the ground. Natsume and Echsos broke into a cold sweat to see that his stepbrother had lost control of the battle.

That's when that revelation was even clearer.

He wasn't able to dig up his feet.

Layd smiled nervously, staring at the ground that would be his grave.

No.

He saw Garyon curl up his arm, braking to punch him.

Yes.

"Run!" Layd roared. In that state it was impossible to win. At least, at least… he would buy time for that pair to escape unscathed. "And to think that our plan went to hell, Echsos."

He prepared to cover and parry as many blows before he was knocked out, perhaps he could return a few.

However, the shred of hope he had left him faster than the trust he had left when he felt it was impossible to move his arms.

Garyon started with the face. Then he followed with the face.

After that punch, he grabbed Layd's head and pulled her straight to his knee a half dozen times.

"DO YOU SEE THAT IT ISN'T PRETTY TO HAVE YOUR FACE DAMAGED?!" Garyon yelled, drowning out the noise of Layd's groans.

Natsume clenched her fists, did she have to use her resonance? She had no idea what would happen if that guy applied the same thing to her as Layd. Would she be knocked out instantly? Would have a chance to save her stepbrothers and run away with them both...? No! Of course not!

"Come on boy," When he finished taking it out on poor Layd, he let go of his swollen, broken face and ripped the tooth out of his knee. "stop getting others in trouble and come with me."

Echsos hugged Natsume's arm. He trembled. Her stepsister understood immediately what was happening in his mind: his resonance was giving him information about Garyon. So much so that he couldn't speak. So horrible that overwhelmed him. It was the first time he had experienced something like this, the first time he had approached death.

Garyon walked past Layd.

"You don't have to be afraid boy, if you don't want I can use my resonance on you." He stretched her hand forward in a grabbing gesture. "I can remove any shadow of doubt from you." Garyon's smile crept into his eyes.

"I'm going to use it!" Natsume got ready to take a deep breath. No matter what, she was going to teach that bastard a lesson!

As she opened her mouth, Garyon closed his hand in response to her killing instinct, although that was not what he needed to pay attention to.

Against all odds, Layd forcibly dug himself out of the ground —breaking the ground in between —and turned directly to Garyon on his back and this reacted to the sound with an expression filled with stubbornness and death wishes.

"Wasn't he unconscious?!" Garyon got mad at being forced to keep his resonance on the brat.

"My face is not my whole body, moron!" As much as Layd would have loved to say that, all he managed to do was spit it out of his mind by attacking.

First a front hit, which did nothing because Garyon blocked it. Then a kick that he connected with his ribs, but did not cause much damage. Again, his strength was disappearing from his limbs and he didn't quite understand why.

And Garyon couldn't be more pleased about it.

That other boy with the dyed hair have told them about his resonance, yes, a part of it. Garyon's resonance is not "cancel resonances," "nullify powers," or cliché stuff like that; it is something much worse.

Garyon's resonance allows him to exert pressure from his soul on other souls. In concept, Garyon's soul collides with those of others and under the right conditions he can do whatever he wants with yours.

Since the soul is what controls not only the resonances but the body, if Garyon's influence manages to be powerful enough you are at his total mercy. Move? If he doesn't want it, you don't. Of course it is not an automatic victory card, well, it ceases to be one against people who have trained and learned to use his soul, because they can fight against the adverse effects and not be useless.

It is a pity that Layd has never been the great thing when it comes to understanding and using his soul, well he is capable of using his resonance, this is not because he is good with it, at all, due to having to go through so much time to prepare for each stage is the definitive proof that he has a long way to go… if he managed to live longer.

Garyon delivered a cruel, deep punch that knocked the air out of him. Natsume couldn't hold it anymore and sucked in the air around her.

If there is any detail that makes Garyon seem even more terrifying, it is the fact that he perceives the changes of the soul. When someone experienced with resonances improves his physical fitness, when channels his energy for a great display of power or by activating one hundred percent —like Natsume —; he will feel a prick in the hairs on his chin.

For that reason, it did not cost him to understand the intention and implication of that dark breathing of the girl, that as if he stole most of the oxygen, released the resonance of her with murderous intentions. Garyon squeezed Layd's weak and sensitive neck to finish it off before taking care of the girl, since he doesn't want another surprise attack.

"No! No Natsume! You won't be able to!" Echsos exclaimed pulling her arm.

She ignored him and fixed her attention on Layd, she was going to rescue him in the blink of an eye, no matter the cost.

Silver air began to rise from her mouth and the world cheered for her, she was ready.

A fraction of a second is what it would take for her, but… what if not? She pulled her hand away from Echsos. She didn't care about that now, because she wasn't going to let that happen again, not now that she has the strength to stop him cold.

She was fired to save his life, however, Garyon's reaction was faster, yes, although it was not she who caused it.

An overwhelming sensation covered Garyon's very soul —the presence of a soul of enormous charisma —that half a second before Natsume leaped into action, forced him to let go of Layd and take a precocious step to the side to avoid what was coming.

Natsume caught Layd and stepped back in time to dodge that threat coming from the forest. A huge wolf emerged from the trees with Airys on top. She was puzzled by the situation and Garyon doubted the efficacy of his senses.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Airys asked.

It was impossible for the Brat to carry such a soul.