Chapter VI: The Fightback

"Need a hand?" said Durok to Felix after he destroy all the enemy he faced, reach out his hand.

"Thank you, Durok," Felix nod and welcome his hand by his wounded arm. Thanks to Karine's Power, he didn't feel pain. Almost. Almost until Durok pull him as hard as he can. The wound seems had opened again cause of Durok powerful strength.

"Seems like you can't cure it one hundred percent," he said. To his mind.

He turns to Karine who still sat down, looking at Felix and Durok with little relieved face. Felix then lend his hand, while bowing, help Karine to stand as a gratitude. He slowly and gently helps Karine to stand, not like when Durok did it to him. At the same time when Karine stand, three of them shock after a tremble on ground they feel.

React it by turns their face to Fort, they feel the centre and the source is within the Fort. They not believe about what they saw, a white steam towering over the air afterward. Not just one steam, but many of it

"What is that?" Felix asks

"It must be Brengos," Karine answer

"It definitely Brengos," said Durok

"Is that Brengos Power?" Felix ask to confirm what he heard. The question made Karine and Durok turns to Felix at same time.

He can sense, Durok and Karine couldn't believe what they just heard. Durok eyebrows that were already seen knit together in the middle, became more and more connected each other. While Karine, tightened her grip on Felix hand. But she tries to keep her head cool, as she said, "Yes. It is Brengos Power. It his Second Stage,"

"Oh-" when Felix want to finish his sentence, a sentence to react Karine answer. The answer she said with a face full of doubt, Durok interrupt it.

"Hey! This is no time for little chat. There must something urgent happen in Fort. We must hurry! If you two want keep chatting, I'll go ahead!" after put his axe on his back Durok start running.

Karine who holding tight Felix hand, looked into his eyes closely. She loosens up her stare afterward and says, "Let's go," she closed her eyes and make a smile on her face, a very soothing smile. She looks like trying to convince herself, something like there is nothing wrong, or it would be okay, or maybe she convinces herself on 'the thing' she felt just her imagination, he doesn't know. Felix doesn't know what is the truth. However, for sure, her hand keeps holding tight, even tighter. Then she starts running right after let Felix hand go and put her spear on her back.

***

In distance, Durok who do sprint from beginning, now saw Felix and Karine run after him.

"I'll use the Power. It would make me reach it faster and save more stamina. You guys better do that too," he is right, Felix felt that he waste too much stamina running while holding his spear Felix on his back While Durok when he said that, Durok speeding up his run. Soon, his posture more explosive, lowering his body, making a stance to jump. He now ready to use his Energy, creating a Power, "Earth Springs!��� he said the 'spell' to use his Power, then he jumps.

The ground where he would land, trembling. Right after he lands on it, the ground push Durok back to the air, the ground push him to Fort direction. Saw the 'attraction' while stabilizing his body, Felix still couldn't believe it. His eyes were slightly wide-open, he remembering when Durok suddenly appear in Brengos-Lanang incident at Alun-Alun before.

"I'll go to," Karine word bring Felix to reality again.

"Y-yes. Go ahead. I'll go right after you," Felix answer.

After deliver a goodbye smile, Karine put her right hand down, and says "Ice Wave!" suddenly the atmosphere become cold. Then a big wave of ice coming out from the ground, a wave where a man can pushed down to 15 meters below the surface. Karine however, pull her spare from her back, use it when she on the top of the wave, as a surfboard.

That one big wave of ice move forward, make Karine move faster to Fort while leave an ice marks on ground. Left Felix behind.

Saw how Durok and Karine easily left him behind, he felt guilty. Somehow especially when Karine left with serious no-look surfing. He was disappointed in himself, he already knows how to use it, by Curriculum or by his practice every time he got a chance. He is very sure, that both Durok and Karine use Second Stage Power so easily. On the contrary, his training result is useless.

He felt guilty. The name 'Felix Ismawan', one of greatest Fire Hunter the Kingdom have, one of Heroes of Human Uprising. The heroes who defeat the Long Nightmare, a monster that terrorizing the world in Misery Era, could even make a Fire Ball, the most basic use of Power.

Or so the Curriculum said.

When he lost in his own thought, one big black cloud pops up from the Fort. Like a warning sign of incoming disaster, the cloud blowing a hot wind to place where he was. The teak tree leaves in forest change it colour to dirt one by one, from tree to other tree until Felix heard a sound of one animal. It very familiar voice on his ears. The voice of carriage towing beast, a sprinter beast. A symbol of valour, strength and agility.

"A horse!" he turns to where the sound come. He found the horse tied to a rope on tree in the forest, not far from main road.

"I'll just borrow it for a while," he thought.

***

It happens really fast. When he just land inside the Fort, the black volcanic cloud fired to enemy side. The army who wounded by the fight, just look and watch it as the cloud wipe out all the monster.

Then when the one who release it shout, a shout of victory, he joints with him and other soldier. That was change after he realize this is not the end.

"Brengos!" Durok shout from behind. Notify his present to Brengos.

Brengos, with his remain strength turns to Durok. Seeing the one who call him run in full speed.

"What happen? Why you use the Third Stage?!" just right after Durok ask this, and the moment when Brengos want to answer it, the atmosphere changes. The cold sensation come from behind along with the sound of breaking ice.

Karine, who surfing a wave of ice looking at them, watch her surrounding then back looking at enemy in front of her. The enemy which move faster to the Fort.

"Multiple Waves of Ice!" she shouts. Then two other waves, as high as of wave she surfs, emerge from the ground. Jump off the wave, let three waves walk by themselves, strike the monsters in one hit.

Karine land on the ground with style. She lands with one knee down, dropping to earth while keep the other one up. While one of her hands also support her body and the other holding her spear.

Saw there are remain monsters after that attack, Durok react fast. He creates three giant earth. On the other hand, Brengos stand up, help by creating Wind Arrow, aiming the Woman in Dress and Burned Head.

"ALL FORCES! READY YOUR WEAPON!" Brengos shout in sudden after few shots. "STAY FOCUS! YOUR ENEMY IS IN FRONT OF YOU!" his word waking up his soldier who just stand and watch Karine and Durok fight. They scared to death, terrified since they know more monsters is coming. They know, this is would be a very long and tiring night, they may be death tonight.

"Look at them! Look at the Heroes with your eyes!" he turned his face, looking one by one the soldier who was still silent, "They may be late to come. But here they are. Fight with us, fight with all they have!"

"We may be horrified fight too much enemy tonight. Too much monsters come not one by one, but WAVE BY WAVE. We may be terrified by the sound of Green Giant footsteps. We may be frightened by Woman in Dress' silly laugh. And how our heart fill with fear of terror of Bones Army and Burned Head,"

"However! Don't be afraid of their waves! Do you want to present the same thing to our children?! Do you want to let our parent or our wife to suffer like in Misery Era again?! Do you want to give up the peace we have in this two year so easily?!"

The soldier was suddenly stunned by Brengos words. They hold their weapon tighter, get their fighting spirit back.

"Fight! You don't volunteer yourself because YOU WANT experience the Misery Era one more time! You became a volunteer because YOU DO NOT WANT to suffer in Misery Era again!"

"FIGHT MY COMRADE! FIGHT! IF WE GIVE UP AND LOST TODAY, THE KINGDOM AND OUR GENERATION WILL BE DOOMED TOMORROW! RISE! RISE O' PEOPLE OF WAHSA!"

The soldier, the guard, and the little Hunters stand and rise their weapon and yell, "YEAAHHH!"

They joining Karine and Durok in front line. Organizing a formation like what they were told before. Together they defeat the monsters one by one, whether a Burned Head with they deadly attack; Woman in Dress with red eyes and large, sharp teeth; Bones Army with its sharp nails in their finger; or Green Giant with all of it, a red eyes, a big and sharp fangs and nails in its fingers, and a deadly attack once they catch you.

***

Saw how very efficient the attack was, Felix who arrive with his 'loan' horse know what he must do. He shall investigate how much waves of the monsters. To do that, he come to face Brengos. Asking him a company.