Chapter 35

"Captain!" An enforcer on a scooter blazed toward the captain who stood before a large thick metal bunker door. "The Southern and Eastern gates have fallen!"

The captain frowned as he looked past the enforcer coming his way. In the distance, he could see abyssal beasts rushing their way. "Start closing the path to the tunnels." After the captain spoke another enforcer quickly operated the terminal at the other side of the metal bunker door.

The enforcer on his scooter jumped off, rolling a small distance over the ground before getting on both feet. Alongside the captain, he entered through the bunker door that gradually closed behind them. 

When it completely shut they could hear the beast on the other side bashing against the metal. The captain ignored the sound and walked down an extremely long staircase. When they reached the end they stepped into a vast room. From the elevated section, the captain gazed down at the crowded floor below, teeming with hundreds of thousands of civilians. 

"What do we do now, sir?" The captain stared down at the citizens while thinking of the best course of action.

"We'll split up." The enforcers turn their heads to a man in a clockwork uniform walking towards them.

"That would be for the best." The captain wholeheartedly agreed with the clockworker on this. "Alright then, if you can prepare your men I will announce this in a few minutes."

The clockworker nodded his head and turned to the metal walkway on their left that was attached to the wall of the enormous room. On it, the captain could see more people dressed in clockwork uniforms looking down at the civilians. To his right was the same scene, but they wore enforcer uniforms.

"All of you go get a sort bit of rest we'll be on the move soon." The enforcers behind the captain nodded their heads and walked off to his right.

The captain looked down at the citizens with sorrowful eyes; the sight was quite heavy on his heart seeing all these people huddled up together. While he paused for a moment to comprehend the situation, his gaze shifted to the right as his heart began to race upon hearing a sound.

"Hey, what are you doing." Other enforcers looked towards it as well with confused gazes.

The captain swiftly walked over to the walkway. "What do you think you're doing." The captain's voice was stern, while he glared at an enforcer who had just finished reloading their rifles. 

The enforcer didn't say a word but as they lifted their head the captain saw their eyes glowing a bright green. Seconds later multiple gunshots reverberated inside the giant room, causing the captain's heart to drop.

"It's about time don't you think." Deep underground, a female figure gently stroked the fur of a beast beside her. The woman's eyes were muted like she wasn't looking through them as she stared straight ahead.

"You know, you were quite a bother to find." Life quickly came back to her eyes before she created light in her hand and searched around the cave for the person who spoke those words.

"That beast you have there, where is it from it's my first time seeing one." The woman intensified the light on her hand, but still, she couldn't see a soul around her. 

That was when she saw blue lines further in the darkness that conveyed the figure of a human being. Walking into the light was a man with gray skin and blue lines moving across his body. "If you're going to stay quiet I'll have no choice but to finish things quickly, I have better things to do after all." The man stared at the masked woman with cold eyes as he waited for her next action.

"Kill him." The large cat-like creature next to her dashed forward at incredible speed, but the man seemed unfazed. When the beast jumped toward the man the world around him distorted.

Swiftly moving her body, A rift opened up beside her and her beast companion emerged from within, lunging at her with a ferocious attack. With smooth motions, she firmly placed her hand on its head and seized its paw, before forcefully tossing it onto the ground.

Rage was clear in her yellow-glowing eyes as she glared at the man. "What's your purpose for coming here, Dare?"

Dare kept a calm expression while he looked at her. "To stop this little wave of yours."

The woman scoffed at his words finding them incredibly funny. "You're too late, it has already served its purpose."

"That might be so, but that doesn't change the fact that I can't let you leave here alive." A laugh came out of the woman's mouth, causing Dare to narrow his eyes. "As an archmage, I'm sure your decision-making skills are quite excellent. Now I'll ask you, me, or the city's people."

Dare stood as still as a statue, making the woman stare at him with a more confident expression, but faded to confusion when she saw a smile appear on his face. "You don't have to worry about that I'm taking care of that as well."

Utterly baffled by his words the woman sees Dare disappear from where he stood and instantly reappear in front of her. He stretches his arm to grab her but her companion bites towards it causing him to retract it.

Dare's leg swung forward slamming into the beast's stomach, but in the time he wasted the woman had created distance between them. The beast lunged at Dare once more, but as it did, the air around him shimmered and a rift tore open. It vanished within the rift, only to reemerge with its swift attack directed at its master.

"Why don't you stop hiding behind that appearance, it's starting to annoy me." As the beast walked around the woman its body began to morph from a beautiful colorful cat-like creature to something more hideous. The fur covering its body disappeared and showed black skin underneath, its mouth became flatter and less cat-like, and its claws grew longer and sharper, but it remained a beast that walked on all four.

When it dashed toward him Dare noticed that its speed had increased, upon opening its flatter but wider mouth Dare could see multiple rows of teeth, but just like before, the creature couldn't even get close to him and reappeared next to its master.

Dare created fire in his hands and flung it to his side, while he walked towards her. The woman moved her head to the side and could feel the heat of the fire passing by her head. With grace and poise, the woman effortlessly evaded the fiery projectiles as they materialized and disappeared through rifts.

When it came down from above she jumped backward but never kept Dare out of her sight. She knew she had to somehow deal with him, but that would be incredibly difficult.

Dare walked towards her while he waited for her to make a big move, yet nothing was coming. Suddenly, like chameleons, more of these bizarre creatures appeared around him and launched themselves from the cave wall.

As the five beasts descended upon him, she felt she might have a chance against him, but that belief was crushed when she saw a smile appear on Dare's face. A rift opened, and he played her like a fool whenever she sent her beasts to capture him, he would just disappear and reappear, causing her expression to be filled with rage. When he stood before her the world around them contorted and broke as many rifts opened and sucked in her breasts. She never stood a chance against him it was all just an illusion in her head. "Goodbye." Dare gave her a push and she as well was sucked into a rift.

When she was nowhere in sight Dare nonchalantly walked away. "I didn't find out who they were, but that's a problem for Natasha to figure out." As he thought about what to do next Dare held onto his chin. "I hope its first test run is going well."

Dare, or something that bore a striking resemblance to him was floating in the air above the civilians. Bullets were suspended in the air as the walls surrounding him were riddled with holes, each one containing either one of those strange black creatures or enforcers and clockworkers with green glowing eyes. 

After Natasha blocked Reginald's claw she pushed him off her. Without hesitation, she swiftly swung her sword at him. As it tore through his flesh his arm dropped to the ground, but not even seconds later a new one grew back. Startled by this she takes a few steps back. 

Reginald ignored her and grabbed his arm that lay on the ground. In his hand, it turns into a fluid substance and seeps into his body. A short while later an arm emerges out from his back.

As he charged toward Roland, Natasha stepped back in, but before he could reach them blades of blood cut through his body. Reginald recovered from the damage inflicted by Rosalia, and everything she had severed from him melted upon contact, resulting in his body growing in size and developing additional limbs.

While engaged in a fierce fight against Reginald, Natasha and Rosalia observed something unusual. Reginald's assaults were exclusively aimed at Roland. Natasha stayed in front of Roland and pushed him around to keep him safe, but they never were able to do substantial damage, Reginald's body just kept growing. 

As the fight intensified, Roland's sense of helplessness grew, unable to contribute in any way as blood sprayed and the sound of flesh being sliced filled his ears. Everything seemed to be happening too quickly, leaving Roland feeling overwhelmed. He turned his head and saw Vander's lifeless body. "Old friend, where have things taken the wrong path." Roland felt sentimental seeing Vander.

"Old man!" Natasha's scream caused Roland to look back but the only thing he saw was a massive hand charging towards him.

"You idiot what have you done!" Roland stood in his father's office as he was being yelled at. "I only take care of tugs who were inconveniencing our citizen's lives."

His father held onto his head hearing his son's foolish words. "Listen, my boy violence will be reciprocated in the same manner, what you have done is put those people's lives under a guillotine, and it's only a matter of time before the rope is cut."

"Would you have wanted me to watch as they harassed our people?" Roland's anger towards his father was palpable. 

"No, I would have beaten you if you didn't act. I just wish you had approached the situation differently instead of brandishing your sword." His father had calmed down and looked Roland straight into his eyes. "Since you poked the bee nest, it's up to you to deal with the consequences. I am too busy to spare any time for this."

A few days later, Roland stood back in his father's study. Roland's eyes were filled with sadness as he stared at his old man who was smoking from his pipe. He had recently gone back to the small town, but when he arrived only death hung in the air. The whole village was burned to a crisp, and not a single soul was left alive. "Father, why?" Roland had difficulty getting the words out. "What did those people do to deserve this."

His father took the pipe out of his mouth and opened his mouth. "Stop believing that violence of yours can solve every problem, that mindset has already plagued this family's history for far too long. You are a diplomate, not a soldier." 

Slowly his office faded away and Roland found himself in front of a crowd, They listened to the now early twenties Roland who seemed to ease their worries with his words. Later that day, Roland was reading a letter he had gotten enraged by its contents he threw it to the side and slammed his fist on the table. "God damnit, how am I supposed to deal with this? It's clear they are being backed by them, but nobody wants to listen."

Frustrated Roland leaves the building and walks towards the forest behind the house. He takes out his pipe, ignites the flame, and begins to smoke while he walks in circles as he curses under his breath. 

"Are you in a hitch, young lord?" Roland moved his head towards the speaker and saw a middle-aged man with red eyes sitting in a tree. "Who are you?"

Vander smiled at his words. "Someone your father doesn't want you to know about."

Roland grabs his chin and tries to figure out who he might be, but nothing comes to mind. "Why would my father not want me to know you?"

"Well, you could say me and your family have a long history." Roland furrows his brows when he hears Vander. "Are you acquainted with my grandfather?"

"Grandfather? I have known every person in your family tree."

A slight annoyance appears in Roland's voice hearing this man's blatant lies. "Do not cross the line with those words of yours."

"Seems like your father diligently made sure you knew nothing." Roland's gaze showed annoyance as Vander wore a somewhat smug expression. "Let's stop bad-mouthing my father, now tell me what you want from me?"

"I was simply wondering, young lord, why you take all these heart ships, but never fight back?" Vander drops out from the tree and slowly gets closer to Roland.

"I do not know what you are talking about I am simply doing my job by helping my father." Roland moved his gaze as Vander walked in circles around him. 

"You remind me so much of him, that fool of a father of yours." Roland wanted to butt in, but he couldn't open his mouth. "In his younger years he was a valiant man I would say, but look at him now his scared for his life."

Vander stopped in front of Roland and stared straight into his eyes. "Are you also afraid of wielding a weapon?"

When the pressure around Roland disappeared he was able to speak. "What are you trying to get at?"

Vander turned away from Roland and walked back toward the forest. "Stop being scared of what's to come and grasp the situation when it needs you."

"What do you mean?" With his back towards Roland, Vander waved his goodbye. "If you want to know more let's meet back here tomorrow after you've taken care of your priorities."

In his office, Marceo looked at the electronic device that had the news on it. The moment he saw what his son had done outside the capital Marceo threw it against the wall.

Roland, now in his late twenties, stood in his father's office. The man glanced at him, holding his head and puffing on his pipe. "You fool, where have you taken the wrong path." On his table laid an electronic device that had the newspaper on it. the article was about a tournament that had taken place in a town outside of Rellion, and the winner was none other than Roland Ere.

"When did you meet him?" Marceo had a few rough guesses as to how his son had completely learned their family swordsmanship, yet this possibility scared him the most.

"Seven years ago." As soon as these words escaped his lips, Marceo effortlessly snapped his beloved pipe into two pieces. After sighing out all his stress, Marceo looked at his son. "Was you executing those people seven years ago also his doing?"

"I chose to expose them and hold them accountable for their crimes." Before Roland could even react he could feel his father's hand grab him by the neck. Marceo's cold eyes stared into Roland's. "Son, you do not realize the immense impact all your actions over the years have caused. I told you to stop using violence so that you could understand that your boldness is a curse. We haven't had much say over this city for a long while and all you are doing now is finding out how small we really are." 

Roland stared into his father's shaking eyes, seeing the fear that was instilled in them. "Then I will change that, I will take it back." Marceo throws his son on the ground and opens the door. "Stop having foolish dreams." 

The sound of the door slamming close brought Roland back to reality. He was lying against a wall and he had an unbearable headache. During the time Roland was out, Reginald had changed dramatically he was now up to four meters tall, with long legs keeping his monstrous figure plated to the ground, and from his body grew hundreds of small arms that extended as if they were elastic towards Rosalia and Natasha who were fighting with him.

While Roland stood up he could feel a newfound confidence coursing through his body, he didn't want to keep hiding from his own mistakes or be fearful of the consequences of his actions. All he wanted now was to see things through as he clasped his hand tightly around the head of his cane.

Natasha huffed and puffed, while she blocked Reginald's arms. No matter where they made a wound, it would heal faster than they could create it, and cutting anything off him would only result in him becoming bigger and more difficult to handle. In this precarious situation, Natasha hesitated, unsure of what action to take, knowing that hurting him would only fuel his strength.

Rosalia shot projectiles in the air and dispersed them above Reginald causing more blood the spread over his body. "I think I have a way to deal with him, but you'll need to buy me some time." Natasha didn't know what Rosalia had planned but a small surge of confidence filled her knowing they might have a way to deal with this monster. "Alright." 

In a momentary lapse in concentration, Natasha failed to notice one of Reginald's many hands swiftly approaching her. She quickly moved her blade to try to block it, but someone else did it for her.

Roland held the knob handle of his cane while a slender blade emerged from it as he stood before her. With swift actions, he diverted Reginald's hand to the side and glanced over his shoulder.

"Old man." Natasha was somewhat sentimental as she stared at Roland who had his left arm against his back and in his right was a rapier that he pointed towards Reginald.

"Get moving, she'll probably need your help." As he spoke, Natasha swiftly ran towards Rosalia.

Roland looked up at Reginald with sorrowful eyes to see a man so brave as him become something far from a human. Roland held his rapier at the ready as he recollected on his life. It saddened him deeply that it ended up like this. He harbored a mild resentment towards the path he had chosen, as it was far from what he had desired. In his youth, Vander had taught him a valuable lesson, but through age and hardships, the courage he had instilled in him slowly faded. The revelation hit Roland like a ton of bricks - he finally understood that he and his father were more alike than he had previously thought. 

In these moments Roland thought back to the final words of Pilantrops founder. People interpreted them in various ways, and Roland had also formed his own opinions about them. Yet now to him, these words meant something different, they represented Cedric's hatred. A strong aversion to sitting idly by instead of fixing the problem in front of you with your own hands.

With his internal battles resolved, Roland coughed lightly before charging forward.

"Mother of blood." Natasha Who was in front of Rosalia protected her as she chanted. "I offer you kindling, to burn your sorrows away." While the words left Rosalia's mouth her body morphed into her primal form. "So those who wronged you, feel what you have gone through." 

"Searing flame." When she finished speaking all the blood Rosalia had strategically spread around was lit on fire. Reginald creepily screamed in agony as his flesh was being burned away. He was stuck in a constant state of burning and healing, but due to his regenerative abilities being weaker than how much of his flesh was being melted away, his enormous body was starting to fall apart.

Natasha stood still and stared shocked at this scene, but when her eyes fell back on Rosalia, hurry entered in her stride. Rosalia was in the same state as Reginald, she was in a constant limbo between burning and being completely healthy, but the flames were slowly winning. 

"Go finish this." Rosalia's rough voice sped up Natasha even more as she dashed towards Reginald. 

Roland Constantly coughed as he slashed through Reginald trying to find a way to finish off his pitiful existence, but even now it wasn't easy. Numerous hands lunged at Roland, but none managed to grab the old man.

The cogs inside Natasha's blade turned as steam spewed out the weapon. She stomped her right foot on the ground and began her first swing, afterward a lot more followed. The last swing resulted in steam erupting from her weapon, propelling the severed pieces of flesh in various directions. In between them, Natasha could see a strange circular object that was throbbing.

With her sword poised, Natasha dashed forward, prepared to cleave it in two, but her advance was stopped by a hand slamming against her body for her side, propelling her through the air. 

"Old man!" Natasha screamed at Roland who turned his head and now also saw the core. Roland swiftly made his way towards it, he sliced through the burning hands that tried to impede his path. Various wounds appeared on his body as he got closer, but when his rapier pierced through the core Reginald stopped moving.

Roland's old age caused him to have difficulty breathing as he motionlessly stood in place. Natasha felt a strong urge to run towards him, but she reconsidered when she thought about how the man would react and what her concerned behavior might imply.

Natasha turned her head sideways to glance at Rosalia, who was lying on the ground. Her body was reverting to its human form, as she was intensively breathing. "Are you alright?" Rosalia looked up at Natasha who was standing next to her. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." Rosalia sat up straight and glanced around the room. the sight was quite hard for her to take in it all reminded her of that day when she was in charge of committing a horrifying act. With a shake of her head, she refused to dwell on it any longer. She had already made up her mind back then, but the situation was far from over.

Rosalia's eyes moved back towards her father. She didn't know how to feel anymore she was saddened by her loss, but the man she saw today wasn't the father she loved he was a monster who had gone against her mother's wishes.

With her eyes locked on the CCTP, Natasha observed the unusual energy it emitted. "Old man we still have something to deal with don't die while we're gone."

"You're not good at concealing yourself behind words, so stop pretending; Natasha. Now leave, and don't let me see that face of yours until you take care of everything." Roland's words were harsh, but they put a smile on Natasha's face. "Stay safe you dumb old man."

With blood pouring from his mouth, Roland observed the pair leap out of the hole in the wall. "I leave everything I had to you, my foolish daughter." As he fell to the floor he could see it the day he first met the little rascal of the Camrel family. In her, he could see his younger self someone who wanted to fight against the world.