__________ POV Ashton__________
After a while, we all finished our tea in silence. Leaving Maha to grieve. Zeno was wistfully looking at his tea, and Silva was gripping the table with quite a bit of force.
As for me... Finally learning of Zigg's fate isn't exactly as tragic as I expected it to be...
I had already come to terms with his passing long ago. But what I feel is more in tune with what Maha feels. Anger, pure unadulterated hatred.
No... I'm not even close to being over it. A blasted snake took the life of one of my only friends while his father and son could only watch in despair?
That snake...Well, wasn't I already planning on studying the calamities, or the five threats, closely? One of them has already appeared in front of me and even spit on my face.
I'll help the Zoldycks get some closure whilst recovering the piece. Retrieving Zigg's body is now on my urgent to-do list.
I slowly put my cup back on its tray. If looked upon closely, one might discover a few cracks on its sides.
"Say... Do you guys feel like hunting today?" I said as a few veins became visible on my forehead.
The Zoldycks looked surprised by my suggestion. Maha narrowed his eyes in extreme hatred. "Always... Good thing we have a mountain in our backyard."
Zeno matched his grandfather's hatred towards that snake. Silva just nodded, he wasn't about to refuse, he respected his elders after all.
__________ POV Narration__________
Zigg's demise had always been a strain on the Zoldyck families psyche. At least to the older members.
They didn't involve any of Silva's children in this endeavour. Feeling it would be putting them in danger. Silva's children might be strong, but the enemy they were going against was much more terrifying.
They wanted to be sure their lineage could continue through them if something was to happen to the two senior members and the current clan head.
As for how they felt about losing Zigg...
Silva didn't have enough time to get too attached to his grandfather. Only a few meetings here and there, but he considered him a strange man, rarely serious and extremely playful.
Still, he knew of his grandfather's strength. He was angered by the way things ended up.
Zeno was Zigg's son and he respected his father greatly. Not being able to do anything about his death was beyond frustrating to the ageing assassin.
And Maha... He regretted every moment of him allowing Zigg to go to the Dark Continent.
He had loved Zigg, considered him to be the perfect son, maybe a bit more rebellious than most.
But he was way more talented than Maha could ever dream to be. The diamond of the Zoldyck family.
A majestic flame that Maha thought would guide their family to incomparable heights... Only to be snuffed out in a single night.
Maha couldn't do anything to save his son. He could still remember that grim hateful night clearly.
Upon meeting the Hellbell, Zigg was affected by its mind-altering abilities. He started saying strange things, his movements became strained. And eventually, he came to be.
He looked his father in the eye and said. "I'm sorry..." As he stabbed his own heart out in an instant.
Maha wasn't fast enough to do anything. He could only watch in despair as the snake coiled around his son's body.
He tried to get the snake to leave. Only to get bit in the process. He only survived due to his abnormal poison resistance.
Later, he learned why his son had done such a thing.
The Hellbell had caused the army of a country to annihilate itself through infighting. Zigg realised his mind was getting twisted.
In the seconds he managed to regain control, he did his best to protect his father and family, by taking his own life to avoid going on a spree.
Maha, Zeno and Silva tried repeatedly to retrieve Zigg's remains. To no avail, they couldn't get too close to the Hellbell without having to engage it.
And they weren't immune to its mind-altering abilities. They tried fighting it multiple times, only to barely escape with their lives.
But with Ashton here. The three Zoldycks realised this might be their chance. Together, they stood a chance, they knew of Ashton's strength.
Maha losing his arm whilst fighting his took the entire family by surprise, at least the ones that knew about it anyway.
The ancient assassin refused to reattach it, saying it would serve as a good reminder of his laking capabilities. Even with a missing arm, his strength didn't decrease much.
What made him weaker, however, was the greatest enemy of man, time.
He grew older and older, now he was way past his prime, yet still one of the strongest men in the world.
Zeno was not as strong as Maha, but he was no pushover, he could stand against many of the strongest and even hold them back. Winning head-on confrontation was still questionable though.
As for Silva... He was already in his prime, and he was as strong as his father, Zeno.
Maybe a bit stronger, as he had more strength to spare and his young bones didn't ache as much.
And the three of them, alongside Ashton, undisputedly the strongest man alive, knew the time to retrieve their fallen kin had come.
__________ POV Ashton__________
"What exactly is the plan though?" Asked Zeno, a bit curious. He's probably thinking of ways to approach this threat.
After all, getting too close to it will make you vulnerable to its abilities.
'Even if we are strong in body, we are still human, will we be able to resist the beast's mind-breaking attack?' Is probably their train of thought.
"I will go first and attract its attention. After that, just go with the flow..." I said with a great amount of confidence in my voice.
They all looked at each other, then nodded.
"Well then, let's not waste any more time." Said Maha as he got up. Clenched his only fist and cracked his neck.
"Indeed..." Zeno said calmly, the underlying murderous intent behind his tone was really impressive.
Silva was a lot more silent, he just got up and looked at the three of us.
And like that, the most powerful hunting party in human history was formed.
____________________________________
The next chapter will be hunting a calamity!
Btw, the next novel is going to come out in a week(it ended up taking a lot longer for me to decide that tbh)
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