The surrounding air quivered as the beast and the mortal clashed their weapons, the terrain juddered with such intensity that the people evacuating near the edge of the village could feel the ground below their feet shaking. The wooden bridge connecting the floating mass of land with the village swung even harder, the people on board fell over each other trying to get hold of anything that could even by a little increase their chances of surviving the forsaken night. The frightened mob pushed over each other like hoard of sheep, which were scared beyond their means.
"It's just a little earthquake, no need to panic", said Luna trying to calm down the agitated crowd.
"Don't stop, keep moving", yelled Levi.
Four cadets from Vilson's group were evacuating people to safety to the floating penitentiary along with a few foot soldiers while the location of the other four was unknown.
"Get out of my way!", yelled a man as he came pushing through the crowd from the back.
"Get in a line sir", yelled Levi as he stopped the man in his path.
"Get in line!! is this a damn Walmart!! our lives are on a line here, let me pass through!!", said the man as he pushed Levi back.
"We are well aware of it, that is the reason we are here, you'll only create a ruckus if you start pushing everyone", replied Levi in a polite requesting tone while gaining balance from the sudden push.
"My life is more important than these peasants, I was a damned official inside the capital. I AM MORE IMPORTANT!!", yelled the man with a desperate voice.
"No you're not", affirmed Luna.
"Our roles inside the capital do not matter anymore, I am sure you are well aware of that", said Luna in a condemning tone.
With Luna's rigid behavior and the intolerable glare of the surrounding crowd, the man withdrew and joined the back of the crowd all while cursing Luna.
"Pathetic", exclaimed Luna as she watched him retreating.
"Get back to work", said Dash as he returned after observing the surrounding area looking for any possible villager, mounted on a β-horse.
[After the fall with the birth of new species of carnivorous animals and the danger they possessed to other herbivorous species, eventually led to the evolution of other inferior species in order to maximize their chances of survival. They evolved either physically or mentally as such their surroundings demanded. They weren't given a completely new name but rather a prefix was added before their old one, depending on the kind of evolution, beta (β) for a physical evolution and gamma (Γ ) for a mental one.]
"What is the situation", asked Luna looking at Dash.
"All clear, least for now", replied Dash.
"After the last clash with that anomality, we have greatly reduced in number", commented Levi, "not more than twenty soldiers to handle this much of a crowd", he added.
"Complaining won't get us anywhere, get in contact with Rika for further course of our actions, I'll take over the crowd here", said Dash as he descended from the horse and handed the leash to Levi.
"Why should I go?", questioned Levi.
"You're not good with crowds", replied Dash.
Levi had always been a rather quite person. He completed his duties without much involvement in social gatherings. Something about him kept him vary of other people, his character resembled an ocean calm from the outside but at turmoil from the inside.
"Right", said Levi in a voice filled with melancholy as he mounted the horse and was about to leave.
"Levi!", said Dash in a loud voice, "let's do what we are good at".
"Yeah", said Levi forcing a smile on his face.
Levi snapped the leash and made a classic sound a horse rider would make to get the β-horse going.
[Back to main fight]
Nord lifted the hammer with his right hand from the ground and dashed towards the approaching beast, just before closing in Nord stretched his right arm backward as far as he could to increase the momentum and instill maximum strength behind his swing, in response the beast lifted his axe and did the same fabricating strong current in his axe as it burst out with cutting sparks of refined blue, luminescent electricity, and bang clashed the weapons.
Both of combatants put their absolute vigor in this particular strike but to the incredulity of the bystanders, it was Nord's hammer that prevailed, forcing back the enormous giant. Without losing a single second Nord pummeled the giant with periodic swings of the hammer. The hammer hitting the beast's body made sounds like hitting solid iron. Axe fell from the anomality's hand and Nord's repetitive pounding made the beast sway on his feet.
"Just a bit more", said Nord reaching his physical limits.
[A few yards away]
"He's going to win", exclaimed Lark turning to Vilson.
Vilson didn't say anything and continued to observe the fight.
"Not yet", commented Rein standing behind Lark and Vilson.
Though the pace had fallen in favor of Nord, yet the odds seemed prejudicing against him for the giant grew even more hostile, instead of losing his robustness the beast became rather firm on his feet.
"This will be your end, you dumb beast", yelled Nord making a large swing with his hammer, putting all his remaining strength in this strike.
"Aaaaarrrrghhhhh", making a war cry he secured his footing and went in for the final strike.
Lark with contentment on his face as if closing the deal on a verified win, yelled on the top of his lungs, "Go for it". Swish fell the long-waited hammer of victory.
For a fraction of seconds after the sound of impact from the hammer resonated there was complete silence.
Lark's expressions went from joy to pure terror for the beast had grabbed the ensuring hammer with his left arm.
The anomality who had grabbed the falling hammer moved it away from his face, for where it was initially about to hit and moving a bit forward looked Nord right in his eyes.
"Element of surprise", uttered the anomality with the widest grin and the deepest voice one could ever hear.
Nord's eyes widened out of complete astonishment as well as terror, for it was the first time that a beast had spoken in language that could be comprehended by a mortal brain.
"We're cooked", said penguin hanging on Nord's shoulder.