-Lady, I believe I should run away now.
-Yes, Ciel. It will be best if you find my husband. There is a possibility that he is also in battle now. Then he will need you to ward off a mental breakdown if something happens.
Cirael knew very well that her maid is not a fighter, so she really should run away. Ciel herself, hearing the consent of her lady, nodded and, turning around, ran away, opening the door to the outside, or rather breaking the door along with the hinges from the wall.
-I don't know who you are, but warming up really won't hurt. I haven't fought for 30 long years, - the angel pulled out the sword from its sheath, and its blade immediately became shrouded in fire. - But first, identify yourself. In a duel it is customary to know each other's names.
The cloaked figure, although it had said words of challenge earlier, did not move an inch. However, without moving his head, he or she replied:
-My name... now, probably, it is Nyarla. You don't have to introduce yourself, Clain. I know your name.
-Good. Now, come!
~*~
Ciel ran as fast as she could. She knocked down - and given the speed, it looked like damage from a traffic accident - passers-by who did not have time to dodge, which aroused the anger of the crowd. But the negative emotions of those around her only fed her and gave her strength. Moreover, she now had a very important task. After all, if her master falls into the rage, then not a stone will remain of this city. She roughly understood what direction Oliver would be in, because she saw where Sean and him went earlier.
However, she soon had to stop - the city guards stood in her way like a wall, blocking the passage with shields, which created a wide magical barrier. She won't get through this. Apparently, the guards didn't particularly like her knocking down passers-by.
-Miss, you are under arrest for...
However, the law enforcement officers did not have time to finish pressing charges, because their attention, just like attention of the crowd, was drawn by a loud sound a couple of streets away. Moreover, in the direction from which this sound came, a huge cloud of dust rose, as if a building or two had collapsed. Considering that this was where Ciel had just fled from, it must have been Cirael who started the fight with the informant. This is exactly the conclusion the girl came to.
Before the onlookers of the crowd had time to understand what was happening and scream, a glowing pillar of dark red energy appeared in the opposite direction of that sound and cloud of dust, a few blocks from Ciel's location. Just like those columns of energy that Oliver created in "hate mode," minus the color. The guards were completely distracted by this, and the crowd began to scream and run in panic. The barrier weakened and, channeling all her strength, Ciel broke through it and ran on. Now she knew where her master probably was.
~*~
Sean was furious - it was tenth (or so) time when he was reminded that he was just a normal human, but the surgeon, just like Oliver, could not lose his composure. After all, they now had a tough fight ahead of them.
Without waiting for anything more, Oliver, without moving a muscle, only with the power of thought, launched the swords that were flying in the air next to him, right at the girl. The barmaid, in a turn, as if dancing, incredibly quickly took a side step, at the same time grabbing Sean's hand. The doctor didn't even have time to breathe and stop time before the "goat" threw him across the entire bar. With a scream, Sean crashed into the wall next to the entrance and groaned in pain. Apparently, he broke several bones, and unlike Oliver and Cirael, it will not heal quickly for him. Sean, lying on his back among the rubble of the wall, was looking for something under his robe. Look like, this search was more important than the terrible pain, unless he was looking for a painkiller.
-If you want to hurt me, Clain, use Emotional Turbulence. Although even this won't help much.
The girl spoke calmly, as if she had not just thrown a man across the entire room, destroying a wall of her own bar. But Oliver was not happy at all with this attitude towards his friend. However, based on his previous attack, it was clear that he was unlikely to be able to fight her on equal terms, especially one on one.
-First of all, don't you dare speak so imposingly after what you did to Sean! Secondly, I have a name, you know - I'm Oliver! Thirdly, emotional tur... what?
-You are Clain, yet you don't even know the main ability of the main characters? Also, since you introduced yourself... I am Shab-N[censored]ggerat, - the girl, having said her name, realized that Oliver was looking at her very strangely. - What? Due to copyright problems, we cannot use the full names of the Great Old Ones from Lovecraft's books, so we have to change them slightly.
-But... but this is... you just said the n-word! - Clain shouted.
-Well, yes. Didn't you know? Lovecraft was a racist. Do you know what his cat's name was?
Oliver shook his head, puzzled. At the same time, Sean, who seemingly did know it, desperately shouted "no!", but it was too late.
-His cat's name was N[censored]er-Man.
The man in the black cloak bulged his eyes and stared at one point for several seconds, as if his whole world had turned upside down. But he soon shook his head and returned to more important issues:
-So what is this emotional tube? - Oliver's voice was already calmer. After all, the scream "no" that his friend shouted sounded several times more cheerful than the painful groans from broken ribs.
-Not tube, it's "Emotional Turbulence"! It is a special mode in which Clain gives in to emotions. If you are mentally strong enough, then you can control when to use it and when to end it. Also, if can control it, you also can control yourself.
-And... why are you telling your enemy about this?
An awkward silence hung in the air. "It seemed like a battle was about to happen, and then it all went into discussions and absurd comedy. This doesn't sound like an epic climax", Oliver said to break the awkward silence and shrugged. However, after that, no one said anything for another 5 seconds. Then Oliver tried again:
-The weather is nice outside today, isn't it? - The barmaid nodded awkwardly. - Oh, I know! To keep your name from being offensive, I'll call you "Shabby"! Are you fine with it?
"Shabby's" blushed heavily, after which she angrily blurted out:
-How dare you call me that?! I am the protagonist of the 168th iteration, and you... you! - but despite all these words, she added awkwardly. - But I guess it's better than the n-word... but it's still not enough to kill you for that!
-Well, you see, your fighting spirit has returned. We can start! - Oliver smiled.
To tell the truth, he didn't have any plan. However, he was at least glad that he was able to "entertain" his interlocutor. Shabby was very puzzled by the fact that Oliver himself encouraged her to duel, considering that he definitely would not win, but...
-Okay then! You'll regret giving me this attitude back! Behold! Clain Family's Special Spell - Emotional Turbulence: Wrath!
Immediately, a beam of dark red energy shot into the sky from where Shabby stood, breaking through the ceiling and seemingly reducing the stone blocking the path to nothingness. "Just like my Hate," Oliver thought with disgust, "except that the color doesn't match, but otherwise..." About two seconds later, the column of energy dried up, and the barmaid's body was surrounded by energy of the same color, concentrated furthest in the limbs and horns, "lengthening" them.
Surprisingly, Sean's gaze was drawn to this more than anyone's else. Judging by the way his right hand, tucked under his robe, trembled, he found in his pockets what he was looking for, but did not pull it out. However, no one paid attention to him. Instead, Shabby turned to Oliver again.
-Come on, use your Turbulence too! I give you a 3 second, Clain! Ooone...
-Hey, hey, I don't know how to turn on that Hate berserk mode at will!
-Twooo...
-And in general, I don't know how to control myself in it so don't want to give in to emotions!
-Th...
But the girl's slow counting was interrupted by the slam of the door - Ciel ran into the bar.
-Master Oliver! Lady Cirael has engaged in a battle! You should finish your battle here quickly and go help her!
Shabby, who was already ready to bend her third finger, looked at the uninvited guest. At Ciel's words, Shabby's anger began to boil within her with renewed vigor.
-"Finish his battle here quickly"? I alone can probably destroy you all! Also, Oliver, are you serious? A maid? What the hell are your kinks? Eh, anyway, it doesn't matter, I I'll keep counting! Three!
But even now she was interrupted. Sean again burst out screaming in pain - but not from the injuries he had received earlier. In his hand was a syringe with black liquid inside, which by some miracle did not break when he hit the wall. The surgeon stuck this syringe into his vein and instantly injected the contents.
-Sean, what are you... - Oliver began.
The doctor sharply pulled out the syringe and threw it away, taking a second one from under his coat, inserted, or rather even stabbed it into the same place of the body, but now on the other hand.
-This is... pus of Hate! - Ciel shouted.
She had already run to him, but there was no way she could be faster than someone who can stop time. He inhaled and time stood still. He took out a third syringe and, when time began to move again, stabbed it into his solar plexus, releasing black liquid there too. "He must have collected this when we were calming Oliver down last time!" Ciel thought and she was right. While Sean's eyes turned completely black, he let out an inhuman scream and slowly stood up on his feet, although a couple of seconds ago his bones were broken.
-What's going on here?! - Shabby blurted out.
-Sean injected himself with Master Oliver's blood, containing the pus of Hate!... or something like that... probably...
Ciel herself was not sure, because she did not know how it worked. But what she was sure of was that something had to be done about it. She pointed her hand at Sean, who for now was just standing there with his head thrown up, his mouth completely open. Black liquid flowed from his eyes and mouth. Shabby, like Oliver, stood waiting for something to happen. As soon as the dark energy began to move from the surgeon to Ciel, as it usually did from Oliver, Sean came to his senses...
Even Shabby didn't have time to realize what had happened. And Oliver even more so. It was impossible for him to predict this. After all, his eyes reflected Ciel's head flying off her shoulders. A stream of blood gushed from her neck, but this fountain quickly stopped. Still in disbelief, Clain turned his gaze to Sean. Sean stood with a grin, pointing his right hand in the direction where the living Ciel had recently stood. Black liquid flowed from his forward fingers, and so did red blood that he got on his fingers when they, lengthening by black matter, cut Ciel's neck. Suddenly, pus of Hate spraying from his mouth, he laughed.
-Yes! Yes! This is wonderful, Oliver! Who would have thought that just a tenth of a liter of your blood during Turbulence carries such amazing power! And you kept it to yourself all this time, huh? I finally feel alive!
Oliver, when he finally realized that it was not a dream, but a reality, started to tremble, as his mind was drowning in anger. Little by little, he began to be enveloped in the same black energy as his former friend. And while Shabby, despite her self-confidence minutes earlier, stepped back, Sean was calm and continued to speak in an enthusiastic voice:
-In just a fraction of second, this power healed what would otherwise take months to heal! Now go ahead and go crazy! And give me more of that precious Hate, Oliver!