Jekyll's hands left my back and grabbed some old pipes above, pulling us up with Zon following soon after, and taking us out of the way of the train.
However, I had little time to react when I came face to face with Mars. I raised Beastbain in front of my body, using it as a shield against the large metal fist that approached.
Unfortunately, the block was sloppy and I was not prepared for the robot's absurd strength, especially at that speed. The pipes Jekyll held snapped and I hit the roof of the train, passing through Mars and rolling down the cars as I screamed in pain with each impact.
I glimpsed Jekyll manifesting his axe in his left hand and plunging it into the train, bringing us to an abrupt halt. I did the same with my sword, using it as a support to stand up.
The pain I felt disappeared and my legs stopped shaking, probably Jekyll healing the damage. I wiped the blood dripping from my mouth and faced Mars.
The big robot turned towards me, its spidery legs clicking heavily against the metal of the train as its red eye stared at me in silence.
"As Supreme Commander of this base, I sentence you traitors to execution by firing squad." Mars spoke monotonously, pointing its gun arm in our direction.
I grumbled angrily and stood up quickly, assuming a fighting stance with Zon floating beside me.
"Last words..." Mars spoke.
"SHUT UP!" Zon shouted, interrupting Mars and then firing a powerful magic beam.
BOOM!
The bright red attack closed the distance quickly, hitting Mars with a blast and creating a smoke cloud. For a moment, I thought the attack had destroyed Mars, but my relief died as soon as I saw a bright spot amidst the smoke.
Mars walked out of the cloud, its form pushing through the smoke and revealing a large, yellow, cracked bubble surrounding it.
"Great, he got an energy shield!" Jekyll shouted in my mind.
"What the hell is an energy shield?!?"
"I'll explain later, but to summarize, Mars has a barrier that protects it from attacks, but can be destroyed with enough damage!"
Hm... I analyzed the cracks left by Zon's attack; I think the shield will fall with a few more shots. However, I abandoned my thoughts as soon as I saw Mars' gun arm rotating. The robot did not comment this time and fired a flurry of projectiles in my direction.
"Zon, you can shoot!" I shouted at the floating book.
"You don't have to say it twice!" Zon replied, accumulating magic in his pages and sending another magical attack towards the robot.
The magic beam melted the projectiles in its path, reducing them to nothing in mid-flight, and hit Mars again, its large shape combined with the narrow space prevented it from dodging, creating another explosion followed by a smoke cloud.
However, Mars did not stop its attack and advanced towards us, the cracks in its shield expanding.
"Zon, don't stop shooting!" I exclaimed, pointing at Mars.
"Stop giving me orders! I'm running out of energy, I still haven't recovered from the previous fight against the rust buckets!" Zon shouted, preparing for another shot.
"Don't worry, just destroy the shield and leave the rest to Jekyll and me!" I replied, raising my sword and preparing for combat.
"I will do it if you insist, but don't come begging for my help afterward, you little brat!" Zon replied before firing repeatedly.
Attack after attack, spell after spell, Zon's shots hit the fast-approaching Mars, filling the tunnel with a cacophony of explosions and heavy metallic footsteps.
The cracks in the shield spread further, causing the shield to flicker shortly, but Mars closed the distance, getting within a few meters of us. Simultaneously, Zon fired his final shot.
There was a smoke cloud followed by a blinding flash and the sound of breaking glass. Then Mars emerged from the smoke, its fist raised above its head, but without its shield protecting it.
"I'm exhausted, give me some time to rest and I'll be back in the fight soon, but until then the rest is up to you!" Zon replied.
Turning my head, I saw Zon floating away and down, disappearing into the space between two cars. I quickly switched my focus to the robot in front of me and dashed forward with a burst of speed.
I waited for the last moment when Mars' fist closed to my face and threw myself to the ground, sliding under the robot's legs and getting up straight away, landing a cut on its back.
Unfortunately, the metal proved more resistant than even the robots I had faced before. I then wrapped my sword in flames and delivered a second blow, hearing the metal sizzle and melt, leaving a scorching cut behind.
However, I was unable to continue my attack, as Mars' upper body rotated one hundred and eighty degrees, backhanding me and sending me rolling away.
I repeated my previous actions and slammed Beastbain into the train, stopping my movements and getting up just in time to see Mars' weapon spinning in front of my face.
I wasted no time and wrapped my sword in flames, making a vertical slash and hitting the underside of the weapon, forcing it upwards.
BBBRRR!
I held back a pained cry as the blaring noise echoed off the walls, making my ears ring intensely. Dust and dirt fell on my head, partially blinding me as Mars fired.
"ENOUGH OF THIS INFERNAL NOISE!" I screamed from the top of my lungs, putting more strength into my arms, and parrying Mars' gun to the side, towards the tunnel wall.
SSSCCCRRREEE!
I immediately regretted my decision when the creaks and pops of Mars' arm tearing a line in the stone tunnel assaulted my ears.
Sparks and stones rained down in all directions as I pinned Mars' arm against the wall, but I stopped and jumped backward when I saw Mars' fist coming towards the side of my head.
I dodged Mars' blow, but the robot removed its gun arm from the wall and pointed it at me. The heavily dented and bent arm rotated for only a few centimeters before locking into place, sparking and crackling.
Mars stared at its arm in possible confusion and irritation, I could not tell since it did not have a face. The arm tried to rotate again, generating a shower of sparks as the metal took on a bright red color and released steam.
Then...
BOOM!
Mars' weapon exploded into a rain of flaming fragments and projectiles. Some perforated Mars, creating steaming holes, while others ricocheted in its body.
"Hey, don't you think this is going too far?!? How about we stop and go our separate ways?" I asked, preparing myself for my enemy's next move.
"I'll be on my way as soon as I get the cargo out of the cold, dead hands of the traitors in front of me." Mars replied, grabbing its weapon arm with its hand and pulling it down.
The metal creaked and crumpled, struggling against its owner's strength, but soon broke with an audible jerk, revealing a mass of sparking wires and small metal pieces that soon fell to the ground.
Mars then threw its arm aside, hitting the wall of the tunnel and letting the limb disappear into the tracks below.
"You keep talking about cargo and traitors as if we were at war!" I replied, running towards Mars.
"I say that because we are at war! Besides being a traitor, are you crazy now?" Mars said its voice tone incompatible with the seriousness of the situation.
"You're the only one crazy here!" I replied, throwing myself down again, causing Mars to punch the train, while I slid under its legs.
I jumped back as soon as Mars spun around again, trying to hit me, and stepped forward, taking advantage of the opening and trying to pierce the robot's chest. However, Mars raised its arm in front of its chest, blocking my blow.
We fought for dominance, the steel of our weapons fighting to stay on top. Mars pulled its head back and threw it forward, trying to head-butt me, but Jekyll's hand came off my shoulder, striking with his axe and almost decapitating the robot.
Mars staggered backward with a cut just above its red eye. I wasted no time in parrying its arm aside, allowing Jekyll to leave a large gash in the robot's chest.
"Hump... You call me crazy, but you are the only one who cannot see what is going on around you. Tell me; can you not hear the sounds of battle? The explosions of artillery, missiles, and rockets hitting the ground, creating a rain of earth and blood? The crack of bullets cutting through the air and piercing flesh as white as snow? The screams of rage, fear, and despair as the legion advances, destroying everything in its path? Tell me, if we're not at war then why can I hear them?" Mars asked a hint of emotion rising in its voice as it dragged its hand across the cut on its chest.
"The war is over on Mars, the legion no longer exists, but humanity is still in danger. Get out of my way or help us, but I won't let you take the Grimoire."
"The war is over? The war never ends. We've been at war for centuries, so why would it conveniently end when a traitor infiltrated my base and stole what my men died to protect?" Mars demanded approaching as a black liquid oozed from the cut on its chest.
"Hey, Hyde, we're about to come out of the tunnel!" Jekyll spoke. Turning my head, I saw a bright light approaching in the distance.
"If you doubt me then why don't you look for yourself?!?" I replied, pointing at the light.
I partially closed my eyes as the light intensified, and felt a gale blowing my hair. The world went white for a second, but I was no longer in a dark tunnel when my vision returned to normal.
The train still moved fast along its tracks, but this time we ran through the side of a mountain. I saw the Aerie disappearing into the distance, giving way to green plains and forests, and snow-capped mountains on the distant horizon.
The sun shone brightly in a blue sky full of gigantic white clouds, with flocks of white birds flying in formation, singing as they headed toward their destination.
"Tell me, Mars, if we're still at war then what does it all mean? What do you see?" I asked, pointing at the landscape to my right.
"I see what I saw since I began my service. A sea of destruction covered in corpses and flaming ruins, war machines roaring incessantly, raining destruction on anything that had the unfortunate fate of getting in their way, and white-skinned, red-eyed giants, trampling and devouring all the brave soldiers who joined the war." Mars replied, anger becoming noticeable in its voice.
"Hyde, repeat what I'm about to say." Jekyll said in the middle of the conversation.
"There's only one problem with this statement, it's in the past, the world has changed, and times have changed. People live in relative peace now, they are born, grow up, and experience the world around them. Right now, people laugh, have fun, cry, and mourn, they build families, make friends, and fight for a better future. All thanks to the victory that people like you have achieved in the past, but all that is at risk, so why don't you stop and enjoy a new world?"
"If what you say is true, then what is that? Tell me! Tell me you see that thing too! That monster walking towards us!" Mars demanded, pointing to the horizon.
I followed its finger and saw only fields, forests, and nothing else. Honestly, it is somewhat sad, I cannot imagine what Mars went through to end up like this, but the war must have been terrible from what Jekyll, and now Mars, told me.
"Mars, there's nothing there." I replied sadly, shaking my head and giving the robot my best empathetic look. Mars' hand stayed in the air, stretched out towards nothingness as it trembled slightly.
"Nothing... That... That is not possible... However, I saw... How can you not see?" Mars stammered its voice cracking with helplessness as the trembling increased.
"The war is over Mars." I said apologetically, stepping towards the robot.
"Is the war over?" Mars asked in disbelief, turning towards me.
"Yes, you don't have to fight anymore! You know what? You do not even have to join us! You're free to do whatever you want!" I smiled hopefully, praying that my words would work and Mars would stop fighting.
"I'm free to do whatever I want? That is... That is..." Mars said to itself, walking slowly towards me.
I smiled internally when my plan seemed to work, but I stepped back and lifted Beastbain as soon as Mars started acting erratically.
"Where... Where am I? This... That is not possible! All... All this wasted time! I... I could..." Mars muttered mysteriously, looking around for something as its body twitched.
"The legion is here! The war is over stop it! That is impossible the war never ends! I have wasted so much time! Fulfill your mission! The mission means nothing! You are a cowardly soldier! I am not a soldier anymore! General Takao would be ashamed of your words! General Takao is dead! He is dead... My friend is dead... Everyone is dead... Where... Where am I? Where has everyone gone?"
I took even more distance when an unpleasant sensation sank into my stomach. Mars' voice distorted with every word it spoke, gradually becoming low and gravelly.
"Get ready Hyde, we don't know what's coming!"
"Funny, I thought as much." I replied nervously, expecting the worst.
Suddenly, sparks gushed from every joint and opening in Mars' body as the robot struggled violently. This disturbing display lasted for a few seconds until Mars' eye went out and it toppled forward, hitting the roof of the train with a metallic thud.
"It's never that easy, I recommend throwing it off the train before it gets up." Jekyll suggested.
"You're right, as much as it pains me to admit it. The situation has only worsened, why should now be any different?" I asked more to myself than to Jekyll.
I approached Mars, ready to throw it down the mountain. I put my hand on its back and tried to push the robot, it was extremely heavy, but not impossible to move. Unfortunately, Mars had other plans. Its head rose unexpectedly and I saw a bright red eye staring at me.
"SONOFABITCH!" I shouted in surprise, applying even more strength and trying to knock Mars down before it got up again, but the robot planted its back legs on the train, preventing it from falling.
I screamed in pain as I received a strong punch in the stomach, and went backward with my feet sliding across the floor. I clutched my wounded belly as I spat a pool of blood and saliva, and cringed slightly as I felt a few broken bones snap back into place with audible pops.
"Couldn't you be kinder?!" I asked Jekyll.
"I'm sorry, but the situation prevents me from working with the precision and care of a surgeon!"
"What the hell is a surgeon?!?"
"That's a conversation for another day!" Jekyll replied.
I focused on Mars and watched as the robot slowly stood up, never taking its eyes off me. Its intense, emotionless gaze made me nervous. The robot had no face, but there was something different about it.
"Mars?" I asked hesitantly, the bad feeling in my stomach worsening. Moreover, the answer I received did not help.
"RRROOOAAARRR!" Mars roared towards the sky in a distorted, rumbling voice, a noise so loud it made my ears ring again.
"Well, he's gone mad for good." Jekyll commented dryly.
"Really? Can you believe I didn't notice?" I replied with a mixture of sarcasm and fear.
Mars pointed its palm in our direction, revealing a circular opening that shone an intense orange. I could not guess what would come, but it could not have been good, judging by Jekyll's exclamations.
"Leave it to me!" Jekyll shouted, removing both arms from my back and grabbing the side of the train.
Simultaneously, a jet of flame shot out of the opening in Mars' palm, roaring like a dragon, and closing the distance quickly. The hot air was the first to hit me, making me sweat and wince in pain.
However, I cried out in surprise when Jekyll abruptly pulled me aside, falling out of the train. I thought I would die, but Jekyll's arms holding the edge of the car stopped my fall.
I frowned at the sight of the arms burning in the sunlight, so I remained dangling as the train moved, with an abyss just below my feet. Well, despite the fright, I felt relieved to be out of there, as I felt the heat of the flames from here.
Unfortunately, Mars did not finish its attack, as I saw the tip of one of its spider legs diving towards me. Jekyll grabbed the next area on the edge of the train and pulled me out of the way of the attack that ripped a circular hole in the car with a pop.
Mars chased us as we swerved, constantly trying to pierce me with one of its legs, leaving a trail of perfect circular holes behind.
However, something caught my attention as we moved, the train approached another tunnel and we approached the front of the train, so there would be no room to fight properly, not to mention, of course, that Jekyll still burned.
"Jekyll, I'll create an opening and you'll pull us over the train, do you understand?!?" I asked the Gestalt.
"Yes, just give me the signal!"
"Right!"
I waited for Mars' leg to approach and parried it aside with a clumsy blow, but that was more than enough to make the robot lose its balance and plant both its left legs on the side of the car so it would not fall off.
"Jekyll, now!"
Jekyll pulled up me with the same strength as before, and I glimpsed Mars pointing its hand in our direction, but it was too late, I dodged the jet of flames, passed through the car, and remained shortly in the air, before landing in a crouch, but I quickly got up, preparing for combat.
"Hyde, I know we're still in sunlight, but I can help."
"No, you've been in enough danger burning now, and in the fight against the crusaders, just keep an eye on where the train is going and focus on healing me, meanwhile, Leave Mars to me." I replied, watching as Mars' legs clicked on the metal and it climbed back onto the car.
"If you insist, but I'll interfere if I think it's necessary. Oh, we're about to enter the tunnel!"
I nodded at Jekyll's words and focused on the robot in front of me. I moved forward as soon as I noticed Mars moving its hand towards me, so I summoned the flames again and slashed Mars' arm in the wrist area, tearing through the metal and interrupting its attack.
Some flames came out of Mars' palm, and then the robot quickly closed its fist and sent a flaming punch towards me. I jumped back, narrowly dodging the attack, but the resulting flames scorched my clothes and skin.
Suddenly, darkness enveloped us for a second before we found ourselves inside a tunnel again.
Mars removed its scorched fist from the slightly melted car with a jerk, tearing off a large piece of metal and throwing it toward me. I groaned in surprise at the sight of the approaching wreck, but stood my ground and unleashed a flaming cut, slicing the metal in two with a shower of sparks.
I watched as the two molten halves flew off in different directions, but I barely had time to raise Beastbain as a shield when I saw Mars advancing quickly from behind the metal.
The metal creaked, and my feet slid across the floor, I saw my skin darkening and the yellow lines glowing as I struggled to stay in place, but Mars' blow and strength was such that the flat part of Beastbain hit my face.
CRACK!
"AAAHHH!" I screamed in pain as I felt my nose and teeth breaking, and almost bit my tongue as I felt everything healing and going back in place.
Mars drew back its fist and threw another punch. I saw the approaching fist through my blurred vision and stepped forward, allowing the punch to pass beside my head, and engulfed Beastbain in flames, dragging its blade across the robot's arm.
The sword lunged forward, leaving a trail of molten metal as sparks hit my face, accompanied by an annoying high-pitched squeal, but I continued my attack and raised my sword above my head, delivering a heavy blow to Mars' chest.
I sliced through the metal as if it were paper, leaving a large, bright orange gash behind as a trail of flames disappeared into thin air. Shards of metal flew everywhere, exposing Mars' insides.
"Hyde, I see the tunnel exit!"
I paid half-attention to Jekyll's words and pulled Beastbain back, pushing it forward immediately afterward and unleashing a flaming thrust towards the large wound I had left in the robot, piercing its insides.
I must have hit something important because I heard a series of indescribable noises as Mars convulsed and its eye flashed several different colors.
Mars raised a trembling hand, trying to point its palm at my head, but I put my foot on its stomach, removing Beastbain along with a mass of wires, and cut Mars' palm, creating a small explosion.
"Well, what other tricks have you got up your sleeve?!?" I demanded, stepping backward as I opened my arms.
A strong light enveloped me and I found myself out of the tunnel again. I kept my eyes on Mars, but Jekyll's words captured my attention.
"Hyde, look, it's Facade!"
"What?!?" I asked in disbelief.
Looking to the left, I spotted the coastal town with its port full of ships docking and setting sail, and its houses made of white stone. The cry of the seagulls only served to confirm my assumptions.
Then I shifted my focus to the tracks and saw that huge metal pillars supported them meters above the sea, but they ended in the distance. There was nothing else ahead.
"Well, that's interesting; I wonder if we'll find a map with the rail lines, it would make our journeys easier."
"Not now Jekyll, this is no time for that! Why do you make these remarks at the most inconvenient time?"
"I don't go out much, so I like to take advantage of these little moments. I'd take a picture if I had a cell phone."
I would ask what a cell phone is, but Mars turned out to be the most important problem now. The robot stood up with difficulty, shaking and creaking like an old branch in the wind.
Its posture was low and hunched as if its body weighed tons, which it probably did. Mars raised its head slowly, staring at me in silence. Then the armor on its right shoulder opened, revealing the handle of a weapon.
Mars fumbled to grasp the handle, its hand shaking and grasping the air until it managed to hold on to the weapon in question, revealing a pointed and slightly serrated short sword, the edge of which glowed an intense red, distorting the air around it.
"Oh, a combat knife!"
"A knife?!? That shit's a sword!" I exclaimed, pointing at the piece of metal.
"It would be a sword in your hands, but a knife in Mars' hands. It's all a question of perspective."
"Leaving that aside, how long do we have before we fall to our deaths?"
"Hm... A few minutes, we need to get out of here immediately."
"Well, nothing out of the ordinary for us!" I shrugged, running towards the robot.
However, I frowned as I exchanged blows with Mars; this no longer looked like a fight. The robot's sword emanated a scorching heat that burned my skin slightly every time it got close, but my opponent's blows were slow and weak.
Mars raised its sword above its head, the metal reflecting the sunlight, and brought it down towards me. I raised Beastbain and easily parried the blow to the right, causing Mars to stumble and lean forward as sparks flew from every joint of its body.
Mars then spun its sword in its hand and tried to stab my right side, but the blow was slow and predictable, I stepped back and calmly deflected the attack.
Nevertheless, the robot kept fighting, landing a third blow aimed at my throat, but I ducked, allowing the cut to pass over my head. I did not know if robots were capable of feeling tired, but Mars seemed capable of it, as its form rose and fell slightly, like someone breathing heavily.
This may sound strange, but I felt bad about. This was not like when I fought Neptune, where Jekyll and I were at a disadvantage. We were winning, but I did not felt right.
"Hyde, the tracks are ending!" Jekyll warned me. I murmured in confirmation and spoke my last words to the robot.
"Listen, I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm sorry about everything. My friend and I need the Grimoire to save the world, and you're not going to let us go without a fight, I'd like you to know that this isn't personal, but if you can't accept reality then I will finish you."
Mars stared at me in silence for a few seconds, the red light in its eye flickering faintly. Unfortunately, my words seemed to mean nothing, as Mars landed another blow.
I sighed in disappointment, not knowing why I had expected anything different. I focused all my strength on my arms, watching them change, and engulfed Beastbain in flames, delivering a final blow with a battle cry.
"RAH!"
Then our blows met...
CLANG!
A metallic clang echoed through the area, I watched as Mars' hand, and sword flew away, the hand falling into the sea and the sword embedding itself in the car just behind the robot.
Looking back, I saw that the train was about to fall into the sea, so I put my strength on my legs and ran towards Mars. The robot tried to hit me with its arm, but I jumped over the limb and stepped on its shoulder, using it as a springboard before landing next to the sword.
I sheathed Beastbain, removed Mars' sword from the train, and ran towards the end of the train, jumping over the gaps between the cars, eventually finding Zon resting there.
"Zon, we have to get out of here now!" I shouted at the book.
"Is the fight over? Did you win?" Zon asked, yawning sleepily.
Looking back, I spotted Mars staring at me as it walked towards me.
"Not yet, but that doesn't matter! The tracks are gone and the train will fall into the sea!"
"Damn it, why didn't you say it before, let's get out of here now!" Zon shouted, floating away immediately.
Suddenly, the train tilted backward. Looking at the source of the commotion, I saw the cars I had passed falling into the sea, but Mars still moved, running on top of the cars, but never leaving its place.
Zon and I let out a string of insults and ran too, or just me in this case, since the book floated and shouted for me to run faster.
Nevertheless, there was a problem, I found myself in the same situation as Mars, running but never leaving my place as the train disappeared beneath me. I jumped over the gaps in my path until I reached the final car.
I jumped forward one last time but despaired when I saw a blue void below my feet instead of the tracks.
"Brat!" Zon shouted, floating above the tracks, but I soon lost sight of him as I fell.
"AAAHHH!" I could only scream as I hurtled towards my death, but I saw a dark arm pass by my face and grab the edge of the rails, stopping my fall abruptly, and making me choke on my saliva.
"Are you all right Hyde?" Jekyll asked worriedly.
"Yeah, just... Shit! Jekyll pull us up faster!" I shouted after looking down.
"What's wrong?!?"
"That!" I shouted, pointing to the source of my worries, in other words, Mars climbing the train cars at high speed as they fell.
The robot went from car to car until it stepped on the back of the last one, flexed its four legs, and jumped toward us.
Time slowed down and I noticed all the details around me, the muffled, metallic sound of the train hitting the sea, the sudden change of speed as Jekyll pulled me faster, Mars' cold, silent gaze, and the red light shining in the corner of my eyes.
Wait a minute, red light?
Time returned to normal and I found myself hanging just below the rails with Zon shining above me, preparing a magical attack.
"Zon..."
"NOT NOW, I'LL SEND THAT PILE OF RUST TO HELL!" Zon shouted, firing a powerful magic beam.
The red energy passed over my head, blowing my hair and making me scream from the heat. The attack hit Mars squarely at the apex of its jump, creating a shockwave that almost knocked us into the sea, followed by a smoke cloud.
Mars fell out of the smoke cloud, and its fading eye was the last thing I saw before the robot disappeared into the sea amidst the waves.
"Whew, that was close, thanks for your help Zon." I said, climbing onto the rails, but the lack of response surprised me. I discovered the reason for the silence when I found Zon resting motionless on the rails.
"Zon!" I shouted, picking up the Grimoire and shaking it, but there was no reply.
"Hyde, we need to get out of here, this has certainly caught the attention of the inhabitants of Facade, and certain unwanted people."
"But what about Zon?!?"
"We'll sort that out when we get home, but we have to go!"
Jekyll was right, as much as I wanted to disagree. I put Zon in my bag along with the other Grimoire and walked down the rails. We had a long way to go to the Aerie.
"Jekyll, what if Zon is..." I did not finish, because I was afraid I was right.
"Zon is still alive; I can feel the MASO in his body. We need to worry about whether he'll wake up or not."
"Damn! It's not even been a minute and I'm already missing the bastard!"
"You and me, Hyde, you and me."
-XXXXXX-
I sighed exhaustedly as I jumped out of the base's tunnel and landed on the Aerie. I never thought I would miss such an unpleasant place. I ignored the rude comments and grumbles from the locals and walked towards the village exit.
"What the hell was that?!?"
"A metal snake?!?"
"That's all fault of the stranger who came here!"
"This is your entire fault, get lost and never come back!"
Hump! They talk as if I plan to come back. I should have crashed the train into this village. Putting these pleasant thoughts aside, I walked out of the village, passing through a narrow rocky passage and arriving at a small grassy clearing surrounded by rocks.
"HEY, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!?" An irritated female voice shouted.
I pulled out Beastbain and assumed a fighting stance, observing my surroundings in search of the owner of the voice. I got my answer when something jumped off the rocks and passed above me, becoming a dark speck against the sun before landing on the other side of the clearing.
My eyes went wide, my mouth hit the ground, and my face turned red with embarrassment at what I saw, because the clothes, or lack of them, that the girl in front of me wore were scandalous, to say the least.
She was a tall, slim girl with pale skin, short silver hair tied up in a small braid with a white flower, and yellow eyes. The blue lingerie that barely covered her body, her bandaged left arm and leg, and the serrated blades she carried were her most notable features.
"Hyde, stop staring!"
"Did you see what she's wearing?!? There's no way not to stare!" I replied, trying and failing to look away as my face heated up.
"Who the fuck is you talking with?!? Fuck, it does not matter! You know, I have heard some funny rumors! Some weird motherfucker came into the Aerie and made a shit show of a mess! Moreover, the asshole villagers keep talking about a giant metal snake! So why don't you open your mouth before I rip your heart out?!?" The girl demanded, cursing like a sailor, and I have the authority to confirm it.
"Well, her attitude is the complete opposite of her beauty." Jekyll commented, and I quickly ignored him, focusing on the problem in front of me.
"What makes you think I'm responsible for what happened?" I asked, stepping back.
"I've never accused you of anything, but now you've got my interest, so spit it out!" The girl demanded again, stepping closer and pointing one of her swords in my direction, but I felt a strange tingling in my body.
"Hyde, this girl, she has a Gestalt in her body, I can feel it!"
I widened my eyes in surprise at this revelation, but I did not seem to be the only one who felt something different, as the girl grabbed her bandaged arm and stared at me suspiciously.
"What the hell are you?!?" The girl shouted, getting ready to fight.
"I'm just a humble thief from a coastal town!" I replied, returning the gesture, and holding Beastbain with my left hand.
"If you're not going to tell me then I'm going to kick your ass until you tell me what I want to know!"
"Good luck with that! I had a horrible day and I am sick of it! Don't go complaining to your parents when I send you home crying!" I replied, pulling out the Sword of Mars and holding it in my right hand.
"I'll knock your teeth out!" The girl shouted, running towards me.
"And I'll break your knees!" I shouted back, advancing too.
Then we found ourselves in the center of the clearing, and all I could think about was how everything had gone wrong from the moment I arrived at the Aerie. I really should have dropped the train down on top of the village.
END OF CHAPTER