The Howling Past

Chapter 7

Zeri and Ekko were running as fast as they could, looking for help or at least a hiding spot.

-Ekko! Are you with me?

-Y-Yeah...- the boy was still bleeding, leaving a trail extremely easy to follow, even for someone who did not have an excellent smell of blood.

-Hang on! Resist! I'm gonna find help!

-Vi... she's got no chance against it...

-I dunno, she seems capable to fight. You just think of saving your strength!- Ekko lost too much blood and passed out. -Oh, no! Ekko! Stay with me!- the girl didn't know what to do... how would she save her friend?

-HELP! PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP ME!- yelled the girl in tears.

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-Vander, is it really you?- it was so hard to believe it, maybe she was just delusional. When the suspects she "spoke" to were referring to a "wolf", a "hound" or whatever, maybe what they really meant was that wolf with sharp teeth and razor-like claws. Was the fact that that bloodthirsty 7'8" feet tall wolf did not attack her really proof of it being her long-lost father figure? The person that Vi respected more than anyone else? Was it the shimmer that transformed him so much?

-Vander! It's me, Vi! What happened to you?!

The wolf ignored her, focusing on the bleeding boy instead. Its chest became red and began to growl compulsively. He pointed to Ekko and Zeri and immediately plunged to them claws first.

-Stop!- Vi charged her right gauntlet and run to intercept it, unleashing the power of the Atlas gauntlets on its face, stopping it on the spot. That werewolf reacted to the charged punch by swinging its left claw against Vi's head. She ducked and avoided the attack and immediately connected this action with another punch on the ribs. Every time the wolf tried to move toward its preys, it faced the wall that was Vi, blocking the beast on the spot with a barrage of punches strong enough to shatter stone, break walls and demolish buildings. Yet, the wolf stood. Yet, the wolf was not on the ground, submitting to her as regular wolves do when facing a stronger opponent. But that one was not a regular wolf, and the resilience and stamina it possessed were exceptional.

The wolf tried to bite Vi on the neck only to give her an opportunity of putting a hand inside the mouth and block it. She squeezed its jaw and caused it pain, making it emit cries of pain and rage.

-Gotcha!- she said before hurling it behind her. Whilst the beast was still recollecting its balance, Vi dashed once again, brought her hands behind her and unleashed them in a massive clap on its face. This 'thunderclap' was something Vi had the habit of doing in very specific cases, either the enemy was particularly dangerous or she was outnumbered. A powerful shockwave was what the clap was intended for, which usually was enough to make people fall or get disoriented and, in very special cases such as that one, even a good amount of damage.

The skull of the beast was crushed with the effect of a hammer hitting an anvil, only that both the hammer and the anvil were powered by hexteck and could reduce to dust pretty much anything.

Then, why was that wolf still standing?

It was holding its head, damaged but not enough. And what was that cylinder thing on its back?

*Is that an implant? Is it pumping shimmer or something, like Sevika's arm?*

Vi was gasping, heavy breathing for the excessive amount of effort she put on every attack she made... and that beast was fine!

The more she looked at it the angrier she was getting. She accelerated her breathing, until she yelled, jumped towards that creature and hit it again with her fist. It looked like a fang fell off its mouth.