Frankenstein clenched his jaw while his aura became darker and darker every passing second... Raizel looks at Reina with sad eyes.
"That is how I had a clue about what happened to you."
"Reina... for you to experience that kind of desperation..." Raizel did consider those traitors as his companions but now that he realized their true intentions, he felt sick, he was used. He swore to himself that he will, from now on, consider them as enemies.
"I can never forgive them. I'll see to it that they will suffer a gruesome death." Frankenstein's anger is clouding his judgment as he thinks of many ways to torture those who harmed his woman.
"Frankenstein, I'm fine now. Just like what Raizel said, it is all in the past. What's important is that we are all together." Reina said cupping his face in her small hands.
"Anyway, where are they?" Reina asks trying to clear the tension in the air. Frankenstein stood stiff at her question and looks away.
"Frankenstein..." Raizel looks at his servant expectantly.
"You mean... Tao, Takeo and M-21?"
"Of course." Reina frowns at his behavior.
"They have not yet returned." Frankenstein said curtly making the two look at him suspiciously.
"... and?" Raizel asks but Frankenstein remained silent...
"I doubt they are still at work..."
"Frankenstein, we want an honest answer."
The servant sighs in defeat and look at them.
"Tao contacted me a short while ago. They have gone to rescue a KSA agent who is in danger. Even if he hadn't made this decision, the KSA would have noticed our existence soon enough. There have been many incidents in this area since Master's awakening. The KSA cannot risk conflict with Cerberus, so they will do their best to investigate. In time, the hostility between us and the KSA would have deepened. Then others would have started taking an interest in us. Of course, the best option would have been if none of this had happened... but it's too late. In a situation like this, it's better for us to maintain a close relationship with the KSA rather than a hostile entity. It so happens that the Union's relationship with the KSA is dipping to extreme levels. Although it is a risky move, Tao has seized this opportunity."
"That means... they are currently fighting Cerberus?"
Reina doesn't like the thought of them fighting that military unit...
"I assume so, by the fact that I have had no further contact."
"How do you judge this? Do you think they can handle this fight?" Reina looks at Frankenstein trying to weigh her decisions based on what his answers will be.
"I cannot be sure, because I lack sufficient information about the enemy. But all three have undergone immense improvement. They will not be easily defeated."
The chance that they will be defeated scares her. She stands up and was surprised that Raizel stands up with her.
"The both of you can't use your powers."
"Frankenstein, the thought of them helping someone that they just met... I feel the same way, too. I want to protect the three of them because they are now part of my life here even if I just met them."
"If we are discovered here, we can easily move somewhere else. It is a convenient option, for us and for them. But they have chosen to stay and risk their lives to protect the relationships that they built in this place... I feel the same way. I wish to protect the life that we have here."
Seira, Reina, Raizel and Frankenstein leap towards the scene where the fight is happening.
"Reina, how are you feeling?"
"Frankenstein, you worry too much." Frankenstein gritted his teeth and swore under his breath. Raizel is in a much stronger state but Reina cannot recover if she will keep on using her power and at this rate she may enter ephemeral sleep, or worse eternal sleep. With her stubbornness, Frankenstein doubt that he can stop her from using her power.
"Strange... Raizel can you feel it too?"
Raizel nods and narrow his eyes...
"It's a familiar aura..."
The three of them land on the rooftop of a building while Seira rescued Regis from a huge damage by a girl with spiked hair. Reina immediately scans the surrounding and saw Tao and Takeo, both unconscious. She also saw M-21 who is already beaten along with the KSA agents.
Yonsu and Sangeen looks at the ones that just arrived.
'How can this be? I'm sure that the three of them were high school students... and the chairman?! Wasn't he an ordinary human?!' Yonsu's thoughts are jumbled, she cannot believe how any of this is possible.
"Fortunately, no one has been killed. I think they have kept them alive for information." Reina clenches her fists, them being in this state is enough for her anger to rise. She tries to take a step towards the two, itching to heal them with her powers.
"I can fix them up later, Reina. Please." Reina nodded her head to Frankenstein and looks at the man in a military suit.
"Hmm... It is faint but I can feel it from you..."
"Huh?" Frankenstein looks at his Master, confused.
"Yes, the aura of one of the traitor Clan Leader, Locktis."
The woman with spiky hair and gothic look turns to the three of them.
"What are these things, then? There were more? That Crombell bastard made heaps, didn't he? Well, it doesn't matter. I'll just kill you all in one sweep." She laugh maniacally then tilt her head looking at Frankenstein and Raizel.
"It's a shame though. You two have nice faces."
"Please look after Regis." Seira said then turn to face the babbling woman.
"Who's this little girl? Looks like you're trying to show everyone that you dolled up. Ugh, disgusting. I feel like I'm going to puke. I wanna destroy that pretty face of yours." The woman babbles making it obvious that she is jealous of Seira's beautiful features.
"I have no interest in my face... " Seira calmly said that makes the woman angry.
"Taze. Don't waste time-- Get rid of them all." Reina tilts her head then pout, she knows Frankenstein will do anything to stop her from using her power but it takes everything in her not to destroy that man that have Locktis' aura.
The babbling woman with spiky hair, Taze, groans and looks at Raizel and Frankenstein again...
"But the two guys... their faces... it's a shame..."
"I'm not in the mood for your jokes." Taze had no choice but to sigh in defeat and comply...
"Fine, fine. I will obey your orders, Elder. You two, you heard him, right? It's a pity since you got here."
'Elder?' Frankenstein and Reina perk up to this information then look at each other. Reina took a step forward but Frankenstein stops her and drags her gently to his side.
"Hey, you're a couple? That's sad, how does it feel to know that this will be your last moments together? Ah, I'll get rid of you two first." Reina narrows her eyes at Taze while Frankenstein whispers to her ears.
"You must restrain yourself, Reina. Please don't use your power." Reina sighs and calm herself down.
"I will take her on." Seira said stepping up.
"Eh? You're gonna take me on?" Taze laughs loudly and shakes her head in disbelief.
"I've never heard such bullshit in my whole life!" Her demeanor then changed...
"Are you crazy, bitch? You think you can fight me?" Reina does not like her mouth, not one bit. She despises people who likes to look down on others. The captain of Cerberus swiftly swipes her weapon sending a powerful energy towards Seira. Reina immediately put her hand up to make a barrier that will protect all of them from the impact.
"Gah! Annoying little bitch... I should've given her a slower death. Too bad."
Taze was surprise to see Seira's counterattack. She immediately put up her weapon to block Seira's attack but she was pushed back by its mere force.
Taze gritted her teeth as she stare at the calm girl in front of her. Taze angrily rushes towards Seira but she avoided the obvious attack and landed on the next building.
"Heh! There is no use jumping around. My Death Scythe will take your life in the end."
"Did you say Death Scythe?" Seira lifts her hand and summons her Soul Weapon. Upon seeing this, Taze laugh loudly while her companions snigger.
"What's that thing you just took out? Why do you even have it? You think it will make you look scary if you have a big sickle? Insolent bitch, how dare you use a scythe? And the design of yours is so unsophisticated... can you even use that thing? Look at mine, it's so much better." Taze mindlessly babbles...
"I have no interest in your Death Scythe." Seira calmly said to which her opponent took as a huge offense.
"WHAT?! YOU INSOLENT BITCH!" Taze leap and prepares to attack Seira while Seira did the same. The powers of the two collided making a huge mess and damage out of the surrounding buildings.
Seira remains standing, unscathed while Taze staggers and coughs out blood.
"H-how did... I lose...? My... my Death Scythe... " She looks at herself in disbelief then fell to the ground with a thud.
All of her companions look at her in incredulity.
"Idiot. How dare she lose to Crombell's creature? I'll kill them all myself. RODIN! STOP THEM FROM ESCAPING!" The elder said angrily. His aura oozing from him because of his anger. If before it was just slight, now Reina can confirm it, this Elder is somewhat connected with Locktis.
Reina gritted her teeth taking a step forward.
"There is something I must find out from him. Please leave the rest in my hands."
"Frankenstein."
"Reina... you can't."
"Raizel, not you too." Reina groans and slouch with a pout on her face.
"Frankenstein, I release the seal that binds... your power."
"Yes, master." Frankenstein's dark aura was immediately released and everyone can feel it. In addition to his dark power is the dangerous glint that all of them can see on his face. Their opponents tremble as he took a step towards them.
"Miss Seira, I will take care of the rest." Seira nodded and went to take a look at Regis.
"Hey. You're a Union Elder? What's an Elder doing here? What's an Elder doing here?"
"How dare you!" One member of Cerberus, Rodin angrily said and immediately rushes to attack Frankenstein. But even before Rodin's weapon touches Frakenstein, Rodin is already groaning from the pain of the sword-like energies that were thrust in different parts of his body. He fell with a loud thud, not moving.
"Why are you letting your injured underling do the fighting for you?" Frankenstein stops in front of the 12th Elder and looks at him directly in his eyes. The Elder gritted his teeth, enraged Frankenstein's disrespect.
"You insolent little..."
"Heh, did you say insolent? You dare call me names?" Frankenstein smirks while his aura turns even more dangerous. Reina and Raizel sighs, here we go again...
"What is going on here?" Yonsu asked, clearly confused.
"That girl - I'm sure she was a student at Ye Ran. How come she defeated the captain of Cerberus so easily? How can she have that kind of power? And look at the Chairman, He's facing an elder of the Union, and he's holding his own. It is understandable that the agents of the Union have power... but who are the others? How are they so strong?" Yonsu murmurs to her husband who is also trying to makes sense of what is happening.
"How dare you speak like that to me? Have you completely lost your mind?"
"That should be my question. Are you sure you're an Elder? I don't understand how a Union Elder could be running wild here." The 12th Elder narrows his eyes at Frankenstein.
"So you know something about the Union, yet you still talk to me with this much disrespect?"
Frankenstein ignores his opponent's questions and threw his own questions...
"Do the other elders know you're here? Wait, how can a guy like you be qualified to be a Union Elder?"
That last question is the last straw to the 12th Elder's patience.
"Son of a bitch! What the hell do you know?!" He angrily shouted and threw a force of energy at Frankenstein who avoided the attack with a mere tilt of his head. But the 12th Elder is not yet done as he threw another punch Frankenstein who respond with an attack of his own.
The collision of their attack causes a large explosion that almost knock down, Ked, the only alive member of Cerberus. Reina while maintaining the barrier that is protecting them glance at Tao and Takeo that are still unconscious. She is itching to see them in a much more better conditions, but she, herself, knows that she have her own limitations.
Frankenstein , on the other hand is faring well with his fight. A spear like energy plummets towards the 12th Elder who easily wave it off with a swish of his energy but the spear isn't just one. Many of those spears keep on appearing until the 12th Elder seems to have trouble on blocking them.
"There were more than one? Still, these aren't enough to bring me down..." He smirks as the the onslaught of spears stop and he is still standing fine. What he did not notice are the hundreds of plummeting spears towards him.
"W-what are they all?" Ked murmurs to himself, finally fearing for his life.
The spears landed on their target with a loud explosion that made a destructive hole on the building. While the smoke is still hiding the 12th Elder, a ray of blue energy strikes towards Frankenstein that he easily avoided.
"What were those petty tricks? Is that all you can do?" The 12th Elder emerges from the smoke with small holes on his clothes.
"Funny. You don't look fine for someone who just blocked some 'petty tricks'" The 12th Elder, furious of Frankenstein's teasing, attacks while Frankenstein leaps to avoid it. The fight continues, while Ked is being blown by the force of collision, Reina calmly watch with her barrier still intact despite of the force.
"...who are you? There is no way you can be Crombell's creation..."
Frankenstein smirks at his assumption while his eyebrows twitch with annoyance.
"Crombell's creation? That's kind of offensive, isn't it? I do not understand why you're linking me to him."
"If you have nothing to do with Crombell, why are you here?"
"I'm here because my princess wants to rescue our children, I do not have a choice but to oblige." Reina chuckles at his statement, children...
"My turn to ask questions. What is a Union Elder doing here? Does the Union know what you're up to?" The 12th Elder looks at Frankenstein and gritted his teeth...
"Why should tell you?" Frankenstein shakes his head, this Elder is sure as hell stubborn.
"You think you've seen the limits of my power? I don't care who you are. I'll kill you all. Then I'll kill Crombell." He rushes towards Frankestein but met with those spears of dark energy again. This time instead of blocking them he decided that it's wiser to just avoid them. The spears hit Ked, killing the last member of Cerberus.
"Oops. Sorry." Frankenstein said while smirking, making it hard to believe that it was unintentional.
"This is awkward. Now I look like the bad guy." Raizel just sighs at his antics, already used to them.
"You little bastard... I have had enough. I wasn't planning to use more power, lest the other Elders call me to account... But I don't care anymore! I will make you writhe in pain!"
The 12th Elder shouted then his bones cracked and reshaped while his whole being is morphing into something new.
"H-he turned into a monster." Sangeen said, baffled.
The 12th Elder turns into a creature like bat with a tail. His wings are separated to his arms making him move easier while his face is of a bat with long ears and long sharp canines. His tail is long and lean with a shape of an arrow head to its end.
Reina can feel it now more than ever. This Elder enters a contract with that traitor, that is only the plausible explanation of his energy.
"Now it makes sense. You modified your body, and then entered into a contract with Locktis." Frankenstein' conclusion is the same with Reina.
"How did you..." The 12th Elder was shock at how his opponent seems to know so much about him, the Union and Locktis.
"It's surprising that Locktis agreed to bind you. Normally, he would not have made a contract with an ordinary human, much less one that was modified... Anyhow, this is good." Frankenstein's whole demeanor changed... his aura became darker and his face shows that he is beyond furious now.
"Locktis, who betrayed my master and maltreated my princess... was hiding in the Union all along."
"WHO ARE YOU, AND HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS?!" The 12th Elder demanded at his opponent.
"Shut up. You're disrupting my concentration." Frankenstein waves him off, annoyed.
"WHAT?" The 12th Elder angrily look at his opponent, he cannot see the man he is fighting before, the man before him feels like a monster to him than he will ever be.
"Heed to my call." Frankenstein lifts up his left hand, garnering dark energy as he calls for his deranged weapon.
"Dark Spear"
Author's Note:
Your votes will be very much appreciated! Hope you like this one!