Half-Bloods R • 1: Fallen World

C • 11 : Nails through Hands, Wires through Teeth

Twirling feathery tentacles tore through the walls and floor, one attacked and the other ensured that Vaelan couldn't get close. Both massive tails also ensured that he wouldn't get close to Anna as well. Vaelan was at one side of the room fighting to avoid every incoming attack.

Damn it, just give me an opening!

Vaelan had activated his possession form, his fingers turned to blackened claws and a pair of wings had sprouted out of his back. The rest of his body was covered in shadowy cracks and dark veins.

Vaelan jumped up to dodge one of the massive, fiery arms but found himself being slammed into the wall, a massive spike digging into his shoulder as it pressed against him. The mass of black petals gave off immense heat, Vaelan could feel the sweat that was running all along his body burning away.

Meanwhile, Agent Zero had hardly broken a sweat as he stood across the room.

He gritted his teeth as he forced the spike out of his body and cracked it in half by slamming his hand through it early. He roared when he dropped to the ground, blood pouring out of his shoulder wound, part of the spike still hanging out. He slammed one of his lower hands against the wall.

"Damn it!" He screamed, "I promised that I'd keep her safe, why are you making this so difficult?" He hissed.

Both tentacles shot toward him in unison, tearing up the rubble of what was once floor.

Vaelan cursed quietly and raised his lower hands, the spikes stabbed through his palms and were immediately forced to stop in a clash of strength as Vaelan howled in anger. Vaelan raised his upper hands and brought down blades made of raw mana, the black blades slashing through the burning arms of Agent Zero.

He rushed forward and reached for Anna, Agent Zero did the same in a late reaction.

The massive tails disappeared and shot back out of his body as Vaelan grabbed onto the girl.

"Let go of her!" Agent Zero wailed as the magic that made up Vaelan's hands was restored.

"Some advice," Vaelan started, suddenly appearing next to the Agent in a cloud of ink, "Don't screw with me."

Vaelan punched the Agent in the back of the head, sending him down. The massive tails didn't disappear, but he was definitely unconscious. Vaelan turned and walked away, holding Anna in his lower arms, still carrying a single mana blade in his higher right arm.

"Sorry, but I don't have time for this," he said as walked across the remains of the room.

In just seven minutes, the entire room had been destroyed, the walls had caved outward, the floor had sunken vastly there being a single pillar where Anna sat. The door to the room had been broken outward, and the windows showing the upper room had been shattered.

Vaelan began walking along the ascending path to the door when Anna stirred in her sleep. Vaelan lessened his aura and dropped his possession form, the aura of the sixteen princes fading away.

"Jake," she whispered.

She said the name earlier, that was her brother, wasn't it?

There were two sudden crashes in front of him as Agent Zero's tails slammed against the slope.

"Give her back, you damn filth," the agent raspily snarled as he shakily stood himself up.

The hell?

The agent threw his mask off and glared at Vaelan with sickly blue eyes that burned with animosity. His arms dangled in the open air, his gloves covered in dust. The man standing before Vaelan was gaunt and vile, he couldn't imagine what kind of atrocities he may have committed or even seen.