Past of Explorers
Punch after punch, Dom threw a few more blows. Tapping into the inner reserves of his strength, he pounced, landing one attack after another. Standing upon a field akin to the one that were used in sporting arenas, that young version of himself went head to head with his opponent.
Small, yet fearsome, he engaged in combat with a blonde girl much taller than him. Through combat, he tried to keep up, doing what he could to impress her. Each chance was another opportunity to improve, one more strike to prove his worth. Up against the one he admired most, he used that admiration to push himself harder.
She used her large Magni reserves to amp up her attacks. Holding ground easily against the young Dom, Tatsuki fought to her fullest extent. Punches were blocked and kicks were deflected. Engaged in the combat, Tatsuki fought back, not throwing a single blow while she tried to subdue the young boy.
"I'm gonna beat you, Dom. What are you gonna do about it?" she spoke in an exaggerated voice, prompting him to fight harder.
About to throw a light punch at him, she watched him respond on instinct. Well adjusted in the heat of combat, she noticed a barrier form atop of Dom. Dark in color, the shield tanked the attack, fading on command to preserve energy.
Dom smiled, glad at what he was able to pull through. Duping Tatsuki into one of his signature tricks, he muttered, "Haha, I have a defense branch".
He found his chance to strike, maneuvering through the uneven turf. Attempting to get some bounce in his blows, he dashed forward, firing up his Magni on full display. Shrouding his body in that dark energy, he remarked, "I'm gonna be the one to beat you!".
"Oh no" she playfully remarked, standing back as she waited for the attack.
Dom got in closer, wrapping his arms around her stomach. Tightening his grip with the aid of his strength branch, he roared with excitement. Unraveling the true force of his developing skills, he said, "I learned this from my dead uncle! Strength Branch: Golem's Grasp!" he yelled, gripping her waist with extreme force.
Locking one arm over his wrist, he pulled off the attack. His move immediately subdued Tatsuki, winning the fight in an instant. His strength far exceeded hers, proving his might as the hope of his family. He rocketed up in strength, bringing Tatsuki to failure, or at least he thought.
That tactic of his failed, and what was pulled off was a simple grab to her waist. Tight, yet not restrictive, he used up all of his force on a failed attack. What was to be a menacing finisher turned out to be a comical form of mimicry.
Tatsuki felt the grasp wrap around her tightly. Hard pressed to watch it all go down, Tatsuki started laughing, bursting out hysterically.
"That's so sweet of you Dom, trying to give me a hug mid combat" she remarked, poking fun at his failed attempt.
He let go, letting go of her dry fit shirt. Backing away in embarassment, he clenched both of his fists, looking up toward Tatsuki. Pushing on despite her laughs, he said, "It wasn't a hug! I was trying to recreate the signature technique of Gunther, I heard he used it to stop many bad people".
His face turned red and his eyes glanced away. His body language condensed, inching away from her in that moment. She noticed this, immediately aware of what happened, ready to make amends with the kid.
"No, you're okay Dom. Sorry, it's hard to not laugh in times like these. Anyways, we all make mistakes, and you're improving. I can't get on ya for that" she said.
Dom cooled off, his face returning to that same pale shade. Left with enough nerve to step back towards her, he spouted off whatever came to his childish mind.
Without another thought to what just happened, he remarked, "Ya know, it's really cool to see a girl who likes sparring. I know a lot of girls don't like that".
"Oh, ya think so? Here, why don't we sit on the bench and talk about it" she instructed, leading the way for Dom as she plopped down on a metal bench.
The two sat side by side, Dom listening attentively to Tatsuki. Dawning battle gear that comprised of a loose T-shirt and shorts, Tatsuki ditched the usual kimono that she would wear, still dawned in the usual white and yellow. The sun beat down on the two of them, setting the stage for a joyous day between the two.
"So, why did you decide to spar with me today? I think other people in my family would like to join in" he pitched, amped up with excitement.
She paused for a moment, gazing at his spiky dark hair. She closed her eyes for a moment, simply responding, "Because they're a bit too strong, and I'm sure some day you'll be really powerful too. You may even be stronger than your whole family" she spoke.
Dom pondered on that thought for a bit, "Oh, my grandpa is pretty strong so maybe not. They have told me that I'm not that strong, so who knows".
Tatsuki was left on that thought. "Wait, they tell you that?!".
"Yeah" Dom replied, "I'm usually left out of family events because of that. My cousins are just jerks too. I just won't be a big fighter, and they need to let me make my own choices" he fired back in his head, Tatsuki intently listening to every word.
She paused for a moment, "Well, I don't think it's that simple. We all have strengths and weaknesses, so maybe you have different things you're good at than your family. Have you ever thought about that?" she posed to him.
Dom slumped over, avoidant of the topic as he grew nervous. "Oh, what are you good and bad at?".
She stood for a second. The blonde girl placed her finger over her chin, saying, "Well, I'm good at having lots of energy. I never really seem to run out, but my control isn't that good. I don't know many techniques, and I waste a lot of it. Even then, the Taylor family is really good with sales, and I'm not as good with that. Ya know, life can be weird like that".
Slowly eased into the conversation, Dom leaned back. The warm metal seeped onto his back and suddenly he asked, "Then what am I good and bad at?" he spoke with a newfound spark.
"Well, I'd say I know you pretty well. You have a lot of Magni too, even bigger for your age than your family. You also care a lot about others, I'm sure if somebody was hurt, you'd be the first one concerned about them. As for weaknesses, you can sometimes get worried easily, but that's okay sometimes. Ya know, you have a lot of potential" she emphasized, putting her buddy on the spot like that.
Touched tremendously, Dom went back to his usual evasive demeanor. Attempting to act all tough, he simply said, "Okay".
"Do you think that I can use this in combat" he asked her, excited for an answer.
"You might, we can try again and see what you're made of" she said with a giggle, grabbing ahold of his bicep.
Pumped up and determined, Dom looked ahead to the future. "Okay!" he spoke, running ahead in his mind.
That was the memory that played in his head at the current moment. Geist had turned up missing and he was in a panicked frenzy. His thoughts scattered all over the place. Adrenaline raced through his head, panic surged in his heart, and he wanted answers. That pouncing spirit of his was on full display, facing the local police chief with angst.
"Sir, we need to find out if our friend got kidnapped, can you please give us an answer!" he demanded, placing both of his hands on the desk the man stood at.
The light haired guy shrugged, "We can get the details sorted out for ya, but the investigation should take a while. We can only act as fast as we can cooperate" he assured Dom and the group.
Dom gripped his fingers on the edge of the table. Tensed up and nervous, he said, "But this is a civilian of glowing valley, we're in the middle of a war, can't you deploy somebody?!".
"Dom, we can't put any more pressure on them," Noah spoke from behind him, joined with Frode and Hilda as they tried to calm him down.
Dom responded aggressively, unable to get any words out. A man bent on the chase, he looked Noah right in his blue eyes. Dead set on her retrieval, he gritted his teeth, unaware of what to respond with.
"He's right" Frode stepped up, "We're in the middle of some pretty violent tensions right now, they wouldn't want to neglect an ally. If we want their help, then we need to be polite" he advised Dom, stepping in to ease the tensions.
The man at the desk agreed, setting the record straight with the dark haired kid. "He's right. So far we can't say anything, but a band of Urbanites ended up attacking our land. Many of our officers picked up on the Magni signatures and they weren't quite blue enough to be Forscher people" he spoke, vaguely eluding to what was seen by them.
Dom immediately formed a smile, happy at that answer. Ecstatic to learn more, he said, "That's great, we'll run with that. Where do you think they could be?".
"Just because they found somebody doesn't mean it's our target, they could just be innocent civilians" Noah argued, trying to put a halt to the group.
"But wait!" Hilda spoke out, stopping the group. "Didn't you say that we should use any chance we get to hone our skills, if these are a bunch of bad guys, we can use them for our training" Hilda fought back, making a point in that confined entryway.
Hard pressed to make a response, Noah simply replied, "...I guess you have a point" agreeing with his subordinate.
The man at the desk took a sip of his coffee, fed up with the situation. "Yeah, go do whatever you want with them. What happens in the land of Deutsch people isn't our problem. I heard that we found one of their bases on 1238 Capsha Street in Welland's Capital City" he informed them, clicking away for further details on his computer.
"1238 Capsha Street" Dom repeated, "And you're sure that there are Urbanites there?" he asked.
He nodded, "Does it look like I can ask my computer? Our eyes can see better than yours kid, just trust us on this one" he informed him, pushing for the group to move out.
Frode nodded, the first to articulate the plans. Holding high hopes and prevalent ambitions, he said, "Got it, I should know the way there from my explorations. I say it's a done deal, we go to see those Urbanites and rip them a new one!" he chanted.
"Heck yeah!" Hilda agreed, "I finally have a team to explore the Wellean lands with!" she cheered.
Dom turned around from the desk, joining the group. He faced towards his Forscher companions, viewing the hard blue door that led out into the woods. "Then I say it's settled, we are gonna get Geist back and free her from those Urban losers!" Dom joined in, the group barging out the door to deploy on their next mission.
Euphoric for the first time in a while, Dom could not resist a firm grin. Stepping down from the wooden stairs on the deck of the police office, his mind felt elated with joy. About to gain what he had lost, everything inside him tingled with delight, a sense of satisfaction that he could not explain. Encased back in that old emotion he had left behind long ago.
Right as that blue sky started to become more apparent, everything felt blissful. Everything felt according to plan, falling into place perfectly, until words of reality came right to him.
"Hey Dom, can I speak to you for a minute," Noah said, stopping Dom right in his tracks.
The whole group stopped by the order of their mentor. Putting the group directly at a standstill, he patiently awaited for his student's attention.
High up above the concerns, Dom stopped, replying, "What is it?".
"Look, I am not saying this to tear you down by any means, but why are you so intent on this mission?" He asked the Kampfer kid, challenging him on his perspective.
Baffled, Dom replied, "What do you mean, a comrade is at stake!".
"I know that, but if you worry too much, you'll just take yourself down. I am worried too, but you seem too invested in her. If anything ever bothers you too much, you can always tell me, even in private. You're not in a healthy place, and I can tell" Noah informed him, making a point to his student.
"A deep reason, you say?" Dom replied, standing against his whole group.
Internally afraid, worried, and ashamed, one familiar image kept popping into his head. That prominent blonde hair kept circulating throughout his mind, popping up one after another. Tormenting him on the deepest level, that pressure continued to build inside of him, haunting him. Faced with a dilemma, he confronted himself once more.
"Whatever happens, I can't let them know. I don't think that way, it's not because of that!" he assured himself in his mind.
He nodded his head, "I'm gonna be honest, she's an attractive teammate that I'm basically dating at this point. Shallow, yes, but it's the truth" he informed them, putting on a brave mask all the while.
The three of them accepted that answer, moving along with what he said. Without a word to comment on, Noah led the group as he simply said, "Okay".
The group ran off, those embodied by the tribal ideals to clash with the highest people. Scouring through the familiar lands of glowing valley, they dashed through the loads of hills, forests, and plains. Making their way back into the mainland, they were set to observe everything the change in scenery becoming more apparent.
Cabins turned to houses, and houses turned to neighborhoods. The sight of those thick and prevalent trees started to die down, slowly accumulating into open lands that the group could traverse. Crossing the divided lands of the people, Frode was the first to lead the pack, witnessing the Wellean beauty come to fruition.
Crossing into the unfamiliar territory, he thought, "To think these lands were once less divided and that back then we owned this land. Now it's a place that nobody seems to know, rulers switched out left and right" observing the change in scenery.
"I hope that some day I can live in a land where we are no longer considered outsiders" Frode idealized, distracted by the incoming neighborhood in his vision.
Baffled by this thought, he asked, "Hey Dom, do you have many memories of when your family used to rule these lands?".
"Yeah, some. Only as much as a young kid can remember" his friend answered.
He pondered for a moment, unsure of how to phrase the question. "Well, why are the Deutsch separated from the Forscher. I don't want to be rude, but what makes us any different from you guys. Our Magni even operates with the same wavelength" he posed to his friend.
"I figured you'd have that question for me at some point. All I have to say to that is power," Dom replied, spewing out his memories.
He squeezed his fist, full of rage in that moment. "My grandpa was the sick bastard that ran everything in the family, and he chose the territories. I can't speak for Kratzer, but every decision that guy made was with the intent of boosting himself at the end of the day!" he commanded, giving the group some insight.
Noah listened in for a moment, stuck with his own internal dialogues as he stood back. Observant of their talk, he heard that name fly out of Dom's mouth. Met once more with that grim reality, he thought, "Kratzer, it's been a while since I heard that guy's name. Guess he really did turn out how I thought he would".
The group stopped, eventually reaching the street that was their destination. The location was in the middle of a neighborhood on the outskirts of Welland. United under an unknown rule, the houses in the district appeared different. Their quality seemed much higher and the area appeared completely vacant, paved over with the highest quality. Designed with the best intent in mind, this immediately brought the group to a standstill.
They noticed the difference in quality between it and the surrounding areas, the prosperity appearing drastically different. Encapsulated in its own prosperity, it sat in a bubble the separated from the waves. Differentiated from everything it stood, a place with drastically different design.
Dom looked at this, the first to notice the changes. Everything appeared glossier and wealthier, much different from the usual past of that neighborhood. Baffled at the changes, he replied, "What happened here?".
"What do you mean?" Hilda asked.
"This area, it used to be a mess whenever I would cross by here years ago. Now it's different" he mentioned, confused at it all.
"Do you think that Kratzer guy funneled taxes to repair it" Frode asked him.
Unable to think of a proper response, Dom replied, "I don't know, we can never really know with him".
"Either way, we need to get looking for Geist" Dom though, gazing over at a nearby white building, one that had the address 1238 written all over it.
The group charged on ahead, moving straight toward the hideout. Pushing on into the unknown territories, the three that dawned sensory branches paved the way forward. Scanning out the surrounding area, they locked onto whatever signals they could, Noah being the one that led the pack.
Gazing all around him in each direction, Noah said, "Normally, I'd say we should be weary if they armed themselves, but I don't sense any traps. Do you guys?" he asked his Forscher students.
"No".
"Nope" Frode and Hilda replied.
Pushed back into that state of worrying, Dom thought, "Then let's make our way up there. I hope Geist is doing okay. I can't let her get hurt through all of this".
The group charged on ahead, beating down the door to their domain. Their base was designed like any expensive house, large and designed with many balconies. The four of them busted their way in without hesitation, moving in on their threats. One by one they started to number the odds of the urbanites, all of them dashing in without hesitation.
Making their way into the house, the entire area was shrouded in darkness. Barely lit by its bulbs, many torches illuminated the inside, the floor and walls musty from the filth. Remains of various food items were left out, the area trashed under the grounds of impulsivity. Through fear and resistance, the group made their way past the bottom floor, reaching to the third in under a minute.
Climbing the tall stairs that led to the top, what they were quick to witness were five guys, all crowded in the center. Careless and wild, they all bounced with a hyperactive spirit, not a worry in the world coming to their mind. Indulging in an endless euphoria, they stood with red solo cups in their hands.
"Shit, they're here" one of them said, about dying from laughter and panic.
Young men with casual clothes stood in the center. They crowded into a messy room, white robes standing overtop of the chairs positioned all around. The men were wild, drowning in their own satisfaction.
Angered at their careless demeanor, Dom became Beligerent, the first to walk into the room. Grasping ahold of the doorframe, he looked at the men, exclaiming, "What the hell are you guys doing?".
"Oh, just a couple of dudes having fun, why what about it?" one of them replied.
Dom looked around, his mind wandering for a fight. Gazing around the dark room, he did his best to pick up on any subtle details, any silhouettes that stood out. All of them appeared to be guys a few years older than him, all dawning the newest clothing. Everything in their room seemed quite ordinary, except for one thing wiggling in the corner.
The silhouette appeared to be somebody with long hair who was small and petite. She rested up against a wall, wiggling for a sense of freedom. She was blindfolded and tied up, her mouth covered with a tight fabric. She was restrained, barely able to break free from their grasp.
Without a second thought, Dom gave the silhouette a glance, noticing the figure of it. To no surprise of his, the figure was Geist, the young Nima girl he had taken along for his journeys. Torn apart and distraught, that inner rage of his came out, boiling over to unknown levels.
"You bastards better let her go or I'll kill you all!" Dom yelled at them.
A division was torn between the two groups, conflict eventually becoming inevitable. The five kids all faced their adversaries. Busted with nowhere to run, they had no option but to face the wrath of the Kampfer boy, his rage spiraling out of control.
"If I hear that you did one sexual thing to her, I'll make you guys suffer for the rest of your lives!" he screamed, his vocals shaking the room by pure power alone.
One of them stepped forward, one with thick glasses on. Nervous and trembling, he spoke to them in a sophisticated manner. "So, I assume that you are the guys associated with Welland's Forscher Tribe" he said to them.
"Damn right we are, now what did you do with Geist?" he asked.
He pushed up his glasses to see with more clarity. "How about I make a deal with you, we meet up on the roof so you guys can have your sparring match and we let the girl go" the guy proposed, making an offer with them.
Gritting his teeth, Dom remarked, "Why don't we just settle it here, I have excellent night vision-".
"Hold on a minute" Noah spoke, stopping him, "Even though these guys did kidnap her, getting Geist back is our first priority over punishing them. We have to accept their offer and do whatever we can to keep her safe".
He choked on that aggression that was brewing in his throat, nearly coughing it up. Releasing all the steam that had been pent up for so long, Dom eventually stopped. Halting in his tracks, he simply remarked, "Okay, but you better set her free. That's all we ask, we'll settle the rest later...".
The smart guy emerged with a malevolent grin, "Then it's a deal..." the two groups deciding on what would be brought to them.
Five from each side eventually ascended to the roof, able to see the whole neighborhood three stories up. The bright sun was shining on the horizon, casting down a bright light amid their miseries. The fading vibrant sun scattered its rays, cast down upon the white surface beneath their feet. At a standstill, both groups stood against one another, their ideologies clashing on full display.
Those five guys stood around one another, finally dawning those white robes across their chest. Holding the honor of their home state on their chests, they stood against the tribal people. Having handed over Geist, the match was finally on and moves were about to be made.
Dom was the first to impulsively light off a conversation, "So, I take it you drunks have only been partying your health away, quite sad for the greatest nation on Earth".
"Well, at least we're able to do that. Last I checked, you don't have the wealth to keep that up. Uncivilized societies cannot pay that price, ya know" the smart one of the group determined.
On the brink of battle, Dom took one step forward, the first to want to strike. Cracking away at his knuckles, his mind rushed with that fighter spirit. Carrying the same malevolent grin, he said, "The only price you'll be paying is one to the hospital" he answered, running toward them at high speed.
"Wait-" Frode yelled, stopped by Noah who held his arm out to prevent him from moving forward.
He shook his head, "These guys aren't that tough. We'll use this to see how strong Dom is. We can see if he really lived up to our expectations" he informed his student.
Dom ran straight into combat, the first to make a move. Swelling up with that fast acting Magni at his disposal, it quickly shrouded his body, summoning without a second thought. Boosting his brute force through sheer will, he ran right toward the crowd, the first to make the move.
In one punch, he sent a shockwave that damaged all of them, sending a few flying toward the edge. Amped up on that rage, he saw the two floating by the center, huddled in fearlessness. Relentlessly cooped up on rage, he ran toward the other two, pouncing without hesitation. Both of his fists lodged into the men, giving them the same fate as he tried to resist them.
He roared with power, his Magni surging across the battlefield. Seething with that dark power of his, he said, "What's wrong, didn't think it'd go down this way? Guess what, the real world isn't like whatever you guys think, it isn't some utopian dream!" shouting loudly to the surrounding area.
Merciless like an animal, Dom ran toward one of the ones who recovered on the ground. Chasing him down, full of that ever present aura that amped his attack. Stockpiling a reserve of energy in his body, his right fist glowed, shining brightly with power deep into his body.
Frode took notice of this, observing the whole thing with his eyes in sensory mode. "With that attack, Dom is planning to stockpile the weight of two attacks into one fist".
Right as he gained a foot of distance within his target, Dom performed a hard uppercut to the kid, nearly knocking him out cold. Bombastic with his force, Dom noticed the guy fall nearly out for the count, barely able to get a grip on being awake.
Dom stomped down on him, driving his knee into the guy's arm. Twisting it and applying pressure at the elbow, the guy screeched in agony, attempting to free himself from the menace. Wiggling to get free, he was barely able to mutter a word, his only thought predicated on being free.
Stomping out the man wildly, Dom quickly noticed four others heading directly toward him. Enraged and baffled at his strenght, they all talked to one another, shouting commands on how to save themselves. Desperate against the beastly heir, they stormed in on him.
"Right behind him!" one shouted.
"I'll take the lead" another one said.
They ran toward him, attempting to brute force their way out of his grasp. Right as Dom anticipated this, he immediately kicked his foe off the ledge, letting him plummet down those few stories. Remorseless in his tactics, he prepared for the onslaught, facing it ambitiously.
Right as they drew near to him, he formed a barrier. Dome like in appearance, it formed over the front of his body as he turned around, blocking any and all of their incoming attacks. Nullifying any impact they could have made, they all slammed into the thick barrier, halted in their tracks.
Able to look through the translucent, glass like appearance, Dom stepped forward, the barrier retreating in a flash. Exposing them to him, he pounced on the other ones relentlessly, immediately attacking his closest threat.
He threw out a sucker punch to his face, knocking one of the men away. Only three men remained against him, all of them sitting like walking targets for him. Two of them rushed in, enabling all the strength they had for an all out clash against the kid.
They rushed in, grabbing ahold of both arms to stabilize him. Holding him in place, they attempted to detain him. Locking on, they did what they could with their dwindling odds, holding on for mercy.
One of them squeezed with all his might, saying, "Guys, hold on! We have to beat this bastard!" one of the urbanites said.
Right as Dom was detained with nowhere to go, the one with glasses walked on by. Stepping forward slowly, he looked at the warrior in his pitiful situation. Trapped by two of his men, the wise one only felt pity for Dom, trapped by his own circumstances.
"Hm, how unfortunate. You talk all this big game, yet you think it's smart to attack all five of us at once. I hope your pride is satisfied, because I know mine will be!" the guy spoke, drawing a knife with a purple liquid oozing from the top.
A poison was placed at the tip of the knife, lacing it in a deadly toxin. Dripping from the edge, he reached his hand over to Dom's stifled arm. Trapped by the command of his own men, the smart one created one slash across the edge of Dom's bicep, letting the ooze circulate rapidly.
In that short span, Dom felt the blade slice, leaving him in agony. Erupting in pain, he shouted as his Magni flared up, through brute force resisting the men. The beast within the Forscher roared in pain, agony, and misery. All of his woes were let loose as a blood curdling scream came out of his mouth, his body fighting on what little fuel he had left.
Draining what little reserves he had, that strong body of his became numb. Dwindling rapidly, he became a shell of himself. Everything around him started to fade, he felt helpless and that rage started to eat him alive.
Dom's body started to become numb, his body started to sway as it could no longer support himself. His arms hung low, unable to contain themselves, the poison was seeping into his body. Sweats started to occur as he was short of breath, everything around him crumbling.
"No, I have to get an edge on these guys. I can't lose... after all, I'm a Kampfer, I shouldn't lose to something like this" he thought, those rage filled thoughts turning sorrowful.
Dom quickly collapsed, the rest of the group forced to watch him fight to his limits end. Falling on the ground defeated, he remained a fallen target, one that could not bite off more than he could chew. A man bound by his own greed, sunken beneath the pressure.
"No! I can't" Dom spoke, the entire world around him going dark, those same haunting thoughts coming to fruition.
That face of Tatsuki started to pop up again, everybody that had avoided him coming into his mind. Scrolling past an unknown feeling of isolation, he thought, "I need to be tough or else I'll just end up alone. What else do I have from my strength? If I fail these guys, I'll have no one!" he shouted in his mind, his voice becoming weak and frail.
Shaking and shivering, Dom became helpless, no longer a man of brute strength. The world around him went cold, and one last image was presented before him. A tall and lanky kid his age with spiky brown hair left him behind, simply replying, "You have no mercy, just like all you other Kampfers...".
"Dom!" the three of them yelled, miraculously coming to his aid in his darkest hour.
He heard their footsteps tap across the ground. The noises grew closer, the sounds of a facade, a false reality presented in front of him. Instability crept into his mind, resentment was fostered, and that side of him was shown in the darkest moment.
Frode was the first one to kneel over toward him, reaching his hand out. Attempting to help his ally, he was met with, "Get the hell away from me!" by Dom.
Baffled, all he could think of, was, "But why, you couldn't take all of them by yourself. We're here to".
"I know I wasn't able to do it, just take Geist and leave me. Wasn't this your plan? I join you guys as long as I can help you guys. I failed, so just move on!" he shouted at them, angered and afraid.
Hilda knelt down beside him, patching up her close ally with her brother. Observing the fallen beast in front of her, she simply said, "We won't leave you, just rest for now, you need it".
The guy with glasses simply stood back over his agony. Overjoyed with what he found, he stood overtop of them, a man surrounded by his own pride. Coated in that Urban robe, he said, "This is why you guys continue to fail as a nation, and get held back despite what you guys have!" he spoke in pity.
He grew more confident, speaking in a condescending tone. "You guys prioritize power above all else, and that makes you guys uncivilized. You guys live in a culture meant to destroy itself, look at the reality in front of you, because I can see two!".
"All I see are people too scared to outgrow their barbarian roots. Here in The Urban, we have Forscher who aren't even half as barbaric as you guys, and royals with more class than the Kampfers. You proved my theory right, that if we took that girl of yours that we'd get you here, guess we were right!" he continued to babble, only further tearing the group down.
Dom opened his eyes, scared and frightened. Unable to piece it all together, he said, "What did you say?".
He pushed his glasses up once more, "I mean that you're nothing but a maniac. The Forscher were well known for their inhumane practices, they held many experiment camps and nobody could stand to be around them. You only rushed into this for your own destruction, and I could go on for days about the Forscher!".
"The Forscher at one point controlled the entire continent, and they were even the ones that helped take down the Kampfer family. You hear that, they're the reason you aren't living high and mighty, and you're the reason we took that girl of yours. Anyways, the Forscher Destroyer is even a well known tyrant who slaughtered many to keep the Kampfer from fighting back, and to this day he still stands as a beacon of hope that the Forscher may have their revenge. He is a symbol of murder, a barbarian who would drug himself on shrooms to tear through anybody. He is seen as nothing in Welland, even though he helped their common folk, but to this day, the Forscher wish for his return!" he explained, each blow kicking them down further.
Dom heard this, ready to speak highly with no ground to stand on. Only able to open one eye, he tilted his neck up, facing the group with what little power he had left. Putting up a brave face through his sadness, he said, "Forgotten? My family told me all about him, but even they couldn't stand up to him. That's why I'll eventually find him and tear him limb from limb, he's a heartless man who could never be redeemed!".
Tired of his talk, the snobby guy walked up, placing his foot on the helpless Dom. Holding disdain for the kid, he said, "Again, only a maniac would dream of that".
"Shut up, like you guys are any better. You guys are the real barbarians for kidnapping Geist" Frode intervened, making a case against him.
Tired of the talk, Hilda was the first to step up. Fuming with that blue Magni of hers, she took no hesitation in grabbing the kid by the throat. Aggressively staring him down with every ounce of rage she had, she said, "Why don't you actually test it out with me. You hurt those around me and you're really gonna pay!" speaking in defense of everyone around her.
"Frode, Hilda. Step back" Noah simply said, taking a few steps toward the opponent.
The two of them looked baffled, going against their mentor. Standing in opposition of him, the two stood their ground, trying to get in on the fight.
"But why, they already knocked down Dom?" Frode asked.
"We can't just leave him alone, ya know?" Hilda intervened.
Noah held both of his hands out calmly, facing the wise guy on his own. The two made eye contact, Noah standing firm in his ideals. Pushing forward with an iron spirit, he said, "I'm good to take over at this point, you guys just make sure Dom is safe" he instructed them.
The two of them nodded, hauling him back toward the edge with Geist. Moving back for safety, Noah stood in the center of the roof, standing against the four remaining men. Fighting against all odds, he remained without a worry in the world. Unscathed and unbothered, he faced the high class men without a sweat.
"So, you haven't learned your lesson? I don't think you could do half of what your pawn did!" he spoke, discouraging Noah.
Noah gave a slight smirk, "Oh, I've learned a lot of lessons, just not from you" he answered.
"You really think that beating us will be that easy?" he spoke, mocking his opponent's sentiment.
He shrugged, "Meh, I'll only need a few hits or so" he replied.
Noah conjured up that prevalent blue Magni of his, surging it through his eyes. His eyes illuminated a bright blue color, able to see the internal network and organs of each of the four remaining men. Illustrated in high detail, he was able to keep tabs on all of them, their precise moments all playing in his head.
Aware of their intentions, movements, power level, and weaknesses, he scanned over the area, quickly taking the information in. Calmly analyzing the field around him, he felt their attacks coming closer, their will to fight blossoming. Without a worry, he awaited them to approach, allowing the fight to come to him.
The kid with glasses was the first to approach, using his knife as a combat weapon. Dawning the purple liquid on its tip, he made a quick effort to poison Noah. Wielding it with nothing but the thought of an instant success, he grappled it with every fiber of his brain.
He ran forward with all the speed he had, hoping to swipe the target with just one blow. Noah stood there silently, waiting for the man to come, Noah sensed the metal blade come toward his chest, the blow coming near.
With blinding speed, he parried the knife away, switfly dodging to his left, away from the blade. Demonstrating precise reaction time, he used his right hand to grapple the enemy's forearm, with his left, striking the man's side with as much force necessary.
Shock quickly shot through the Urbanite's body, causing him to drop the knife. It clanged on the ground, inches away from where Noah stood. Subtly aware of this fact, Noah sensed the other three coming closer to him, the rest of them awaiting an assault.
Anticipating the blow, he performed a sweep, dragging the knife closer to him. He grabbed the knife from the ground, slashing the three men that bombarded him with its sharp edge.
Cut marks formed across the robes of the three men, dyed a deep red from the blood that spewed from their stomachs. Oozing out uncontrollably, Noah took hold of the knives, leaving it along his waistband for safekeeping.
Without a word to be said, he pumped more Magni into his eyes, one by one locking onto all the vital points of the men. Right on their chest was a vital point upon their solar plexus, a location that when struck correctly, short circuited the opponent. Housing loads of that magnificent energy, he locked onto all of theirs, taking the shot while he had a chance.
One hit happened, then another succeeded it, knocking both urbanites breathless. Collapsing onto the hard floor without a card to pull, he watched the other two sprout up in rage, ready to attack. Left with very little options, Noah hopped back, drawing upon the power of his Strength branch in his jump.
Angered and annoyed, the two remaining opponents mustered up what little strength they had, both of them running forward with their scars. Angered and aggressive, he remained away from them, not saying a word. Focused and resolute, he conserved his stamina, awaiting each of their attacks.
Running side by side, he tilted his body right, attacking one firmly before the other. Aiming at the same vital point in the solar plexus, he hit one of the targets before the other, leaving only one left.
With a dropping body in front of him, he grabbed ahold of the man's collar, gripping it tightly. Not letting go in those final moments, he took the man that he had just struck on his right and threw him toward his ally.
His target flew threw the air, taking out the last and final leg of the Urbanite crew. One by one, they had all fallen, standing right below the calm and collected mentor. Without a drop of sweat on his face, he slowly retracted that Forscher Magni he had, putting in place an array of scattered bodies beneath him.
All five of them were intact, no severe scars present from their defeat. Swift blows led the team to their downfall, dropping one after another. Reliant almost entirely on a single branch, Noah stood in front of his students, a victorious man, demonstrating the strength he had.
He looked down on the four men, pitiful for them. Filled with sorrow for their defeat, he said, "You guys wear this collectivist mentality around your shoulders, yet it is because of your group mentality that you fall short. Had I even been in the slightest bit of danger, I would have counted on my students to come in with all their heart, yet you guys only fought half heartedly to serve a higher up, now look at where you are" he spoke, condemning them on an ideological level.
Frode and Hilda were amazed, offput by his strength. Amazed by the level of energy he displayed in that beatdown, they were the first to stare in awe. United under a bond before their tribal label, they stood as one group, students of their mentor.
Dom just barely nudged himself up, his body still weakened by the poison. Numb and woozy, those grim eyes of his watched what was in front of him, four foes dropped effortlessly under his strength. Gripping his finger through the floor beneath him, he thought, "Huh, so this guy really does have some strength".
"Hey, how did you get that strong? Whatever you did, I want to learn it too" Dom asked.
Noah walked back towards his group, left with the usual shrug. "It's just training, learning skills, and a bit of luck. You'll learn it eventually" he answered.
Frode held Dom in his arms, propping him up as their goal had been completed. Full of shock and surprises, he said, "So, this is what it's like in the main land... things really are changing since I was last here".
"I assume we're gonna get heading home now" Frode asked, marvelling at the beauty of the mainland around him.
"Yup, I'd say that's the best move" Noah replied.
Staring intently at it all, he thought, "Some day, I want to live in a world where we are seen as equal citizens to the Deutsch people. Some day, we'll make that a reality" speaking to himself about an idealistic future, one that he had dreamed of long ago.
Later that evening, the group found themselves back in Glowing Valley, back at that same cabin. Frode and Hilda were doing okay, their bodies in good shape through it all, but Dom remained inside the house. His body was badly beaten up, heavily poisoned and sickly. That evening, he remained a shell of himself, cooped up and away from them.
A campfire was lit, one forged by the finest wood in the lands. Four benches sat around the cabin, sat around the four edges of its flames. The somber heat was reflected off of it, a calming sensation to those around.
Noah sat right beside it, his elbows on his knees as he bent forward. He stared into its core, the allure keeping his attention. He remained in silence, only the crackling of the flames present in his range. He shut his eyes, his mind heavily distracted from it all, his brain wandering from it all.
For a brief second, he heard footsteps behind him, steadily approaching him. He opened his eyes steadily, his hands clasped over his chin. He sensed who was behind him, his student, Frode, coming up from behind him.
"Hey Noah, may I speak to you for a moment," Frode asked quietly.
"Yeah, what's up?" he asked, turning to Frode in front of the burning fire.
He took a seat next to him, the two of them rested on the wooden bench. Standing beneath the fire, Frode reflected on what happened earlier, bringing his thoughts to fruition.
"So, ya know how Dom was acting earlier, about how he failed and stuff" Frode said, wanting to dodge around the topic.
"Yes, I can tell he was scared, and I could also tell that it wasn't because of the poison" Noah admitted, picking up on the basic detail.
"Mhm" Frode spoke, "But I have to ask you something. Do you think since he's gotten here that you may have put a bit too much pressure on him. I know you have the best intents, but even if he is different than us, he's still our friend. Even if we don't hold him to some standard, he's still gonna try to be the best because that's just who he is, that's probably who he was raised to be" he informed him, calling his mentor's practices into question.
Noah stood silently for a few seconds, letting that thought sink in. Right as that was called into question, he remembered flashing images of a bloody area in front of him. Horror and destruction reigned right in front of him, a sight that he wanted to forget. Through those images in his head, he replied, "You're probably right. Truth be told, I don't always know what I'm doing and I make mistakes. I'm new to this situation and last time I worked with a Deutsch man I needed that pressure. But things are different and Dom is different" he pointed out.
"Ya know, I hope you and Hilda know that through everything, Dom cares a lot about you two. It's all over him, he would do a lot to make sure you guys are happy, even if he doesn't show it" Noah expounded upon his points to Frode.
Frode opened his eyes, baffled by that point. Taken aback nervously, he said, "I guess that makes sense. He is our tough softy" he remarked.
"Well, that's all I wanted to talk about. I need to go back in and get myself something to eat. I can't run on an empty stomach" Frode spoke, walking away from the campfire.
Right as that moment happened, Noah clasped both of his hands together, holding it in front of his face. He sat in silence, focused on the prayer he was sending out. Deep in thought, he collected all of his notions, compiling them into his head.
In the middle of this, the door to the cabin opened, footsteps coming from the porch. Wrapped in a grey blanket, Dom made his way outside, sick as a dog with a woozy body. Step after step, he slowly approached the fire, walking toward his mentor.
Without a word, he plopped down right next to him, observing the fire just as Frode did. Silently, the two sat right next to one another, awake in the melancholy reality in front of them.
He opened his eyes once more, facing the truth head on. Approaching the sorrowful topic, he said, "Look Dom, sorry if I've put too many expectations on you lately. Just know that win or lose, you're welcome here. You did good fighting those guys today, can't say I know any other people who would have done so well".
Dom looked toward him, appearing confused, "Oh, I was just about to mention that you really put those guys in their place, didn't know you could fight like that" mentioning his fighting ability from earlier.
"Yeah, I have a lot of bad stories about how I learned that, but hey, we're supposed to learn from our bad experiences" he mentioned, the two put in a passive dialogue.
Dom chuckled, "You act like your preacher stories are some tragedy, couldn't be that bad".
"Anyways, yeah. I just wanna know why am I even here? Why me of all people is living among the Forscher Tribe. Didn't you guys hate my people, I just don't wanna be the next guy thrown out like before" Dom stated, showing brief signs of vulnerability.
Noah thought for a moment, reflecting on it all. "To tell you the truth, you're only here for two reasons. First is because things are growing tense and we could be taken out at any moment, so we need all the help we can get. The second is because of an encounter I had a few months back. A guy with blonde hair said we were Welland's last hope and that we should recruit you, and that you seemed like you had a good heart. I don't know much about him, but he seemed like he knew what he was doing" he answered.
"Ah yeah, you told me about that guy. I could care less about Wolke, he only made Welland worse off because we were enemies with Nebel. I'm really only here for you guys, I could care less about their legacy" Dom replied, giving the brute honest response through his sick sounding voice.
Noah chuckled, "Yeah, but let me tell you, you're in a better position than I was when I was your age. You should be proud of yourself for at least that".
"I hope so" Dom answered, "But now that those Urban guys are out wandering around, I want to ask, how do I become stronger? Next time they show up, I want to show them who's in charge".
Noah looked at him intently, giving a reading of his energy. Scanning it precisely, he took a second to process it, simply saying, "That can all be answered by one thing. You need to stop fighting as a Kampfer and start fighting as Dom. I know it's not easy when everybody labels you that, but it'll really help you. Also, you have a lot of potential, but because of that, you're a target. To combat that, you'll have to figure out what you are good at, what really makes you you" giving advice to the young and flourishing Dom.
Embers flew past his face and he was put back into that startling realization. Taken aback by that mentality he gasped, quietly saying, "Who I really am?".
All of the sudden, that memory from before started to play again. Dom and Tatsuki were on the field, trading blows with one another, Dom consistently holding the lower edge. Unable to keep up with Tatsuki, he became deprived, out of breath and exhausted. Fighting on his last legs, he reflected Tatsuki's blows, avoiding every attack she threw out.
"Ah man, Tatsuki really is impressive, I can't let myself fall behind because I want her to think I'm strong. I have to show her what I'm made of" Dom thought back in the memory, his Magni finally rising to the surface.
Getting a good look at her face, she stood back to let him charge up. Putting mercy on the young boy, Tatsuki stood back, awaiting the show to happen. What she noticed was that typical dark aura surging to the surface like usual, the trademark of the Kampfer family. Booming with this type of energy, she put on a fake face of shock, subtly encouraging the young boy.
Through this, Dom appeared excited. Through the admiration of Tatsuki, his heart started to pounce just a little bit faster, bumping more and more. Pouncing uncontrollably, he felt this new aura surge over him, one that felt more chaotic than usual. Euphoric and confusing, his energy slowly transitioned into a bizarre bright purple state, the waves bouncing off of one another.
Amassing this energy, Dom looked the much taller Tatsuki in the face, delighted to see her shock. Ever so happy with the fight, he stepped forward with his new power, leaping up to hit her up high.
"Take-" he spoke, charging the energy into his hand, "-this!" he said in his high pitched 10 year old voice.
What soon let loose was an array of sparks from his energy. Bouncing off of one another, they scattered around Tatsuki, putting her on guard. Backed into a corner from the attack, Tatsuki was forced to retreat into a shell of pure Magni just to block the attack. Fragments of Magni scattered around her, what remained in its place was a strong attack.
Right as his feet his the ground, Dom felt surprised, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Amazed at this newfound power, he was simply elated by the happiness, a joyous little boy who did not know what to make of the world.
Tatsuki shared his delight, opening up with a smile. Emulating his joy, she said, "Dom, that was awesome" running right up to him.
Still left with a beating sensation in his heart, he was unable to make sense of anything. What had just happened was unlike anything he had seen before, a phenomena that no other Kampfer had used. Mystical and majestic, it stunned those around him, a vibrant display of power.
He clenched his fist in pure amazement, what was left of the memory was that hollow silhouette of Tatsuki. As the pieces fell, all he saw was the silhouette of that technique in the empty fire. He clenched his fist like he did so many years ago, open to the new fate that was in front of him. Left to explore what he had uncovered all those years back, he accepted the challenge.
"All those years ago, and I never thought to relearn that technique. Maybe there's something I'm lacking or maybe something I have to learn, but no matter what, I will learn that new power. I will do it, not as a Kampfer, but as myself, the sensitive one... as Dom" he declared to himself, making that promise to himself based on all those years back.
YOU ARE READING
The Shattered Rebellion: Visions of Corruption
ActionStory 3 of Shattered Rebellion
