“So have you ever considered simply training outside of the clan?”
“Ha yeah, and how am I going to do that? Things in the clan are getting worse as I get older. Ten years ago he was a jerk but he was never that bad. Half of them would probably try to break my legs for even showing signs of acting up at this point.”
As it had the many nights prior, the moon was high though not full. Starts twinkled away with still winds and very few clouds moving. The park sat full of various animals moving around. Owls hung to trees with their heads spinning round while deer simply tripped around completely ignoring the presence nearest them.
Present again was Alto and Elise. Alto stood alongside a light pole as he had done many a time prior with a slight grin that came to him naturally. Elise laid upon a bench, book at her side as per usual, with her face relatively blank, “I’m getting so sick of it.”
“Listen I don’t mean to sound like a masculine jerk that sees only one viewpoint but, I see just one viewpoint. You need to learn to fight. They need to liven up their lives somehow and picking on you is how they’re doing it. I’m sure if you were to, ya know, break their faces-”
“Seriously Alto? I’m not much of a fighter. As it is, I feel half bad that I sent that Vampire to his probable death to save my own skin the other day. Those hunter guys are exterminating them in mass, guy was probably desperate. At the same time, that was Kensa, a known psychopath and murderer.”
“Ah but you see, you see, that was self-defense. Your instincts to survive kicked in there. Besides that guy was a scumbag who probably has hurt more than a few young girls. Would you really feel happy if he hurt you, killed you, and moved on to another girl?”
“N-no, not at all. Actually when he threatened to move on to an easier target, that’s when I snapped and went off on him.”
“See, you have a sense of right and wrong plus you know self-defensive instincts. True warriors are mostly like that so clearly you have a fighter inside of you, so you aren’t as worthless as your brother says.”
“Pft, as worthless he says.”
“You know what I mean,” Alto muttered with a shake of his head, “What I’m saying is, you battled a Vampire to save yourself and in the long run it probably saved others. And you got angry when Rusty threatened your friends, meaning you felt defensive of them, meaning you have something to protect.”
“I guess? Yeah.”
“Fighting doesn’t need to be for the intent of violence Princess, it can be, well, for fun. Or it could be for protecting that which is dear to our hearts. Or my personal favorite, fighting for what is right. You’re not a total wimp either, get what everyone says about you out of your head.. I mean, I think defeating Kensa of all people speaks for that, haha.”
“How would someone like me even learn to fight?” Elise sighed, looking to the ground with somber eyes, “Like you often say, I’m a nerd. Last I checked, nerds aren’t known for fighting. Though, I did sloppily beat Kensa. I dunno.”
“That stereotype is so stupid. Besides you need to do your best thing either way. How you ask? Read.”
“Read?”
“Read. Do some reading on combat styles, do some fencing, practice on a tree if you have to. You’re a quick learner after all you nerd,” he commented with a hint of laughter, “Do you know how many books there are with offensive fighting and defensive fighting in them? Comics, Anime, uh what else? Music too I guess.”
“A lot probably. But Alto, I’m not a fighter by trade,.”
“Screw what those dickheads think. You are what you are inside. If you want to be a writer, boom, you are. If you want to be a librarian that fights evil, boom, you are. If you want to be a hermit, boom. If you want to be president of Europe, there’s that.”
“President of Europe? Europe is a continent with multiple countries like Germany and the United Kingdom.”
“Whatever. Point is, you can be anything that’s inside you if you work hard enough towards it Elise. Besides, you should learn something before Vulfax declares war on the world and gets itself slaughtered, just saying. Learn a couple of fighting stances, apply them, go from there. Use your brain like you always do, certain to work. Have you ever considered asking for help Elise?”
Alto turned to face Elise, his head cocked to the side as she then stood, walking back over to the bench, “You know how to fight with a sword Alto?”
“I er- well uh, umm… no, but I can learn.”
“Haha go figure. Of course not, you’re a Wulfn, why would you need a weapon when you turn into one?” she replied, taking a seat back at the bench.
“Hey hey hey, alright, I tell you what. We can learn together. I’m a slow learner that has a fair bit of experience, you’re a quick learner with little experience. I’m sure we’ll balance each other out with this right?”
“I mean, I guess?”
“Excellent. You’ll teach me and I’ll help you practice,” Alto chuckled.
“Why not just say we’ll teach each other?”
“Because you don’t need to be taught, you only need a sparring partner to help.”
“Pft, you’re too generous,” Elise murmured standing up.
“Well I try.”
“Right. Well thank you Alto. When can we get started?”
“I’d suggest we go get a book from Holly Bell in the morning. Or a couple. It’s a great place to start after all if you can hold out that long. Anyways, I need to get going,” Alto concluded standing with a walk away beginning.
“Heh, alright,” Elise murmured going the other way, “Thanks for believing in me.”
“Well hell, it only takes one person,” he chuckled carrying on, stopping at the edge though, “You know, Holly might still be at the library doing inventory. Wanna go see?”
“Sure, I can get a head start if I get a book now,” Elise chirped.
“Then let’s go,” Alto laughed turning towards the center of town, bolting at once.
“Hey wait up!” Elise shouted following.
With book in hand and a slight smile spread over her face, she moved. Her steps pattered lighter than they had been prior, not as heavy into the ground with as much of a thud. Towards the buildings she went with confidence splashing over her face.
A turn to the left and down, then across the street and down. Their footsteps echoed as the streets grew quieter until finally, straight ahead, the library. Elise smiled though quickly that expression changed as she stopped in place, hearing the sound of talking coming from an alleyway, Holly’s voice with another familiar one. Without a moment’s hesitation her hand dropped onto Alto’s shoulder and pulled him back, to which he let out a slight startled yelp.
“Shh,” Elise whispered.
“Why, what is-”
“Hey, did you hear something?” Holly’s voice carried, quick to subside though.
Silence lasted for a matter of moments, quickly replaced next by footsteps echoing. Stepping out of the ally were four figures, Holly among them. Quickly she pulled Alto back around the corner they had turned moments earlier. Elise’s eyes narrowed as she peaked her head slightly out, “{Hey, two of them are those Priest guys.}”
The elder man and one of the younger Priests walked behind both Holly and the last individual, a male in a black Long Coat. This man’s hair slicked back and silver, slightly messy. “Aye Miss Bell don’t worry about it,” he spoke, his accent thick Brazilian.
The man turned ever so slightly, barely enough to allow Elise to catch a glimpse of a long and dangling Cross Necklace. His face blistered slightly with a long, deep scar across it. Purple eyes reflected the light, glowing it seemed.
“Now as for our agreement, I believe you offered to provide assistance on that little matter,” Holly mumbled.
“Oh Miss Bell, don’t worry about it, I can assure you that no harm will be dealt without intention.”
“Funny because you seem to be doing more than what we agreed upon.”
“Heh heh, I mean, it was not but a simple showing madam, we know they were not the ones.”
“Well then I suggest you keep that up Marco. I tore your Lieutenant’s head off last night after what he did. He was not supposed to act, nor kill, nor burn any of them!”
“A miscommunication, it won’t happen again, I swearz.”
“You do a lot of swearing for a preacher. I’m warning you this one time, stay out of my way. The Vulfax Mountains are my jurisdiction, you should damn well know that. Cross me again and you’re going to lose more than your title.”
Elise pulled back with Alto immediately, both turning with a sudden dash off. Through the streets, onto the grass, off towards the forest. Not a wasted movement, both continuing to run.
“Those guys were the guys I mentioned that jumped the Vampire.”
“Yeah yeah, uh, yeah I uh, I know. That’s a faction of the Catholic Church believe it or not that hunt things unholy. They are known as The Priests and they are damn good at what they do.”
“Why would Holly be working with them?”
“Who knows.”
“We- we need to move. Man, if she is actually with them like that then I don’t want to lure her back to my people, and we can’t have her discover you.”
“Aren’t you overreacting just a bit possibly? Wait, what am I saying, we heard part of that conversation. Shit. Still why worry?”
“Normal people might not notice things like a girl in the middle of nowhere with crap clothes, no visible family, strange talk, random bruises, and questions about burning vampires. Guys like them though, yeah, yeah they’ll notice immediately. Plus with what I did to that Vampire-”
“Ugh, understandable Elise, understandable. Alright, we need to separate and get out of here for now.”
Nodding to each other they both quickly split up, going in different directions.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkz0nE14n9
