Arc 2: A vigorous first month
Rosemary and Soku were just starting their duel battle against Carla within the third floor of the mansion as Gray finished speaking with Al and Ophelia down a nearby hall. Gray tries to run back to the fight, his mind rushing and his heart pounding, adrenaline being his best friend at the moment. As he ran the wound over his eye blood began dripping and drooling into his left eye while the other was bruised and singed with pain. He takes and tears off the arm of his ripped jacket before wrapping around his wound as well as his right eye. Wiping the blood off his face, smacking his cheeks and forcing confidence into his body, he then gets right back to running.
Gray {OK hopefully this patched-together plan works, so I'm trustin you Al! Cause we're gonna die if it doesn't}
Carla is easily fighting Soku and Rosemary at once, just having to dodge both of them. She ducked under each of Rosemarys forceful punches and kicks, leaping between the walls and clashing against Sokus wind, smiling and laughing like it's nothing.
Soku; "SHUT UP ALREADY!"
Carla: "YOU'RE FAR TOO RUDE GIRL!"
She lunged forward with her arms swinging wildly, barley blocking a charged blade of green glowing wind. This left her hands cut and bleeding, but also open, getting rocked in the side of the face by Rosemary.
Rosemary {I have to show my worth! Right here, right now!}
Without care for how much it hurts, she blasted into the forth stage around her body for just a moment. She then leapt forward, letting out a quick barrage of strikes onto Carla. She then reels back her fist, throwing it foward with all of her might. However a surge of pain left the fourth stage abruptly drooping and leaving her open to a slash from Carla. Finally making it back to the fight, Gray immediately rushes to attack Carla. With him in her eyes she lost all care for Rosemary. Moving like a snake, she moves around her to slice slicing at his body over and over. Kicking Rosemary to the side, leaping over Gray and pushing him to the ground, before jumping and rushing to attack Soku.
Soku: "GET THE HELL AWAY!"
Soku charges up a powerful wind blast, forcing Carla back. Rosemary goes to attack her, though, with all the strain that was put on her body, she wasn't able to dodge the swing, getting her stomach slashed, though only lightly.
Gray: "ROSEMARY!"
In a rage, he continued to run.
Gray: "I'LL KILL YOU!"
Carla: "Oh please do try!"
Gray explodes with mana and anger, his muscles tearing like Paper. launching himself at Carla. Since he's only moving in a straight line, she simply moved to the side, kicking him through the window, and caused him to fall 3-stories down.
Gray: "SHIT!"
He flung his arm out with mana flowing with it, slammed onto the ground and landing in the cold white snow. His arm shook with pain, having been hit with all of his weight.
Gray: "If I hadn't used my mana to crush my fall I might have died."
Still he was unable to stand, barley moving over while freezing with cold, pain, and fear. The snow was slowly turning red with all the blood flowing out of the cuts on his skin from both Carla and the windows glass. Once again Gray tries to stand, falling to his knees, struggling to breathe. His eyes start to tear up, and grabbing the snow, his internal rage turns to unease and a feeling of dread.
Gray: "Why…WHY DAMMIT!"
Gray starts to sob, unable to stand or do much of anything, falling into the snow. He was trying to hold back his tears and pain, his restlessness, but it was falling out.
Gray { I WAS DOING SO WELL! WHY, WHY, WHY!? We were living just fine. I… I WAS FINALLY PROGRESSING. NOW THIS, WHY DO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS SHIT. I had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with my life, and now I get something and they're gonna get taken away!? Are you series!? They...they are all I have...I won't lose them...Rosemary, I promise I'll save you.}
Gray gritted his teeth, bit his lip so hard blood drooled out. His eyes flamed with anger and drive. And he smiled, filled with false confidence.
Gray {I TRAINED LIKE HELL! I BEAT JEREMIAH! I PROVED MYSELF TO THE WORLDS STRONGEST SWORDSMEN! I'M FRIENDS WITH THE STRONGEST PERSON ALIVE! I'M NOT DYING TO THIS NO WAY NO WAY!}
He tries to push himself up, his muscles tearing, his blood is pouring, and his head starts screaming at him. The tears never having stopped flowing.
Gray {Please… PLEASE, I WILL NOT SIT HERE, I WILL NOT WASTE THIS! COME ON! IF IT'S THE LAST THING YOU DO GET UP, AT LEAST BE A SHIELD FOR THEM!}
Gray hears what sounds like a bird whistling in the air, swinging over and over. Gray turns his head fully enraged, to see a woman wrapped in bandages with the Sects cloak, crest, and mask, like a mummy. However the bandages didn't seem to be bandages; it seemed to be her skin that was wrapped around her, standing there staring at him.
Gray: "Is that a mummy?"
Anibys: "I am Anibys, leader of the low pillars of justice, a member of the Sect of Anarchy, and you are my goal. I also want you to inform me of the location of Jeremiah before we leave together."
Gray: "He's not here and I'm not goin'."
Gray shook his face and wiped the tears and blood away, struggling to stand and swaying back and forth.
Anibys: "Look, I know he's here. So tell me and we will be on our way."
Gray: "Mind if I strike a deal with you then? K'now, if you want you're friend in once peice."
Anibys: "MMM..."
She looked into his eye, gripping her whip tightly. Then sighed.
Anibys: "Yes, only because I wish to see my brother unharmed. So speak."
While this is going on, Edward and Conroy are currently exchanging sword strikes outside of his room on the first floor.
Conroy: "Come on! Show me your true power, the warrior's spirit, you're a Helsing! A berserker, a demi-god! I can see it, feel it behind your eyes, restrained by chains! LET IT OUT SO THE REAL FIGHT CAN BEGIN!"
Edward plays defense, blocking the strikes and walking back, waiting for an opening. Conroy was moving swiftly, extremely proficient and resilient. His sword clashes over and over, getting pushed back by Edwards massive blade and immense strength, but managed to push Edward back instead. He was bouncing around the walls, and ceiling, this snake with wings fighting style that the Sect seemed to use. Using everything to your advantage, no matter what power you have or how strong you are, to maximize everything.
Edward {This is it, a real fight. He's much stronger than the normal soldier, much, much stronger! He's flowing around the hallway jumping and striking mid-air like a super soldier, and this is just how the baseline swordsmen should fight!}
Edward starts taking steps, resists gritting his teeth, and then starts to finally swing back. It was overwhelmingly obvious that Edward was holding back, but why? That was the question playing over and over and over again, within the confusing mind of Conroy. Even though the sword is so heavy, Edward was still able to swing his blade quickly and efficiently, instantly putting Conroy on the defense.
Conroy: "COME ON SHOW ME, SHOW ME A FUTURE GOD OF WAR!"
Edward: "SHUT UP!"
Conroy: "COME ON LET IT OUT!"
Edward starts to lose focus, getting slightly slashed multiple times across his face as well as his body. It was digging at the back of his mind, his Helsing blood, his warriors spirit. He had to resist, he had to control his emotions and perfect his strength. At least that what he thought would make awakening as a Helsing possible. Starting to move off impulse, the swings of the great sword picking up in speed. Conroy moves to the side, planning on striking Edward's side. Then Edward swings his sword, cleaving through the wall, like a hot knife through butter. Conroy barely dodges the debris, leaving him open. Conroy blocks Edward's swing, though blocking this heavy blow puts a lot of pressure on Conroy's blade, causing it to crack and sending him flying backward.
Conroy: "There it is! Your anger! The thing that makes you all so strong! BUT YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO DIE, BY MY BLADE! And my sword is named Gilly, your sword, what is its name?"
Edward: "Its name is Bjørn, after my late stepfather."
Conroy: "Wonderful! Tragic! Simple!"
Conroy smiles before extending his arm.
Conroy: "IGNUM!"
A ball of fire is sent from his hand, being blocked by Bjørn, Edward's sword. And while Edwards defense was strong, he made a mistake. Conroy uses this as an opening, dashing towards Edward. Curving around Edward, then slashing Edwards back. Edward grunts in pain, then once more Conroy extends his hand.
Conroy: "IGNIS!"
Glowing red mana swirled from the air to his palm before quickly erupting out with a stream of fire. The fire hits Edward just as he was turning around, leaving him open In a flash he was burnt and sent flying, blasting down the hallway.
Conroy: "A shame you couldn't kill me."
Conroy rushes towards Edward, right about to stab him in the head. Then surprising Conroy, Edward grabs the sword, and it begins to crack under the pressure. Though it slices his hand causing it to bleed. Conroy didn't care, but he couldn't get his sword back. Then, within Edwards eyes, was an anger. A dormant powerful spirit of a warrior using all of their emotions to topple their foe. But Edward held it back, getting kicked in the face and letting go of the sword.
Edward {I couldn't...I couldn't be the Helsing I was supposed to be...to the very end...}
Before anything can happen, a device in Conroy's pocket starts to glow while making a faint ringing sound.
Conroy: "Oh wait sorry, I gotta take this."
Conroy reaches into his pocket and pulls out the purple, M-like, crest of the Sect. He holds it with his hand, pushing mana within it to open his connection, all while his sword was right above Edward still moving head, ready to attack, but Edward felt absolute no care to block. Feeling defeated, and unwilling to cheat.
Carla: "WHAT I'M BUSY!"
Her voice emerged from the device, glowing everytime she said a word.
Conroy: "Yeah what is it Anibys."
Anibys: "Stop your fighting! Bring them outside to me. We are making a trade. The safety of their lives for Gray to accompany us and Jeremiah's location."
Conroy: "Oh, alright then."
Conroy turns around to Edward, motioning him to follow.
Edward: "I need proof this is real before I come with you, until then..."
He gritted his teeth, standing up and pushing past his wounds.
Edward {I was a real fighter, a real knight, a real Helsing... I could brush off all of this like it's nothing, I just need to use it.}
The rage continued to burn, fueling his strength. However, just as he was about to dash forward like a wild animal, he heard a familiar voice that returned his sanity.
Conroy: "Anibys, they need proof! QUICK!"
Anibys: "Okay then, Gray tell them."
Conroy leaped backward, with Edward stopping his large blunt blade right before it bashes against Conroys face.
Gray: "IT'S ME GUYS! JUST COME OUT HERE IT'S ALL GOOD!"
Conroy: "Is that good enough?"
Edward: "So, either you die or they die then. Then I have no choice."
Conroy: "Great! Now come on, don't want to keep Gray and the others waitin'. "