Chp 14 - The Alpha Rears its Fangs
Earth/Europe/Bertotia Kingdom/Tavern Town just West of The Capital/07_09_2020 – 18:58
Clear, loud footsteps resound off the marble floor, echoing around a dimly lit room at the top of the tall, spindling tower known as the Command Centre. Coming to a halt before a small, white desk and peering down at the woman before him, Igor attempts to suppress his excitement.
(POV Igor): It won’t be long now! I’ll finally destroy the ‘monster’ herself. Without the Town she protects so dearly, she’ll be nothing!
Without sparing even a glace at the man stood in front of her neat, well ordered desk, Bodil Boson continues to scribble away at the page occupying her attention. She’s a tall, broad woman, with finely tuned muscles threatening to burst her green/brown officer’s uniform at the seams. A minute passes in the near silence before Igor’s patience breaks. Red-faced, he fakes a cough, trying to buy her attention. There is no reaction. Infuriated, Igor bursts into a childish fit.
(Igor): Earth to Bodil?! You there, Bodil?! It’s 7, it’s time to switch, you idiot!!
Refusing to meet his gaze, Bodil checks her watch, sighing and then resuming her writing.
(Bodil): Not for another 32 seconds, it isn’t…
Stunned into silence, Igor can only stand there in shocked stupor. 32 seconds pass before the scene changes. RING RIIIIIING, RING RIIIIIING!! Calmly turning off the alarms she had set, Bodil packs away her belongings, deliberately pausing when deciding whether to take her alarms with her, to annoy her arrogant subordinate further. Choosing to pack them, she zips up her bag, standing up. Nodding once to Igor, she begins to leave. Only once she has left the room does Igor awake from his daze, red smeared across his face.
(POV Igor): You know what? Fine! It’ll make it all the more satisfying when I bring out everything crashing down from beneath her.
The smile now sprouting from cheek to cheek is immediately wiped off as the secretary, who just sat and watched the whole interaction while unsuccessfully trying to suppress her smile addresses him, still giggling.
(Secretary Ava, holding back her laughter): S-sorry sir. Hehe. Please commence with your work, these are pretty trying times, you don’t have time to be staring into space, sir.
(Igor): Alright Ava! I get the idea, so shut up! Stop laughing this instant! Stop! Please stop!!!
This outburst only prompts more laughter.
(Igor): Please!
Earth/Europe/Bertotia Kingdom/Tavern Town just West of The Capital/Roughly 2 minutes later:
Exiting the base of the tower, Bodil gazes out over the guard railing of the wall she’s stood on. The summer sun is still up, casting a warming, orange glow over the miles of fields that stretch out in all directions. The contrasting red-greens paint a wond~. SLAP. Taking her attention away from the scene, she notices a white glove, flat on the ground by her feet. Immediately understanding their intent, she looks for it’s owner. A blonde-haired man stands off to her left, one white glove in hand. He has adopted a casual pose, one hand in his pocket and spine hunched. He wears an uninterested look and sighs before explaining his circumstances.
(Ivan): There’s something we really need to talk about… However, from what I’ve heard, you won’t listen to me even if I tell you. Unfortunately, there’s no way I could even hope to beat you in a fight, so instead I’ll suggest this: If I can remain conscious for the next 20 minutes, will you listen to what I have to say?
A little taken aback, Bodil looks the man up and down a few times before carefully choosing her words.
(Bodil): No one that’s challenged me so far has lasted longer than 15 minutes. The current record holder is the Vice-captain. You really think you can beat him?
(Ivan): If you’re talking about my Weaving (or lack thereof) then I suggest you re-evaluate your measures of strength. While Weaving can prove to be a tremendously powerful tool, over-reliance on it can definitely be detrimental…
Cocking an eyebrow, Bodil breaks into a smile. Looking at the excited expressions of the crowd that has now formed around them, she accepts his challenge.
(Bodil): You’re interesting… or stupid. I just hope you live up to your expectations…
(Ivan): Haha, yeah, me too. So, shall we get started then?
Nodding her head, Bodil reaches into her bag and sets a timer for 20 minutes.
(Bodil): Good luck, I’m coming!
Filling her legs with strength, Bodil springs towards Ivan, pulling a fist behind her, ready to release it at her opponent. Reaching a spot ½ a metre in front of him, she swings with all the force of a sledgehammer, aiming for his head… His head, which isn’t there… Scanning the area, she finds no sign of her enemy anywhere. Suddenly, alarm bells ring in her head, screaming at her to move. Following her instincts, she jumps backwards, just clearing Ivan’s legs, which have been swung at her feet.
(POV Bodil): I see, so as soon as I got to him, he ducked really low to the ground, sticking out his leg and spinning to sweep my legs out from underneath me. He’s right, he’s pretty strong, even without Weaving. However…
(Ivan): Wow, those are some pretty incredible instincts you’ve got there. Though I guess you wouldn’t have made it nearly this far if your physical strength and skill wasn’t at least this good. What I’m worried about is your Weaving…
Refusing to talk back, Bodil instead opts to swing her leg across her body, swiping at Ivan’s head. Missing once again, she clicks her tongue, deciding it’s time for a change in tactics.
(Bodil): You’re quick, I’ll give you that, but your attacks are weak and lack conviction.
(Ivan): Yeah, my speciality is running away...
Backward hand-springing out of range of her attacks, he focuses on the web in his immediate area. Bodil springs at him, aiming to throw another punch like her first. This time, instead of dropping to the floor and dodging, Ivan jumps, Bodil’s fist landing square in his stomach. The crowd gasps in surprise, why would he jump in that situation. However, no one is more surprised by this decision than Bodil. Her eyes shoot open, before once again narrowing in suspicion. Retracting her fist and backing off, Bodil confronts him.
(Bodil): How did you know? There’s no way you just jumped by coincidence, so you must hav~
(Ivan): Do you really think I’d do something this stupid without at least having a vague idea of your abilities?
Between heavy breaths, Ivan rubs his sore stomach and begins to explain.
(Ivan): From what I’ve gathered from people’s explanations of your battles, you’re an incredible Satin Weaver. You seem to have 2 main abilities: the first being Spatial Weaving, you can make gates to a personal pocket dimension you’ve set up, pulling things in and out of it. The second is the more worrying one. The ability to communicate with animals. You’re an anima. You send waves to your familiars, directly tapping into their brains and sending signals to convince them to act. The most concerning fact is that your familiars… Are wolves.
Staring at him blankly, Bodil stands motionless, shocked. It is the first time anybody has ever challenged her, even while knowing these abilities.
(Bodil): You know that I can summon wolves anywhere, freely… And despite being awful at Weaving, you’re still choosing to fight me??? Are you suicidal?!?! Do you just not care??
(Ivan): Hey, if I don’t have this conversation I was asking about, there’s a good chance I’d be killed regardless. Dying here is probably better than dying there, so I don’t particularly mind, no.
Curiosity clear on her face, Bodil almost calls the match off, however, she realises that if she did, it would be considered a surrender, which would cost her position as the Head of GATW.
(Bodil): Sorry, but unfortunately I'll have to keep going until you surrender. Whether you make it to 20 minutes or not, it is of no significance to me.
(Ivan): That’s fine by me, I just hope you know that this little conversation is buying me more than enough ti~
Before he can finish his sentence, Ivan rolls, narrowly missing a pair of seemingly sentient floating fangs. Fading back into the pocket dimension, the wolf snarls at him.
(POV Ivan): I see, so she’s finally getting serious then…
