RE:volt! Chapter 47: Fight for Freedom!

 

Bruno, the Head Overseer and mana knight stood staring with his bloodied blade pointed at Ark. 

“Stop and get down.” Bruno ordered with Ark staring back at the man who wore a metal chest plate fastened to a leather underbody that guarded his stomach and other areas but offered the man less protection than his usual full plate.

When Ark didn’t move, Bruno flicked his wrist, sending a wave of energy that cut a line into the earth beside the teen. 

“NOW!”

Tsk.

Ark moved carefully and slowly, obeying the man’s commands. With Thirteen in his arms and Ninety-Nine on his back, Ark couldn’t risk attempting to dodge an attack when any error could result in the duo being injured.

“You were the one who killed my men earlier weren’t you?” Bruno said, his eyes flaring with green mana, indicating his strength was three tiers higher than Ark who was only at the cusp of breaking out of red.

Shit. Why now?!

Ark grit his teeth, the teen glaring at the man who was reinforced by two helpers.

“Put the girl down and show me your face.”

Shit… Two guards, spearman. Lightly armored but I'm unarmed and Ninety-Nine and Thirteen are in the blast radius of any attacks from Bruno.

Bruno's hand began to release green mana, his blood stained blade suddenly coated with ephemeral energy that matched the man's glowing eyes.

Presented with no choice, Ark set the pair down and slowly took off the torn cloth he was using as a mask, revealing himself to Bruno. 

“Six two six…” Bruno muttered, his glowing eyes narrowing at Ark. “Of course it'd be one I trained. Step away from the girl.”

Ark did as told, walking toward Bruno slowly as he eyed the two men flanking the Overseer's sides.

“Stop. That's close enough brat. Don't think I don't know what you're doing.” Bruno said, pointing his glowing sword at Ark with the blade inches away from the teen's face. Bruno's eyes looked down, eyeing the space between Ark's chest and head. “If you tell me how you got your collar off, I'll spare your life.”

“Careful sir! This boy killed Leo, Lester, and Dun.” One of the helpers cried, drawing Ark's blue eyes toward the man who flinched.

Ark eyed the man dressed in leathers and the knives on his waistband.

“You want to know huh?” Ark hiss, his gaze unwavering as his own eyes began to glow and he fully uncorked the Mana he'd been suppressing for so many years. “Smoke bomb.”

Liberation series. Form One. Burst Step

“What-?” Bruno spat as Ark's eyes flashed orange and a cloud of black smoke suddenly appeared, obscuring Ark. But Bruno was no slouch. Immediately the man's sword pulsed, releasing a blast of energy that dispersed the smoke but not before one of the helpers let out a gurgled choke.

Ark was atop the man, one hand wrapped around a dagger plunged into the helper’s throat, and his other already throwing a blade at the other helper which found its mark in the man's eye.

“AAAAAH! AAAH!” The second helper screamed, still alive despite the blade poking out of his skull.

Tsk too shallow. Ark spat before kicking off the ground and barely avoiding Bruno's overheated slash thanks to his legs being empowered by his mana technique.

“Mana… you can use mana…” Bruno whispered, the man staring blankly at his sword embedded in the ground.

Ark landed, skidding backwards into the dirt where he prepared for a follow up attack from Bruno. 

Yet the man didn't act, instead he stood up slowly, the glow in his eyes fizzling out.

Liberation Series. Form One. Burst Step.

Ark crouched low, assuming a knife fighter’s stance with his legs kicking off the earth with explosive speed once more.

This was it. Fight or die. Thankfully the stances he'd been practicing throughout the years, coupled with the exercises allowed his body to perform his liberation technique.

But it wasn't without repercussions. 

All across Ark's body his skin tingled, his unused circuits churning with positive energy that sent pain shooting through his body. 

Already the taste of copper flooded his mouth, the severity of using so much mana after bottling it up for so long tearing up his innards. 

Yet despite this, Ark maintained his focus, his eyes unblinking as he aimed the dagger at the man’s stomach, the only area where the knight was unarmored. 

A testament to Bruno’s skill, the man bent his knees, allowing Ark's dagger to be deflected by his metal plate, catching Ark off guard who was certain he could land a decisive blow.

Shit! 

Bruno greeted Ark's failure with a knee to the stomach, yet Ark wasn't done just yet. In a fraction of a second, Ark spun the steel dagger in his palm, stabbing Bruno in his kidney before the man kicked him away.

“You cheeky Cockfuck!” Bruno spat, clutching his side as Ark smashed through the fence and tumbled across the earth.

Shit there goes my weapon. Ark grimaced, coughing as he rose to his feet, prepared to run away. Yet he froze, eyeing Seventeen and Ninety-Nine. Ah… fuck. 

Ark coughed up blood, the impact of the attack causing him internal injuries.

“Sir! The raiders are torching the marble storages! Lord Constantine's supplies are crumbling!” A helper leading a duo of helpers screamed as they gathered around Bruno. 

“Sir, you're bleeding!”

“Find an apothecary!”

“The slaves are escaping! Stop them!”

 

Shit. Ark wiped the blood off his mouth, preparimg to fight with his fists raised against the spears, clubs, and axes the helpers held. 

You stupid monkey. I can not believe this is how you die. Irelix said, her voice lace with disdain. Run you monkey!

No. Ark shot back, eyeing Bruno staring at him. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't get far. Right now, Bruno's strength exceeded his by several tiers. To make matters worse, the man was a skilled fighter despite being just a slave Overseer.

Out of all of the possible outcomes… of course I'd run into him. Ark grimaced as the trio of helpers advanced.

How nice would it be if that mysterious stranger showed up again.

Pitiful.

Ark took a deep breath, ignoring Irelix as his chest constricted with immense pain.

Liberation… Form One. Burst Step.

Ark shot off the ground, his muscles constricting and firing him off like an arrow let loose. 

“What-?!” A helper yelled before his nose was smashed in by Ark's knee. “UGH!”

The two hit the dirt with Ark grabbing the man’s ax that featured a slight curve on the weapon’s head. 

“W-w-wait WAIT-!” The man screamed to no avail as Ark buried the ax in the man's face. 

The other two helpers immediately charge Ark, one with a spear, the other a club. 

Ark dodged the spear, using the curve of his new weapon to hook the spear bar and pushed himself off the ground, where he delivered a throat jab at the man. 

The helper stumbled back, choking as his friend ran at Ark behind, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Shut up.

Ark spun, throwing the ax at his other assailant who was knocked clean off his feet. He landed with a thud, unmoving, another kill under Ark's belt as he turned to face the man who had surprisingly turned and fled. Leaving his comrades to die under Ark's hands.

He didn't get far. 

Bruno lashed out, slicing the man in half with a wave of energy that cleanly bisected him, drawing Ark's ire. 

He killed his own man?!

The two stared at one another, one's eyes glowing green while the other a bright orange that was fading into red. 

“Boss! Boss! Kill em!” The last helper cried, the one with the dagger in his eye who hadn't seen Bruno cut down his friend thanks to him squirming on the ground.

Neither Ark nor Bruno moved. Both men staring at each other.

“Boss! Boss kill that fuc-” Before the helper could finish his sentence, Bruno's blade entered his skull, finishing what Ark had started. 

“Brat.” Bruno said, his eyes no longer glowing as he did something that caught both Ark and Irelix off guard.

He sheathed his sword. 

“Grab the girl and get going.” Bruno said, undoing his belt and stealth, tossing it in Ark's direction where it thudded on the ground.

Is this a joke?

Ark narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenched as he prepared another burst step.

“Go ahead. Grab the sword and get out of here. It's no trap.” 

“... Why?” Ark replied.

With his flames at his back, the only thing Ark could really see was the man's outline.

The pair stood in silence, neither moving as the sound of screams, flames, and deerlings tropping around played in the background.

“Seventeen years ago… I had a moment of weakness. The end result… Was something I didn't learn about until years later and a secret I've kept hiddened.”

Moment of weakness… Seventeen years? Ark said to himself, instantly putting two and two together as his eyes drifted to the girl lying unconscious on the grass.

“You want me to take care of your… daughter?!” Ark hissed, his brow furrowed at revelation.

Bruno turned his head towards the flames.

“I knew you were smart. But then anyone that could suppress their mana like you would have to be… Yes. I made her a house slave to avoid being made to die in the upcoming wars. Take her and flee, and I'll turn the other way.”

Ark couldn't tell whether or not the man was being sincere. Then again, what did the man have to gain from conjuring such a fib? Ark didn't know, but what he did know, was that he was running on fumes as his shirt stuck to his chest. 

He was beginning to sweat, the thin rags that served as his clothes sticking to his skin as he stood with his hands raised.

Soon his body would be wracked with fatigue, knocking him out of commission. 

With no choice left to Ark, he inched forward, moving until he reached out and grabbed the sword tucked inside its plain looking sheath.

“I did my best, you know.” Bruno said. “For all the kids. So that less of you would die. So you'd be tough, survive the coming onslaught.”

 

“....” Ark said nothing as he snapped the belt around his waist.

“All the beatings, all the screaming. There was a purpose. Not a day goes by that I ain't haunted by what I'm a part of.” Bruno continued. “All the numbers, the kids who never have a name. I'm-”

 

“You won't find forgiveness from me.” Ark interjected, staring at Bruno. “More than most, I want you dead. You beat us every damn day. Tortured us, pushed children to their absolute limit and for what? To be soldiers? To fight and die for your master? You're a knight. But you have no chivalry, no code. You ordered kids to die. To kill each other and then laughed. There is nothing in this world that you could say or do to make me forgive you. You are a monster. And one that I will come back and kill.”

 

Bruno stared at Ark, allowing himself to be berated by the teen he helped train into a killer. 

“Then get stronger.” Bruno said finally, turning around to walk away with his hand clutching his side. “I'll be here waiting for you to take my head.”

The man left, leaving Ark surrounded by bodies.