Chapter 288
CHAPTER 288
VICIOUS TONGUE
A heavy silence hung over the encampment, curious eyes peaking behind the shroud of fear and terror and gleaming at the two flying up in the sky -- one winged, and the other surrounded by the streaks of thunder . Both wore the same masks as the two standing right in front of them, who’d arrived just a few minutes ago and had sent the whole upper echelon of the Order into the spiral of madness and confusion .
Ethwart glanced curiously at the two in the sky, quickly noting their numbers, his lips curling up into a smile for a moment . The woman standing next to him, however, didn’t seem to share the same enthusiasm, her eyes like piercing daggers .
Lino and Hannah didn’t stay up for too long, landing shortly after and walking up until they were just a few meters away from their counterparts . Fifty-Eight and Forty-Nine, respectively; the former being Ethwart and the latter being a woman Lino didn’t recognize .
"What are you two doing here?" Hannah asked casually, looking around for any sign of a battle .
"Fixing your incompetence," Forty-Nine replied coldly . "You took too long . "
"We were not given a time limit," Hannah continued . "So . . . how could have we taken too long?"
"It was a time-sensitive mission, and you were aware of it . "
"I don’t deal in implications," Hannah’s mood seemed to sour as her voice grew frigid as well, eyes turning emotionless . "If I did, it would seem to me you’re implying we are unfit to complete the mission . "
"And what if?" Forty-Nine replied in kind .
"Then we have a problem . "
"Alright, alright, chill out ladies," Lino joined in, seemingly trying to diffuse the situation . "Geez, we’re all on the same team here, right? What’s with the tension?"
"Adults are talking, Seventy-Two . Keep quiet . "
" . . . ouch," Lino exclaimed softly, faking hurt . "Though, I suppose I am honored that someone, for a change, chose to down-age me . Feels kind of good, actually . "
"Long time no see . " Ethwart, too, joined in, addressing Lino with a faint smile . "You look great . "
"And you look terrible," Lino replied, smiling back . "Can’t blame you, though, being stuck with that ever-barking dog next to you . Most of us would have our wills for life drained within months, I imagine . "
"I don’t think she appreciated you calling her a dog . " Hannah chimed in with a faint chuckle .
"Eh, she called me a kid . Gotta act the part, right?" Lino grinned . "Anyway, we’re here now . So, you know, it’s time you two left . "
" . . . I’m afraid that’s not the mission," Ethwart said, smiling bitterly . "Forty-Four said--"
"Eh? That bastard sent you?" Lino interrupted, startling all three surrounding him . "That guy’s really persistent with his whining . Aah, what I wouldn’t give to just have a minute alone with him . "
"Are you defying the authority?!!" Forty-Nine exclaimed angrily, the Qi around her transforming into an outright onslaught directed at Lino . The latter, however, merely glanced at her casually, seemingly unaffected .
"Authority?" he mumbled . "The day I give the authority of myself over to someone else is the day I’ll put a sword through my heart . Ease down with the intimidation, you brainless speck of sand . Just because you’ve surrendered your cunt to another doesn’t mean all of us had . Individuality and all that, you know’"
"How dare--"
"Calm down . " Ethwart held his arm out and grabbed her, forcibly stopping her . "That’s not a way to speak about a lady, is it now?"
"Oh, he never does," Hannah said . "I can confirm . "
"Eh, would you look at that . She can confirm . " Lino chuckled, realizing that Hannah had picked up on his intentions . "Now, I didn’t fly all the way over here to bicker and moan with a woman with the emotional control of a ten year old, but to complete a mission . There’s no need to escalate this any further, is there?"
"You are not allowed to escalate it further . " Ethwart said, frowning .
"Says who?" Lino quizzed, tilting his head sideways .
"The most core rule---"
"Ah, rule this, rule that, you and your rules," Lino interrupted, sighing and shaking his head . "If I followed rules all my life, it would have been one quite boring existence, you know? Ah, whatever, whatever . She looks like her brain’s about to burst, and that wouldn’t be pretty . Just tell me what you plan on doing with them . "
"What else? Killing them, of course . " Forty-Nine scoffed .
"Oh . Well, you see," Lino smiled . "I’m afraid I can’t let you do that . "
"Wasn’t that your mission?" Ethwart asked .
"No clue," Lino shrugged . "All I know is that there’s a group out there with enough balls to stand up against the Descenders . . . and that I’d like to meet them, face to face, to see how they do it . "
"That’s it!" Forty-Nine suddenly ripped herself away from Ethwart’s hold and clasped her hands together, causing a massive blurb of earth to explode beneath her feet, shredding itself into hundreds of pieces and molding into the blades, all sent flying at Lino .
"Gotcha . " Lino exclaimed with a grin, summoning the shield from the void world .
The blades of earth blast against it to no avail, creating a massive dust storm that had blindsided everyone, including those standing behind who cried out in fear, trying to back away . As the dust settled, everyone saw Lino and Hannah standing casually, still in one piece, seemingly entirely unhurt . Forty-Nine, on the other hand, was seething, held back by Ethwart who suddenly had a bad feeling .
"You saw it, right?" Lino mumbled faintly, glancing up . "They attacked first . "
" . . . "
"Ow, come on now," he pouted . "Don’t tell me you’re gonna take their side here? I was just having fun, and that bitch suddenly decided to blow my brains out . Are you really going to take their side Gra--"
"That’s enough," a voice suddenly collapsed over the encampment, bringing everyone except Lino and Hannah on their knees . "Forty-Nine, Fifty-Eight, return to the headquarters for your punishment . "
"Aww, thanks . " Lino waved up with a big grin as a voice transmitted into his ears .
"You are going to be the death of me . . . "
"Ah, I wouldn’t worry about that . " Lino chuckled as he and Hannah walked over, passing star-struck Ethwart and the woman whose eyes were by now shaking saucers .
"T-that . . . that was . . . " Ethwart mumbled .
"Shoo, shoo . Didn’t you hear the old bastard? Go and receive your punishment . Geez, attacking members of the same group out of nowhere for no reason whatsoever . You lot are the worst . " Hannah, meanwhile, was doing her best to not burst out in laughter, while the group behind everyone else stared in confusion .
Glancing back at Lino, Ethwart smiled bitterly and finally remembered that vicious tongue of his; he did find it odd, as he never thought of Lino as an idiot who would stir trouble for no reason . He knew he should have figured out what was happening, yet even he got blindsided with anger in the moment .
"Let’s go J’," he whispered to the woman, picking her up . "We lost this round . "
"I--I’m going . . . I’m going to rip him to pieces," the woman mumbled, glancing at Lino with a murderous gaze . "I’m not going to let him--"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah . You’ll get your revenge eventually . Let’s go . "
The space around the two distorted as they disappeared, leaving only Hannah and Lino behind, the latter quickly taking off his mask . Though slightly surprised by his actions, Hannah didn’t follow suit, merely standing on the side as he faced the huddled group and the six standing in front as protectors .
"Hello everyone!" he said, smiling widely . "Name’s Lino . And, well, I believe I just saved your asses, no? What’s with the terrified faces? I expected some gratitude by now . "
" . . . w-who . . . are you?" one of the men standing upfront -- the oldest of the bunch, Lino noted -- stepped further up and asked with a feeble voice .
" . . . eh? I just told you . Lino . L-I-N-O . Geez, did they scare you so much your brains fried?"
"Khm, khm . . . " Hannah coughed from the side to cover up her laughter . "He, uh, he means no harm . I think . Probably . I wouldn’t bet on it . "
"Hey!" Lino exclaimed, glancing at her angrily . "What do you mean? I always mean harm . That’s my thing . "
"You’ve got a lot of things . "
"Shame you’re only ever interested in one . "
"Goes both ways buddy . "
"Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m at least interested in four of your things," Lino said . "There’s quite a discrepancy at play here, don’t you think so?"
"If we’re counting everything, then, you know, I’m definitely winning . "
" . . . tsk . Me and my damn muscles . " Lino clicked his tongue, shaking his head and turning his attention back onto the old man . "Women, am I right? Can’t help but love them, but all they do is try and cripple your heart and soul on every corner . "
"Ego, Lino . I think you meant to say ego . "
"There’s nothing wrong with my ego . " he said .
"No, of course not . There’s just too much of it . "
"Ah, I think we genuinely might cause their brains to fry if we continue, so," he took a deep breath and grinned, glancing over everyone present . "I’ll make it quick: you lot are hunted by practically everyone . Holy Grounds, smaller Sects, Gaia, the Bearers, hell, even the freaking Descent . Let’s be honest: you’ve got very few friends you can trust, and the world of shadows is growing ever-so-smaller each passing day . If we hadn’t come when we did, you would have been downsized to those few brats you sent to the Holy City . So, in lieu of that, I’m here to offer a friendly hand . "
" . . . heh, you say so, but aren’t you a Descender as well?" the old man asked .
"Oh, yeah . But, if I shortened myself to a singular identity, it would beat the whole point of living, no? Besides being a Descender and a great lover--"
"--can confirm . " Hannah chimed in .
"--she confirms . Anyway, besides being many things, some good and some bad, I’m also your last bastion of hope, old man . "
"Oh? And who exactly is that?"
"The last Empyrean . " Lino said, his Will billowing out form his eyes like smoke, dousing the entire encampment in pressure no one was able to withstand as they began shaking in terror . However, the old man didn’t, Lino noticed; rather than terror . . . in those tremor-filled eyes, Lino saw . . . hope . A genuine article of hope and of rather pronounced . . . joy .
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