"Disappointing. Is this how Higher Ranking Officers act?" - Sophia narrowed her gaze, causing Foryan's face to soften a little.
"Please act as if you're someone in position! You are proclaimed as a leader for gods sakes!" - She added, eyebrows slowly furrowing. Causing even the guards to slightly lower their faces.
"Is this how you wish the lower ranking men to act too? Is this the standard of Azulunu?"
- Hearing such remarks, all, even Bakzeu, whom didn't do a single thing was overwhelmed with remorse as he stood, head titled downwards at the scolding of the young person in authority.
————
"The Imperial Capital will not tolerate such childishness in times as dire as this!"
"Is this the right time to be bickering amongst yourselves? We're fighting a war here! We do not know how many, or how strong the next stampede will be!"
All commanders found themselves lowering their heads slightly, Bakzeu's hesitant expression transitioning unto a more apologetic countenance, though Ignaras remained unwavering in his stoic disposition, he had a sweat sliding down his cheek, while Foryan in the other hand, tightly clenched her fists as she bit her lower lip in frustration.
"Hundreds upon thousands of innocent lives lie behind those walls..! would you really risk those people? If so, go ahead! Bicker! Yell! So that we may not understand each other!"
"..."
There came an air of silence as Sophia's words resonated, asundering the anger of those inside of the tent.
"This could serve as the ground for your reduction in ranks! Try this one more time and I will send you all back in the academy..! Mark my words!"
Upon hearing such a statement, Sanum found his lips curling into a small smirk beneath the cover of his own hands.
"Therefore to not waste anymore of our precious attempts.. Tell me now if you plan on doing this act again! Now!"
The group paused, their eyes diverting into other places.
"Answer Me!"
"N-no.." - a whisper, emanated from the group specifically from the Guards.
"Louder!"
"No-No Miss Countess!" - Then in unison, they all replied back.
After hearing their response, the Countess heaved a deep sigh that ceased down the subtle twitching and trembling of her stature. Sanum then glanced over before swiftly returning back his gaze on the group that had their gazes lowered.
"I.. sincerely extend my deepest apologies, Countess Aosomus.." - Ignaras bowed, teeth gritted softly as if troubled.
Upon hearing his voice, Foryan, whom were in the verge of tears glanced beside her causing the the biting of her lip to soften into an 'o' shape. Her trembling subsiding into a small wobble as the flame that blazed inside of her veins gradually died out.
Bakzeu bowed shortly after, still not knowing what he did wrong but really felt like he needed to also extend his apologies.
Next was the the guards situated at the entrance; and then, there was Foryan, whom had her gaze repeatedly divert from the two at her left and the guards at her right.
Feeling an intense pang in her stomach, she gulped before slowly slouching her torso to bow, until;
"Halt it."
She blinked, before raising her head back up to lock her widened eyes with the Countess'es
"Please sit down Miss Foryan."
The Countess gestured towards the seat on which Foryan sat earlier, causing her to nod then slowly walk over and make herself comfortable.
"You five.. raise your heads."
- The Countess uttered, finally allowing Bakzeu, Ignaras and the Three Guards to straighten their postures, sighs escaping their mouths.
"..Miss Foryan, I wish to understand what got you so worked up.." - The countess spoke, though voice still laced with authority, empathy was now more prevalent as opposed to it.
Foryan diverted her eyes as a troubled expression assumed dominion on her countenance.
"...Miss Countess.."
The Countess leaned in and nodded, her lips curling into a faint smile as her tone softened.
"Yes..? please do tell me."
"It's.." - Foryan fidgeted on her seat, as if torn between keeping something concealed while taking care of it herself which she already knows is impossible, or finally revealing it and allowing all hell to break loose.
Eventually, Foryan locked gazes with the Countess and then she uttered a set of words that rendered the Countess'es hearing to.. malfunction, her eardrums were overwhelmed with a ringing, high-pitched noise as she paused, attempting to comprehend what has just been stated.
"..Wha..what did you just..?"
- The countess muttered, eyes widening as she gradually zoned out.
After a momentary pause, Sophia quickly shook her head before her pair of eyebrows had once again furrowed.
"Well that is.. Indeed terrible.."
- She whispered, torn in between the urgency and the will to keep herself composed.
"..I must..not let that..happen..!"
Sophia rekindled her resolve before locking eyes with the commanders.
"..Second Division Commander; Mister Ignaras.."
- Ignaras straightened his posture.
"..Third Division Commander; Mister Bakzeu."
- Bakzeu saluted, face still sweating though determination was etched unto it.
"..And.. Fourth Division Commander; Miss Foryan."
- Foryan nodded, eyes filled with solemnity.
"And.. You people.." - The Countess glanced towards the group of guards situated at the entrance of the tent, which caused them to slightly flinch before saluting.
"Ye..Yes Ma'am!"
The Countess waved her arm, intonation raised and laced with utter authority, akin to that of a thunderous proclaimation that left no room for retaliation.
"Order all of your men to spread out in a search party! Find those two immediately!"
"Yes Ma'am!!"
— The Group proclaimed in Unison!
————
"Don't.. Kill him..!"
- Calestro muttered, seeing both Bears standing before him whom were radiating such power. The Papa Bear's arms wiggling in the air with those frantic black appendages akin to that of crazed tentacles, while the Mama Bear stood still beside him unmoving, yet remained as intimidating.
Then.. in a monotonous, guttural deep voice a set of words echoed in the air;
"CODENAME : BEAR
BRAVE
ENGINEERED
ASSAULT
REVENANT
—A.C.T.I.V.A.T.I.N.G."
Afterwards, a similar monotonous voice replied yet was laced with complete femininity.
"CODENAME; BEAR
BENEVOLENT
ENGINEERED
ASSISTIVE
RECONNAISSANCE
—COMMENCING."
As Hamilvan remained kneeled on the area where he was kicked into, he gritted his teeth as he saw two large individuals standing beside one another shielding a bloody, yet healed Calestro.
The image caused another scene to flash inside of his mind and strike his neurons like lightning, tearing his head like a coconut in pain.
"ARGHKKKDJFOERJFNEKEJE!!!!!!"
Hamilvan let out a pained scream as the green veins on his head began to slowly become more and more prevalent, the pain proliferated around his head, so much so that a few pieces of foam began to materialize on his mouth.
"IGGHHKKKKK!!!AGGHH!!"
- Hearing his blood-curdling screams, a sweat slid off Calestro's cheek causing him to question; if a beating is what really Hamilvan needs and not a therapist.
"..erm."
- As the pain subsided Hamilvan fell to his knees, only thing that was preventing him from falling face-flat unto the destroyed grassy patches was the sword that he drove to the ground, latching unto it for support.
*Haah..* *Haah..* Huahh..*
Limbs were weakened to the point it resembled soggy noodles, and arms trembled so much they were deprived of the strength needed to even grip the handle of the blade, his fingers just hanging from the pommel.
As Calestro stared at the raggedly-breathing Hamilvan with widened eyes, a mixture of worry and shock was etched unto his pale countenance.
While he stood there dazed, the Two stationary bears that were standing in front of him—
*FWISH!*
—dissipated unto the air. Only to appear a few seconds later—
"Wai..Wait No!!"
Above Hamilvan where at the right was The Papa Bear with his left arm elongated while its black appendages were thickening more and more as he charged up an attack, at the left of Hamilvan was the Mama Bear, Chains were deployed from her left hand as she waved around her right, the bits and pieces that was previously hardened into a sword was now being whipped around like a rope.
"Both of you! No!"
[DISCIPLINE FIST.]
- After a monotonous proclaimation, the elongated arm of the Papa Bear charged rapidly towards the half-conscious Hamilvan.
[BIND OF BELT]
- With The Mama Bear's feminine declaration, the whip-like sword that spun on the air like a rope was launched from its axis onto a direct collision course with Hamilvan.
*CLANG!*
But then—as if possessed, Hamilvan swung his sword above effectively deflecting both strikes away with a loud metallic clang.
Despite seeing such a sight, both bears remained unreactive while Calestro blinked, his eyes widening.
Afterwards—Hamilvan stood up, wobbly. Is he possessed? Much like so. He raised his head up and faced directly towards Calestro. His gritted teeth, deep-furrowed eyebrows and sharp, bright glowing silver irises blazing with something ineffably wrathful as it locked in on the frozen young man.
*BOOOOMM!!*
Then! A sudden huge gust of air emanated from Hamilvan's position, causing both Bears whom were floating in the air to get hurled away while Hamilvan—
"w..ha.."
Teleported! Inches away from the young Calestro's face, Hamilvan's countenance still overwhelmed with indescribable anger.
"GRRR..!!"
With a grunt, Hamilvan instinctively raised his blade up causing a rapid concentration of air to coalesce unto the hilt.
Finally registering the situation, the Bears both glanced at the two realizing the sword was about to strike the off-guard Calestro that if they wish to change it, they would have to do so in a millisecond-long opening!
————
"Yes Ma'am!"
— With a final salute, Ignaras, Bakzeu, Foryan and the Three stationed guards quickly ran out of the tent, leaving a weakened Sophia with a Sanum who had an unreadable expression.
"Cou—"
"Cease it, Sir Sanum. I would like to be left alone for a while."
After a brief pause, Sanum's circular shaped-mouth bursted into a quiet sneer followed by a click of tongue before he replied.
"As you wish, Miss Countess."
- With a tone ever-so-gentle and a smile of fabricated understanding, Sanum stood up before lowering his head and heading out of the structure.
As Sanum fled from the tent, Sophia found herself basking in the defeaning silence brought by her thoughts causing a swirl which eventually cacophonized into a ping-like noise barraging her eardrums. Though with a composed disposition, did she jumped down from her elevated seat and unto the flooring, her posture straightened.
"..!"
Her body began to wobble side by side, to which she grabbed unto the edge of the table for assistance.
Face proliferating with sweat as she grasped her hand above her chest, body erratically rising up and down while she attempted her hardest to catch her fleeting breath, eyes widening in sheer urgency.
"Tha..that was close.."
Sophia heaved a sigh, stature not showing any cessation in its trembling.
"..Haah..!"
- She exclaimed, before her body finally collapsed unto the floor in a slouched sitting position, both hands grasping one another with grip as if she held on for dear life.
————
Seeing the Two Commanders stand up as the Three guards slightly advanced towards the outnumbered Foryan, Sophia couldn't help but feel agitated, a sweat running down on her pale cheek while her mind became overwhelmed with possibilities.
"Three Commanders..? Will they fight those guards..?"
"..What will happen then?"
"Can I even stop them?"
"I might.. not be able to make them to.."
"Will they even listen to a kid like me..?"
"Speak..Please..Sophia!"
"..What..do I do..!?"
- She lowered her gaze, softly biting her lower lip as she fidgeted on her seat, the bicker between the guards and the more agitated Foryan continuing, upping stakes as a possible physical confrontation neared.
"I wanna.. go home..!"
"..Why am I so.. Pitiful..!"
"I need..to do something..!!"
- Her heart began to thump and pulsate even harder, its beats loud enough that it drowned out any noise which reached the eardrums of Sophia whom; tightly pinched herself on the hand whilst fidgeting on her seat.
"..Appa..! what do I do..!?"
Then, the shadowy silhouette of a tall, muscular man whom lit up the surroundings with his smile flashed inside of his head.
"It's fine now!"
"..!"
- Just then, Sophia's irregular heartbeat began to gradually subside.
"..I..so..calm.."
"..!"
Afterwards, her face which was previously dominated by hesitation now transitioned into a furrowed-eyebrow, determined expression.
————
As she looked up with glazed eyes, a face bathing in sweat, disheveled hair and somewhat messy garments, she failed to notice the small smile erupting on her small lips.
"..Appa.. I did it..
are you proud..of me?"