ONE DROP OF BLOOD (ongoing)

CHAPTER 27: RAMPAGE

"Are you crazy?!! You're going to put us all in danger!!" Ceres shouted, stopping Erin from going into the battlefield between the Branches and the cursed hollows. He thought that Allison, in her own way of thinking, might have sneaked in to help those who were locked up.

"I don't need your opinion! Get out of the way!" he replied as he shove him away and head towards the battle, igniting his eyes and releasing his furious wind.

"I think, we need to help.. That's the reason why we're here." Zephyr finally decided.

"And you think we will follow you just because you said it? I mean com'on! Look at those beasts!!" Ariona said. "Just look how wild they are!"

"Yes, she's right! We're trained to fight Other-kinds not monsters!" Clyde said, supporting Ariona's statement. "I mean, it's not because --we're cowards or something but-- yeah, a little, maybe, but--"

"Shut up, idiot!" Avis said, cutting out his words.

"We are trained to fight, not to run! Remember what Thitus always tell us, 'If we're facing a battle, whether big or small, whether it's death at the end, there's no turning back!.. It's bravery.. until death!'.." Zephyr reminded them.

He looked at his trained group before continuing. They all showed their eager expressions to join him.

"So, Elcasters are going! It's up to you Ceres if you'll fight with us!" Zephyr answered.

They left, engaging themselves to battle. They're eyes gleamed and they're abilities were in fury. When the Branches in Ceres's group saw them, they were fascinated by it and was encouraged.

"Let us join them, leader!" they told him, but, even without a word from Ceres, they head towards the battle. Something tells the Branch leader that his authority was bypassed indirectly.

"Help those prisoners inside while we overtake these hollows!!!" Zephyr commanded the Branches in Ceres's group when he saw them coming to add to their number.

They immediately obeyed him. They did everything to open the cage but they couldn't. The thick irons are made impenetrable and indestructible. Unless, a special key is used, those irons and chains will never be broken. It's the one that the forgers are using.

A forger just came in time. He's also a prisoner that belongs to Zariah's group, and now they're all freed because of him.

"I'm here to help!" he said. "I got the reversing key! This will melt the toughness of these forged irons!!" he said. He immediately push it through the hardness of the iron cage and there he was able to remove its solidness. The irons became as brittle as small glasses that could be destroyed only by your knuckles. He hurriedly unchained them too using the same key.

The other prisoners who were freed with him came to help too, especially Zariah, but she can't use her voice, not like this that her voice can't be heard because of the overwhelming noise caused by the wild creatures. So, she just picked up a dashing sword from a fallen dead Branch, lying on the ground, where his half body is nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, not only the cursed hollows came there, but Arakkons began to rampage the scene as well.

"What the four-butted hamster?!!! What's going on?!! Too many wild monsters in one night?!!" Clyde says while seeing the Arakkons. He withdrew his bow since all his arrows were used. He picked up a mace from the ground that has a long handle and a sharp edges around its top. He used it to fight back those Arakkons that attempt to bite his flesh out.

"Those who have explosives, come and help us!!" Clyde shouted to those few that were left alive and wounded when he saw them. They're breathing heavily while hiding at the back of their empty prison cart. They're still shocked and stunned of what's happening. These few Branches who serve the Council, can't think straight. They're already bleeding and maybe waiting for their death to come soon, too.