A Hero's Dilemma

Chapter 5

Enjoy the chapter.

Cover art by: Notgustiarp

Chapter 5

He chose this.

A roar of hatred accompanied the fist slamming into his midsection. It wasn't from him.

This was his burden to bear. The price for his deeds. The rolling clouds around them shifted violently as that fierce strike sent them spiraling.

He'll throw a right hook next. Then follow it up with a quick jab with his left.

After feeling the fist pull back, a right took its place, with the boys left soon following. Speed rendered both near streaks of white, yet it didn't hide the fact that he was correct in his prediction.

This boy was so expressive it gave his next attack away long before his body would execute. That look on his face screamed that his continued existence was an affront to all that was just. It was all too easy to read. Truly it was a show of pure-hearted honesty.

Had he ever been like that?

They both fight for what each believes is just, yet why was the rage he was filled with so different? What had changed?

The snarl that accompanied the straight kick slamming into him served as a reminder that it didn't really matter. To this boy, he was now a monster in the most literal sense of the word. Nothing would change that.

Jaune leaped at him, grabbing onto the collar of his coat with one hand. Looking into those tear-stained eyes showed a reflection he'd long tried to avoid seeing.

Thankfully, he wouldn't have to look at it for long as a torrent of punches blocked sight of them.

There was one thing that hasn't changed, though.

He was a riotous man. His entire life had been devoted to bettering the world. Even now, enduring this onslaught was merely a manifestation of that same core belief in justice. As strike after strike landed firmly on his face, he simply closed his eyes and laid it all bare.

His feet scraped the ground as he was pushed back by the force. When he felt Jaune let go and kick off his chest, he still didn't react. Skidding to a stop, he didn't bother with guarding, fully expecting the onslaught to continue. Maybe even hoping it would.

When it didn't, his eyes opened to see Jaune nearly collapsed on the floor. He was heaving badly. Yet, from the look in his eyes, he could tell that his anger had yet to waver. His body was a different story.

It looked like he'd surpassed even his own Aura's rejuvenating properties and pushed his body beyond its breaking point.

As he stared into those hateful eyes barely kept open through sheer will alone, he was reminded of the eyes Summer now held. Though the eyes may be similar, there is one key difference between them, and it became more apparent as the seconds ticked by and the boy had yet to recover.

He swirled around and spat out a mixture of mucus and blood, all while his Aura worked to mend his wounds. By the end, he had recovered from his superficial injuries, seemingly rendering all that effort spent inflicting it pointless.

"Tell me, is that the limit to your resolve?"

No response. Why did that anger him so?

At this point, the boy was on one knee, clutching his chest while greedily sucking down air.

"Stand up..."

He didn't budge.

"Stand up!" Not even the booming sound of his voice seemed good enough motivation.