Avatar of the Frozen Behemoth: Volume 1

Chapter 30: Enemies No More

"What... what just happened?" He struggled to push himself up, his limbs heavy with exhaustion, but before he could gather his bearings, a voice cut through the haze-a voice laced with venom.

"You filthy Spadian scum!" The Janoan soldier loomed over Yukio, his face twisted in a sneer of pure hatred. His eyes were wild, bloodshot, filled with a loathing that sent a chill down Yukio's spine.

"You think you can just burn one of us alive and get away with it? You think your pathetic little town is worth anything? You're nothing! Your people are nothing but vermin-a disease that needs to be eradicated!"

Yukio's heart pounded in his chest, his stomach twisting into knots. The soldier's words were like knives, each one cutting deep, not just because of the insult, but because they echoed his worst fears.

"They really do hate us... they want to destroy us... they want to destroy everything..." His hands shook as he tried to push himself up, but the soldier's boot came down hard on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

"I'm going to make you watch as I burn your miserable disgusting body to ash," the soldier growled, his finger tightening on the trigger. "And when I'm done, I'll hunt down every last one of you Spadian rats until your filthy blood stains the earth."

Yukio's breath caught in his throat, his mind racing. "Is this it? Is this how it ends?" The weight of the soldier's boot pressed down on his chest, making it hard to breathe, hard to think. He was trapped, helpless, his heart hammering in his chest as the soldier raised the flamethrower, a twisted grin spreading across his face.

"This is what you deserve," the soldier spat, his eyes gleaming with sadistic glee. "This is what all of you deserve-ashes."

Yukio's mind screamed at him to move, to do something, but his body wouldn't respond. He was frozen, paralyzed by fear and despair, as the flames roared to life, the heat searing his skin even from a distance.

Is this it? Is this how it ends? The thought raced through Yukio's mind, panic clawing at his insides as he realized he was about to die. And worse, he might never see his mother or sister again.

But just as the flames were about to engulf him, something happened-a blur of movement, so fast that Yukio barely registered it before two hailstones crashed into the flamethrower, sending it spinning out of the soldier's hands.

The flames erupted harmlessly into the sky, and the soldier howled in pain, clutching his face.
Yukio's heart pounded as he frantically looked around, his mind racing. "Who-who did that?" His eyes darted to the alleyway nearby, and when he saw who stood there, his heart nearly stopped.

In the distance, partially hidden in the shadow of an alleyway, Yukio's eyes locked onto a familiar figure-a figure he never expected to see in this situation.

His heart skipped a beat, a cold shock rippling through him as recognition dawned.

"Kota?" Yukio's voice was barely more than a whisper, disbelief coloring every syllable. The boy standing in the alleyway, surrounded by a few others, was unmistakably Kota-the same Kota who had bullied him, taunted him, made his life hell. The same Kota who had been beaten up just days ago by Yukio, Rome and Mizuki during the ice arena, leaving bruises that still throbbed beneath Kota's skin.

Yukio's shock was palpable, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. Kota? How... how are they even alive after everything that's happened?

His thoughts raced, trying to comprehend how Kota and these other teens had survived the chaotic destruction that had engulfed Spadia. It didn't make any sense. This was the same guy who had taunted him, bullied him, made his life a living hell-and now, he was here, saving him.

But now, Kota stood with a look of determination etched on his bruised face, his hands clutching a snowball, ready to launch another attack. Behind him, several other Spadians were armed with similar makeshift weapons, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resolve.

"Kota..." Yukio's mind struggled to comprehend the scene in front of him. Of all people, why would he be the one to save him? Why would he risk his life?

Kota caught Yukio's stunned gaze and for a brief moment, their eyes met. In that instant, Yukio saw something different-something he had never seen in Kota before. Fear, yes, but also... an unexpected determination, a resolve to protect, even if it meant facing danger head-on.

The Janoan soldier, temporarily disoriented by the snowball attack, let out a furious roar. "You think that's gonna stop me, you little shits? I'm gonna burn you all alive!" His voice was laced with murderous intent, his rage boiling over as he refocused his sights on Yukio.

But before he could do anything, a barrage of hailstones and snowballs struck him again, this time with more force. The soldier stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet as he tried to shield himself from the relentless onslaught. His anger turned to desperation as he tried to regain his footing, his movements becoming more frantic and uncoordinated.

Yukio sat there in stunned silence, unable to move as he watched the scene unfold. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions-confusion, relief, fear, and an overwhelming sense of disbelief. How... Why is this happening? he thought, his hands trembling as he clutched at the ground, trying to steady himself.

"Yukio! Get over here!" Kota's voice cut through the chaos, snapping Yukio out of his daze. Yukio blinked, realizing he had been sitting there, frozen in place. He quickly scrambled to his feet and made a dash towards Kota and the others, his heart pounding in his chest.

As he reached them, Yukio found himself standing next to Kota, awkwardly shifting his weight from foot to foot. The memory of their last encounter-how they had fought, how Kota had taunted him-hung heavy in the air. But there was no time to dwell on the past. They needed to act, to survive.

"You... How did you find me?" Yukio asked, his voice shaky, his eyes darting to Kota's bruises and injuries. The sight made him uncomfortable, knowing they had been on opposite sides just days ago.

Kota let out a huff, his breath visible in the cold air. "Saw you taking on that Janoan scum. Figured you could use some help," he said, his voice gruff but not unkind. He glanced at Yukio, his expression softening just a fraction. "Look, I know I've been a jerk... more than a jerk. And I probably deserved what you and your friends did to me at the arena. But right now, we need to get out of this alive."

Yukio nodded, his throat tight with unspoken emotions. "Yeah... I get it. And... I'm sorry too, for everything. I shouldn't have used that cheating device in the snowball fight. It wasn't fair."

Kota raised an eyebrow, noticing the speed enhancer still strapped to Yukio's arm. "Speaking of cheating gadgets, you're still wearing that thing?" he asked, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Yukio looked down at the device, surprised to see it still there. In the chaos of everything, he had completely forgotten about it. "Guess I didn't even realize..."

Their conversation was abruptly cut off by the appearance of several black symbols of chaos nearby.

They pulsed with a bright orange light before exploding, sending shockwaves through the air. The explosion was a grim reminder that more soldiers were coming, that the danger was far from over.

Yukio exchanged a tense glance with Kota, the unspoken understanding passing between them. For now, they were on the same side, and they had to stick together if they wanted to survive.

"Stay with us," Kota said, his voice firm, though his bruises and injuries made his stance waver slightly. "We've got a better chance if we stick together."