The War Within

Chapter 14

     Zubelon gave a scowling look at Agnus, while Jake stared at the man in awe.

        “A-Agnus,” Jake said under his breath.

        “I see that you’re all brawn and no brains,” Zubelon said to Agnus who was playing with his bear ears which made Zubelon growl. “Bears will be bears, no matter what they take the form of.” Agnus stopped playing with his ears and looked at Zubelon with a confused look.

        “Were you talking to me,” he asked. Zubelon paused for a moment.

        “I’m going to enjoy killing you.” Agnus exploded with laughter, which made Zubelon even angrier.

        “You’ll need a lot of you to beat me!”

        “Is that so?” The two started walking towards each other, prepared for a standoff. Zubelon, glaring at Agnus intensely, and Agnus showing absolute strength, confidence, and courage with a single smirk. They both stopped six feet from each other, and Zubelon looked Agnus in the eyes. Agnus chuckled and punched his right hand into his left hand and cracked his knuckles.

        “I’m a Tasoolian Kodiak Bear, which means that I’m gonna break you!”

        “You better be able to back it up, Agnus! If not, then you might as well kill yourself!” Zubelon charged at Agnus and threw a punch at him, but Agnus grabbed Zubelon’s metal arm and did not budge when Zubelon struggled to get free from his grip. Zubelon growled and tried punching Agnus with his free hand, but it only concluded with the same result which angered Zubelon even more. Agnus chuckled.

        “I’m too big and strong for you,” he said as he lifted up Zubelon with one arm, and with ease, Agnus slammed Zubelon onto the ground, sending him crashing through the roof of his palace and through the floor. He looked down at the hole he had made and went over to check on Jake when there was no response from Zubelon. He knelt down to the boy's height and picked him up.

        “Are you okay, Igneous,” he asked. Jake coughed and wheezed as he looked up at Agnus with pain in his eyes, which made Agnus start to worry. “Don't worry. Your trusty pal, Agnus, will get you somewhere safe.” Jake had heard Agnus refer to himself as his trusty pal once before, but this time was different. Those words took him back to when he first met Agnus, and it reminded him of how he responded the first time Agnus had said those words. You are far from being my pal. Jake had thought that response would set a boundary between the two of them, but something changed as they were getting to know each other more. Jake’s attitude towards people had changed thanks to Agnus. Jake did his best to put on a smile, but it only turned out to be a weak grin.

        “Th-Thanks Agnus,” he said softly, “f-for everything. You’re really someone I can call a friend.”

        “Huh? Oh! No problem Igneous. You’re my friend too.” As Agnus was putting Jake on his back, Zubelon shot up from the hole in the roof of his palace with a raging look on his face. He looked down at Agnus and growled angrily, clenching his fists roughly.

        “CURSE YOU FILTHY ANIMAL!!! HOW DARE YOU!!! HOW DARE YOU MAKE A MOCKERY OF ME!!!! KING ZUBELON!!!! I AM GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY TENFOLD FOR THIS!!!” Agnus looked up at Zubelon and scratched the top of his head.

        “Back for more,” he asked Zubelon. “Well Captain Reko said I have to get his son, so can this wait?” Zubelon growled loudly and charged down at Agnus and Jake, and punched Agnus in the face, pushing them both off of the roof. He then flew after them and dealt Agnus a flurry of punches before grabbing him by his face and slinging him and Jake through the palace walls. The two Tasoolians crashed through the wall and went tumbling on the floor.