Chains Of Pride

Scarlet Fang, Nescent Quietus and Gravis Gauntlet. These were the names of the Constructs that the three called forth. The shift in the weather with the sky being rent along with the howling winds and the earlier quakes were not just to herald the creation of the constructs.

It was also the harbinger for the awakening of three youths that stood against the norm. Three young men that will not fit in, that cannot conform to the mould, to this world, because they are meant to lead, they are meant to innovate.

"Gero, Lanozo, why don't we take our constructs for a spin? Let's show ever-bad-breath over here why there are some existences that you just don't offend." Kia calmly put forward an offer that the other two saw no need to refuse.

"I-Incredible! Just the fallout from them calling forth their constructs is so extraordinary, what level of power will they unleash?" Vizio's mouth was wide open, never before has something like this been seen.

When Takeshi heard her comment, his expression darkened, he never thought of that! There was no time, asking Vizio to take action would end up with questions being asked. He had to act now, or these three will end up remodelling the whole landscape, especially that Kia!

Holding as much of his power back as he could, he raised both hands and shouted out.

"Heed my call, Velox and Asunder!"

Clink clank…

Small chains wrapped around his fingers one time each as handguns appeared in each hand.

One was sleek and elegant, possessing a silver hue with a streamlined design and mystifying engravings. While the other one was tyrannical in nature, slightly bulkier in size, it seemed as if there was a fire burning within, looking very mysterious.

"What are you doing?! Deconstruct right now!!" Vizio snapped her head in shock when she saw what had happened, but he didn't listen.

He swiftly flew towards where the three boys surrounded the Blite. He lifted his right hand that held Asunder, and after quickly taking aim, he pulled the trigger.

Boom!!!!!

A massive explosion took place where the Blite stood only moments before. It didn't even try to resist, Takeshi's Asunder blew it apart long past the point where it could attempt to regenerate.

Kia, Lanzo and Gero had to take a few steps back to stabilize themselves from the sudden blast.

Takeshi wasted no time, he deconstructed Velox and Asunder and recalled his chains. He saw Vizio rushing over to where he was.

"What the hell was that?! If I never put up a barrier to block your aura, we would have been in trouble! They have a lock on your power signature idiot!"

The only reason Vizio was able to block his aura before, was simply because he had held himself back, and even then she almost failed.

"Did you feel the power they were channelling into their constructs just now? Had they released that, who knows what would have happened? I had to do damage control."

Vizio was shocked for a moment before nodding to herself in understanding. Indeed the power they just displayed clashing together would have caused quite the mess.

"Oi Shitty Shepherd, where the hell were you?! We almost died back there, me more than everybody else." Lanzo doesn't normally get as angry as easily as everyone else, but nearly dying was certainly one of the few things that could.

"I'm guessing you always were able to protect us but you said what you said to push into a dead-end mentally, am I right?" Kia being as astute as he was, was able to figure out what the Shepherd wanted, once everything calmed down, and obviously, the results spoke for themselves.

"I don't care, what his plan was. That was one of the stressful moments of my life. You owe me for this, you hear me Stoneface!" Gero didn't plan to let him off, berating him at every turn.

"Shut up! I don't care what you think, the threat is over. Deconstruct right now, and draw from your Blood Origin the knowledge to fly, consider this training." Shepherd Hide flew away after he said this, heading toward the checkpoint where the barricade was set up without looking back.

They quickly found the lead officer Han Jihan who led them to the danger zone, before reporting the eradication of the threat.

"Hhmm, it just seemed to be a rank 2 Blite, was there really a need for the earlier commotion?"

When he saw the earlier phenomenon, he was rightly scared. He knew it wasn't Vizio who did it, her jobs tended to be quite…quiet. He looked to the slightly older man who stood beside her, wondering if it was his handiwork.

Vizio didn't give him enough time to think about it before she cooly stated, "There were some complications along the way. It's sorted out so you needn't think about it too much."

Seeing how she nonchalantly downplayed the situation Jihan decided to no longer pursue the topic. The association reached out to me and said that you've been out of touch for too long and you need to report back.

"Damn! I knew they wouldn't stay quiet after I took the mission, guess turning off my communicator wasn't gonna keep them away for long."

She sighed when she heard Jihan's earlier statement, she looked in Takeshi's direction with a downtrodden expression, "I'm sorry Takeshi, I'm gonna have to head back. I guess I'm lucky they didn't send a retriever after me."

Takeshi nodded expressionlessly when he heard her earlier words. He wasn't one for public displays of affection and Vizio knew it, so she didn't mind his lack of it when she said she had to leave.

"Goodbye Viz, see you soon," was all he said before he took the boys and turned to leave.

"Viz, he called me Viz again, and in front of people!" Vizio thought to herself in joy. It really seemed some of the frost from the past has begun to fall off.

Jihan, seeing that she seemed to be in a good mood, took the initiative to try and get closer to her, "Uhm, Viz? Should I tell the associ-"

"You call me Viz one more time and I'll castrate you faster than you can blink and feed it to a malnourished meerkat!" She spat the last few words and flew off.

The man paled when he heard this and covered his crotch even when she flew off, the only words that managed to come out, "M-Malnourished Meerkat?"

When he saw his men around him staring, his face turned red from embarrassment, so he started shouting orders. Directing which unit to move in and make necessary restorations and who to contact the Media Misdirection Team.

Vizio didn't care about him after she left, still basking in the recent days and memories she shared with Takeshi.

"Don't worry Takeshi, you're not getting rid of me that easy. I'll be back in no time, so just wait for me." There was a gleam in her eyes as she said this. She swiftly increased her speed, wanting to go to the association and be back on her way already.

…

As Vizio was lost in her thoughts, Kia's group had already managed to reach the Teleportation Hub.

Takeshi had taken the time to explain why he took action after they called down their constructs and the imminent danger they were about to unleash.

They showed expressions of understanding and followed along. They were heading back to Cendo Academy to find out about where they headed from here.

After they arrived, they didn't waste any time before heading back to Takeshi's mansion. By this time, it was already around 4:00 PM, leaving early morning and getting back only now really drained them somewhat.

Summoning the constructs took from them a kind of energy that they never knew until they felt it left them.

"Well, what do you think? How does it feel, how much do you know now?" Sitting in his usual chair Takeshi began questioning the three about their experience, his earlier excitement nowhere to be seen.

Kia decided to go first, "It was incredible, I felt power I never knew I had coursing through my veins. It was like I was being pumped full of adrenaline."

Gero followed up right after, "When I called my construct, information just burst forth. It went by so fast, some I'm still sorting but others I grasped immediately. This..I…those things, the Blite, there are definitely some connections between us Taliums and them."

Takeshi's expression changed when he heard this, "How?! What information have you learned about them?!"

After years of fighting, all they managed to find out about the Blites were their names, the categorisation of their ranks, and that they shared a somewhat perverted, berserk form of in'essence.

Yet, their Blood Origin refused to provide any information about the damn monsters. So after hearing what Gero said he nearly lost himself.

"We don't know, it's still covered in a haze. Our Blood Origins are reluctant and will not permit any info of their origin to leak out, but it will not be so for long. I think I- we, just need to get stronger." The one who spoke was Lanzo surprisingly.

When Takeshi saw that Gero remained silent after this, he said nothing further, knowing that what Lanzo said went for all of them.

He regained his earlier composure and after a while, he looked in Kia's direction. "Do you remember what we talked about yesterday?"

Kia nodded in affirmation, a feeling of enlightenment washing over him as he did so. This man appeared to have expected for them to have been awakened.

Before the two days were given for them to get their things in order. The Shepherd had asked Kia to meet up one day earlier, but due to complications on both sides, this couldn't. happen. So they had conversed via phone call, allowing Kia to know what the Shepherd had in mind for him.

"Even though all three of you has awakened to the realm of an Invata, specifically Invata Prime. You need further training to help familiarise yourselves with your new abilities. You lighter injuries should have more or less already healed. If you were stuck at Genesis, you would have to concentrate to get the effect you have now"

He was advising them on why their earlier fractures and rough play from earlier weren't hounding them even now. Still, there were other injuries that needed to be looked into, so they all needed to visit the Medic Ward.

"What does the special training entail?" Gero decided to ask.

Takeshi paused for a moment before he answered "Your training? Well, you won't die…"

Gero remembering where that earlier answer got them immediately turned red from anger.

"Damn you!! You know I haven't known you for long, but I already envy everyone you haven't met!"