E-Quake's had arrived on the scene. He looked around the field trying to make sense of what was happening before he arrived. '' Arthur, bruised and panting. Leopold.'' then his eyes meet Eric. '' I'm guessing he's the one who saved Annabelle, the description fits.''
''Which one of you,'' E-Quake said, his voice cutting through the air, '' Started this mess?''
Arthur's voice trembled, ''E-Quake... why is he here?''
The man turned to Leopold with a steady gaze. '' Leo, what happened here?''
Leopold pointed straight at Eric, His voice cracking just enough to sound convincing, his plan was simple, play the victim.
''It's him! That boy! Father invited him to the manor, and the moment he entered, he went wild. He started rummaging through Father's private shelves, reading his journals like they were public notes. I caught him and told him to stop, but he insulted me and i attacked.''
E-Quakes voice turned cold. ''You're saying he attacked first?''
''Yes!'' Leopold's tone was desperate now, almost too dramatic. ''Then he summoned that shadow puppet- my own mana against me! If Arthur hadn't interfered, he would have hurt me.''
Eric's stared in shock. '' That is clearly a lie, my powers are still inactive, who in their right mind would believe this crap.''
Arthur whispered to Eric '' Eric, get behind me.''
Eric: why?
Arthur: Please, father isn't here right now, you need to get behind me.
Eric gave a silent nod and did as told. Arthur was never this tense until now, Eric wondered.
''Boy!'' E-Quakes voice boomed. The ground beneath them trembled slightly as dust rose from the shock of his tone. '' Who the hell do you think you are to even lay a finger on a noble.''
''That's nonsense,'' Eric snapped standing behind Arthur in disbelief'' He's clearly lying, i don't have any powers, and if Arthur stopped me, why is he next to me then, everything he's telling you is false none of it is true.''
''Eric'' Arthur called.
Eric couldn't hear his name being called, distracted by the plain accusation made about him.
'' all i did was walk over to some books-''
Eric.
''I tried to take one, until he came and started trying to harass me and....''
''Eric shut up!'' Arthur yelled, he levelled his rapier with a fighting stance, body trembling ''what ever you're saying he's not going to listen, He's on Leopold's side!, he always has been.''
E-Quake shadow fell long as he started walking toward them.
E-Quake's shadow fell long as he begun walking toward them. Eric didn't know why btu it was almost as if he sensed killing intent from the man. '' Move aside, Arthur,'' he said flatly.
Arthur's jaw set. '' If you think I'm going to just stand by while you dog around for my uncle and brother -then you're wrong.''
But E-Quake not slow. His voice was calm almost bored. '' Arthur. Move aside, i just want a chat with the kid, don't make me force you.''
Arthur planted his feet. '' I Arthur. V. Ranvier of the House of Ranvier command you to STOP!!''
''You cant command me boy, I'm not of your family line, You know what i might as well just kill you both, we already have conflict, your side and I, so how about we make this fast.''
Leopold laughed loudly, cluing that he was possibly lying, but E-Quake didn't respond to the Leopold act. Arthur's hands tightened on the hilt of his blade.
The world fell silent in Eric's mind, no sound just motion, the revelation of E-Quake, Leopold's prideful gaze, Arthur scared but trying to protect, bloodthirsty intent. It all came rushing back, the orphanage, Heroes!, the calamity, the endless unfairness!.
When the strong mock the weak and the crowd stays silent, society rots not from evil- but from those who watch and do nothing, whose eyes see! what there is to see!!!!. Now peace must become beast. Now Mans inner pains and turmoil released.
His body shock trembled with rage, his vision red, His past trauma echoing in the walls of his conscience. Then- BANG. His mind snapped. He lunged forward, ripping Arthur's rapier from his hands. The instant his fingers gripped the hilt, the blade flared- igniting into a violent blood red blaze with yellow sparks of lighting, a deep hummm tore through the air.
Arthur stumbled back, stunned. ''Eric-wait!''
Eric charged ,feet tearing across the dirt, yellow-red lighting trailing behind him like a comet.
E-Quake grinned beneath his mask. '' Now this is interesting, youngblood wants death so badly!!.''
He planted his hand forward pointed on the target, a rabid boy ''Thunder Drum!!''
a deafening boom ripped through the field. The air shook with sound, tearing up soil in a circular blast. A cloud of blinding dust engulfed the field. ''that should do it'' E-Quake thought, hoping the boy was hit, but when the dust cleared, Eric was gone.
E-Quake scanned around. He was seeing something. The ground around him vibrated as a shadow flickered speedily around him, left, right, behind then in front. Too fast, he could barely track it.
Slash!
Eric appeared right in front of him, swinging his rapier in a flash of red light. fortunately, E-Quake jerked back just in time, but his mask was sliced off his face clean, spinning off with a soft clink onto the ground.
E-Quake's eyes widened.'' He's fast- too fast.''
From the sidelined Arthur and Leopold watched, frozen in shock.
Leo and Arthur: I thought he didn't have powers! How is he moving like that.
E-Quake clenched fists. Ahhhh!. He slammed both palms together, the air crackling between them.
''THuNdeR DRuM- DoUBLE ReVERB!!''
It was the perfect counter. The sound exploded outward, wrapping him in a done of compressed, vibrating shockwaves, creating some kind of sonic shield. Eric rushed forth again, but this time E-Quake had the upper hand, the pressure threw him back- the invisible wall repelling him with brutal force.
The impact sent him flying across the field, the red Aura flickering violently before vanishing. Eric fell hard, thumbling across the dirt until he lay still- motionless on the ground with the Rapier beside him.
E-Quake staggered a little, the shock of his power rattled his limbs, swaying his balance. He steadied his motion and began walking toward Arthur. '' Didn't i warn you little man, Arthur that friend of yours, really put me through all that...''
Bam!
The backdoor of the garden burst open.
Lady Helen, Sir Ethan, Tracy and Silas rushed out, their eyes widening at the sight of wrecked training field, torn soil and a faint faint body lying in the dirt.
'' What happened here?!'' Sir Ethan's voice thundered.
Arthur quickly spoke, ''Dad, he-''
Before he could finish, E-Quake stood upright and said, his voice low. '' Nothing your nobleness, just handling a disciplinary matter. The boy didn't know his place.''
Ethan's eyes darkened. '' Disciplinary matter? you call beating a child to death discipline?''
Helen, Tracy and Silas ran over to Eric and Arthur, Leopold watched from the opposite side of the field.
''Nope'' E-Quake answered '' He gave me a hard time a moment ago, i should have killed him, my main reason for coming was because of my brother, your stepbrother, dear stepbrother. We just wanted to congratulate you on finding on finding your lost child.''
E-Quake smirked. '' It truly is such a shame.''
Lady Helen: Shut up! , we all know it was both of you who kidnapped Annabelle and left her in that horrible place, if you don't leave...''
E-Quake: what are you going to do Helen, kill me?, huh? your all pathetic waste of life.
Ethan: Silence!, know your place.
The field fell silent.
E-Quake tilted his head slowly, jaw trembling with fury. then, a bitter laugh escaped his lips. ''Know my place?,'' he echoed stepping forward.'' know my place?.... My place was here, Ethan. Until your worthless ass came here, pretending to be one of us.''
Sir Ethan's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. E-Quake went on.
'' The family was fine before you came along. The Ranvier's stood proud, The main family as the main bloodline, and the branch as how they to be as, branch
He pointed his finger to Ethan.
''Until you appeared- unwanted, bastard son from the middle of know where. My father was a fool to have accepted you!! ,
Tracy flinched. Lady Helen expression hardened.
'' You stole everything from us, You made the branch main and main branch. You rewrote the bloodline itself. You humiliated my family- my brother- who was meant to be heir. And to make it worse, the Spirit bird Ranvier blessed you with his power, didn't it?''
He laughed, hollow bitter. '' Chosen by the families crest.''
Finally Ethan spoke.
'' Ranvier chose me , it was because he saw what i saw, unfair unjust, untrustworthy bloodline who treated all even their own family as trash. Me being here that day, was fate doing this household a favor.''
E-Quake clapped his hands, a faint tremor rumbling beneath his feet. '' Bravo bastard,'' he mocked, '' This war wont stop, every member of your forsaken blood will parish, well make sure of it. You were always born- as a mistake that never died, but don't worry, we will finish what death was too arrogant to do. you, your family''
He looked at Eric, cuddled up i Tracy's arms. his gaze turned cold.
''And that boy Eric.''
And with that he left, greeted Leopold farewell and blasted himself off the field, flying away.
Eric smirked faintly '' I'd like to see you try.''