The Hotblade Chronicles (Chapter 3)

ATTENTION WRITERS CAFE :) I've uploaded three chapters so far. Sorry for the spam but this is where I'm at in the story so I decided to just upload all three. If you haven't read chapter one, do it :P meanwhile, enjoy this chapter and stay tuned for the rest.

With no approval from anyone, Hotblade, Tenshi and Slash set off to on their own investigation into the matter. Leaving Reposa Uni, they grabbed their map and headed off toward the northeast part of the country. Underneath Sunrise in the sewers, yellow tape had surrounded the crime scene of where soldiers were sent to investigate. Eddy was immediately the first to arrive as soon as he heard the news. A frozen look on his face made the whole situation that much harder to bear. He saw the cloak draped over Ariella's body and he grew angrier by the second. She was his second in command. His partner in crime. His right hand man. In a regretful tone he spoke softly to only himself "You idiot. You knew what you were getting yourself into and you didn't even tell anyone. I would've prevented this. You had such a bright future ahead of yourself" and choked up as he thought about it even more. 

The three brothers were now fast approaching. Using their denki energy, they swiftly made their way through each city and town, anger and hatred pouring out of their souls. Silence shrouded the air as no words would make the situation any less grim. They were stopped suddenly by a soldier from the Reposa who took notice of them. "Hey! where are you guys going!? School is still in session." Slash responded to the man in a serious tone. "No use stopping us. We heard the news. We're leaving to find the criminal. Seems you guys keep pussyfooting around and can't do it yourselves so we'll take care of it ourselves." The soldier then stepped in front of them as to heed their progress and talked to them hesitantly, carefully choosing his words. "We all have the same mindset you guys have right now. As a matter a fact we know where the intruder is. We already have multiple teams tracking him down and soon he will be arrested. We don't need you guys making things more difficult right now. Also, you're risking more than just your academic careers by making this move. If the others find out that you're doing this right now you will be kicked out of the country for such disobedience. I know how you guys feel though and trust me, I'm on your side, so I'll let this pass and won't say a word if you guys just turn around now and head back. Please." Hotblade this time replied to the man with sure determination. "No. This turned into ours and Eddy's problem as soon as Ariella got involved. She helped us through a LOT. If we don't return the favor and help out our friend, we're no worse off than that man is. Report us if you have to, we're gone" and they quickly leapt over the man and ran down the streets." The man, understanding their resolution and compassionate about their feelings, yelled out to them. "I guess you guys don't want to know where the lead on this guy is then? I mean I'd hate for you guys to travel all the way there and then wonder around aimlessly for a clue on his location. But hey, ignore me." They stopped dead in their tracks. looking back down the street at the man they waited for him to continue. "Look at your map. On there is a city named Cryonis. He's made his way down south. Blockades have been set up around the city so we know he hasn't left the vicinity. Get there before he does." The three boys nodded at him and were off once again.

In the city of Cryonis, buildings were huge and could be seen from a long distance. In a remote part of the location, the mysterious man was at another local bar talking with another about his situation. "Now that we know what the plan is, we'll wait it out here." The bartender of this restaurant nodded to him but asked him a question. "We know for sure that you won't be apprehended, but how do you know the guys you're waiting for will show up?" To which the man replied "Oh trust me I know them. If I'm right about this, they're on their way right now. Ariella was the sacrifice needed to lure the boys out. Everything is going according to plan. All of them are idiots"

Meanwhile, Eddy still back at the crime scene also received word about the Cryonis situation. He looked at his team that he was commanded and gave word. "Now look, we know that the city of Cyronis is in a state of emergency. The area has been evacuated carefully and blockaded. Our next move is to search every nook and cranny of every building and move in on the suspect. We have enough reinforcements there so I'll be heading there alone. I want you guys back at HQ to provide support to the intel team there." His team saluted and then headed out of the sewers. Eddy clenched his fist tight as he began to make his move too, saying a silent prayer to Ariella as he left. He quickly made his way to Cryonis as it was only the next town over from where he was it. There he congregated with the soldiers there, gathering intel on the places they already checked and beginning his own search on the ones they didn't. After new information came in on Ariella's whereabouts before her death came in, Sunrise soldiers surrounded one of the local bars in town where Eddy also made his way to. One of the Reposa grabbed a loudspeaker and shouted into it. "Nikolai, we know that you're here. We have the whole building surrounded. Come out with your hands up and give up peacefully. The game is over." The building though, was silent with no reply. Eddy was very impatient and on his own whim stormed the building. Stepping through the door, he scanned the whole area for the man. Only seeing the bartender though, he sprinted towards him and grabbed him by the collar. "Where is he!?" The bartender played victim though and insisted he had no idea what he was talking about. Scared and shivering, he asked that Eddy let him go and insisted that he remove the soldiers from the premises. Eddy was no fool though. He walked outside and gave the motion for the twenty soldiers surrounding the building to storm inside and start searching.

Once again, the three brothers were stopped. This time, by the blockade surrounding Cryonis. From the warnings of the soldier they heeded, they didn't want to be seen and get into trouble with the government. Hotblade suggested an idea. "Tenshi, can't you get us underground? turn some of this sand into metal." Tenshi looked at him dead eyed and responded with "No. I'm amazing yes, but not a miracle worker. I can only turn metal into other forms of metal." Hotblade smirked and then turned toward Slash. "Any ideas then?" Slash thought about it for a moment. He had nothing at the moment but didn't say so. He thought more and then an idea crossed his mind as he explained. "Forget the soldiers. Who cares? Let's just storm the building they seem to be surrounding and find the guy ourselves. Worry about consequences later." Hotblade said "No. We have other options. Let's not go with the most irrational one right off the bat. We can infiltrate without being hasty. Follow me, I have an idea that'll work."

"This is the dumbest idea I think you've ever had man." Said Tenshi as Hotblade, Tenshi and Slash began to dig their way underground with shovels Tenshi created for them. They were underground now, but it was taking centuries for them to make progress. "Hotblade, couldn't you have just melted the sand to glass and break our way through to the bar?" Hotblade punched him in the arm and replied "Hey, if you guys are up for getting cut up a bunch with broken glass shards be my guest, but I'm trying to not bleed out before we meet this dude." They slowly but surely began to work with this plan and dig their way through to the local bar. After about two hours they nearly gave up after such little progress. Tenshi had enough of it though, throwing down his shovel. The impact of it though caused the sand to crumble. The underground they created was falling apart. Slowly but surely the ground beneath them gave way and they started to fall. Tenshi screamed like a little girl the whole way down. They then slammed down on a hard metal surface once they fell far enough. This wasn't the sewer however, but a giant room. It was largely empty, only holding a bed in the far corner and a huge painting across the wall of a place that wasn't Sunrise. The three brothers shook off the fall and tried to regain their composure. Slash looked around the scene and asked "where are we anyways?" Hotblade thought about that and replied "I guess we dug so low the sand gave out from our weight and we fell." He was right. The ceiling was only made of the sand they fell through with a huge hole in it now that they broke through. All of a sudden, they heard a door creaking in the distance to the other side of the room.

The three readied themselves for any possibilities, getting in their stances and waiting. That was when the mysterious man made an appearance. All his minor injuries already healed from his previous encounter. He closed the door and eyed the three boys of which whom he seemed to already be waiting for. "Well well, looks like my company has finally arrived. Good. I'll grab the tea." The boys looked confused. Tenshi dogged him first. "You're that criminal everyone is looking for aren't you? Why haven't they found you?" The man laughed and walked over to a part of the room. Flipping a switch the area transformed into a full kitchen. It looked luxurious. He grabbed a kettle as well as tea bags and began making tea for four. "When I don't want to be found, I won't. If I do want to however, I'll make it so. Such as the case for you three." This guy was playing games, figured Hotblade. Making tea and laughing all while talking made it too obvious.

Back at Reposa Uni, the preliminaries had already started. Everybody was watching in a giant coliseum. The matches were exciting. Facing off against one another, students were putting the best of their abilities to the test, showcasing their flashy talents. Ritsa and Clara however were looking for Hotblade. In a mere two hours it would be his turn to fight against Bandura and he was nowhere to be found. "We have to find him before he gets disqualified" said Ritsa as she started to worry. Clara was a lot more lax though, as she yawned and replied "Who cares? If he wants to flunk out let him. Don't tell me you like him or something like that." Ritsa's face became flushed with red. Very flustered and angry she yelled "I DO NOT. Once again for the third time, I was asked by the dorm leader to look out for him and make sure he's okay every once in awhile. Other than being asked that, I have no need to want to even interact with that kid so shut up and let's find him." They exited the coliseum and headed back towards the dorms.

Eddy, back at the bar in Cryonis, had now covered all the parameters and it left him with more questions than answers. The man was nowhere to be found despite a thorough inspection of the area. It was the last building in Cryonis to be searched and now the man's trail had gone cold. In his mind though, he could never give up. He told the investigation unit he'd pick up the trail on his own and find the man then alert the task force. Before leaving, he decided to use the clues he already knew to pick up some sort of lead. He knew that the criminal had visited a bar before this where Ariella encountered him. Judging by that notion, it seemed nearly impossible that the man couldn't be here. Using all of the details that led up to Ariella's death, he recreated the situation she was in. He sat down on one of the bar stools and decided to have himself a drink. After having at least three, he motioned for the bartender to serve him up again. This time he said "hey, you wouldn't happen to serve the Bombshell in this establishment, would you?" The man hesitated for a moment. "And what would that be?" he said. Eddy studied the man's movements and actions. "You're a terrible actor."

Somewhere beneath Cryonis, the boys were still engaged in a thick tensioned conversation with the criminal. He brought out the table, four chairs and sat four cups of tea down then motioned for them to sit. They stood. He waited for them to accept his kind gesture, which they didn't, and then he got mad. "C'mon now! I didn't make all this for no reason!" He took a sip from his ceramic glass of earl grey and waited. The boys still didn't budge at all. He then changed his expression from one of frustration to ecstatic malice. "I mean, Ariella was so kind enough to provide the materials of this glass." Hotblade lit up his hand with fire as he angrily heard this and was about to make a move. Tenshi formed an extended metal rod and Slash brought out a rocket launcher and aimed it at his head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves kids. I just want to talk a little first before we get to the whole death and destruction thing. Jesus. You're friend had it coming. I gave her the chance multiple times to leave with her life intact and she chose to hunt me down. What was a guy supposed to do? Get arrested before he delivers his important message to the three new citizens of Sunrise?" The three boys kept their weapons out but listened to what the man had to say. 

"You guys are greatly mistaken by having come to this country. This is not the place you think it is. I have vital information pertaining to your dad Hotblade. Also, Slash do you recognize me?" Slash looked at the man's long black hair and knew what the man meant. He grew wide eyed with anger but still asked him what he meant. "You're not gonna tell me what I think you are, are you?" The man smiled and replied "Yeah it's me, your dad." Slash slammed down his foot and grinded his teeth in frustration. His dad? He thought. Why the hell was he here? "Nikolai? Why did you come to Sunrise? Why are you even still alive? Don't bullshit me either, get straight to the point." The man, who was called Nikolai and Slash's father, put down his tea. He stood up motioned at the table. "If you boys want answers, sit down and have some earl grey with me." Slash threw the rocket launcher at Nikolai. He quickly dodged it and as the gun hit the floor it made a loud sound that echoed in the room. "F**k your tea dude! Like seriously, stop playing games! Do you also expect us to play dress up and dance around the room with our hand up our asses!? Explain or fight, pick one!" The man calmly engaged Slash who was fuming to the fullest extent. He knew news like this wouldn't have been taken lightly. "I'm being completely serious right now. You guys don't want answers? Consider your friend Hotblade, look at him. Unlike you two he seems like he wants to find out where his dad is right now." Tenshi and Slash glanced over at Hotblade, they were right. He had receded his fire and dropped his hands and stance. He looked at his brothers with a very worried look and began to walk slowly over to the table. He pulled a chair, sat in it and drank down the tea in one giant gulp. He looked at Nikolai and said "I had your tea. Now please tell me what I want to know." Slash's dad was unwavered though. He simply said "Get your friends to join us and my mouth will be an open treasure trove."

Hotblade looked at his friends with the same worried look. The whole point of this entire journey was to see Sunrise and find his dad in the first place. They sympathized with him and although holding malice for Nikolai, walked over to the chairs next to Hotblade, sat down and drank their tea. "Good! Now I can talk! This is progress, see? Now Slash I know you deserve some answers, me being gone and all but this will all tie in just watch."

Nikolai sat back down and proceeded to explain everything. "You see, history is repeating itself and I refuse to let this happen again. This country is using you. They WILL chew you up and spit you out when they are through having their greedy way with you. Years ago me, Hotblade's dad, and Tenshi's father were also just like you boys. Inseparable. The only difference was that we were born in this country. Having rose to the top ranks of the Reposa we became an unstoppable force. Other countries would cower at the name of Sunrise, all for the wrong reasons though. This country is holding a terrible secret. A terrible, hideous mess that they're trying to keep in by constructing that damn wall they pretend is a border to keep others out. Who are they kidding? Apparently everyone. You honestly think this country is so weak and defenseless they couldn't possibly survive without those walls? They can, and more than that, they have. For countless years. When your fathers and I were born, the wall was only about sixty years old. Times were different back then though. No one was allowed in or out of the country, period. The penalty for trying to leave? Death. Why was the government so hellbent on trying to keep it's citizens within it's borders? Well let me get straight to the point. This country had a certain project all of it's citizens knew too well back then. Code named Morpheus. Trying to chemically engineer the perfect super soldier, they found a way to forcibly infuse powers of a Celestial or Hybrid by subjecting their patients through horrible procedures. Sounds like some crazy science fiction novel but this was real. Your fathers and I were among millions of patients receiving this treatment at the time. This means your powers are not natural. None of you come from a ancestral heritage of Celestials who had metal, fire, or crazy gun forming powers in their blood. Now, this probably wouldn't even be a bad thing if the story just ended there. Humiliating and painful torture along with years of traumatic experience? Sure. Brainwashing and forcing us to believe our whole live this was for the sacrifice of greater good, forcing us through countless pointless wars to further their goal of world domination? Well that's where many of us drew the line when we finally found out the truth. The three of us started a revolution, a grand one. Fighting back, we put up one hell of a fight, before eventually losing and being forced to leave the country with our lives intact. But that story is for another day. We were the strongest of the strong back in the day though and this country used us against others. Back to the present, technology has only made this place worse. I mean look at how much advanced civilization here is compared to the rest of the world, it's crazy. I'm sure you guys noticed this entering the country and even before hearing rumors of what it was like here. Now listen to this. They're beginning a new series of tests all over again. Now that almost eighty percent of the whole population is a Celestial or Hybrid, they want to use newly found medical science to even further the strength of the already formidable force they have. They've waited for generations of the old patients to pass down their traits to their kids to begin these trials and it's about to start. That criminal you guys apprehended in Tenchu Town? They sent him there. They deliberately gave him the task of being defeated by you guys to lure you over here and subject you to the same experience older generations were forced to go through. Why you guys in particular? Well look at who the three strongest soldiers who ever came out of there did for them. They want you guys in particular because of the potential you hold to do for this country. I'm not letting this happen again. Leave this place. Get out of here and don't come back, otherwise hell awaits. Another revolution is coming, lead by me and an army of others. Disappear before it happens."

Hotblade, Tenshi and Slash now felt a different atmosphere in the room. This was now a much different setting despite much being the same. Taking in all the information Hotblade only had one question left. "What about my dad, where is he?" Nikolai replied "Dead. After leaving the country with Me and Tenshi's dad he hid in Tenchu town with us for quite a while, being the ideal place since it's in the middle of a vast desert. Then while you were still a kid he left, saying he had unfinished business with this country and returned. He was captured and killed on sight." Hotblade grew angry again. This meant that not only was his journey completely pointless, but that he wasted his whole life dreaming about joining a country that committed these kinds of deeds. Tenshi, who was silent the entire time only letting his brothers talk finally put in his two cents about the whole situation. "You know what I think? I think you're only giving us a fraction of the truth. Your version which may or may not be distorted to fit your views. Why hasn't my dad, who is still alive and never spoke word of this once my whole life, been silent about it? I think what we need to do is head back to Tenchu Town and get some answers because I don't believe everything I'm hearing verbatim." Nikolai stood up and got into an even more serious tone. "You're dad hasn't mentioned anything because he's a coward by the purest definition! He spent the rest of his life, even now, never doing anything and hiding out! Meanwhile I was starting a revolution and Hotblade's dad was trying to do his part as well! Did he ever once offer his help or provide any support? Hell no! The only answer you're getting out of him is a poor excuse for running away!" Tenshi grew angrier as well hearing a complete stranger, albeit Slash's dad, talking about his father that way. The air once again grew tense. Nikolai spoke again "Anyways I'm giving you one last warning. Leave this country or I'll have to get rid of you all for good! I'm not letting this shitfest happen again. I won't!" Slash stood up and demanded "What do you mean get rid of us for good?? What, do you plan on taking out your own son." Nikolai strengthened his resolve. He looked at his son with serious intent and replied "If it means stopping this country once and for all and denying them three potentially dangerous weapons, then yes. But understand that I don't want to do this son. I really don't. I'm begging and pleading with you to just leave this place. Don't let them use you. I mean, you at least believe this place isn't everything you think it is, right?" Slash looked at him. Then he looked at Tenshi and found his answer. "You're right, I don't think this country is everything is portrays itself as. But I'm siding with Tenshi on this one. I too want some answers before finding out what my resolve is. That starts by staying here, then heading back to Tenchu Town, then coming back here to find out what's really going on. I don't know if I fully trust everything you're telling us either." 

Nikolai became outraged. His words became lost on them as they grew even more skeptical of the credibility to them. Slash didn't want to fight his dad either, but he didn't care. The man left him to go fight rather than making sure he grew up and was raised right. "Where is mom?" Slash asked to him. He replied "You're gonna have to figure that out on your own. Besides, you probably wouldn't believe me anyways." Everyone, now standing, drew their weapons out. The three brothers engaged in a standoff with Nikolai. Slash stepped in front of them though and said "This is my fight. He's my dad. They say words can be shared through fists so lets find out if that's true." Hotblade and Tenshi nodded and stepped back. Nikolai spoke. "I don't want to do this son. I love you. But you won't listen to me. I'll make sure you don't become a tool of war."

Nikolai had more than just an affinity for crafting guns at his disposal. He also had a strange purple aura that surrounded his right fist. He explained that it was the Art of Disintegration. He could crush any non living thing to dust, including the affinity of others. He lunged at Slash shooting a fist towards him. Slash dodged and jumped in the air, bringing back out his rocket launcher. He shot a giant missile towards the floor surrounding Nikolai. Nikolai jumped out of the way and flew backwards unscathed. Slash shot another one which caught Nikolai in midair as he jumped. He was sent flying towards the wall and fell. He got up though and formed his own rocket launcher. "Two can play at that game." He shot a missile towards Slash, who in retaliation shot another one and made it explode in the air before it reached him. Slash had now gotten back to the floor. He brought out a sniper rifle and aimed it at Nikolai's head. He shot, the bullet missing as Nikolai's incredible speed allowed him to miss the bullet. Nikolai formed a machine gun and started spraying bullets left and right. Tenshi quickly grabbed Hotblade and put up a huge bulletproof metal wall over them as not to get caught in the crossfire. Slash dodged each bullet with ease, sensing where Nikolai was going to be sending his shots. He had a trick up his sleeve. He brought back out the rocket launcher and shot away from Nikolai. The missile impacted with one of his bullets and in a chain reaction caused explosions all around Nikolai as his bullets met with the missile. Nikolai bounced against the floor, his body sent flying and Slash caught up with him. He grabbed his arm and pulled him in, sending his own elbow crashing against Nikolai's body. the impact breaking apart the floor. Slash grabbed one of the shards that flew from the pavement and drove it through Nikolai's stomach causing him to gush out blood. Nikolai disintegrated the shard before Slash drove it through far enough and punched him right in the head. Slash also went head first into the pavement and Nikolai grabbed him by the throat, a move all to familiar. He made the mistake of leaving Slash's hands free though, as he quickly brought out the machine gun and fired away at Nikolai's stomach. Slash's bullets exploded on impact and Nikolai flew towards the wall Tenshi had made. Tenshi quickly put giant spikes up on the wall and strengthened it. Nikolai's body was instantly pierced by a dozen spikes and Slash looked at him with condescending look. Tenshi smiled and shrugged "Sorry bro, I hate him as much as you do." Nikolai also smiled though, unfazed by all the damage. He hung there, suspended by the spikes and spoke to Slash. "It's gonna take way more than that to defeat me kid." He pushed his body off the spikes and Slash was speechless, but yet asked "How are you even still standing?" The man laughed manically, looking even more crazy. He said "Let me show you the results of the new experiements Sunrise is planning for you guys." He laughed even more and began to grow. He grew two times his size and all of a sudden began to transform into a wolf hybrid. His form was grotesque. His teeth grew sharp and had fangs bulging out. His shirt ripped into pieces and and his whole body growing fur as he continued to get bigger. His pupils turned into slits and his form had finally finished. His voice, even deeper than before surprised the boys and Slash stared at the beast he was supposed to call his father. "You're a Celestial, and a Hybrid? What is this!? That's not even possible, who are you??" Nikolai smiled and licked his lips with his long doglike tongue. "I'm exactly what you said I was. For the first time in history I have transcended the notion that people can only be normal, Celestial, or Hybrid. I might even be a god as far as we know." The situation then became gruesome. All of his wounds were gone and he looked impossibly stronger than before the fight even started. Slash was losing hope. He stepped back and started to sweat and became pale looking at the image before him. He began to retreat and run towards the door in the room.

-------------------------------END OF CHAPTER 3-------------------------------

-------------------------------NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW-------------------------

Slash now knows he has no chance with this monster. Nikolai has became something no one thought possible. With all this new information the boys have learned, what will happen? Can Nikolai be stopped? Will the boys even leave out of this situation alive? The Reposa have lost the trail of the criminal and will be of no help to the boys now. The situation has now turned deadly. Find out what happens next, on The Hotblade Chronicles!

------------------------------AUTHOR'S AFTERTHOUGHTS----------------------

s**t, even I'm scared, and this is a work of fiction.