Civilians stare startled at the prisoners until the skinny one speaks.
-We're just passing through, no need for alarm, we will just need to bring along a few of you with us, for safety reasons.
Caelum
- They just left and they are already committing crimes… how deplorable.
Zarco
-Although, kidnaping some civilians to help in such an escape is not a bad idea.
Caelum stares at him with a certain disgust.
Zarco rolls his eyes and sights for a moment, immediately after that, he stops leaning on Caelum and slowly approaches the small legion of inmates while saying.
-Ok, ok, stop, stop, you guys had a good plan but it is not gonna work.
The woman stares at him and speaks in a condescending tone.
-Stay out of it boy.
Albator gets right next to her and starts to whisper something into the giantess's ears.
She lets out a slight surprise as she questions aloud.
-He?
Albator responds by just nodding in agreement.
Zarco keeps on talking while snapping his fingers, trying to catch their attention
-Hey, here in front of you, important, don't ignore me.
The woman turns to him and coldly says
-Okay, capture him.
Zarco
-Oops, wait, let's not do anything rash, my friends.
Caelum
-The idiot is right, we are buried by piles and piles of rubble, and we need to cooperate if we hope to get out of here alive.
Zarco
-Idiot? Was that necessary? Really?
Caelum
-Grow up, we have more important matters than your pride.
Zarco
-Ouch, cruel... and wrong, because there is nothing more important than...
Zarco's chatter is suddenly interrupted by a chokehold coming from a fast and stealthy giantess that attacked him before he knew it, she lifts the struggling little one while he desperately grabs the arm that was hanging him, Zarco then tries to hit her in the ribs with his elbow. But it was ineffective as she barely feels the attack. Zarco knew that pain, and that same despair, for he had felt them not long ago, he hated it but he knew that there was nothing he could do.
Fortunately for Zarco, the giantess was distracted which gave Caelum an opportunity to attack. She jumped against a wall and then used it for a second jump, thus gaining momentum to throw herself on top of her enemy, Caelum then grabs the giantess's head with both of her hands and lifts her whole body up, supporting herself and putting all of her weight against the giantess's head.
Caelum
-Let him go or I'll dislodge your neck right here and now.
The woman calmly releases Zarco, he then falls to the ground while breathing euphorically.
She then tries to move her arm with the intention of attacking Caelum and pulling her out of there.
Caelum
-Don't move, if I fall from here I'll take your life with me.
She stops, which leads Caelum to calm a little, but that doesn't last long though. As she is suddenly hit by Albator's huge fist right in her back.
The punch knocks Caelum down from the head of the giantess, who proceeds by grabbing Caelum's legs while she was falling, pulls her down, and throws herself backward, crushing Caelum against the ground using her weight.
Caelum screams in pain.
-AAAARGGH!
The giantess cracks a smile as she hears the howl of pain.
But this smile is quickly broken by Zarco, who delivers a messy, weak kick to her jaw.
Zarco loses balance right after his desperate attack and falls to the ground while screaming.
-Get off her, you dumb creature!
The giantess starts to move her jaw as if trying to adjust it and then starts to get up. Caelum remains prone on the ground, Zarco on the other hand, tries to get up but the best that he manages to do is stay on the floor in a half-sitting manner, all the while Albator stood next to him preparing to hit as the other prisoners approached.
Zarco says angry and exaustaded.
-Damn it…
Suddenly, Caelum screams in a state of pure rage.
-STOP!
Everyone in the room turns their attention to that crushed, fallen figure screaming on the floor.
Caelum
-IF ANYONE ELSE MOVES A SINGLE FINGER TO HURT ANYONE HERE I WILL KILL THAT PERSON WITH MY OWN HANDS.
Albator speaks as he storms forward angrily towards her.
-Who do you think you are you little sh-
Caelum lifts her legs with her knees bent against her belly, then she throws her legs forward consequently lifting her entire body with her, quickly standing up.
Caelum stares at the brute with unblinking eyes full of fire.
Albator becomes even more irritated by her defying look and prepares to advance.
But before he could do anything the giantess gets between him and Caelum while saying.
-Enough.
Everyone stares at her in confusion.
Giantess
-Those are the eyes of a cornered animal, she might even be able to kill a few before she falls, it won't be worth fighting her.
Albator
-B-but…
She ignores him and says to Caelum.
-You said something about collapse and rubble, didn't you?
Caelum gets surprised but still answers the question, all while maintaining her guard.
-Yes, the top floors somehow collapsed and we are buried now…
The giantess turns towards the bandits and yell.
-Men! Start digging! I want these rocks out of my way by yesterday!
Most of the prisoner's answers in unison.
-Yes, s-ma'am!
The prisoners go ahead and leave the room.
The giantess walks side by side with the Albator and calmly passes by Zarco and Caelum.
Zarco stares at her in clear shock, baffled by that resolution, he turns to Caelum and asks.
-What the hell was that?
Caelum
-Sorry, I let myself go a little there.
Zarco
-Nah, that was amazing! I am just trying to comprehend what happened here.
Caelum recovers her calm and cold behavior and says while helping Zarco get up.
-I see.
Zarco
-But hey, you should do let go more often.
Caelum gets silent for a moment and then speaks.
-I don't promise anything.
<--------------// ~ // ------------->
On the battlefield, Basilius accompanied by Luscinia flies over the prison ruins
Basilius looks around and smiles as a tear runs down his face.
Luscinia asks worriedly
- Your Majesty, are you okay?
Basilius
-Yes, these are just tears of pure happiness.
Leo approaches with his troops surrounding the prison.
Basilius
-How is the situation, Leo?
Leo
-Apis is chasing the human who previously attacked us while Salus is setting up a base for the wounded in the center.
Basilius
-Great, what about the crystal and this inferior settlement leader?
Leo
-We didn't find them, considering the number of corpses and the soldiers we faced, a good part of their forces must have retreated using the crystal.
Basilius
-I see, focus on the base set up by Salus and fortify it, in case of a sudden attack, Luscinia and I will stay in that building, guarding both the base and this prison and-
Basilius is interrupted by a loud crash coming from the prison's ruins.
They look down only to see several wounded soldiers coming out from under the rubble.
Luscinia steps forward, ready to advance and attack them.
Basilius
-No, let's all surround them and then attack.
Luscinia
-Understood, Your Majesty.
Basilius
-Leo, leave your troops here and go to Salus.
Leo
-As you order, my king.
Basilius
-We have to be extra careful with those...
A large pile of rubble is destroyed and from under it emerges a large, somewhat humanoid creature, it's body was covered in fur and it had huge claws and an anteater's head.
On its side, Potentia stood up dirty with dust, ashes, and blood, her body had several small bruises and cuts. On her shoulder she carried a small creature with a bow and small thorns as arrows, it was a kind of semi-humanoid brow insect whose body imitated the texture of wood, it had two arms and four legs and one insectoid head.
Basilius says full of contempt and disgust.
-Monsters.
END OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER