Eto, Veronica and professor Hawk left his house and made their way to the outside of town. Vieli and Odilia stayed behind, hoping the plan would succeed. The cold and silent streets Eto and Veronica had walked through before seemed to spread through the whole town. All the while, the castle was lurking over them from a distance.

Veronica moved her hand and felt the baton hanging on her hip, making sure she still was armed. This was the first time she would be engaged in combat, and it seemed like it could matter for life or death. The thought scared her but she managed to pull through. There was no choice. They had to do this to go further.

Eto was walking in front, smiling and not bothering the cold at all. Professor Hawk walked behind them, checking the buildings of the town because he hadn't seen them in a while.

'Sure got worse,' he mumbled before they came to the edge of the town.

What was left in front of them seemed like a small mountain path covered in snow with stones and rocks to the side which would lead to the castle.

'I guess this way?' Eto asked while looking up the path.

'Yes,' professor Hawk said and he stood beside him.

'There is a chance Ased already knows we are coming. That takes away the element of surprise.'

Eto punched his fist into his other hand.

'No matter. I will still kick his butt anyway,' he said with confidence.

It was these moments, Veronica thought she was safe with him, even though she was still scared for their trip up the castle.

They followed the path and after a while, the path became more steep and slippery, making it harder to walk.

'Be careful. One wrong step and you could get yourself hurt,' professor Hawk said after feeling how unstable his steps sometimes were. The snow surely made a dangerous change to the area.

Veronica was walking behind them now, taking small steps to make sure she could not fall.

Eto, ofcourse, was almost jumping in front of him, not aware of the danger.

A few climbs further, Eto stopped and pointed in front of him.

'What is that?' he asked.

Professor Hawk took a few careful steps to get next to him and looked to where Eto was pointing. When he saw what it was, he looked shocked.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

'Watch out. Like I thought, some Capgelu bears stayed even though the snow covered most of the mountain.'

Eto watched the animals he had spotted.

They were large with wooly blue fur. They did not seem dangerous but when Eto saw the claws that the bears had, he understood what the professor meant that they should be careful. He also noticed they had six legs and a large snout sticking to the front.

'So that is a Capgelu bear,' Veronica said, who slowly joined them.

They heard a little clicking sound beside them and the professor saw she was holding the snapper in her hands.

'You took it with you?' he wanted to scream but he kept his voice down. He had to try to contain his anger.

'Yeah, I really wanted to test it,' Veronica said, taking more pictures from the bears.

'I told you you could not take it. It's an expensive prototype,' the professor said angry but silently. Veronica gave him a smile. 'You're the one who said you can't always be legal.'

While Veronica tried to get closer to the animals, professor Hawk gritted his teeth with anger.

'Let's get closer,' Eto said but when he took the first step, Veronica already feared what would happen. And it did.

As always, Eto was louder than he thought he was and with the first steps he took, the bears got their attention. Both Eto and Veronica froze from their eyes staring at them and it didn't take long for the animals to show their teeth and start to walk their way.

'Damn, what did I say to be careful,' the professor said and he accepted that they could not run away from the animals.

He quickly walked in front of Eto and Veronica, making sure they were behind him as he saw that the bears started to walk faster until they ran into their direction.

Professor Hawk opened his lab coat, revealing a belt on which different types of metal forearms were attached. He pushed a button and the belt started to spin until an open spot was next to him.

He put his arm in which made it happen that his forearm was released from his upper arm.

The belt spun again and this time a different forearm stopped under his upper arm.

He equipped the new forearm and this time he didn't have a hand but it was more like canon.

'Stay back,' he yelled and watched the bears getting closer.

'Don't hurt them' Veronica said, thinking the bears would only attack them out of defense.

'It's gonna be hard when they try to kill us' the professor yelled while aiming. He turned the loop on his arm which made a clicking sound.

Just before the bears were almost near, the professor released his arm and from the loop a giant flame appeared.

He swung it from left to right, not trying to hit the bears but to cover the parts in front of them.

'The snow is keeping it from staying burned' he said, looking to the ground which didn't catch the flames.

The bears stopped running and looked at the flames who kept swinging in front of them.

It took a few seconds for the bears to change their mind and run away.

Professor Hawk made sure he didn't see them anymore before he stopped the flame. Smoke came from the loop, giving off heat.

Eto walked to the professor, wanting to say something but the professor interrupted him.

'Cool, right?' he said with a smile and Eto nodded while looking at the belt with different forearms. The professor's face turned serious and he looked up the mountain, to the castle.

'Now he definitely knows we are coming' he said.