Amanda's remains could be seen. Her hand, still gripping her spear even in death. Her body remains eroded out a strange black aura.
Vincent couldn't remorse the girl who he had already watched grow to become a fierce woman. “ Take your combat stance”.
“This is not the time to remorse a fallen comrade”. Vincent yelled his voice devoid of any emotion as he charged at the beast.
His ability, flash step allows him to instantly accelerate faster than the speed of sound.
Boom.
His fist slammed into the trolls face. He didn't give a breathing room for a counter attack. He kept firing immense attacks non–stop. Shockwaves filled the area making it impossible for even James or his team to intervene.
“A– mman– da”. Sophia muttered with her eyes tearing up. As she looked over at her friends remains.
“Sophia snap out of it”. Jonathan yanked her shoulder from the ground.
“We need to help trainer Vincent, I don't think he can handle that monster on his own”.
“How are we meant to do that, getting close to that fight doesn't even look possible”. William pointed out to Jonathan the shockwaves that was spiking out from where Vincent was.
“This doesn't feel right, I could not track it's movement when he appeared behind Amanda. Which means it's at least as fast as me but why hasn't he dodged any of my attacks yet”.
Vincent had been hitting the troll relentlessly since the fight began. But something felt off, he hadn't missed a single punch.
All of a sudden the troll body ignited in a dark aura. Immediately Vincent retreated back to the cadets.
“What was that that, my body moved on its own”...
An awakener sense was improved to the extreme especially for high level ones, it could be called their sixth sense. Some being able to sense people gazes miles away.
And some… being able to sense their death.
“William hand me your daggers, the rest of you report to base right now”.
“But sir—”
“This is an order”. Vincent interrupted William before he could finish his statement.
“Get straight to HQ and alert them to send reinforcement— we can't let this monster roam free”.
“We understand”. Sam replied.
William handed over his daggers and before the whole team started running to the command center.
“Okay, No more holding back”. Vincent remarked as he watched James team running to base.
“ Let's see what you can do”. A burst of light surrounded him as he zoomed towards the troll.A slash aiming for it's neck.
Clank.
The beast rose it claws in response to Vincent slash. “I see you are finally taking me seriously”...
“ Are we actually leaving trainer Vincent on his own?. Even if we get to base commander Rourke has been away for days now.” Jonathan said as he was sprinting behind everyone.
“orders are orders Jonathan, we need to get reinforcement as soon as possible while trainer Vincent stalls for time”. James replied back to Jonathan.
“But maybe we could help out”. Jonathan said.
“We can't”. Sophia said her voice cold and devoid of any emotion.
“Sophia ”. Jonathan voice was subtle but clear.
James running by her side. Shocked to see how blood dripped from the side of her lip, her teeth bit it so hard it was almost like she didn't realize how to feel pain anymore.
“This is what commander Rourke meant about being powerless to change anything”. William muttered to himself as they kept sprinting forward.
Meanwhile…
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Trainer Vincent was still fighting the troll. No matter how many times he slashed at it. None of them ever reached his skin.
The troll finally slashed towards Vincent, it had been defensive all along. Now it initiated an attack.
Clank.
Vincent parried the attack but the force sent him crashing to the ground. Before he could react another slash came aiming for his neck. But Vincent was able to stop it.
His blade sent flying away from his hands.
Stomp.
The troll’s foot drove Vincent into the pavement.
> Vincent staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth as he gasped for air.
“I think I bought enough time... The kids should have gotten reinforcements by now.”
He thought to himself as he coughed out blood,Slowly loosing consciousness.
“Now”. A voice shouted in the background.
Boom.
A deafening explosion split the air, sending the troll crashing backward. Its body skidded across the pavement, its movements jerky and unnatural as if it were being controlled by an invisible force.
“What was that”. Vincent thought to himself.
William ran to get the injured Vincent from the ground.
“What are you kids doing, I gave an order”. Even with his body broken his voice was still absolute.
“Wait this makes no sense how the hell did the kids get over here. Even I didn't see William until he was in front of me. And how did the monster get sent flying”.
Before he could process what was happening. Jonathan jumped towards where the troll was slamming his axe at full force.
Boom.
The force sent dirt and debris flying through the air.
“That should not be possible— , no way have this kids awakened.”
“What's happening”. This time trainer Vincent said to William in a calm voice.
“It's as you think sir, we awakened”. William replied as he reached towards where James and Amanda were.
“I want an explanation.” Vincent spoke with authority this time.
“James will handle that, I will go give Jonathan a hand”. Sophia said as she zoomed towards where Jonathan was.
“James explain.”
James let the tension ease a little before finally speaking out.
“Sir we were about to get reinforcement.”
Ten minutes ago…
“Wait”. James shouted out . Jonathan couldn't stop in time beforehand and fell on James.
“What is this about James”. Sam said .
James shoved Jonathan away standing up.
“We have been running non-stop for long, but don't you guys notice anything different”
“Now that you mentioned it, we have been keeping up really well with Sophia, The only one who could run that fast was —”. William paused. Before Sophia turned
“what is your point”. Sophia said.
“Jonathan hit me”. James said looking at Jonathan the closest to him.
“What”. Jonathan said, his face confused at such a statement.
“Just punch m—”. James barely had time to react before Jonathan's fist shot forward, a shockwave following in its wake. He dodged just in time, feeling the air pressure whip past him
Present…
“So that's how I figured out that most of us awakened”.
“Most”. Vincent said as he looked towards the battlefield as Sophia and Jonathan were completely overpowering the troll.
“Jonathan gained a body enhancement based ability, he can increase his body attack and reflexes by 200%”.
“William gained stealth as his ability”.
“Sophia ability… is kind of complicated.”
“what do you mean” Vincent looked back at James.
“She has a mind weaving ability”.
“It's an ability that lets her create or reinforce any item she is in contact with including herself. It's like she can manipulate reality itself”.
Vincent eyes started scanning the area looking for someone.
“By the way where is Sam”. He asked.
Vincent narrowed his eyes, following William’s gaze. Sam wasn’t anywhere to be seen... until he noticed the troll’s movements—sluggish, unnatural. It was as though something was controlling it from the inside.”
William this time pointed at the troll.
“he’s in the troll”.
“HE’S WHAT.” Vincent shouted
“The explosion that sent the monster flying and why it's not moving properly is sam’s doing”.
James said looking at the troll.
“His ability is puppetry, he can control any living body he enters”.
Meanwhile the battle between the troll and the cadets was intense. Even with the troll sluggish movements. Almost nothing could scratch his skin.
Jonathan swung his axe with full force.
Boom.
The ground beneath the troll began cracking like brittle stone as the impact sent shockwaves through the earth.
Sophia created wires and tied it over at the trolls legs. With the troll being busy with Jonathan she had Time to restricts it's movement even more.
“Sam now”. Sophia shouted out. Signalling Sam to come out from the troll.
Sophia concentrated reinforcing her saber with electricity reaching up to 10 kWh of pure energy.
She slashed at the troll making an arc with the flash of light that was being emitted from her blade.
The monster pushed back Jonathan, And raised it claws trying to slash her down mid-swing.
Jonathan fell to the ground. But the troll hand wasn't moving. The troll looked over.
Only to see it was Sam that stopped his hands from moving.
Roaaarrr.
The beast let out a devestating roar breaking Sam control and slashed towards Sophia, faster than anyone could react to.
Clank.
The sound of metal clashing among each other.
It was Vincent. “Sophia do it”. He shouted
“I will make you pay for what you did to my best friend”. Sophia shouted out as she slashed towards the troll.
Zsssst.
The blade sparked as it cut through its arm like butter.
The troll lost arm fell to the ground.
“ I am not done yet”. Sophia yelled as she aimed for his other hand. Cutting through it.
Stab.
Sophia stomach had a hand coming through it.
“Sophiaaa”. Jonathan screamed charging straight for the troll.
“It regenerated. The hand Sophia just cut regenerated instantly.”
James mind scrambled on how a monster could regenerate and so inhumanly fast.
He had been watching with William from a distance. Since James hadn't awakened and William ability wasn't suited for a fight like that.
“William we are going to help out”. James said looking at William.
“How are we meant to do that, you aren't awakened yet , my ability isn't suited for close range combat and I am not with my weapons anymore.”
James thought on how they could interfere with a fight like that, before he finally got an idea.
“William can you use your ability on anything other than your self.” James looked over at the battle that was still ongoing.
“That might actually work”. William replied, even without an explanation William could understand what James was thinking.
If done right, The outcome could lead to their victory.