Berserkers, my personal representation of people with anger control issues.
I've dealt with a lot of them, multiple times. My last encounter was with that bastard Seung-Min.
However, they're not really people with anger issues, just people who think shouting and spitting on a person's face gets their point across.
I never finished designing their full template before dying, but I'd already split them into two categories: the quiet, slow-boiling kind and the loudmouths.
Unfortunately, I was staring down the latter.
Good-looking, yes. Built like a wall, sure. Still annoying.
Berserkers were meant to be the world's human beasts, just below pure monsters and shapeshifters. I never got the chance to finish fleshing them out.
That task likely fell to whoever replaced me.
But this one? This Kai? I already knew. We'd never get along.
He trusted bulk over brains, classic Berserker flaw.
I exhaled and let my resistance drop slightly. "That's one thing about you berserkers," I said quietly.
He reduced his resistance as as well, probably confused about my withdrawal.
I paused,"You rush in and make close contact without thinking twice about the kind of opponent you're up against."
"Huh?!" His brows curved, "What do you mean by—"
I slammed my forehead into his.
That made him stagger back, caught off guard.
I took a quick step back too, swaying slightly when I balanced myself.
Blood was running down my legs now. I hadn't noticed until the warmness soaked into my skin.
I moved forward anyway. I slashed his clothes, making sure not to injure him. He dodged well, better than expected for a guy his size.
He also dodged all my attacks aimed at his upper body, which was strange.
Fine. Go low.
I ducked beneath his outstretched arm, twisting my body, and launched an uppercut toward his jaw.
Kai recovered faster than I had anticipated.
He grinned, leaned back to miss my fist.
'Shit.'
As his hands stretched to grab me, my eyes widened.
I immediately made a move to back away. But he
Is other hand clamped around my throat just enough to block out air slightly.
Up close, I caught a strong scent of oak wood. Just like the trees lining the valley below. Odd and questionable.
Kai's grip tightened, that the pressure made my ears ring.
"You've got guts for an Aven that can't even fly," Kai muttered with an annoyed scowl.
If he could he would punch me till I bled.
I shrugged to his statement. "Who said I can't fly?" I rasped, "You only base your judgments on what you know, and too fast."
Kai's narrowed his eyes, and applied more pressure till my vision blurred.
He frowned, "Are you sure you're an Aven?" He asked, "They are usually quiet."
He wasn't wrong. Avens were supposed to be gentle, like doves. But doves that learned to kill when airborne.
Fast, dangerous efficient, and beautiful. Still, the ones raised in the North, where the cadet base was, often changed.
Some stopped speaking entirely due to one reason or another. Others trained with mallets. Some shaved their heads or wore western clothes.
Unlike Avens, berserkers are the opposite and Phantoms are the worst to even exist, talk more of provoking.
They are like Bai Lin. They are what silent killers are supposed to be. A ticking time bomb. Even the wind is louder than they are.
And they leave no traces.
Just like ghosts.
They adapted, became harder, meaner, even learned to stop using their flight abilities, unless it was an emergency.
Some even became Berserkers.
That knowledge was Han's. And though I was no longer him exactly, the memories still clung to me. It was like thinking in two voices at once.
"I am Aven," I finally whispered.
I tilted my head slightly, even though I was choking. "But sometimes, we stop being silent, especially when it comes to nonsense."
Kai frowned, confused.
"For example." I smiled, "You."
Kai tightened his fists even more. By now, the blood had begun to drip from my feet to the ground.
"You should watch your mouth, Han. Just because we're on the same team doesn't mean you should say bullshit to me."
Ah yes, I forgot, the Westerners still utter their cuss words and accent. That's strangely comforting.
I simply smiled once again at Kai and straightened my head. "You know... for.. someone....with such a bulk...you're easily triggered."
"Oh really?" Kai grinned. "I want you to repeat that."
The air froze. I could tell the others were staring at us in anticipation, or confusion, I just stared blankly.
I had already gotten so weak that I was hallucinating.
"Stop staring into space and answer!"
Kai yelled and shook me, snapping me out of it. His eyes flashed red for just a moment, dangerously close to shifting.
It wasn't a good sign, coupled with the fact I was bleeding out terribly.
I opened my mouth to answer—
"Enough," The instructor's voice cut in.
Kai's body jerked to attention, his grip on me loosened a bit, but I could tell if he wasn't given orders he'd continue.
"Put him down gently," the instructor ordered.
Kai obeyed, albeit with a glare.
The moment my knees touched the ground, the pain came in fully.
Everything throbbed, ribs, lungs, throat. Blood still streamed freely down my legs, thick, hot and sticky.
I couldn't tell how bad it was, only that I was dangerously close to blacking out.
Somehow, there was the urge to say something revolting again. At least a little fun before the serious stuff happens.
Right?
While the instructor spoke, I caught a glimpse of Ling, the small kid from earlier, at a corner.
I realised he looked taller than I had imagined, or maybe that was because I was on the ground.
He glanced at me with a blank look in his eyes, and only waved before turning back to the instructor in silence.
I heaved a sigh, trying to regain my composure and gather a little strength to walk to the clinic to treat myself.
I suddenly spotted Bai Lin, standing at the end of the yard, half-shadowed by the columns.
She had a look of mockery on her face, and her arms were crossed in silent disappointment?
Didn't matter.
I had made my point, and won.
I reached for my sword, staggered to my feet, using it to guide myself. I winced silently when the wound stung sharply as air hit it.
"Follow me," Bai Lin said.
She then turned to the others.
"Emperor's orders. I'll return him by dawn."