Chapter 11: Sebastian's Fist
"Well?" I spoke, meeting the canny, almost knowing look in Sebastian's eyes with an unimpressed one of my own.
And much to my irritation, he had the gall to simply lift his eyebrows as if he hadn't the faintest clue as to what I was talking about.
"Don't give me that, there's clearly something you want to say to me. Otherwise, you would've waited before making your convenientintrusion on me and Thora's training session." I folded my arms, awaiting whatever aggravating reply he had in store.
"It's technically my training session, since I'm the one who ordered it." He hummed, taking a sip from the bottle of high-quality imported beer he was holding. "Therefore, I have the right to end as I see fit—"
"Don't even start." I groaned, running my palm down my face in exasperation. "I'm not in the mood for your classic mental gymnastics."
He hummed again, his lackadaisical demeanor making it abundantly clear that he wasn't taking me seriously.
I can already feel the urge to slug him in the face tugging at me, the same one that I usually only feel around the rooster.
Hold it in, Alduin. Your parents are Kaijus pretending to be Devils, remember? Deep breaths, slow and steady.
"Someone's particularly irritable today, or should I say—pissy?" He snickered. Excellent, he somehow knows about my failed attempt to converse with Martha earlier today. "Granted, you've always been a hot-blooded one. Maybe it'd be more accurate to say you're more irritable than usual."
"I wonder whose fault that is?" I clenched my fist, lamenting Sebastian's expertise at annoying the living daylight out of people with his words alone.
Seriously though, why is everyone in this family so adept at verbal warfare except for me?
If it weren't for the fact that Thora, the person I'm around for the majority of my time, wasn't the only one who radiated any sense of normalcy in this house—I would've needed a trip to a mental asylum by now.
"It's definitely not my fault, that's for certain." He insisted plainly, taking another sip. "I always talk to you in the same manner, it's only as of recent that you've been acting—different, to say the least."
"And let me guess? The great detective Lord Sebastian Buné has it all figured out?" I scoffed, thoroughly appalled that he could say the first part of that sentence with such unwavering confidence.
He's easily the cause for at least 90% of the headaches I get around here!
"I had a few theories," he remarked idly. "It's only now that I've got my confirmation."
"Yeah? Enlighten me." I gestured.
"It's simple, you're at that age." It was only a matter of time before his signature, wicked grin found its way back onto his face. "I saw how you looked at Thora while she was leaving, and I remember how you reacted when she apologized to me."
My nails started to dig into my palm, tension building up within me.
You really are one rotten bastard.
"You mean when you were being a petty little child? Confronting her instead of me because it was more convenient?" I sneered at him. "Yes, that didn't sit well with me, and I believe I did a good job of making that sentiment known to you."
At that moment, I felt a chill crawl down my spine.
"Sentiment?"
His ice-blue eyes were locked onto me, peering deep inside me as if they could reach the depths of my soul itself.
For a second, I even found myself met with the same eerie sensation as when I looked upon the moon back at the lake.
"How many times will I have to drill that lesson into you? I never had, and never will need any sentiment from you. The one, and only purpose I've assigned you is to be strong, that's all. I don't have the time nor patience to humor whatever distractions you end up immersing yourself in."
He started to pace towards me. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of my head, the sinking realization that our spar was about to begin setting in.
"That said, it's not like I particularly care if you want to frolic with Thora." I hated how easily he was able to pry into my thoughts. "However, just saying yes would be too easy wouldn't it? I'd hate to see you end up as another pampered young upstart after all. You'll have to earn the permission to do so beforehand."
What? Is he asking me to beat him in a fight first or something?
No, he might as well just outright refuse if that were the case. In all my years of living, I've never even managed to scratch the old man. Let alone draw out a fraction of his full strength.
"Oh, and I'm not talking about my permission."
"Then whose? Mother's?" I don't understand, Martha doesn't bother with any of the servants in the manor. I doubt she even knows any of their names except for Thora's.
No. Scratch that. There's a high possibility she doesn't know that either.
That's her whole modus operandi. She'll only show herself when something warrants her personal attention. Until then, it was best to just leave her alone unless you wanted to be reduced to plant food.
Honestly, I think Sebastian's pretty much in the same ballpark character-wise. It's just that he's a whole lot less reserved than she.
"Nope." He said with a pop. "You'll meet them once you've completed your awakening ceremony. Until then, I'd suggest you remain hands off. They're capable of making your life a whole lot more difficult than both me and your mother can combined."
Great, he's decided to be cryptic for the one thing I'd rather he be crystal-clear for.
Sigh. What else should I have expected?
"Well, even if you do something with her before that time. You'd best not let them find out."
Alright, just who exactly is he talking about? Is it Thora's family? Not that I've ever seen them around, let alone heard of them.
Although, knowing this household—they might as well be a group of monsters as well.
"You truly adore hearing yourself talk, don't you?" I retorted spitefully.
"No, it's just that you're still too incompetent to live without my words." With his beer still tightly clasped in one hand, he reeled back the other. "But we've shared enough chatter, it's time to work."
At least let go of it while we're fighting you insufferable old fart!
From past experience, I knew better than to hesitate to enshroud myself in Touki.
Sebastian's never used Dragonification against me, and honestly—I think it's best left that way. The thing about our Clan Trait is, once it's been awakened our strength isn't limited to an active draconic form. There's also a passive strengthening effect.
And Sebastian's unlocked the absolute epitome of that variable.
Even as he's standing before me in his standard form, all his physical attributes are on par with someone at the peak of Ultimate Class, which is probably why I've never managed to even contest him throughout the countless "spars" we've done.
Which would more accurately be described as one-sided beatdowns. I'm confident in the Senjutsu I've developed. Still, I won't blind myself to the truth that is the need for me to awaken my Dragonification before I can start seriously challenging Sebastian or Martha.
To defeat a monster, you must become one.
I raised my arms and adjusted my stance in preparation to guard myself, Sebastian's fist streaming through the air faster than one of Thora's wind blades.
Crack!
My hips buckled as I fell to one knee, the ground beneath me trembling under the impact his hammering attack had just generated—the sensation akin to having my bones thrown at the mercy of a hydraulic press.
What strength!
As far as I'm aware, he isn't even using any specialized technique to enhance the force he can exert.
"What's the matter? Aren't you going to fight back? Or will you simply sit there and let me squash you into a fine paste?" He mocked while finishing off his beer. "It's pathetic really, the fact that you believe you're capable of courting Thora with such lackluster prowess."
He rammed his foot into my abdomen, the wind escaping my lungs as my body rag-dolled across the floor.
"Cough! Cough! Fuck! Just what is it with you two today! Did you both wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" I gasped for air, harnessing my Dryadic Blessing to try to repair as much of the damage dealt to my midsection as possible.
Martha clearly isn't the only one who decided to start holding back a lot less.
Did I really get on their nerves that much? No, they're much too composed for a few snide comments here and there to get to them.
"If I were you, I'd be more concerned as to why you're being overwhelmed so effortlessly." I could hear the thud of his footsteps inching closer and closer, forcing me to haul myself to my feet unless I wanted another blow to my stomach. "You're distracted. Your guard's wide open. And your reflexes are all off rhythm."
"This whole day's been off rhythm." I scoffed, scowling at him as my hostility rose tenfold.
"There's your issue." He pointed at my face. "That's always been your issue."
"What is?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I'm talking about your temper you moron! When you're using your Demonic Power, it serves you well, but when you're using Senjutsu, it does the complete opposite." He replicated my expression of animosity. "Senjutsu is all about emotional restriction, control, and poise. Martha's crammed that lesson into you a countless number of times, yet you remain stagnant."
I reeled back, realizing that the old bastard was genuinely trying to be useful for once.
"You're probably wondering why I'm provoking you in that thick skull of yours if I want to enforce the concept of control, aren't you?" He crossed his arms, halting his advance momentarily.
Lucky guess.
"The whole point of emotional control is to control them when they lose restraint, if you honestly think an opponent will do you the courtesy of keeping their words respectful in the heat of battle—" His ever-piercing gaze grew harsher than before. "—then maybe I should start over with a third child."
As the words left his mouth, I could feel the memories of Alduin's life itching at my brain like a vengeful spirit.
Shit. I really loathe this guy, don't I?
"Fine." My voice sounded draconic even though I had yet to awaken the trait. "If you want control, then I'll show you control."
I may not be able to entirely suppress my rage, but perhaps I can lower its temperature to a point where it becomes more calculated in nature.
Wrath is supposed to be the best fuel for a dragon isn't it? I may not be one now, but I know there's one somewhere inside me.
"Atta' boy." He growled while wearing an ear-to-ear grin.
Hah. Only someone like you would get a sick sense of pleasure out of seeing their own child approach them with such rancor. At least I won't have to feel any guilt once I pummel your face in.
I could feel the blanket of Ki around me sharpen the more I tried to keep my emotions in check, which was basically like trying to turn a chunk of coal into a diamond with my bare hands.
More than seventeen years of memories living under this roof have assimilated with me after all. The amount of coal stored in this mind of mine can't be overstated.
———
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