Her maroon hair damp from sweat and something else, her expression dead.
A large bear poured something on her head from a chalice it had, her expression never changed but Valeo saw her hands clench.
"Wait, what's she doing here?"
"Is this....the boss that man talked about?"
Valeo couldn't help but to stare, the posse around the bear laughed but he didn't care, the woman who he saved was in trouble again. The tattered garb she wore, the metal collar around her neck.
Not just her, multiple people, Ani-folk, humans and undead wearing the same attire.
Flashes of the arena came into vision.
"Boyo?"
The sound of grinding teeth could be heard as all four of his hands clenched, Valeo didn't turn his head to Himrick but the old man knew he heard him.
Valeo took a step forward but stopped when Himrick's words reached his ears.
"Monster's don't help the people in need."
The fury in Valeo's eyes when they turned to Himrick, making him stare harshly back.
"What...did you...say?"
Valeo both sets of teeth clenched and grinded against each other.
"I'm only using your own words boyo, you said it yourself, you're a monster."
Himrick stood in front of Valeo now, his eyes challenging the boy.
"We know her."
Valeo hissed impatiently pointing to Anastasia who was standing next to the Rogmir, her eyes dull.
"But what about the rest, are you just gonna save her?"
Valeo paused, his slowly burning rage dying.
Valeo started to look at the others more, their eyes more dull than Anastasia's, their expression sunken.
"If you gonna save them lad, your gonna have to put those thoughts of yourself away, there's no monster boyo."
"Just you."
Cups and dishes crashing rang out as a small fox girl fell to the ground, Rogmir standing over her.
"YOU BASTARD!"
Anastasia snarled before bolts of electricity shot through her body sending her to her knees.
Flashes of the same torment he went through Valeo's vision. His heavy breathing getting more ragged, fear and rage ravaged his body as Rogmir kicked the down fox girl making her cough up blood.
Something snapped inside of Valeo, rushing to the unsuspecting Rogmir he shoulder checked the bear into the gazebo, causing a noticeable chunk to be destroyed.
Screams of the people in the chains reverberated throughout the town square, the people who wore the same symbol of Rogmir surrounded Valeo, the didn't see his face under the hood.
"That lad didn't register what he needed to hear."
Himrick shook his head and walked off, disappearing in the crowd. Valeo didn't notice this due the posse surrounding him.
Their faces of greed and smugness kept reminding him of the people in the arena, it suddenly felt a little warmer beneath his feet.
"For fuck sake GET HIM!"
One of them said making the posse charge at him. He dodged to the left making one of them punch their fellow member, Valeo grabbed the fist of a gator man and broke it.
The gator opened it's maw to scream but his head was caved in by Valeo's fist. This sent the body flying into three others.
A female panther latched on his back and started to tear it to ribbons, hissing in pain Valeo turned his back to incoming punch from a Rhino which landed on the panther.
Free from the living blender Valeo spun kick the rhino in the jaw knocking him out cold.
The rest of the posse stopped charging at him, their eyes squinting.
"You know."
Rogmir walked out into the open area, green essence surrounding him.
"That's a rude way to say you wanna die."
After Rogmir finish his sentence Vines burst from the ground and charged to Valeo.
"Shit."
Valeo dodged, ducked and maneuvered his way through the bundle of vines but didn't notice one from behind that was about to trip him.
Anastasia looked at the hooded figure, her face shocked and puzzled.
"What in the wither world is he doing here."
"AHHHH!"
Anastasia turned her head, the crowd that gathered to watch the spectacle was now running in fear from the vines.
Some didn't get a chance to run.
Blood and body parts went flying in the air.
"SHIT!"
Anastasia screamed as the vines went on a rampage.
Valeo heard the screams but couldn't turn to look due to him tripping, as he stumbled Valeo felt vines tightened around his wrists and ankles.
Being hoisted in the air Valeo tried to tear his arms away from the vines but was fruitless.
"Geez, look what you made me do."
Rogmir's tone didn't match his mocking expression. Rogmir stopped in front of the struggling Valeo.
" *Whistle* My my, your a big one aren't ya, just what did your parents feed you?"
Rogmir went to take off the hood on Valeo.
"AHHHH YOU FUCKING-"
Valeo chomped on 3 of Rogmir's fingers severing them.
Rogmir in a blind rage went to retaliate with his other hand, claws readied to cleave into Valeo.
Valeo took the opportunity to yank one of the loose vines holding his top right arm, this made Rogmir cut the vines and scratched Valeo, but he didn't care.
His arm now free Valeo grabbed the neck of Rogmir, a flash of his gunbai returning to him.
A viscous glint shined in Valeo's eyes, he focused on the feeling in the marks.
"Wait."
"WE LEFT IT AT HIMRICK'S!"
Valeo unknowingly tightened his grip.
"Gur-ack L-let g-go."
Rogmir choked, he struggled in the vice grip, His posse too stunned to move.
The vines slackened letting Valeo move again, taking advantage of the opportunity Valeo spun around and tossed the injured bear into a few of his posse.
A skeleton thrust his open palm sending a ripple in the wind to Valeo.
The ripple connected with Valeo's face and sent him flying into a building.
"Ha ha take th-"
A sharp pich sounded as fish made of essence crashed into the skeleton, the posse turned to the noise and saw Anastasia with a flute, grinning.
"Sup ass hats."
More fish was summoned and attacked the posse.
"SHIT USE THE COLLAR!"
The panther held the the remote up until it was knocked out of her hand and fell to the floor by a fish.
The group tried to grab the remote but the fish wouldn't let them, the device kept scouting on the concrete away from the posse.
The remote stopped in front of the fox girl who was next to Anastasia.
"Ok Miki keep it aw-AHHHHHH!"
Bolts of electricity shot through Anastasia, the flute falling to the floor, the fish disappeared making the group sigh in relief.
Some laughed at Anastasia who was staring at Miki with a haunted look.
"M-M-Miki?"
"Tsk, I was tired of playing this show, and firstly."
She pressed the button again making Anastasia scream in pain.
"I'm not Miki, it's Sliclur, the elder of the Homger clan."
The fox had a grin matching her species.
"My role: Remember when, makes fake memories of my creation to fool idiots like you."
The fox walked to one of the members of the posse, they were holding shaman robes with the symbol they wore.
"Why do you think no one from The Apex has showed up?"
Miki said putting on the robes and yanking the collar off, her being a false one.
"Master."
Rogmir said kneeling in front of Miki, his bleeding stopped due him replacing his fingers with vines.
"You did well my cub."
Miki placed an delicate hand on Rogmir's head. Miki made her way to the gazebo's chair.
"Deal with the prisoners, they know to much."
Miki flicked her hand not even turning around. The cries of the prisoners echoed as the posse slowly stalked towards them, the manic smiles thery had caused the prisoners to feel dread.
"DAMNIT, HOW, HOW CAN I BE FOOLED LIKE THAT!"
Tears started to build in Anastasia's eyes. Her memories of Miki shattered, the real ones faded in.
"Kim....."
A boy surrounded by technology entered her mind, his smile warming her heart. His laugh made a smile growing her face as fresh tears fell down. The panther woman stood over Anastasia.
"Look at me."
Anastasia didn't move.
"I SAID LOOK AT ME!"
The panther kicked Anastasia in the stomach, but she still didn't move.
"Just because I'm a lowly Ani-folk means you don't have to pay attention to me huh? Is that it?"
The panther continued to kick Anastasia.
"SEE NOW!"
"A BEAST SCUM HAS GOTTEN THE BETTER OF Y-"
A loud crash got everyones attention, including Anastasia who began to smirk once she saw the black essence pouring from the destroyed building, Valeo's pupils shining in the dark.
"What th-"
Rogmir's head was grabbed and lifted up, Valeo had a vice grip on his cranium, wind exploded from Valeo sending everything and everyone flying in random directions.
A sickening snap echoed throughout the area, Rogmir's body falling limp.
The ones who weren't near Valeo saw his face and were now shaking. One name escaping from their lips.
"The Tyrant."