Chapter Five BEAST APPEARANCE

"Ahaha! To be precise, I'll be turning 31 the next month", Ran said with a wide grin. Sistine fainted after knowing her crush's age. "You have the same age as the instructor but you look so young,younger than me", Akill complained. Conrad just stared at his friend blankly,'I have been befriending an old man. The worst thing is that he calls me big bro', he thought. "The thing is I'm from the Akimitsu clan. We can live up to 350 years. We have the ability to call and use spirits. The Akimitsus can be identified by the tattoos on our wrist", Ran said while removing the wristband showing a tattoo. "So where are the other Akimitsu clan? ", Ranga asked in confusion. "Some of the Akimitsus are nobles and some live in other kingdoms", Ran replied. After the training, they went to the falls near the training area to train underwater diving. All of the men uses shorts while the girls is in their underwears since their uniforms never came. "Woo! Look at those sexy legs and big boobies! ", Akill yelled making the instructor ban him. "Ptch...poor pervy", Conrad said in a mocking voice. "Hey Ran! Look at my diving that can make a girl's heart throb", Ryleigh said challenging Ran in a diving competition. He suddenly jumped without noticing the rock on the landing spot and broke his legs that cancelled the training. The next coming day, they didn't have training since the instructor isn't there. The group along with Ray and Ryleigh was practicing the aerial gear. While chatting with each other, a huge explosion was heard. All of the cadets went to see what caused it. All of them was terrified of what was in front of them. It was a beast with a dog-like figure and has hard spikes on its back. Ran was petrified to move, "I-it l-l-looked like the l-l-last t-time". He was stuttering and trembling. Ranga grabbed him and carried him while running away while the others are carrying the injured cadets from the explosion. "Ran...is that Abaddon?", Ranga asked. "No". "Then who is that?"."I don't know but he was as big and terrifying as Abaddon", Ran said. It was at that moment that one of the cadets got crushed by the beast's giant paws. "What are we going to do now, Ranga!", Yasui yelled. Ranga couldn't think of anything because of the sudden commotion. His mind was messed up seeing his trainee friends got smashed and devoured by the beast. He stopped for a moment recalling that there is still someone waiting for them. They musn't die just like that. They have to avenge their families and restore their tribe."We must take all the injured in a safe area and use the equipments to defeat the beast but some of us must stay and treat the wounds of the others", Ranga said to the others. They all nodded and put their injured comrades in a safe location and then they prepared all of the equipments and weapons. Conrad, Ranga, Ryleigh and five other cadets used the aerial gear since they're the only ones who can control it. The others used guns and prepared missiles to bombard the beast's hard spikes. Ranga led Ryleigh and the others in formation. They plan to cut off it's limbs and it's eyes. They went high up to the sky and signalled the others to fire the bombs and missiles in the spikes. After thirty minutes of shooting, the spikes broke and now it's the aerial cadet's turn. Ranga has blinded the beast while the other cadets cut its limbs. Conrad was about to slice the nape when suddenly a spike grew and stabbed him. "CONRAD!", Ranga tried to catch his falling friend but the beast's limbs grew back and threw them away. Ran was crying after seeing his friend being swallowed by the beast. " It was just like that day... When Abaddon devoured everyone. My parents must have encountered the same fate and now I have to see my friend being swallowed by another beast", he can't control his tears, "Anyone...if any mage is here,please help us. Please don't let my friends die". Ran wipe off the tears and stood up. He walked towards the beast unoticed by the others who were busy shooting the beast with guns because the missiles and bombs are all used up. Meanwhile Ranga was angry trying to conceal the emotions. He desperately tried to cut the beast's head but it always heals. He was interrupted by Ran screaming at him, "Ranga! Stay back and let the beast devoured me! I have the last bomb with me! Let's try to bomb his insides to see if it works! "."Stop it, Ran! What happens if it won't work?! Your sacrifice will be not worth it! ".Ran smiled at him after pushing him away making way to the beast's mouth. "If this doesn't work, please run away and ask help to the higher ups. Thank you for leading us,Ranga.You've done enough...let me do the rest, leader".That was Ran's final words before he got swallowed. They waited for some minutes but the bomb didn't explode. "Did the bomb failed to explode or did it not work? ", Sistine said with teary eyes. "Now what... Conrad and Ran are gone. We will also die after that", Akill said with his knees down and in grief. Ranga stood up, "Don't let that beast kill us easily! Conrad, Ran and the others sacrificed their lives for us to defeat that demon. Don't let it just go to waste! We must fight until the very end ", he said raising a sword and ran towards the beast. The others followed back and screamed for battle. Then a sudden beam was striked into the beast creating a hole on its neck. The cadets backed away. The beast's head was cut into pieces killing it then the headless body collapsed revealing the hero who saved them. It was a girl with a bluish-white hair tied in ponytail and a pale expressionless face. She was holding a sword in her left hand and was carrying a certain person in her right. "Major", the former bandits said in unison. Ranga was shocked and glad to see Ran in the Major's arms. He went to check on his considered dead friend. Ran was breathing but he was unconscious. "I apologize for being late. Looks like I really was very late"Parrish said scanning the area. Sistine came and hugged Ran. She was crying so loud that even the others joined. "I really am sorry for the loss", Parrish said but Ranga just nodded, "It's fine, at least we are saved,Thank you for coming, Major Parrish", he said as he saluted. Ryleigh rushed to her and hugged her, "Thank you for avenging our dead friends", he said with a sad voice. Prances then came and pushed Ryleigh away from the major. "Major, thank you for avenging Conrad. He was my friend since childhood and I considered him as my little brother but then he was killed. I tried to take revenge but the beast was strong. Thank you for doing that", Prances said and bowed at her. After that, the dead cadets were given proper burials and the injured were sent into the infirmary. Ran woke up which pleased Ranga and the others. Parrish was bandaging the cadets while Ryleigh helped her. "What just happened? I thought I was dead---Did we win? ", Ran sat down asking his friends about the events. "A military soldier saved us, Ran", Ranga said with an assuring smile. Ran was glad but still remembers his long gone friend. "I have been waiting for you to wake up,cadet Ran Magnolia", Parrish said appearing in front of them. "How did you- ", he stopped talking and looked around then he looked at Ranga, "Is this heaven? Did you guys die too? Why is there a goddess trying to get me? ", he said. Akill, Prances and Sistine bursted out laughing. "Not to worry I'm not a goddess or a grim reaper. Sorano instructed me to stay by your side until you wake up".Ran looked at the girl. "You know my master..."