36 Unexpected (2/2)

Still, the Fox had begun to shake with fear, as this was the first actual match it was going through.

Back when it had been with its family, it had always been protected and fed, even though all that ridicule had been present. Now, things were clearly different.

It had thought that battling was a piece of cake after seeing that butterfly plop to the ground helplessly, but here, as it watched the dog get ready to jump forward again, it began to get desperate.

It couldn't jump high enough to get out of the pit, so all it could do was dodge.

Hence, a game of cat-and-mouse ensued, with each dodge getting riskier and riskier, while the Fox got ever closer to being eaten in one go by the Great Dane.

A low, cold chuckle could be heard from the cloaked man, and the rest of the guards, including the Captain, were jeering and laughing uproariously, looking forward to the pit being soaked in blood once again.

Edmond's face had completely drained of blood. As he watched his Fox desperately escape each attack, his mind was blank, as he once again almost devolved into that same person in Aaron's room who had been ready to let the husky end it all.

Aaron, on the other hand, was still waiting for the signal to jump in. He had seen the speed of the dog, and he was pretty confident that Woof could take it on easily.

As for what they would do if all the guards attacked them too, he had no idea, but he was still ready to wade in as he knew that he could at least guarantee his own, and Woof's safety.

He expected Edmond to do something or the other to stop the fight, such as admitting defeat.

True, it was a cowardly action, but some times, it was best to retreat and restrategize.

Yet, he could never have expected what Edmond would do next.

Indeed, Edmond had been considering those options, while thinking that he could try again later.

Yet, he was reminded of two images that made him stop that thought in its tracks.

The first was of his father being tortured and screaming in pain.

The second…was of Aaron, making him promise that he would never be a coward again.

Getting an expression of determination, he was just going to try and figure out a gameplan, when he saw the Fox trip in panic.

It fell, and seeing the opportunity, the deformed Tera jumped once again, ready to finally see success.

At that moment, all other thoughts disappeared from Edmond's mind, and they were replaced by a single memory.

It was of the adorable, red-furred Fox finally making a ”yap!” sound to tell him that it would fight for him, right after he had listed all the conditions.

He hadn't even known if it understood the conditions, as new-born Teras weren't supposed to be able to understand language, but he had tried to associate each statement with a feeling in his mind in order to convey it, just like he had been taught in class.

And when it had given its assent, he could clearly remember what he had felt through the link.

It had felt like...trust.

The kind of trust that should not be broken.

Without hesitation, he jumped forward and landed in front of the Fox.

It wasn't as heroic as he had imagined. In the process, his ankle took all the force and broke, causing him to scream with pain and topple to the ground.

At least, his objective had been achieved. The Great Dane's eyes left the Fox, and focused on him, who had much more meat to feast on.

It didn't care who it was going to eat. So, it once again lunged forward, and all Edmond could do was close his eyes and raise his hands to feebly offer resistance.

Of course, he realized that he hadn't thought it through.

It all happened too quickly for Aaron to do anything, either. All he could think of was that this guy was done, as those sharp teeth and that huge mouth approached to clamp down on his head.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze, as both of them waited for the inevitable demise of the guy who had become famous in Skystead Hamlet for promising his Tera that he would act as a match-maker for it.