THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

'Is it still not good yet?'

'No, patience. He has opened a portal to bring Longinus in the city.' 

'What?!!' I knew it. I knew that he would do something like this. 'Are you sure Willhem is alive? I swear to god that if he dies, I will-'

'Calm down. He isn't even fighting your companion. He has found somebody else that he wants to take care of.' 

'Somebody else?' 

'Yes. A young man.' 

It must be the last crystal that I felt when we entered the castle. But who can it be? I thought it was an ally of the hammer hands but if he trying to kill that person then maybe I should do something. 

'Hey, dragon. I am going to move. Every second I lose here is a time wasted when I should be somewhere else.' I have to go to Farner rapidly. I just wonder where she is right now. 

'Patience. Have you done what I asked?'

'Yes, but I don't see what it is going to do.' 

'You will soon find out. Now, get ready. He is coming closer.' 

'Finally.' I prepare to jump out of the Angas pool with everything I have. It is weird that I don't feel uncomfortable or even that I can breathe while I am here but I will think about it later.

'Steady. Steady…Now!!' 

I jump out of the Angas pool and indeed, the hammer hands's head is right in front of me when I get out.

"Take this!!" I punch him and this time, my punch is strong enough to break the gear on his head completely. It must be because of the Angas fluid that was on my hand.

He flies off the wall while releasing what looks like the rest of a body in the air. I grab the hand of that body and to my surprise…

"Thando?" You look bad, man. His face is bruised all over and…No, wait. How is he alive with only a hand and a torso left. Do those crystals keep them alive to that point?

"Shit. To think you would be the one to save me." He is crying like crazy right now. I wonder why? 

"Are you that happy to see me?" 

"How are you alive?" The hammer hands breaks our conversation as he gets out of the wall he landed into. Did I really punch that hard? Part of his face is melting as well. But he doesn't look like he cares about it at all. Also…

"Wait, you can fly?" I didn't notice until now. And where is Willhem? 

I look around and notice Willhem pins to the wall with a spike in the shoulder. I also see him: the dragon. He is on a small sort of island, encircled by the Angas pool. There are two big tubes coming out of his stomach as well. What have they done to him?

"I asked you a question!!" 

The hammer hands pounces on me so I throw Thando's body over to that small island. I don't know why your so called master made such a mess of you but I guess you should live for now. 

When I turn around, the fist of the hammer hands is already on my face. But somehow, it's like everything stopped at that moment. I manage to dodge his fist then counter with a bullet that hits his head. 

"Argh!!" 

For the first time ever since I met him, the hammer hands has screamed because of pain. 

"Now the fight is really on." 

***

'Is it because of what you told me to do that I can fight like this?' 

I have been exchanging blows with the hammer hands for a few seconds now and I have noticed that I can discern his movements way better. Countering is easier as well. I didn't know that draconic energy could be apply like this.

'This is just temporary measure. After all, you should be able to do it naturally if you had been using your own energy.'

'Also, I can hear more clearly now.' I thought it was because I was in the Angas pool but I can hear him just fine even though I am outside of it now. 

"You think a sinner like you can defeat me?!!!" The guy punches from far away and the shockwave travels with the speed of lightning. Still, I can see it. I dodge then use Disperse and strike his other hand with Raizen. "I told you I was useless!!" 

He strikes with his other hand and I counter it then we start clashing and every time our weapons meet, shockwaves are emitted and I can see the walls of the cave we are in collapsing everywhere I take a glance at them. I should keep this fight as short as possible if I don't want Willhem to fall into the pool. I should also keep that dragon safe. I don't know if he can survive if the cave collapses nor do I want Cissa to lecture me about it.

"Where are you looking?!" The hammer hands once again gains the upper hand and punches right through my stomach. 

"Argh!!!!!!!!" What is this?!! It hurts way more than earlier. Why?!

"It isn't over yet!" He grabs my hand before I can get away and unleashes a flurry of punches on my face. 

Pain invades my body like it is trying to take control of it. Every time I faint, I am brought right back by another punch.

"I am the chosen!!" He releases my hand and punches me upwards towards the ceiling. "I am the fist of vengeance that should avenge my people!" He follows me and once again his fist emanates that dark light. "And you are the stepping stone to our revenge!!" 

I manage to ignore the pain for a moment and puts my arms in front of me. Then the strength of the punch sends me flying like a simple piece of clothes while I hear the cracking sounds of bones' fractures. Everything turns dark around me and when light returns, I am way above the castle.