Zectas Volume IV: The Salubrious City of Centzo by John Nest, You The Reader Read Free Book Online Page A

as impressive as ever, Adder."

This made Adder stop in his tracks. He had to stab his BlitzSturm into the ground to support himself from falling.

"Why do you know my name?" asked Adder cautiously.

The brown werebear snickered. “Lady Horrabelle was right! You guys really took the bait of the divided supply lines. Who would have thought that my pack would be the one lucky enough to find you.”

“This was a trap?” asked a dumbfounded Adder, “Be that as it may, I still want to know why do you know my name?”

"How could I ever forget you? How could I forget one of the men who failed to save me back in Condortl!" said the werebear condemningly.

Adder frowned, puzzled by his opponent’s response. "Condortl? What are you talking about?"

"Ha! Of course you've already forgotten about me." said Tracas and let out a sarcastic laugh, "How convenient for you. Just sweep Tracas under a rug and forget about him."

Slowly, Adder's eyes widened as he finally realized who this brown werebear was.

"Yes, Adder. It's me, the boy you and Smoke failed to save from the mutated Centaurs!" Tracas screamed at Adder.
     

Chapter Two:
The Monstrosity of Foudre
 
    A drop of blood trickled down Adder’s chin and fell onto his body armor. Before him stood an opponent he never imagined he would have to face.

"You have to believe me. Smoke and I did everything we could to try and save you," said Adder sincerely as he slowly lowered his BlitzSturm. "We fell down a pit and couldn't get out in time to—"

"Enough!" yelled Tracas. "Do you think I'd believe anything you say? You even managed to get your arm back after abandoning me, and now you have the audacity to slice mine off!" The brown werebear waved his left arm.

"I didn't know it was you. If I'd have known, I wouldn't have..." stammered Adder apologetically.

Out of each other's reach, the two of them stood still. Guilt-ridden, Adder's strength began to wane as his mind was overtaken with contrition. Slowly, he loosened the grip on his sword and shield. This scent of shame was easily picked up by the brown werebear.

"Oh, what is this? Does this mean you'll stop fighting me?" Tracas let out a forced laugh. "Do you perhaps intend to save me from this cursed life I now live?!"

Disheartened, Adder didn't answer. He remained stoic as he stared at Tracas with remorseful eyes.

"Stop acting all innocent!" screamed the brown werebear and made a sudden dash towards the frozen Adder. He gashed Adder's chest with his claws. More blood spilled out of the Condortlian's body as multiple claw marks covered his torso. The brown werebear then grabbed a hold of Adder's shoulder and pushed him down.

Adder couldn't believe that he was speaking to the same young Condortlian they failed to rescue. Tracas spoke as if the last three months of his life were only filled with baleful experiences.

"You think this act of yours can cleanse my sins?" said the werebear with a quivering voice. "Do you think it can erase the memories of all the atrocities I had to commit?"

Adder shook his head and a tear trickled down his cheek. His weapons were lowered as he allowed himself to be attacked by the brown werebear. "We couldn't find any more clues as to where you were taken to. All we found in Pferde was Terrabelle transforming the mutated Centaurs into Tikbalangs."

Tracas sunk his claws deeper into Adder's flesh. "And now you have them as allies! Do you know what Terrabelle did? She feasted on some of the children. She sipped out their souls and left them as nothing but empty shells. Then, she sent the rest of us to lady Horrabelle, who performed experiments on us."

Involuntarily, Tracas shuddered as he remembered the torture he endured. "Most were turned into werewolves, while the special ones transformed into werebears. All of us now serve lady Horrabelle."

"But we could help you! Sierra, one of our leaders, is a werebear and she isn't under Horrabelle's control. In fact, she's brought