Jean tightened his grip around the blade. The beast stared at Jean, it’s punched in nostrils flaring with every breath it took. The commotion surrounding them continued to grow louder. The sounds of sharp steel cutting into monsters and claws digging their way into human flesh grew in intensity. Yet none of it fazed Jean or the beast. The beast hunched forward, whipping its tail back and forth. Jean’s eyes followed the movements. Jean began pacing around the beast, almost methodically, making sure to maintain eye contact with it. Jean’s took a few more steps before stopping. The beast turned to face him, still whipping its tail.

Klaus watched as Jean circled the beast. Still struggling to pull himself up off the ground, he couldn’t do anything but watch. Reluctantly, he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small tin container. He slid the top open and let a small red pill roll out onto his hands. Klaus forced his trembling hands to his mouth, letting the pill drop into his mouth.

Jean finally broke the tension, pushing off of his left leg and sprinting towards the beast. It roared in response, sending a shockwave of air at Jean. Jean dove to the side, watching the shockwave shatter a group of trees behind him. Jean pressed forward, shifting the blade closer to his side. As he nearly reached within striking distance, the beast lashed it’s tail at Jean. Jean dropped to the ground, sliding under the tail and slashing one of the beasts legs in the process.

The beast staggered forward slightly, as there wasn’t enough power in the attack to render it immobilized. Jean pushed himself back up and immediately began charging at the beasts back. Failing to notice Jean’s immense speed, the beast found a blade stuck halfway between its belly and its waist. Jean struggled to pull the blade out, as the beasts upper-half twisted around to face Jean. Jean’s power alone wasn’t enough to kill the beast. It’s tail wrapped around Jean, lifting him up into the air. Jean hung from the beasts tail like a punching bag. With the blood rushing to his head, he felt a crushing force smash against the length of his entire body, sending it crashing into a nearby wall.

The shock of hitting the wall forced a spray of blood to discharge from Jean’s mouth. He attempted to push himself back up, but found his body working against him. Clutching his stomach, Jean propped himself up, using his sword as a support. Blood trickled down from his forehead to his chin. Even though he was standing, his body was too weak to do anything about the approaching beast.

It was then that a lengthy blade found itself digging its way through the shoulder of the Beast. The beast fell to its knees as the blade cut deeper and deeper, past its shoulders and down to its stomach.

“NOW JEAN!”

Hearing Klaus’s voice, Jean used every ounce of strength left in his body to sprint at the beast, dragging his sword behind him. Reaching the striking distance, Jean swung his sword at the beasts head, separating it from its neck. Klaus twisted his wrist, turning the direction of the blade. With precision, he brought the blade upward, butterflying the beast. It’s fur shriveled white alongside its body.

The Headmaster came rushing over to help the two.

“You’re a little late,” Klaus said.

“Not really the best time to be cracking Jokes,” the Headmaster responded.

Jean lightly pushed the Headmasters hand away as it reached out to help him.

“I’m fine. Please take care of him,”

The Headmaster nodded and gave Jean a wry smile.

The fighting around them continued at full force. Jean stretched his shoulders as he felt a burning sensation envelop his injuries. Whatever bones happened to shatter during the impact felt as though they were slowly being forged back together with pure fire. Although he was healing, the pain in his body didn’t feel as though it was getting better. Jean limped over to skirmish happening closer to the gate.

Another sharp screech carried itself through the area. Unlike the last time, the beasts went completely passive. The army of beasts retreated back into the forest behind the gates.

Everyone who had yet to enter the bunker watched the beast slink back into the darkness with confusion.

“What’s going on?” asked one of the guards.

“Did we scare them off?” another added.

“No… Something’s coming,” the Headmaster said while still holding onto Klaus.

“Get- get everyone inside,” Klaus urged with a strained voice.

The Headmaster, the teachers and guards began to send the remaining groups of students down into the bunker. As Jean began to limp over, Serizawa stopped him. She took hold of Jean’s shirt and pulled at it.

“This is your fault you little shit!”

Immediately, the teachers began pushing the students into the bunker faster.

The Headmaster began running over to break the two up. Before, he could say or do anything, Serizawa brought a knife to Jean’s neck.

“Nobody try to fucking stop me! I knew it was a bad idea letting this fucking thing into the school,”

“Serizawa, drop the knife,” Klaus said, holding himself up with his sword.

“Shut it Klaus! You’re just as responsible for this. How many people died tonight? No, how many kids died!? All because we decided to try it your way.”

“Enough!” shouted Klaus.

She pushed the knife closer.

“I’ll tell you what I’ve had enough of. Letting a monster like this run around. We all know why you kept this thing so close Klaus. To be completely honest, it’s pathetic. Where’d the old Klaus go? If this things ‘mother’ was anyone else, you’d have dealt with it the right way!”

“Wha- what’s she talking about?” asked Jean.

“Guess the old man kept it from you. You were never supposed to be born kid. You were supposed to fuckin burn in the womb. But, your sympathetic ‘father’ over there couldn’t do it. So he managed to convince everyone that you were a worthwhile specimen. That you’d become a revolutionary asset to the hunter’s”

“Serizawa, I said that’s enough!” Klaus shouted.

Ignoring Klaus, Serizawa continued;

“Turns out, he just used that trashy fucking line as a way to keep you alive and protected. Let you live a normal life? Fat fucking chance, we all knew that shit was bound to hit the fan, and guess what? It’s happened twice. So thanks a lot Klaus, you really fucked up this time!”

Jean couldn’t bring himself to speak. Neither could anyone around them.

“HEADMASTER! THERE’S MORE TROUBLE!” a panicked voice shouted, breaking the silence.

Everyone turned their attention to a guard running out from behind the left-side of the school.

“What happened?” the Headmaster asked.

“We’ve located some more students trapped in the school, sir!” the guard responded.

She holstered the knife and shoved Jean away, turning her attention to the guard.

“Tsk, well where the fuck are they!?” Serizawa shouted.

“They’re trapped underneath the underground training facility!”

“Shit. What do we do?” Serizawa asked.

“If those kids are left in there, they’ll die before we can put the fire out. We don’t know whether the beasts simply retreated or whether they’re setting some kind of trap either. We don’t have the manpower to defend against another attack like that,” the Headmaster responded.

As the group of teachers were deep in thought as to how to tackle the situation, the sound of a helicopter approaching from the distance caught Jean’s attention.

“I hear a helicopter,”

“Huh? What the he- Wait, I hear it,” Serizawa said.

The blades of the helicopter sent constant waves of wind, stirring up the trees in the forest. The helicopter shone a searchlight over the area in front of the gate. Jean covered his eyes, attempting to block the bright light.

Ropes dropped from the helicopter, followed by two individuals who slid down them.

“Richter! Kade!” Mrs. Yannis called out.

“Seems we’re a bit late to the party,” Kade said.

“We were briefed on the situation on the way here. But, we only know that there was an attack on the school. Care to update us on the situation, Headmaster?” Richter asked with his usual authority.

“The beasts retreated, but we aren’t sure of their intentions. Most of the students and staff were moved into the underground bunker with the exception of those standing right here. There’s also a group of students trapped in the underground training facility. Because we’re severely underpowered, we’ve been discussing how we should go about handling the situation,”

“I see,”

Richter scanned everyone who was standing in the area. His brows furrowed upon seeing Klaus in his tattered state. It furrowed even more upon seeing Jean.

“I was informed that Jean had been put in solitary,” Richter said sternly.

“Well, he was in solitary,” the Headmaster responded.

Richter, clearly agitated, turned his head away and began to deal with the situation.

“Here’s the plan, Kade and the lady in the tracksuit will lead the rescue effort,”

“I’m fine with anything as long as I’m not in that fucking bunker,” Serizawa said while crossing her arms.

“Where’s Doctor Elton or Doctor Evelynn?” asked Richter.

“They’re both in the bunker treating the wounded,” Mrs. Yannis answered.

“Send either one out here and take over their position for the time being,” Richter ordered.

Mrs. Yannis said nothing more and began heading into the bunker. He turned to Serizawa and Kade.

“One of the doctors will accompany you and help deal with any immediate injuries the survivors may have. But your main mission is to get them out and either into the bunker or another location of safety. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” Kade replied.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s hurry it up,” Serizawa responded.

Richter turned to address the remaining teachers.

“Klaus get into the bunker and get treated. Everyone else will stay here and defend the gate in case the beasts attack again. Understood?”

“Yes!”

Everyone responded but Klaus and Jean. The teachers and the guards that responded all began to disperse to their respective positions.

“I’m staying right here, Richter,” Klaus said sternly.

“What do you intend to do in your condition?”

“I can still fight,”

Klaus gave Richter a defiant look. Richter sensed that nothing he said was going to make Klaus change his mind.

“Fine. Do whatever you want,”

Richter turned his attention to Jean, staring him down with a piercing glare.

“Let me help,” Jean said.

“I think you’ve done enough. I’m going to have you sent to HQ. Once the helicopter lands, you’re getting out of here. You’ll be dealt with accordingly,”

“No…”

Jean felt powerless against Richter. But, his resolve was stronger than ever. Even though Serizawa tried to kill him. Even though he heard an ugly truth. Even though he didn’t fully understand himself, he knew one thing. The beasts were after him and he was done running away.

“My entire life has been a lie. Right now I feel like I’ve been betrayed. But, I’m slowly beginning to learn the truth of the world. I might be half-beast but the other half of me is still human. And as a human, I have things I want to- no, I have things I need to protect. So I’m going to fight. I’m going to kill every single one of those fucking things,”

“Things you need to protect? Even after hearing a so-called ugly truth, you still feel the same?”

“I do. At this point it doesn’t matter to me, what happened back then. All that matters is that Klaus protected me and took care of me. Aside from him, there are others that I need to protect, and that includes myself. I won’t let these feelings go to waist,”

“So you want to survive, is that it?”

“I don’t just want to survive. I want to live,”