It was night in the city of Minneapolis, it was drizzling and Friedrich Wolff was walking from sidewalk to sidewalk carrying his guitar; he was headed for the train station, he was bored with the place and wanted to change town.
"Friedrich, my friend, are you leaving?"
Friedrich turned, it was Bob, a guitarist like him who was performing on the streets of the city.
"A month in the same place is already too much for me."
"I envy you. I'd like to travel as much as you do, if only I had the courage to screw this fucking place up in the ass."
"All in its time, Bob. You're forty-two, you have your whole life ahead of you."
"Do you tease me? Ugly scoundrel," he laughed.
"Here, here." Friedrich gave his friend a key.
"What's this?"
"My farewell gift. The rent for this month has already been paid, the apartment is all yours."
"Really?"
"Sure. The owner owed me a favor, he will take you inside without making too many fuss."
Bob hugged Friedrich.
"God bless you, my friend!"
"Take care, Bob."
Friedrich greeted his friend and resumed his journey; he went into the poorest neighborhoods of the city, many were afraid of those places but Friedrich moved quietly greeting some of his local friends and offering his wishes to each of them. By chance he happened to be in front of a pharmacy and his journey was interrupted by the shop owner who came out, frightened, shouting:
"Here! This way!"
Across the street was a police car. Two officers went out and approached the man. Friedrich advanced. He didn't want to get involved in matters that didn't concern him. The man was reporting a theft and the policemen then asked questions about the thief's physical appearance:
"He was a tall African American, with long hair, he had a green sweatshirt and on this sweatshirt there was a letter written ... a kind of 'J' if I remember correctly."
Friedrich heard that description. He knew that person. He knew why he had stolen and he knew where he was hiding. Without delay he moved.
In about ten minutes he reached Painter Park and there he saw the boy he was looking for; a tall guy with long dark hair and a fern-green hoodie; he was trying to hide.
"Ben!" Friedrich shouted.
"Friedrich, holy shit you scared me! What are you doing here?"
"They're looking for you, you can't stay here, they'll find you right away. You have to go!"
"No, don't worry, I know what I'm doing-"
"No, you're in serious trouble, don't you understand? This is a bad place to hide-"
"Stop!" exclaimed a policeman who had just entered the park.
The agent had already drawn his gun and had his finger pressed on the trigger.
"Benjamin Palmer, you're under arrest for theft! Put your hands up and don't move otherwise I'll shoot you!"
"I need these medicines! They're for my mother! I fucking need it!" Benjamin yelled.
Friedrich intervened.
"Agent I can pay for those medicines, it's not a problem."
"There is no need, I've to take that boy to prison and I'll solve everything."
"I know that guy, he's not a bad person. He really wants to help his mother."
At that moment Benjamin tried to escape and the policeman opened fire; the boy was hit in the shoulder and fell to the ground screaming. Friedrich grabbed the agent's arm, the latter's reaction was instantaneous and punched Friedrich in the face.
"You too are under arrest for obstructing a public official."
Another policeman came with a gun already in his hand.
"What's going on Farray?" he asked him.
"I have the thief and also his accomplice."
"Shit ..." Friedrich murmured.
Benjamin stood up to the surprise of both policemen; the boy started running again and the strange thing is that he seemed to have stopped bleeding; only the agent who fired first started the chase while the other proceeded to handcuff Friedrich.
"You shouldn't have gotten involved, those are bad people."
"I am too." Friedrich's response was accompanied by the word: "Feuerwolf."
The agent saw the boy's body light up due to the Magical Circuits and was frightened, then he was attacked by a wolf made of fire.
"What the fuck is that?! What the fuck is that monster?!" The policeman fired but the bullets passed through the beast's body without hurting it. "Shit!" The man ran away in panic.
With his breath of fire, the wolf, loosened the handcuffs and Friedrich got up; together with the creature he ran to find his friend.
Meanwhile Benjamin Palmer, still hunted, stopped along a sidewalk, he was tired but determined to get his mother the medicines she needed. He took another step, but he was abruptly interrupted by a bullet through his leg.
"Aaaargh!"
Benjamin fell to the ground.
"I got you, motherfucking nigga." The policeman had a sadistic grin and his eyes were filled with anger. "This time you won't run away."
Those few people who were passing by were scared but were not going to help the boy in tears.
"The medicines ... the medicines ..." he said crawling. "I've to take the medicines to my mother ..."
The policeman blocked Benjamin's trajectory and stepped on his hand with animal violence.
"Please ... let me go to my mother ... she needs it ..."
"All bullshit. You're definitely a damned drug addict."
"No! No! No!" Benjamin exclaimed with all his energy. "I'm not this! I want to help my mother ... fuck! I want to help her because we don't have the money to afford the medicines… it's all this fucking country's fault that she's sick!"
"Negro traitor." The policeman kicked Benjamin on the head and then put a knee on his neck; he began to press down. "We will send you back where you come from."
Benjamin felt his breath fail, he tried to move the agent's leg but wasn't enough strong and meanwhile he said, in a strangled voice, crying:
"My mother ... the medicines ... my mother ... leave me ... please ..."
The policeman wasn't listening to him. He appeared to be completely deaf.
"Friedrich, my friend, are you leaving?"
Friedrich turned, it was Bob, a guitarist like him who was performing on the streets of the city.
"A month in the same place is already too much for me."
"I envy you. I'd like to travel as much as you do, if only I had the courage to screw this fucking place up in the ass."
"All in its time, Bob. You're forty-two, you have your whole life ahead of you."
"Do you tease me? Ugly scoundrel," he laughed.
"Here, here." Friedrich gave his friend a key.
"What's this?"
"My farewell gift. The rent for this month has already been paid, the apartment is all yours."
"Really?"
"Sure. The owner owed me a favor, he will take you inside without making too many fuss."
Bob hugged Friedrich.
"God bless you, my friend!"
"Take care, Bob."
Friedrich greeted his friend and resumed his journey; he went into the poorest neighborhoods of the city, many were afraid of those places but Friedrich moved quietly greeting some of his local friends and offering his wishes to each of them. By chance he happened to be in front of a pharmacy and his journey was interrupted by the shop owner who came out, frightened, shouting:
"Here! This way!"
Across the street was a police car. Two officers went out and approached the man. Friedrich advanced. He didn't want to get involved in matters that didn't concern him. The man was reporting a theft and the policemen then asked questions about the thief's physical appearance:
"He was a tall African American, with long hair, he had a green sweatshirt and on this sweatshirt there was a letter written ... a kind of 'J' if I remember correctly."
Friedrich heard that description. He knew that person. He knew why he had stolen and he knew where he was hiding. Without delay he moved.
In about ten minutes he reached Painter Park and there he saw the boy he was looking for; a tall guy with long dark hair and a fern-green hoodie; he was trying to hide.
"Ben!" Friedrich shouted.
"Friedrich, holy shit you scared me! What are you doing here?"
"They're looking for you, you can't stay here, they'll find you right away. You have to go!"
"No, don't worry, I know what I'm doing-"
"No, you're in serious trouble, don't you understand? This is a bad place to hide-"
"Stop!" exclaimed a policeman who had just entered the park.
The agent had already drawn his gun and had his finger pressed on the trigger.
"Benjamin Palmer, you're under arrest for theft! Put your hands up and don't move otherwise I'll shoot you!"
"I need these medicines! They're for my mother! I fucking need it!" Benjamin yelled.
Friedrich intervened.
"Agent I can pay for those medicines, it's not a problem."
"There is no need, I've to take that boy to prison and I'll solve everything."
"I know that guy, he's not a bad person. He really wants to help his mother."
At that moment Benjamin tried to escape and the policeman opened fire; the boy was hit in the shoulder and fell to the ground screaming. Friedrich grabbed the agent's arm, the latter's reaction was instantaneous and punched Friedrich in the face.
"You too are under arrest for obstructing a public official."
Another policeman came with a gun already in his hand.
"What's going on Farray?" he asked him.
"I have the thief and also his accomplice."
"Shit ..." Friedrich murmured.
Benjamin stood up to the surprise of both policemen; the boy started running again and the strange thing is that he seemed to have stopped bleeding; only the agent who fired first started the chase while the other proceeded to handcuff Friedrich.
"You shouldn't have gotten involved, those are bad people."
"I am too." Friedrich's response was accompanied by the word: "Feuerwolf."
The agent saw the boy's body light up due to the Magical Circuits and was frightened, then he was attacked by a wolf made of fire.
"What the fuck is that?! What the fuck is that monster?!" The policeman fired but the bullets passed through the beast's body without hurting it. "Shit!" The man ran away in panic.
With his breath of fire, the wolf, loosened the handcuffs and Friedrich got up; together with the creature he ran to find his friend.
Meanwhile Benjamin Palmer, still hunted, stopped along a sidewalk, he was tired but determined to get his mother the medicines she needed. He took another step, but he was abruptly interrupted by a bullet through his leg.
"Aaaargh!"
Benjamin fell to the ground.
"I got you, motherfucking nigga." The policeman had a sadistic grin and his eyes were filled with anger. "This time you won't run away."
Those few people who were passing by were scared but were not going to help the boy in tears.
"The medicines ... the medicines ..." he said crawling. "I've to take the medicines to my mother ..."
The policeman blocked Benjamin's trajectory and stepped on his hand with animal violence.
"Please ... let me go to my mother ... she needs it ..."
"All bullshit. You're definitely a damned drug addict."
"No! No! No!" Benjamin exclaimed with all his energy. "I'm not this! I want to help my mother ... fuck! I want to help her because we don't have the money to afford the medicines… it's all this fucking country's fault that she's sick!"
"Negro traitor." The policeman kicked Benjamin on the head and then put a knee on his neck; he began to press down. "We will send you back where you come from."
Benjamin felt his breath fail, he tried to move the agent's leg but wasn't enough strong and meanwhile he said, in a strangled voice, crying:
"My mother ... the medicines ... my mother ... leave me ... please ..."
The policeman wasn't listening to him. He appeared to be completely deaf.
The air was starting to fail, it no longer passed through his nose, and his mouth was making it increasingly difficult to take oxygen; Benjamin squirmed and meanwhile, with his mouth wide open, tried to get as much air as possible. Soon the forces needed to react left his body; even the most basic movements were becoming impossible; his chest was as if crushed and his lungs ached; asthmatic noises came out of Benjamin's mouth and his vision darkened little by little. It was the end.
The boy heard a voice.
"Poor little Palmer, you have done nothing wrong and yet the cruelty of this world is crushing you."
The voice was difficult to recognize, it could have been either a male or a female.
"Benjamin Palmer, don't you want to burn everything? They are selfish, they use their power to destroy you, so why should you let them live? Who gave them the right to live? Who gave them the right to take the life of a good son who wants to help his mom? Are they the word of God? Are you by any chance in the house of God? Or are you just in a city full of horrible people?"
"Help …"
"Do you really need help? We both know you're holding back. You're only accepting this treatment because you don't want to endanger your mother. Deep in your heart you hope that that man is on the side of justice but you know perfectly well, every fiber of your body knows, that he is just a hound that does what he was told. What are you? You're a wolf. You have nothing and you don't take orders from anyone. And we both know that the wolf's fangs are sharper than the dog's."
Benjamin clenched his fists.
"Come on, the war is calling you."
The darkness was illuminated.
"I chose you."
The boy found the strength to oppose the policeman.
"Do not make me wait. The hunting ground awaits you."
Benjamin let out an inhuman cry, similar to a battle cry; he threw the policeman to the ground and immediately jumped on him. The man pulled out his truncheon but Benjamin wasted no time as he stuck a finger in his eye and tore off his eyeball.
"Aaaargh!"
"SHUT UP!"
A punch in the face.
"You have no right to scream. You've the right to remain silent and accept your fucking punishment!"
Another punch in the face. Aggressively, quickly, with increasing force, the noise was fading from Benjamin's ears, his hands were turning red, the cop's face was hard but it was fragile; passers-by who had previously done nothing intervened to stop Benjamin while others called the police; but the boy did not want to stop; he kept punching the policeman.
At that moment Friedrich arrived who, seeing the scene, was shocked.
"Ben!" he screamed. "Ben!"
He didn't listen, his face was stained with blood, his teeth showed like an angry beast, and he had the same eyes as a hungry wolf.
"Shit!" Friedrich grabbed Benjamin and pulled him away from the policeman. "Stop, fuck, stop! Don't make it worse! Think of your mother!"
"It's them!" Benjamin yelled furiously. "They force us into this shit life and treat us like wild animals! Fuck them all!" Then he looked up at the frightened townspeople and yelled: "That's right, be afraid! I'm not your fucking monkey! If you touch me I'll kill you!"
"Ben! That's enough… " Friedrich grabbed the boy by both shoulders. "Calm the fuck down. We have to leave."
"What?"
"You can't stay here. After what you did ... they will kill you at least ..."
"What have I done?" Ben looked at the policeman's body, that man had lost consciousness and was wearing a blood mask. The boy looked at his red hands. He thought of his mother's face. "No. Medicines. My mother. I can't ... no ... I can't ..."
"Ben, you have to come with me. If you stay here it will end badly. I can't lose a friend."
"But my mother ..."
"Ben, if they kill you it's over!" Friedrich exclaimed.
"Couldn't agree more."
A voice in Friedrich's head.
"Who spoke?"
The boy turned and saw that being with the sewn-up mouth that had sat on the body of the stunned agent.
"Who are you?"
"Vergil. You should thank me, it's only thanks to me if your friend is alive."
"Did you do this?"
"I just helped Benjamin fight. And as fascinating as this show is, that's not the reason that led me to you. I will have the pleasure of having two wolves in my war: the lone wolf and the wolf in captivity. You are both invited to my splendid war to obtain the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil."
Hearing that name, Friedrich's blood froze in his veins.
"No. Not again."
"Get ready, my dear wolf, another war awaits you. Another battleground and the possibility of having a glorious death."
Two magical circles appeared under the feet of Friedrich and Benjamin, the two boys disappeared in a flash of light.
The boy heard a voice.
"Poor little Palmer, you have done nothing wrong and yet the cruelty of this world is crushing you."
The voice was difficult to recognize, it could have been either a male or a female.
"Benjamin Palmer, don't you want to burn everything? They are selfish, they use their power to destroy you, so why should you let them live? Who gave them the right to live? Who gave them the right to take the life of a good son who wants to help his mom? Are they the word of God? Are you by any chance in the house of God? Or are you just in a city full of horrible people?"
"Help …"
"Do you really need help? We both know you're holding back. You're only accepting this treatment because you don't want to endanger your mother. Deep in your heart you hope that that man is on the side of justice but you know perfectly well, every fiber of your body knows, that he is just a hound that does what he was told. What are you? You're a wolf. You have nothing and you don't take orders from anyone. And we both know that the wolf's fangs are sharper than the dog's."
Benjamin clenched his fists.
"Come on, the war is calling you."
The darkness was illuminated.
"I chose you."
The boy found the strength to oppose the policeman.
"Do not make me wait. The hunting ground awaits you."
Benjamin let out an inhuman cry, similar to a battle cry; he threw the policeman to the ground and immediately jumped on him. The man pulled out his truncheon but Benjamin wasted no time as he stuck a finger in his eye and tore off his eyeball.
"Aaaargh!"
"SHUT UP!"
A punch in the face.
"You have no right to scream. You've the right to remain silent and accept your fucking punishment!"
Another punch in the face. Aggressively, quickly, with increasing force, the noise was fading from Benjamin's ears, his hands were turning red, the cop's face was hard but it was fragile; passers-by who had previously done nothing intervened to stop Benjamin while others called the police; but the boy did not want to stop; he kept punching the policeman.
At that moment Friedrich arrived who, seeing the scene, was shocked.
"Ben!" he screamed. "Ben!"
He didn't listen, his face was stained with blood, his teeth showed like an angry beast, and he had the same eyes as a hungry wolf.
"Shit!" Friedrich grabbed Benjamin and pulled him away from the policeman. "Stop, fuck, stop! Don't make it worse! Think of your mother!"
"It's them!" Benjamin yelled furiously. "They force us into this shit life and treat us like wild animals! Fuck them all!" Then he looked up at the frightened townspeople and yelled: "That's right, be afraid! I'm not your fucking monkey! If you touch me I'll kill you!"
"Ben! That's enough… " Friedrich grabbed the boy by both shoulders. "Calm the fuck down. We have to leave."
"What?"
"You can't stay here. After what you did ... they will kill you at least ..."
"What have I done?" Ben looked at the policeman's body, that man had lost consciousness and was wearing a blood mask. The boy looked at his red hands. He thought of his mother's face. "No. Medicines. My mother. I can't ... no ... I can't ..."
"Ben, you have to come with me. If you stay here it will end badly. I can't lose a friend."
"But my mother ..."
"Ben, if they kill you it's over!" Friedrich exclaimed.
"Couldn't agree more."
A voice in Friedrich's head.
"Who spoke?"
The boy turned and saw that being with the sewn-up mouth that had sat on the body of the stunned agent.
"Who are you?"
"Vergil. You should thank me, it's only thanks to me if your friend is alive."
"Did you do this?"
"I just helped Benjamin fight. And as fascinating as this show is, that's not the reason that led me to you. I will have the pleasure of having two wolves in my war: the lone wolf and the wolf in captivity. You are both invited to my splendid war to obtain the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil."
Hearing that name, Friedrich's blood froze in his veins.
"No. Not again."
"Get ready, my dear wolf, another war awaits you. Another battleground and the possibility of having a glorious death."
Two magical circles appeared under the feet of Friedrich and Benjamin, the two boys disappeared in a flash of light.
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| Friedrich and Benjamin by Bikowolf |
