“Augh!!” Raull’s scream reverberates over the crackle of flames and fighting. His ax drops into the dirt a few inches besides Axel’s head. Mud splatters on his forehead, he cautiously opens his eyes. Through slit blurry vision, a distant shadow stands illuminated by the high flames behind him. From above, Raull stumbles backwards, a large piece of broken glass protrudes from his knuckles.
"Are you just going to sit there?” A toneless voice fills Axel’s ears. He lifts his head, the shadow shimmers into Ryo’s outline. Laidback, Ryo strides past a few stunned villages, stepping over a few fallen bandits’ unconscious on the ground. A few feet behind him Mayor Finn walks over to Theresa to give her aid.
“Mayor Finn your okay, thank goodness.” A group of villages breath a sigh of relief.
“Yes I'm fine, but-." Finn says, his eyes scan the ongoing destruction of Remure, sadness reflects in them.
“.” Ryo adds into the conversation.
Weakened, Axel rises to his knees. Disbelief washes over his face unable to comprehend the scene in front of him. "Mr. Finn…and-“
“Dammit!” A loud roar bellows behind him. A blood-stained shard flies past, shattering against a broken tree stump. “Who is this man!?” His glare jumps from each individual bandit. They flinch from the deep anger.
A battered and bruise J comes out from the background. “Sir, that’s the man I told you about.”
“Grr!” He turns to J, who shudders under his murderous gaze. Raull raises his hand. “Let’s see how our new hero stands up to our group!.”
Ryo steps forward but a woman’s whimper stops him. To Raull’s left two bandits drag a woman by her dress into the open. She’s covered in bruises and cuts on her arms and legs.
“Boss it seems she tried to stop us from taking some valuables she owes us, resulting in some rough treatment.” Both men throw the woman forward.
“Please…no…my husbands…its all I have of him.” She whimpers facing the dirt.” The bandit steps on the woman’s hand. She lets out a piercing scream.
“I wouldn’t move another inch if I were you. I may have him break a bone or two.” Raull’s smug look casts his haughty attitude at Ryo.
“Why you!” Axel raises to one foot, from his side, an underling pulls him back into a headlock. The bandit keeps Axel’s arms behind him and another arm around his neck, locking him in place.
Fed up with everything, Raull slams his ax into the ground. “Apparently this village forgot their place! You are here to supply us. We take what we want, when we want! Now because of this, I’m burning this whole village to the ground, until there is nothing left! You can thank that little prick over there!” He points his ax directly at Axel.
J comes up behind Raull. “What about him? This is too much of loss revenue.” He whispers.
“I’m sure that old man can find another village to cypher resources from.” Raull snaps back then turns his attention to Ryo. “Not so tough now are you!”
Around Ryo three different bandits surround him. One comes from his left, sword raised to his throat. Ryo’s necklace catches his attention and grins with satisfaction. “Now that is a treasure. I’m sure you won’t mind if I take if off your-gah!”
Before he could finish his sentence a sharpen cedar wood sword pieces through his left chest cavity. The other two back away surprised by the attack. The wounded bandit looks down. Blood trickles from the corner of his mouth and wound.
“Ahhhhh!” His screams catch everyone’s attention. Ryo rips the sword out of the bandit’s chest. The shock wears off when the bandit buckles to the ground. The other attacks lunge at Ryo from two different angles.
Ryo spins with his feet over the dirt. With one small swoop of the wood sword, he brings his swing into an uppercut nailing one bandit. He shifts his weigh to the right foot, kicking it upwards, leaping into the air. The height lifts him above the second attacker. Unnaturally, his body twists in the air leaving enough room to bring his strike downwards across the bandits back. They land hard onto the ground, motionless. In front of them, Ryo lands on both feet without breaking a sweat.
Axel eyes fixate on Ryo’s. An icy cold darkness devoid of light swirls within his pupils. Shivers jolt down his spine. Unable to look away, he shakes his head quickly. Like an illusion lifted, Ryo’s eyes return to their normal color. More bandits approach Ryo from all sides, ready to take him down with numbers. Finn slides a few steps backwards, unsheathing a sword from a wood pile.
“That piece of wood won’t last long. Try something a bit more reliable.” Finn tosses the sword in the air. Ryo releases the wood and raises his hand, gripping the sword by its hilt. The silver blade glistens, reflecting from the smaller fires around him.
Catching a glimpse of his bandage arm, Raull holds up his ax. “That man is injured! Finish him now!”
In unison, including the two bandits next to the injuried woman, all lunge for Ryo’s injured side. Crouching down, Ryo slides his right foot back kicking up a dust. It explodes outwards into a dust cloud blinding the onlookers and the attackers. Loud metallic clangs reverberate within the dust. Everything settles into a hush, all the bandit’s sword crosses each other however, Ryo’s disappeared. Footsteps rush up behind two bandits, they turn in time to counter Ryo’s swing attack. Forward momentum helps him over power them. He brings the sword down slashing them across the chest.
Both fall simultaneously but the others try to attack with Ryo off guard. His heels dig into the ground bringing the sword into a upward swing. Sparks ignite from the metal sword contact, shattering the left bandit’s sword. One by one each attack fails to hit its mark. Twisting the last bandit’s sword downwards, Ryo slams into him with his injured shoulder. The impact sends the bandit hand into the ground, knocking him unconscious. Whispers rise from the enemy.
“Wounded or not, that man’s a monster.” One bandit speaks.
“Who is this man?” Another responds back.
In the background, Ryo fends off relentless attacks from bandits still trying to overpower him. He swings his blade sideways creating a shimmering shadow thrown between the remaining two bandits. Both of their swords break in two and they fall back onto the ground, a shocked look frozen on their faces. Many question what they just saw but no one could explain the sudden collapsing of two bandits without taking a direct hit. Barely out of breath, Ryo straightens himself up and faces Raull.
Raull sneers. Undeterred by the overwhelming presence, Ryo raises his sword, locking eyes with Raull. He breaks his eye contact first, noticing that the muscles in his legs tremble slightly.
“What?” He thinks to himself. “This punk is making me tremble? Me, the executioner? Impossible.”
Sweat runs down Raull’s forehead, dripping off his nose. His grit teeth turn into a suspicious smirk. “That other brat now!” He demands pointing over to Axel and the bandit restraining him.
The bandit drags Axel in front of Raull, shifting him onto his feet. The ax hooks around Axel’s neck. “Any closer and the boy dies.” The feel of cold steel touches Axel’s throat, renewing the sense of urgency to struggle and break free. Around him everything fades into a blur. However, a voice pierces through his senses.
“Are you going to fall here?” It says quietly.
“Huh?” Axel glances up, his vision focuses on Ryo.
In his wounded hand, he tosses the sword upwards. It flies forward, then sticks into the ground at Axel’s feet.
“I said, are you going to fall here?” Ryo repeats himself. “Is that the extent of your resolve? Show them."
“The strength of my…” Axel whispers.
In the back of his mind a shadow figure materializes in front him. The figure raises a hand, pointing at him.
“Who are you, Axel? Someone who fights against injustices? Or someone who will just give up? Do you have the power to become the sword?” A deep voice echoes in his thoughts. Unknown familiarity washes over his being. The words ignite the fire of fighting.
From his feet upwards, in a moment a silver light runs up Axel’s body. Ryo and Finn both manage to catch a glimpse of it. Tightening his hands in fists, Axel throws his head backwards, slamming it into Raull’s chin. The force catches the bandit off guard, freeing Axel from his grasp. Quickly, Axel rolls forward, snatching the sword up, landing back onto his feet. Catching fresh air into his lunges, he straightens up, wiping the blood and sweat from his face. He glances at Ryo, who returns with no expression of his own. Ready to continue, Axel gets back into an offensive battle position.
“I will get stronger! I’m going to drive you from this place! I’m going to become the sword!” Axel declares.
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