Damned rose to his feet again, bloody, a cut above his left eye obscured his vision, causing him to squint. The single Royal Guard member landed lightly before him.
“Surrender NOW, Adventurer.”
The big human looked around. The street was clear. Neither Adventurer, nor People of the Land had stayed, when the Royal Guard member had arrived to stop the altercation between members of The Round Table, and the leaders of the guild Plant Hwyden. He had simply been accompanying Minori and Shiro back to the guild house. When the attack happened, he had quickly sent the attacking Hwydens to the Catherdral, with a mental warning to Naogatsu to have a crew of heavy hitters waiting for them, when they awakened. But he hadn’t been quick enough to escape the notice of the Royal Guard. He bought the others time to escape. Now, he faced the Guardsman alone. He smiled a truly wicked grin. The magical enforcer sighed.
“What possesses you Adventurers to think you can win against us? Have you ever?”
Damned mutter beneath his breath, something unintelligible, that the Guardsman couldn’t hear. The atmosphere on the street changed. It was as if an electrical current that was negative, had suddenly switched polarities.
“The fight is over.” The misplaced man replied. “There is no reason to enforce anything. You can return to your barracks.”
“YOU dispatched 5 Adventurers to the Akibara Cathedral. YOU bear the brunt of the responsibility and the guilt. YOU must be punished.” So saying the enforcer drew his sword and leapt forward, swinging. There was a terrible crunch, followed by a scream of agony, as the human grabbed his advancing opponents sword arm at the wrist, and crushed it, armor and all. The Guardsman’s blue pulsing armor flashed dangerously red, as he dropped to his knees, still held by the Adventurer. In shock, he grabbed back at his opponent, attempting the same thing on Damned’s bare arm. Expecting no trouble in the streets of Akibara, the giant redhead had not worn his own armor. The Enforcer clamped down, fully meaning to tear the man’s arm off. Instead; nothing. Not only could he not tear it off, he couldn’t even dent the Adventurer’s flesh.
Shock was quickly setting in and the guardsman resolved to call for help. Whatever this being was, he couldn’t be allowed to walk the streets of Akibara.
“Before you call for help, recall the legend of The Damned One. Who defeated your order ages ago. You’re still taught that one, yeah?” Damned face was stretched into a smiling grimace.
The dazed Guardsman reacted, his eyes focusing, as a different sort of shock melted in.
“You get to live. But, I’m going to teach you a lesson, and give you a serious message for the rest of your order. “ Calmly, the Adventurer began to peel the Guardsman, like a banana, tearing the impregnable magic armor from his body, while speaking quietly.
“You’re not to slaughter Adventurers anymore. You’re to keep the peace. You’re to show up. Ask questions. Make logical determinations. No slaughter. I’m here. Living in the town now. I’m not leaving. Rest assured, I have NO compunctions at all, about destroying your organization, just like I did 2 centuries ago. It doesn’t matter to me if you send one, or all of your brethren. They won’t win against me. Just like you.” He finished tearing off the magical armor, then, he muttered again under his breath, while focusing on the Guardsman’s broken wrist. Suddenly, it was whole again; unbroken.
“What are you?” the Person of the Land whispered, low. Watching as his undefeatable magical armor was gathered up, and grimly crushed into an apple sized ball.
“Exactly what I told you. I am the Damned One. You can walk home. Take your armor with you. And DO tell your order I’m watching. This entire confrontation could have been avoided, if you had protected the city from Plant Hwyden.” Damned was no longer bleeding. And no evidence of injury was to be seen on him. He pulled the Guardsman to his feet.
Cordially, he waved, and walked away.
Finally, realizing he would live and relieved to be so, the Guardsman turned, and made his way slowly toward the Akibara Guild Hall. Slowly, because the tiny ball, that had BEEN his magical armor, was very, VERY heavy…
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