Khanjar----VI
Human or not, I was returning home with that dagger. Even if I have to kill them all, I won't allow them to stand in my way.
Closely, I observed Clyde's loose grip on the cutlass. The twitching of his fingers, the small contractions of muscle fibers between the bones of his hand.
My eyes scanned the rusty sword, trailing to the wielders arms and staring into his with predatory hunger.
I was ready, ready to take my first human life.
And strangely, it did not feel morally wrong. It was the feeling a normal human would experience when killing an animal, which to him, is a soul of inferior value than another human. An inconsequential sacrifice for his goal; a means to an end.
My plan was set.
I was going to turn my skin into stone, denying the cutlass any flesh tearing. Then with the Aeter already swirling in my right leg, I would kick Clyde's chest, caving it in. The two other men were but a short distance away, nothing Eset can't take care of.
"So kid, what will your answer be? ~" The overconfident swordsman asked arrogantly.
Smirking, my skin turned to stone as I released my bloodlust.
"Burn the boats" I said, grinning as my face slowly petrified.
Clyde's eyes opened wide in shock, the cutlass grating against my hardened flesh roughly in panic. Raising his sword wielding arm higher, he tried generating power using a wide swing, but I would not let him go through with his plan.
Twisting my body, I kicked my right leg at his chest, smashing his ribs with a crunch as I threw his body into a carriage.
-YOU BRAT!
Hearing the rattling of swords in the air, I immediately called out to my companion.
[ESET!]
Not a moment later, Eset chanted a space attribute spell; {Spatial Fracture}
Just as the two other men were rushing forward swords drawn, Eset manipulated a fracture in space to swallow them both and drop them on top of their downed comrade.
Proud of my work, I turned to the vendor once more expecting to see fright painted all over his face, but I was met with a slashing dagger instead.
'S-SHIT! It'll slice through!'
When the dagger was inches away from my neck, a young voice yelled, and the sound of collision was heard all throughout the plaza.
"SHIELD BASH!"
Out of nowhere a door-like shield smashed into the vendor's shoulder, sending him tumbling on the ground.
"Can't leave you for a minute without causing trouble, ey Elias?"
'Patrick!'
Before I could reply to his slick remark, a concerned voice parted the chaos ensuing around us.
"Elias dear? What's going on?"
Following her madly running son, Teresa walked out of her bakery only to see us at the eye of the storm.
Looking around, I could see the disheveled plaza. Two of the three caravan carriages were toppled, the bodies of the defeated men breaking into their wooden stricture. The Villagers strewn about, some yelling for help, and others hiding behind whatever could shield their bodies of the violence.
I felt a bit of shame prick my chest and warm my face under her questioning, but concerned gaze.
"A-Aunty, this dagger is my father's… A-And that bastard!-"
"Language Elias!" she reprimanded.
'Is it really the time for this!?'
Conceding to her strict behavior, I dipped my head and continued explanation.
"—And this man, stole it. And now he wants to sell it to me!"
Teresa nodded, her eyes softening.
She walked to the thrown merchant and asked politely.
"Excuse me, how much for the dagger?"
The coin loving man's eyes sparkled with opportunity, one he would not miss out on.
"Seventy silvers! For the dagger, and my troubles."
The villagers gasped at the steep price. Some of them have never even seen a gold coin! And he's asking for five silvers shy of three quarters of a gold coin.
Teresa grind her teeth together, she knew that the merchant was over selling his product, but there wasn't much she could do.
"I'll give you the money, now hand over the dagg-"
"Oh~ Last I heard, the dagger goes to the highest bidder. Isn't that right, dear merchant?"
When everything was almost over, and Aunty Teresa was about to close the deal, a haughty voice snaked its way to everyone's ears
The merchant stood up quickly, as if his previous injured state was all an illusion.
"Of course dear customer! How much would you like to bid?"
Walking out the shadow of the last remaining carriage, a lanky figure made itself visible. It was a man, with crescent closed eyes and shoulder length black hair framing his thin face.
"Eighty silver coins sounds like a fair price, don't you think?" the man said with a smirk.
I couldn't believe it. Why am I even tolerating this- this BULLSHIT! This is my father's, MINE!
Blood shot, my eyes bore holes into the skull of Psythiros, the man who upped the bid. My friends always talked about him negatively, but I never addressed the issue seeing as he never interacted with me. But now, if looks could kill I would have slaughtered him a hundred times over.
[Elias, let's just take it and go! Why are we still standing here?!]
She was right. Why am I still standing here? What's holding me back from stealing it? What's holding me back from just killing them?
I materialized my hatchet in my hand and with steady steps made my way to the merchant. The money blinded idiot was busy trying to rile up what's left of the crowd looking for any higher bidder.
Closer and closer, I approached him with Eset standing powerfully on my shoulder. Frustrated at his display, she hooted thrice taking not only his attention but all the others as well.
Having regained their bearings after a beating, Clyde and his goons rushed at me, determined to protect their boss. Unfortunately for them, I couldn't care less.
To the untrained eye, all they could see were the three muscular men swinging their swords at me in one instant, and in the next, my body appeared past them as they kneeled to the ground clutching their severed arms.
-AAAAAARARRGHGHGH
-MY ARM!!!
Amidst an orchestra of pained screaming and panicked yells, a carpet of blood was unfurled at my feet, welcoming the death of my opponent.
"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! H-Have you gone crazy boy!"
The merchant yelled in fright as he backed up in fear, only to trip on his feet and fall to the ground.
"What I should have done long ago"
The hatchet raised to the heavens, like a guillotine delivering its sentence to the condemned.
"NO ELIAS!!"
"ELIAS DON'T"
Unbeknownst to Elias, someone within the crowd smirked evilly at this turn of events, the lips on their face stretching unnaturally. All until another bidder was added to the fray.
"1 Gold coin, dear merchant"