As though he knew what was about to happen, the minister began shuffling towards Deon as quickly as he could. Knowing he would lose his only support if he stood idly by, he thought of a plan.
"WAIT!!"
Deon looked up to see the disgusting excuse of a human that was waddling towards him. It wasn't his girth that put Deon off, but rather his bruised, burned, and swollen face. It was clear that someone had gotten to him shortly before this confrontation.
"Who the hell are you?"
Deon said, almost completely uninterested.
"Just hold on a second-"
The man said, attempting to catch his breath after barely moving fifteen feet.
"Do you- *Pant Pant* Do you have any siblings sir?"
After hearing this, Deon became slightly more interested. He already knew that Rai was still back at the shack and unharmed. Although it was odd that he brought up siblings, it wasn't very important.
"What's it to you?"
Deon's focus was still on the Sabbatarian who was unable to move.
"Well, you could say that man is something of a brother to me. Even if he was in the wrong you wouldn't want your brother hurt, would you?"
"My brother doesn't eat people nor does he have the inferiority complex that you seem to have."
Deon shot back as he began to lift the Sabbatarian out of the ground by his neck.
"Wow, those are pretty big words. For a fellow of your… ilk. No, your brother wouldn't be like us. We're just regular, average, savage people. No, your brother must have a very… SHOCKING personality, am I right?"
Deon stopped, his attention now turned solely to the minister.
"I don't like talkin in circles. You can either tell me what it is you're tryna tell me or I can break a bone of my choosing for every second you waste."
"All I'm saying is that should my brother be poisoned, I'd do anything to save him. The last time you saw your brother, I assume his memory was cloudy right? His head was blaring and he could barely stand on his own, feel free to stop me if I'm-"
At that moment, Deon snapped the Sabbatarian's arm.
"That's at least one second you've wasted. Wanna keep going?"
The minister was stunned. Did he make a mistake? Did this man not even care about his own brother? What kind of monster doesn't hesitate in this kind of situation?
"Look… if you just let us go I'll give you the antidote and we'll never come ba-"
Another second passed. Another bone, gruesomely shattered. Deon began to revert back to his sadistic ways. Seeing that the minister was having a hard time, the captain who had met Deon before spoke up.
"Please… just let us go. We'll do anything"
Deon continued to scowl, unphased by their pleading until… he noticed something about the captain and began to smile uncontrollably.
"Anything?"
He asked
"Anything. You name it and we'll do it if you just let us go."
He replied joyously. The entire crew, the minister, and even the Sabbatarian became engrossed in their relief and excitement.
"This can all end right now… as long as you clap your hands two times."
Everyone, even the captain became so excited realizing that they could end this torture and go home in one piece with such an easy task until… they looked at the captain… and saw the arm that Deon had cut off at the shoulder just earlier. Their relief quickly faded into an even darker despair as they turned to see the evil smile plastered on Deon's face.
"WHAT'S WRONG?! CLAP FOR ME! DOES YOUR CAPTAIN NOT CARE ABOUT YOU?! WHY WON'T HE CLAP FOR YOU TO KEEP YOUR LIVES?!"
Deon yelled as he laughed hysterically. The fear they felt only caused Deon to feel even more enraged.
"WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?! WHY IS YOUR LIFE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIRS?! WHY DO YOU DESERVE MERCY?! WHY SHOULDN'T I THROW YOUR CORPSES TO THE WOLVES THAT LURK IN THE DARK?! AND YOU-"
Deon looked over to the townspeople that cowered in terror as they watched the situation unfold.
"Are you afraid? Do you wish someone to save you from the demons who wear the same skin as you? You had a savior who was willing to walk through hell for you. Yet you turned your back on him because he looked different. You struck him down over words from strangers and then preyed on his daughter who STILL WISHES TO PROTECT YOU!! ANSWER ME!! DO YOU DESERVE SALVATION?! DO YOU?!"
The people hung their heads in shame. Not only had they betrayed the man who loved them unconditionally, but they had also invited in their own demise, rolling out the red carpet for the snakes in the grass.
Deon had already said a mouthful but no amount of words would satiate his rage. As he turned his attention back to the crew who had begun to creep away, he released his grip on the Sabbatarian's neck. He dropped the hilt of his sword and pick up a smooth, flat rock. Slowly, he began to scrape away at it with his nail, forming a thin, sharp edge.
Once he had finished, the edge of the rock had become sharper than an ordinary knife. Suddenly, he darted forward towards the crewmen and began slashing the tendons in their legs. None would escape his wrath. After finishing, Deon turned his attention towards the minister who was still frozen in fear.
Unlike the rest of the men, there was no need to do anything excessive to him. Deon kicked him in his stomach and he rolled onto his side, unable to get back up. Out of the blue, Deon noticed the Sabbatarian hobbling away as quickly as possible on his one working leg. Deon leaped into the air and slammed the brute's face into the gravel.
Slowly, he walked back to where he had started and began dragging his sword methodically back to where the Sabbatarian lay unmoving. Finally, it was time to end this once and for all.
"STOP!"
A voice suddenly caught Deon just before he lopped off the man's head. Standing leaned against the bar that they'd been in earlier was an injured and weak Rai. He seemed so weak that he'd fall unconscious if someone blew on him and yet there he stood.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Rai asked.
"This dude killed all these people and you want me to just stop?"
Deon shot back, still pointing the tip of his sword at the man.
"Give it a rest D."
Rai said
"I'm just doin what needs to be done."
"Then why's your face look like that."
Rai pointed out. Without realizing it, Deon had been smiling the entire time. Something in him was enjoying the pain and suffering that he was inflicting on these people.
"Who gives a damn if I enjoy it? It still needs to be done."
"And why do you have to do it?! What makes you judge, jury, and executioner?!"
Lightning and electricity had begun circulating around Rai. He was no longer leaning against the wall but rather standing tall, visibly ready to fight.
"TO HELL WITH HIM!"
"TO HELL WITH GRANDMA TOO HUH?!"
Deon shook after hearing Rai. As if he had finally had a moment of clarity, he looked around at the carnage he had inflicted. Limbs had been severed and thrown to the side. Blood stained the previously clean roads.
Deon let his sword drop beside the Sabbatarian's head, barely landing on his nose and breaking it. While it wasn't on purpose, his screams of pain didn't seem to bother anyone present. Deon slumped against a wall and looked at his shaking hands. It was as if he was becoming someone else and the thought of it terrified him.
Just as he was about to shed a tear, a little boy ran and jumped on him, embracing him with all his strength. The boy sobbed and wailed, thanking him profusely. Deon was so confused but the little boy refused to let go for a long time. Finally, he settled down and pulled away from Deon, looking him in the eyes. After seeing his face, Deon realized who he was. It was the boy who sat staring blankly at his mother's body.
Although the boy had regained some of the life he had lost from seeing his mother be killed, he was by no means okay. Deon picked him up and held him in his arms, holding him tightly and beginning to sob and apologize without rest. After a moment, Rai approached them and laid his hand on Deon's shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself for the pain you've caused, pride yourself in the pain you've prevented."
Rai said, smiling. It was something they had heard Mahina tell Robert when he woke up screaming from a nightmare. Slowly, Deon rose to his feet as he saw Ash rushing towards him in tears.
"Thank you!"
Ash shouted as she leaped into Deon's arms.
"I guess I'm pretty popular today huh?"
Deon said to Rai. Just as he finished his sentence, Rai suddenly collapsed to the ground, frothing at the mouth.