Saint's Guard.
A special group of individuals that are exclusively under the commands of the Saints they are under. They are called special because they possess abilities that are out of the norm just like how Saints are capable of performing miracles.
In this modern world where warfare is usually waged with a press of a button or a fight between individuals are settled from a safe distance, members of the Saint's Guard fight with skills and powers that one would only find in fantasy stories or mythical historical records; preferring to fight with swords instead of guns, wearing metal armor instead of combat fatigues, and most importantly, using magic instead of missiles or any heavy machinery and for them that is more than enough to take on their enemies.
'A fist to match ten, a sword to match a hundred, a shield to protect a thousand, and magic to obliterate a million'
A proverb once said to describe the first member of the Guard.
Many in recent history has indeed tried to test this proverb false. However, time and time again, this has proven to be true...even now on a certain highway in the middle of nowhere-
"Hey! Get back here Nitwit! Do you have a deathwish!?"
"Oi! Don't run-off into that rain of bullets boy!"
"Batholo! Protect the Saint!"
"On it!"
-although the scene the words paint is far from being as awe-inspiring as the proverb suggests.
Ashen-a misanthrope that he is, finds himself forced to watch over the Saint, Rosseweisse, which he totally despises to no end.
How did this come to pass? Of course he was not forced by anyone. He is very adamant when it comes to his hatred for humans and thus would not think twice about refusing even if it were a king or a president who asks him.
However, it's a different game when its the very 'world' that wants him to do so or to be precise, when it's Mother Nature who does the 'requesting'.
"I said get back here!!!", Ashen grabs Rosseweisse's collar and immediately pulls her back into the cover of a car just in time to avoid the bullets that punctured the spot where she was previously on.
"Mr. Ashe-Kyaaaaah!!"
Ashen immediately hit her with a headbutt, "You nitwit!!! What would you have done if you died?! Do you realize how stupid you are?!", he roared.
"Uwuuuu! Why did you hit me?!", Rosseweisse held her throbbing forehead while tearing up.
Ashen however did not care and instead continued to scold her, "Better that than a bullet! Running into the hailstorm of lead just to heal one piece of trash human ain't a proper way of thinking for someone of your damned position! Do realize that getting hit by bullets hurts like hell?!", he hits her head again with a headbutt.
"Auuu!", Rosseweisse curled into a ball beside Ashen. Her forehead having a visible lump forming.
Before he could continue to berate the whimpering Saint, Ashen felt something hard hit his forehead as well. Making him reel back and fall on his rear.
'Wha-', he put a hand on his forehead. Feeling something wet on his hand, he looked at it and was shocked, "Blood?!"
*Tock!*
Something fell off his lap and rolled on the floor. When he saw that, he immediately realized the cause;
"This stupid-! Why don't you be the one to scold this nitwit then?! Stupid Nature!!!", he shouted angrily as he grabbed the object and threw it somewhere in the highway, "I save this nitwit's life and you throw a goddamned stone at me?! Are you fucking crazy?!"
As always, he got nothing in reply.
"Tsk!", he clicks his tongue in frustration, "And now we both are stuck here.", Ashen chanced a peek over the car the two of them were using as a cover but he quickly pulled his head back down to avoid a bullet that flew by, "Those are some impressive numbers and firepower...how to kill them all I wonder..."
"I'm surprised you can still think of killing them all in this kind of situation...", the concerned voice of Bartholo suddenly comes from behind Ashen.
"What the hell are you doing here you big oaf?!", Ashen shrieked with his arm poised to deliver a strike, "You almost gave me a heart attack!", he said in protest.
"Master Kallen has commanded me to protect the Saint thus I came.", Bartholo was unperturbed and simply answered straightforwardly.
Ashen knew Bartholo little. But he is familiar with the big guy's straightforward-no-bullshit personality. It was quite a dilemma for others to interact with Bartholo. Jack's eccentric behavior also did not work on the big guy, however that was perfect for Ashen who thought that if he is too busy watching out for Rosseweisse, he would be unable to go on the offensive and so they would just be sitting ducks on the highway. With Bartholo here, he could just chuck the suicidal Rosseweisse at the eager Guard and then go wild after.
'Not a bad plan.', he thought to himself.
"Feh! Anyways, good timing. Here.", he then pulled Rosseweisse up and then shoved her towards Bartholo, "I'll handle the ones in front. As soon as you hear them screaming, rush in and break through."
A moment of silence and then...
"Eh? Come again? Rush in?", Bartholo made a dumbfounded expression as he heard Ashen's plan.
But he really did not care, "Yeah. Don't worry, I'll make sure you guys won't even be shot at. Go and take that nitwit with you and get back.", he assured the anxious Bartholo and simply asked him to take Rosseweisse away.
"Eh?! No!! Let me go! I have to save that man!", Rosseweisse however, had other plans and started to struggle in Bartholo's arms.
Ashen-annoyed at her uncooperative attitude, clicked his tongue then pulled out Bartholo's sword from its sheath and then hit Rosseweisse at the back of her head and knocked her out.
"Eh?! Master Ashen! Why did you do that?!", Bartholo was shocked beyond belief as he carried the body of Rosseweisse that slumped forward like a puppet with its strings cut.
"Shut up. It's better than having her waste her Privilege on someone who is already dead.", Ashen huffed as he turned the pilfered sword with his hand, inspecting its quality. He felt another rock mysteriously hit the back of his head and that just irked him further.
'Calm down...if I get angry here, I might just forget the whole plan.'
And so he calmed himself down but the slight feeling of vexation still lingered.
"But that was too much! What would you have done if she were accidentally killed by your actions?! And your head is bleeding really bad!", Bartholo protested. His expression indeterminable due to his hood but judging from his tone, he was obviously distraught.
"I told you to just shut it and take the nitwit away didn't I?", Ashen however did not care and made a quick peek over the car.
"But-"
"I said go! You sure are an eyesore. Just remember the plan I just said and you'll live. That stupid brat will only be able to save one person with her Privilege right? If she saved that one, who's to say that there aren't any more of them that needs healing?", Ashen cut-off Bartholo's words, "Dude, I recall her telling me when we first met, that Saints are not allowed to forsake others of their own accord. That in itself is a troublesome thing that has been forced unto them. With how the world is right now, it's not just one or two who ends up in the same state as that man on the ground over there.", Ashen pointed at the nearby car of which a fatally wounded man was slumped over.
Bartholo cautiously peeked out to look at what Ashen was pointing at and was surprised at what he saw-
"See? If that brat chose to save that man, she would collapse and then what? She'll end up breaking the so-called vow she made with whoever god she believes in."
-right beside the dying man, was a couple of children and a woman who were also fatally wounded.
'This world of ours is just too unreasonable...'
Just as he thought of that, another rock comes flying at him and hits his head. Not that he cared anymore.
*****
'Yeah, here we go for the hundredth time'
Sword in hand, Ashen stared down the highway from behind the cover of a car. Bartholo had retreated towards Kallen and Jack's position with Rosseweisse.
'I see hand grenade pins in every line.'
He envisioned his enemies throwing grenades at him as soon as he runs out and dodges any bullet that they shoot at him.
He felt a little sorry for whoever built the highway. He is rather fond of looking at structures like these so seeing it pelted with bullet marks kind of makes him a little sad.
'I'm going out of my fucking mind.', he quickly shakes off such thoughts and recomposes himself before going behind the cover one last time.
"Alright...any second now...", he listened to the sound of gunfire and started to count down from 10.
'9...8...'
He heard the gunmen shout something in the distance. They sounded agitated.
'7...6...'
The gunfire slightly relented.
'5...4...3...'
The wind stopped blowing and silence reigned.
'2...1...'
Ashen focused his mind as he takes one deep breath.
'0...'
The gunfire stopped for a moment and with that, he jumped out of cover and charged.
He did not have any time to spare any attention to his surroundings. Not the cars nor the wounded humans. He only focused on what is currently before him.
'Speak not a word...waste not a breath...Look forward and sense it...'
He sees the gunmen getting ready to fire again but he did not care and still pushed forward. Time seemed to move so slow in his eyes but he did not care. He only thought of one thing and that was-
'There are 34 humans...34 guns...100 bullets each...3,400 bullets in total...in a fraction of a split-second...19 of them will open fire...1,900 bullets in total. That means only 3 seconds of respite. Therefore with one-hand I can only grasp-'
He gripped his pilfered sword tightly with his one remaining hand.
"-my survival 2 seconds from now onwards!"
And so the rain of bullets resumed and he faced it head-on with a manic smile on his face.