Village of Hansel, The Fountain Square, Present day.
Xeto kept his hand on his hilt as he moved up to the Zuland commander. He did his best to hide his disgust of the man. "I'm Commander Xeto Alcazar of Loradel's Demon-Hunt regiment. We're here—"
"I don't give two shits as to why you're here," said Raikal with a smug grin. "You're in Zuland territory without consent, that gives me leave to deliver justice as I see fit."
The villagers in the back of the wagon began to dismount. They walked slowly with their eyes locked onto the dirt. The sluggish parade of sweat and coal-stained men and women came to a halt as Raikal raised a palm.
"You are all to remain at my side until I've dealt with these trespassers." He jumped from the wagon before running a hand through his dry unwashed hair.
A frail elder man raised a shaky hand. "But sir, we've been without rest for days. Please let us—"
Raikal glared back at the troupe. "And you'll be without much more unless you obey me."
Xeto turned to Rebecca whom mirrored his look of repulsion towards the scene.
A group Zuland soldiers dismounted from their horses and joined Raikal's side. Though unlike the rest, these men were decorated in crimson armor, helmets hid their faces.
Raikal licked his lips as he turned to face Xeto. "I'm feeling quite generous today. You leave now and we can forget you were ever here."
"That isn't happening," returned Xeto.
Raikal chuckled. "I must have my ears clogged with dust from the mine because it sounds like you thought that was a proposal."
The little people that remained outside began to slowly flock around the two groups of soldiers with murmurs and gasps.
Raikal's eyes bounced from man to man as his smile twisted into a frown. "Where are my men?"
"Dead," answered Xeto.
"You?"
"No." Xeto chuckled at the thought of provoking the man. "The village was attacked by demons, your men weren't prepared and now they lay buried, what a shame." He could see Roy's look of disbelief in his peripheral.
"Ah yes, demons," taunted Raikal with a fake nod of agreement. "You hear that, men? Demons."
The group of men at his rear laughed through their helmets as other made scornful gestures.
Xeto could feel the tether of tension between them tightening with every second. "I did what those pathetic excuses of soldiers couldn't; protect."
Raikal's patience seemed to have been shortening as he ceased spouting taunts. "Was this you?" he pointed to Roy. "I know you hated every moment since we've arrived. Did you wail like a maiden to Loradel? Tell them your tale of woe?"
Roy stammered at a loss of words.
Raikal clicked his tongue as he motioned towards his men.
Two of the crimson knights took hold of a young girl and pulled her from group. Those who tried helping were pushed violently back into the group. The girl tried pulling free from their grasp to no avail as they pinned her to the ground at their commander's feet.
Raikal pulled a dagger from his waist and knelt down on her.
"What are you doing!?" yelled Roy.
"Sending a clear message," answered Raikal as he pushed the shined steel to the girl's neck.
"Let go of Petra, you animal!" yelled a bystander.
"We won't stand for this any longer!" said another.
Xeto's hands were shaking from the slow rising lake of anger. He cursed at himself; he shouldn't have gambled with the man while he had the people in his grasp.
"This little revolt will have to be answered for."
Xeto freed his blade, causing Raikal's men to do the same, bows and blades at the ready. "Let her go, now."
Rebecca lined up beside him, the hammer of her revolver clicked as she pulled it back. "Give the order, sir."
Raikal pulled Petra's head up by her hair. "Come now, boy, best you have your peon put a bullet between my eyes before I bleed out this little lamb."
Xeto's heart raced as unsavory memories rushed back to him. It was just like in Brena, it was like Brena all over again. The blood, the screams, the hesitation. Just like then, the questions of what to do battled in his mind.
"You're not in Loradel, you have no jurisdiction here." Raikal waved the blade about. "You kill me, and Zuland will retaliate. The people that die after that—do you want their blood on your hands? Are you going to die for this little backwater?"
"Someone is," said Xeto.
"You're right, someone is." His mask of pleasure turned into a cold glare seconds before he plunged the dagger into Petra's throat, squelching as he pulled it out.
The girl croaked as she clutched at her throat. The screams of the onlookers filled the air.
Xeto froze before a wave of disgust rose from his gut. "You filthy dog! Rebecca!" The loud blast of Rebecca's revolver rang in his ears, muffling the shrieks of the villagers.
A bullet hit Raikal in the shoulder, nearly causing him to fall over. "Damn harlot! Kill them all!"
Rebecca aimed and fired, causing two more men to crash into the ground as a bullet found its way into their helms. She trained her revolver on Raikal once again.
Xeto placed his hand in front. "Not him. He's mine."
She gave him a nod before she ducked from an incoming arrow.
Xeto ran towards the commander as he retreated behind his men. He weaved passed an incoming arrow and blocked another with his sword mid-flight. Face-to-face with the archer, he thrusted his blade upright into the man's abdomen. He veered back and pulled out his blade as another knight closed in.
The man yelled through his helm as he brought his sword straight down.
Xeto angled himself and blocked the blow with his hilt guard. He twisted his wrist and parried the blow. He threw himself forward, putting years of anger behind a shoulder-bash.
The knight stumbled back with his chin up.
Xeto found an opening as he slashed horizontally, cutting through the man's exposed neck.
The remaining two, another archer and swordsman. The swordsman ran for him. "You cunt, I'll kill you!" He suddenly gurgled as a bullet hit his throat. The archer dropped his bow as he spun and ran in the opposite direction.
Xeto stepped over the corpse and focused on the commander who now was armed with a longsword. Though he wielded it one had as he had the other over his injured shoulder.
"Fucking Loradel mutt!" Raikal was red with anger as saliva dripped from his mouth. He wielded his sword with a single hand as he held the other over his injured shoulder. "You think you can kill me? I've killed men twice your size long before your whore mother shit you into this world!"
Xeto closed the gap as he brought his sword down.
Raikal blocked it.
To Xeto's surprise, the man had much more strength than anticipated, considering he was using only one arm.
Raikal pushed off and immediately followed with a horizontal slash.
Xeto barely had enough time to encase his forearm in black crystal. It shattered like glass as the longsword made contact. He spun back to regain his footing.
Raikal engaged, horizontal slash. He was fast for a man of his size.
Xeto angled his sword down to block the incoming blow. Suddenly he felt a ripping pain from his side. He took his eyes off his opponent to find a dirk dug into his side. When did he—
Raikal headbutted, catching Xeto once again.
The sudden impact made everything go blurry for half a second. Xeto dropped his broadsword from the combined pain on the bridge of his nose and the dirk.
"You're dead now, mutt!" Raikal swung again.
Xeto's heart thumped out of his chest. Aura. Instinct meant to keep him alive as it took over his actions. He moved closer and caught Raikal's wrist and encased his own free hand into a crystal claw. All of his combined anger was put into a thrust as he plunged his arm through the man's chest.
Raikal's eyes were full of fright as he gagged.
A mixed wave of revulsion came over him as he felt the man's muscles twitch as he freed his claw from the man.
Raikal's body raised a cloud of dirt as it flopped to the ground.
Xeto eyed his still shaking hand, crystal claw tainted red as blood dripped onto the ground. His mouth was dry, yet there was a sour taste at the back of his throat. He swallowed hard; everything was quiet. He turned to find the fear-filled eyes of everyone around him.