User blog:DaWalkinWaffle/King of Steel: Part XXXlV

11 ~ s

Instantly, Winter charged up his arm with steel energy and elbowed his attacker. He grunted in pain and went tumbling back into a table. Winter turned and drew Revan. Just as he had guessed, the two cloaked men at the back of the tavern were his attackers. He held Revan in front of him.

"What do you want?" he asked. The nearest one sneered at him.

"A dangerous one you are." he said. The other people in the tavern watched nervously as the other man got up.

"And you need to be put down." he said.

"And who are you to decide?" Winter asked.

"Ah, yes. Excuse me and my manners," one said mockingly, "I am Narza. My companion here is named Azael."

"Impossible. Azael was destroyed thousands of years ago." Kajah said. Narza smiled at him.

"It is no matter. You will be put down." Narza said. Narza drew his sword and threw off the cloak. He wore white and black armor. Winter's eyes narrowed. Narza looked as if he knew how to use a sword. Dark energy flickered into existence in Kajah's hands. Azael stepped towards Kajah. His cloak fell away and six pairs of wings unfurled, half white, half black. A blade of light appeared in one hand and an orb of darkness in the other. The commoners in the tavern murmured uncertainly to each other.

"Easier said than done." Winter said. Narza smiled mockingly then thrust forward with his sword. Winter sidestepped and deflected the blade with Revan. Narza stumbled forward as there was no resistance from his thrust. Winter set his left hand aflame with steel energy and punched Narza in the face. Narza stumbled back and swore. His companion was having an easier time. But no more successful. Kajah and Azael blasted each other with dark and light energy, each effectively countering the other.

"Ah, years of inactivity must have taxed my skills. Shall we continue?" Narza slashed out at Winter with his sword one-handed. Winter parried and counterattacked. Narza blocked with his sword and snarled at him. Winter and Narza continued trading blows, parry, counterattack, sidestep. Winter noticed that the villagers were trading money. They were gambling on the outcome of the battle, Winter realized. He also realized that he did not have time for this. Winter sent steel energy coursing through Revan and slashed at Narza. As he had expected, Narza instinctively raised his sword to parry. When their blades met, there was a slight explosion that sent Narza flying back. At the same time, a large blast from Kajah sent Azael flying into Narza's unconscious body. Winter sheathed Revan. To his surprise, the people in the tavern applauded. The tavern keeper bustled over to him.

"An excellent show, excellent! Quite a warrior you are! You'll send those bandits packing for sure!" he said enthusiastically. At that, the other people in the tavern cheered at that. Obviously, the bandits were not liked.

"Thank you, sir." Winter said. He was a bit unsure how to react.

"No need to pay, sir! No need to pay." Winter realized that the tavern keeper was saying this because it meant people would stay longer and buy more. But still, he didn't want to be in anyone's debt. Even a common nobody that he probably would never see again.

"I'll pay. 10 zel for the meal and 6 for the def." Winter said and paid the tavern keeper despite his protests. Winter noted that the tavern keeper didn't protest much after he accepted the money. He looked through his bag. He had almost 200 zel left. Along with his money, he had his unit guide, the essences from the Vortex, and a small leather-bound book. Eventually, the village watch, incapable as it was, entered the tavern and dragged the unconscious men away. The tavern keeper came over to where ha sat now.

"The caravan of bandits will be within the next few hours." he said.

"And I'll be there to meet them." Winter replied. He finished his def. "They'll have quite the surprise for them when they arrive."

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"Bandits! The bandits are attacking!" the watchman cried. The bandits came into Julep Village, their leader atop a large Firedrake. People rushed around, trying to save their more valuable possessions. But before the bandits could begin burning down buildings and pillaging them, a youthful, confident voice stopped them.

"That's enough!" Winter said. The bandits stopped, surprised. Finally, one of the bandits spoke up.

"It's just a boy!" Winter frowned slightly at being called a boy. The man on the Firedrake looked at Winter curiously. The dark obscured the man's face. He drew Revan and held it forward.

"You will leave now." Winter said forcefully. The bandits laughed scornfully.

"Oh no, how scary." they sneered. They began to advance towards Winter but their leader stopped them.

"No. I will deal with this boy." The man dropped down from the Firedrake. He stepped into the light of the torches along the streets. Winter started in surprise.

"You should be dead!" he said.

Vargas smiled thinly.

"I live. And I am more powerful than ever. I am no longer a king, but a god! I am the Fire God Vargas!" Vargas said. He drew his sword and set it afire. He and Winter moved toward each other warily. Winter lunged forward and attacked with an overhand stroke. Vargas blocked and counterattacked with a side stroke.

"You may be a god, but your swordsmanship hasn't improved." Winter said. Vargas smiled.

"Burn the village! I can handle this one." Vargas said. Winter realized that it would take a while defeat Vargas and he had to save the village. He summoned his units, simultaneously telling them what to do in his head. Hadaron, Rowgen, and Kajah attacked the Firedrake. The rest of his units attacked the rest of the gang.

"You can't win this fight." Winter said as he and Vargas traded blows. Vargas snarled at him.

"I can and will." Vargas said. Vargas slashed at Winter with a underhand blow and Winter sidestepped and deflected the blade. The fire singed his legs and he winced. He kicked out at Vargas and hit his chest. Vargas stumbled slightly. Then he attacked Winter's side. Winter blocked and thrust out his hand and sent a bolt of steel energy into Vargas's chest. As Vargas went careening back, a fiery wing burst from his back and Vargas shot back at him. He slammed his sword downwards at Winter. Winter blocked and gritted his teeth at the great force from the blow.

"Winter! Duck!" Eze shouted. Winter dropped to the floor as Eze jumped a Vargas and hit Vargas in the face with Batootha. Vargas yelled out in pain and flailed his arms. Unfortunately for him, the sword in his hand hit the Firedrake in its face. It roared in pain and glared at Vargas.

After weeks of bad treatment from Vargas and the gang of bandits, the Firedrake finally rebelled from its masters. It roared and thundered towards Vargas. Vargas had no chance. The Firedrake all but swallowed him whole. It roared its triumph before thundering off away from the village. All of the surviving bandits stumbled pathetically after it. The villagers came out of their houses and cheered at Winter. He turned to them and smiled tiredly. The village headmen came over to him.

"Thank you, my friend. Thank you. Those bandits have been a nuisance for a good couple weeks." the man said.

"No problem, friend. Now after all this excitement, I have got myself quite the appetite." Winter said, gently reminding the village people that they owed him something.

"Of course, of course!" the tavern keeper said, "everyone eats half off tonight and tomorrow! Except for you, young man! You can eat free." Winter smiled. He turned to Kajah.

"I think I like being a hero." he said. Kajah's only response was a slight inclination of his head.