Scheme (4)

This town square is located at the center of the village, where Ramon and his subordinates have gathered the villagers numbering 40 or more. They look frightened of Ramon and his troops.
Some children are holding wooden sticks, but none of them are in a fighting stance. That's all they can do to avoid dropping their sticks.

In Ramon's attack on the village, they have chased the residents to the town square. They searched houses, then forced out anyone who was hiding in basements, they poured oil and burned them.

There are four knights standing guard around the village with bows and arrows, their task is to shoot anyone who tries to escape. They have done this many times, it could be said they are veterans in this field.

The massacre that occurred lasted quite a long time, but was successful, and they have gathered the surviving villagers in one place. After that, they will release some prisoners as bait.

***

"Captain, I have a report from the troops who entered the village first," the Lieutenant reported, his voice slightly trembling, "It seems they are holding the remaining villagers hostage."

"Do you know where they come from?"

"From the flag they carry, it seems they come from the Holy Empire."

Nicholas nodded slowly, his gaze looking very calm. "I see. A very poor disguise. Not only targeting me, but they also intend to make the Holy Empire a scapegoat. In that case, let's go in and save the villagers."

The Lieutenant suddenly stepped forward, his face pale, trying to stop Nicholas. "Captain, you don't understand!" He tried to explain, his voice rising an octave, "They're targeting you! If the strongest knight like you is gone, the balance of power between the pro-king and anti-king factions will be destroyed! This is no longer about your own life, but also the king's safety!"

Nicholas only smiled slightly, looking straight into the Lieutenant's eyes. "You're the one who doesn't understand, Lieutenant." His tone was gentle, but firm. "Have you ever been in a position where you were very close to death?"

The Lieutenant laughed emptily, touching the cold hilt of his sword. "Death? I've always walked hand in hand with death! Since childhood, when I was still living in the village, death was already like a friend. Monsters everywhere, harvests always failed which eventually made us hungry, and finding clean water was very difficult."

"Then," Nicholas continued, his voice getting softer, "have you ever hoped for help? Hoping someone would extend a hand to you?"

The Lieutenant's eyes gazed far away, back to the dark past. "Of course! At that time, I always hoped for that. I hoped there would be a noble or knight who came to provide help or food supplies. I also always prayed to the gods, day and night. But the result was nothing. No one extended a hand to me."

Nicholas stepped closer, patting the Lieutenant's shoulder gently. "Yes, you're right. I think almost everyone born from common backgrounds like us experienced the same thing, including me." He took a deep breath, "So, have you ever thought... if someone didn't extend a hand to you, why not you extend a hand to others?"

The Lieutenant fell silent, looking at Nicholas with teary eyes. His lips opened, but no sound came out. "Captain..." he whispered softly, filled with emotion.
Nicholas looked at the sky, whatever he saw there. His gaze was empty, but his heart was burning. "I've decided it. I've resolved since I became a knight. I will cut this chain of sadness, then end it."

***

His horse snorted restlessly beneath him. Nicholas stared straight ahead, toward the figure standing in the middle of the dust-filled field. Behind that figure, dozens of Imperial knights stood in neat rows, their armor gleaming under the sun.

An old woman collapsed on the ground, her head bleeding and her clothes dirty. Around her, children and adult men were tied up, their frightened gazes directed at the swords held tightly by the Imperial soldiers.

This was no longer war, but massacre. And Nicholas knew, he was the reason all this happened.

"Nicholas the Protector!" Ramon's voice echoed, calling his name. "Finally you came too. Not only that, you even came alone. Where are your loyal subordinates? Are they hiding and preparing to ambush? Or could it be... they abandoned you? Hahahaha!"

Nicholas dismounted from his horse, letting his horse run away. He walked slowly, not raising weapons or shouting. Nicholas removed his sword and placed it on the ground, then he raised both hands. "I came to negotiate."

Ramon smiled mockingly. He stepped forward, removing his helmet, and flicked his long black hair. "Negotiate? You think you have the right to negotiate? I know you're not that stupid. You should know who asked us to do this. You should also know that you will die on this land."

"Yes, you are indeed right. That's why, in exchange for my life, please release the villagers. They have nothing to do with this," Nicholas answered calmly, though his heart was beating fast.

"Acting like a hero until the end, huh? Disgusting!" Ramon spat on the ground, his eyes blazing. "Sure, let's make a deal. But I'll set the rules."

Ramon pointed toward a small girl standing beside him, frightened. "One life for one life. Each one of your men will be exchanged for one villager. Ah, and since you're deciding, you yourself must kill them."

"No!" Nicholas shouted. "I came here to end this. I'm willing to surrender if that's what you want."

Nicholas didn't know why he shouted. He just knew he had to stop this. Nicholas stared into Ramon's eyes, there was no more fear. There was only the desire to save them.

Ramon laughed, a laugh full of cruelty. "Surrender? It's not that easy, Nicholas. You won't leave here alive. We will kill you. But before that, we will kill all these people. And you must witness every drop of blood spilled from them. You must feel that regret."

Nicholas didn't answer. He just stared toward Ramon, his eyes filled with anger.
"So, Nicholas," Ramon smiled evilly. "Choose. You surrender yourself, and you will die at our hands along with your subordinates. Or you fight, and let us massacre them all."

Of course Nicholas couldn't choose. All those options would ultimately sacrifice many lives. Even so, he would make sure that no more people got hurt.
Just himself.

Nicholas knew he had no other choice. He looked around, toward the villagers. Toward the old woman whose head was bleeding, toward the little girl who was crying. Nicholas didn't care about himself anymore. He just wanted to save them.
Nicholas then knelt, placing his head on the ground. He prostrated toward Ramon.

"Please, end this with my death."
There was some kind of strange feeling in Ramon's heart. Hatred, anger, and disappointment, mixed into one.
"Huh, is this what the strongest knight looks like? Very pathetic."

Nicholas heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He heard the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. He heard the sound of Ramon's empty laughter.

When he reached right in front of Nicholas, Ramon immediately stepped on his head.

"This is really boring. I didn't expect it would end like this," said Ramon who was still stepping on Nicholas's head.

Ramon then spat on Nicholas before continuing. "Since you're going to die, and it seems this still isn't enough to make you despair, I'll tell you a secret. You should know that the nobles really dislike the third princess, Blind Princess. So after your death, the king's beloved princess will follow you. Then the king who is already desperate will be very easy to eliminate."

Nicholas who heard that immediately became very angry, a very large fire blazed in his chest, but that fire quickly died out when he remembered again his resolve and purpose for coming to this place.

"Good," said Ramon. "That face! That expression is what I want to see from you."

Nicholas closed his eyes. Ramon laughed.
"Goodbye, Captain," said Ramon. "I'll make sure you will suffer."

And then, Nicholas didn't feel anything anymore.

He really didn't feel anything.
'Is this death? It feels so peaceful.'

He felt all pressure and burden disappear from his head.

However, there was no pain.

'No, am I really dead?'

Nicholas then tried to open his eyes and he could see the ground.

He still wasn't dead!

'But, why did everything suddenly become dark?'

When Nicholas raised his head, he could finally see it.

A giant figure.

From his current angle, he could only see that creature standing on both legs.

That creature was very large.

Nicholas was quite sure that he wasn't even as big as that creature's toenail.

A figure covered by dark black skin.

When he looked up, Nicholas could finally see the creature's head blocking the sunlight.

"Dragon?"