A challenge: Hero Vs Vagrant

He dropped from the rafters almost in slow motion. And when he landed, it sounded like a shotgun. The shockwave alone kicked up the dust beneath his feet, covering him in a thick miasma, only his eyes shined through.

When the dust settled he was…

On his… he was on his face? It was as if he’d just decided on a whim, after such a badass entrance to just mimic a scorpion for no good reason. The dust was completely gone now and the guards, Queen and the heroes were just stood there looking at him bewildered.

“Ow… Well that sucked” He gasped. “I think I broke something… someone call a medic!”

“Too many movies for you mr/mrs writer…” Arata noted.

The fear and mystique of him had well and truly vanished. Feeling now was as good a chance as any, the Queen ordered her men forward, and three of them stood over this lunatic with spears at his throat. “Täter the Scourge.” The queen growled. “You are under arrest. You will tell me the location of my daughter, Princess Plotgerät, and order your men to stand down. You will also disband your wretched band of thugs known as Mühelos, you will all be trialed for your wrongdoings and be punished accordingly. Am I clear?”

He still hadn’t un-scorpioned himself however his face had contorted to form a twisted grin, his fangs bared. “Crystal, your majesty. However, if you don’t mind me asking… how will you enforce such an order?” His words were playful, it ticked off Queen Anna and she gave the order to her men. Each one of them lunged forward with their spears. The way to trap such a man was to block off his escape, make him fear death but, the Scourge feared no such end.

Her men stopped prematurely, confusing the Queen and the Heroes. “Continue the arrest!” She ordered, “What are you doing?!” She stepped forth, pulling the shoulder of the guard closest to her but it was then that she could see the issue.

His spear, along with the other two of her guards, were bent at the tip. No matter how many more times they tried to jab down, no matter how hard they pressed their spears would just stop suddenly. The Scourge cackled to himself, watching these royal guards fail to startle him and his grin grew larger. The Queen snapped, “Heathen!” She bellowed. “He wields the dark arts!”

“Dark Arts?” Arata noticed. Without really paying much attention, he’d gone through the entire day in a fantasy world, and yet no magic besides his own had he seen. Sure, Leona’s beast form could be something similar, but, you’d expect it to be plentiful, yet, the Queen made it sound so, evil…

Regardless, he knew he had to act. Summoning another blade, this one drawn on the iron bars of the gate, able to keep its shape. Leona too readied herself, reactivating her feral form. The guards continued to press against this invisible wall in vain and Täter had seemingly grown tired of their wasted efforts. “Time to go” he mumbled. Suddenly, the guards were launched away. The barrier blocking their attacks pushed them back. Both Leona and Arata were the next to attack, Arata’s sword clashed with another blockade but Leona’s punch went straight through him. Unfortunately it was more than just her fist, he’d managed to nimbly avoid her attack, his movement subtle enough to trick the eye. His arms extended out between himself and the two heroes facing him, calm and chipper despite being swarmed by enemies.

“Hero Reinhardt.” He called. “I’ve heard so much about you, I must say I’m a bit disappointed.” Leona growled at him, like a lion watching a young child beyond the glass. He didn’t care, he wasn’t threatened in the slightest. “I have your precious Princess, she’s in my personal quarters at our home. Past the city and beyond the rolling hills you will find a bar called Versteck, come find me.” It was as if he was boasting, swaggering around, practically dancing on the spot. He was surrounded, and though his magic kept him safe, there was no way he could escape, surely.

His gaze drifted to the Queen, seeing her anger made him smile even more. “My apologies my Queen. I do hope you will forgive me.” She made no attempts to reply, there weren’t words fitting of a lady to say. “I hope that when this is over you will see the good in my actions.”

“Why would I ever do such a thing, monster? You attack my staff, break into my home, put my husband into a coma, and you steal my only daughter! So tell me, what good could possibly come of your evil?!”

His smile strangely disappeared, his playfulness was gone and replaced with an air of seriousness. “I am in love with the Princess.” Silence followed his words. “She does not feel the same as me, but every word I wrote in my letters was heartfelt.”

“Bit creepy.” Arata interrupted, unintentionally however. He looked panicked when Täter looked his way. “Sorry, it’s just, y’know. You know she isn’t interested, so you kidnap her?”

“I captured her.” He snapped. “Kings of old would take a wife by first stealing her from her home and swoon her.” He returned his words to the Queen who looked disgusted. “I am merely following tradition, am I not?” His arms opened wide and that smirk returned. Queen Anna felt like stealing a blade from her guards and poking enough holes in him to look like a blood sprinkler. But that barrier would stop her, she knew that, she cursed that and Täter noticed smiling all the more. “I’m afraid however, my love may have eyes for another. I am unaware of exactly with whom…” His eyes wandered back to Arata, a threatening look but Arata just looked behind him for who this so-called man was, seeing no one there.

“So, I challenge every man…” Now looking at Leona, “And woman here. Try to take her back. If your love is stronger than mine, you will find her. If it does not equal mine… you will be cut down, and I will take her hand.”

The light in the streets started to darken, a long day had started to come to an end and The Scourge decided now to make his escape. His invisible barrier flew up from under him, lifting him up onto the roof he had dropped from. “I will have her approval overmorrow. You have until then to face me.” The guards around tried firing arrows, thinking that because he had just used the barrier below him he could not use it again in such quick succession, however they deflected just the same. His smirk was all they could see in the dark. “I look forward to when I return here, as heir to the throne.”

He lifted into the air once more, and flew across the sky towards the horizon. What seemed like a certain arrest and win for the heroes, ended with their enemy escaping with ease. It grew ever so quiet in that courtyard.

*-*-*

The orange of sunset fell to a black of night. Rolling hills in the distance flattened as they approached a small fort. Inside, a hundred thugs making merry. The wooden floor was soaked with fire water, songs rattled off the walls and chairs slammed into flesh.

Täter landed just outside the entrance, with his men taking his jacket and keeping the door open for him.

“Welcome back, sir” One of them said, he was tall as a mountain, strong as one they said. Even still the Scourge ignored him and moved on. “Drink tonight, my friends. But tomorrow, prepare yourselves for the next rising sun… war is coming.”

He continued further inside, until the rowdy ruckus silenced and only he remained. Now the sounds were of chains clashing and a low, quiet growl. The red eyes watched him as he walked past and smirked at it. He was in his quarters now, taking a seat with an apple in his left and a knife in the other. “I will make you love me… Princess.”

There she sat, gagged and tied to a wooden chair, glaring at her captor. Her will resisted.