50. Reasons to Protect

"Look at you! Going all out like this is not something I see too often~." Velmira said as she jumped on Garron's shoulders.

"Is our little knight really that important to you?"

Instead of giving an answer, Garron swung his sword at the sky, aiming for the crimson sorceress that was playing with him.

As if she had never been there, Velmira's figure vanished into thin air, making way for Garron's strike to reach for the clouds—clouds that were instantly torn apart, shining light upon the battlefield of two supporting characters of an older story.

Seeing as she couldn't get the man to speak, the sorceress decided to apply some harsher methods. She appeared again behind Garron, and by blowing a kiss, she placed a mark on his wide back.

In vain did the man try to turn her way; his muscles tensed up immediately, and he stood unable to move anything but his head.

"I guess that does it; now I can take care of the rest," Velmira said with a nonchalant attitude.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her!" Garron's voice thundered, melting the snow around his feet.

"Oh? Finally speaking your mind? Then tell me, why would a gladiator like you be set on protecting one single life? What about the many you've taken so far? Seems pretty ironic to me~"

Garron hesitated to answer. No, he didn't have an answer.

"Just because."

There was nothing that placed Averin specifically above his others two partners in Garron's heart. He cared about the girl, but he cared just as much about the rest.

"It's just... that day..."

It was the day Garron visited Veston. He saw a giant dragon at the entrance, but the creature didn't bother him, so the man entered the city with little effort. The surroundings evoked memories of the cages used to hold gladiators. Everyone had given up on changing their fate, and they lay around, withering under the sun that only brought them pain.

"All of them, except one girl."

Wearing black armor that didn't fit and trying to swing a blade that was too big for her hands, there was a young girl doing her best to train herself. The scorching sun almost cooked her alive, and she wobbled on her legs as she barely held on to consciousness.

"She just... She reminded me of someone..."

Garron caught the girl right as she was about to faint, taking off her helmet to see the soft face of a noble young lady. The girl was barely able to speak, yet focused on presenting herself.

"She only told me this: 'Averin, head of Brielle. Please, protect Lord Lucien.'"

The man who spent his life like a plague, taking the lives of everyone who'd crossed his path, was asked to do something he had never before tried. He was asked to protect.

"At least one. I want to protect at least one person, and it sure as hell isn't that vampire."

Upon hearing his motive, Velmira let out a slow sigh. Garron never spoke much, and he kept everything to himself. The sorceress thought the reason was that he didn't have too much to worry about, but she was wrong.

"So that's why... No wonder you felt like another person when you came back to us that day..."

It was rare for the sorceress to feel touched by someone's story, but seeing the giant, who only had two moods, learn to be sentimental made her do the same.

"But I hope you understand, Garron. I've sworn my allegiance for this fight."

"Mhm... as I have sworn mine."

In the same manner but with a lighter heart, the two put on their game faces once again. Yet Garron was still unable to move his body, so he was at a clear disadvantage.

That's when the giant started shaking his head. He shook it so hard that wind currents formed around him, lifting Garron into the air and throwing him in the snow.

The next moment, he moved his arms and pushed himself back up, the mark on his back having been washed away.

"You damn witch! Is this all the effort you would spend on me?" Garron said with a grin on his face.

In response, Velmira winked at him, ready to punish the man for the way he'd called her.

As they clashed once again, vampires started emerging from the ground, but neither of them paid it any mind.

With nothing but his trusty White Conquest in his hands, Garron cut through the unending crimson flames coming his way, countless vampires getting scorched around him as they came out of the snow.

Once he reached the sorceress, he tried to grab her, just for the lady to fly higher into the air, leaving him to swing again, cutting everyone unfortunate enough te be near Velmira at that moment.

It was only when a crimson arrow hit Garron's back that they noticed what was going on around them. The giant looked the way the arrow came from and saw the girl he had sworn to protect as she fought the vampires that were suddenly everywhere.

"I guess I should do the same until the little one makes up her mind then!" he said, looking at the sorceress who was waiting for him to speak.

Also noticing the arrow, Velmira looked Yumino's way. There, the elf who was already busy with another fight took a moment to give her a quick wink.

"I think you won't need to worry about that much longer," Velmira told the giant.

"This better work, Yumino," she continued in a soft voice. "I don't like the thought of having other witches use my body..."

As she spoke, Velmira started glowing in a color uncharacteristic of her but which complemented her dress perfectly. She emanated green light, which soon shone brighter than the sun hidden behind the clouds.

The show only lasted for a short while, and once it came to an end, everyone stood in stupor at the lady who painted the battlefield.

Yet it only took a second for things to start moving again, and they moved in the most unexpected way.

"What's this about..." Lucien asked from the other side of the battlefield, looking in a daze at how his minions started fighting one against the other.

"I've told you!" Gavin spoke, readying himself for another round.

"You only have one left!"