The Prince's Ultimatum

Bells rang around the town the next morning.

Kyle ran out of his cottage, fearing the worst. He rounded the cottage and saw them on the horizon. The magical armors were lined up on the outskirts of town by the main road, flashing a golden light for a brief moment before beams arced in the sky and bore down on his little village.

Explosions of fire and gold erupted where the beams landed, blowing up houses and creating craters dotting the landside. Kyle’s fellow peasants ran in terror; they had never seen such a display and did not understand what had happened.

“Form up,” Kyle shouted at them, watching Abagail, Kari, Fiona, and Meredith rush out of the cottage. He lifted his sniper wand, trying to command everyone’s attention. “Form up! Today’s the day, just like we practiced! Move, move!”

One of the golden beams arced towards Kyle and fell just short. In a flash of gold, the home that Kyle had lived in as long as he could remember this life was torn asunder. Debris flew towards him, deflected by a quick cast of spells from Kari.

Kyle stood there, unmoving. His home. His home was gone. All he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears, all he could feel was his body being pulled in a direction.

“My home,” he muttered weakly. “My home!”

“I know!” called Abagail, helping him move. “We’ll have plenty to time to build a new home. But I need you to stay with me!”

Just as quickly as the bombardment started, it ended. Throngs of knights crossed in front of the armors, with one horse riding out in front of the others.

Kyle numbly pulled out his sniper wand to get a better look at the rider sallying forth. It was none other than Prince Demerius himself, in full plated armor and sitting away from his men. He looked like he was waiting.

When he told everyone what he saw, Kari guess that he intended to parley with him – negotiate terms.

It would be so easy to kill him where he sat. End it all before it began. Maybe their fearless leader's sudden demise would scare them away.

“Think of all the lives you’d save,” said Peasant Kyle.

Office Kyle disagreed. “Think of the martyr you’ll make.”

Real Kyle kept his wand trained on Demerius. The longer he aimed at the Prince the more he realized what he really wanted.

He did not want Demerius to die. That would be too easy. He wanted him to lose, to know he’d lost and to let everyone see the magnitude of it.

Then he wanted the Prince to have a long life and live with the disgrace.

----

In the heavens, two gods met to see the battle soon to be met below.

On one side, there stood a woman with red hair. Her outfit of two mismatching coats was held in place by four belts of different sizes and colors. The combat boots she wore were held together with buckles, resembling something like military gear.

On the other was an older man in regal attire. His hands were pure gold, fingers gently commanding an apple to his mouth for him to take a bite from. A heavy golden crown adorned with every jewel imaginable rested half cocked on his head.

“Metis,” the older man smiled. “I wasn’t sure if I’d find you. How did you have so much difficulty finding a champion?”

Metis winked, pulling a piece of candy from one of her coats’ many pockets. “It’s easy to give a mortal favor, Midas. It’s harder to find one you trust. A mistake you’ve seen many make.”

Midas grinned, every tooth in his perfect mouth sparkling gold. “I chose my champion well. It’s not my fault the others chose poorly. Are you sure you didn’t do the same?”

The gods watched Kyle ride out alone on horseback to meet the Prince.

“You chose a mere peasant,” Midas chided. “One with no gold, no title, no trade. I saw the mortal you paired with him as well – he’s milquetoast. Average and unexciting in every way. He lived from paycheck to paycheck, for my sake! What could you see in him that I couldn’t?”

Metis chewed on more candy without missing a beat. “A man with nothing has acquired the loyalty of those around him, the affection of those who would never pay him mind in his past life, and the strength to stand in the face of certain defeat. And you see nothing?”

Midas considered her words for all of a moment. “All I see is a waste of space.”

“And that is why my champion will live.”

-----

Kyle stood across from Demerius, the two remaining on their horses. Kyle had not bothered to wear armor yet, only having the sniper wand tied to his back with a leather strap.

Demerius sneered at Kyle, berating him for his actions. “You’ve cost me a lot of time,” he warned. “You've stolen much from me. My taxes, my land. My fiancé.”

“You did the last one to yourself,” spat Kyle. “When you lied to my face. Why would I ever trust a deal you offer again?”

“It’s a small mercy,” Demerius intoned. “I’m willing to let everyone live. Be sworn to a new lord in another land. All it will take is for you to submit to the realm’s justice.”

Kyle got to the point. “You mean, submit to my own execution.”

“Yes,” Demerius agreed. “You sacrifice yourself so others may live. Does that remind you of someone from our world?” The mockery in his voice was unshakeable. “If you insist on playing out this futile gesture, I will order my armors to continue firing on your village until there is nothing and no one left.”

Kyle looked at the armors behind Demerius. There were two dozen of them, each sitting there with their rubies aimed towards the village.

They were also unmanned.

Kyle grit his teeth and straightened himself on the horse. “You’re bluffing. I don’t think you’ve got enough energy in those things to do it.”

“You don’t think I will?” laughed Demerius.

“You will try,” nodded Kyle. “I think you’ll fire everything you have left. You’ll score some hits. But I’ve built the kinds of batteries you’re using to power those things. I know you can’t have much left in the tank and you’d rather use that power to throw it against us up close.”

Demerius’s eye twitched. Kyle had guessed right; the Prince was trying to intimidate him. ”You’ll lose,” he warned. “You’d say the same even if I promised you your life? Or if I could return you to your previous one?”

Kyle turned to leave. “I already lived that life. I know how it ends.”