Chapter Twenty Two: A single shot

We arrived at the center of the city to find two elves shoving and harassing our citizens. They were belittling everyone as everyone gathered around them. The elves were dressed in elegant-looking clothing as well as ornate silver armor. They were both tall, with long light blue hair and pointed ears. I've heard that elves maintain a youthful appearance despite them living very long lives, so it's hard to determine their age just by looks.

I walked over to them. "Why are you here, elves?" They looked at me and gave proud grins. "Oh, look what we got here, if it isn't the terrible attempt at being nobles. I've heard that the foolish king is struggling to deal with you lot, so we came to see what all the commotion is about. But it seems we only found weaklings feebly clinging to life."

Arrogant much. I know I should be cautious of them, since I don't know what their magic is capable of, but their attitude is starting to annoy me. "Yes, we cling to life, much like you cling to your ego." The elves' smiles vanished and immediately turned to anger. "You dare talk down to me! I am an elf little Human! You need to know your place!"

The elf took a step forward, but Kate quickly jumped between us. "I will never allow you to hurt my lady!" Kate shouted. Her tail and ears were standing straight up. She was only a little shorter than the elf, and her menacing stare was enough to make the elf back up a little. "Dumb beast. Human, you should learn to keep your pets on a leash."

"What did you say, pointy-eared freak!" Kate shouted. She was readying her fist to hit him, but I grabbed her arm and shook my head. "Elf, I think you need to know your place. Look around you; no one here is afraid of you, and everyone here is willing to die to protect this city. Isn't that right, everyone!" The elf looked around, noticing the crowd was growing in size.

Everyone in the crowd started shouting at the elves. "Go home, elf!" "Were not scared of some pointy ears!" "This is our home!" The crowd started to circle them, causing the elves to take a back-to-back defensive stance. The elf clicked his tongue. "Foolish human, do you think you can take us!" He grabbed his staff. The staff began to glow, and with a pop, fire erupted from its tip.

The crowd backed up and stopped shouting. "You see, Human, you can't compete with us elves! You're nothing but a bunch of farmers that exist to work for us!" I see, so this was about the food shipments. Too bad, they're never going to get any more. "Oh, so the mighty elves can't even grow their own food. How sad," Mary chimed in. "Why you..." "She's right, you elves can't even pay for goods. You simply just take from merchants much like uncivilized bandits." Miss Evergreen also chimed in.

The crowd started to laugh as their fear faded, and they began to chime in. "Yeah, those pointy ears could easily till the ground." "What, your great magic can't summon water?" I could tell the elf's anger was starting to boil. Well, they don't feel so high and mighty once they get a taste of their own medicine. However, the elf couldn't handle his pride being shattered and started channeling more magic to his staff.

The staff began to glow more, and then he pointed at Miss Evergreen. I saw a large blast of fire from the staff as a ball of fire came at Miss Evergreen. Without hesitation, Godfrey jumped in front of her as Leon tackled her to the ground. The fireball is Godfrey, and he flew several feet. He hit the ground and didn't move.

"Dad!" Leon shouted. A wave of guilt hit me like a ton of bricks, and the memory of losing my own father hit me again. "See, Humans, you have no place to mock us." I could no longer control my anger. I have failed these people again, and more importantly, my actions may have caused someone to die. Am I destined to see everyone I care about die all over again?

No, this cycle ends today. If I have to become that monster again to save these people... These people who gave me a chance to feel again. Then so be it! I grabbed the pistol from my belt and pointed it at the elf. "Kate, cover your ears." She turned to look at me and then noticed what I was doing, covering her ears, and moved aside. The pistol was a smooth bore, and I had never tested it before, but we were only a few feet apart. I only have one shot, so I'd better not miss.

The world slowed nearly to a halt as I aimed for the elf. In the end, killing is all I'm good for. No matter how much I want to change, I will always end up here. If I'm destined to be an Angel of Death, then I have no choice but to accept it. After all, I'm doing this for...

My name is Kate. Lenka, is it true that you want to rebuild the city? Do you really need someone like me? I got to thinking if there is one person in this world who can change it, then that person would be you. You always treat me well; as a result, I'm now living a wonderful life because of you. Now, now, there's no need for sorry. Just do better in the future. That's why you need to give everyone the hope and will to fight back against the cruelty of this world. Just like... Just like you've done for me. ... you are helping build a better city for everyone...

Their words flood me with a whirlwind of emotions. That's right, I'm no longer doing this for myself. I'm doing this for them! I squeezed the trigger, and the hammer fell. Sparks shot around, and there was a brief pause. Then a loud bang echoed, and a cloud of smoke filled my vision. When the smoke cleared, the elf was on the ground, bleeding from his head.

The elf turned around and looked at his fallen friend. "Sir?" He reached down to him and finally realized that he had died. Everyone in the crowd was stunned and frozen in place. I walked up to the other elf and pointed the pistol at him, and reset the hammer. "Elf, take your dead friend's corpse back home with you and let everyone know we are none bowing." He looked at me with anger and fear. "You and the kingdom of Humanity will pay for this!"

I took another step closer. "That's the thing. Starting today! This city and its people will no longer be part of the kingdom of Humanity! From this day onward, we'll be known as the Phoenix Kingdom! For we burn this rotten world down, and from its ashes we will RISE! There was a deafening silence, then Kate joined in.

"Yes! We will RISE against any challenge!" "We will RISE against the ignorance of this world!" Miss Evergreen yelled. "We will RISE against the corrupted nobles!" Mary yelled. "We will RISE against any enemies! Leon yelled through his tears. Then everyone in the crowd started chanting. "RISE! RISE! RISE!"

The elf's face turned to fear as he looked around at the crowd chanting. He quickly used some magic to make his friend slightly float, then grabbed him and ran off. After he left, we all ran over to Godfrey. He wasn't looking too good. There was a significant burn mark on his chest and neck. It seems like the chestplate blocked some of it, but his neck was still burned pretty badly.

I reached down and noticed that he was still breathing, so he wasn't dead, or at least not yet. He opened his eyes and looked around at us. He reached his hand towards me, and I grabbed his hand. "Lenka, promise me you will save this world and its people," Godfrey said in a faint, painful voice. "I promise."

He then looked over at Leon. "Leon, promise me that you will protect everyone, and more importantly, protect Lenka." "I will," Leon said, holding back more tears. "Thank you. Build this city into something that's more... than... just... a home... With that, his grip softened, and he closed his eyes for the last time.

I wasn't aware of it at the time, but that single shot, that single act of defiance. Was heard around the world, and it ignited a spark that would start all of the wars that followed. I can't deny my part in all of the death and destruction that soon followed, but after all, I am the Angel of Death. The last thing people see before they die, and the one that set this world ablaze. But, even in this world's ashes, a new world will rise.