WILLIAM CATCHES UP WITH THE THREE THUGS WITHIN MINUTES. THEY ARE ENGROSSED IN THEIR DUEL. THUG 1 AND THUG 2 ARE TWENTY PACES APART, HANDS INCHES FROM THEIR HOLSTERS. AND THUG 3 WATCHES WITH AN AMUSED GRIN, SIPPING AT A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY.

Thug 3 happens to hear William’s feet smacking against the dry ground. He “Uhhh”s for several second. Long enough for Edlic Jiza to aim at him, and fire a holy bolt. It pierces through his throat and fades away like a bloody white star fading away in the night air.

The two remaining thugs turn to William’s charging form with confusion. They look between one another for a moment, then turn and open fire on William with their revolvers.

Bullets fly past William as he fires a shot at Thug 1. It hits him square in the chest, and he falls to a knee.

Then a bullet hits William in the shoulder, and he cries out in pain. Then a white light explodes from his wound, and William feels the flame burn away the pain. He is not allowed to watch his wound heal thanks to Edlic Jiza’s flames. He is compelled to keep firing upon the remaining thug.

They exchange gunfire for a few moments longer. A bullet smacks into William’s strange arm, and it hurts. But the bullet doesn’t pierce through. It’s crushed against the side, like a small metal can.

A holy bolt blows the thug’s right arm clean off. He yells in pain, and tries to flee. Clutching his scorched stump as he runs.

William holds his revolver by his hip, and fans the hammer. Six bolts fly out rapidly, and shreds the thug’s chest. Leaving behind a bloody mess that falls to the ground with a meaty thud.

William sees the life leaving that thug’s body, and then watches the red mist that surrounded him become pure white. Then Edlic Jiza breathes in through William, and sucks in this white mist from all the thugs.

William sees the image of the tumbleweed’s flames growing higher and brighter than before.

“Ahhhh, that felt good. And there’s more waiting for me.” Edlic Jiza says happily.

William becomes incredibly nervous when he hears that.

“You’ve had enough, we should go back and rest.” William says hesitantly.

The flames make William stiffen. And he feels cold fear when he hears Edlic Jiza laugh.

“No, there is more work to be done. We are returning to town and killing more of these bandits.” Edlic Jiza says with eager bloodlust.

William is compelled to turn around and begin sprinting back to town. William becomes anxious with each step. William tries to slow himself down, but he is locked inside his own wild body.

“Quit struggling William, this is necessary. Their time of judgment is now.” Edlic Jiza says happily.

“What about my family? We can’t just shoot up a town. You’re gonna get me killed before I get my justice.” William says angrily.

The flames burn tightly around William’s throat.

“Your justice will come eventually. But for now, there are sinners right here in front of me. And justice demands I spill their blood on the ground.” Edlic Jiza growls angrily.

They reach the town within minutes. It’s late into the night, and it is wild with drunken men. William runs past a fight outside as he heads for their target.

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The Sweet Mary Ann Salon. A three story tall, black building of sin and debauchery. Prostitutes in dresses with exposed cleavage flirt and seduce drunken gunslingers. The men brag and intimidate one another with their sins. And a bartender supplies them with booze behind a very shiny and nice oak counter.

William slides to a stop outside the bar. Edlic Jiza whistles with ironic amusement.

“An absolute den of sin and chaos. What is the appeal, William?” Edlic Jiza says happily.

“Ummm, well I like the piano and whiskey myself. But I don’t know if this place has a good piano player.” William says nervously.

“Ah, we’ll get you a shot then. So you’ll shut up about what’s gonna happen next.” Edlic Jiza says happily.

The men fighting eye William with mild concern as he appears to talk to himself. One man sucker punches the other while he isn’t looking, and their fight continues in earnest.

William is compelled to push open the saloon doors with a big grin on his face. He approaches the bartender holding up two fingers.

“Two shots of your finest whiskey.” Edlic Jiza says through William’s mouth happily.

The bartender pulls out two shot glasses and expertly pours the whiskey in the glasses. Edlic Jiza smiles and takes the first shot.

“Ahhh, one for me.” he whispers happily. “Your turn, William.”

William stares cautiously at the shot. A thought crosses his mind, and Edlic Jiza chuckles quietly.

“I’m going to start shooting regardless. You should just get drunk and enjoy the show.” Edlic Jiza whispers with cold confidence.

William sighs, and drinks the shot. He places it softly on the counter. He takes a deep breath.

And Edlic Jiza makes William conjure the revolver, and fire it at the bartender. The bartender flies back, smacking against the shelf of liquor behind him. Edlic Jiza reaches over and grabs a bottle of whiskey off the shelf.

“Edward Taylor. You have two grand sins. One is Lust, whoring out these young women for the benefit of thugs.” Edlic Jiza says with cold dramatics.

Edlic Jiza fires another shot into the bartender’s skull. The top of his held melts, and the liquor around it explodes.

“Your second sin is Greed, using the blood money of these thugs for your gain.” he continues with cold dramatics.

The women begin to scream and run out the bar. The men aim their guns at William. And a drunken Sheriff in a brown jacket, red shirt, black pants, and brown cowboy boots with spurs presses a revolver into William’s back.

“You’re under arrest, you fucking maniac. Put the gun down or I’ll fill you with lead.” the Sheriff says angrily.

Edlic Jiza smirks smugly, and makes William spin around, swinging the back of his fist into the sheriff’s face. The Sheriff is smacked aside several feet, crashing into a full table of drinks and cards. He knocks the table over entirely, much to the dismay of the men. Four men in all black, two having revolvers, one a shotgun, and one a repeating rifle.

The one with the rifle looks down at the sheriff.

“Mind if we kill this fuck? It’s not like we have a town jail anyway.” he asks annoyedly.

The Sheriff looks up, and thinks about it.

“Fuck it, he’s dying one way or another anyway.” the Sheriff says calmly.

The Sheriff gets up and steps away from William. He aims his revolver at him and yells at the crowd.

“Alright, let’s light this crazy fuck up!” the Sheriff yells angrily. “Don’t worry about going to jail, I’m taking responsibility for this!”

Edlic Jiza laughs confidently at the crowd. William feels an influx of power coming his way. He sees red mist around almost every body in the bar. And Edlic Jiza is breathing it in like it’s a drug. William feels Edlic Jiza becoming stronger.

Suddenly a second revolver appears in William’s right hand. It’s heavier, and soon the other revolver gains weight as well. William is barely allowed a glance at his revolvers. They’ve become solid, made of bright white metal. The hammer is sculpted to resemble a wing, and so is the trigger. And there is half a black scale on the handle of the left revolver, and half a white scale on the right revolver’s handle.

Then William is compelled to start firing at the crowd, and they retaliate with their own barrage. Bullets crash into William’s body, but he’s grown a holy aura around him. These bullets melt the bullets as they try hurting him.

His holy bolts have grown considerably in power as well. Each bolt now blows a foot wide hole in their targets, killing them almost instantly. And each kill only makes Edlic Jiza stronger.

Within seconds, the first barrage was over. And the town was running out the bar.

“Where you going, you bastards!?” Edlic Jiza yells angrily through William’s mouth.

William is compelled to chase them out the bar, and fire upon the escaping sinners. He does not enjoy this bloodshed, but-

“I feel unable to stop this. My justice comes second to his madness.” William thinks sadly.

“Shut up William! Quit crying about your pathetic pain, and focus on what’s important! Purging the world of sin! It makes the world better! There won’t ever be another family that ends up like yours if you just do what I say!” Edlic Jiza yells angrily.

The flames coil tighter around William’s body, and compels him to keep firing. The townspeople cower in their homes as a holy war has erupted outside their homes.

“Enough! Lay down your weapons and kneel!” a booming voice commands with firm determination.