After a few minutes, Apolo could observe his brother's carriage from the window. Just as the young man expected, Homero's carriage wasn't just practically twice as large as his own, but its appearance was much more lavish. It boasted gold statuettes and excessively flashy gems, following the style of clothing Homero wore; that is, a mishmash of bright colors without adhering to any aesthetic sense.
Noticing the driver had halted the carriage, Apolo proceeded to peek out the window at the sides of the street where his brother's carriage was parked. When he noticed there weren't many people walking in the area, he swiftly opened the door and dashed out with the hand holding the bronze ring hidden in his pocket, as if fearing someone might try to rob him over these few meters. Paying little attention to manners, the young man ignored the guard of his brother's carriage, who was looking at him suspiciously. He had seen an intruder exit another carriage and approach the one he was guarding.
While this picturesque scene unfolded, Homero, who was about to reach his own carriage, observed from a distance with a vindictive smile on his face. He eagerly awaited to see how his carriage guard would respond – he knew the guard wasn't acquainted with his brother's identity.
And indeed, the most obvious thing happened: as Apolo got a few meters from the carriage, the guard jumped on him, throwing him to the ground. Given Apolo's poor physical condition, the guard easily subdued him, trapping the only free hand he had. Apolo wouldn't withdraw the other hand from the safety of his pocket for any reason. Having the miscreant under control, the guard used his body weight to prevent Apolo from escaping his grasp.
—Thief! Thief! Call the town guards!—the carriage guard began shouting angrily, causing the people drinking inside the tavern to become agitated and spill outside to see what was happening.
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On the other hand, Apolo's driver had long since left the carriage to try to find Homero and stop the rampaging guard. However, the driver found that as all this was happening, Homero, still watching from a distance, couldn't stop laughing while rolling around on the ground.
Seeing how much fun Homero was having, the driver understood that Homero had no intention of helping his older brother by explaining the situation to the guard of the carriage. So, he decided to wait for the town guards to resolve the matter.
However, the driver didn't have to wait for that: Apolo's gold ring began to shine. Noticing the glow emanating from his brother's ring, Homero's laughter abruptly ceased. Fearing what was about to happen, he quickly got up while shouting in desperation:
—Stop, you idiot! He's my best guard. Don't kill him!
The guard, who had been pinning Apolo down with his weight, recognized Homero's voice. Worried by his words, he looked in despair at the strange glow emitted by the young man's ring he was holding. Yet, before the figure inscribed on the ring could close his arms to embrace himself, Homero had arrived and forcefully pushed the guard, preventing him from continuing to press his weight against Apolo.
Free from the guard's grip, Apolo managed to stand up, skilled enough not to withdraw the hand hidden in his pocket. He watched cautiously as his brother came to the rescue. Without asking many questions, Apolo ran to his brother's side, placing his back against Homero's as he watched with horror as all the people who had come out of the tavern and the town guards surrounded him with unfriendly looks.
—We're in deep shit here...—Apolo murmured to his brother, exaggerating the situation. He understood that this might be his first and last big battle.
—What the hell are you saying...—Homero commented with an ironic smile at his brother's delirium, recalling with fondness how this was a stance they used to practice during the military training they did as children. However, Homero quickly noticed the gazes of the men surrounding him, and his smile gradually began to fade. Only then did the giant realize that to these strangers, he had helped the thief, not his own carriage guard.