Silver fired his first shot and hit the officer on the head, but his skin turned metal and deflected the bullet into the wall. The officer fell back as he tried to fire his shot but missed within inches of Silver's head.

No man was faster than Silver was when it came to a duel. He had never lost in a duel before besides that one time.

Silver looked down and kicked the chair, which slid across the floor and knocked the officer down to one knee. Silver then took the officer's head and thrashed him down on the table, breaking the wood.

Silver turned and saw Flemonia shaking with a horror mark on her face. He scowled at her and darted his hand at the door. "Hell out of here!"

Flemonia stumbled back as Emma took her on the shoulder and led her out of the tavern as the crowd shouted for cover.

Silver turned to watch the officer teeter with his movement as he shook his right arm. In an instant, a thin blade slid out over his arm like a retractable blade, and he knew. "Hell, man! I knew there was something wrong with you from the start. Duke did not send some normal officers."

Silver circled around the man as he stared at his hidden blade that ran across his arm. “You were no officer from the start. Enforcer with their blasted hidden blade.” Silver could hear more officers from outside.

The sound of gunfire echoed across the street. “Damn it, Flemonia.” You idiot.

Silver hesitated, slid his firearm back into his cloak and fell into his stance. It had been at least a decade since he had fought like this. His muscles hardened like stone as he tried to relax his back.

Silver couldn't ease his muscles, not like this.

He didn't like the thought of this, the idea of an enforcer working with Duke Winston. The Enforcer was established and affiliated with the World Order for over two centuries. "Why does Winston want Flemonia?”

The Enforcer made no comment and swished his hidden blade before his face. Silver shifted back and dashed forth—

The Enforcer recovered from his attack and executed a follow-through stroke at him. Silver raised his left arm and activated his metal. The blade slammed on his arm, and a loud clunk burst through his ear.

Silver kicked him back as he held his left ear tight. He cursed as he felt his ear bleeding as his arm was shaken from the devastating hit. It was like someone hitting a bell over his head.

This man was skilled with the blade. He felt his heart beating fast as he unrolled the steel scarves on his arms. The scarves were etched with a thin wire of metal with a needle.

The Enforcer clenched his hand into a fist and scowled. "Zassia?"

Silver controlled Zassia without having to touch it as it levitated around his neck. He felt the scarf rub down on his neck like a stiff hardened handcloth. The more it rubbed his skin, the more it felt like his skin burned. It was a weird but nice sensation.

The Enforcer dashed forward with his blade raised at him. Silver flickered his hand, and Zassia struck at his chest with a fast—terse attack, like a lightning eel. He hit him a few more times in fast succession.

The Enforcer winced and fended him off with a broad, swinging attack to counter Silver. "You should never have Zassia."

Silver looked at the clock on the wall and took notice of the time. He was fighting for too long. Reinforcements would soon come.

The Enforcer came and swung down his blade at his head. Silver ducked and sent out Zassia to latch onto the blade. The Enforcer frowned as he tried to move his arm, but his hidden blade wouldn't move an inch.

Silver activated his arm into metal and slammed his fist at the blade. The thin blade was cracked into two. Silver cursed and called back his scarf to cover his face as he saw the Enforcer throw his fist at him.

The steel scarf reacted fast enough to cover his face as he felt the man land a solid hit to the side of his head.

Silver fell back but held firm to his feet. He bellowed and threw himself into the Enforcer. He rammed his shoulder and shoved the Enforcer over the bar counter, then summoned fire on his hand and tossed it.

The bar counter went in flames as the Enforcer vaulted over the counter to roll the flame off of his uniform. He rose and flickered his finger. Silver turned and dodged the blade—he broke before—returning to his owner.

The broken blade hovered above the Enforcer's head. He threw his hand at Silver, and the blade followed. Silver frowned and dodged the blade that flew overhead and into the wooden beam behind him.

The Enforcer breathed as he seized his finger, and the blade cut loose from the beam and sliced Silver's flesh. He winced and held his arm as he ducked for the blade that was coming for him.

He continued to dance around the blade until he was back in the corner. The Enforcer took the broken blade in his hand and threw it at him.

Silver shifted his head as the blade hit the wall beside him. Silver activated his arm once more and threw his fist at the blade. The blade dug itself inches into the wall, making it stuck.

Silver turned back, released Zassia off his head, and flung it at him. The scarf swirled and wrapped around his neck and the beam behind him. The Enforcer clutched onto the scarf and tried to break free.

The scarf wrapped around the Enforcer's neck, tightening, choking him.

Silver tightened his fist as he walked closer to the Enforcer. He watched as his foe coughed. His skin turned reddish, then blue to his mouth. The Enforcer tried to recall his blade from the wall, but it wouldn't break free.

The Enforcer struggled to fight against his scarf. He watched Silver with hatred until his vision became dull and died.

Silver retrieved Zassia back onto his arms and turned around. Hatred. He knew he made a lot of enemies for his brutal act.

He dashed out into the street as the crowd was screaming and running in random directions. He could hear and see the officer firing at the civilians. Silver shoved them aside and shouted. "Flemonia!" He ducked down as he heard someone fire their gun close.

Silver cursed and distanced himself from the noise. "Flemonia!" He turned and saw a blond woman in a white, bloodstained dress. He ran and found her and Emma between the houses with their own firearms. "Come!" He shouted.

He needed his stuff.

Silver ran to his blacksmith and broke the lock loose. "In! Now!" He shoved Flemonia and Emma inside. He shut the door tight, leaving his room in darkness. "Don't make a sound." He hushed Flemonia.

Silver frowned in the dark as he found a chair and brought it with him. He moved it and stood on the chair to snatch his sword from the wall. He touched the scabbard with reminiscence and slid his sword to his side.

Silver fell off his chair, walked behind the counter and held his Beggar Gun in his hand. It was an old one-shooter but had the most engraving done among the other firearms.

There was more wood than metal as it was light enough to hold for a faster draw against the enemies.

He rubbed his thumb on the flint made of blue metal, he did not know its name as it was man-made and lost to time.

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He slid his Beggar Gun in his cloak then dug out a chart of Borofall and unrolled it onto the table. He turned and said. "Emma and Flemonia. Come here." He took the smallest candle and lit it.

He hovered over his candle as he rubbed his hand, the dust off the map. "Flemonia and Emma. If we are separated for some reason, here is the plan." He stabbed his finger on the map. "Here is where we are right now." He slid his finger north. "We will get horses here and move north since it is near the forest—"

Flemonia intervened, knocked his finger to the side, and looked down. She frowned and looked at Silver. "What is this? Borofall doesn't look like this."

Silver muttered in curses and slammed his hand. "What is it now? We don't have time, Flemonia."

Flemonia rolled the map and saw the date. "This map is over three decades old! It is outdated. Don't you have the recent one?"

Silver fell silent as he rubbed his face in disbelief. “Well…shit…I didn't think much about that shit. So Flemonia, where is the nearest forest then? We will use this map as a reference."

Flemonia scanned the map and shook her head. "I don't know. Emma?"

Emma sighed, turned the map, and began to rub her finger on the table. "Here. To the west, where there is barely any civilization. It is no forest, but it is better than nothing, and the further west we go, the further we reach the forest."

Silver nodded. "Well done. We will get the horse over here," he tapped his finger on the map, "and flee the scene to the west."

Before Flemonia could talk. Silver blew the flame out and shut her mouth as three more officers lingered in front of his store. He lowered Flemonia and Emma down behind the counter as he did the same.

He knelt down and took a blunderbuss in his hidden counter. Silver looked at Flemonia as she looked back with her brow raised at him. "I thought this was a blacksmith, not a gunsmith?" She whispered.

Silver carried his blunderbuss on his back. "Blacksmiths don't make much in this damn blasted nation—"

He heard the door click and fell silent. He shut Flemonia with his hand and listened as he saw a shadow behind Flemonia.

For a second, he saw a rifle around the corner for Flemonia's head.

Silver rose fast with his Beggar Gun, and a flash of light lit the room as he shot the officer in the head without hesitation. "Out to the back room! I will meet you at the stable." He shouted as he slid his Beggar Gun back in and took out his revolver to continue firing at the officers.

Flemonia and Emma ran to the back room as Silver continued to fire at them and ducked to reload. He saw the shadow beside the counter. He whipped out his blunderbuss from on his back and fired at his feet.

Silver returned to reloading his blunderbuss and ducked further down as a hail of bullets shattered his counter. He turned to dive into the back room and leaned on the door frame.

Silver turned and fired his revolver in the darkness. He missed but saw one of the officers. He then took his blunderbuss and fired.

The window shattered onto the floor as the officer screamed and retaliated with more force by shooting back recklessly. Silver frowned, lit a small fire on his hand, and tossed it into the room to reveal the two officers.

Silver reacted fast and fired the injured one. He killed one of them as the last officer tried to duck for cover and fired back. Silver twisted his shoulder to dodge as a bullet made a hole in his cloak and fired back.

The officer took a bullet to the head.

Silver sighed as he looked at his blacksmith. It was in ruin. He cursed and snapped his fingers to disperse the ball of flame. He stumbled forward while he reloaded his firearms and out of the blacksmith's back door.

Silver headed for the stable but stopped as he heard a fire shot in the distance, followed by more. He listened to the scream of a child but fell silent when he heard a shot. The street was quiet.

He ran as he saw dead bodies in the street. The smell made him feel sick. Silver felt cold and hid behind a wall as he saw Officers and Enforcers. He noticed one of the dead bodies on the wall. This man was filled with bullets.

Wait. Silver saw more bodies in the distance. Hell. What the hell was this? He saw the bodies scattered in the street. This location used to be the slum that was littered with shit. But this wasn't it.

This area was now worse than hell. Whatever the word was, it was worse than hell would ever be. Silver knew…

He knew this slum was no more.

This area was a dead zone to find Flemonia, and they will soon discovered Vald Break.

He turned around and wandered to find Flemonia hidden in the stable. He fastened his feet and walked in. There, he saw Flemonia lowered down in fear in the corner. "Come." Silver took Flemonia's hand and felt her tremble as he heard another shot fire outside the stable.

Flemonia screamed as she heard the gunfire from outside. She looked at Silver with her face covered in tears.

Emma sighed. "She's been like this ever since she saw a child die a few minutes ago."

Silver noticed Flemonia's cloak was covered in blood. He lowered down and touched her shoulder. "Do not fret, Flemonia. You hired me, and for that reason. You will not bleed. You will not be in such distress. Because that is for me to bear that burden. I will protect you until the end of our contract."

Flemonia covered her face in her cloak and then nodded. Silver let out a faint old smile. "Come on then. We don't have much time left." He turned and mounted a horse as he heard officers nearing the stable.

He took Flemonia's hand and mounted her in front. He turned to see Emma on a horse. "You know how to ride one?"

Emma scowled and leaned forward. "Shut it, Silver. I'm not a weak, useless woman." She turned the horse in front of the door.

Silver raised his brow at Emma. She was one weird woman, for sure. It was strange how she was able to remain calm. He assumed this was not her first time dealing with a tense situation. "Alright. Are you ready? We do it easy and fast. You go first, Emma, and I will protect your rear side."

Emma nodded and moved her rein for the horse to move. She burst out of the door, and Silver followed her behind. Silver turned as he saw officers shouting from a distance. He looked back forward and followed Emma.

It didn't take much as one of the officers was on the roof and readied his rifle at Emma. Silver raised his Beggar Gun at him and fired.

The officer was hit in the chest and fell. Silver reloaded his flintlock as he smelled smoke from above. He looked and saw a smoke stream trailing over their heads. It was an old train filled with officers.

He barked at Emma. "Be careful from above!"

Emma looked above her and moved faster. "God's Blood. I can't believe Duke Winston would send a force for one woman. One!"

Silver trailed behind her as he touched Flemonia on the side. "Are you alright?"

Flemonia turned and nodded. "Well enough."

Silver didn't talk as his senses alerted him. He looked above him as an officer's hand flashed blue in the distance. He felt the officer's ethern strengthen from his hand and shouted at Emma. "Move to the left and continue forward." Emma did as Silver commanded.

"Flemonia! You know how to use the rein?"

"A little—"

"Wonderful! Take over while I deal with our friend over here." He handed her the reins and twisted his body around to see the flash of blue glowing brighter than ever, like a falling star in the night.

Silver frowned as he flicked his hand at one of the metal poles nearby. He gripped his hand in the air, and the pole tore off the ground.

Silver flexed his muscles as he enhanced it further with ethern.

The officer stood on one of the train cabs. Silver screamed when he saw the cab shake. He threw the metal pole into the air as a trail of blue lightning came right down at him.

The lightning dispersed from contact and hit the cab right through. The cab exploded as officers tried jumping off the cab.

Emma turned around and smiled. "That was amazing, Silver."

Flemonia turned to see the cab explosion.

Silver then took out his blunderbuss. "It is not over yet!"

Silver raised his blunderbuss as he saw officers on horseback and fired. The officers avoided them as horses were hit and fell over. He reloaded his blunderbuss while he unleashed Zassia to deflect the incoming bullets.

The horse started to become unstable as Silver was bent forward. He turned and snatched Flemonia's hand. "Are you mad? I almost fell off the horse! Control it! Learn it! Master it, damn it—"

"Silver!" Flemonia shouted.

Silver felt a bullet hit his shoulder as his blunderbuss fell off his hand. He held his shoulder and controlled Zassia to cover his wound. He cursed and drew a bright white flame from his hand. "Go to hell!"

He threw it and created a wave of flame in the narrow street. Few managed to flee to the side as the rest of the horsemen were engulfed in flame.

Silver turned and took over the reins. He looked over Flemonia' shoulder to know where Emma was. He followed her as he was no longer in the slum and was now outside this damnation. He turned back, but no one was there.

He let out a loud sigh while he looked at the sun. "We made it out for now."

Emma nodded. "Now the government knows who we are. We are runners now with prices on our heads ."

Runner. It has been a while since he heard that title. Runner was a name used for outlaws who were wanted for their deeds.

Silver was a runner.