The bandit leader, Grimes, examined Gwyn from top to bottom with a slight movement of his tired red eyes. One elbow rested on his metal throne and supported his head, while long black hair ran down in front of his face and slightly obstructed the view. He sighed and made a small chuckle before speaking. Gwyn couldn’t help but feel immense pressure when facing the intimidating Netzian.
“And what are you supposed to be?” Grimes asked Gwyn
Gwyn looked around the empty room before settling back on Grimes. It was long and narrow and had been cleared out of the furniture that once made the space a mayor’s office.
“Are you the leader,” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
Grimes tapped on his metal throne.
“I’m not just the leader, boy; I rule this whole town,” he answered.
Gwyn took a hesitant step toward Grimes.
“I need you to stop,” he said with a slight quiver in his voice. Grimes laughed again; it had a friendly tone.
“And here I thought you might make some kind of threat!”
Gwyn took another cautious step toward the leader. Even with the welcoming tone of the enemy’s voice, the Nonpareil got a feeling he wouldn’t be able to talk his opponent into surrendering.
Grimes sighed.
“Boy, if you take another step, you will be entering into a world you are not prepared to face,” the Netzian leader said in a tone that had no hint of malice. As he spoke, he pushed some of his long, black hair away from his face to look at Gwyn properly.
Gwyn froze as his mind ran with thoughts. The Nonpareil hardly expected to defeat the leader, especially with an unknown ability under his control.
Gwyn took a slight step back. He took a deep breath and began to speak.
“Why did you want to control this town?” he asked. Gwyn figured he could keep the leader distracted to stall for time. Rheba or Hal would be freed by the others, and they would all join him for a final brawl, he thought to himself.
Grimes chuckled as he sat up straight on his throne. He put out his arms to stretch as he smiled.
“Well, boy, when you invade a town of any size, you have to be calculating and playful. It’s something like winning a game of czaric.” Grimes stood up from his throne and slid his arms behind his back. His toga-like clothing slid smoothly as he began to pace back and forth. “My former employers were a bit... much… but they did know a thing or two about planning. You see, a takeover of a large city will be well noticed and well defended. However, a small, unnamed village will be easy to conquer. Then there is maintenance; a large city is difficult to maintain, especially if you don’t want anyone outside to notice. We have to continue normal deliveries to the other towns to keep up appearances. Are you listening?” Grimes stopped his pacing and turned to look directly at Gwyn. The nonpareil was only half-listening to the leader's monologue.
“You mentioned former employers,” Gwyn said to keep the leader talking. Grimes chuckled and began to pace again as he spoke.
“Very astute,” Grimes said, “Yes, I used to be part of an organization known as Array. We had a little conflict of interest, and I parted ways with those loyal to me. We ended up traveling as a band of bandits after that….” Grimes kept talking, but Gwyn became distracted by Mem.
Partner, he is distracted. Now is the time to strike!
“I don’t know….” Gwyn replied. Grimes held a refined pose as he paced and the overclocked crimson Needaimus growing across the leader’s chest made Gwyn nervous.
If you don’t strike, we will never win! Mem said.
Gwyn sighed as he balled his good hand into a fist. His bad hand ended up resembling a claw in shape. He looked down at the beads gifted by the young Bonfilia, wrapped around his left wrist, and took a deep breath. Stalling was not guaranteed to work, and he couldn’t simply back down given the situation. Gwyn gathered up every little bit of motivation to fight he had. He thought of the happy child’s face once they won.
The Nonpareil shook his head. He had decided not to fight when they first set out, but he was facing down the leader of the whole group. Harlan had left him to take on the leader alone and fought her own fight. When the others were free, they would surely fight. Could he be the only one not to take a stand? The thoughts ran through Gwyn’s mind, and he found no way to quiet them.
His mind turned to the winged beauideal that invaded the castle. He had hesitated to even throw his fist at her, and she went on to kill the king. Gwyn didn’t care about the king that tried to kill him, but he cared about enough people within the town. What would this callous leader do to them once he won, the Nonpareil thought. Fiona, Odell, Harlan, Rheba, even Hal—they would all certainly be treated severely in the aftermath. He gritted his teeth and looked at the small, beaded bracelet on his wrist as he considered what to do. With one last breath, Gwyn charged across the room at Grimes.
The leader didn’t break from his concentration as he described the time his gang of bandits invaded a farm and burned down their crops.
Gwyn found himself suddenly thrown across the room. It felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Grimes didn’t even turn in his direction, but Gwyn was suddenly slammed into the closed door behind him. He slid to the floor and got back up on his feet.
“So, then we found our way to this tiny little town. It turned out to be the perfect size for my range, so I said, ‘why not conquer it.’” Grimes continued his story of conquest with a casual tone and a light shrug.
Gwyn looked around the empty room for something to use. He pressed his hand against the wall behind him when he could not find any objects. It began to liquify, and Gwyn threw the chunk of liquid wall across the room at the leader.
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Grimes did not bother looking, and the liquid attack suddenly turned 90° in the air to splash against a wall on the side of the room.
“You have no intention of listening any longer, do you?” Grimes asked with an almost sad tone.
“I have to defeat you,” Gwyn said while gritting his teeth.
“’Have to’ is a bit weak, boy. It sounds like you simply are carried by the desires of others. Where is your own drive?” Grimes replied with a sigh.
“I will,” Gwyn said in reply as he took a step closer. He wasn’t sure what he was saying.
Grimes laughed.
“After I teach you a lesson, I wouldn’t mind you joining my crew,” he said as he laughed. He sat back down on his throne and leaned on the arm that was encased with the crimson Needaimus.
Gwyn charged at the throne once again. He got halfway across the room before he was suddenly knocked back. He was pushed back and down and ended up rolling several times before crashing back into the door.
Gwyn banged his good, Needaimus fused fist on the ground as he stood back up.
Hey, don’t take it out on me! Mem said.
Grimes made a lazy sigh before smiling at Gwyn.
“What was that about taking me down?” he asked with a friendly smile and a tone that resembled someone sneering.
“I have to take you down,” Gwyn repeated as he gritted his teeth and took a more offensive stance. He eyed the beads on his arm before glaring at the leader again.
Grimes frowned.
“Persistence will not win you this battle, boy; you ought to give up while you have a chance. However, I do admire this new resolve you have. I must ask again that you join my forces.”
Gwyn was not listening to Grimes and had begun charging at the leader before he could finish talking. He was thrust back to the wall once again and crashed into the door.
Every time Gwyn charged forward in the empty throne room, he was thrust back and crashed into the closed doors behind him. After the seventh or eighth, he leaned back against the door and contemplated his next move. Grimes simply looked amused as he lazily sat on the throne.
We will never get anywhere if you keep charging at him! Mem shouted in Gwyn’s mind.
Gwyn shook his head and charged forward across the long and narrow room. Once again, he was thrown to the back.
Grimes had changed the trajectory the Nonpareil was thrown every time to keep it interesting for himself, and on this occasion, he chose to throw Gwyn into the ceiling. The Nonpareil’s back slammed into the ceiling, and he fell face-first onto the ground.
You're really taxing the limits I can keep you from feeling too much pain! Mem shouted. The draconic Needaimus began to consider breaking off Gwyn’s arm and fleeing before things got too bad.
“Mem,” Gwyn said as he slowly began to push himself from the floor, “Can you do anything to see if there is something in the air?” he finished in a hushed tone.
Gwyn stood tall and looked at Grimes. In all the times he had been thrown back, he felt as if something had pushed him. It did not feel like a gust of air, nor did it feel like his body was moved.
It will take a minute to run through all possibilities. Mem said as it began to scan the room.
“You're pretty tough,” Gwyn said as he casually brushed off his bad arm. He realized he needed to stall a little longer.
“You may attempt to plot something with your Needaimus, but it will not do you any good,” Grimes replied
Gwyn frowned.
“What makes you think….”
“Boy, I can see you are whispering,” Grimes replied as he shook his head. “I don’t know if you are brash or stupid, but I applaud your effort, nonetheless. I will allow you time to formulate your plan, it is doomed to fail, but perhaps it will be entertaining.”
Gwyn frowned.
“Fine,” he conceded. “Then why don’t you tell me what you were thinking with that gaudy throne?”
Grimes chuckled and tapped the metal arm of the throne with his metal Needaimus fingers. Then he reached back and slid his finger across one of the metal blades on the back.
“The town’s mines house many metals, but there is one, in particular, that is very rare. It always retains a beautiful shine and never dulls when fashioned into a blade, or at least that is what the legends say. Naturally, a new leader must show his dominance, so I forced the miners to collect enough of this material to make it into a mighty throne!”
“But,” Gwyn began.
“Please do not bore me with idle words. I care not for whatever platitudes you wish to throw my way.” Grimes interrupted. He waved his hand dramatically, and Gwyn was forced a couple of steps to the side. The Nonpareil moved in a manner that resembled someone being punched in the face. He grunted and looked back to the leader sitting lazily on the throne.
“I thought you were going to allow time?”
“I am; I didn’t say I wouldn’t strike when you annoyed me,” Grimes responded with a sinister smile. The leader quickly changed it to the friendly smile he had worn only moments prior.
“Fine…” Gwyn mumbled as his eyes looked around the empty room for something else. “Mem,” he whispered.
A couple more minutes. If you could get him to strike you again, that would speed things up. The blue Needaimus echoed into Mem’s arm.
Gwyn shook his head and looked back to Grimes.
“So, doesn’t all that mechanical growth hurt?” he asked while pointing to the crimson Needaimus that covered much of Grime’s visible chest.
“It hurts, but don’t worry, I don’t feel a thing,” the leader said with a chuckle.
“Why would you want to do that sort of thing?” Gwyn asked.
Grimes sighed.
“Boy, I’m sure you have felt tired after using a Needaimus ability intensely. That occurs when you push past your current compatibility percentage. You get out of breath and get covered in sweat. Breaking the limits, so to speak. Unfortunately, when you reach 100% and cap, you find the power is not enough. I was still weak, and I was still tired, so I sought more strength. That is just the nature of things.”
I think I found something. Keep him going a bit longer. Mem blurted in Gwyn’s mind.
“There is not enough power at 100%?” Gwyn asked.
Grimes shook his head.
“You misunderstand, but that is okay. At this rate, you will not be in this world much longer.”
Gwyn was struck in the back of his head and thrust to the floor. He grunted as he caught himself on the floor with his good hand.
I’ve got it! He’s been using small spheres made from a specific, transparent material! I’ll add a red tracer over them so you can see!
Gwyn looked up from the floor. All around Grimes, small red orbs had become visible. They swarmed around the leader like an infestation of bugs.
“He’s attacking me with marbles?” Gwyn quietly spat as he stood up and faced the leader.
They are made from a special crystal that is very hard and nearly invisible! All the tablet screens use it to avoid cracking! The crystal was also used in weapons for a while but got phased out over time. Mem added.
“That’s actually very interesting; why did they….” Gwyn shook his head as he realized he got distracted by Mem’s history lesson.
“You don’t seem very focused. Shall I just dispose of you so I can go end this silly raid?” Grimes asked. He didn’t give Gwyn a chance to respond as several of the glowing red marbles suddenly shot from Grimes at Gwyn.
Gwyn barely managed to jump out of the way as the shots whizzed past him. He quickly turned around to see the red dots arcing to strike again. The marbles focused on the Nonpareil and picked up speed. Gwyn tensed as he put his good hand forward. He moved the leftover tail of Mem, which hung off his shoulder when bonded, with a series of rapid flicks. As the marbles came in close, Gwyn quickly liquified them. After which, he used the free tail to push the liquid to the ground, where he hardened it into the floor. The whole matter happened so quickly that Gwyn did not have time to think about anything else as he kept himself from being struck.
Gwyn let out a sigh of relief when he was done and turned back to Grimes, whose annoyed face was hidden beneath the swarm of red dots.
“The jig is up; your ability is to control those invisible marbles!” Gwyn shouted to Grimes with confidence.
Grimes glanced up at the ceiling for a moment as he sought to find ‘the jig.’ The leader assumed it may have been a part of Gwyn’s ability, but only an empty ceiling was above him. He shook his head and smiled at Gwyn in a friendly manner.
“Shall I get serious then? Boy,” Grimes said with a laugh as he sat up straight on his throne. The Nonpareil’s feeble efforts amused the bandit leader. Gwyn tensed and took a step toward his opponent.