After the celebrations, the city prepared for a small afternoon feast, with every house working hard to present a meal for the community. The foreman tried to persuade us to stay until the afternoon at least, but I just can't rest easy knowing I spent nearly a month just to prepare to save that farm.
"Alright then, at least take something with you," the foreman said with a disappointed tone. He then called someone over.
"What do you need, mayor?", the man asked. Wait- wait wait wait-
"You're the mayor!?", I asked out loud. The man tilts his head in confusion while the foreman- now mayor turns towards me with the same serious expression.
"Got a problem with that, kid?"
"No, sir- I wish I would have known earlier."
It all makes sense now- how he was able to rally so many people to rebuild, and how he gave that speech so uncharacteristically...
The mayor then orders the lad to get my "reward" and then the lad goes running to fetch it. Reward? Maybe... it's an awesome enchanted gear? Rare- or even exotic quality? Hope it's not a weapon, though.
"...Uh, mayor, sir. I don't believe I've gotten your name all this time I've been working for you."
The mayor snorted before giving a full laugh, shaking his head slowly as he wiped some tears.
"You didn't ask for it, ya idiot! It's Durand."
Shortly after, the lad then returned with my reward. It's... it's a saddled ox. That was the one I led into the clearing.
"We don't have much, but you at least deserve one o' these. Born and raised 'ere, and can carry whatever shit you pick up in your travels. Make sure you treat 'im good.", Mayor Durand said. I walked up closer to the ox to attempt to pet its head, and it didn't seem to mind.
"So... once again, why the hell are you two leaving? You've done enough to be permanent residents here, and we could certainly use the manpower.", Mayor Durand says as he looks up and down at me and Brynjolf.
"I wish to seek redemption to restore my honor as a Nord. I will venture through the ends of Coridia to find it.", Brynjolf answers with a noble tone. Mayor Durand nods in understanding.
"And you, Marcus?"
"Well... I just want to get stronger and help people.", I replied.
"...Bah, you youngins and your dreams.", the mayor says in a defeated tone before he offers a handshake to Brynjolf. Brynjolf took it and I can see them testing each other's grip before giving a nod of approval. I then offer a handshake of my own, only for the mayor to swat it away before he gives me a tight embrace- is it a takedown? Should I wrestle-
"Stay safe, son.", Mayor Durant whispered.
"...Thanks.", I say as I return the embrace. I then tapped his back twice before I suddenly felt him stepping closer and twisting, and suddenly I was in the air before I knew it! I then land on my back, coughing from the impact of the slam as well as the pressure of his big shoulder pressing onto my chest. Did this mayor just... hip-throw me?
Mayor Durant then gave out the loudest cackle I've heard him do. He was usually so rough and serious...
"Wow.", Brynjolf said.
"Still a thousand years young to beat me.", he says smugly.
"Oh, yeah? Want me to prove you wrong?', I say as I get up, feeling my competitive spirit flare up inside me. No way I'm walking out with an L. Mayor Durand replies with a grin before turning back to the city.
"Nah, I got lots of shit to do. You should come back once and a while.", the mayor said as he walked away. ...What a weird way to ask if I'm coming back someday.
I then grabbed the reigns of my Ox mount before I walk down the road with Brynjolf.
"Want to come with me? I'm essentially planning on doing the same thing. Exploring the world, helping people."
"Sure. Thanks for helping me reclaim my Legend.", Brynjolf said.
Once we were in the middle of the road, I climbed up my saddle to ride my ox mount. As I reach for the reigns, a message appeared in my vision.
"Would you like to soul-bind this mount?"
I selected Yes, and suddenly, my body and my mount were enveloped with green rays of light. After a few seconds, a message appeared, stating that the soul-binding is complete. Wait- did Brynjolf see that?
"...Astonishing.", Brynjolf commented.
"...Huh?"
"The most skilled beastmasters would take a month or two to bind their spirit with an animal, and you did it within the day...", Brynjolf added. Shit, did that giveaway that I'm a player?
"...Wow. I don't know what happened. I guess this Ox liked me."
"Hmph.", a voice echoed in my mind. I glance at the Ox shaking its head. It certainly feels like it just spoke to me.
"Perhaps. Fenrir!", Brynjolf called out, and rays of green light enveloped and lifted his huge frame, and within a matter of seconds, he was riding a saddled white Great Wolf almost as big as my Ox. It's so cool to see the mount-up animation from the game up close.
"Let us make haste, brother. Where are we headed next?", Brynjolf asked.
"Right. We'll turn right past the bridge, then follow the road into a farm."
Brynjolf nodded before tugging at his reigns, his white great wolf mount suddenly speeding up and leaving us in the dirt.
"Hey, hey, you goin' to let that wolf beat you?", I asked as I tugged on the reigns as well.
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"No. Hold on tight.", my ox whispered in my mind. My ox inclined its head before running which gradually ramped up to a full gallop! I could feel the wind slap my face as the ox ran at breakneck speeds, catching up to the wolf's tail. The wolf easily cleared the turn to the bridge but my ox had to slow down to turn, before bursting forward, then slowing down at another turn past the bridge and speeding up. Seems like my Ox is pretty fast when running in a straight line, but struggles with turning. After a few minutes, we saw Brynjolf slowing down, so we did as well.
"Brother... is this the farm you mentioned?"
I looked ahead of us to see... a pitiful excuse for a farm. The cornstalks were fully withered, and the garden was infested with wurm monsters. The cows were also scattered across the area, hiding behind whatever cover they could find. The barn also had two bandits outside, chatting and laughing to themselves while flipping a coin- ...where's Annie? Did they do something to her?
"...Brynjolf, take care of the wurms. I'll handle the bandits.", I commanded as I felt the rage inside me bubbling up.
"Right."
I watched Brynjolf gallop towards the garden before unmounting and quickly unsheathing his two steel battle axes. His wolf seemed to join the fight too, which was surprising... I haven't seen that in the game.
"You need help?", my ox asked in my mind. I shook my head and dismounted, walking up slowly to the two bandits who finally noticed me. They wore the same red and white bandana across their faces that looked like shark teeth. I peeked at their name and levels and it said "Bandit, Level 5." It should be easy work now that I'm three levels ahead.
"Where's Annie?", I asked as I shot a glare towards them. The two bandits looked at each other and snickered before returning my gaze.
"Dead, and you're next.", the bandit replied. I remember that voice, it's the same guy who killed me.
I feel my core and the back of my neck heating up as fury fills my body, yet I feel so calm... oddly calm. I won't be holding back, and I will snuff out any chance of victory from their grasp. They will know fear and pain before they die.
"I'm going to rip your eyes out and choke you both with your entrails."
I then take an orthodox stance, left foot forward and right foot behind but I fold my left arm in front of my hips, tuck my chin behind my left shoulder, and stick my right fist to my right cheek, taking a "Philly Shell" guard, the ultimate defense popularized by boxing legend Floyd Mayweather.
I then took short steps to close the distance between us, with the bandit brandishing his knife. I can see the uncertainty in his eyes. I stomped down with my left foot to feint, and he bit down hard on it, leaping backward and slicing randomly with the knife. He's scared. Good.
As I took steps forward, I flicked my left arm out into flicker jabs, with my left fist hitting air to occupy the space between us to pressure him.
"Damn it!", the bandit cussed, before aiming a telegraphed knife slice at me. I can see his shoulder move and elbow lift in slow motion. Are my reflexes sharper or is he just so slow?
I took a step forward with my left foot as I lifted my left arm, parrying his right forearm with my own to stop his attack before I stepped closer with my back foot already pivoted, pushing off the ground as I rotated my hips and torso into a devastating right straight punch counter at his face, crushing his nose and busting his upper lip with my metallic gauntlet. The sound was like someone slapping meat and the bone inside, utterly disgusting.
The impact sent him wobbling backward, but I then extended my left arm as I stepped with my left quickly like a jab just to grasp his face, before stepping in with my back foot again, twisting into another right straight punch aimed at his chin, the impact turning his body stiff like a log before falling over unconsciously.
"Y- you monster!", the second bandit shouted in a tone filled with terror before drawing his longsword from his scabbard. He then grips it with both hands as he circles around me cautiously. In response, I proceeded to stomp down on the unconscious bandit's head until his HP dropped down to zero, filling up my experience bar. Ugh, now my metal greaves are covered with filthy, crimson bandit brains and muck.
"Gregory, no!", the bandit shouted.
I then raised my hands to the sides of my head in a high guard as I closed the distance in my orthodox stance, just stopping out of his sword range. The bandit pointed his sword forward, really showcasing our difference in reach. That sword alone looked like it was almost four feet long, not to mention his wingspan.
I skipped around on my toes as I circled around him, trying to think of my next moves. Meanwhile, he stands there, stepping around as he faces me with a shaky grip. Normally in Boxing or MMA as a shorter fighter, you have to bulldoze your way and expect to eat a few shots. Don't think I can tank a stab to the head. Can I fight dirty? I'm too far for an eye poke or a groin shot...
Keeping my high guard, I push off my feet to dash forward with my face just inches away from his blade's tip. I kept my head bobbing from side to side, drawing out a stab, and once I saw his elbows retract and feet step forth, I quickly bent at the hip, slipping my upper body to the left and avoiding the thrust.
I then parry the blade away by smacking it away with my gauntleted right forearm to create an opening. Should I dash in? No, not yet- I need an opening-
While he was recovering, I quickly unsheathed the throwing axe in my belt with my left hand and tossed it towards his head, but the bandit managed to recover and block it by raising his arms and blocking with his blade.
The threat of his longsword disappeared, so I quickly dashed in, kneeling down with my left leg as I walked over with my right foot, pushing his stomach with my head before I gripped his hamstrings and pulled his legs to me as I ran forward, sending him crashing onto his back with a blast double takedown.
The impact on his back sent him heaving for air and broke his two-handed grip. I then kept my head and right shoulder pushing down to his stomach as I walked my left leg over his legs and slid myself into full mount right away, sitting on his stomach as I sat on my knees. I gripped the longsword's blade with my gauntleted fingers and yanked it strongly away from his hand then tossed it to the side.
Normally, a guy with a sword beats an unarmed guy pretty easily but it's like a game of jiu-jitsu. You avoid or escape positions where you're at a disadvantage, and force your way into an advantageous position. There is also the greatest equalizer, grappling. There is no luck in grappling, only skill. If the swordsman can keep the grappler at bay, then the swordsman wins... but if the grappler gets close, the grappler will kill the swordsman.
I unleashed my full fury in the full mount. My fists crashed into his face again and again. Bone cracked. Skin split. He tried to block, but I gripped his wrist, yanking it aside to follow up with a savage downward elbow, crushing what was left of his head.
As I land each punch... I can't help but think to myself. He's so fragile. So easy to break. So... weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. With each punch I land, I am reminded of his weakness.
I raised my fist for another strike. But suddenly, there was pressure. It's like there was a vice grip around my wrist. My bones groaned under the grip, with pain jolting up my arm. I snarled, trying to rip free, but it didn't budge. Then, a voice followed which was calm and steady.
"...It is over, brother. Do not let the beast inside you devour your humanity.", Brynjolf said.
His deep voice calmed me down, and the embers of my fury were soon extinguished. I was seeing red, I shit you not. I then glanced at the bandit's corpse which disturbed my stomach. Eyes popping out of their sockets, nose disfigured, forehead caved in, and teeth and blood everywhere. ? My steel gauntlets, now painted in red were still trembling. Did I really do that?
"...You're right. I'm sorry.", I said as I got up from full mount, a bit exhausted from the skirmish.
"What about the wurms?", I asked.
"Already dealt with.", Brynjolf said in a reassuring tone. I moved to the side to peek past his big frame, seeing carnage and wurm guts everywhere in the garden along with steaming, acidic pools of wurm bile. ...That right there looked more of a murder scene than what I did, are we sure Brynjolf has to be the voice of reason here?
We then checked inside the barn. It was mostly empty until we heard rustling behind the crates. We walked over to see old farmer Annie bound with ropes and gagged with cloth.
"...It's okay, ma'am. We're here to help."
Annie's body tensed upon seeing us, however. Instead of relief, she flinched. Her muffled voice trembled behind the gag, and she was desperately pleading for her life.
Are we... really heroes?