“Not one step closer.” Said a gruff looking man, with a rough unkempt face.

He wore an upscale suit that gave a stark contrast to his appearance. In his hand was a blade which he held close to the throat of a woman who had been pushed onto her knees. 

She wore a bright, frilly dress, similar to those displayed on mannequins near the entrance to the tailor shop. The woman desperately held back a sob, as tears streamed across her face, any more movement than that and the blade would dig into her skin.

Not far from the pair stood another man who held two women in similar attire against the wall. His sword pointed at them. At the far end of the shop a third attacker kept a shop attendant hostage. 

“Draw your weapons and I’ll cut her throat!” The man yelled. 

At the narrow entrance of the shop bodyguard knights in plain clothes stood frozen. Their hands inching towards the weapons at their sides, but never reaching so far as to actually touch them. 

“Tell Baron Brickenfelt he has one hour to get the money, or else his daughter will be going home in two pieces.”

One of the body guards placed on the street stared at the man through glass bay windows. He swallowed as he heard the muffled words from behind the glass. Taking a step back he turned and looked towards the clock tower that towered over the city square, the small hands seemed to move faster than before, despite the fact it felt as if time had hit a standstill.

The guard lost in thought as he stared towards the clock unconsciously swatted his hands as he heard an insect-like buzzing pass by his ear. 

Spotting the movement from behind the glass shopfront the hostage taker tensed up. 

“Don’t move!” He yelled, drawing the blade closer to the woman’s neck. 

Bzzzzzzt!

The noise had travelled inside the shop now. The man quickly turned his head to try and spot it, on edge from the adrenaline that heightened his senses. 

But as he turned in his search he dropped the blade in his hand. Stumbling backwards before collapsing onto the floor. His gaze was frozen in place, in addition to it was only a small red dot that appeared between his eyes. 

“Damn it!” One of the other men yelled, bringing his sword closer to the two women he held hostage.

Bzzzzzzt!

But the power behind his strike faded as he too dropped the sword in his hand. Collapsing forward onto the two women.

“Kyaaaaah!” They screamed in shock as the lifeless men fell on top of them. 

The third man, the only one still standing, began to strike with his sword. Trying to stab into the chest of the shop attendant, who held both arms pointed upwards. 

Bzzzzt!

The buzzing sounded again. This time the man laid his eyes on it. A golden streak rushed across his arm. 

“Garrrrrgh!” The man yelled out in pain. 

The sword had lost momentum as it fell alongside the man’s severed wrist. The man reached out to grab his arm which was pouring blood out onto the floor, but before he could do so fell down.

His face hit the ground as he was tackled by one of the bodyguards who had previously stood frozen at the shop’s entrance. Looking up he saw it.

Floating above him was a gorgeous woman. Her bright blonde hair stretched down her back, as she wore a black military uniform and skirt adorned by golden accents. She was small, only slightly taller than his severed hand that now laid sprawled out on the floor. Behind her a pair of insect-like wings fluttered back and forth faster than his eye could track.

A faerie?

He thought as his eyes drifted towards the bloodied sword she held in her hand. A long thin blade that looked closer to a sewing needle than a sword was held in her grasp. It was so thin that it would be hard to see from this distance if not for the red tinge that reflected the light. 

—

The hysterical chatter of the women was silenced for a moment. Their eyes turned away from the men dead on the floor, and instead turned upwards to the figure of the woman who floated above them around the height of their heads. 

“A faerie?” Someone muttered under their breath. 

“A thank you would suffice.” Said Aubrey as she crossed her arms, the needle like sword hanging off a string tied to her waist. 

“What?” Said another voice in shock. 

Aubrey rolled her eyes.

“Ahhhh.” Said one of the body guards, as he pushed his way through the door and made his way into the shop. 

“Knight captain!” He said, bowing his head. He grabbed the guard next to him and pushed his head down as well. “Show your grace you idiot.” 

“What are you doing?” He asked as his head was forced down. 

“You idiot.” He said in a hushed voice. “Haven’t you heard the rumors? The youngest knight ever given the title of sword master, the one who was cursed during a failed excursion into the Valent Forest on the Empire’s border.”

“What?”

“Is that all you know how to say?” He said, smacking the man next to him on the neck. “Thank you Knight Captain, you have saved us all.”

“Hmmmph. At least someone here knows how to show gratitude.” Said the faerie. 

The women still knelt in shock on the floor of the shop. 

Creak!

The wooden floor of the shop squeaked under stress. Everyone’s eyes turned to the entrance. 

Squeezing sideways through the door was a towering figure. Shadows shifted as the towering man obscured the sunlight peeking in from the street. The man in black metal armor ducked his head under the door frame stepping into the store.

“Captain.” Said a low rumbling voice. “Are you finished?”

A golden blur flew towards the giant. Landing on his metal shoulder pad. 

“Apologies.” Said the woman, who sat on the armor and crossed her legs. “It was not something I could just ignore.”

Even the one respectful bodyguard who had recognized Aubrey was taken aback by the giant’s appearance. He could only manage to stare blankly up at the helmeted head.

“Shall we go then?” He said from behind his helmet’s metal veil. 

“Yes. I’m excited.” Replied a voice in a much higher pitch. “This will be my first time receiving new members since being appointed as captain.”

Creak..

The floorboards shifted again under stress as the man turned to leave.

“Best not get your hopes up.” He said ducking his head under the door frame once more. “Such is the nature of our order.”

“Come on Marcus.” Said Aubrey with a pout. “Can’t you let me hold onto my hope, heavens knows it’s all I have left.”

The whole shop, the noble women, their guards and the tailor all stared at the door in bewilderment as the strange pair made their exit.

“By the way.” She asked. “Do you know who's family they're from? Hehe, maybe we can ‘ask’ for a donation.”