Two men sprint through the treetops of the Spectabile forest. The man in metal armour follows after the man in white armour. So long as he follows the man in white almost exactly, he can avoid being noticed by those wandering through the forest.

The two of them take a zigzagging path as a result, a path that looks almost aimless. The man in white, Ajax, moves without tiring, without any sort of noticeable ache or fatigue whatsoever. The other man, Arthur, remains the same, for now.

“Arthur, how long can you maintain your magic?”

Arthur had activated a magic known as ‘Aspallan Dirma’ prior to running with Ajax. For now, Ajax can tell that it is a body strengthening magic, however, its consequences need to be accounted for. 

“Dirma? I can maintain it for… about an hour before I start to feel anything. I can continue to use it in a partially exhausted state for one more hour, maybe… I haven’t tested it to its very limits but I think two hours is a good time limit. Of course, if I wanted to use the inferior version of Aspallan, I could use it for the entire rest of the night until maybe noon tomorrow.”

“Oh, then, we have a lot of time before--”

“But, two hours is what I can do while just running without exerting any actual strength or crazy speed. I could probably carry someone around for that long too, a single person. The time limit goes down with all of the superhuman-type combat I might actually engage in. Two hours is the maximum window for this magic. Like, I can be a ‘linebacker’ and run at this speed for two hours for sure. But I can only be a linebacker lifting massive boulders and shit for about… a half hour continuously. I mean, that’s pretty amazing already, but limited.”

Ajax contemplates Arthur’s caveats. It is obviously true that even championship athletes use up their stamina much faster when sprinting compared to long distance running so the same principle must apply for these types of body strengthening magics.

Ajax’s own body strengthening doesn’t work on the same principle so he’s never considered running out of physical strength without simply absorbing energy to get it back.

“Hmm, alright, it’s good that you mentioned that, I’m not going to need you to do a lot of ‘superhuman’ combat. The strength stuff, leave that to me. You’re here for support because even I can’t be everywhere at once.”

Arthur scoffs at that last statement. He never believed that he was in the presence of a god when he met this man in white armor but… actually now that he considers it, how powerful is Ajax in battle? Certainly he isn’t a god if he needs Arthur’s help but… even angels have sought the help of people before… 

Wait… now that I think about it, I can’t feel any magic power from him at all… Certainly, he’s strong, and he must need some kind of body strengthening magic to be able to keep up with me like this but… why can’t I feel--

“Arthur, what kind of magic can you use?”

“What?”

“It’s for emergencies.”

“Oh, uh, ok, I can use all the types but I’m best at wind magic and fire magic. I learned healing magic in preparation for this so I can manage the bone reconstruction tier. However, asking me to regrow organs or nerves might be a bit much.”

“...Huh. O-Ok, yeah, I’ll keep that in mind. Wow… Alright, good. Hmm… Wait, let me tell you our emergency protocol, by the way. If we’re in real trouble and either of us are in a situation where it looks like we both might die without the help of someone else, shoot three shots of bright fire magic into the sky with a little interval between each shot. Can you do fireballs?”

“Mm, yeah, alright, I think I can do that. But, you couldn’t have mentioned this earlier? Emergency protocols are really crucial in situations like this, you know?”

“Sorry, sorry, I barely remembered it… It’s the small mistakes that get me, honestly.”

“...Well, I suppose with your level of power you can afford a few mistakes. Just, don’t make any here with the innocent people involved. Actually, wait… What is our plan for dealing with this carriage?”

“Thanks for reminding me, Arthur. I meant to ask, do you have any, like, sleep or paralysis magic? Any kind of magic that can incapacitate without killing anyone?”

“Not yet, but I think magic like that exists… What magic can you use?”

“...Only ice magic and body strengthening. Although, my body strengthening can go as high as it needs to and it’s theoretically infinite. If you think I need to be stronger or faster or have quicker reaction times to deal with a situation then let me know! It doesn’t take much for me to get stronger.”

“...Alright. I guess I shouldn’t be all that surprised, but… I’ve already learned a lot about body strengthening magic and just logically, without even thinking about what’s in the books, there should be a limit to how strong you can make the human body with magic. How much mana do you have?”

“Mm, don’t know. I haven’t reached the bottom of the well just yet… Actually, no, more like, whenever I empty the well, I can fill it back up without any difficulties, instantly.”

“Sigh, fuck, wow, forget I asked then, I don’t think I’m ready to learn more about you just yet.”

“Haha, yeah… Even I’d like to learn more, but I guess that’s just life right now… Anyways, thinking about how we’re going to save the two beastkin in that carriage… I think that you believe what I’m saying about the Bloodshed, right? Assuming that you do, do you also think it’s the right action to save the two of those beastkin before the carriage reaches the actual festival grounds?”

“Assuming that you’re completely correct about this horrible festival then, yeah, obviously?”

“No, I mean, will you allow me to deal with them through any means?”

“Any means… like… killing the people holding them?”

“Unless you have any magic that would incapacitate them until this festival is over?”

“So… basically you’re asking me to help you kill these men assuming that they are involved in this disgusting festival you’ve been telling me about. This festival that I don’t have any proof of yet…”

“The proof is the easiest thing I can get for you tonight, I’m not worried about that. I’m asking you: are you ready to kill? Will you stop me from dealing with people like this? I really really don’t like killing either but if these guys are going to stand in my way and participate in this Bloodshed, then, the choice is abundantly clear. Believe me when I tell you that letting someone live long enough to… to cause more death because you couldn’t take action quickly enough is…”

Ajax struggles to finish this thought. He remembers the two of them clearly however. The two that Ilna Fautre had killed because Ajax didn’t deal with him quickly enough. The young child and his father… two people who he had failed to save. He didn’t want to kill Ilna. In the end, he killed those two through his inaction, his weakness of spirit… and ended up killing Ilna anyways.

“...I have killed before.”

Ajax pauses his motion through the trees at Arthur’s sudden admission.

“You have?”

“It was sometime after you came to me. You really weren’t spying on me then, were you… It… It was someone who had… already hurt his child. He had beaten her and her arms were… Well, he wouldn’t stop, he was in an abnormal mental state so… I stopped him.”

Arthur is working under the Linis guards organization after all. He was probably called out or was already patrolling when he met the two of them. As a guard, he had all legal authority to intervene. Most Linis guards behave as judge, jury and executioner whenever they feel like it. Arthur took up that authority for himself as well, it seems.

“I… I didn’t mean to but… I might have used too much force after seeing the girl… she was… she was hardly even seven. I had learned healing magic at that point so she’s ok but… if I was even a minute late… she would be dead. So, it’s… alright. If these men are engaging in what you say, their lives are forfeit to me.”

It’s this world, isn’t it? This world where your safety isn’t guaranteed. The social contract between individuals and society is degraded compared to Earth. You can take matters into your own hands here. In fact, you’re encouraged to. Otherwise, you risk allowing unimaginable pain befalling you later on. Now, even Arthur, a good person like Arthur, understands… 

“...I do have an idea, Arthur… It’s a bit risky but since you do have healing magic, I think we’ll make it work.”

“That doesn’t sound promising, but tell me anyway…”

~

A four-wheeled carriage rushes down the road. The two Miella pulling it are quite strong cart animals. The carriage driver is also instructing them to speed things up. He’s wary about the road ahead of him. He’s been told to watch out for ambush. Apparently, a man in the wealthy district of Linis was taken down some time ago.

His brothel was raided and the beastkin in it disappeared from the scene. The scene was a bloody mess; mangled bodies were strewn everywhere. As a result of that incident, the festival known as Sapiora’s Bloodshed is being monitored carefully. Postponing it was not an option according to the head of the Festival, Siristine Crow.

So, a compromise was made to have a new protocol for transporting sacrifices from their holding location to the festival stage. There would have to be enough guards in the carriage to be able to spring a trap on any would-be ambushers and raiders. The carriage driver is about ten percent sure that there will be no incident.

However, ten percent is a much higher number than zero percent.

Ajax and Arthur wait nearby, out of visual range of the carriage. The carriage is illuminated allowing shadows to be seen should anyone approach. The carriage has two doors on its sides. There are no windows around the carriage except on the doors. The back of the carriage has a particular blindspot to those inside.

Ajax and Arthur start running. They don’t run towards the road, however. They run ahead of the carriage driver trying to look for a curve in the road. They find one quite easily.

Then, they wait.

“Ok, we only have one shot at this. If we succeed, the carriage will become really erratic pretty soon. Are you ready, Arthur?”

“Yeah, I’m ready. But… if you’re lying about any of this, I’m going to have to fight you to the death and then kill myself… you understand, right?”

Ajax wishes that Arthur was merely joking.

He had told Arthur about the festival of Bloodshed. This event where beastkin are tortured and publicly executed in an illegal procession was… not as fantastical as Arthur had originally assumed. Just a few weeks of patrolling Linis had told him that racial resentment runs deep here in this world.

He cannot understand why someone of Ajax’s power would need his help killing anyone if it wasn’t because there were people he couldn’t save alone. However, if he is lying, then Arthur couldn’t just accept an apology. After all, if innocent people die through these lies and Arthur is a responsible party in the event of their deaths, then… 

“...Yeah, I get it. This isn’t a lie. Those two beastkin in the carriage are people who will be tortured and murdered at this festival, I am certain of that. You’ll see. Before I kill these guys, I’ll have at least one of them explain it to you for me.”

“...Fucking hell, why am I doing this… Why am I helping you so easily…”

“Because you seek justice. And also, because you trust me. You might not want to acknowledge it yet but you do.”

The carriage approaches nearby. It reaches the turn in the road. It is this instant. The two Miella turn while the carriage takes half a second longer to turn and straighten out. In that brief moment, the side windows of the carriage are not able to survey directly beside the path of the road ahead.

Ajax leaps from his spot behind the trees during this half second. He leaps towards the carriage driver.

The carriage driver barely notices him because of the bend in the road. He can see the area along this part and notices someone standing in white. He opens his mouth to shout. 

Ajax doesn’t land on the carriage, however. With his armor on, something of his weight landing on the carriage would have been an instant red flag for those inside the carriage. Rather, he extends his perception of time carefully. With his leap, he nears the body of the carriage driver. He reaches his right arm out towards the carriage driver’s head.

At this speed, the carriage driver barely perceives his transcendent speed. Ajax grabs the carriage driver’s head before he can scream for help, before he can yell, before he can even finish his inhale. Ajax squeezes his throat, breaking his neck and killing him. Now, the carriage driver won’t be able to scream.

Then, in a fluid motion while continuing his upwards trajectory past the front of the carriage, Ajax lands in the forest with the carriage driver still in his right hand. No one notices either him or the carriage driver even through the carriage windows. Not even the Miella notice the disappearance of their master, just yet anyway.

Ajax pauses one second as he looks at the human driver’s body, still being grasped by the neck in his right hand.

“Sigh, you shouldn’t have taken this job. Now, look at you.”

Instantly, the carriage driver’s body freezes solid as Ajax consumes his heat. Ajax throws his body towards a nearby tree and it shatters like a glass figurine. By morning, someone will notice the appearance of chunks of flesh, bone and blood melting into coherence. It’s not his concern.

Without wasting any more time, Ajax rushes out of the forest towards the carriage. Without the driver to notice him and inform the passengers anymore, he has more leeway about how to approach this carriage. He runs behind it, attempting to be as fleet-footed as possible.

Arthur is already following it from behind as well.

If this was a different situation, Arthur would be over-awed by that last move. But now comes the difficult part.

Ajax and Arthur run faster than the Miella. They have to hurry. Once the Miella notice that the carriage driver is gone, they’ll slow down and perhaps even stop. The human passengers will be least on their guard while the carriage is still moving. Carefully, Ajax runs close to the back of the carriage.

He grabs the back of the carriage with his hands and carefully pulls himself up to its roof. Ajax already knows that the beastkin man and woman are in between two of the human security personnel in the back row of the carriage, right above where he’s standing at the moment.

Ajax prepares himself for a somewhat risky action. He readies his hands. Arthur reaches closer to the back of the carriage in preparation for what Ajax is about to do.

Ajax takes a breath. He can hear the heartbeats of the four in the back of the carriage. The beastkin man and woman have weaker heartbeats. Ajax believes this to be something to do with them being drugged. The other two aren’t tense or rapid at the moment, they still don’t suspect anything, it seems.

Ajax hesitates. Two lives will be in his hands.

He smashes the back of the carriage with his bare hands. The frozen effect of his hands instantly turns part of the carriage wood into something brittle like soft glass. Ajax uses those spots as grips for his hands. With his hand in those makeshift grips in the roof of the carriage, Ajax uses brute force to pull apart the entire rear of the carriage from its body.

Within a tenth of a second, the entire back of the carriage pops off the carriage itself, falling on the ground of the road behind. 

The four people in the back hover in midair with nothing supporting them. The two beastkin barely understand what’s happening. The two guards beside them, however, instinctively act towards self preservation and ignore the beastkin altogether. This was their last moment to take those two as hostages and they simply weren’t prepared.

This mistake will be their end.

The entire back of the carriage, including the wheels, is destroyed but due to Ajax’s enhanced perception of time, he still has leeway even here.

Ajax is currently in his frozen armour. However, at the moment, his hands are not as cold as the rest of his body. Before the two beastkin can land on the ground and roll away from the carriage, perhaps breaking multiple bones in the process, Ajax grabs the man by his shirt in his left hand and the woman by her dress in his right.

He carefully leaps from the carriage forward towards where Arthur is while it continues down the road. He lands with the two beastkin. They scream in pain at the sudden action as well as the landing. The force of Ajax pulling them from their position midair, leaping up in the air and then landing has resulted in whiplash, dislocated shoulders and some knees.

However, he can tell that this is the result of their injuries. There shouldn’t be any internal bleeding or bruised organs. Even Ajax couldn’t control his strength so easily in actual tactical situations. If he wasn’t more careful, their necks would have been broken from the pure force of his actions.

“Arthur, quickly, apply your healing magic!!”

“R-Right!”

Arthur, seeing the injuries of the two of them, starts applying healing magic. He starts with the woman who seems to be in particular pain from her whiplash (which could actually be a literal broken neck) and dislocated shoulders. The man on the other hand, has one dislocated shoulder and a concussion from the looks of it.

BAM!

Suddenly, Arthur looks ahead towards the road where the carriage had been destroyed completely. The men in the carriage were injured but not dead. There were eight of them in total. They were human. Even he can tell that these two beastkin were drugged heavily. Their clothes are poor. Some of their bruises are older than what was caused by Ajax just now.

They’re in a weak state right now. 

It seems like the white-armoured warrior had not been lying.

Rather, the bigger problem is the sound of that crash. There should be guards in the area coming towards them right now because of that sound. Of course, Ajax simply has to deal with them too or rather just reach the place where the beastkin are being kept before they can adequately prepare for Ajax and Arthur’s sudden appearance.

But there are a number of people still here right now. People who've seen him and Arthur by now. The armored men are already on their feet. Ajax walks away from the two beastkin towards them.

“H-Hey, wait! What are--”

“Arthur, sit back for now. Don’t worry, I’ll spare at least one of them.”