I've always found people who attempt to chuckle intimidatingly rather annoying. I mean, like, really? That's the best you got? Sincerely lacking in creativity, is what you are. Honestly, when you're planning to come this far, you really should at least have a villainous or intimidating monologue ready, as a matter of respect, if nothing else. Because of this, purple fella has left a pretty nasty first impression on me. 

Well, that, and there's also the fact that they attacked us with crimes against nature with intent to harm or perhaps kill, and at the very least messed up my leg pretty bad. So, unpleasant all around, generally. 

Anyways, this dudes still chuckling menacingly. 

"Is this your doing, ruffian?" Desk guy asked. I appreciate that he's asking this despite the painfully obvious answer, because otherwise I think Purple would've just kept chuckling annoyingly forever.

"Indeed it was, and that's just the beginning, I assure you." Purple robe said in an obviously fake deep voice. 

"What is it you want?" Desk guy asked. 

"Who cares what they want? Let's just get this over with!" S said, getting impatient. 

"Hold." Desk guy responded, sternly, sticking his shield out towards S. 

"Whatever cargo you're moving!" 

"There is no cargo on this carriage. It's just for transport."  

"As if I'd honestly believe that the captains hands would just happen be using this path to transport nothing but 2 boys. Now, hand it over, or I'll sic 'em." Purple said, gesturing to their dog creatures, not knowing that 'the captains hands' are actually just transporting 2 boys, on this path. Also, what are 'the captains hands'? And what so special about this path? 

"Wait, 'the captains hands'?" S says. So he doesn't know, either. 

 "I have no idea what you're talking about. We're just passing through, now step aside." Desk guy says, readying his spear. I don't think he expects them to step aside. 

"Insist on playing dumb, huh? Well, I'll have you barking soon enough. Get them!"

Oh crap. Just one of them was able to take me down, and while S and Desk guy were able to handle 3 pretty easily, 8 could easily become a problem. 

"Fine, then. I hereby place you under arrest." Desk guy said, confidently, taking up a combat stance. This was different from his earlier combat stance, however. It was similar, with heavy reliance on his shield, but something about it seemed different, though I can't quite place it. There was a different air about it, I guess. 

"Let's get this over with." S said, seeming oddly impatient for some reason. Wait, did he wipe some blood off? There's less blood on him. 

"Uh, go team." I said, a little ways away, wanting to contribute. 

Immediately, the 8 creatures split into 3 groups. Three stayed near Purple, defending them, while the remaining groups of 2 and 3 attacked S and Desk guy respectively. Ooh, only sending 2 to S, huh? That's pretty brave.

The creatures got to work quickly. They rushed in between S and Desk guy, in an attempt to keep them away from each other, and then pick them off with better numbers. A 3 on 1 and a 2 on 1, huh. Fine odds, if you ask me. 

S was right at home fighting these beasts. A slice on the fur there, a quick jab into the torso there, he seemed to be doing pretty well. That being said, being at a numbers disadvantage meant that openings were few and far between, and impactful openings even more so. Plus, these creatures seemed much more skilled in combat than the average beast. Are they some sort of mad beast, perhaps? The result was an unending relentless assault from both sides. 

Eventually, the fighting picked up. Both creatures clawed at S in unison. Instead of leaping back to evade, S took the hits on his arms, and then stabs the one on the right deep in their leg, and it lets out a pained shriek. A good hit, for sure, but S's arms... Damn it. If only I wasn't so weak, I could...  

Wait a minute. Maybe I can still contribute. I'm hesitant to do anything so obvious with the holes, like make the creatures rain from the sky, because Desk guy might start asking questions, but, perhaps I could be a little more subtle... I create my holes next to me. Just 2 small holes, just a little bigger than, say, the paws of these creatures. See where I'm going with this? Alright, if I just focus, wait for an opening...

The creature on the right, still reeling in pain, holds off for a moment, but the one on the left continues, pouncing at S. He swiftly dodges left, avoiding damage. Now! I quickly shift one of my holes where one of it's paws is about to land, and...

It slips, just for a moment, letting out a surprised yelp. A moment's time S needs, he rushes forwards, left arm out, spewing sand into the creatures face, and with his right, a clean cut at the creatures neck. Hoo wee, that's a lot of blood. Brutal. The creature falls over with a thud, and it lets out a sad whimper before it disappears. Wait, why'd it do that? 

It's at this point that I noticed that the other corpses of the creatures are nowhere to be seen, as if they just disappeared. That's odd. Is this some sort of magic? I'll have to ask S about this later.

Alright, now S is fighting a 1 on 1 against a wounded opponent. That's comforting. I wonder how Desk guy is doing? I look over at his brawl. It's clear that he's at quite the disadvantage. That being said, he's leaving very few openings, though maintaining perfect defense against 3 enemies for long would be a herculean task, so his armor is looking a little worse for wear. On top of that, the creatures don't seem damaged at all, right now. I'd like to help him, too, but just tripping 1 enemy wont do much when the other 2 are waiting for any opportunity to capitalize on even the smallest opening. Should I try something more extravagant? But then... No, S will be done soon, then he'll be able to help, probably.

"Give it up, baldy. You can't keep defending forever! You'll get tired long before my beasts do, and they'll never let up on their assault!" Purple shouts from behind the pair of creatures defending him. Boy, someone's confident. Still, it's hard to say that their remarks are wrong. But he'll be eating his words soon enough.

I look over at S to see how he's doing. Yeah, he's just finishing up, he'll be done quick, I'm sure. Wait a minute, what's going on with S's robe? It's flowing with the wind weirdly. It's blowing towards the right, where Desk guy is. Was it windy earlier? I don't think it was. Wait, I do feel some wind, now that I'm thinking about it. But not blowing right, blowing from behind me, towards Desk guy. What's going on here?  

That's when I realized the true matter of this situation. Despite his seemingly obvious disadvantage, he doesn't seem at all worried. The only thing he portrayed was pure, unadulterated irritation. He had a frightening look on his face. 

Then he reached back his right arm, ready to unleash his frustration through his spear. He parried attacks from his left, kicked the creature on his right as it attacked, knocking it flat. 

Then he whispered "... cannon." I didn't catch the first part. In an instant, he attacked. It was fast. I almost couldn't see him move. In a moment, in a single move, the creature in front of him disappeared, leaving no trace. The creatures on his right and left got sent flying. The one on the right disappeared in the air. Coincidentally, the one on the left flew right over to S, who had just finished the other creature he was fighting, and took the liberty of ending that one as well. They disappeared one after the other. 

As he attacked, I could feel the force from the wind blowing all around, even as far back as I was. I guess he powered up an attack with some sort of wind magic-y thingy. Neat.

"You really are a moron." Desk guy began. Giving Purple a death stare. "You really assumed I'd get to where I am just by playing the waiting game?" He pointed his spear at him. "Stand down."

"Or would you rather have us make you?" S said, readying his blade once again.

Purple seemed stunned for a moment. It's clear they didn't expect their creatures to be done in with a single attack. Then he started chuckling again. "Alright, I'll admit, you got me. I underestimated you both, I'll admit that. But I think you might have forgot something..."

Next, I heard something stirring in the bushes. Ah crap. There were 3 creatures protecting Purple earlier, weren't there? 

One of the creatures leapt out of the bushes and stood over me menacingly, allowing me to get a very good look at its teeth. Yikes. Next, it stands on my already wounded leg. I yell in pain. 

"Beyes!"S shouted, looking over at me. Then he turned over to Purple. "You... You..." He muttered, seething with rage. He his legs were twitching, like he wanted to just charge in for Purples throat, but he's stopping himself.

Desk guy thinks for a moment. "Let him go. He's just-"

"Not until you give me whatever it is you're moving!"  Purple shouts.

"I already told you, we're just passing-" Desk guy begins.

He's interrupted by my pained yelling again, as the creature presses down harder on my leg. 

"BEYES!" S shouts.

"Clocks ticking..."

After a moment, I can't even feel my leg any more. I can't feel much of anything. I can see everyone panicking. Then, everything slows down, strangely. Time almost seemed to stop. And then the dread set in.

Here I am. Lying on the floor, useless, a detriment. Defeated by this chuckling moron. In the end, all I've done was hold everyone back. I've failed. I was a fool for even thinking I could handle this. I'm...

I'm...

I'm...

I'm...

I'm not done.

I might not be good at fighting, or much at all, really. I mean, I'm a coward, I'm weak, I'm not particularly bright, and, in general, I don't really have much direction, because all I really do is distract myself from the things that scare me.  

But there's one thing that I do have. One key advantage. Dramatic flair, baby! Let's dance, you Purple bastard! 

Time seems to resume again. Alright, here goes.

I start laughing. I start laughing hysterically. I couldn't stop myself. I don't think I'd have stopped laughing if I died, then and there.

Everyone turns to me. That's my cue. Time to show this Purple fool how it's done.

"G-gone mad, have you?" Purple says, his voice breaking a little bit. Oh, and I noticed that stutter, too. Oh yeah I did.

"Mad? Mad? Mad in what way? Look at my face. Does this look like the face of a madman?" Hazzah, making use of the one thing my face is good for, giving people the wrong idea! Yay...

They begin chuckling again, in an attempt to regain composure. "I-is that l-little bluff s'pposed to s-scare me?" They're a little right about the bluffing part. I am very, very mad. Not in the way they're thinking though.  

"No, no, of course not. That would be insulting." I say with a smile. And then a pause, for effect. I take a look over at Purple. Their face is mostly obscured, but their mouth, their fake smile, it's twitching. Good. Alright, continue.

I quickly create the square with my thumb and index finger, and fall through the hole I create beneath me. Where's the exit hole? Well,

it's right above the Purple bastards head, obviously! "This is."

I think back to some pro wrestling I saw in my previous world. I don't remember much, but this one move in particular struck a chord with me. That move, of course, was the iconic elbow drop.

Purple looked up at me, dropping their fake smile, replacing it with a look of fear. I could see bits of sweat on their obscured face. "A-WHA-HOW-I-HELP!" Purple shouted as I plummeted towards them with a grin on my face. They probably could have just moved, but I guess they were too surprised, a bit too spooked. Just like I'd hoped.

"Beyes!" I heard S shout before my elbow connected with Purple's stupid face. It simultaneously felt good and bad. Good because, y'know, I elbow dropped this guy right in his face, which is awesome, bad, because I think most of my arm is broken, and it hurts. A lot. Still worth it though. Probably. Okay, maybe not. Visions going dark. Ah crap.

Before I ragdolled to the ground and passed out, I shot a thumbs up sign at S and grinned victoriously.