Weller was on his knees. The sword cut deep into his shoulder. So deep in fact that no normal human would survive it for so long. The bleeding was excessive. His clothes turned red and blood dripped from his mouth.
The man looked at him, confused. Both by his speed and his actions. When Weller had jumped to block the strike, there was no defense. Just his body. He had not even tried to block it.
“NOOO!” Ravi let out an agonizing scream. He tried to stand up and walk to his friend but stumbled on his way. However he had been hit, it wasn’t a normal strike.
But he didn’t stop this time. Once he was close enough, the reality dawned on him. The sword slashed too deep for him to recover. It was inches from his heart.
The only reason he had not bled out until now was the black energy trying to stop it.
“You!” Ravi turned towards the stranger. Sparks of black and gold energy popped around him but faded as soon as they appeared.
Ravi tried to stand up and attack the man, but he felt a hand on his arm. He looked back, Weller held him down and he shocked his head.
Parcey saw everything, but he couldn’t move either. He winced in pain as even the faintest movement as he could feel the broken ribs piercing his insides. Regretful tears welled up his eyes. He had so many things he had yet to accomplish.
“Senior, I apologize for offending you. Cough!” Blood dripped from Weller's mouth. “My friends are young and immature and don’t know history well. They didn’t realize your True excellency and offended you. Please spare them.”
The man raised an eyebrow. He was confused by Weller’s words.
“An unusual request for someone who just moments ago tried to push a knife through my skull,” said the man. Yet there was no hate or anger in his words.
“I was a fool too, I was too late to recognize we are in the presence of a True Martial Artist. My emotions clouded my judgment and I acted impulsively. But your excellency, how can I lay down my weapons when you were not inclined to spare us,” said the man through laborious breaths.
“Then what makes you believe I’ll do so now?”
“Nothing. I can only hope, after all, we can’t do anything if you choose to kill us here and now. Twenty of us are not your opponent.”
Ravi hadn’t let go of his anger the entire time. The only reason he had not rushed to attack the stranger, even without his energy power-up, was Weller’s strong grip on his arm. However, once he had heard Weller's words his will left him. His legs softened and fell on his knees, while Parcey’s eyes bulged in surprise and tried to take a better look at the stranger.
They thought it was only a legend, but true martial artists were actually real. Someone they hadn’t heard walking the continent since the inception of their martial arts system.
“Tell me. Why didn’t you leave? I saw your speed just now. It’s impressive. You could have escaped, instead, you chose to meet your end and beg for someone else’s life.” The man was curious about Weller’s actions.
Weller gave a wry smile. “I dare not fool myself. Had I managed to live it would have only been because your excellency allowed me to. Decided against pursuing me. And how can I live with myself then?”
“That’s it? You’re afraid to die last and as a coward? If I die, why not die first? What foolish logic. Why not live? Try to become stronger, to take your revenge. Even if it all depended on me, on whether I cared enough to follow you. Why not gamble?”
“But I’m gambling your excellency. Am I not? It’s just… Instead of gambling for my life, I gamble for theirs.”
Weller's breathing was more laborious with every passing moment. The red on his leather armor was brighter and brother and he struggled to fight the blood loss.
The stranger was confused. How long ago had he witnessed something like that? Could he even remember? Even if it were scenarios like this, it was only between family or people that formed strong bonds that went behind a mutually beneficial relationship, which in his world were rarer than a dragon.
“You would do something like this for anyone? Put your life on the line just to save theirs? You’re a fool.”
Ravi and Parcey uncontrollably shed tears by this time but kept their sobs as quiet as they could. Ravi even hid his face, ashamed.
“You misunderstand me, your excellency. I’m not that selfless. I would only do so for my wife and child and these two fools.” Weller then noticed something behind the stranger and slowly shook his head. “Well, maybe three,” he added.
The stranger looked back only to see a teenager between the foliage of trees, lowering his bow. He then looked at Weller’s face. It was filled with warmth as if fond memories surged in his mind, despite facing certain death and knowing that he would leave his family. Blood dripped down from his mouth and shoulder.
“A family and child and still risk your life to save theirs. You must really trust them,” the man said. His voice was somber. It gripped Weller’s heart when he heard it. Was this their end?
The man let out a heavy sigh and looked up at the sky. “Unconditional love. Loyalty. Blind faith. Trust. Qualities so rare to find and so hard to appreciate until you...”
Moments passed as the man looked up into the sky. A heavy feeling came from him. Tears threatened to fill his eyes.
No one talked. Weller couldn’t find the needed energy anymore and there was nothing more to say. Ravi grabbed his old friend's hand and squeezed it. They both felt this was the end. One way or the other.
The amount of blood Weller had lost had long since become lethal. His face was pale. Only his willpower allowed him to still stand on his knees.
The stranger looked down at Weller. Eyes normal. “You’re a good man. I hope they will appreciate what you did for them.”
Weller’s eyes lightened up. The others too. For a moment they couldn’t believe it, but soon they realized what had cost them. Only Weller still had a faint smile on his face.
“Thank you, your excellency. Thank you so much.” Weller took out a leather pouch. “Your excellency, these are some healing pellets. They are not very potent but should accelerate natural healing. Could I beg you to allow my friend to take one?”
The man looked at the pouch with a raised eyebrow. He felt a familiar energy coming from within it. It was too faint to be sure. He took the pouch and looked in it. It was filled with greenish pills.
The man took one out and inspected it before swallowing it. Immediately after, his wounds started closing. The bite marks on his shoulder, the scratches on his chest, everything healed in mere moments. He even regained full mobility of his arm.
The others witnessed this scene and couldn’t believe it. How come they never knew one pill to be so strong?
“These are quite good,” said the stranger, then threw the pouch in front of the awestruck Parcey.
“What is your name?” asked the man. “You are a man worth remembering.”
“I am called Weller Wudoro. It was an honor meeting you, your excellency.”
The man nodded slightly. “Good. Do not feel dejected, Weller Wudoro. Many have been killed by my hands, but few had the honor of being remembered by me, Jon Qao.”
With that, the stranger now known as Jon Qao disappeared into the woods. He left Weller there, with the sword in his shoulder to say his last goodbyes to his friends.
Jon Qao’s speed was above the one displayed by Weller as if to show him that he was right. Seeing this the dying man murmured, “I knew it.”
very good! give me moar!
You'll have to wait until Monday. :D I have to write them first. Glad you like it, though. Thank you!