The Draconid was in a lot of pain. His scales were broken through like butter, and injuries were strewn all over his body. On his right torso was a gash, and on his left shoulder, a hole pierced through even his bones.
He was just watching a fight between the insufferable human and some guards. He was amazed by his display of Closed-Combat and Swordsmanship, yet he didn't think the fool would drag him into his troubles.
"Dammit… this hurts. Those golden chains felt like the sun was touching me." the Draconid cursed as he gritted his teeth and forced the blood to stop, "Tsk, that human pulled me into something really troublesome. Why is the Town Lord even here?"
"Ha… hahaha, so he's the… Town Lord? He must be the father… of the… asshole I punched. Also, sorry… about bringing… you here. But… that area… was about to be devoured by something… which happened to be the golden chains… so I took the liberty and got you out of there. Sorry… for not telling… you that."
The human answered with uneven breathing, and when the Draconid turned to him, he was shocked by what he saw. The human he was cursing was covered in blood, his clothes already tainted, and his left eye already closed.
The human was perforated. Yet, he still stood.
His torso, right arm, left ear, and upper thighs he was filled with marble-sized holes. Adding the many scratches strewn across his body. The human was battered, injured, and clearly on his last leg, yet he stood.
The human stood with a big smile and a burning fire under his eyes. The human struggled to hold anything, but the sword never left his being.
The human looked at the Draconid, "You're… injured? Here… this should… take the edge off the pain and give you enough strength."
The Draconid caught a marble-size gemstone that glowed with an unnatural mist. It was filled to the brim with the aura of life, but the Draconid did not pay it any attention. Instead, he asked, "Human… you this more than I do. You're going to die."
But, the human just laughed, "I already took one… hehe. Taking another will be nothing but a death wish. My regenerative capabilities are also working on their limits." the human answered.
The Draconid could see the change in his tone. How the human had suddenly regained his words. Now, the blood had stopped flowing out; now he held the sword; now his breathing was a little less ragged; now he stood against an insurmountable mountain with an even bigger smile.
Anticipation filled his eyes.
'This human… he's thinking of fighting against the Town Lord.' The Draconid could not fathom why the human still stands in opposition to such heights. Does he not feel the weight of the mountain before him? Does he not fear the invincible golden chains, "Why isn't he running away?"
"Why… I'm not running away?" The human heard the words the Draconid didn't want to say. The human looked down on the Draconid and said, "Because running away is useless; Surrendering is not a privilege I have; and lastly, all I can do is walk forward."
The Draconid could not say anything; he could not react and simply watched the human limp out of the smoke. He was covered in blood, but he held the sword that could not reach the man with the golden chains.
'For such a man from a frail race to walk fearlessly in front of certain death.' The Draconid could not help but look in amazement but also fear. He, too, wanted to be someone like the human. He, too, wanted to walk forward and stop dragging his feet for reasons that matter little to the truth, 'Running await is useless. Surrendering is not my privilege. Walking Forward is all I have.'
The Draconid decided to stand.
Isaac jumped high up and landed atop a crumbling house. Standing with injuries strewn about his body. And stamina that's about to disappear, Isaac looked at the man with the golden chains in his eyes, "Why didn't you kill me?" he asked.
The man with the golden chains looked down upon Isaac from the skies, "Because I plan to make you suffer, as my daughter did."
Isaac simply showed him a bitter smile, "As I thought you're her father. But before you make me suffer, did you know what she was doing when I punched her? She stopped a man from taking his friend to a healer because a speck of blood had gotten to her dress. All of that, and you're still going to do all this for such a rotten child?"
DOOM!
The air around their immediate surroundings changed. A thick smell of blood appeared as the man glared at Isaac, "Who cares? She's my daughter; she can do anything she wants. And to those who hurt her, I will make them suffer."
The man raised his right hand. Underneath the golden robes glowed a golden light, and ten golden chains were summoned from ten different portals.
Isaac saw this and didn't back away, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid. Even though he wanted to run away, the man before him was leagues ahead of him in speed and strength. The moment he turns around, the golden chains would pierce his heart, which would be the end of it.
'I am weakened; my speed decreased by several folds. My mana is non-existent, but he can't kill me. I don't know why but he can't kill me. That means I won't die in a single hit… I can survive this.' Thus, he stood before the Town Lord with a sword. It had been so long since the odds were stacked against him so high; Isaac licked his lips and got ready, 'Come at m-'
Then, the chains appeared on his right shoulder before he could even finish his thoughts.
Isaac gritted his teeth and got ready to bear the pain when, all of a sudden, the chains shot up as a magic circle appeared on his right shoulder, "GAHAHAHA! So it was you who was causing all the ruckus, my brother!"
A burst of familiar laughter echoed.
Isaac looked up and saw a robed mage built like a warrior.
Tari landed beside Isaac and gave him a big hug, "What are you doing here, brother! I thought you had already left town. How come you're fighting that guy?"
"Oh, I punched his daughter when she was a bitch."
"You punched her as well? Gahahaha." Tari just laughed.
From his words, Isaac could already tell why Tari was hanging upside down in the forest and how he survived the encounter, 'But still, to beat someone up just because his mother was cursed. How petty.'
Isaac shook his head and then asked, "But, what are you doing here then? I can see that you've retrieved your equipment."
"Oh, about that, he ripped apart my beloved mother's picture… and I'm here to get him back for that." Tari's eyes grew dark with dark magic.
"Haha, good enough for me." Isaac smirked, 'Again, petty.'
"Greater Healing - Vitality Regeneration."
At this time, Isaac's body suddenly glowed evergreen as he felt his stamina suddenly returning to him.
Behind him, he saw the Draconid walking up to them and standing side by side with him.
"Are you with us?" Isaac asked the Draconid.
"In this situation, yes." the Draconid answered.
"You might die."
"...then that death would be better than what was initially destined for me."
There was no build-up, no reason, and no planning.
Yet, three men stood in opposition to a man they could never defeat.
Three men with very different ideas stood against a man they knew they could not defeat.
A Demon stood against fate to reclaim the pride of his mother.
A Draconid stood against fate to reclaim his worth.
A Human stood against fate to fight and survive.
The three of them took their stances, and Isaac looked the Town lord in the eyes and shouted "COME!"
Thus, the prelude began.
