Silence collapsed in a blur. The bandit leader’s fist cut through the air, and Veyric’s cloak whipped aside as he blocked the strike head-on. A faint gleam of gold shot beneath the cloak before an elbow flushed down at Veyric’s head. Veyric pulled back just in time, avoiding the elbow strike and taking a deep breath. The bandit leader lunged forward, driving his knee into Veyric’s stomach. The blow stole his breath, and he staggered back a step, hand clutching over his abdomen while preparing for the follow-up. Except, it was lightning fast, his defensive stance crumbling after a punishing right straight met his face, impact reverberating through the town. He reeled back, his vision flashing, and a metallic taste lingering in his mouth. Before Veyric could fall, the leader grabbed his hood, holding him firm.

  “You’ve the confidence of a warrior, but you defend like a peasant.” The leader mocked, tossing Veyric along the dirt with a thud. Veyric’s hood slipped back mid-toss, long golden strands fully revealed, eyes burning with gold, horns pulsating with vibrance, and the villagefolk were fixated upon his revealed form. His draconic features were undeniable under the eyes of judgment. Awe broke out amongst the villagers. Veyric slowly rose, grumbling. While Veyric stood back up to his feet, he could feel eyes on him all over.

  “By the gods, look at him..!” A man tucked away in his home said. Many reacted with wonder, curiosity, and fear, but a grin smeared across the bandit leader’s face when looking at Veyric. He started laughing to himself, and eventually it grew louder to where it was the only thing heard. Vera peeked out to get a better look, eyes squinting.

  “You laugh?” Veyric asked, his voice becoming guttural.

  “Yes, of course I laugh! Augus’s greatest crutch is standing right in front of me. Only the great four could bestow such luck upon me… This only means that I, Morris, have been blessed.” He said.

  “Blessed?... How could you be blessed!” Veyric shouted, clenching his fists tightly.

  “Don’t you see it?... You’re a species lost to wrath and fear. Caged under my rule, you’ll make me a king feared by all of Augus. History proves it—dragons are good for one thing, and that’s burning the world until someone chains them down into obedience.” Morris grinned at Veyric’s scowling expression, the slits in his eyes glowing fiercely. His throat vibrated in a grating growl, thick waves of hot steam escaping his mouth. A woman shrieked, a man pulled his children away, and shopkeepers scrambled to put away their wares. The villagers were recoiling further and further away from the vicinity, the imminent danger growing by the second.

  “Everywhere you go, and anyone you meet will use you like a dog. That is the cycle for you! So why not embrace it? Fight against them for a greater cause, BREAK THAT CYCLE!” Morris added, approaching Veyric again.

  “I’m through talking with you!” Veyric roared out.

  “Prove me right, halfbreed. Show them the monster you are!” Morris shed his coat, unleashing his monstrous physique. Morris's shoulders were broad, and scars were disordered across his herculean abdomen. His beefy arms suffered the same level of ardent scars, each one telling the tale of battles that Morris had persevered through.

  “Your luck will run out, for I am indestructible!” He stated.

  The distance between them was swallowed to nothing, Morris engaging with a fierce shoulder bash. Villagers and their eyes gaped open from the perceived force of Morris's attack. Veyric dashed back, avoiding his shoulder. He drove his fist into Morris's stomach, knuckles thudding against his wall of muscles. Brushing off Veyric's strike, he wrapped his arms around Veyric tightly, pulling him into a crushing bear hug. Veyric roared out in pain as Morris only clutched him tighter. Veyric slammed his forehead into Morris's repeatedly, clawing at his body from within the grip before delivering a fierce bite to Morris's shoulders. A yell tore from Morris—his offense staggered. Taking advantage of the loosening grip, Veyric slipped out and edged behind him, slamming his shin into Morris’s hamstrings. Morris crumbled down on a knee, grunting. Morris was then struck in the back of the head, Veyric wrapping his bicep around his neck, wrenching down tight around it. Morris was gasping for air that wasn’t coming. In a heated scramble, he elbowed Veyric in the side, but he didn’t let up, only clamping down harder. Morris reached back and countergrabbed Veyric before pulling him off his feet, dragging him through the air, and ramming him on his back. Morris breathed profusely, dropping the bottom of his boot towards Veyric’s face. Veyric rolled out of the way and up to his feet, his boot stomping into the dirt while Veyric recovered. Morris lurched forward with a flying knee.

  “Dodge, Veyric!” Vera shouted out.

  The knee clobbered head-on into Veyric’s face, and Vera reeled back from the agonizing sound of impact. Morris landed, grabbing one of Veyric’s horns and crushing his fist against his cheek, then directly in the nose. Blood, scrapes, and bruises formed on Veyric’s face; his clarity of vision was completely scrambled, the golden radiance in his eyes waning, but flashes of gold shimmered in his palm, and he clenched his fist.

  “Hahaha! Look at ‘ya… Not so tough anymore, are you?” Morris wound his fist back and unleashed another strike. A woman covered her eyes, afraid to see it land. Morris’s bloodied knuckles rushed towards Veyric’s face again, striking him and sending him off his feet and onto the ground.

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  “Veyric, get up!” Vera shouted, pushing through the crowd of villagers and rushing over to him. A vile grin cracked from Morris’s face as he watched Vera kneel next to Veyric’s body.

  “Get up, get up, c’mon!” She was shaking him unrestrainedly.

  “What the hell are you doing? Get out of the way!” Veyric said. Morris approached slowly, his gaze looking down upon Vera. In her hand, Vera clutched a handful of dirt and spiked it towards Morris’s eyes. Veyric’s gaze brightened as he sprang up, taking his opportunity of offense while Morris had dirt in his eyes.

  “I’ll make you feel this.” Veyric’s voice was guttural. He swung his arm back and gut-punched Morris inches deep in the abdomen. Morris gasped, feeling his balance fall apart before clutching his stomach. Veyric then tried striking him in the throat, but Morris forced an eye open, catching Veyric’s fist and throwing him over the shoulder through the air. Veyric flipped himself upright, landing and skidding back. Morris threw an elbow, but Veyric barely managed to dodge. He retaliated with a backfist to Morris’s cheek, then pivoted to a roundhouse kick towards him. Veyric’s kick was blocked, a cracking impact reverberating like a disease. Morris latched onto his ankle and swept his other foot, taking him to the ground in a high mounting position. Morris began to throw constant punches while Veyric guarded his face. Morris manually pulled apart Veyric’s guard, then crashed a hammer fist into his face. He rose, grabbing Veyric’s shirt collar and lifting him, staring deep into his eyes.

  “This is the extent of your strength? What a disgrace to the might of dragons. Since that little girl wanted to be brave, now she’ll pay the price. And you’re going to watch.” Morris said to him. Vera’s breath quickened as she scrambled back, watching Veyric get discarded face down along the ground.

  “Stay away!” Vera shouted.

  “You'd look great with a missing eye.” Morris cackled to himself.

  “Get the fuck back, you devil!” Reed shouted, throwing a rock at Morris’s figure, standing protectively in front of Vera. The rock wasn’t registered by Morris as he continued to creep towards Reed and Vera. The villagers panicked, but were arm in arm. More men stood to protect Vera from Morris’s cruelty. Their fear was evident, but their expressions hardened.

  “Move out of my path, you groveling worms!” Morris knocked a man flat off his feet with a simple hook, the impact pounding through the air. Penelope rushed in to take Vera’s hand.

  “Come, you mustn’t stay!” Penelope exclaimed. The villagers who stood in fear stared behind Morris, expressions changing.

  Veyric rose. The ground had cracked beneath him. Morris turned to see Veyric leaping toward him. Veyric wrapped his legs around him and pierced his fingers straight through Morris’s left eye.

  “AAAAAHHHH!!!!” Morris screeched out, hands fumbling over Veyric’s as blood ruptured out of his eye, Veyric’s hand being painted with drooling crimson. The bandits staggered back. One swallowed hard from Veyric’s ferociousness. Morris continued to scream in harrowing pain as Veyric pulled his hand back, blood flinging along the dirt-trailed grounds. Veyric unwrapped himself from Morris’s torso. Morris held his hand over his eye, watching the blood leak through the cracks of his fingers like a never-ending waterfall.

  “Y-you!... I’ll make you pay for this. I’ll make you pay!” Morris’s voice was shaky, his resolve crumbling. Vera felt her hand tremble for a moment, goosebumps riding up her skin. The villagers and their expressions were scattered. A woman covered her mouth in shock, and a man nearly threw up from the blood pooling out of Morris’s eye. Veyric approached. The bandits wouldn’t dare step into certain death. Flames of gold rushed around Veyric’s right hand; the fire was fueled by wrath. He rammed his palm into the right side of Morris’s face—the searing hiss of flame meeting skin tore through the air, and it was followed by tumultuous cries. After blazing off his skin and revealing the flesh beneath, Veyric’s strength became domineering, throwing Morris back to his band of bandits, his body spent. Reed gazed upon Morris’s beaten state, a sigh leaving his body before looking back to Veyric’s revelatory. Penelope played with the hem of her tunic, staring at Veyric in awe despite his bruised and dirtied appearance.

  “Take your leader and leave. Show your faces around here again and you’ll be ashes in the wind.” Veyric said. Morris burst out into laughter while his men dragged him away. Veyric’s eyes were fixated on them until they couldn’t be seen anymore. The streets emptied, and villagers remained awestruck. Vera let out a long sigh, her breathing that was once labored evening out. She walked towards Veyric, a slight tremble in her step.

  “Gods, is it really over?...” A woman said.

  “Don’t bud your head in like that again,” Veyric’s voice was softened.

  “... Okay, you’re right… I shouldn’t have, but I’m glad I did.” Vera replied. Veyric sighs, his shoulders loosening up as he looks up at the cloudy sky.

  “It’s gonna rain.” He muttered.

  Villagers passed him timidly, children gazing at his horns, and shopkeepers looking in his direction.

  “Stay here, I’ll be back in a bit. Need to clear my head.” He said to Vera. He walked off, throwing his damaged hood back over his head and vanishing into the nearby forest.