The night grew darker. Colder as the time was now ticking. The metronomic sounds of the clock echoed once again through the halls but this time it was accompanied by footsteps as Mortimer made his way down the halls towards his office. Once he reaches the door he opens it with a sinister smile on his face as he sees what he expected to see. "Have you come back with good news?" The hooded man had now returned As he stood menacingly in the middle of the room to meet Mortimer. "Wonderful news actually. The boy has a companion with him. One that frequents the bars according to one of the knights." Mortimer explains as he walks over to his desk to take his seat while the hooded man stands still, looming over him. "How did this information come about?" The hooded man asks as Mortimer lets out a chuckle. "It's surprising what things you can get with one simple threat." Mortimer says with a devilish smile. "I assume you already have a plan in mind." The hooded man assumes as Mortimer interlocks his fingers together and leans into his table as he looks straight at him. "The man that the boy is with. Tetsuga Katsugoyo is a raging alcoholic so it's obvious he'll be at the tavern even at this hour. And great timing since I have a bit of a grudge against those miscreants there. I'll keep him busy by sending knights there to 'arrest' Katsugoyo who will be labeled as a suspect of the illegal enchanting smuggling." Mortimer explains thoroughly which left only one question. "And what is my part of the plan?" The hooded man asks. Mortimer smirks, an evil glint shines upon his eye as a shadow casts down onto his figure. Leaving nothing but a sinister silhouette. "Easy... you take care of the boy. According to my source, he lives just at the outskirts of town. All alone. With no one to stop you..." Mortimer says as the hooded figure holds his sword tightly.
"And when are we going to enact this plan of yours." The hooded man asks. "This night. Well throw everything onto their way... all of it.... all. At. Once." Mortimer says as the hooded man lets out a silent chuckle before disappearing like he always does into the night. Leaving Mortimer all alone in his chair. Waiting for everything to go down for this night will be his night. And no one was going to ruin it again. And as this was all going down in the kingdom. We take ourselves over to the outskirts as within Derricks' laboratory, the boy is seen making a new concoction as he mixed and stirred some things into a big beaker before heating it up with an alcohol lamp. Completely unaware of what was to come... or who was to come for him.
....
"Tetsuga. There's something I need to tell you." Over at the tavern, the tenants were now recovering after a fierce drinking battle between Finch and Tetsuga to which the victor was Tetsuga as usual. The bartender had yet to inform him of his conversation with Mortimer so the man decided now was the time to tell him as he calls for him in his drunken stupor. "Yeah big B? Whatchu got for me. I'm all nose... I mean ears." Tetsuga says with a hiccup as he had yet again, drank a little too much. "Earlier, you saw a guy storm out of this place right?" The bartender Inquires to which Tetsuga drunkenly nods his head. Confirming that suspicion. "Yup. What about him?" Tetsuga responds. "Well apparently, he wanted to know something about that Derrick kid." He tells him which took Tetsuga aback. Which woke him up a little from his drunken state of being. "Derrick? Why would he want to know anything about the kid? All that kid does is smile and collect rocks." Tetsuga argues. "Exactly. Which is why I found it suspect that a Royal adviser wanted to dig up some info on him. Naturally I didn't give him anything but I doubt he'll stop it there. He's notorious for being a narcissistic, short tempered, persistent prick." The bartender informs Tetsuga who cups his chin with his fingers. "Look, all I'm saying is to look out for him." The bartender tells him. Warning him in advance. But they would soon realize that his attempt at warning him would prove futile as the sounds of metal marching down the street outside slowly got louder and louder before stopping right outside the tavern doors.
"ATTENTION PEOPLE OF THE TAVERN! WE REQUEST YOU HAND OVER THE CRIMINAL SUSPECT, TETSUGA KATSUGOYO NOW!" A knight shouts from outside, taking everyone in the tavern by surprise as their chatter turned into silence as some went over to the windows to see what was going on outside. And lo and behold, a bunch of armed royal soldiers stood right outside. Demanding they hand over Tetsuga. "HE IS SUSPECTED FOR THE CRIME OF ILLEGAL ENCHANTMENT SMUGGLING AND SHALL BE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY THE ORDER OF THE ROYAL ADVISER! ANY ATTEMPTS AT PROTECTING THE CRIMINAL WILL BE GROUNDS FOR ARREST!" They shout. Stirring up everyone inside the tavern. "What the hell?" They're arresting Katsugoyo?" "This doesn't look good." The tavern people spoke as they looked over to the man in question who could only give but one response. A sigh of irritation. "Here we go again... hold my beer will ya?" Tetsuga says to the bartender as he stands up from the counter and makes his way over to the doors. "Wait, the hell are you going out for? You're clearly being framed here." The bartender says as he tries to stop Tetsuga from going outside. "It's alright. I'm used to being framed for stuff like this. It's why I travel a lot. Besides... tavern rules remember? No fighting inside the establishment." Tetsuga states before continuing his way over to the doors. He pushes the doors open, revealing himself to the knights outside as they held their weapons at the ready. "Tetsuga Katsugoyo, you are hereby under arrest. Give yourself up quietly or else you face further punishment!" They commanded him. But Tetsuga didn't budge. He looked straight at them. As if observing something about them all.
"What will it be? Will you surrender to us and serve your sentence?" They asked one last time only to get a response back which was not what they expected. "25 knights. Sounds kinda overkill for one man. But that's fine.... I'll bite." Tetsuga says as he cracks his fists. "Listen up knights! Whoever this royal adviser is, they're obviously lying through their crooked teeth! So all of you go disperse or imma have to do it manually! Your choice!" Tetsuga sends out a warning as both the knights and tavern men look on in worry and anticipation. "If that is your choice! Then pay for your sentence in battle criminal! Men, battle formation! Do not let him through!" The knights shout as they went directly Into a formation. They raise their weapons forward as they ready themselves for a fight. Tetsuga cracks his neck lastly before crouching down for a sprint. Once he was in position he launched towards them at his top speed. The knight stationed in the front goes to raise his sword but Tetsuga uses his magic to bring it all the way down to the ground before using it as a platform to knee the knight in the face. Their head reels back from it before it gets stomped down to the ground as Tetsuga uses their reeled back head to jump off and kick two knights in the chest as he lands. "Surround him men!" The knights proceed to circle around him. Trapping him in a circle of silver armor. "Bring it on! I'll knock you all out in 3 seconds flat!" Tetsuga taunts as the soldiers march in. One goes to swing on him as he dodges by swaying over to his left. He then ducks down to avoid another coming from behind before countering with a backwards kick. Pushing them away.
"Stand down criminal!" A knight tells before swinging his sword down at him as Tetsuga rolls to the side. Avoiding the slice as it hits the ground where he once stood. He recovers in a crouch but before he could get right back up, he gets locked into a chokehold from behind. Giving the other knights a chance to strike at him. Tetsuga grits his teeth as they slowly increase the pressure on his neck. He then uses his magic once again to latch onto a sword then pulls back on it. Launching it over to his hand as he wields it. He then uses it to block another strike at him before disarming them with it as he finishes it off with a double kick which sends him, the knight, and the one that's putting him In a chokehold onto their backs as they get launched simultaneously. As the knight that had Tetsuga lands, he uses the momentum to roll backwards on top of him. Freeing himself from their choke hold before knocking them out with a swift punch to their face. Tetsuga then takes a moment to breathe and collect himself as the effects of all the booze he drank slowly came back. His vision became a lot more hazier than usual and his movements a lot more sloppier now. "Dangit Finch..." he curses in between his breaths but soon has to hastily collect himself as he gets rushed once again. He grits his teeth once more as he proceeds to run towards them as well.
He weaves through the first knight, then the second knight before shoulder bashing the third. Making them drop their weapon which he takes as he turns around to use it but unfortunately, in his slowly degrading Performance coupled with the fact he has no proper training with swords. It easily gets swatted out of his hands as they then go on for a stab. Luckily, Tetsuga was able to dodge only at the cost of a scratch to his cheek. "Argh!" The yells In frustration but then gets his stomach kicked in. Sending him to the ground. "Ough!" He grunts as he gets pinned down by the boot of a knight as they prepare to slay im. "Any last words before you pay with your blood!" The knight asks as Tetsuga tries his hardest to lift their boot away from his chest. "His last words are for you to step off, you royal Pig!" A voice then shouts instead of Tetsuga as a wooden barrel gets launched and hits the knight on top of Tetsuga. Crashing them down away from him. "Cornwall Finch you stupid bastard! Thanks for the save!" Tetsuga expresses his gratitude. "Save your thanks! Tavern men! Rain them hell! CHAAAARRRGGEE!!" Finch yells in a battle cry as every single Tavern goer rushes into the battle with whatever they could find as their weapon. "Are you people mad!? Assaulting a knight and protecting a criminal will get you all killed!" A knight yells out to them before getting clobbered upside the head with a wooden stool. "Get up Katsugoyo!" Suddenly, the bartender shows up and lends Tetsuga a hand which he accepts. Once Tetsuga is up, he looks back onto the scene as he sees the tavern people fighting the knights in his stead.
"Bartender? Why are you all fighting!? You do know this is gonna ruin your business! " tetsuga tries to understand their sudden decision to fight but the Bartender places their hand onto his shoulder as he looks them in the eyes. "If they mess with a customer of mine, then they mess with all of my customers." The bartender says. Determination in his eyes. "Listen Tetsuga! That royal adviser wasn't asking for you earlier si the kid is in danger! Get out of here and we'll handle this!" The bartender tells him. "But everyone-" Tetsuga tries to reason with him but the bartender lets him. "Just go! Save the kid! Besides, I ain't gonna let them mess with my best customer. And my business!!" The Bartender says as he brandishes a Battle Axe which he slams onto the ground. Those words, their efforts. All for him. It almost made Tetsuga cry but he couldn't do so right now. Because someone needs him. Derrick needs him. With his comrades fighting off the knights, he sprints away. "I'm coming Derrick!!" Tetsuga shouts as he ran and ran like there was no tomorrow. But unbeknownst to him, someone was already on their way to the lab as they landed on top of a branch that overlooked the laboratory. Their sword gleams in the moonlight as they bring it all the way up to their face.
"Derrick Barnes.... your head will be mine..."