Sprinting forward Joseph was at the front lines of the opposing army in no time. With one swing of his sword, the bodies of men went flying everywhere. Somewhere cleaved in half, not by the sharpness of the sword, for it was dull, but by the force in which it was swung. “Now let’s see what I can do!”

Joseph slammed his sword into the ground, the terra coming up and forming around it, making it easily twice its original size. Feeling the weight of it Joseph almost thought he had over done it. He then activated his reinforcement strengthening magic and the sword felt lighter than it had before the earth gathered around it. With one swing of his weapon dozens of men lost their lives. “Hear me men about to meet God! Tell him I’m coming for him!” Another swing of his sword, another dozen men fell.

Arrows flew at him bouncing off his armor and even his skin. ‘Thanks to this armor I only have to focus my reinforcement magic on the openings. Allowing me to strengthen them more than I could my entire body at once.’

Spells began to slam, and ricochet off his armor. If they seemed like they could be trouble he would swipe them away with his sword while killing more men then he could count on his hands. Lifting his sword up to the air he once again slammed it into the ground. This time it opened up in response to him. The cavern clamed many men since they were all tightly packed together in formation. He glanced back to his army, making sure he wasn’t at risk of hurting any of them. That’s when he noticed they hadn’t moved at all. Not only that but the army he was in the midst of was no longer moving forward, rather circling him.

A moment later a huge gust of wind came out of nowhere. No, it was magic. He quickly shielded himself with his enormous sword. Taking the brunt of the attack, the terra connected to it began to crack and crumble away. Not a second later did another gust of wind of the same caliber strike him. He was launched about a hundred strides away from where he had stood. After landing and creating a crater in the terra he slowly got to his feet, shaking the blow off.

‘Someone there is strong’ Joseph started charging back towards the army before noticing. He came to a stop. “Are they retreating?” Joseph stuck his sword into the ground and raised his hands to his eyes, blocking the sun. “They are.” As they ran Joseph was able to get a good look at their size. They must have been three hundred strong, and they were retreating?

Joseph started walking back to his army, but when he turned to them he notice they were much closer than before. ‘They are chasing them, but they have admitted defeat?’ Withing a few great leaps Joseph stood in front of the advancing army.

After what they had witnessed, Joseph’s presence alone was enough to stop them. One of the two horsemen spoke, “You did well, boy. Your power is great and I bid you thanks for your assistance. Now step aside. We will finish them off.”

Joseph held his weapon out to his side, letting them know he did not want them to pass. “They have retreated. The battle is won and we are done here.”

The horsemen looked down at Joseph, “You dare think you can command ME!”

The Boss appeared from behind the front lines, running to Joseph. Looking at the horsemen the darkened man bowed deeply and asked for forgiveness before turning back to Joseph, “You did great! The power you now wield is immense. Our job is done Joseph, please, step aside. This is no longer our business.”

Joseph stepped close to the Boss, “I cannot do that. I gave my word that any man who chose not to fight me may leave.”

The Boss’s eyes went wide, “Who did you give your word to?”

Joseph looked and spoke calmly, “Myself.”

The Boss couldn’t help but hang his head after hearing this. He knew what he had to do now. Spinning and facing the horsemen he dropped to one knee, “I humbly ask that you do not chase them, at least not now. Wait and then go after them.”

The horsemen rode over to the Boss, striking him down with his hand, “are all you mercenaries’ imbeciles. Step ASIDE!”

The Boss put his hand up to Joseph before standing back up, “Please, this man here has given his word that if they chose not to fight him they could leave unharmed.”

“His word? What do I care of his word? It’s not like he’ll fight an army for his word. The boy should learn that a man’s word shouldn’t be used so flippantly.” The horsemen looked towards Joseph, “Have this be a lesson boy, don’t make a promise on your honor you can’t keep, it’s shameful.” The man began riding forward, now ignoring the two. “Forward.”

Joseph stuck his hand, stopping the horse. Looking past the horsemen he spoke to the army, yelling out so the men could hear him. “I gave my word that any man who didn’t wish to fight me could leave! I plan to stand by that!” The foot of the horsemen slammed into Joseph’s face but he did not move, nor did he stop talking, “That goes for you men as well! If you proceed forward, you will be fighting me, not them! Any man who does not wish that may leave.”

The horsemen began shouting as he pulled out his sword to strike Joseph, “Remember what those men did to your neighbors, your life, your families! He has fought an army and is already exhausted. Let us run over this fool of a boy and strike down our enemies. Is that not what we promised the God!” He swung for Joseph’s neck.

Joseph raised his arm, blocking the sword with his gauntlet. Anger welled up inside him, “A promise to that evil God isn’t a promise at all!”

All the men looked at Joseph in silence except for the horsemen, “Did you hear that, men! This boy is a blasphemer, a traitor to the loving God. It is our duty to kill him, OUR RIGHT!”

“If you dare to fight in the name of that worthless God I will bring you to his gates!” Joseph readied his weapon, knocking the horse and horsemen a few paces from him as he did. Joseph kept his eyes on the army but spoke to the Boss, “Get out of here! Gather the men and leave, this is my fight. I’ll get White to track you.” Joseph felt something hit his side and he was thrown off balance, falling to the ground. Looking in the direction of the blow he saw the Boss standing there with tears in his eyes.

The darkened man drew his sword with a shaking hand, “Take that back, BOY! I know you didn’t mean to speak Ill of the God! SO TAKE IT BACK! BOW DOWN AND PRAY TO HIM FOR FORGIVNESS, FOR HE IS A MERCIFUL GOD AND WILL SURELY DO SO!”

Joseph slowly got to his feet, his face drained of blood. “Please, don’t do this Boss.” As he spoke his voice began to shake at the thought of what was going to come.

The Boss pointed his sword at Joseph, his reinforcement magic welling up so much that it was visible, “No man, or boy, who has blasphemed the God shall call me that! Bow down, NOW, and pray for forgiveness.”

Joseph’s anger began to consume him, realizing the evil plot the God was orchestrating. “That thing! That God of yours! Plans to kill you!” Joseph pointed at the Boss, then the whole army, “All of you, in just a few short years from now, Will you still fight for him knowing that!”

The Boss’s expression did not waver despite the tears, “BOY, if what you say is true then, it would be an honor for every man, woman, and child to be with God. It is within his right to take our lives if he so pleases, when he so pleases. NOW BOW AND PRAY!”

Joseph dropped to his knees and looked up to the sky, tears running down his cheeks, “I will never bow or pray, TO YOU!” He reached a hand to the sky, trying his hardest to pull the evil God off his thrown.

The Boss lowered his head and closed his eyes, “Boy! You are a shame to your mother. Your father.” Joseph stood up and grabbed his weapon out of the dirt. “Your family”, Joseph looked the darkened man in the eyes as he shouted at Joseph “… And to me.” The darkened man raised his head but lowered his voice so only Joseph could hear, “the only more disgrace you could bring upon me is to have forgotten what I taught you.”

The message that the man had beaten into Joseph played in his head, ‘I cannot die. I cannot die’ Joseph’s tears stopped falling after remembering his own words to the Boss, ‘Costs everything? What a small price to pay.’ Joseph now pointed his sword at the Boss, “Don’t make me do this.”

The Boss raised his sword above his head, “Die you filthy blasphemer!” He made it one step.

Joseph let loose a single swing, putting all his power in it. He swung his weapon leading with the flat side. The air from the swing threw the front line of the army back, into the second. ‘This is the best I could do. A painless death.’ The entire upper body of the Boss was gone. There was no blood, nor body parts. Only the faint smell of burnt flesh. His upper half had been vaporized.