《Quantum Rip: Welcome to Ethos》Knights' arrival (Part 3 - Massacre)
Advertisement
Edvard too was shocked by what he had just done, yet he found that it was easy to kill. He felt no remorse for the scum of a knight, it felt no different from when he was fighting for survival against the orcs.
It felt just the same...
It didn't even feel as emotionally taxing as when he first killed the goblins. And this scared him for a moment. He had always thought it would be hard to kill another human. Yet, he found that it was easy. Too easy.
"The fuck did you just do!?" One of the other knights shouted after overcoming his shock, he too charged at Edvard in rage. The galloping hooves filled the silence. The knight ready to cut this commoner in half.
Edvard smirked as he turned to the charging knight. The sight was not intimidating to him, not even close to. What was it compared to a massive orc riding a tiger? It was nothing compared to that.
Just as the knight was about to reach him, Edvard ducked down and took out the horse's front leg.
The horse went down immediately, sending the knight flying. A sharp snap filled the silence as the man rolled a few meters. Never to stand again.
Standing up from his attack, Edvard looked at the other four knights. He showed no fear, the blood covering him made him appear like a demon to the knights and villagers alike.
"I deem you lesser than orcs and goblins," Edvard said, softly. Yet, his statement filled the air and filled the remaining knights with even more anger, and more importantly; embarrassment.
Yet, they did not rush at him immediately. The ease with which he had killed their companions instilled fear in them too. His calmness at the moment only compounded this fear.
They had never heard of something like this. They had never encountered a situation where they were the weak. Most of them simply wished to run away, to escape with their lives. Yet, they stood as the little discipline they had kept them from deserting.
Advertisement
Sir Josip frowned as he realized that Edvard was far too skilled for a commoner. His sword was also amazing, something not even his lord had an equal to.
"How dare you raise your blade?" Sir Josip asked, taking the lead and charging towards Edvard.
With his charge, the other knights also charged, but not toward Edvard. They charged into the villagers and started slaughtering them. Shouting that the village was corrupted by a devil as they did. Calling for a holy cleansing.
Edvard froze as he saw them starting to slaughter the innocent, filling him with all the more hatred. Yet, he could not do anything before dealing with the captain.
Sir Josip did not repeat the mistake of the other knight and as such did not charge straight at Edvard. He tried to use the range of his bastard sword to kill Edvard without giving him any chance.
Edvard though simply rushed at him, stabbing his sword into the horse's underbelly that was not protected by armor, sliding under it and then quickly standing up again.
Sir Josip recovered quickly from his fall. His pride hurt at being dismounted, but not one to let it cloud his judgment. Standing up he stared at Edvard in hatred, charging after a few seconds.
As he charged his sword took on a peculiar shine, making Edvard warry of the blade. At the same time, Sir Josep's speed nearly doubled, bringing it close to that of an orc.
Shocked, Edvard prioritized dodging. His strength was still lacking so he dared not compare strength, instead he moved fast to get into the knight's blindspot.
Sir Josip clearly lacked training, or at the very least he lacked experience. True experience. He attacked at Edvard expecting Edvard to return the favor of a straightforward attack. Instead, Edvard continued to dodge his attacks and slip past his guard.
Advertisement
If not for him being nearly twice as fast, Sir Josip realized he would have long since been dead.
'Just who is this man?' He wondered as fear started growing in him too. Especially when again he felt the strange blade of Edvard hitting his armor. If not for its protection, he would have died regardless of how fast he was.
This continued for a few seconds until Edvard found that his opponent was already running out of steam. Smirking he suddenly changed direction and slipped into the opposite blind spot.
Before Sir Josep could react, he found a blade sliding in underneath his arm. With ease, the blade cut through the chainmail as Edvard put all his strength into it.
Jumping back, Edvard observed his opponent who screamed in pain and turned to him in rage. His clumsy swing out of anger was his last. Moving past it, Edvard first landed a palm strike, knocking back the knight's head and opening a gap for his sword.
The blade followed the strike, slipping into the gap between his breastplate and helmet. His sword slid through as if it was cutting the air. In one swift motion, Edvard turned the thrust into a slash, ending the fight as the blade ripped through the knight's neck. Nearly beheading him.
Sir Josep stood for a second, before falling forward.
His collapse again caused silence to fill the air. The knights stopped their slaughter and looked at Edvard in absolute horror.
Edvard did not care for their stupor, without mercy he sprang for the nearest knight, who only barely managed to block one strike. Edvard used the same sequence of strikes to end the man's life.
Seeing another of their companions fall within just a few seconds, the last two knights quickly tried to group. Naturally, Edvard would not give them the chance.
He charged the next closest, attacking with all his strength and sending the man rolling on the ground. Before he could finish his target the others charged him.
Jumping away, Edvard picked up a handful of sand and threw it at the new arrival. The dirt clogged the man's sight as Edvard ended the other who had yet to regain his footing.
Hearing the sound of his companion's last gurgling breathes, the last knight threw down his sword and begged for mercy. Edvard did not care for it. He did not even pause for a second, pushing his blade through the man's neck all the same.
Standing up, Edvard turned to look at the village. Already expecting it, but seeing it still hurt. The fear in their eyes, but he understood.
He certainly looked like a devil, covered in blood and killing a pleading knight without any remorse.
"I am sorry," He said, turning around and starting to leave. He could see it clearly, all the villagers looked at him in fear and despair. Certainly, they blamed him for the slaughter. For all the death that had happened.
As he walked away, Edvard could not help but reflect that it had been too easy. That killing was far too easy.
He didn't blame the villagers for their reaction. He hadn't done it to be praised, he had expected to be shunned. Yet, even knowing how it would end, he couldn't let the knights' cruelness stand.
He had to act, and he didn't regret it.
AN: Remember to show your support for the story by adding it to your library, voting, and commenting.
Advertisement
- In Serial30 Chapters
On Parts and Precedence
A mysterious damsel appears before King Arthur’s court with a strange sword, and promises it to whoever can draw it from its scabbard. King Arthur fails to unsheathe the weapon, as do all his knights present at his court. However, an ex-convict named Balin succeeds in unsheathing the wicked blade Tyrfing. What dangers loom before him and his newly acquired weapon? What misfortune awaits him on his adventures? Find out in On Parts and Precedence. New chapters weekly.
8 226 - In Serial14 Chapters
Souls of Savagery
Souls of Savagery is a series of short stories intended to function much like a comic book series. However, to experience the complete story in a logical order you should read the volumes in numerical order, starting of course, with Volume 1: A Bloodbath by Any Other Name. Each volume is told from a single point of view and that will change from volume to volume. Though, the narrative will require later volumes to return to characters that have been featured previously. I hope you enjoy.
8 173 - In Serial25 Chapters
Battlefield Restart: Mortal God
(Cover drawn by Darkstar Dust) After retiring from the battlefield, my life became empty and lifeless. The regrets of my past haunt me in my sleep. Then a change occurred, a King from another world summoned me to fight for his kingdom, but I died even before I could give him my answer. Now, after a fake God allowed me to reincarnate (albeit imperfectly) with my memories intact, into a world filled with magic and swords.
8 133 - In Serial36 Chapters
The Digidream Chronicles
The World Jumper, the first volume in the saga, is now out on Amazon! What you'll find there is the improved, edited and expanded version, so please check it out if you're so inclined. And stay tuned for new chapters of what will become volume two! Right after quitting her job at Digidream, the company where the most innovative virtual reality universe is being made, Sarah will be forced to enter the game to save her boyfriend. Once inside, she will find herself in a world that changes and evolves constantly, according to the whims of the mysterious Game Master. Sarah will have to keep moving and fighting to improve and gain the abilities that will let her win and get out, picking some friends along the way. Everything seems to be stacked against her as she progresses through the different realms, but she will soon discover that there are other enigmatic entities that might not be in line with the rules set by the Game Master. Will Sarah be able to win and rescue her boyfriend, or will she fail and get trapped forever inside the virtual nightmare?
8 106 - In Serial6 Chapters
Catecholamine Web
Life as a neuro-based cryptocurrency miner is far from easy, but there are perks to living on the NeuroWeb. Perks Sendai lost when his long-term home, BlackStar Galaxy, went offline. Without his longtime avatar, his gear, his guild, the in-game cryptocurrency earnings, or even most of his friends, Sendai's going to have to hustle if he wants to make rent in the real world without spending sixteen hours a day pushing algorithms through his skull. His time in the fight pits of New Idaho mean he has a strong Neural-Affinity for melee combat, but the unfamiliar martial arts world of Wind of the Eight Kingdoms will take more than a brawler's instinct to master. If he's ever going to gather up his old crew and take revenge on the jerks who brought down BlackStar he'll need to become top dog in dozens of game worlds, especially if he doesn't want to starve while doing it. At least he's still got his reflexes, his two girlfriends on different sides of the planet, and his real-world pet cat, Mancini.
8 208 - In Serial21 Chapters
Fly On Your Own
The island of Berk has become a peaceful utopia, where dragons and people have lived in peace for years, But as Berk becomes more and more crowded with dragons, a new villain threatens to take them all away. Before long, it's a race against the fiercest foe Hiccup and Reign have ever faced, in an effort to not only save Toothless, but let him live in peace with the newly discovered Light Fury. All Rights Reserved, Dreamworks Animation Studios, 2019.
8 80

