Now, just a moment dear reader, I suppose I should tell you something else before I go on.
Know ye what the knights wear?
Hmmm?
Metal armour?
Why... that is an interesting idea...
Truly, metal is one of man's hardest allies.
However, that is not what the knights of Vesturia find themselves wearing..
Hmm?
You find that strange?
Well... I simply must ask you why?
Hmmm?
Metal... stronger?
You ask... what could be stronger than metal?
Well... perhaps your question could be answered with another question.
Now... do ponder upon this.
Of what use is a metal piece of armour, to a man that can crush metal?
Hmmm?
Oh yes. I suppose it very well could protect one better than most pieces of armour...
But... riddle me this, dear reader....
... if your opponent can merely mash the metal in his arms, then... why?
Hmmmm?
Just how strong are the knights?
Well... as strong as anyone else really...
Crsuhing rocks, leaping over rooftops, and throwing halberds...
While all that is simply an example of Jebadiah's own mettel, and mighty amongst the knights he is, that is not a proper estimate of the limit of a knight...
Why, general Gerard is far stronger... yes...
Anyway, getting back to our topic of discusion, ...
The question would soon come to be this.
What is it exactly that knight's wear?
Hmmm?
Oh, that is easy.
Knights wear what anyone would wear, considering their occupation.
A maid would dress for duty.
A builder dresses to build.
And so, a knight dresses up, in preparation for something dangerous.
Yes.
Thick and elastic animal skin.
Thick enough to somewhat hamper the full power of a blow.
And also, malleable enough to allow a man to move freely.
Of course, that also does the most important duty of attire, being to protect the person from the elements, and from gazing eyes
Hmm?
Strange, you find it?
Hmm?
You think that armour like that wouldn't provide that much protection?
Why... you're quite right.
Indeed, it would not provide all that much defence from an attack.
That, my dear reader, would be the body of the knight.
More on that, later...
In the meanwhile, the Maelstrom brothers fired their arrows, each one with a flare attached to it.
And the two flares shined in the sky, a brilliant display of green and red.
To the unknowing shinobi, the answer was obvious...
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
.... the knights were up to something...
As for the knights who saw it
Their teeth gritted..
and under their breaths, the singular word came...
.... shinobi...
As for the men by the names of Jebediah and Jordan, they continued their hot pursuit...
For all things would come, but none would stop this man...
Even his hulking frame chasing after a man much smaller than him...
Yes, my dear reader...
Jebediah was indeed closing in on him...
Derrick: (thinking: This man... this man...)
For all things, Derrick was a man.
And even in this case, he was able to think.
Yes, dear reader, and think he did...
He turned to face them while running and, in the air, started an incantation
Derrick: Incantation! Fiery Breath.
MMm... yes.
Fiery breath.
Much like that of a dragon, don't you think?
However, that would not be enough, as Jordan simply hopped away, and as for Jebediah, well...
It would be a strange thing to witness... truly...
The man by the name of jebediah Morningstone...
Truly an enigma of a man.
For even with his hulking frame...
In the very moment his foot landed upon a roof top, like a squirrel... yes, a squirrel... he did indeed dash away from the breath of fire, jumping to another building, before turning to face a very confused Derrick
Now... dear reader, who can blame him for being shocked?
I?
Certanily not.
Well... I suppose I could say that this man was simply lacking in experience with such things
However, that was not the end of Jebadiah's greatness
Nay.
He want so far as to lunge at the stunned man from that position.
Yes.
He lunged at him.
Right into the pit of fire that was Derrick Hessenger
Truly a man indeed
And for his courage, he was indeed rewarded
He grasped Derrick Hessenger by the chest and with him fell asunder, landing upon the ground with a mighty thud.
From the moment Derrick was grabbed, he started...
Derrick: You... you ....!
Why yes, he was indeed angered.
But of another, he was shocked.
Tell me, dear reader...
... what do you believe that Derrick Hesseneger was thinking at this very moment.
Anger?
Fear?
Hatred?
Nay.
He felt them all.
After all, he had just now come to the horrifying conclusion that many of have come to
That Jebediah Morningstone is simply no joke
Yes.
Jebadiah Morningstone is simply no joke
A truly terrifying man indeed
And that revelation alone made Derrick Hessenger feel one ting.
One thing so clearly.
Fear.
Fear enough that he slowly begun to panic
Derrick: You ruffian. Unhand me! Unhand me!
But Jebadiah would never let this man go
Of that, dear reader, you must now know
As for this Hessneger, well...
As said before, of all things, he was still a man
And a man goes on even when things don't make sense
Indeed.
A true man goes on even when things don't make sense
And so, the shinobi simply prepared something from his mark.
Now, dear reader...
I suppose I should explain something to you
Do you know what makes a shinobi, a shinobi?
Hmmm?
Ah, yes.
Clever and correct as always, dear reader.
Customs, cultures, weapons, where they were born
Yes
All these do indeed make a shinobi, a shinobi.
True and true indeed
The same could be said of many a clan or culture
Even so of knights
And, if that is so, then... what truly is the difference between knights and shinobi?
Well... there may well be none.
However, there is one thing that shinobi have that knights simply never do
Yes
Knights have simply to be wary of it.
Yes
It is called... a mark.
Hmmm?
A simple name?
Well... yes. It really quite is.
A mark, as all knights, shinobi and wizards know...
.. is simply a strange pattern on the body of a shinobi.
Where is it?
Well... that depends on the person.
However, what that mark entails...
Jebadiah: Gaaaah!
..., of course, seeing as a strange colourless liquid shot from Derrick's mouth unto Jebadiah's face
... is that every shinobi has a strange ability.
Yes.
every single shinobi
And as for Derrick Hessneger...
... that would be the ability to spew corrosive liquids from his very mouth
Yes.
I too am disgusted.
Truly and truly, he does indeed have a strange ability.
And that, my dear reader, is true of every shinobi...
With the man Jebadiah drawing back in pain, he then received a fierce punch from Derrick, who had freed his arm enough to do so
Derrick: Take that, you scoundrel
As for Jebediah, he let the man go, rolling away in pain, for the liquid had blinded his eye
Of the many things this man had expected... fire, perhaps.
But acid... nay...
As for the now freed Derrick, he was well pleased with himself.
Jordan: Sir Jebediah!
But this mighty man, without even so much as a flinch, simply moved his hand upward, signalling to his compatriot to keep his distance
Truly, a man unto a man
From the inside to the outside
As for Derrick...
Derrick: Tch... You knights... you underestimanted us.
... he had just gotten what many would refer to as a " second wind"
Yes.
Indeed, putting this man on his knees was quite the boltser to his confidence
Derrick: Hehehe...
Why, yes.
he did indeed laugh.
Hmmm?
This is what you'd spoken of previously?
Why... yes.
You are correct.
That being said...
Derrick: Well... turn around, and face your killer.
Even as Derrick said these words, he was no fool
He pulled his knife out, but kept his eye on Jordan, who remained on the rooftop, an arrow ready to kill him.
Derrick: Well.....?
And Jebadiah did just that, a mere five feet from the man who had blinded one of his eyes.
The man who was reponsible for all this destruction
The anger in his one remaining eye was clearly visible
Yes.
This man was not about to surrender
As for Derrick Hessenger, he was no fool
He knew full well that a frontal attack would not work.
Nay.
He was, even then, even inspite of his pride, even in spite of his hatred... looking for a way to escape.
However, even as he looked around himself to see any possible solution...
Jebadiah did indeed stand up.
Yes.
Tryul, a man amongst men.
Truly, these men would not give the shinobi a chance to even think of escaping.
Jordan: Surrender!
He pulled at his bow with enough force that even it made a sound
Jordan: Now!
As for Jebadiah, he made no sounds.
Nay, he simply remained quiet.
Now Derrick was trapped once more.
Hmm?
Funny how that happened, is it not?
Even though the previous rough patch ended in his favour, he is still in quite the pickle, I would say.
Well, moving on...
The Hessenger raised his palms.
One to the front to face Jebadiah, and the other, to his left to face Jordan
Yes
Truly and truly
A fight was about to begin
