Ever since Harold had revealed to the town that the Gallant children were indeed still alive they were the talk of the town. Richard could barely walk down the street without being stopped by the locals. Many wanted to hear their dramatic story of how they escaped and what adventures they've had in the meantime. Others wanted to know more about Richard and where he came from, which he never revealed. A couple wanted to feel the strength in his arms which he never entertained.

On this day Richard was heading to the market with the kids to get some fresh air. It was busier than usual and the celebrity status was still prevalent. Many locals tried to stop them at every moment to hear more of their stories. Harold didn't help by constantly engaging with them. The celebrity status was clearly getting to his head.

"Oh Master Harold. What beasts did you escape from?" went an old lady.

"Oh we got chased by a pack of basilisks." Harold responded excitedly, "It was so tense and we were pinned to a wall so…"

"Scuse me" Richard interrupted, pulling Harold by the arm to a corner with some privacy. "What are you doing?"

"Telling them stories," Harold smiled.

"By lying?"

"They won't ever find out".

"That's not the point Harold. We can't stay here forever," Jessica said.

"Why not? We're having fun. God knows we're not going to be getting that at Jacob’s".

"We'll be safe".

"Yeah and bored out of our brains".

Richard just watched the two of them bicker at one another. Was this really what parenting was like? In which case he was not cut out for it. He didn't have the patience his mother had or Lady Chiron's for that matter. The sooner these two were with their brother Jacob the better for…

A glint of silver caught the corner of his eye. Without turning his head and tuning out the noise around him he focused and where he saw that glint. A figure grew closer approaching Jessica and pulled out a dagger.

Richard shoved Jessica into Harold grabbing the dagger and pinned the woman against the wall. "You're gonna have to try better than that," Richard snarled as everyone in the market was staring at the commotion.

"I wasn't intending to," the woman smiled. Richard was looking quizzically at the woman and then heard swords being pulled out of their sheaths. He turned to see three other men were there holding swords. "Now give us the children or we will destroy this town".

There was complete silence amongst them. No one dared make a sound and Harold gripped onto Jessica, his bold ego vanished. Richard studied each of the men.

They were of moderate build, easily passing for farmers if it weren't for the scars they had. They all had the correct stances for fighting but it wasn't ingrained into them yet. Their smiles suggested that they got a sick pleasure from this. It was most likely that they just wanted to get some ransom money for the kids but Richard was confident that these men were no match for him.

"I don't think so", he eventually responded.

The woman Richard was holding smiled, "I was hoping you would say that". She nodded her head at the men. As Richard spun around all of them were gone. "You should've taken my offer".

Before Richard could respond there was a small whistling sound in the air. It grew louder and louder. "DOWN!" He let go of the woman and jumped towards the kids just as a flaming boulder struck a building. He covered the children with his wings as he was peppered with the debris.

Panic filled the street and people ran in all directions. In the chaos Richard looked around for the woman but they were long gone along with her backup. Another boulder hit a building a few streets away rocking the ground.

He spun to Jessica and Harold. "Are you alright?"

"We're fine," Jessica responded. Harold however was dead silent as he just became a scared little boy once more. "What do we do?"

"This is just a small group of people wanting us ransom. Head to the inn and…"

"RICHARD!"

Just as he turned around he got rammed into his side, the force knocked his sword out of his hand. Rolling across the street a couple times, Richard struggled to his feet, head spinning, to see that his attacker was a minotaur: Strong, beastial creatures that put any bodybuilder to shame.

It ran up to him and with his head still dazed he couldn't block the attack in time. The creature was too big and he was too slow. He got pounded to the ground only to get picked up again for a second round. His brain rattled harder than a hangover making it difficult to collect himself.

"Such a pathetic man." The minotaur laughed, punching Richard so hard in the chest that he felt a bone break. "Lord Gallant was a fool to trust you with them. They will die in your care. Let that be your legacy.”

Richard coughed as the minotaur came in with another attack bashing him into the wall of a building. He mustered himself up but the minotaur’s attacks were so quick that he was seeing a blur. It came in with another attack and Richard threw a punch but it was weak and it didn't connect. For his efforts he got another whack to the head.

"Was that it?" The minotaur laughed again "So weak! So helpless! What good have you ever done to this world? Such a parasite aren't you? Maybe you should keel over right now and die!"

Deep inside. The memory of his best friend bleeding to death in his arms. Their mother calling him a coward for not protecting them and all he could do was lay on the floor. Helpless. Just like now. A scared boy, with no home, no family and no future.

"No," Richard grunted as he slowly pushed himself up. "I am not a parasite. I… am a protector. Protecting others… from you!" With a roar he finally got a hit on the minotaur, and more as it slammed down onto the street with such force that it left a crack in the stone.

Richard paused. How did he do that? He looked at his clenched fist and what he saw made him gasp. There was fire on it and yet he wasn't burning. How was he…

The minotaur stirred, snarling away as it came in to charge him. Without thinking Richard went to attack again but his fist didn't make contact. Instead, a fireball flew out of his fist and blasted into the minotaur causing it to roll down the street a couple times.

He had magic? He was a fire mage? Questions riddled his mind but there was no time to dwell on them. The town was being attacked and the minotaur was stirring once more. Using his chance, he grabbed his fallen sword and thrashed his tail into the minotaur's head. The metal on his tail rang on contact and the minotaur slumped to the ground unconscious.

He turned to the children who were pinned against the wall watching in shock. "You're a fire mage?" Jessica said in shock.

"News to me too now come on. Let's get going before we get any more unwanted attention." Another boulder hit a building and the number of them falling through the sky was increasing.

"I don't think this is a small group after us…"

Richard looked up seeing the onslaught of boulders bombarding the town. "No… you're right".

He flew up the side of the building, climbing up the last bit as the buildings got too close together for his wings. He pulled himself over the ledge and gazed up the mountain. His heart sank. The raiders that had destroyed Gallant's castle was now here. The town was doomed and there was nothing Richard could do to stop it.

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This is a commission I got from  Marsel-Defender
Richard belongs to me