SOLARVERSE: MASKED

Chapter 2 - Singularity

After the dreary night of rainfall, the next would come soon to pass, as the morning sunlight of the heavenly divinity above shined across the mountainscape once again, making and seeping its nostalgic way into the village that rested humbly, patiently waiting for the bask below the mountain shade, yet as quiet and peaceful as the town life started off, by then there was already commotion so early in the day, at the entrance of where the village laid where the path was carved to show the way...

"Speak up! What's your reason for being here?!" One of the smaller protectors of the area, a man said amongst the group of monsters and humans mixed, as they sent a punch across The Bandit's face, who on their knees was knocked to the ground as they were constricted by the protectors' culminated magic together, for Zeph's had already worn off as The Bandit, with a look of shattered pride only stared on in an ignorant rage, gritting their teeth as they with a ferocious yell tried to thrash back up but ultimately failed due to the restriction as they were only tugged back to the ground, as the protectors and the rest of the civilians present only stared at him as if he were some sort of pathetic plaything.

"We won't repeat it! Where the hell did you come from, why you have come, and who is your benefactor?!" The same protector yelled against as they reeled back their fist, this time their eyes flashed cyan, infusing their fist with magic as they were prepared to knock it into the bandit once again should they stay silent, as the latter, expectedly, remained silent. But, it looked as though they were contemplating almost, although irritatedly. Still, the protector was not able to see this, as they immediately brought their fist down, without any hesitation, intending to break the bandit's skull next to truly get him to speak. Still, then the bandit snapped his head towards the protector desperately, their eyes frozen, fearful as the pride thawed off as if begging them to stop, which the 'protector' paused his attack at the last moment, pulling it back as they allowed the bandit to speak, although impatiently.

"I-I submit! I submit! Just allow me to speak and I'll leave without a trace!" The bandit begged desperately, thrashing around like a wild animal, in complete contrast to their attitude before, surprising even the protectors for a moment as they held back their attack, the pathetic frame of the bandit only grew more apparent as they, while stuttering, began to speak incoherent tune, with it only the minimum of audibility as their jaw was practically shivering.

"Y-You want the truth?! Fine!" The bandit growled, their eyes narrowing down as they grit their teeth, in full realization of their fleeting pride.

"I'm not a part of any syndicate or group as you may think!"

"I was only hired! I'm not a part of anything, I promise! My benefactor, not even I know! It was a contract that appeared on my doorstep one day... With a devastating reward with it! There came only the minimum basic information about who 'they' were as well... But it said that if I did not succeed... my life would be threatened-"

"Like hell, you're telling the truth!" A protector stepped up as they kicked the bandit away further out of the village's path in a fit of rage as the bandit, though crashing into the ground still made the effort to stand up, although struggling to do so.

"So you were just hired to do something treacherous without even truly knowing who you were working for? Foolish!"

"I had no choice either way! I only know so much of the 'group' I was working for, only two things..." The Bandit said in a weak tone, the hit clearly took a toll on them as they fell down again, only cushioned and stopped by their leg, as the protector mockingly beckoned him to tell of the information.