Mafia Mystery

The Protector (Chapter 2)

~Grace~

I couldn't help feeling that something was wrong.  I noticed Shayton talking to Nazar today, but she hadn't spoken to him before.  I couldn't think of any reason for her to suddenly connect with him and only him.  I didn't trust the situation, not one bit, but what was I supposed to do?  Without a role, it wasn't as if I could protect Nazar from harm, even if I wanted to.

I headed inside, where I started training against my dummy.  I practiced attacking, of course, but I also tried to teach myself to block blows.  Unfortunately, that was difficult when no one was actually striking back at me.  Eventually, I walked back outside and convinced Amari to spar with me.  She wasn't the best when it came to wielding weapons, but she could certainly help me train.

I couldn't help thinking about Nazar.  I knew it was bad to be distracted during a fight, even if it wasn't a real one, but it didn't make sense to me.  Why, all of a sudden, was Shayton so interested with him?  I decided that maybe it would help me focus if I imagined that I was protecting Nazar.  Surely enough, it quickly brought me back to the duel.  However, it went a step further than that, even.  I almost felt... empowered by the thought.

Suddenly, there was a weight in my pocket that I was certain hadn't been there before.  I deflected an attack from Amari and knocked her to the ground, sealing my victory before I checked my pocket.  I pulled out a card of some sort- my role card.  Amari peered over my shoulder to see what was written on it: Bodyguard.  I smiled.  I could protect Nazar, but it didn't have to stop there.  I could protect Amari, Jae, and maybe Shayton, if she proved herself to be good later.

"Congratulations!"  Amari encouraged me enthusiastically, though I knew she didn't like the fact that she still didn't have her role.  With me getting mine, she probably only felt more pressured to get hers.  I had to admit, I felt bad for her, even though I hadn't known my role was even coming.

"Thanks."  I replied.  "And, Amari... don't worry about your role, alright?  You'll get it eventually, one way or another."

"I know."  My friend sighed.  "I just don't know when.  I could be dead before I get my role."

"I won't let that happen."  I flashed her a reassuring smile, which she promptly reciprocated.  Even if the smile seemed forced, it still made me happy to be able to make that reassurance.  I truly could protect her.  I could protect anybody in the town.  I promised myself to keep the town alive for as long as possible, even if it meant my own death.