The Paladin

Genesis - Chapter Four

Two months had passed since Aires died and Matt was dubbed The Paladin, the chosen hero of the world. He still worked at the bar with the girls, but they got very busy because of him. Then one night while Matt was in the back, he heard the door open while they were closed. He heard Rose call someone's name. Looking he saw Clyde and Taylor standing there. Clyde and Rose were hugging and laughing while Taylor tried to embrace Tiff, but she backed off. Taylor looked angry but did nothing. "Great." he said has he stepped out front.

Tiff looked at him "So as you can see, he is better than you said he was in your letters. Killed two of the Warriors himself."

Taylor glared at him. "So it would seem." He sat at the bar.

Clyde had his arm around Rose. "Well, I knew there was something about you that was bugging me." He smiled "So you are the Paladin eh? Are you ready for that?"

"Well we will see wouldn't we?" Matt shrugged. "Only time will time."

Rose took out some alcoholic drink and pored a glass for all of them. "Well, here is to the future that we all now have!" They all drank and started to talk.

The others went to sleep, but Matt stayed up, drinking. He spun the letter in his hand, thinking that he could actually have a real life now with Tiff, but he knew Taylor. He knew that he would try to kill Matt and break her heart. He just did not like his options, but he had to do the less painful of the two. He finished his last drink, left the tab and put the letter down.

*

Tiff opened the door to Matt's room, but he wasn't there, so she checked the kitchen, but it too was empty. She looked in the front and saw a letter. It was entitled to her. She opened it and read it. Tears swelled up, and she felt weak kneed. She nearly collapsed, but she composed herself as Taylor came down stairs. She cleared her face and pocketed the letter. She understood his reason for leaving, but it still hurt. He would always love her, and her he.

*

The caravan wagon hit a rock that shook him awake. He snorted and gripped Oath Keeper, fearing an attack. The people in the wagon were calm, so nothing was going to happen. As he relaxed, he felt his hand for the bandage that was covering the mark. Next, he pretended to scratch his head to see if the shemagh was still there. He had to because he was going to be recognized everywhere he went. After a minute they had stopped to fill water flasks. Not needing a refill yet, he stayed in the wagon with an old man who had glowing eyes like Clyde did with his magic.

Matt looked away. "How long till we reach Tornoch?" He asked knowing that the man had no magic skills.

"Two days, if we are lucky." The old man said. "We must be careful because the myth goes that once all Twelve are dead that the Dark Lord Solas Dorcha himself would come up from hell to find the Paladin, kill him and rule the world until The Nine drive him back." He adjusted himself. "At least that how we learned it as kids."

Matt nodded. "So we go slowly to avoid his eye." Something told him that it would not matter if they went slow or not. He closed his eyes again when an explosion threw the whole wagon end over end a few times. Matt landed on his head, next to the man. They both rolled out of the wagon to see demons of various shapes and sizes all over the place.

Matt raised Oath Keeper, but the man stopped him. "Paladin, you must run." He kept looking around. "You are not ready yet to face Solas. The Nine will help you, but you must live! Now GO!" He pushed Matt to run, but Matt stood there. "Run or I will kill you myself." And pulled out a dagger. Matt got the hint and ran into the night.

*

By the time he got there, the remaining humans were on their knees. The demons still where acting up, so he grabbed the strongest one and chocked it to death. The others fell in line once more.

He walked to inspect the humans, seeing that his pray wasn't there. His blood red eye glowed brighter. He clenched his left, mechanical arm angrily. "So, he has left already." His voice distorted, broken. He stopped in front of an old man. He grabbed his throat "What way did he go old man?" He refused to speak so he broke his neck and threw the body for demons to feed on. Then he turned to a child. "You saw the man who ran." The child nodded. "Where?!?"

*

Matt had to stop to look back, the noise had stopped. He saw the fires of the wagons burning in his eyes, he closed them. They died because of him, like the guards in Xen. He felt very upset about that. He didn't want people to die for or because of him. He turned to keep running but there was someone suddenly there. He recognized the figure from his dreams because of the blood red eye and tattered duster style coat. The only thing that was different was that the man wore a flat brimmed cowboy hat that covers his face in darkness. Matt backed up drawing Oath Keeper. "You must be Solas Dorcha."

"Truly observant." He mocked. "And you are the so called 'Paladin'." He started to circle Matt.

"No, I got lucky once, Aires was skill." He lied. "I have some. Seemed that your Minotaur didn't."

Solas laughed "So you do, but not enough." He materialized two swords from thin air. Both looked like they had horizontal pistol style grips with triggers, which meant that they were functional guns blades. "I will give you one minute to kill me before I kill you."

Matt swallowed some spit, then blasted Solas with energy. It hit, but Solas only lost his robe in flames. Solas jumped up and lazily blasted back at Matt. He rolled out of the way and swung with Oath Keeper as Solas landed next to him. Solas grabbed the blade with his mech hand and hit Matt in the face. As he stumbled back with a now broken nose, he saw that Solas had his two blades floating behind him. That was how he grabbed Oath Keeper without dropping his own. Matt got back in balance and ducked the metal fist. He cut the chest, but it had little effect. Matt turned to block the two swords, but still got hit on the forehead by the mech hand.

Matt swore as blood got in his eye. Again, he got ready and attacked. Solas dodged or blocked any attack that Matt delivered. His body got tired and started to breakdown. It was over the minute, so Solas was toying with him. Matt could barely stand. "So much for the Paladin who would rival me." Then he spun his two swords around his waist, then shot them at Matt. They found their marks, his chest and left shoulder. Matt flew back ten feet to the ground. He laid there, coughing up blood. He felt cold, truly broken. He looked at the two swords and laughed with blood coming up. The last thing he saw was Tiffany's smiling face, her warm smile that made everything better. "Tiff..." then a white light.