Chapter 76: Child
Even though Isavior surrendered quickly, this seemed to not be enough to quell the rage of the knights.
Only now did they realize that they had the freedom to fight back and still be acting righteously.
Although they felt immense gratitude to Malon for showing them the truth through simple words, their anger toward Isavior and the fools who wished to ruin their home far overpowered their emotions.
In other words, they beat Isavior to a pulp; stomping on the man as if he were a spider on the ground. They would have killed him if not for Malon stepping forward.
Tyr and Hanzo stared at Malon as he pushed the guards aside.
"Move! Don't kill him! We still need him." He said as the guards moved hesitantly.
They grunted and gritted their teeth, but respected Malon enough to follow his command.
Isavior saw Malon's blurry face and then saw the young moosh lowering him a hand.
His lip was bruised and inflated. A large bump had swollen up over his right eye and the rest of his face was all beaten up as well.
With a lisp, he said: "You forgif me?" With hopeful eyes.
'How foolish... its only naivety to forgive me now after all I've done.' Isavior thought to himself as he grabbed Malon's hand.
"Of course I don't," Malon said, pulling Isavior close and using his own arm to put him in a chokehold.
"Argh! Wh-waf are fou doingf!?" Isavior screamed, shocked by this sudden and aggressive action.
The guards were also a bit taken aback since they were expecting him to be more kind. Slight smirks of satisfaction even rippled through some of them.
Malon kept a loose hold on his uncle to not choke him.
"Don't move or else you will suffer." He said, beginning to walk forward into the main estate with a determined look in his eyes.
Tyr and Hanzo followed very shortly behind him. The guards also decided to come for this moment. After more commotion from the crowd, even they were let inside the gates to enter the Mayor's house...
The building was indeed grand inside, with large hallways ornamented with various large candles and chandeliers. The roofs were tall, giving way to tall stairs and large balconies.
This gave the place a grandiose atmosphere.
After a minute of walking, Malon turned to Tyr.
"Mano is in the Mayor's quarters up the stairs. Please go and get him... the same way I got Isavior."
Tyr nodded, "No problem." He departed from the main group without hesitation.
'The same way he got Isavior huh?' He smirked.
When he arrived in the Mayor's quarters, he saw a circular room filled with books and a large table at the back. Behind the table was a giant window wall that overlooked the entire city.
And sitting behind that table was Mano with his feet on the table and dozens of pills before him.
Tyr raised a brow, "What the hell are you doing?" He said.
Mano's eyes slowly moved to face Tyr, a disdainful and unbothered look on his face.
"You... the weakling bug." Mano said, "Those guards haven't caught you yet? How pathetic." He stood up and walked around the table.
"I should have them all executed... tsk."
Tyr furrowed his brows, "I don't have time to have a dialogue with you." He walked toward the young moosh.
Mano raised his right eyebrow, "W-what are you doing? Don't you know my fighting prowess? Did you come here all by yourself? Or did you come with that dog Malon too..."
Tyr got mere feet from the moosh and thrust his hand toward his neck.
"Tsk... do you really think--" Mano's speech was interrupted as Tyr clutched his neck out of nowhere.
Suddenly, the Mano's eyes opened with shock and confusion at the unexpected speed of Tyr's hand.
"W-what? How!?" The moosh squeezed out, swiping his hand across the table and grabbing all of the pills before throwing them into his mouth.
Tyr's eyes squinted in slight confusion after seeing this, but he quickly shrugged it off.
"Like I said... I have no time." He punched Mano square in the nose--crushing his nose and knocking him instantly.
'What a monster...' These were Mano's last thoughts as he passed out.
***
Malon stepped into a large room with one bed at the very back of it. It was lifted up by several rows of stairs on all sides.
Malon neared the bed with Hanzo, and the guards turned and formed a strict wall of arms to not allow anyone inside.
Malon turned as he heard this abrupt clanking, "Men," He said as the guards quickly turned to face him, "Let them in."
The guards were once again taken aback by this odd order.
"And you all should join as well for this moment... in case my father is healed of his illness," Malon said with a genuine and kind tone.
The guards understood that it was okay to let their minds cool every once in a while, and stopped the blockade while joining around the Mayor's bed with all the citizens.
With everyone now watching, Malon stared at this father who lay on the bed.
He looked extremely pale and even a bit malnourished, but other than that he was still healthy at first glance.
'If only he could move... this disease is truly hell.' Malon thought to himself, taking out the pill and leaning over the bed.
Everyone's eyes widened and their mouths gaped slightly with anticipation.
Malon opened his father's mouth and placed the pill inside.
Within seconds it melted and slowly trickled down the Mayor's throat. A golden light suddenly glowed from the man's glabella... and his eyes miraculously opened.
"Father..." Malon said with wide eyes as the crowd around him gasped.
His father looked at him for a moment... before pulling the young moosh's forehead into his chest.
"It's good to be back... my beloved son." Malon's father's voice was dry and deep, roughed up from the years of neglect.
Malon was surprised by his father's sudden gesture. He had no mother, and he expected to never be able to get his father back either.
For a moment, he couldn't accept what was happening. He gritted his teeth, not wanting to leave from his father's embrace.
"It's okay, son." His father whispered, "I'm alright now... I will always be alright from today onwards."
At that moment, all the emotions that Malon had been holding in were released like a bursting dam. He began to silently cry into his father's chest. The fear and frustration through the years had all been relieved at once in an overwhelming moment of joy and also vulnerability.
For the first time in so long, Malon felt like a child in his fathers embrace again...