"Faster! Or else that old man would catch up to us!" A man of small stature shouted frantically.
It was a stormy night. Three hooded figures dashed through the rain-soaked streets, their cloaks clinging to them as if pursued.
"Boss, what do we do? It looks like we're just going in circles and it seems that the old man is soon to catch up to us." A man of bulky stature asked.
"Tch! You blockhead, what do you think we should do! You think we should just stop running because we're going in circles?!"
"Aya, sorry boss!"
"Haha, You're right, instead of just running around in circles we should stop to not waste any more energy." Remarked by a womanly voice.
After thinking for a bit. The small man replies.
"You're right. Alright, we'll stop at that statue over there."
"Boss, that seems to be the middle of the town. Are you sure that's okay? Won't we be found easier?"
"You Simpleton! Sometimes the most obvious spots to hide are the best place to hide. I used to be the champion in hide and seek in my village!"
"Amazing! Boss, you're probably the smartest man in the world!"
"Of course I am! Now, run faster to the statue."
The trio rushed down a narrow path that led directly to the town center. They lifted their heads slightly, just enough to glimpse the towering statue ahead without revealing their faces. From afar, it looked majestic, as though the entire town had been built around it.
"What a marvelous statue... I wonder who it's built for?"
After a couple of seconds of observing the statue, they continued to focus on running toward the statue but the woman looked below and noticed that the water was lessening and lessening as they continued forward.
"Hey boss, Isn't the water becoming shallower as we head forward? Do you think this path is leaning?" Remarked the woman.
"Leaning, huh?"
The small man looked below.
"You're right, the water was at my knee earlier and I had to hop. Now It's only at my ankles and it is getting harder to walk straight. It must be sloping upwards, either way just focus on heading towards the statue." Said the small man.
The woman nods.
Once they exited the narrow path, they paused. Only two other routes led to the statue, which now stood in the middle of a small, forgotten park surrounded by wet grass and benches.
"What's this? A park?" the small man muttered.
They approached the center and got a closer look at the statue. Though majestic from afar, up close it was weathered and damaged. Cracks ran through it, and parts had crumbled. One punch might bring it all down.
After finishing taking a look at the statue, the small man hopped onto a bench and sat. The other two sank into the soggy grass, forming a triangle around him.
We'll rest here until we come up with a plan to escape this damn town," the small man said, glancing at the woman. "Or until Eilda senses the old man again."
The woman nods.
"Does anybody have any idea on how to escape this town?"
The bulky man raises his hands as if he were to be called by a teacher.
"What are you doing? Why are you raising your hands?"
"I was asking for permission to speak."
"You idiot, just speak."
"Boss! Boss! what if we just destroy the walls of these houses till we get out?"
The small man slaps his head in disapproval.
"You dimwit, if we did that, we'll literally just expose ourselves to that old man."
"Aya, sorry boss."
"Eilda, how about you? Any Idea?"
"What if I jump across rooftops and guide you both from above?"
"That might work. There are only three paths, left, right, and the way we came. If we pick left or right, maybe we can throw him off. But whi—"
Suddenly, the woman flinched and stood.
The woman interrupts the small man. "He's coming."
The other two scrambled to their feet.
"Already?!" The small guy exclaimed.
From the path they'd taken, a flickering light grew closer. Behind it walked an old man in a suit, white-haired. He was gently striding across the rain without getting wet once, holding a lamp and an umbrella on the other.
"B-Boss what the do we do!?" The bulky man asked, panic in his voice.
"Like hell, I know! We should run but where the hell would we run off to?!"
The small man scanned the area, trying to choose between the two paths they could take to escape. The heavy rain blurred his vision, making it hard to see. He looked left, only darkness and downpour. He looked right, no different. But then, his nervousness slowly shifted into confusion.
He saw someone.
A figure lay across a bench on the other side of the statue, a newspaper covering them. Drenched. Unmoving.
"Is that... a kid?"
"Huh? What do you mean a kid, boss?" The bulky man asks.
The small man points at the bench on the other side of where they're located.
"A kid is sleeping in this heavy rain?" The woman remarks.
The small man shakes his head to rid of his confusion.
"Agh! Who cares!? We'll die if we're caught by that old man! What else can we do? I couldn't see which path was the better one because of all this rain!" The small guy angrily remarks.
The rain getting heavier and stronger resulting in a rise in the water, It was already at the height of a shoe's knot but there, the old man swiftly walked towards them as if he was walking atop the water.
"Boss what should we do?! The old man is getting closer and closer!" The bulky man whimpered
The small man clenches his teeth in anger.
"Tch! We don't have any choice! We'll have to use That!"
The others turned to him, wide-eyed.
"Hey... Are you serious?!" The woman gasped.
"Do you think we have a choice right now?! Either we die right now or take the gamble!" The small man angrily replied.
The woman scornfully backs out.
"Now that nobody has anything to say, behold!"
The small man reached into his cloak and pulled out a golden crown, plain, and without jewels. He raised it above his head, mesmerized.
The old man sees this and stops walking, he was standing atop the water and decides to watch the events unfold.
"This... is a mythical treasure that you can only get by clearing one of those towers, it is said that it is a priceless treasure that grants you the power of gods! But it only chooses who is worthy to use it!"
"But boss, wouldn't that mean that you'll still need to be worthy to use it?" questioned the bulky man.
"Exactly! And who is the most worthy in this world?!" Proclaimed the small man while puffing his chest out.
"OH!! It's none other than you boss!" The bulky man said in awe.
"Heh, let's start my new life!" shouted the small man while he slowly descends the crown down on his head till finally, he places the crown atop his head.
...
...
Nothing happened.
There was a suffocating silence in the air.
"N-Nothing happened!?!?" The small man yelled.
He stood frozen in disbelief. Behind him, The woman sighed in relief.
"B-Boss calm down! What if it's because you just had your hood on!"
The small man hears this and thinks to himself "Am I really worthy? Did I really just have my hood on? What if I didn't have the hood on? Would something have happened? But wait, Am I forgetting something?"
Upon realization, The small man collects his thoughts and shakes his head to rid himself of his disbelief.
"Agh! What is there to think about! If nothing is done, we'll die!"
The small man takes the crown off of his head and reaches for his hood and takes it off, unveiling his bald head and face. He had a seemingly normal face for someone of his stature. After removing his hood, he quickly puts the crown down his head again.
Still nothing.
"Disappointing," the old man muttered while shaking his head.
The small man's face twisted with dread. Not chosen... Then his eyes lit up.
"These two..."
He stared at the two, as if they were his final glimmer of hope. "There's still a chance... the crown might choose one of them! he thought, eyes widening.
With that realization, he sprang into action.
"Fylo!" he shouted.
He tossed the crown to the bulky man.
The bulky man catches it. "Boss why'd you give the crown to me!?"
"Because there's still a possibility for you to get chosen by the crown! Now, remove your hood and put it on your head already!" He replied.
The bulky man hastily removes his hood revealing a masculine face and another bald head, after the hood was removed, he quickly puts on the crown. The crown fitted his bald head quite perfectly but alas, nothing changed, nothing at all.
He was not chosen.
"Boss! Nothing happened too!"
"Then hand over the crown to Eilda! She's our only chance now to live!" shouted the small man.
The bulky man extended the crown to her.
But without warning, she shoved it away.
!!!
The crown flew from the bulky man's hands, soaring past the statue to the other side. The small man, the bulky man, and even the old man stood stunned by the woman's unexpected action.
"E-Eilda... what the hell are you doing!?" The small man asked, furious
"Oww!" A faint voice on the other side of the statue could be heard.
All of them hear this and turn toward the sound.
There, the four of them saw the kid getting up, rubbing his head.
"Ow Ow Ow, What just hit my head?" The kid asked, confused.
As the kid was still pondering what hit his head, he noticed something glinting on the ground but couldn't see clearly what it is with all the rain. He stood up and takes a closer look.
He sees the crown and picked it up.
"A crown? Is this the thing that hit my head? But Is a crown supposed to be that hard?" The kid questioned.
The small man immediately ran towards the kid while shouting to the two.
"Quickly take back the crown from the kid!"
The other two follow behind but sooner took the front as they were faster than him.
The old man also walks toward them.
"Boss! What should we do? The kid is holding the crown! Should we take it from him by force?" Shouted the bulky man.
"Do whatever! Just take back the crown!"
The three of them surround the kid in a triangle, giving the kid no direction to escape, they saw that he looked around teenage years and had violet hair but they couldn't see his face with the rain blocking it.
But upon a closer look, they saw he had a sword on his hip and took caution in approaching him.
The kid sees the three and looks straight at the woman in the middle. The kid places his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Mister, who are you?" The kid asked.
The thunder roared across the skies as this encounter happened.
"Kid, hand over the crown." The small man demanded.
The kid looks at the one who spoke on his left and sees the small man.
"Huh? This crown? This crown that I picked up on the ground?" He asked.
"Yes! The crown you're holding right now! You don't know the power or significance it holds!"
"Ehh, I don't wanna! More importantly, who are you and these two mister?" The kid looks at the woman again and looks at the bulky man. "Why do you want this crown?"
"We don't have time for your questions kid! Hand over the crown or we'll take it forcefully!" The small man's tone shifted.
The kid smirks "Heh, come and take it then mister!"
The small man angry at his remark, reaches inside his cloak, he takes out a gun and points it at the kid.
"Don't move kid! I see you move a single time, I'll pull the trigger!" Shouted the small man
The woman was taken aback by this. "Boss, are you serious!?"
"He chose this, Eilda! He could've handed over the crown without a fight. Now go take it from the kid, Fylo!" barked the small man.
The bulky man stepped toward the child, stopping right in front of him.
"Kid, hand over the crown," he said, his voice deep and heavy with intimidation.
But the kid didn't flinch. He looked the man straight in the eye and grinned.
"Didn't I already say it?" He said, stretching out his hand with the crown as if offering it.
"Come and take it."
"Then."
The bulky man grabbed the crown while the kid still held it and gave it a tug.
It didn't move.
Surprised, he tightened his grip and yanked harder, using all his strength, still, the crown wouldn't budge.
The small man notices this.
"Fylo, what the hell are doing to be taking so long!?" He asked.
"B-Boss, it won't budge!" The bulky man replied.
"What won't budge?"
"The crown, boss! The crown won't budge at all from this kid's hands!"
"Whaaaaaaat?!?!" The small man in disbelief.
The small man ran toward them, lowering his gun as curiosity overtook him. When he reached the scene, he froze.
A full-grown man was struggling to pry something from a kid's hands.It looked almost comical, like a giant failing to take candy from a baby.
The small man panicked. "This kid... What kind of strength does he have?!" he thought.
But out of the corner of his eye, something moved. He snapped his head toward it.
The old man was suddenly behind the woman.
"Eilda, behind you!" He shouted frantically.
The woman flinches, instincts kicking in. She leapt forward, landing beside the small man in a single bound.
"My, what fast reflex you have." The old man remarked.
The small man didn't hesitate, he pointed his gun at the kid.
"Old man! Don't move or else I'll else this kid gets it!"
But the old man kept walking. Unfazed.
"I'm not joking, Old man!" The small man barked, now sweating.
Still, the old man approached.
The small man gets nervous and backs off slowly but all of a sudden.
He slips.
With the sudden slip, he unintentionally fired rapidly crazy in all directions before hitting the ground.
1st shot went to the sky.
2nd shot went to a window.
3rd shot headed straight to the old man but the old man tilts his head and dodges.
4th shot went to a wall.
5th shot went to the sky, this was when the bulky man got surprised by the shots and let go of the crown.
6th shot headed straight to the kid but he turns around towards the small man and the bullet hits the crown instead but the kid withstood the force of the bullet and didn't flinch.
As soon as the 6th shot was fired, the small man hit the ground and the old man rushed toward the small man and kicks the gun from his hand. The old man steps on the small man's chest.
"Augh!" The small man spat out.
"This crazy old man! One step and I feel like my inside are being crushed!" He thought.
"B-Boss!" the bulky man called out, stepping forward with the woman.
"Don't get any closer, you two. I have this man's life at my feet." remarked the old man.
They froze in place.
"Kgh! B-Boss! What should we do, Eilda!?" The bulky man growled.
"I... Don't know either..." She replied, eyes narrowed.
The old man didn't even glance their way, his focus was now on the kid.
"Kid, hand over the crown." He said, firm but calm.
The kid stared back, grinning. "HeHeHe, all of you seem to want this crown. I wonder why?" He asked, intrigued
The old man smiled gently.
"it's nothing that important, It's more of a family heirloom for my family. Now would you be so kind as to give it back to us?"
The kid's grin widened.
"Hehe, Don't wanna!"
He raised the crown above his head with both hands, slowly lowering it, eyes locked on the old man as if daring him to stop him.
The moment the crown neared his head, a glimmer flashed across its surface. The old man's eyes widened, he instantly released the small man, spun around, unfurled his umbrella, and covered his eyes.
The old man shouts. "COVER YOUR EYES!!"
The small man, The bulky man, and The woman all in confusion hear him and immediately cover their eyes. Luckily they were all fast enough before the crown reached the kid's head.
Because the instant the crown touched the boy's head.
A blinding burst of light exploded across the town. A radiance so intense, one could mistake it for day.
And amidst the white brilliance,
The woman grinned widely
"The Quiss... has chosen someone!"