Kapitel 24: Crossing the Ceackpoint!
In the distance, the slow rhythm of hooves on the dirt road heralded the arrival of a carriage. Kenny, gripping the reins tightly, couldn't hide the furrow of concern etched across his face as the security gate ahead came into view. The barricade, manned by armed sheriffs, was an all-too-familiar sight to him.
He sighed. The noble families in this region acted as unchecked tyrants, ignoring the kingdom's decrees. Decades earlier, the "Citizenship Decree" had been issued to grant all tax-paying, law-abiding individuals the rights and protections of citizenship, broadening what had once been an exclusive privilege of nobles and powerful elites. It was a momentous step for the kingdom, securing the loyalty of its growing middle class.
Yet here, in remote territories controlled by old and stubborn nobles, such decrees were meaningless. To many lords, commoners remained nothing more than their personal property. The sheriff stationed at the gate, a rotund man with a ruddy face and a swagger that exuded self-importance; was a living example of this feudal arrogance.
"Stop right there," the sheriff barked, his small, calculating eyes scanning Kenny. He leaned on his musket, assessing both the driver and the carriage.
Kenny swallowed hard. "Sir, I'm just a traveler passing through," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
The sheriff narrowed his gaze. "Passing through, are you? I don't recognize you. Not from this town, are you?" He scratched his stubbly chin. "Strangers always come with opportunities, don't they?" His lips curled into a greedy smirk.
"Check the carriage," he ordered, waving at a short, burly deputy standing nearby. The man stepped forward, musket raised menacingly, and aimed it at Kenny.
"Move aside, old man," the deputy growled. "If you don't, I'll make sure you don't move again."
Kenneth raised his hands in appeasement. "Everyone inside is a guest, sir. They mean no trouble."
"I'll be the judge of that," the sheriff snapped. "Open it up."
Inside the carriage, Leonard sat calmly by the window, leafing through a notebook. Next to him, his teacher, Alfonso, remained unmoved, his eyes closed as if utterly indifferent to the commotion. Leonard glanced at him and sighed. It was clear that dealing with the rabble was now his responsibility. If he didn't act, the sheriffs would only grow bolder, and Alfonso's eventual ire would surely fall on him.
Leonard adjusted his cuffs, leaned out, and lifted the curtain with an air of composed confidence. His youthful face, framed by sharp features and piercing eyes, caught the sheriff off guard for a moment.
"Good afternoon, sir. We are simple travelers heading south from the north. This town is not our home," Leonard explained, his voice smooth and polite.
The sheriff's eyes narrowed. "You seem awfully well-dressed for 'simple travelers.' Let's have a look inside."
Leonard's lips twitched into a faint, disarming smile. "The man inside is my teacher. He's elderly and in poor health. We'd appreciate your understanding." He extended a hand holding several silver coins, the faint clink of metal catching the sheriff's attention.
The sheriff took the coins greedily, his fingers deftly weighing them. "Hmph. Seven, eight coins... not bad." His gaze lingered on Leonard with suspicion. "You're not nobles, then, are you? Doesn't seem like enough coin for that. But you've got the look of someone trying to hide something."
Leonard's expression didn't waver. "We are merely travelers, nothing more."
The sheriff smirked, arrogance creeping back into his demeanor. "Let's see about that. You might look noble, but around here, you play by 'my' rules. Open the curtains now."
Leonard sighed inwardly but maintained his poise. "Of course," he said, retreating into the carriage. He reached for his staff, his fingers tightening around the smooth wood. From his position, he peered out through a gap in the curtain, eyes fixed on the sheriff.
With a whisper under his breath, he summoned a silent 'spiritual shock'. The top of his staff began to glow faintly, the light pulsing stronger with each passing second.
Outside, the sheriff sneezed suddenly, his body jerking as if struck by a sudden chill. He rubbed his nose and glanced around, confused. "What the—?"
Leonard smirked, his calm mask slipping just slightly to reveal a flicker of satisfaction. "Now," he murmured, his voice low but resolute.
Unseen and silent, a wave of invisible force rippled from the carriage, slicing through the curtain to strike the sheriff's captain squarely. The man's body jolted violently as if struck by an unseen sledgehammer. His spine stiffened unnaturally, his eyes wide with shock and confusion, before he dropped to his knees with a thunderous crack.
The sound of kneecaps colliding with gravel echoed ominously, yet the captain showed no sign of pain. His face was frozen in an expression of blank terror, as though some unseen horror had gripped his soul.
The other sheriffs stood paralyzed, their minds scrambling for an explanation. What had just happened? Their captain, a man of crude arrogance, was now kneeling, motionless.
The pudgy deputy with short eyebrows, who had been the loudest moments ago, felt unease creep up his spine. Then the curtain of the carriage was drawn aside, and the young man leaned out once more.
Leonard's presence seemed unchanged; calm, even polite, but there was something in his eyes now. The gentle smile on his lips was at odds with the cold, calculating glint in his gaze. In his hand, a black wooden staff hummed with energy, its top swirling with a ball of liquid, viscous and glimmering like molten glass.
The liquid expanded, floating for a brief moment before streaking through the air. It landed amidst the gathered sheriffs, detonating with a sharp hiss. Acid sprayed in every direction.
Screams erupted as the corrosive substance gnawed into flesh and fabric alike. The sheriffs writhed on the ground, their cries of agony cutting through the still air. Once arrogant and domineering, they were now helpless, clawing at the earth in a futile attempt to escape the burning pain.
Leonard stepped down from the carriage with deliberate calm, his boots crunching softly on the gravel. A musket was slung casually over his shoulder, his grip firm as he approached one of the fallen men still gasping for breath.
Without hesitation, Leonard leveled the musket at the man's head and pulled the trigger.
'Bang!'
The crack of the shot was deafening, echoing across the road. Leonard moved to the next man, repeating the motion with chilling precision.
'Bang!'
'Bang!'
When the musket failed to fire; perhaps from damp powder or sheer overuse, Leonard's expression didn't shift. He reversed the gun, gripping the barrel, and brought the butt down hard on the man's skull. The crunch of bone followed, and blood splattered across the ground.
Finished with the task, Leonard crouched, grabbing a discarded cloth from one of the bodies. With meticulous care, he wiped the blood and grime from his boots before systematically stripping the dead of their weapons, ammunition, and coins. His demeanor was as unbothered as if he had been collecting firewood, not looting corpses.
Returning to the carriage, Leonard climbed in as though nothing had happened.
"Let's continue," he said in a calm, almost gentle tone.
Kenny, who had witnessed the entire scene, was visibly shaken. His hands trembled as he clutched the reins, and he dared not even light his usual cigarette. Covering his eyes with his hands, he whispered a silent prayer. 'What have I gotten myself into? I'll never make it out of this alive…'
Without another word, he urged the horses forward, the carriage lurching as they resumed their journey south.
---
From a hidden vantage point on a nearby hillside, a figure watched the scene unfold. Lauren, concealed behind a makeshift curtain robe, waited until the carriage disappeared into the distance. Then, turning to the shadowy woods behind him, he asked casually, "Hungry? Should I bring you something to eat?"
The trees responded with nothing but the rustling of leaves, carried by a faint breeze. Lauren shook his head and sighed, dragging the bodies of the sheriffs one by one into the woods. He worked quickly, erasing evidence of the carnage from the road.
As he finished clearing the scene, the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears. Lauren ducked into the underbrush, vanishing from sight.
---
Inside the carriage, Leonard was silent, seated opposite his teacher, Alfonso. The older man, who had been meditating with his eyes closed throughout the confrontation, finally stirred.
"Well handled," Alfonso said, his voice calm but carrying an edge of approval.
Leonard closed his notebook and straightened. "I didn't want them disturbing you, Teacher," he said respectfully.
Alfonso gave him a sidelong glance, a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "You've grown skilled at taking initiative. However, there's still a lesson in restraint."
Leonard's expression tightened. "Teacher, there's something I need to tell you about last night."
"I already know," Alfonso replied, his tone deliberately enigmatic. "I wondered if you would mention it."
Leonard hesitated, his composure slipping slightly. "Then... I assume you approve?"
"It's an alchemy laboratory," Alfonso said, leaning back. "What you find there is yours to keep. Consider it your harvest."
"Yes, Teacher," Leonard said, bowing his head. Though his expression was subdued, a flicker of relief passed through his eyes. 'Of course, the Teacher already knew. There is little he doesn't know.'
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein