Ty looked down at General Mattison as the man struggled to his feet and asked, disbelief sharpening his voice, "And why would you do something like that?"
Mattison coughed as he picked himself up and replied, "Well, lying about a Royal daughter is a serious matter, but claiming you know who tried to assassinate the royals adds to the suspicion.
And stumbling upon a rebel group bold enough to attack the cathedral during the New Year’s event... I can’t help but suspect your involvement."
Ty, unfazed, returned a smirk. "Well, those events all have explanations," he said, just as Todd and Nana stepped out behind him, with Lady Amaris following close behind.
Lady Amaris, upon noticing General Mattison, started in surprise, "Mattison?! What are you doing o--"
A commanding voice cut her off.
The man with the eyepatch, casually smoking what appeared to be a cigarette, a trail of smoke rising into the air, interjected, "Hey, don’t think I’m just going to wait around for you all to have a cute reunion."
Ty’s confidence was evident as he faced the man with the eyepatch, his smirk betraying his lack of fear. "Oh, I thought you were that thunderclap guy, what with the eyepatch and all.
How about this: take your injured friends and leave before I decide to make it two eyepatches for you."
The man’s expression hardened. "So, you’re the one who almost took him down, huh? Well, I’m here with a proposal. Join us and our cause, or face the consequences. I’d say that’s a fair--"
Ty stepped in before the man could finish. His fist cracked into the man’s face and snapped his head back. "Sorry, I’m not interested in playing rebel," Ty retorted, his tone dismissive. "I’ve got my own issues to deal with.
But if it’s a fight you want, I won’t back down. Just don’t complain about ending up blind."
Behind Ty, Todd and Nana stood relaxed yet alert, watching the scene unfold. They moved to assist General Mattison, helping him to his feet, their actions a silent show of support for Ty.
The man with the eyepatch took a deep drag from his cigarette and addressed his cohorts in a flat voice.
"I assume you lot can handle the rest of the people here?" His voice was devoid of emotion as he issued his next command, "I want them all dead, and burn the church to the ground when you’re finished."
A chill ran down Ty’s spine at the man’s ruthless order. The man took one quick step forward, vanished, then appeared in front of Ty before Ty could blink.
Without removing his hands from his pockets, he delivered a powerful kick to Ty’s chest.
Caught off guard, Ty was propelled 40-50 feet into the air by the force of the kick. The man, showing no sign of hesitation, slightly bent his knees and leaped, following Ty’s trajectory through the air.
Grappling with the pain in his chest and the reality of the situation, Ty tried to quickly assess his options. "I guess I’ll just have to break loose a bit," he muttered to himself, preparing for what he had to do next.
"Break loose, is that it?" The voice of the eyepatch-wearing man echoed behind him. There was a mocking tone in his voice as he continued, "I’ve heard you can regenerate, and my vice captain even thinks you’re some kind of skeleton.
Join our cause in overthrowing the kingdom, and I’ll spare your friends and that pathetic church."
Despite the dire circumstances, Ty managed a slight chuckle. He wasn’t one to be easily intimidated. With a sudden burst of flames jetting from his feet, he spun backwards, aiming a kick at the man’s head.
But his opponent was quicker, catching Ty’s attack with his shoulder before seizing his ankles and hurling him further into the distance.
As Ty flew through the air, frustration and confusion set in. "Why is he so fast to react?" he cursed aloud, trying to regain his bearings and formulate a new plan.
Ty, skimming along the water’s surface, rapidly processed his situation. "I haven’t seen him even pull out a weapon yet. Where is he getting this strength?" he thought, trying to understand the source of his opponent’s unnatural abilities.
The thought broke as the man materialized above him and drove a crushing punch into Ty’s jaw. The force sent Ty plunging into the ocean’s depths. Underwater, Ty realized, "Okay, that was more than just speed.
He practically teleported in front of me."
Floating beneath the waves, a strange sense of calm enveloped Ty. "I guess it’s nice not needing to breathe," he mused, feeling oddly detached from the urgency of the battle.
His brief respite was disturbed as he sensed a current swirling around him, indicating movement in the water.
Looking into the murky depths, he saw a pair of searing eyes staring back at him from a distance. Those eyes burned red in Ty’s direction while the moon climbed over the water above.
Ty recognized the creature from their previous encounter and threw out sarcasm because panic felt useless. "Oh, great, it’s you again. Still mad about me leaving you in the lurch last time, huh?"
The creature answered with a short roar that shook the water. Lightning crackled from its sides, illuminating the dark as it surged towards Ty.
Ty reacted, black flames propelling him away, but the creature’s speed was overwhelming.
Its razor-sharp teeth clamped down on his right arm, severing it from his shoulder. Pain seared through him, though his mind was the only place where his curses could be heard.
As the creature prepared to strike again, Ty watched in both horror and fascination. The bones from the severed arm began to move independently, drawn back towards him.
They reformed around the shoulder stump, and flesh followed almost exactly as he expected. The sleeve stayed gone. His arm returned bare.
Floating there in the water, watching the creature circle back for another attack, an idea sparked in Ty’s mind. "Well, I think I might have one idea to deal with that guy."