You yank the sword from the alley like some sort of modern-day King Arthur, swinging it over your head with all the graceand skill of a person who has never once in their life wielded a sword.
“Aaaaaaaaaah!” you yell most eloquently as you charge, swinging wildly.
You’re not actually runningatthe monster.
More like, you’re just trying to get around its many pinchy legs.
Because you’re not dumb enough to think you can face it head-on and win just because now you’ve got an actual weapon. A weapon that you’ve had no training to know how to use.
Ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiros, you scream in your head, still trying your hardest not to resort to screaming his true name out loud, just in case that actually matters in any way.
He’d better thank you for this effort later.
You know.
If thereisa later.
Because you’ve just somehow managed to skirt around the monster’s way-too-many legs, and now you’re running down the alleyway, but it’s close behind you.
It doesn’t help that your sword is so heavy. And you have to be careful not to bang the blade into yourself as you run. You can’t even rest it on your shoulder safely.
They definitely make this look way easier on TV.
Note to self: Do some weightlifting, because this thing is HEAVY.
Finally, you round the corner to the alley behind the cafe…and smack straight into Ziros’ chest.
Fortunately, he manages to dodge your sword blade.
He steps back, staring at you in surprise, as if trying to comprehend exactly what is happening.
“Human?” He asks, and that’s when you notice he’s bleeding. Just slightly. There’s a cut on his right arm, and a burn crispingthe side of his apron. His eyes darken and he growls, “What’s going on?”
That’s whatyou’d like to know.
What the heck happened to him?!
“No time,” you pant, holding the sword out with shaking arms. The sword that is seriously no-joke, stupidly heavy. “There’s a ska—”
Before you can finish, the monster rounds the corner after you, all its claws clacking.
Ziros lets out a low growl, pulling you behind him.
“Stay back, human!”
Bright light flashes out as he swipes the skaddler down in one blast of air, so easily it’s like he didn’t even blink.
It’s…impressive.
The monster vanishes before you even get a chance to swing your sword.
Slowly, you let your arms sink down, finally feeling like you can breathe as you rest the heavy blade on the ground.
29
The Hot Guy Gets Protective
You
