Stone met stone.

Obsidian boots met marble floor.

Resounding impacts that would be notable.

Normally.

Alas, things were not quite normal, I could hear gunfire echoing distantly in the hall that I strode down. The speakers were still playing music, clear evidence that it was pre-looped and there was no one manning the sound system.

The orchestral music was strident, drums and cymbals clashed amidst trombones, horns, and violins. There was a hint of military might. Order would be imposed by might.

It fit my mood as I continued down the hallway while selecting what I needed; wings were unessential, durability and a rapid regeneration however was. I would play the part of a brute in place of an agile mover.

Still, being a durable brute wasn't going to be sufficient to win the battle, not by the sounds of it. I reached out with my essence and grasped the fabric of the world around me with a mastery that only mother nature should have. My will would guide the world in displaying the error of acquiring my displeasure.

With but a thought, mist accompanied me, flowing around the pillars that lined the hallway.

The doors at the end of of the hallway was shut, but the sound of battle could be heard. More, I could see the imprints of boots on the doors when they had been kicked open.

Grimly, I pushed the doors open and walked into a battlefield.

With a single glance, I took in the entire room.

The Merchants had formed up ranks, and freely shooting at the defenders. It was clear that Skidmark had used his power, given that there was a heat shimmer in the air that resembled a wall. Where it touched the floor, walls and ceiling, there was a streak of dark, almost black, purple that faded to a dark blue. The Merchants stood on the blue side, and it was clear that the bullets being shot were accelerated to great speeds, given the damage being done to the walls.

Glory Girl, Brandish, and Clockblocker formed a defense with tablecloths and tables that had been fixed in time relative to the world. Glitter Girl and Gallant, for their part, were shooting back at the Merchants. Despite their attempts, it was clear that the butterflies and bolts that Gallant used were affected by the wall erected by Skidmark as they were slowed down enough that they were easy to dodge.

Given that it had defaulted to a shooting match, it was clear that Bitch, Grue and Tattletale wouldn't have been of much use. Still it was concerning that I couldn't see Regent or Vista. Those two would have been effective in bypassing the momentum field used by Skidmark.

As the doors slammed into the wall from my push, the attention of everyone turned to me as mist poured out around me. I shook my head and sighed at Skidmark and his men. "You know, I'm far too nice. I'll give you one chance."

"Do things the easy way with you guys surrendering to me," I smirked at the looks on their faces as they started to point their guns at me. "Or we do things the fun way and you all get humiliated."

The roar of gunfire was rather loud, the impacts of countless bullets was enough to jerk my body backwards. But at the end of it, I was still standing as my armor proved that it could take a hit. More, I spat out a bullet that I had caught with my teeth. Catching that shot had been by chance, but they didn't need to know that.

.


Goblin Queen | Heaven is what you make of it

Worm / Exalted


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As the metal bullet rang against the floor, silence reigned as the Merchants looked at me in shock. On the far end of the atrium, I could see cellphones being raised above the tables catching everything for prosperity.

"The fun way, it is then," I nodded and pulled my sword out of elsewhere with one hand, shattering the fabric of reality as I did so like a cheap mirror.

With my other hand, I gestured at those who stood against me with an upward swing and brought into the world crystal bars that rumbled and rose from the marble floor that spiraled upwards to form cages for each and every one of the Merchants. Each cage was sized to its captive and prevented them from moving.

It was almost perfunctory as I walked up to them and knocked them out with a single swing of my sword. I left the rather vulgar Skidmark for last, who swore dire vengeance against me and my ill-begotten ancestry with unsavory habits. "You know, your language is uncalled for given that I have been extraordinarily merciful in how I dealt with you, your Merchants, and Squealer."

"Good bye," With the last swing of my sword, Skidmark collapsed into unconsciousness and his momentum field effect faded away.

"And that's the Rose Knight," I tilted my head as I saw Tattletale talking to Aegis. It appeared that she had merely been behind one of the tables, as was sensible.