All air escaped Varian's lungs when a huge metal fist hit his stomach, sending him flying across the tent. He yelped as his back collided with a wooden pole before he landed on his feet and immediately doubled over, his insides caught in a spasm, shrinking somehow. His head hurt dully.
„Guards!" someone bellowed.
The clinking of halberds and swords joined the creaking sound of the automaton's metal joints as the men jumped into action right away, trying to at least stop the machine from running off. Another fresh shot of pain lanced through Varian's skull at the noise.
Something yanked him up by his collar and a frightened face filled his field of vision.
„What did you do?!" a very young guard screamed at him, pressing him back to the pole.
The alchemist gasped, still struggling for air. „N-nothing! It—"
Before he had the chance to finish, the man moved urgently, revealing the automaton charging straight at them. He pulled Varian along just in time before several tons of metal smashed into the pole, easily breaking it in half.
The tent collapsed. The canopy top completely disappeared from above them in a matter of seconds when the machine entangled itself in it.
Varian's nose exploded with pain as it collided with the guard's chestplate. „Restrain him, now!" he was pushed away before he managed to take another look at the man who had probably just saved his life.
Stumbling from the force of the push, the alchemist crashed into another person who quickly twisted his arms behind his back so he couldn't move them. He struggled against the guard forcefully leading him away from the turmoil.
Weirdly enough, instead of backing up and enjoying the sight, Varian wriggled his arms free and shouted, „Destroy the cylinder!"
The steel giant dashed without direction, its arms raised under the fabric it caught itself into. Royal guards surrounded it, uselessly hitting the metal from a safe distance, desperate to keep the machine in one place.
Someone yelled something about the black rocks, but there were none in sight. Judging by the state of this village, the indestructible spikes had never reached it in the first place.
„The cylinder!" Varian, back in the guard's strong grip, raised his voice even more. „Stop the clock!"
A girl in a yellow dress, the only servant who hadn't ran away yet, echoed his words. „Destroy the cylinder! Stop the clock!"
At the sound of her high voice, the automaton turned around, finally tearing the tent off itself. A rain of arrows was sent its way in an attempt to disrupt its charge, but to no avail—seemingly picking the direction at random, the machine rushed to the cluster of frightened villagers standing nearby.
Seeing Coronians in danger, the soldiers attacked more fiercely, bolting after the automaton. The man holding Varian released him so violently that the boy fell to the ground, tearing the skin off his hands.
He hissed, missing his signature black gloves who would've protected him if they hadn't been confiscated for no reason.
A striped tail appeared out of nowhere. „Ruddiger, you okay?" the boy cupped his best friend's face, quickly checking him over. The raccoon chittered like he wanted to confirm he was fine.
When Varian looked after the guard to see where the man was headed, his heart sank.
There was a ginger little girl sitting crouched on the pavement, covering her eyes with her hands. She curled up on herself while she awaited the onrushing machine.
Without a second thought, the alchemist found himself clumsily getting up and chasing the automaton along with the guards. In the turmoil, nobody paid attention to him anymore as ran side by side with them instead of getting away from them.
Ruddiger bravely bolted after his friend, not willing to stay behind when Varian threw himself into the uproar.
Once a couple of men reached the machine, a few things happened simultaneously.
The little girl whimpered in fear, balling her hands into fists.
The guard named Stan bounced off a hay cart and stuck his sword under the exposed timing cylinder. A horrible creak sent shivers down everyone's spines as the clock mercilessly kept turning, nearly bending the blade.
That was when Stan's hand joined his weapon. He cried out, either in pain or from the effort, his biceps tensing as he pried the cylinder until finally dislocating it.
He jumped off the machine, landing perfectly but clutching his wrist. Another guard jumped onto the automaton's back and grabbed the cylinder, now loose thanks to Varian's unfinished work and Stan's strength. The soldier tore the part out, once and for all.
Varian didn't see the robot's lights go out as it froze on the spot—his gaze was fixed on the crying girl. He was almost there, he could almost reach the two thick braids enfolding her fear-stricken face.
Suddenly, she disappeared once his foot caught on something and he fell ramrod straight, face-first into the ground. He coughed when grains of sand entered his airways.
Ruddiger got to her first. She let him sniff her and shyly patted him on the head with a little smile. The child then looked at Varian curiously.
„Are you okay?" he asked.
Her eyes widened in fear again and she straightened up, taking a step back.
Varian turned around to check for danger. A sigh of relief escaped his throat when he saw a few men knocking the off automaton to the ground, chanting with triumph.
When he looked back to the girl, he saw fresh tears glistening in her eyes.
„Wha-what's wrong?"
She stumbled back even further as soon as he spoke again. „Mom!"
What was this kid so afraid of? She seemed fine until he talked to—oh.
Oh.
She recognized his voice.
She must've been in the Capital that day, she must've heard him speak to Coronians, hatefully laying out the King's mistakes and threatening them as a diversion.
The realization felt like someone had poured a bucket of cold water over him, absurdly causing a wave of heat to engulf his whole head.
Varian looked at the girl's tear-stained face. She was so little… and so very afraid. To her, he was nothing more than a terrifying voice in the fog.
„No, hey—" He started getting up, wanting to explain that he won't hurt her. The child withdrew, picking Ruddiger up, not knowing that it was the raccoon himself lurking in the fog that day, dragged into it all against his will.
Before the alchemist could say anything more, a woman appeared by the girl's side. Ruddiger jumped back to the ground, allowing them to hug.
Obviously, it was the mother. Only a mother whose child had been hurt could ever look at someone with such a vibrant mixture of disgust and fear. Varian couldn't bear this gaze. Thankfully, she didn't utter a word—she took her child and turned around to join the little crowd gathering around Stan.
The boy didn't realize that he stayed on the ground, still down on one knee, not even noticing Ruddiger's head pressing to his hip. He felt empty.
Someone approached them. The person was casting a large shadow, with broad shoulders and strong arms.
„Come with me."
No. Not this guy. Anyone, anyone but him.
Varian stood up, not even attempting to force himself to look at the Captain's face.
Oh, Varian, you sure got tossed around a lot here, you poor clumsy boi (he's so brave though!)
Thank you for reading and happy holidays! ❤️
Your comment will make my Christmas, haha:)