63 Return (2/2)

In fact… even the best case scenario had come to be, as the man the original inhabitant of his body had called 'father' was standing right in the centre of the empty land, sneering at three individuals who had been forced onto their stomachs and were being held there by his personal enforcers.

One of the men was the outsider they had been observing before his departure. The other, Daneel didn't recognize, but as soon as he saw the third…he grinned with satisfaction, as it was Lord Burrow, brought down to the ground by Daneel's machinations.

Harold had an intimidating look about him even though he was doing nothing. Wearing a long, crimson cloak that covered him from neck to toe, he lifted one leg and kicked the Lord in the stomach, eliciting a loud groan as he shouted, ”How dare you, slave? I thought you were a loyal dog…but you turned out to be a dumb thief! You just couldn't resist stealing from me, too, eh? Ha! The people are going to have a ton of hangings to enjoy, soon!”

Daneel was about to rejoice as his job was done. Yet, just as the slightest hint of happiness came to life within him… it was wiped away when a foreboding feeling filled his mind.

For a moment, time seemed to go still. He looked all around, at all the hills surrounding the spot, at all the bushes that were perfectly placed above each one, looking natural, at first glance, but fake on the second, exactly like the ones they had brought to cover themselves.

Then… everything happened at once. Four bushes flew into the air, and four dark figures leapt at the Master…while at the same time, 'SNAP!' went the Lord's fist as it flung the enforcer on top of him aside, and drew a blade at a blinding speed that shot toward Harold.

Each of them was impossibly fast, only allowing anyone watching to guess their size, but not their identities. One of them could be identified by even the dumbest of people, though…he was larger than anyone present, and although Daneel could have sworn that he hadn't seemed at all like someone who possessed explosive speed, that was the reality presented in front of him.

Just like the Lord, the four figures were all holding four sharp weapons, all of which descended from four directions onto the Master's neck, leaving a precise spot open that was quickly taken by the Lord's dagger.

'He's done for!', thought Daneel, as there was surely no way that anyone would be able to escape such a trap.

Sure enough, when they reached within a foot of him, a great cloud of dust went up into the air due to their footfalls and a great 'CLANG!' echoed in the surroundings, which he guessed was from the weapons meeting each other after hacking straight through the Master's body.

But… When the dust cleared, his eyes fell upon a sight that made his mind go blank, and his heart stop beating.

Somehow… the Master was unscathed. All around him, as if time had transformed into a material entity that had trapped them where they stood, the five figures were frozen, their hands raised, their weapons an inch away from their target.

When Daneel saw each of their faces, he felt as if a hammer was hitting him on the head when he recognised each one.

Lord Burrow, Jezara, the Slavequeen, the Dwarf King and the man who had knocked him out in the Courtyard were all standing together, on the same side, with the same cause.

Yet, as if he wasn't staring death down its face, Harold spoke in a casual tone that made it seem as if he was taking a stroll on a sunny day.

”So all the tiny ants have scurried out of their tiny holes…well, you can try all you want, but your minuscule power can't put a scratch on me. Don't believe it? Just try, while I think up all the elaborate ways in which all of you are going to die…”

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