52 Difference in Status 2 - Breaking the Boundaries (1/2)
Felix was conflicted, when he had heard that a group proclaiming to be part of the Naga's was drawing near, he told his men to drop everything, then erase any evidence that they were present before leaving. When he left, about thirty minutes had passed, he soon realized he had left the cores by Stigma's side.
Leaving behind the only thing for them to use as a trade was one thing, but what concerned him more was it the right thing to leave Stigma behind.
He had some doubt whether Stigma was telling the truth the entire time, so he wanted to leave no trace behind and see his reactions.
Since there are some drugs on the black market to stop a heart, it would be possible to find a drug that could fake an illness for a few hours, so he wanted to be sure.
He wanted to go back to retrieve the cores, but his heart stopped for a moment he saw a group going towards the tent, instantly recognizing one of the individuals, Will; when he first met him it was during an encounter in the market of Mordan.
He was considered a minor aid at the time, but his prows in using a mace was lethal when he gained momentum, if Felix wasn't careful he would be grievously injured from one misstep.
With not much choice, all he can do was wait and see how Stigma would react from the Naga's group side, then make his decision in trusting him.
When they first meet Stigma, Felix was still skeptical if he lied and did had any relation with the Naga's, since the entire encounter could still be some ploy.
But all his speculation was unsound for, as he watched dumbfounded when he saw what happened next, four men have a caved in chest, while Will had a deformed face.
If he thought about it, drawing attention was too much of a ploy, if they knew Stigma personally, they wouldn't draw to much attention.
Eventually the meeting became a confrontation, then escalated to a fight, but when Stigma started beating Will a few more times nearly crippling him. Felix would have thought they would eventually get killed without mercy.
The entire beating was breaking the boundaries of just acting it out to fool others.
If they were comrades, this type of method of communication or exchange would be considered too much, but when Stigma took the space ring, the mace; along with breaking their armor, Will's throat, legs and ribs, along with slandering them as beggars, it just shows he really had no actual relationship.
If Stigma did know Will, he would be on the receiving end, not the other way around.
With evidence piled up, Felix felt like his gut was punched and not just him, the men all had the same expression, so Felix made a decision.
”...It confirms it, Stigma has no ties to the Naga clan, and also...” Felix does not need to say anything else, since all of theses men had already recognized Will, it only meant one thing...
'The Naga's are here...'
Afterwards, Felix and his group disappeared into the crowd and met up in a shop nearby discussing their future plans.
----
Most of the spectators who came, were only interested in finding out what the ruckus was, while others wanted to gamble on what was going to transpire; be it an affair taking place or some country hicks are trying to land in a good impression to their supposed employer.
However, all their previous betting choices were thrown out the window, when they saw someone exiting the luxury tent.
A child who appeared to be at the age of ten walked out the tent with a rusted sword, if they looked closer they could see that the boy had white hair a some shades of black, and his overall image was - weak compared to the five grown men.
'What the hell...' When they first saw Stigma exiting the tent, everyone in the vicinity had the same thought, 'the child is supposedly living under a wealthy sponsor or parent', so the majority lost their bets.
Some people however, took the opportunity and made new bets behind the scene; the content was whether which side would win if a fight were to break out; the one's from the tent or the five men.
The ones who were interested had evaluated the men, and they all came with the same conclusion - they were all strong. Some testified their identity of being cultivators, they had entered their shop to 'procure' some merchandise without pay and had beaten their hired mercenary when they retaliated.
Normally, they would report this to the guards to arrest them, yet these men had claimed to be part of the Naga Clan, so the difference in status had been made making them all backed down, then they eventually bowed their head, as they continued to harass and steal from them.
It was not as though no wanted to confirm such an obvious trick, but the fear of offending an actual member would spell trouble to them, so none dared to step out.
But when Stigma confronted them about their identification, they all went silent. Soon, the theory of them lying was being confirmed, and their background were being questioned.
All clans have insignia to differentiate themselves to one another, and the Naga's were known to use robes with serpents insignia sewn on to indicate being a member.
Yet these men only intimidated them and showed no actual evidence on their status, the victims slowly realized they were played of as fools when these men harassed their female associates, and destroyed or stole their merchandise from them. Causing them to slander them with even more crime from those who remained silent.
Before they could gather together, the men then lashed out of rage, aiming at Stigma with the intent of making an example, but instead of Stigma being beaten to the ground it was the other way around.
If people heard this from someone they would not believe them, but the truth was right before their very eyes.
Stigma's movements were to fast like a specter and only left blurs when he swung his fist, aiming at the most vulnerable spot in the opening of the armor - the ribs.
The impact of bones breaking along with five men flying of the ground have left them all speechless. After seeing Stigma who looked no younger than ten years old, completely gave a one sided beatdown against five grown men with little to no effort, causing them all to reevaluate who Stigma really was.
Before anyone could step in, Stigma came back out the tent and looked around. While ignoring the glare coming from the men on the ground, he walked towards Will.
”What...do...you....want....brat” With his face bruised all over and his throat crushed, Will could barely speak. But what concerned him more was why Stigma came back, without realizing Stigma was eyeing the mace by Will's side.
”I forgot to get something...my tribute, you beggar.” Without warning, Stigma grabbed the mace by Will side, lifting it with little difficulty.
The mace had four blades positioned on the handle paralleling each other, if one looked at the top end they would see a cross.
It may not be made of rare metals,but nonetheless the mace would be considered a quality weapon, that could take in a few abuse. Before he could use it, Will had to go through a series of muscle exercise to try lifting it and that took him three years to finally swing it around with ease, yet Stigma took it like it was nothing but a piece of stick in a matter of seconds.
Silence, complete and utter silence. The scene of a young child lifting a heavy object had left them dumbfounded.
With such an believable thing happening, Will tried to fight back by grabbing his leg, only to be kicked in the gut and the mace he was struggling for, had landed on his chest plate leaving a large dent causing him to suffocate even more.
”...Stubborn aren't you...Hump!” Giving another kicked, Will finally let go and coughed up blood on the ground, glaring at Stigma like a mad dog.
Stigma was already aware that these men were not beggars but even so, he already had enough people pushing their luck on him as is. And if these men did belong to such a group, he doubted they would do anything to be discovered or cause trouble.
”You'll... pay ....for this ....your...brat!” Giving out a warning was the only thing Will could do to the situation, once he returns to the Naga's Stigma would be in the other end of the stick.
”Hump! Don't bother causing me anymore trouble, you trash!” After taking the mace, Stigma looked around as if there was anything else. Since he attacked them all, the armor and spears were either bent or destroyed, thus became low quality.
After recalling the events so far, Stigma looked around and found what he was looking for, the orb Will threw at him.
”If I remember correctly...you summoned this out of thin air, correct.” After grabbing the orb Stigma took a few steps closer, eventually kneeling to looked at Will's hands and causing him to shudder from the look of Stigma's eyes, since he found what he had expected.
A space ring.
'Bingo!'
With the presents of the space ring, Stigma took of opportunity and grabbed the ring. But as expected, Will struggled and fought back, eventually Stigma retaliated by either punching or stomping on his head, neck and side until he passed out.
All the spectators had the same expression of confusion, whether they should stop him from beating Will up or should they take the advantage and 'take back' their supposed payment and items, they allegedly all stole from them.
But after looking over the men coughing up blood and Will's state, they decided to wait then move.
'Must have broke a few ribs...Oh well....' Stigma in his previous life had already done similar feats to swindlers, so looking at his point of view he wasn't killing them, he was making sure his message was heard.
'Don't push your luck, you bastards'
So far, Stigma had earned himself a good weapon with a space ring along with a strange treasure so he earned quite a profit. He would check the others, but that would be a waste of time, and got the feeling that all of it was inside the space ring so he went back inside the tent.
...