Richard Day's Legacy

Chapter 007

One of them swallowed hard, shook his head to dispel his fears, straightening himself, he bent his head and sneered at the shop owner,

“Hah! Jokes on you, he cannot appear from thin air to rescue you! So you're at our mercy”

He kicked harshly at the man who cowered over, clutching at his stomach. Laughing arrogantly, another soldier crunched his boot on the poor man's heel and said loudly,

“Seeing as you've dared to threaten us, I can think of several ways to silence you” he lowered himself and whispered loudly as he winked and continued,

"Silence you forever, and then no one, not even the Mayor, would ever find out what happened to you. Silence you, alongside your fellow merchants!" 

The sickening soldier boasted, hitting his chest with his gun as his eyes shone at the thought.

On the other hand, the merchants and the others who had heard the threats were filled with fear, some of them had peed on themselves, some shivering to their bones as they heard him.

 Sensing and smelling their fears, the soldiers laughed and high-fived themselves in pleasure, smiling broadly.

“ Who are you silencing?”

Suddenly, a cold voice sounded behind them.

Their smiles immediately disappeared, with their eyes bulging as they looked in the direction of the sound and watched as Richard approached them, walking with wide strides and his gaze as cold as ice.

The soldier's throats became parched instantly as they rapidly blinked, trying to convince themselves he was nothing but a ghost.

Seeing as he wasn't a ghost but the real feared and revered Mayor, all fifteen of them dropped to their knees, sweats on their foreheads and armpits, while on their knees, they shivered and tried groveling,

“M-mayor Richard, it's you…”,

"Have mercy Mayor, we were just messing around”

"Mayor, please have mercy. We'll disappear" 

Richard stood before them, his presence suffocating. 

" Is your president aware of this messing around as you call it?" Squatting to get to their level, he smiled darkly as he looked at them with cold eyes, 

“Does this action of yours have your president’s approval and stamp?”

The soldiers’ eyes darted nervously. One by one, they lowered their heads, unable to meet his piercing gaze. 

Their voices trembled as they denied any official orders.

“No, Mayor, we were acting on our own,” they admitted, each word laced with fear. “We didn't mean to cause any trouble. If we’re found out, we’re dead!”

“Is that so?”

Richard's smirk grew darker as he took in their responses. 

For a moment, the entire place went as silent as a graveyard, all of them looking at Richard 

Even Vivienne was a little tense, looking and listening intently to see what Richard had in store.

"Well," Richard said, clapping his hands, straightening himself, his tone casual but laced with menace. "I believe you."

He could see right through their lies. These soldiers were sent to scout the area for an attack, testing the waters to see if Vancovira was weak and vulnerable.

But now this was out of his duty to interfere with.

The soldiers visibly relaxed for a brief moment, but their relief was short-lived.

“However,” Richard continued, his voice growing colder, "I think we can all agree that there's a price to pay for trespassing. I'll be lenient on you guys for today. With that said, your punishment is simple. Break a leg, and I do not mean that literally. “

The soldiers felt a wave of relief wash over them, grateful their lives were spared. But the dread of the punishment still clung to them as bile rose in their throats, their bodies trembling in fear.

The crowd around them shifted nervously, some pulling back, unable to bear the impending sight, while others watched with morbid curiosity, their eyes wide with anticipation.

“Are they really going to break their legs?” one man asked the woman beside him, his voice tense.

She shrugged nonchalantly. “They have to. They won’t leave here alive otherwise.”

“Don’t you know? Mayor Richard doesn’t make empty threats. He doesn’t repeat himself,” she added, her tone matter-of-fact.

Before the words had even settled in the air, the crowd was filled with the gut-wrenching sound of cracking bones. Screams echoed through the open air, the sickening crunch of bone reverberating in everyone’s ears.

“Arrghhhh!”

The soldiers' cries of pain were raw and desperate, as their legs were snapped beyond recognition, twisted and mangled in grotesque angles. 

The sounds of their agony filled the air, and the sight of their unnatural, limp limbs made many turn away in horror.

All fifteen soldiers, now crippled, struggled to stand on one leg, their faces pale with pain as they looked at Richard, waiting for the next command.

Richard strode over to the leader, cupping his chin and lifting his head to meet his gaze.

“If you ever set foot in this region again,” he said slowly, “you’ll leave in a body bag. You got me?”

His voice was cold as ice, sending a tremor through the soldiers, their knees buckling in fear. 

Without waiting for their response, Richard smiled brightly, his demeanor shifting suddenly, and patted the man’s chin as though nothing had happened.

“So long. You’re free to go.”

The soldiers, broken and defeated, nodded weakly, their bodies shaking as they limped away, knowing they had narrowly escaped a much worse fate.

At their departure, Richard turned back to the merchants, his expression softening slightly. 

“You’re safe now.”

The residents of the place rushed over to Richard, thanking him profusely.

"Mayor Richard, we are deeply grateful for your help today!" one of the elders exclaimed, bowing so low it seemed he might touch his forehead to the ground. 

Another man nodded in agreement, mirroring the same respectful gesture.

"We are unworthy of standing before you, yet you came to our aid without hesitation. We are forever in your debt," he added, his voice tinged with awe.

Richard offered a small smile.

“You're welcome, they won't be returning, at least not anytime soon. I have to be on my way now" He informed them, and the smiles that had lit up their faces faded almost immediately.