"No!" Oliver screamed as he was dragged into an alley and kicked to the ground. Fear caused him to shake as he looked up at his five much younger attackers armed with clubs and daggers. "Please! I don't have any money."
"That's too bad," one of the thugs said. "You have to pay to get through. Doesn't matter how old you are, if you don't have money, you're gonna pay in blood."
He was almost seventy years old. Even in his prime, he was no warrior. Now, as someone well past his sturdiest years, he had no chance. Is this how he was going to die? "Please. Please!"
"Ha, listen to him beg," another of the thugs laughed.
"Please!" a third thug mocked, before laughing.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
He wondered what that sound was. It was getting closer, causing the young men to look back. Footstep? Yes. From someone wearing armor judging by the sound.
The source of the sound entered the alley. It was a tall woman, clad in armor. The armor was made of white iron white gold trim around the edges. Underneath, that was black leather armor, covering whatever the iron didn't. On her hi, there was a large sword in its sheath.
Not wearing a helmet, her face was fully visible. She appeared to be in her early thirties and sported long black hair, tied back in two braids. Best of all, he knew who she was, as everyone in the empire of Empora should. She was Lady Madison Ellis, the mightiest warrior in the empire. What luck, to be saved by her.
"You foolish lot wouldn't happen to be committing a crime on my watch?" she asked, her voice deep and tone domineering.
"Oh no, it's Lady Madison, the Floating Armor herself!" one of the thugs cried. "What do we do?"
Oliver saw one of them looking as if wanted to charge her.
"Before you do that, think about what you are doing," she said. "As a soldier of Empora, I am a protector of its citizens. All who would dare to threaten its citizens will have to answer to me. And to those who would challenge me, I will show no quarter as I quarter you." She drew her sword. "Is it worth it? You be the judge. Drop your swords and walk away if you wish to be spared. Or you can attack and see what it gets you."
The all dropped their weapons.
She sheathed her sword and stepped aside. "Do not make me regret letting you go."
The thugs all ran out of the alley, screaming, "she's crazy!"
Once they were gone, she walked over to Oliver and reached down to him. "Are you unharmed?"
From this close, he could see how beautiful she was. Her face was angelic and her eyes deep and black. If she was wearing regular clothes, you'd never assume a woman like her was a warrior. "He grabbed her hand and said, "if only I were forty years younger..."
She pulled him. "Those miscreants may target you again. I shall escort you home."
He felt like he'd be wasting her time if she did that. "It's okay, young lady. I can make it home from him."
"Nonsense," she said. She bowed. "As a protector of the populace, it is my duty."
After a short walk, they arrived at his house. "Well, here's my stop. I must thank you, young lady."
"Thanks are not necessary," she said. "Knowing that I kept a citizen of Empora safe is enough for me." And with that, she walked off into the night.
He opened his door and walked into his house, happy the he had just gotten so close to Empora's mightiest warrior.
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