(CHAPTER 22: WHATEVER IT TAKES)

Hero draw out his sword as he strike towards the trio. They barely duck the attack as they back up to safety. But before they could set their feet, Hero has already arrive in front of them as he let out another slash. As the edge of the sword was already at Norman's, Jack barely saved his life by pulling him away, any second less, his throat would've been slice clean.

"Phew, thanks Jack." Hero let out another swing, Jack barely blocked it with his axe while Sam shot his arrow, forcing him to leap back from the trio, giving them some time and distance. "Do the spell Norman!" Jake shouted. "We won't be able to hold him for long without it!"

"Got it!" Norman shouted back as he put down his banner, but before he could even conjure his spell, Jack grab him by his collar and pull him centimeters away from the obsidian saber thrown towards him, the saber slice through the banner like nothing before struck deep into the terracotta wall of the house at their back. Although he managed to dodge that blow, Norman was shocked as he panted while blood trickles down the cut at his face caused by the attack.

The trio look at the men in front of them, unlike last time, he is faster, stronger and attack with the intention to kill. He has no hesitation or fear, as the fire crackles at his back, he looks like a devil, he looks like death itself. "Abandoning his weapon." Sam said "Not a wise choice."

"You stay here Norman." Jack ordered him to stay put. Norman nodded, agreeing, he knew that without his banner and spell to help his fellow illagers, joining the fight is suicidal. "His obdisian saber is what so dangerous about him. Without it we might be able to take him down." Jack crouched as he hold his axes sideways with both of his hand, his grasp is slippery as his palm is filled with sweat, but he couldn't care much, he is hunger for a great fight in front of him. Hero looked at the trio as his eyes beamed with excitement, he cracked his joints and poses his fighting stance, with his fist in front of his leg while he crouches, dipping his knees slightly, enabling him to create a burst effect. "Let's do this then." Sam loaded his arrow and aimed towards Hero, somehow his hand is shivering, but he has to focus. The villagers peeked out of their windows as they anticipated the fight in front of him.

Tonight is going to be a bloody night.

"Let's do this in the old way shall we."

Jack charges like a boar with his axe in front of him like a tusk, running ruthlessly as Sam unleashed a barrage of arrows along him, giving him protection and shielding him from Hero's attack. Hero side stepped to avoid Jack's attack but still managed to get hit from the arrows. He pluck the arrow out like nothing as he evaded another blow from Jack's axe. He seems a lot agile, and focus more on evading instead of attacking.

Jack let out another slash, this time Hero was a second slower as it leave a deep cut on his chest, but just as quick as it happened, the wound heal up within seconds, not even leaving a scar. "What the he-" But before Jack could finish his words, Hero has already advance in front of him and leave a huge heavy side kick, throwing him into one of the house as he break through the walls. "JACK!!" Sam shouted as he let out another barrage of arrow, Hero glides towards him like a snake he dodge the arrow effortlessly. With one hand he grab the crossbow's tip to stop his attacks and with another he grabbed his head, he twisted his knees, then his waist and his shoulders like a springe, before exploding out with a twirl, throwing him into Jack who is just about to come out of the house and rejoin the battle field.

Norman look at the men in front of him, is he the weakling that they have fought moments ago? How come he had grew so strong within minutes? Hero looked at Norman, that cold dead stare sent a shudder down his spine. "We can talk kid." Norman tries to calm Hero down, but what he know is that the Hero in front of him is already lost control over himself, his objective right now, is to kill these damn illagers. "We can talk! We can talk!" Hero pulled out the obsidian saber out of the wall as he walk slowly towards Norman, as the tip of the saber drag a path through the sand.

Hero held the saber on the sky and slashes down.

Norman reach his hand and cover his head with his arms. But instead of the saber slicing him half, it was a loud clang, as if two metal balls were smashed into it other. "Jack !" Jack was standing in front of him, barely blocking down the hit with his axe. "It would take more than that to keep me down!" Jack let out a chuckle, but he was not looking well, blood were streaming out from his lips. His knees were shaking, barely standing. Hero lift the saber again, and another hit. The sharp clang echoes in their eardrums, piercing their hearing. And then another hit. And another, and another, more and more rapid, harder, faster as the sound filled the night sky, forcing even the villagers to cover their ears. Jack cant move or even shuffle a bit, he cant find the rhythm of the attack, and the speed is too rapid, he cant make any move, all he could do his to keep his position and guarded the attack for as long as possible.

But this is just what Hero wanted.

Then after ten minutes it stops. No banging, no clanging, no clashing. It just stops. Jack's hand were numb, and so do his mind and his body, he was about to get on the ground to counter but the minute his muscle moves, he felt a sharp pain in his mind. His vision became hazy, his head felt like a brick, he could feel blood trickling out of his nose as he wobbled, clinging to keep his balance, but then his body gave up, as he stumble and fell to the ground, completely out cold.

"He has concussion." Mike whispers. "The force and vibration caused by the attack were so strong that it gave him a concussion!"

"That gold apple really gave him the spot eh." Notch said. "How much time is left on the clock."

"Three minutes top."

"Lets see how he could manage it within three minutes."

Hero step over Jack as he walk towards Norman, but a hand gripped onto his ankle. "Let, him go." Jack said, straining, as if the words were forced out of his throat. Hero look at Jack, blood were gushing out of his nose, her eyelid were barely holding, he was barely breathing, and yet he was still determined to save him. He was a bit shaken, but soon the effect soon overcome his consciousness. He lifted his saber and land a blow with hilt of the saber. His head land back flat to the ground with a thud, but his hands didn't let go. Hero look at the hand coldly as he let out another hit, and another, and another, but he didn't seem to let go, as if it was his destiny to keep hold on it.

"Stop it!" Norman shouted. "You are killing him!" Norman ran towards him as he tries to shake him off, but he was pushed away. Hero gripped onto the grip as he tries to cut off the hand, but an arrow struck his elbow, forcing him to stop. He turn around, Sam was limping out of the ruins, barely breathing. His hands were shaking, as he tries to unload another arrow onto him. "Run." He say weakly towards Norman, but before he could, Hero has already dash in front of him as he crush the crossbow like a tooth pick with his bare hands before holding him up midair, choking him.

"Run." Sam whisper again, weaker as he tries to struggle off the hands of the devil, letting out a dry hacking sound. "Let him go!" Norman rushes towards with a stick as he hit Hero with it, trying to let him free his grasp, but he didn't even flinch, he stares at Sam, as if he was enjoying a spectacular view. "Stop it!" Norman hit hero again with the stick, but this time, Hero seems fed up as he land a punch straight on his head, sending him into the ground with a huge thud as the sand stirs up. He lays on the ground still, his body is still itching, as he lets out a whimper.

"No." Sam chocked the words out of his mouth. His face grew paler as his eyes rolled up, he could feel himself floating, like a feather in the wind. As he loses oxygen is mind stars to ache and hallucinates, he felt like in heaven, only to be a step closer the hell. The moment he thought that his life was done, the grasp loses as he feel to the ground with a thud. His ears are ringing and his mind were rumbling as if there was a rock band within it. His eyes peered around and he saw Hero stood there, his body was vibrating at first, then shaking, then wobbling before falling to the ground with a thud. He turn around and whiffed the air, he never felt air being so precious, he will never take it for granted, that was his last thought before he blacken out.

Four men were lying on the ground, each of them unconscious. It was before half an hour before the villagers dare to get out of their house as they poke around the battle ground. The fire has smoothed out a bit, but not after the Inn was burnt down to the ground. The villagers whisper amongst themselves for a bit before taking all of them together to the med room.

"Careful" They look at Hero and spoke 'He is a hero"