Chapter 33

"Just let him go… I will give you what you want." Alan trying to negotiate those tough men. "If you want money, I give it to you." Alan throws away a pouch of the golden coins on the ground. The three tough men didn't respond to Alan while staring at the money pouch on the ground. That pouch got a little wet after absorbing some dirty water from the muddy.

"Is not enough?" Alan throws another pouch on the ground makes a total of two pouches of the golden coins on the ground. Those pouches would be enough to survive in a season for the starving family. Alan looks at those tough men and saw them were smirking at each other mocking Alan that the money he gave to them is still not enough. Those men greed for more by trying scrapping all the money from Alan.

Alan sighing after saw three of them mocking him. Alan throws another three pouch on the ground. "That's all that I have." Alan opens up his coat showing he already emptied his money from his pocket. After that, two of the men quickly collect all the pouches that had been thrown on the ground. "Big brother, this is quite some money." Both tough men look very blissful while counting the gold coins inside the pouch.

The three tough men were drawn by the gold coins, imagining what they want to spend with the money. Unlucky for the cloaked man, he can't escape because his cloak still grips by one of them. "Hey, you bastard!" The cloaked man calling the tough man who held his cloak. When that man turning his face to him, he quickly gives a hard punch towards that man's face. The tough man grunted in pain fell to the ground.

The other two tough men were conscious of their complacency after saw their brother fell to the ground. "Brother!" The two of them shouted. "You bastard!" they quickly launch their attack towards the cloaked man. Alan that alert about the situation quickly helps the cloaked man by ambushing the tough men. Alan strikes both tough men by blowing his fist and his kick and moves to the cloaked man's side. Both of them fell to the ground after receiving that strikes.

Unluckily for Alan, they quickly recovered from collapsed. It seems Alan's attack just gives the small impact of pain toward them and it same goes for the cloaked man attack, which doesn't much effect for them. The tough men start to pull out their knives. "Damn it, I didn't bring my sword." Alan starts to panic as his life was in danger. "Aren't you scared after looking at this." The tough men showed their knives toward Alan and the cloaked man.

"Stand back." Alan pushed the cloaked man behind with his arm. "Don't be cocky, I can handle this alone!" The cloaked man pulled back Alan's body and quickly charging his attack towards the tough men. The cloaked man rushing forward to one of the tough men. That tough man directly trying to stab the cloaked man. Luckily, the cloaked man dodges that attack by sliding through him. Then, the cloaked man jumps higher than the tough man's height and twisting his body giving a powerful kick to the tough man's face. The tough man fell and his weapon was thrown away.

The other two who saw that their brother was taken down very easily quickly attack the cloaked man. Alan suddenly approaching the cloaked man and repel all the attacks that coming from the tough men. "I don't need your help." The cloaked man seems angry and there are no thanks for Alan after saving his life. "I already involved in this and there is no turning back." Alan stubbornly staying at the cloaked man's side. "Fine." The cloaked man looks annoyed at Alan.

Suddenly, Alan's hand was pulled by the cloaked man. 'What! He's using magic.' Alan saw his The cloaked man throws Alan to the tough men. Alan trying to control his body but he was interrupted by the fragrant that coming from the cloaked man. 'Why he smells so sweet.' Alan feels strange and his mind focuses more on the smells that flow through his nose rather than his body that soon will be injured. Alan grunts after hitting directly something solid. Alan didn't know what he was hitting because his eyes were closed.

Whatsmore about his concerns more is his body doesn't felt the ground. Alan starts to feel strange and so, he uses his hand to swing down trying to confirm his situation. Alan feels doesn't right because his hand doesn't reach the ground. Alan feels uncomfortable and his face looks frightened. Nevertheless, he forces himself to opens his eyes but from start, he opens his right eye trying to looking where was he. Alan's eyes were wide open after seeing himself was floating. Somehow someone lifts him from behind by feeling the hands that held him.

Alan turned his head at the back trying to search who was the person that held him. He knows that the tough men because he can feel the hands that held him in three different parts from his upper body till his foot. Alan calms that uneasiness and telling to himself that just his thought., impossible the tough men held him. So, Alan with confidence opens his eyes and looks at the back. Not for a few seconds, his eyes wide open and his face from confident expression turn to terrified. Alan gives a little scream shocked seeing it really was the tough men who held him.

After that, Alan gives an awkward smile toward the tough men asking for some mercy from them. Unfortunately, none of the three tough men respond to that smile but only make them angry. The tough men throw Alan to the ground causing him to grunt after his body receives a direct impact on uneven ground. Moreover, Alan's cloth was dirtied by the mud and got a little torn after getting hit by some small random stone from the ground. Luckily for Alan, he wears dark color clothes so all the dirt was hard to see.

"What're you gonna do? Your friend already left you behind." The tough men laugh after seeing Alan at disadvantage. Alan looks at where the last time he saw the cloaked man is, and yes the cloaked man is already gone. "I'll be damn." That's the only word Alan can give to himself. Alan doesn't know what to do he can't win this fight nor escape because behind the alley it was a dead end. Without his sword, he can't use his magic. The tough men walk closer to Alan trying to end him and Alan also starts to crawl behind trying to stay away from them.

"Alan!" a man's voice suddenly shouted his name coming from behind the tough men. A voice someone he knew but he can't see because the tough men body is too huge blocking his sight. The tough men look behind who was the voice that disturbing them. Finally, Alan can see someone through the tough men after they changed their position that also searching the same person. Nobody knows who he is but only Alan knows that he was actually Ruddy. "Who are you?" One of the tough men showing a threatening face toward Ruddy.

"It doesn't need to introduce me to the lowlife like you all." Ruddy's words triggered their anger but the most anger is totally Ruddy. Ruddy saw Alan's condition that been laying down on the ground. "Are you alright, kid?" Ruddy worried about Alan's conditions. "Better than worse." Alan looks grateful his savior come to rescue him. "Good, when I settle this we gonna have some nice chat." Ruddy warm-up his both arm preparing for the fight.

"He doesn't know his own place." The tough men laughter arrogantly. They think Ruddy just bluffing with them. For them, Ruddy can't win because they advantage in the number of people and the difference in their body build. "Don't be cocky because you are bigger than me, because I was outnumbered." Ruddy folds his sleeves doesn't want to dirty his shirt. "Come here, show what you got." The tough men don't make any moves or stances to prepare for the fight. They just like giving handicaps for Ruddy to launch the attack.

Ruddy starts to moves. The environment changes when Ruddy gives a stare towards the tough men. 'What a death aura.' Alan can feel the pressure from Ruddy's aura even though he already distances himself from that fight. The tough men can felt that aura but they resist it and didn't show any sign of effect from them. Without any weapons, just bare hands Ruddy boldly fight the tough men alone. Ruddy stands face to face with one of the tough men. That tough man didn't afraid to stare at Ruddy like Ruddy can't hurt him. Ruddy grips his fist while return that stares.