No matter how he tried, it was impossible for Richard to protect all the highroads himself. No matter how he took responsibility for the beasts that stalked it, he still had a country to run, needed to depend on his knights to see to their safety. Yet not always were they prepared for the threats they faced, and chaos had overtaken the road just south of Barona.
Richard would not sit back and leave his men to suffer for a threat that was his own doing. The road was already littered with the injured, knights and civilians alike with more still trapped in the fray. Too many. Too many people were hurt, too many had suffered because of him. He couldn’t let this continue. He had to protect them, he had to save them! He had to stop this suffering as the one who had caused it!
“You there!” He called to one he assumed to be a civilian as they were certainly not among the knights. “Stand back! These are not monsters to be trifled with and I will not see more of my people hurt!”
Too many were injured.
Too many in danger.
And all of them were his fault.
Emil had been caught up in the return package care. He did not know how, but somehow, during his walkings, he had … practically appeared near the Highroads, following wreckage, pained moaning and crying of … humans, he supposed. His eyes watching the carnage with an almost knowing look to it. He had known specifically what humans did, he had seen the terrible things that they had brought upon themselves, and part of him had dignified himself from it. It made sense, did it not? They were all like this. Of course they would get themselves stuck once more. His eyes narrowed slightly before turning away sharply from the pain. Or at least, they would have.
Except they turned to, instead, focus upon a large beast. The creature with vicious claws and fangs, standing there, spit drawling down it’s long teeth, whipping it’s head left-right. There’s a distinct voice to it which makes him almost want to cringe. To back away. One foot is pressed, firmly in the dirt, the other is turning his body away whenever the noises of the creature overwhelm his senses.
‘ don’t let them hurt us. no more pain. destroy humans. ‘
A pain ripped through Emil’s head, a sharp gasp, inhaling dust and the scent of blood quickly. Trying to clear out the voice which squelched all his other thoughts. Turning in a befuddled mess, a hand wrapped around his shoulder. Green hues, mixed and befuddled, mingling with a reddish shine turned. He looked lost, when he was not. He needed thought, give him thought! Let him think again. Put facts together, the monster was hurt. Humans hurt them. Humans were hurting them. Now. Pain, so much pain would be felt. Would it listen to him?
“R-Richard?” Emil’s voice quelled in his throat, difficult speech, swimming eyes like a muddy swamp. “Richard, why are you attacking. Stop it, stop this. Pull back! You n-need to pull back!” Emil’s fingers were quick to wrap around something. A stabilizer among the storm which raged across the path of biden consciousness. “Please, please Richard! Stand down!” Please. Emil was near begging, he wanted a chance. Sometimes it was difficult, but he needed to fight this beast. He needed to see if his abilities as Ratatosk could be of any help.
Richard wouldn’t know any of this. Emil could accept such a thing, but Emil needed to. “Richard, I … let me try.”