The Fierce Nick
1148 Words
“The thief of the chickens is that black goat in the poultry yard.”
“The black goat?”
Lockent exclaimed in astonishment.
As they conversed, the group soon arrived at the corner of the ranch.
Nick halted near the poultry yard and instructed, “Bring that black goat out.”
No one moved.
The priest cast a glance and scoffed, “I merely worry that a struggle might damage your belongings. If you’re unconcerned, I have no qualms about entering myself.”
Klaun quietly asked, “Father, is it dangerous?”
“Not at all; the evil spirit hasn’t realized it’s been exposed. Otherwise, it would have fled by now.”
At that moment, the plump maidservant spotted the gathering and hurried out of the poultry yard, her employer among them.
“Mr. Lockent, Father.”
Lockent nodded, “Vasha, go bring that black goat out.”
The maid, perplexed but obedient, complied.
In the poultry yard, three goats were present—one black and two brown. There was no chance of confusion.
The black goat was led out, still munching on grass.
The priest watched the goat intently for a moment before commanding, “Step back, as far as you can.”
The others complied without hesitation.
Once they had distanced themselves, Nick took a few steps toward the black goat, and simultaneously, a crimson light radiated from the chain mace in his hand.
As he swung the mace, Klaun's imagined explosive scene did not occur.
Instead, dark smoke erupted from the goat’s orifices as it stood upright, its form expanding.
Its limbs became extraordinarily stout, with its lower hooves enlarging significantly, while its forelimbs transformed into human-like hands with claws.
The goat’s face remained largely unchanged, though much of its dark fur had vanished, revealing blood-red eyes.
The horns atop its head grew thicker and more twisted, wreathed in swirling black mist.
The grotesque creature seized the spiked metal ball from the chain mace, a mocking expression emerging on its visage.
With a violent swing of its arm, the priest was hurled into the air.
The mace struck the ground with a resounding thud as Nick landed.
Despite the chaos, he remained steady on his feet.
Klaun released a sigh of relief; the creature's swift movements had him deeply concerned that the priest might meet an untimely demise.
If that were to happen, the others would surely suffer the same fate.
As Nick landed, he retreated a step, pulling the monster toward himself.
He raised his round shield and struck the creature in the face.
Most creatures’ noses are vulnerable, and the goat-headed beast was no exception.
Klaun observed as the goat's black snout collapsed and turned a vivid red.
The creature relinquished its grip on the mace and staggered back in pain.
Nick did not seize the opportunity to attack again; instead, he took a few steps back.
Muttering a few quick incantations, he raised his left hand, igniting the shield with brilliant flames.
The beast roared in fury, its right leg stomping the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
At that moment, its hooves glimmered with pale, blue flames.
As the flames rose, frost formed on the ground around it.
The tips of the creature's fur became enveloped in a layer of white.
As the dust settled, Klaun keenly noticed a distinct depression in the ground.
With a low growl, the creature revealed its teeth, now serrated like those of a carnivore.
Drawing his pistol, Klaun prepared to lend aid to the priest.
Nick let out a maniacal laugh, brandishing the chain mace as he charged forward.
The creature, undeterred, stomped its hooves and lunged with its claws.
The clash between man and beast was so swift that Klaun could only perceive blurs of movement.
His desire to assist felt futile; the speed of both opponents was beyond his comprehension.
Deformations of varying depths continued to appear in the ground, stirring Klaun’s admiration.
The sheer destructive power displayed by the mystic further solidified his ambition to gather funds and become a knight of the Church.
No, he desired to amass even more wealth; becoming a knight was merely the beginning. The priest had mentioned the substantial costs of regular training.
After approximately five minutes, it seemed a victor had emerged.
The goat-headed beast tumbled back, landing awkwardly before rising with great effort.
Nick stood firmly at the center of the battlefield, merely catching his breath.
Seizing the moment, Klaun swiftly fired his righteous bullets at the creature.
“Bang, bang.”
He emptied the magazine, six bullets forming a precise ‘X’ embedded in the beast's chest.
Klaun's eyes widened; at over thirty meters, his bullets failed to penetrate the creature's muscular hide.
Swallowing hard, he realized just how vast the gap was between himself and this extraordinary being.
Though he had only inflicted superficial wounds, he had nonetheless caused the creature pain.
The goat-headed monster glared at him, roaring ferociously.
Nick adjusted his breathing and strode confidently toward the beast.
In a display of bravado, the creature retreated in fear.
Suddenly, it turned and fled, leaving behind only a fleeting shadow.
It dashed toward the fence, leaping effortlessly over several meters in height.
Nick made no attempt to chase, swinging the mace's handle.
The iron ball, appearing as if heated to red-hot, transformed into a fireball.
With a swift motion, he hurled the chain mace, a flash of red illuminating the air as it struck the airborne creature.
The beast crashed heavily to the ground outside the enclosure, the iron ball fully embedded in its back.
Lockent rushed to Nick’s side, exclaiming, “Praise the Lord of Flames! Had it not been for your timely arrival, Father, we surely would have perished at the hands of this monster.”
Nick placed a hand on his chest, replying calmly, “Praise the Lord of Flames; it is He who has granted me the courage and strength to vanquish evil. Sir, consider making further contributions to the Church.”
As Klaun approached, he caught Nick’s words, feeling a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.
“Contributions” implied donations; the priest's request was so direct and natural.
“Certainly, I shall make a contribution to the Church this coming Sunday, and I am willing to provide a donation on the first Sunday of every month.”
Initially, Klaun regarded Lockent as a wealthy individual, but then he felt a sense of clarity.
In this era of rampant evil, cultivating a good relationship with a priest capable of slaying monsters would greatly ensure both life and property.
This was clearly a case of sacrificing small amounts of wealth for greater security.
Klaun recognized that his business had started later than Ronny's, yet he was already wealthier.
This was a matter of perspective; no wonder Lockent was able to thrive and expand.
- Writer
