My goal was simple, and it was to make this impostor so hard that I'd turn his bones into fine powder upon impact! He may share Mark's appearance, but I know that wasn't him, and that pissed me off even more than I already was. His knife struck deep against my forearm, but that was as far as he got. Whoever he was, this bastard was a weakling!
"Two down, one to go," Impostor Mark said, his voice drowned in smugness.
The nasty smirk on this man's face could enrage the most gentle of souls, but he directed it at the wrong man. I fought back against the intense pain from the knife wound, but before I could grab him, the Impostor Mark pulled away. He snatched the blade from my arm, which caused more damage to my forearm.
Although I wanted to follow up immediately. My instincts caused me to halt my movements and nurse my wound with my left hand. There was a sizable penetration in my right forearm, and I believe his attack managed to strike the bone. Blood oozed between my fingers while I stared daggers into the man responsible.
My eyes widened slightly as I saw Mark's appearance, with dark gray ears and a tail. I knew that I had witnessed the orange and white when he blurred and cut my cheek, but seeing him with a different color scheme was a shock to my system.
"You...'"
"No need to say it." He interjected, pointing his blade toward me. "You thought a wolfkin would be easy prey for your shady trafficking organization, huh? I'll have you know that my people are not so easy! We beast folk stick together, so repent for your heinous deeds before we shed any more of your blood!"
"I don't know who you are, but if you've done anything to my brother, then I'll make you pay!"
The impostor's tail wagged as he tossed his dagger in the air and caught it. He flicked the dagger to the side, tossing aside the blood that coated the metal.
"I know who you are, and that's the only thing that matters. You are strong for a human, and sturdier than you look, but that matters not. Everyone knows a human could not make the strength of a Ursa! Not to mention, we wolfkin aren't that weak ourselves!"
"You're a foxkin!" I retorted, but that distinction didn't resonate with the others.
The reality was that in this situation, I didn't have furry ears and a tail. That impersonator wagged Mark's tail proudly as if he were one of the team. Those who stepped up to assist him didn't appear to care that he was using them.
"Makes no difference. We still stick together around here, and an attack on one is an attack on all!" A wolf beastman snapped.
His fellow, dirty and rag-wearing companions nodded in synchronization. Their eyes lit with a passion, and many of their mouths snapped with a fearsome snarl. Many of the wolf beastkin fanned out, and I noticed the glint of metal in a few of their hands. They were just as impoverished as the others, but their nasty frowns showed me their intentions.
They resented me...not that they didn't know me. They resented what I looked like, and the lies that Imposter Mark shared were enough to stoke them into a mob. They were out for blood, and the wound I received was likely just enough to entice a pack of wolves. They smelled weakness in me.
"Fifteen versus one person hardly seems fair..." I told them, and a few of the snarling wolf beastmen snickered.
"Traffickers don't deserve fairness," a bear beastmen bellowed as he began stepping forward.
He rushed me with thundering steps before winding back to deliver a punch. His fist moved with power, but power was something we had in common. While my dominant arm was too slow from its injury, I was still able to catch his punch with my bloody left hand.
The impact was lessened, but he still managed to push me back across the wet road. Water skidded underneath my feet like a corner splashing into a puddle, but it wasn't enough to keep him satisfied. I could see the surprise in his eyes when he realized he didn't harm me much, and he charged once more.
"Stay still! Someone catch him!"
The beastman, whose punch I managed to block, was much slower than I thought. He lumbered around, destroying every wooden structure that came in his way. With my right forearm injured, I found it incredibly difficult to fight back, so I had to get creative. Right after that, I charged the impostor. He braced himself with his knife for my approach, but it didn't amount to much. The three wolf beastmen near him pounced toward me without hesitation. It took everything I could muster to avoid their slashing attacks.
I wished this were one of those moments where they all were stupid enough to fight me one at a time, but I had no such luck. The moment the first three pounced and found no success, two more beastkin rushed. They had blades, and one of them timed his attack perfectly. He lunged after I escaped a pounce attack, and his dagger buried itself into my right shoulder.
"God Damnit!"
My words spilled out in guttural pain as the blade tore a gash into my upper shoulder. That was a devastating attack, and it took a double-take to realize that this pinpoint attack came from Imposter Mark. This time, the bastard's fur was pitch black. He spun on his feet before landing a hard kick to my thigh.
Pain once again erupted from the impact, and my body went stiff for a moment. That was what he wanted as the smug bastard quickly backstepped into the sea of look-alike tails. In his place was a wolf beastman with black fur like the imposter. He immediately pounced onto my shoulder and sank his massive claws into my injured shoulder. That was until I hit the bastard so hard with a left hook that his body bounced onto the ground.
Blood spilled from his mouth, coloring the wet ground in a crimson paint. I was unsure whether I managed to do more than knock him out, but the crater in which he lay sent a message to all of the others. They immediately halted their attacks as he surveyed the destruction caused by my strike. The beastman looked similar to a wolf skin rug, and his body twitched.
"Now, do any of you want to talk?" I asked through clenched teeth.
"What kind of monster are you?" a gray wolf beastman asked.
"The kind who will defend himself by any means necessary!" I responded, and with my strained voice, power radiated.
The pain caused by my injuries caused me to grimace, but I attempted to remain as strong as I could at that moment. If they detected even the smallest fraction of weakness, it could embolden them to attack again. I couldn't have that. Not only is it a waste of time and effort, but I am not their enemy. That impostor has triggered their focus on me, and now I am forced into a corner. I hate being forced into a corner.
The figures before me hesitated, and I appreciated the reprieve from the battle. The knife wound on my shoulder still leaked blood, and I knew that I would have to do something about it. I would also have to do something concerning Bonner. When I scanned the area, hoping to locate him, I found no trace of him, which concerned me. Bonner was prone to fleeing to find an escape route, so I knew he hadn't abandoned me. It was not in his system to leave one of us behind, so that bastard's declaration that he had two down and one to go concerned me.
I don't know when it happened, but that bastard had found a way to overwhelm and capture him. I think his goal was to capture Horace, Bonner, and me, and he would have had the most success doing so if he had separated us. Horace made his job more manageable and lured Bonner and me to this location to initiate his plan. This means our opponent may be more clever than I gave him credit for when he was bumbling around as Mark.
Even now, as I watch the beastfolk exchange glances with each other, I find no traces of the shapeshifting impostor. This man appeared to be a chameleon, so at any point, he could change his appearance to blend in with the crowd.
"So, how about you all go one way and I'll go the other. We can call this a day and never have to hurt one another again today?" I propose the crowd.
"And allow you to walk away unpunished for your crimes?!" a voice shouted from the crowd.
"He thinks he could talk his way out of justice being served to him!" shouted a female voice.
"He's a human, so the guards will allow him to roam free in a few days with a slap on the wrist! He'll be back next week to steal our babies!" exclaimed a third, raspier female voice.
Ignited by the words of the three voices, the crowd became agitated once again. Their once hesitant expressions hardened immediately, and a few wolf beastmen snarled toward me. Although there were three voices, I had a feeling they came from one person. He was good at edging these people toward violence, so I had to make a decision right there.
'Do I stay and fight these people in hopes of removing the instigator, or do I retreat and regroup?'
The decision was difficult to make as it required leaving Bonner to the devices of this enemy, and I didn't know what he was capable of. He might do something that would make me regret not fighting here, but there was one clear choice.
'Bonner's tough... he has to be, because I can't fight all of these people without accidentally killing a few, and I don't want their blood on my hands. I have to get out of here and wait for Mark to return. Together, we'll come back and regain our brother's freedom.'
"Hey! You identity-stealing coward, I know you can hear me! This isn't over! I will find you and when I do, I'll give you a reason to hide that bitch ass face of yours! When I find whatever hole you've placed my friend in, there better not be a single hair harmed on his head!"
My words came with power as I clenched my fists. I ignored the pain in my arm and squared up with the increasingly agitated beastfolk.
"Last chance. Let me through!"
Instead of taking the wiser course of action, a wolf beastkin rushed me with fierce determination. The beastkin was a middle-aged man with a scraggly gray mustache. His eyes held hostility as he lunged at me with all the grace of a man half his age. That didn't do him any good, though, considering he launched himself into a backhand. I attempted to hold back, but even then, my strength was enough to send him flying to my left. The next to charge were two snarling wolf beastmen. The unmistakable sound of claws on marble arrived from the front.
I waited for their attack, but they both splintered to my sides. They were aiming for a pincer attack, but I wasn't going to stand idle. The closest one was on my left, so I rushed him without pause. Upon realizing my decision, the man launched a clawed strike toward my head. I shifted slightly to avoid it and countered with a heavy punch to his gut.
The beastman howled in pain as his ribs were likely fractured from the impact. I wasn't fucking around, and it was time that I tossed aside any nicities for the moment. He attempted to recover from the attack, but my fist introduced itself to his nose. Snarling erupted behind me as the other beastman launched himself onto my back and sank his claws into my shoulders.
Having three-inch claws digging into your shoulder blades isn't ideal, and the fact that he was using the fur on my outfit as a handle didn't help either. I could only imagine what would've happened if I weren't as powerful as I am. The beastman could have sunk his teeth into my neck, and I'd be done. However, when I plucked him off my shoulder like a tick, he had no say in the matter.
With little effort, I pulled the massive frame of the beastman over my shoulder and slammed him onto the road. It was harder than I desired, but then again, he was ripping at my flesh, so you can't blame me for being heavy-handed. The beastman practically bounced from the impact, and his body twitched uncomfortably.
"Get away from him!"
With the dispatch of the previous beastman, another body slammed into me from behind. I should've expected that, but I was caught unaware for a moment. Large muscular arms with light gray fur wrapped around my waist, and I felt myself being pulled away from the downed beastman. Someone was attempting to grapple me, and I scoffed at the attempt. They didn't know who they were fucking with, so I sharply dropped my weight and threw them off balance. Considering how relaxed their grip became from the move, I was able to break their hold around my waist easily. I dropped to one knee before transitioning behind them and lifted them into the air.
The last thing this individual likely experienced was a blur before eating the road with enough impact to splash a puddle. Quickly recovering from the takedown, I was narrowly able to avoid a pair of heavy claws from smashing my head like a melon from above. I rolled, which I didn't appreciate, due to the screaming pain in my arms, and pushed myself to my feet. My gaze shifted around, and I located the individual responsible for their attempt: a brown bear beastman with a large neck of darkened black fur. His eyes shook with fury as he recovered to charge me again.
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!'
The beastman roared with power as he barreled in my direction. His hulking form shifted with each movement, but I shared no fear. I prepared to meet him where I stood, and I moved to strike when he came. His right hand reached out with the intent to grab my shoulder clear to me. I sidestepped to my right and fought my pain rushing into my arm when I clenched my left fist.
"Bring it!"
My fist slammed into the back of his hand, causing the beastman to stagger off balance. I seized my opportunity to once again deliver a powerful left hook against an opponent. His head barely snapped to the side, and there was incredible resistance to the power of my impact. I had stunned him, but if his eyes were any indicator, he would not go down as quickly as the others. His pupils shook around like googly eyes before hard focusing on my location.
"Not bad!" He growled, lumbering back a few feet. "Not good enough either!"
The bear beastman let out a defiant roar as he rushed forward for a second time. This time, he was slightly faster with his swipes. He attacked with his right hand, and then his left, but none of his attacks landed due to my evasion. That frustrated him, but a left jab to his chest was too much even with my fleeting power. The impact of my fist once again staggered the beastman as the wind was driven from his lungs.
"Was that good enough for ya?! How about this one?!" Just as I had done to Bernard in our encounter, I kicked the kneecap of the much larger opponent.
He roared in pain and bent over far enough that an uppercut clipped him in his throat. However, the pain inflicted cut both ways as I defaulted to using my injured right arm for that uppercut. That uppercut was befitting any heavyweight powerhouse, but the impact reverberated throughout the injured limb. Blood spilled from the gashes in my arm, and I hissed in unbridled pain. I was sure that he would be out for the count.
My miscalculation brought about an opportunity for that cowardly bastard to pounce on me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a figure charging me with unfettered confidence. His furry ears were as white as snow, and their tail bounced with purpose. Their expression steeled, but I wasn't keen on allowing that bastard to get another free hit at my expense. Once he realized I noticed him, his smug grin intensified.
'Not this time, bastard!'
It would appear that his timing was not as good as he thought it was. In response to his charge, I gritted my teeth, grabbed the falling bear beastman with that same hand, and pulled him into the path of Imposter Mark.
He didn't expect that, but he sure as hell adapted faster than I thought he would. Then again, I would have never expected the man to leap over the massive body of the beastman like a furry-eared track star. My eyes widened as his foot slammed onto his back and twirled with the grace of a tornado in my direction.
Without a moment of hesitation, his dagger lashed out toward my head, and forced me to showcase what I could of my advanced head. Despite being good at such movements, their knife streaked through the air and made contact. The blade gashed an unruly diagonal wound across the left side of my forehead. When I say that cut hurt like hell, then believe me when I say it. Had I been any slower, my eye would likely have been put out.
Babump!
Water splashed as the impostor somehow managed to stick his landing safely. Instantly, my left hand rushed to my cut, and the raw stinging of exposed flesh sent a shiver down my spine. Thick liquid raced down my temple, then to my cheek, and in seconds, my once spotless face was partially covered in a cost of battle. My breath hitched in my throat as I steadied myself for a realization.
'Am I... outclassed? No way, right! This...This can not be?! This can't be happening! am I-'
Babump! Babump!
"Hmph. I was a smidgen too high, but it couldn't be helped."
The smug voice of the Imposter struck to my core, and for the first time since entering this world, my body reacted without me thinking. My eyes went wild, and my heart quickened with incredible fervor. The imposter flicked his blade with disregard, and with it, my blood splattered onto the ground.
"I'll give you one chance to surrender yourself to me finally. Bringing you in alive would be beneficial to both of us. However, if you continue to resist the call of justice, then justice will be forced to be even more heavy-handed!"
Babump! Babump! Babump!
"Remember, this is your last-"
My blood kicked into overdrive, and without thought, I pushed forward to squash him. I needed to end this now; this was the closest I could get to him. His eyes flew wide as the ground underneath my launch shattered like pottery, and my fist raced toward his face. Although my right arm cried in defiance, I needed to lay into him with the full force of my dominant hand. This would be the attack to end it! The final blow to end his masquerade as Mark!
"Shut your god-"
Crash!
'God damnit!'
That should've been the coup de grace; the finishing blow! So someone tell me why this big ass stone wall absorbed the impact instead! Although my fist was a few inches from his face, my expectations were fractured. In the time that I crossed to punch his lights out, a wall shot from the ground and slammed into my wrist with blinding speed. The blow shattered the impact zone on the wall into dust, but it also threw my aim off considerably.
Laughter escaped from the other side, and it was then that I understood that he would get away. I tried my best to recover and stepped back to assess the new situation.
"You there! Under the authority of Arch-Captain Silvers! I order you to halt!"