When the King is Killed.

"GO!"

Crutch's eyes widened as he blocked a near devastating kick to his head with both daggers. 

'I thought he was a mage?!' He thought to himself, spinning to release some of the force of the kick, responding with his own. 

Even without that one sisters lightning enhancement magic he was far stronger than his skinny frame looked. 

He grinned as the man grunted, having been pushed down a bit by his kick. He twisted, hooking the top of his foot under the mans guard. 

Dexterously he leant down to his feet and slashed at the man with his daggers. 

What he didn't expect to happen was that the man would twist as well. 

With his feet leaving the ground, Gravity was suddenly against Crutch, Ren's body slammed into him nearly disarming him if his hand hadn't inexplicably tightened around his dagger. 

"Nice grip as well..." The man said as if his inner dialogue leaked. 

"Thanks." Crutch said, spinning his wrist and tagging his offenders own.

 The man let go of him and he rolled forward before turning and facing Ren. 

He hated this fight. 

Not because the man was hard to read correctly, or that he was someone who he had stollen from not two days ago.

But the stupid grins on both of their faces disgusted him. 

"This... is actually rather fun." Ren said. "You're a bit of a freak, do you know that? Even without my magic you're still twisting it slightly, it's throwing me off my game."

"I'm the freak!" Crutch asked with a laugh and pointed at him. "You're the freak here mister! Why are you not fighting like a normal mage!"

"Well someone stole my Staff." Ren countered a grin on his face. 

"I... That's fair yeah." Crutch acknowledged. 

"But I can show you some real magic if you want." Ren said shifting his feet just slightly. 

Almost before he could react, four golems made of earth emerged from the ground swinging at him. 

"Holy Grates you're fast." He muttered landing on-

His foot slid out from under him as he failed to disrupt the magic in the ground as he fell into a large pit. 

Using his older dagger, he stabbed into the side of the pit and felt the magic, and grabbed it. 

The earth regurgitated him and he was launched towards Ren. 

"JUST HOW MUCH MAGIC DO YOU HAVE!?" Crutch asked dumfounded at the intensity of the fight.

He was about to land a blow before chains made of magic caught him in place. 

Quickly disrupting the spell and launching it towards Ren, he realized that the man was no where to be scene. 

Some instinct told him to raise his knife and he blocked a kick to his face. 

Breaking the invisibility Ren had cast on himself.

"Okay!" He yelled making the man stop for a second. "How are you hitting me so hard! You don't have any magical enhancement! Are you just that strong? Are you enhanced with drugs?"

"No of course not." Ren said. "I'm using a sharp explosive amount of magic to launch my leg forward and healing the damage after each hit."

...

"I get it now!" Crutch said. "You're just crazy!"

Ren blinked. 

He started to chuckle. 

"Oh wow... is that how I sounded?" Ren asked. He seemed... sadly nostalgic. "Well whatever I know what I need to know. I submit. On the condition I can talk to your boss." 

"AND IT'S OVER FOLKS!" The announcer said. "WAS THAT A SHOW OR WHAT FOLKS! I HOPE YOU ALL REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH WE WOULD'VE CHARGED FOR THAT IF WE HAD KNOWN!"

The crowd gave stunned silence as Ren walked towards the same hole that Crutch had walked out of.

"H-Hey wait!"

______

Ralline frowned as she watched the small ball of water she had summoned. 

"...How do I shoot you?" She asked herself. Using her magic she twisted and spun the sphere. 

She laughed as it started to spiral.

"I wonder how fast I can make it go." 

CAW~!

"Shut up Lindt!" Ralline grumbled. "It's a totally awesome idea!"

CAW~!

Ralline spun the water faster and faster. 

It started to deform from a sphere, turning more into a spike. 

"HYDRO SPIKE!" She yelled. 

SPLAT!

The spike exploded sending water all over the room. 

"DAMNIT!"

______

"So." Ren said, "You are?"

"Ah my apologies." The shorter man said, opposite the table from him. "You may call me Mr. Gibble."

"Of course." Ren said. "I'm Ren."

"Well Ren." Mr. Gibble said as Crutch served the two of them tea from the center of the table. Mr. Gibble had prepped it as he approached. "What is it you wished to speak to me about?"

"I wish to buy Crutch from you." 

All three present were silent. 

"I don't believe I know what you mean." Mr. Gibble said. 

"More specifically I'd like to employ him after buying his freedom." Ren said.

"Those are some rather extreme claims your throwing around." Mr. Gibble said. "Slavery is only allowed with Anima or as most call them demi Humans."

"Which is why if you grant his freedom I won't inform the acting king." Ren said. "With no stipulations. I don't care what leverage you're using on him. I couldn't help but notice your robes. You're obviously a Noble. Yet your... what? Civil servant? Has to steal to fend for himself?" 

"I-It's not like that at all!?" Crutch said, pale and fearful. 

"Yes tell him Crutch." 

"You see... my father's very sick." Crutch said. "And Mr. Gibble here is the one who is paying for his treatment." 

"May I know what he is sick with?" 

"Huh?" Crutch asked. "Well... he's sick?"

"Then Mr. Gibble." Ren said. "May you inform me of what ails his father. As it so happens I'm also able to use healing magic. If it's an illness or virus, I can most likely cure it. Free of charge of course."

Hope shined through Crutch's eyes. 

"R-Really?!" Crutch asked. 

"Sit down Crutch." Mr. Gibble said. 

Instantly Crutch obeyed, sitting down on the ground. 

"So sorry." He said.

"I apologize for my wards behavior." Mr. Gibble said. 

The meaning was quite explicit. 

I control this boy. 

"Now then let's continue." Mr. Gibble said. "Unfortunately healers of the highest quality said that all we could do was wait and hope."

'Wait and hope mean's no magic involved.' Audrey thought to herself as she examined the two of them. "Well that's not true if you're poisoning him... Mr. Gibble." 

"E-Excuse me?!" Mr. Gibble said as his eyes widened. "What caused you to concoct such a preposterous theory!"

"Crutch." Audrey said. "Your father. Is his hair Blue as well? Not just any blue, but the same hue and thickness?"

"I... yes?" Crutch said. 

"Then he's been poisoned." Audrey said. "You're families been blessed by some god. It's the reason you have a Divine Right. They most usually pass from parent to child. Even if it's an inactive Divine Right he should be immune to nearly any illness and disease."

She sipped her tea and felt the bitter poison dribbled into her stomach where her magic attacked it viciously.

"Tell me Crutch. Have you ever gotten sick?" She asked. 

"Y-Yes he has!" Mr. Gibble said hastily.

"And has it been after you drank some of Mr. Gibble's tea? Or after you ate something he gave you." Audrey said. 

...

Crutch stared at Mr. Gibble, betrayal in his eyes. 

"Yes..." He whispered. 

"To poison someone who has been blessed by a god, it has to be frequent and constant." Audrey said, pouring the rest of the tea off to the side. "Has anyone you know had opportunities of that consistency?"

"H-How often?" 

"To do more than a tummy ache?" Audrey asked. "Nearly every other day." 

"..." Crutch said nothing. 

"G-" Mr. Gibble said. 

"No." Audrey said snapping her fingers. The door slammed shut and a barrier formed around it. "Now it's my turn to talk Mr. Gibble." 

"..." 

Audrey pulled her hood off. "You see I hate bullies. People who use others for their own selfish desires. Crutch's father is to stop being poisoned immediately. Crutch is to be set free and you are to hand yourself over to the royal Knights for prosecution for your crimes."

"W-What happened to not telling the king!?" Mr. Gibble said, admitting to the crime. 

"You tried poisoning me." Audrey said. 

"Then I'll just have to inform the knights that Audrestine the King Slayer is in my town!" Mr. Gibble growled. 

"Go ahead." Audrey said. "Oh... and it's Audrey."

Crutch's eyes widened as he looked at the apparently woman, that had nearly kicked his ass if the fight hadn't stopped. 

"I-I'll kill him!" Mr. Gibble said. "I won't loose my main betting horse for a-"

A blast of wind knocked the shorter man onto his ass as a small cut. 

"You weren't given permission to speak." She said. 

The irony wasn't lost on anyone of them as Audrey grabbed Crutches hand. 

"Did you sell my gems?"

"N-No..." Crutch shook his head. 

"Go fetch them and any other valuables that you have."

"Uh..." Crutch scratched his cheek embarrassed. "I kind of... Can't carry all of my gems..."

Audrey stared at him. 

A snort erupted from her mouth.

"Give me just a second then." She said. 

She walked over to the man on the floor and set a finger onto his forehead. 

"If I ever hear about you doing this again, I'll be back." She said before casting a spell to make his fall asleep. 

"Let's go." Audrey said turning to Crutch. 

"Um..." Crutch said. "My... Are you sure you'd want someone like me with you?"

"Crutch." Audrey said. "I'm not going to force you or anything. Besides You come first from now on alright? You're your own person." 

"But you'll heal my father?" Crutch said. 

"Well actually..." Audrey said. "I kind of suck at healing magic. But he should most certainly wake up in a few days if he was poisoning your father with what he tried to poison me with."

"You... suck at healing magic..." Crutch asked. Before a giggle came out of his mouth. "That's so funny! Here you go throwing mountains and making craters just to trip me and you can't heal!" 

"Don't get to cocky kid." Audrey said. "I can heal fractures and minor wounds, Why do you think I can fight like I did." 

"Oh you did say that." Crutch said. "But if I decide to join you. What can I expect?"

"Well..." Audrey said. "Bad food, Bad manners, Bad Banter and an annoying child that thinks she deserves to be taught everything. Oh and Knights trying to kill or capture us at every turn? Interested?"