Chương 8: Amelia's resolve

The sun had barely begun to rise. Soft orange light filtered through the windows of James' house as the town remained asleep. Downstairs, James sat alone at the dining table. A single candle flickered beside him. In his hand was a pen. Before him rested a sheet of paper. For several minutes he simply stared at the blank page. Thinking. Remembering. Worrying. Finally, he began to write. The scratching of the pen echoed quietly through the room.

When he finished, he carefully folded the note and placed it in the center of the table. James looked toward the staircase. Toward the room where Amelia slept. Then toward the training room where Mochi had passed out the previous night. A sad smile appeared on his face.

"I'm sorry, Mochi." He lowered his head.

"... Amelia." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"But this must be done." James stood up and adjusted his sheriff's hat. After a moment, his expression hardened.

"After all..." He glanced toward the window overlooking the town.

"It's my duty as Sheriff to protect this town." Not yours. The words remained unspoken. With one final look around the house... James quietly stepped outside. The door clicked shut behind him. And he disappeared into the morning fog. An hour later... Amelia slowly shuffled down the staircase. Her hair was messy. Her eyes were half-open. And she looked like she'd lose a fight against a pillow. She let out a massive yawn.

"Yaaaaawn..." Rubbing her eyes, she wandered into the kitchen. Then stopped.

"Huh?" A folded piece of paper sat on the table. Amelia tilted her head.

"Oh." She picked it up.

"I wonder who left this here." Still half asleep, she unfolded it and began reading. As her eyes moved across the page... Her expression changed. Confusion. Concern. Shock. Her hands began to shake. The note read: Dear Amelia and Mochi, I've decided I'm going to face Drago on my own. I know it's such an idiotic idea. You're both much stronger than I am. But I have this little feeling in the back of my mind. I was the Sheriff before Drago forced me out of my position.

So I feel like it's my responsibility to defend my... No. Our home. Please forgive me. — James The paper slipped slightly from Amelia's hands. Her eyes widened.

"No..." The color drained from her face.

"James..." Without another second of hesitation, she spun around and sprinted down the hallway. The training room door burst open. BANG! Inside, Mochi was still asleep beneath the blanket she'd given him. Completely unaware of the crisis. Amelia rushed over and grabbed his shoulders.

"Mochi!" No response. She shook him harder.

"MOCHI!" A snore.

"WAKE UP!" Mochi's eyes shot open.

"AAAAH!" He nearly launched himself through the ceiling.

"Huh?!"

"What?!"

"Where?!"

"Who's attacking?!" Amelia thrust the note into his face.

"It's James!" Mochi blinked.

"What about James?"

"He's gone to fight Drago!" Instantly, Mochi was awake. The sleepiness vanished.

"... What?" Amelia nodded frantically.

"I'll explain on the way." She turned toward the exit.

"We need to move!" Mochi was already standing.

"Right." He grabbed his scarf. No hesitation. No complaints. No questions. Just action. Together they rushed through the house. The front door flew open. Morning air rushed past them. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The two sprinted into the streets as fast as they could. Somewhere beyond the town... James was walking toward the monster who had terrorized them for years. And neither Mochi nor Amelia intended to let him face that monster alone.

The streets were empty. Not because it was early. But because everyone knew. Whenever Drago was around, staying indoors was the difference between life and death. The morning sun hung low over the horizon, casting long shadows across the dusty roads of the town. James walked alone. His boots echoed softly against the wooden boards beneath his feet. One step. Then another. No fear. No hesitation. He adjusted the brim of his sheriff's hat. The same hat he'd worn for years. The same hat he'd worn before Drago came.

Before the town fell. Before people stopped smiling after sunset. A bitter smile crossed his face.

"I really am getting too old for this." Then A heavy footstep echoed from the far end of the street. James stopped. The air suddenly felt heavier. Another step. A massive silhouette emerged between the buildings. Broad shoulders. Glowing red eyes. Jagged spikes. A monstrous grin. Drago was here The tyrant of the town. The monster who had stolen years from everyone who lived here. Drago shoved a wagon aside with one hand as he entered the street. His eyes landed on James. For a moment he looked genuinely surprised.

Then he laughed.

"Well now..."

"This is quite the surprise.." His deep voice rumbled through the town.

"Aren't you up a little early?" James chuckled.

"Funny." Drago folded his massive arms.

"James."

"I know you were the one who stopped me from killing those two brats the other day" His grin widened.

"You're gonna pay for that you know?." The two stared at one another. The silence stretched. Neither moved. Neither blinked. It felt less like a meeting... And more like the inevitable conclusion to a story that had begun years ago. Finally James sighed.

"You know..." His eyes drifted toward the village behind him.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this." Drago raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" James nodded.

"I thought maybe this time would be different." He thought about Amelia. The girl who deserved freedom. Then Mochi. The stubborn kid who refused to stay down. The kid who somehow managed to inspire everyone around him. A small smile appeared.

"I wanted to leave it to them, since they could be powerful enough.." Drago laughed.

"The brat and the girl?" James nodded.

"Yeah." He adjusted his hat again.

"They're much stronger than me." A lot stronger. Drago's grin grew wider.

"Then humour me, why are you here if you know you'll die?" The question lingered in the air. James lowered his head. For several moments he didn't answer. Then he looked around. At the homes. The shops. The empty streets. The town he'd spent his entire life protecting. His voice became quiet.

"Because this is my home." The wind picked up. His sheriff's coat fluttered behind him.

"I watched people build these streets." His eyes softened.

"I watched children grow up here." A pause.

"I watched families laugh here." His hand slowly moved toward the revolver at his side.

"And I watched you take all of that away from them, they're innocent people..." The smile vanished from Drago's face. James' gaze hardened.

"I wish I could've left it to Mochi." He clenched his fist.

"I wish I could've left it to Amelia." His voice became firmer.

"Because no child should have to carry this burden." The will burning inside him became visible. Not as energy. Not as power. But as conviction. A conviction forged through decades of watching his town suffer.

"But every time I close my eyes..." James looked directly at Drago.

"I remember the people who couldn't fight back." The air grew still.

"And every time I think about staying home..." His grip tightened.

"I remember that I'm the Sheriff." For the first time, Drago wasn't smiling. James slowly drew his revolver. The metallic click echoed through the street.

"Protecting this town is my duty." The barrel pointed directly at the monster.

"Not theirs." Silence. Then Drago laughed. A low laugh. A dangerous laugh.

"So, you really think you can stop me?" James smiled.

"No." That answer caught Drago off guard. James cocked the hammer back.

"I don't." Another step forward.

"But that's never been my goal." Drago's eyes narrowed. The old Sheriff stood alone in the middle of the street. Outmatched. Yet somehow... Unwavering. James took a deep breath. A calm smile spread across his face.

"As long as I'm standing..." He pointed the revolver at Drago's forehead.

"You don't get to touch my town." The wind howled through the empty streets. And for the first time in years... The Sheriff stood against the monster who had stolen everything from him. James pulled his dual guns as he began firing at Drago. Drago however, ducked and dodged He grinned "YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO BETTER THAN THAT" He then rushed in and punched James in the face sending him flying.. His fell limp on the floor bleeding..

"Is that all? One hit is pretty embarrassing even for you" Drago mocked Then James didn't answer. For a moment, there was only the sound of wind cutting through the empty street. His hat lay a few feet away, half-buried in dust. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth as he slowly pushed himself up. One knee first. Then the other. His hand trembled as it pressed against the ground, but it didn't stop him. Drago tilted his head slightly, amused.

"Still standing?" James coughed once, spitting blood into the dirt. He didn't look up right away. When he finally did, his eyes weren't shaken. They were clearer than before.

"I've been hit harder by life than you can hit me," he said quietly. Drago scoffed.

"That so?" He took a slow step forward. The ground cracked slightly under his weight.

"You're still just a man with a badge." James rose fully now, he was shaking.. Bruised. But upright. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and exhaled.

"No." A pause.

"I'm the last line this town has." Drago blurred forward. Too fast for most to track. A fist slammed into James' ribs. The impact folded him sideways, he coughed blood as the impact sent him skidding across the dirt road. Wood splintered as he crashed into a broken fence. Silence followed for half a second. Then Drago walked after him casually.

"You see it now, right?" Drago said.

"This is what happens when weak things like you pretend they matter." James didn't respond. He was still. Too still. Drago stopped a few feet away.

"…Huh?" A twitch. Then movement. James' fingers dug into the dirt. He dragged himself forward, inch by inch, pushing out of the wreckage. His breathing was rough. But steady. He forced himself up again. One hand on his side. The other shaking near his holster. Drago's grin faded just a little.

"You really don't know when to quit do you oldman?." James looked up through bruised eyes.

"Oh I do..." A beat.

"But here is just not the time." He drew his revolver again. Slower this time. Nothing flashy. Nothing clean. Just determined. The barrel wavered for a second. Then locked in. Drago sighed.

"Pathetic, just die already.." He vanished forward again. But this time James moved too. A shot rang out. Then another. And another. Dust exploded between them as bullets tore through the street. Drago weaved through them, but not perfectly this time. One shot grazed his shoulder. His grin finally cracked. James kept firing. Step forward. Shot. Step forward. Shot. Even as his arms shook. Even as his vision blurred. He didn't stop. Drago rushed him again, anger rising now. A fist came down like a hammer.

James raised his arm just in time to block it. The impact shattered his arm the ground beneath them. James dropped to one knee again, gasping. Drago leaned in close.

"There it is," he muttered.

"You're human after all." James smiled faintly.

"That may be so..." And then he grabbed Drago's wrist. Hard. Not strong enough to win. But strong enough to interrupt. Just for a second. And in that second James fired again at point blank range... Then.. STAB Drago's arm penetrated James's chest"ACK!" The world seemed to pause for James and within mere moments He coughed blood a large portion of blood as he fell to the floor Drago said "Sorry, I got bored with this one sided dual.." Then from further down the street..

"JAMES!!" Drago looked over to see who it was A voice tore through the street. Amelia. Her footsteps followed immediately, fast and uneven, like she didn't even feel the ground beneath her. Mochi was right behind her but Amelia was already sprinting much faster. And when she saw him She stopped. Everything in her body just… froze. James was on one knee, slumped forward, blood staining his shirt and coat. His hat lay abandoned in the dirt like it didn't belong to anyone anymore. For a second, she couldn't breathe.

"No…" she whispered. Then she ran again.

"JAMES!"

"I WAS TOO LATE NOO" She dropped beside him, hands shaking as she reached for him like he might disappear if she moved too fast.

"H-hey, look at me," she said, voice breaking.

"Stay with me, okay? Stay with me PLEASE!" Tears ran down her face"Please, you're the only family I have left.." James slowly lifted his head. It took effort just to do that. But when he saw her, he gave a faint smile. Still trying to look like the sheriff. Still trying to stand tall even while falling apart.

"Mochi…" he muttered softly.

"Amelia…" Mochi stopped a few steps away. He didn't speak at first. Just stared. Like his brain refused to accept what his eyes were showing him. James let out a weak breath, almost like a laugh.

"…Guess I'm not as tough as I thought like you youngsters." Amelia shook her head immediately.

"No! Please, don't say that." Her hands pressed against his wounds, trying to stop something that couldn't be stopped anymore.

"You're gonna be fine. You have to be fine." James' eyes softened. Not with fear. With acceptance.

"Amelia…" he said quietly. Amelia froze at that tone.

"I'm sorry," James said. His voice cracked slightly.

"I tried… to do everything right. I tried to be strong enough so none of you had to carry this."

"But I failed, I failed the people.. for that I am sorry" He coughed once, blood staining his lip again. Amelia's eyes widened.

"No, you don't get to apologize James," she said quickly, shaking her head harder.

"You did what you thought was right. You protected this place. You protected us." Her voice broke completely now.

"You stayed where most would have ran." James looked at her for a long moment. Like he was memorizing her face. Like he was making sure the town would still exist through her.

"That's the thing about protecting something," he said softly.

"Sometimes… you don't get to see it stand without you." Amelia's breath hitched.

"I'm proud of you," James added quietly.

"Both of you." Mochi's fists tightened. His whole body trembled. With something heavier. James' breathing slowed. The fight in him was finally running out. His eyes flicked toward the street. Toward Drago standing in the distance. Still there. Still the reason for all of this.

"…Don't let it end here," James whispered. Amelia shook her head again, tears falling freely now.

"Stay with us," she begged.

"Please, just stay.." But James' hand slowly reached up and rested over hers. Warm for the last time. Then weaker. Then lighter.

"I did my part," he said. A pause.

"Now it's your turn." His hand slipped. His eyes lingered on them both. And then.. He went still. The wind kept moving. But the world felt like it stopped anyway. Amelia stayed frozen for a second longer. Then her face changed. Something inside her snapped open. She slowly turned her head. And looked at Drago. Her eyes weren't just sad anymore. They were burning.

"You…" she whispered. Golden magic surged around her becoming more violent. Mochi stepped forward slightly, placing a hand out.

"Amelia…" But she shook it off, voice rising.

"Lemme guess? You just gonna run away again? After this?" Her voice cracked. Mochi didn't answer immediately. He looked at James. Then at Drago. Then back at her. Drago, in the distance, tilted his head slightly like he was bored already. Mochi exhaled slowly.

"…No." Amelia blinked. Mochi's mouth curled into a small, cold smirk.

"Of course not." A pause.

"We're not running from this, no way!." He stepped forward.

"We're ending it here, it's do or die!." Amelia stared at him. But something else flickered instead of rage. Hope. Mochi's expression hardened completely now.

"100%," he said.

"We're avenging him. No matter what it costs." Amelia's lips trembled. Tears kept falling. But she wiped them away with the back of her hand anyway. Slowly… she nodded.

"…Yeah." She looked down at James one last time. Her voice softened.

"We'll do it." A breath.

"For James." She stood up beside Mochi.

"And for everyone he wanted to protect." Across the empty street, Drago finally smiled again. But this time now.. Neither of them looked scared anymore. It was going to end right in this very town...