It was another late night in Rhy'din's sprawling marketplace. A slight chill in the otherwise pleasant air. Ben was making his way home from work. Another average day, work carrying on as it had for the past year or so. Home was his small apartment, a bowl of ramen noodles, a good movie, and his comfy couch. A good night, all things considered.
That was the plan anyway.
Sounds of a struggle echoed down the alleyway, bringing the retired bare-knuckle boxer to a halt. His sharp green eyes alert suddenly. A female voice cried out in the night "Get off! Let me go!"
It wasn't his problem. He wasn't part of The Watch or any peace keeping force. This wasn't his job to break up. He swallowed hard and started away.
"Help!" The voice cried out, echoing in his brain. Ben's fists clenched as he stopped in his tracks.
Two burly thugs were manhandling the skinny blonde woman. She was putting up a fight, but she was no match for them. "Hold her down!" One said to the other.
"Help! Somebody help!" She cried, tears streaming down her face as she struggled.
"Stay still, bitch or I'll snap your neck!" The bigger of the two said, grabbing her by the throat, his stinking breath in her face. Terror filled her eyes and welled up inside of her.
Ben stepped into the alley, taking in the scene a moment. His heart was pounding, his face feeling hot as adrenaline coursed through his body. He could feel his hands shaking and muscles twitching nervously. He took in a deep breath and let it go. "Hey! Get off her!" He called out to them.
Both men stopped and turned, expecting to see some black-clad Watch cronie standing there. Instead it was Ben in his jeans and t-shirt. The big one scoffed. "**** off or you're gonna get hurt!"
They both laughed and turned their backs on him. Ben's vision seemed to narrow, locking onto them. His body felt like it moved without him telling it to. He grabbed the big one from behind and pulled him off the woman. The thug swung his fist back, the meaty knuckles connected with his jaw, knocking Ben to the ground. The metallic taste of blood in his mouth as he shook his head.
The thug stared down at him. "Big ****in' hero, huh' Told you to mind your own business!" he said, throwing a boot into Ben's ribs. The air left his body as pain spread throughout his abdomen. The thug spat on him and turned away.
The burly man stepped back to the woman, hopelessness in her eyes now. "Where were we?" He asked.
Suddenly a bottle shattered over the back of his head. He stumbled forward and whipped around to find Ben standing there holding one end of the broken bottle. An animalistic growl exploded as he charged at Ben. The wiry boxer, stepping out of the way and shoving his attacker, face-first into a dumpster with a resounding clang. He wasted no time, kicking out the back of his knee and thrusting his palm into the back of the dazed thug's head, slamming it again into the metal trash bin.
The second thug released the woman and came at Ben from behind, the skinny thug's arms wrapping around his chest. Ben lifted both feet and kicked off the brick wall, sending him and his attacker across the narrow alley. The thug slammed back, full force, into the other building, a pained groan escaping him. Ben broke free and threw an elbow into the man's face, turned, and jabbed him right in the stomach.
He could hear the burly thug coming up behind him and ducked out of the way. The big thug had grabbed a trashcan, intent on bashing Ben across the back with it. But, that plan didn't work. The edge of can caught his friend full on in the face, dropping him to the ground unconscious, the garbage can clanging to the pavement. The thug stood stunned a moment at what he'd done before turning and throwing another punch at Ben.
He quickly ducked out of the way, rising up and jabbing to the thug's face, sending him stumbling back into the trashcans. He shook off the hit and grabbed whatever he could from the can throwing it at Ben. The former boxer ducked and dodged, moving forward quicker and quicker. He caught a bottle thrown at him and launched it right back at the attacker.
Using the momentary distraction as the thug brought his arms up to protect himself, Ben jumped to the right, kicked up off the wall, launching himself through the air and throwing his whole body in a punch the landed squarely across the large man's face. His body cushioned Ben's fall, but the burly thug was down but not out. He was stirring, trying to grab Ben in a daze, but the wiry fighter held himself up, throwing vicious, full-bodied punches to the face as hard as he could. Again and again and again, he hit him with everything he had. Soon, the fight was over and his opponent was out cold.
Ben rose up, his face bloody, his body aching, his knuckles cracked and bleeding, and his heart pounding. The woman looked at him with wide eyes.
"Thank you." She managed in a shaky voice.
Ben nodded to her. He'd never felt more alive.
That was the plan anyway.
Sounds of a struggle echoed down the alleyway, bringing the retired bare-knuckle boxer to a halt. His sharp green eyes alert suddenly. A female voice cried out in the night "Get off! Let me go!"
It wasn't his problem. He wasn't part of The Watch or any peace keeping force. This wasn't his job to break up. He swallowed hard and started away.
"Help!" The voice cried out, echoing in his brain. Ben's fists clenched as he stopped in his tracks.
Two burly thugs were manhandling the skinny blonde woman. She was putting up a fight, but she was no match for them. "Hold her down!" One said to the other.
"Help! Somebody help!" She cried, tears streaming down her face as she struggled.
"Stay still, bitch or I'll snap your neck!" The bigger of the two said, grabbing her by the throat, his stinking breath in her face. Terror filled her eyes and welled up inside of her.
Ben stepped into the alley, taking in the scene a moment. His heart was pounding, his face feeling hot as adrenaline coursed through his body. He could feel his hands shaking and muscles twitching nervously. He took in a deep breath and let it go. "Hey! Get off her!" He called out to them.
Both men stopped and turned, expecting to see some black-clad Watch cronie standing there. Instead it was Ben in his jeans and t-shirt. The big one scoffed. "**** off or you're gonna get hurt!"
They both laughed and turned their backs on him. Ben's vision seemed to narrow, locking onto them. His body felt like it moved without him telling it to. He grabbed the big one from behind and pulled him off the woman. The thug swung his fist back, the meaty knuckles connected with his jaw, knocking Ben to the ground. The metallic taste of blood in his mouth as he shook his head.
The thug stared down at him. "Big ****in' hero, huh' Told you to mind your own business!" he said, throwing a boot into Ben's ribs. The air left his body as pain spread throughout his abdomen. The thug spat on him and turned away.
The burly man stepped back to the woman, hopelessness in her eyes now. "Where were we?" He asked.
Suddenly a bottle shattered over the back of his head. He stumbled forward and whipped around to find Ben standing there holding one end of the broken bottle. An animalistic growl exploded as he charged at Ben. The wiry boxer, stepping out of the way and shoving his attacker, face-first into a dumpster with a resounding clang. He wasted no time, kicking out the back of his knee and thrusting his palm into the back of the dazed thug's head, slamming it again into the metal trash bin.
The second thug released the woman and came at Ben from behind, the skinny thug's arms wrapping around his chest. Ben lifted both feet and kicked off the brick wall, sending him and his attacker across the narrow alley. The thug slammed back, full force, into the other building, a pained groan escaping him. Ben broke free and threw an elbow into the man's face, turned, and jabbed him right in the stomach.
He could hear the burly thug coming up behind him and ducked out of the way. The big thug had grabbed a trashcan, intent on bashing Ben across the back with it. But, that plan didn't work. The edge of can caught his friend full on in the face, dropping him to the ground unconscious, the garbage can clanging to the pavement. The thug stood stunned a moment at what he'd done before turning and throwing another punch at Ben.
He quickly ducked out of the way, rising up and jabbing to the thug's face, sending him stumbling back into the trashcans. He shook off the hit and grabbed whatever he could from the can throwing it at Ben. The former boxer ducked and dodged, moving forward quicker and quicker. He caught a bottle thrown at him and launched it right back at the attacker.
Using the momentary distraction as the thug brought his arms up to protect himself, Ben jumped to the right, kicked up off the wall, launching himself through the air and throwing his whole body in a punch the landed squarely across the large man's face. His body cushioned Ben's fall, but the burly thug was down but not out. He was stirring, trying to grab Ben in a daze, but the wiry fighter held himself up, throwing vicious, full-bodied punches to the face as hard as he could. Again and again and again, he hit him with everything he had. Soon, the fight was over and his opponent was out cold.
Ben rose up, his face bloody, his body aching, his knuckles cracked and bleeding, and his heart pounding. The woman looked at him with wide eyes.
"Thank you." She managed in a shaky voice.
Ben nodded to her. He'd never felt more alive.