4 The first battle

The two boys, looking into each other's eyes, to give each other courage, walk safely towards the shop. Simon spent the whole week analyzing every possibility to combine his revenge against the three bullies with a further result. The idea is to be able to discourage others from attacking the brig with him and Desmond.

A surprise attack would be the most effective solution to reach the first goal but not the second. The three could always lie about what happened.

A story told by Elza, however, has directed him towards a less violent but more effective solution. Some time before, the goddess: "Listen Simon, once in a distant land a nobleman with a huge army and a young noble of a small village met in front of a newly discovered mine between the two countries. The first one deployed his troops of knights in shining armor along the whole wall of the mine to show his strength. The young man, on his part, presented himself only with two miners by his side. The rich noble then asked for the unconditional surrender and to be able to extract the metals without any obligation to the other. The poor man asked the only courtesy of being able to see with his own eyes what was in the mine. The two agreed to send two knight and the two miners together. After hours, only the miners returned screaming that they would never set foot in that cursed place and without being stopped they ran to the village. The young noble then apologized and decidedly decided to return to the village. Left alone, the rich nobleman was panicked. "What happened? The knights? "After a few hours of waiting and with the increase of anxiety in the hearts of everyone present, the army withdrew to its borders after having labeled the mine as cursed. Years later the small village became a prosperous city thanks to the gold of the mine. "Simon rubbing his temple asked:" But why they were not the curse? "But the goddess of Fate laughed" The curse had never existed of course! The miners, thanks to their experience, were able to get out of the mine while the knights lost themselves inside. With a touch of improvisation, the small delegation made everyone believe there was a curse. Remember that the unknown is the greatest fear of every being in this world. "

The show was about to begin. Simon entered the shop and with all the savings of his life bought a rollo, a sweet biscuit stuffed with honey. The bait was placed. Grasping the cake in both hands for fear of dropping it, Simon thought, "It will be better to eat at least a little before the start."

While the boy was about to bite the cake, the three boys, headed to the woods to collect firewood, they saw him and with the assent sign with the other rushed to surround him. The first pushed him to his friend on the left, which like a ball, bounced back to the first one only to find the third who, like a tree root, made him stumble.

The oldest of the three George, with a quick gesture, saved the cake from falling. Simon rubbing his ass "Ah, what happened? Why are you here? What do you still want from me? "

Sniffing the sweet "Feel ant! You must be proud to serve some purpose in this world and your aim is to enjoy ourselves and in this case let us eat a sweet nice. You are so useless and weak that this rollo would be a waste in your belly. Thank me that you do not have to collect wood for us! "

His friend "Of course because if he did it would take months to collect what we take in one morning!" Laughter from the trio began to attract people's attention. Usually nobody intervenes in these games among kids.

Simon clenching his fist declares, "If you are so strong, why do you need to be in three to face me? I am convinced that if I hit you with my ability none of you could even touch one like Desmond! "

George "What are you talking about stupid! Desmond can hardly remove his hand from a flame before getting burned, as you think can hold up all three of us "

From the corner of a hut in the meantime is emerging precisely Desmond. With his eyes lost, clashing with a couple of people comes close to the group of boys.

Simon raising his voice "I challenge you! I bet the wood of a month that with my arcane power I will need only one finger to make you weak as babies! "

George as red as a tomato, looking at the people who were gathering around the group, bawling "Now you've fed me damn gibber! I will give you so many that to collect the month of wood, you will have to spend a month healing! "

Simon standing up with his steady hand in front of him shouts "I order you to become weak as babies!"

Without even slowing down the three young men rushed on the boy, clashing like waves against a rock. Desmond, with his usual empty gaze, is holding them steady. The boy taking George's arm and turning in the opposite direction of the shoulder is using him as a shield to the other two. Lost the initial momentum, the three, without any plan have been overcome by panic.

People around the small brawl slowly increase. The show seems worth it.

Desmond with a simple kick blocks the leg of one of the two henchmen while with his hand continues to strain the shoulder of the oldest. The third frightened decides to change strategy and slings on Simon. Incredulous, a moment later, he is on the ground looking at the clouds.

"I would say that my curse has worked just as well if I am able to land one of you! What do you say? Do you give up? "

George foaming at the mouth with rage struggles in vain, the second found the balance collides with a punch to the stomach. Desmond without even changing expression or straining his fist, leaving him to fall on the ground.

Simon thanks to the move learned from Desmond has straightened out the third but with his limited strength is terrified of having to continue this fight for the longest time. If you do not hurry, they will understand that the curse is just a story invented.

George becomes increasingly difficult to control for Desmond as he pretends to be mentally slowed down again. Furthermore, we begin to glimpse some sign of terror on the face of the friend.

The mother of Simon Doris and her friend Rowena also make space in the crowd. With her hand over her mouth she witnesses the impotent scene. She knows that if she gets involved with her son, it will be the beginning of an endless ordeal. She clenches her fists and tries to keep looking.

The image of anxious mother made the emotions unlock inside Simon. Riding the wave of emotions generated by years of harassment, the boy slowly approaches George. The latter with a shot of the kidneys, managing to free himself from Desmond's grip, like a rabid dog launches towards his enemy.

While the crazy guy tries to hit Simon's face with all the strength of his fist, the little guy dodges at the last second kneeling and collecting the rollo.

The whole crowd burst into exaggerated laughter when George stumbled forward. The last image before slipping is Simon trying to put all the honey cake inside his mouth.

With a mouth full of crumbs "Houeeee it ill en, a leasss I hav not wasssed efen a crumf of bis fondeee. " (However it will end, at least I have not wasted even a crumb of this wonder.)

That brief comic moment made the grim lose all the boys involved in the fight. George conscious of having made a fool in front of everyone goes some way to put a hand out to the whole and laughing "Do not talk with your mouth full jackass! We do not understand what you say! "

Simon swallowing "I would say it's time for all of us to collect the wood and finish it like that, I do not want to fight, I'm still recovering from the last bruises you left me."

George smiling "I have not yet figured out how you did but one day you'll explain it to me, while we're going to make firewood. Since nobody has won everyone has to collect his own. "

The crowd disappointed by the result retires to their commissions. Even the two women walk away talking to each other, Simon has never seen them smile like that.

The five get up and after a cleanup walk towards the woods. The three, continuing to watch the other two, are walking thinking about how close they came to a memorable fool. Instead, Simon is thinking that maybe he'll have to clean his underwear in the river before he gets home because he's pretty sure he's got it in his pants.

In the days following the doubt grew and the stories told were magnified. No boy at Mountain Ass bothered Simon and Desmond anymore for fear that at least one of the stories about their arcane powers or their strength was true.