"These are the best houses. Take whatever you want! With these powers, we are the kings of this new world!" one of the intruders boasted as they crossed through the shattered gates.
"Damn it," Jamie muttered as he watched the scene unfold on the security monitors. "It was only a matter of time."
"A matter of time?" Jessica echoed, confusion etched across her face.
"Until lowlifes realize they have powers that even the army can't face," Jamie explained, his gaze fixed on the screens displaying the trespassers.
He ran a hand through his hair, a habitual gesture when deep in thought. Turning sharply, he headed out of the security room toward the main hall. "Jess, you stay here. Lock the door," he ordered over his shoulder.
Though rebellious by nature, Jessica recognized the seriousness in her brother's tone. She nodded, her eyes wide with concern.
"Idris, with me," Jamie commanded.
The bodyguard fell into step beside him, his movements smooth and controlled. From inside his jacket, Idris drew two pistols from their holsters, offering one to Jamie.
"You know I can't use those even if my life depended on it," Jamie declined, gently pushing the firearm back toward Idris.
"Are you sure?" Idris pressed, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face.
"Positive. If my powers still work here, I'd rather fight with a weapon I'm used to," Jamie replied, striding purposefully toward the kitchen.
They entered the expansive culinary space, stainless steel appliances reflecting the ambient light. Jamie began pulling open drawers and cabinets. Finally, from one of the higher shelves, he retrieved two chef's knives. The blades were long and sharp, their weight familiar in his hands.
"They're not the best, but they'll do," he remarked, testing the balance.
"You're going to fight with those?" Idris asked incredulously, one eyebrow arched.
"Trust me. You wouldn't want to face me wielding these," Jamie replied with a wry grin.
A resounding crash echoed through the mansion, the sound of the front door being forced open.
Jamie’s expression hardened. "I'll handle those guys. You keep your distance. Preferably, head upstairs and make sure my mother doesn't become a hostage," he instructed, his voice leaving no room for debate.
Idris hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Understood." He turned on his heel and swiftly made his way toward the grand staircase, his footsteps silent against the marble floors.
Jamie moved toward the archway that separated the main hall from the foyer.
He positioned himself just beyond the arch, the chef's knives held firmly at his sides.
Footsteps approached, heavy and unhurried. The intruders entered the foyer, a trio of men emboldened by their otherworldly powers. The one who had sliced through the gate carried a sword that crackled faintly with residual energy. His companions flanked him, each exuding an air of overconfidence.
"Spread out. Grab anything that looks valuable," the thief sneered. "Tonight, we take what's rightfully ours!"
"If you could avoid breaking my house, I'd greatly appreciate it," Jamie remarked, pointing a chef's knife toward the trio of intruders. His voice was calm, almost nonchalant as if he were merely discussing the weather rather than facing armed assailants in his own foyer.
"Hey! What does a guy like you think you can do with that knife?" sneered one of the men standing toward the back. His companions chuckled, confident and dismissive.
Jamie offered a cold, thin smile. "I don't know. Perhaps kill all three of you."
The thief at the forefront, wielding what appeared to be a decorative katana, stepped forward and leveled his blade at Jamie. "You're exactly the kind of fool I've been itching to find," he growled.
Without further warning, the thief lunged, executing three swift slashing motions with his sword. The other two thieves remained where they were, idly watching as if bored, clearly expecting a swift end to the confrontation.
As the sword's blade descended toward him, Jamie moved with fluid grace. He used one of his knives, handled like a dagger, to parry the attack, deflecting the katana to the side easily.
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The thief's eyes widened in disbelief as his blade was pushed aside. His shock was fleeting. In the next heartbeat, Jamie struck with his other hand. The second knife flashed through the air, delivering a rapid trio of slashes. A precise cut across the neck, a slice to the shoulder, and a decisive thrust to the abdomen.
Before the thief could utter a word, he staggered backward, blood seeping through his clothing. He collapsed to the polished marble floor, the decorative katana slipping from his grasp and clattering beside him. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he hovered on the brink of death.
The two remaining thieves snapped to attention, their previous nonchalance evaporating. They exchanged uneasy glances.
"He was the weakest; only a level one. Just a [Warrior]," one muttered as if to reassure himself.
"That's right," the second thief affirmed, his jaw tightening. "We're level two [Barbarians]. We'll finish you off." He reached over his shoulder and drew a hefty fire axe, its edge dull but menacing. The other pulled brass knuckles from his pocket, slipping them onto his fists with a sinister grin.
Jamie stood over the fallen thief, his expression unreadable. He released the body, letting it slump fully to the ground.
"Shall we proceed?" Jamie asked quietly.
The two [Barbarians] charged in unison. The one wielding the axe swung in a wide, brutal arc, aiming to cleave Jamie in two. Jamie sidestepped the blow, the axe crashing into the wall behind him. The impact pulverized the plaster and sent fragments exploding outward, leaving a gaping hole where antique woodwork had been moments before.
As Jamie evaded the first attack, the second thief moved to flank him, circling to strike from behind. Sensing the approach, Jamie pivoted smoothly. The thief lunged, brass-knuckled fists aiming for Jamie's skull.
But Jamie was ready.
[Cacophonous Call]
An invisible wave of disruptive sound erupted around the thief. The [Barbarian] staggered, dropping to his knees as he clapped his hands over his ears. His face contorted in agony.
"WHAT IS THAT INFERNAL NOISE? MAKE IT STOP!" he screamed, his voice raw as he writhed on the floor.
Jamie swiftly directed his focus to the fallen barbarian without giving his adversary a moment to recover. His movements were a blur of lethal precision, each strike aimed at vital points with unerring accuracy. The kitchen knives in his hands glinted ominously as they found their marks. In mere seconds, the thief lay motionless on the polished marble floor, a pool of crimson spreading beneath him.
As Jamie lifted his gaze, the final assailant stood before him. The man's eyes burned with a fierce, unbridled rage, glowing almost unnaturally red. Muscles bulged beneath rough-hewn clothing as he hefted a massive axe high above his head, preparing to unleash the full force of his fury in a single, fatal blow.
"Die!" the barbarian bellowed, his voice echoing through the grand hall with primal ferocity. But instead of the anticipated whistle of the descending axe, a sharp crack pierced the air, a gunshot.
From the top of the sweeping staircase, Idris had taken aim and fired at the barbarian's chest. The bullet struck true, but to Idris's dismay, it merely embedded itself a scant few millimeters into the man's flesh before falling inert to the ground. The barbarian glanced down at the point of impact, an unsettling grin spreading across his face as he took another deliberate step forward.
Undeterred, Idris unleashed a barrage of shots, the sound of the firearm resounding like thunder within the enclosed space. Each bullet met the same fate, flattening against the barbarian’s skin or barely penetrating before becoming useless. The intruder's smile only widened, a chilling display of invulnerability.
"A weapon like that will never stop me!" he roared, his voice dripping with scorn.
Jamie met the barbarian's gaze steadily, a spark of determination igniting in his own eyes. "And what about this?" he retorted.
Clapping his hands together with deliberate force, he invoked the spell.
[Thundering Drums]
An immense sonic wave erupted from Jamie's position, the very air distorting as the powerful vibrations surged forward. The mansion trembled under the assault; windows rattled in their frames, and decorative artifacts shuddered on their pedestals. The sonic blast struck the barbarian square in the chest, the sheer force propelling him backward until he collided violently with one of the ornately paneled walls. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing through the woodwork and dislodged a centuries-old painting from its mount.
However, the attack didn't inflict significant harm but created the crucial opening Jamie needed. Seizing the moment, he advanced with swift strides. The barbarian struggled to regain his footing, the surprise evident in his eyes as Jamie closed in.
With a series of deft movements, Jamie struck. The knives flashed under the chandelier's light, biting deep into the barbarian's defenses. A slash to the hamstring brought the intruder to one knee; a swift cut across the forearm disarmed him, the axe clattering to the floor. Finally, a decisive thrust found its mark just beneath the ribcage.
The barbarian gasped, the fire in his eyes dimming as he slumped forward. Jamie stepped back, breath steady but muscles coiled, alert for any sign of resurgence. When none came, he allowed himself a brief moment of respite.
The grand hall fell into an uneasy silence, broken only by the distant ticking of a gilded clock and the faint crackle of the fireplace. Jamie's knives were slick with blood, droplets falling to stain the plush Persian rug beneath his feet. His clothes were similarly marred, dark patches of blood and smears of dust testament to the ferocity of the encounter. A thin trickle of perspiration traced down his temple, yet his expression remained composed.
From the top of the staircase, Idris looked on with a mixture of shock and admiration. His firearms had proven useless against the barbarian, leaving him momentarily powerless. The reality of supernatural threats had been starkly realized.
Behind Idris, Alexandra emerged. Dressed impeccably, she exuded an air of detached composure, though a flicker of confusion crossed her features as she surveyed the scene below. Her gaze settled on Jamie, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
Jamie met his mother's eyes and offered a subtle nod, a silent acknowledgment amidst the tension.
She regarded him coolly. "It's not the first time I've found you like this," Alexandra remarked, her tone edged with disdain. "You continue to be the same monster."