"There he is," the Villain smiled.
"AH- my lord- Your Majesty- sire-!" Hadric hit his knees in front of his sovereign, gauntlets coming up, words arriving in whatever order they escaped. "The coins- I wasn't- there's a counting protocol! Standard procedure! I count everyone's- I have a mother!"
Quinlan's crimson eyes flared bright. The Soul Reaper's flames intensified. Synchra's red veins raced.
Hadric made a noise no knight academy had ever trained a man for.
Then his nerve snapped outright.
"Mercyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!"
Hadric departed at a full sprint through the vendor row, screaming all the way.
"Hmm..." Quinlan mused, stroking his chin. Then, as if nothing had happened, he moved on.
"..." Iris looked at Seraphiel. Seraphiel looked at Iris.
One of the remaining knights began taking Quinlan's fee, coin by careful coin.
"That," Quinlan told him pleasantly, "was the last entrance fee this gate will ever collect."
He turned to the street.
