A Painful Truth Revealed

*This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." This saga began with Chapter 134*

"And what exactly are your terms for negotiation?" Rick asked.

"Now that's a good lad!" Cyclo jeered. "You and the Pirate must lay down your weapons, and your girlfriend and the other mage are to come with me. Do this and I will let you two go and live your miserable lives lamenting your failure, although you could take solace in preventing the deaths of Tamma and Mayor Jahno. Or, I could just snap their necks, and then finish the rest of you off. How shall we proceed?"

"Please... don't surrender...." Tamma managed to get out while the possessed Jahno continued to grip her neck tighter.

"There's no way we can give in to him, but Tamma and Jahno.... what do we do, what do we do?" Rick muttered in a panic while Cyclo continued to sneer at him. Meanwhile, the Pirate kept his gaze on the mayor and Tamma. After what felt like an eternity, he finally entered the negotiation with his own thoughts.

"Don't worry Rick, he's not going to hurt his daughter, I can guarantee that."

"Ha ha ha ha, I don't think the good mayor has much of a choice in the matter!" Cyclo laughed.

"Drop the act Cyclo! Or should I call you by your real name, Honorable Mayor Jahno Aplonica?"

"Excuse me?" Cyclo replied, no longer smirking or laughing.

The Pirate drew one of his swords and charged at the possessed mayor, slicing off the hand that was choking Tamma. Jahno's dark red eyes reverted back to normal, and he began screaming in pain.

"How could you Pirate, it wasn't his fault!" Tamma screamed, her face red with anger and soaked with tears. "Hang in there daddy, I'm right here!"

"Don't touch him!" The Pirate yelled sharply, then granting Tamma an apologetic look before addressing her in a softer tone.

"That's not your father Tamma, he's an imposter. I'm not sure if you had any suspicions before, but your father has been Cyclo all along!"

"Well done hero, you are the first to have figured it out!" Cyclo laughed as he clapped enthusiastically. "Do tell me, how did you figure it out?"

"Well, when you are able to afford the price to maintain a mansion while the rest of your townspeople are struggling, it's kind of obvious." The Pirate smiled. "Of course, had I been wrong, then Tamma's wrath against me would have been justified. But if the Jahno over there had been the genuine article, then we could have restored his hand with the Reflection Dimension or through the healing magic of Cerissa or Essie, so I decided to take the chance and undo your little checkmate. Fortunately, you're dumb and arrogant enough to have confirmed my suspicions."

"Daddy...." Tamma said softly as she fell to the ground weeping. "How could you?"

To be continued....