Chapter 29: Silver Chariot
Sherry desperately pressed her hands to Jonas's chest, as if she could physically will the life back into him.
"Mister Jonas! Wake up! Please, wake up!" she cried, shaking him, even though she knew it was hopeless.
With the death of its user, [Invisible Black Monster: Maw] dissolved into nothingness, its reign of terror over.
Seeing the shadowy creature vanish, J. Geil burst into a fit of ecstatic, hacking laughter. "Heh... Heh heh... HAHAHAHA! Victory... Victory belongs to ME, J. GEIL!"
But his laughter died in his throat. The pain... it wasn't stopping. The agonizing, soul-deep wounds all over his body were still screaming. He looked down. His shadow was still a tattered, hole-ridden mess.
"Damn it!" he shrieked, his voice cracking. "That bastard's Stand ability! It doesn't even disappear when he dies?!"
A wave of pure, unadulterated rage washed over him. He needed to vent. He needed to inflict pain, anything to drown out the torment that was driving him insane. His greedy, lecherous eyes fell on Sherry, who was still cradling Jonas's body.
"That monster... he made me suffer," J. Geil rasped, dragging his mutilated body forward, one limping, bloody step at a time. "Now... it's my turn to have some fun."
Sherry's eyes widened in terror. She was trapped, her back to a wall of trees, as the monster limped closer... and closer.
Just as he was a single step away, a new voice, burning with a righteous fury, roared from behind him.
"[SILVER CHARIOT]! GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY SISTER, YOU BASTARD!"
A terrifying, overwhelming killing intent washed over J. Geil. He spun around and saw a tall man with a silver flat-top, his face a mask of rage. And beside him... a Stand. It was a slender, silver-plated knight, clad in medieval armor and wielding a deadly rapier.
And that rapier was already descending, aimed straight for J. Geil's head.
He tried to dodge, to twist his body away from the fatal blow, but the blade was too fast! He was finished!
CLANG!
A metallic ring echoed through the rain.
In the stunned disbelief of both J. Geil and Polnareff, a single bullet had appeared from nowhere, striking [Silver Chariot]'s blade in mid-air. The impact knocked the rapier off course, saving J. Geil from being split in two.
But even as his blade was deflected, Polnareff commanded [Silver Chariot] to adapt. The Stand, with its blinding speed, instantly changed its attack. The rapier's point sliced through the air, shearing off J. Geil's right ear before plunging deep into his shoulder.
A spray of blood erupted, but J. Geil barely registered the new wound. Compared to the soul-deep agony inflicted by [Maw], this was nothing but a scratch.
[Silver Chariot] raised its blade for another, final strike.
J. Geil knew he wouldn't be lucky a second time. He threw himself to the side, rolling through the mud like an animal as the rapier stabbed the ground where he had just been.
Polnareff paused his attack, his eyes narrowing. A new enemy had appeared.
Hol Horse stood there, his pistol still smoking, his other hand tipping the brim of his cowboy hat. "Well, well, Señor J. Geil," he drawled. "Color me impressed. You actually managed to take Jonas out all by yourself."
The moment Jonas's "death" had been confirmed, the crushing weight of fear had lifted from Hol Horse's shoulders. He knew this was his moment. He had been ready to abandon the mission, but seeing J. Geil actually win... well, he couldn't just let a payday like this slip by. He had to get in on the action, to claim an "assist." How else was he going to get paid by that old hag Enya?
"You... you're Hol Horse?" J. Geil gasped, clutching his shoulder.
"The one and only," Hol Horse lied smoothly. "I was looking forward to taking on Jonas myself, but you beat me to it. What a shame."
J. Geil had no time to question the cowboy's sudden bravery. He just needed the backup.
Polnareff's gaze was fixed on the two assassins. He turned his head just enough to speak to his sister. "Sherry. What happened? Is Amelie okay? Who... who are these men?"
"We were... we were just walking home," Sherry sobbed, "and that man... he..."
She recounted the entire horrifying story.
Polnareff's blood ran cold. This monster with two right hands had attacked his sister. Amelie was gravely wounded. And this man, Jonas... a kind stranger... had died protecting Sherry.
"Amelie is wounded... and the benefactor who saved my sister is dead..."
Polnareff closed his eyes. He took one long, slow breath. When he opened them, the flamboyant man was gone. In his place stood a knight.
"My name is Jean Pierre Polnareff," he declared, his voice resonating with cold, knightly fury. "To avenge the spirit of Mister Jonas, the man who died for my sister... J. GEIL! I WILL BE THE ONE TO CAST YOU INTO THE ABYSS!"
[Silver Chariot] took its stance, its blade pointed forward.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, pal," Hol Horse said, holding up his hands. "Our beef isn't with you. You can just walk away. Why are you so eager to die?"
"Let him come!" J. Geil cackled, a mad light in his eyes. "I'll enjoy making him die in terror!"
Polnareff's eyes were hidden in shadow. The next instant, he and [Silver Chariot] lunged, a silver blur of pure speed.
BANG!
Hol Horse fired. The bullet sped toward Polnareff's head.
Polnareff, his reflexes honed, commanded [Silver Chariot] to deflect it.
But just as the blade was about to connect, the bullet impossibly curved in mid-air, dodging the rapier and continuing its path, straight for Polnareff's head!
"WHAT?!" Polnareff cried out in shock.
...
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Stand User: Jean Pierre Polnareff
Stand Name: [Silver Chariot]
Destructive Power: C
Speed: A
Range: C
Stamina: B
Precision: B
Developmental Potential: C