Through some disbelief, Archon had to watch almost helplessly as his subject twisted deftly away from his sword and even gave his a glancing blow with that metal apparatus of it- Archon knew the name, but couldn't recall it at this time. The bullet, a word he did recall, ricochet from his armor after denting his armor and causing temporary loss of function in his hand and lower arm- something witnessed by the way in which he felt a limp sore wave into his torso. Archon's agonized shout emphasized his surprise of a sword falling to the ground without a prior moment's notice. Now only a blue-colored fluid filled his hand, and dismay his head as Archon tried to shift his body towards the man.

However, something much, much worse happened than him simply losing his face. Some of the rabble noticed his faceless threats as well, and they made no second thought of staying at a safe distance. They smattered his body with ruthless dedication and knocked him, halfway aloft, onto the bar. From their power, partially their weight as they tried to pin him against the splintering wood, a powerless image of Archon overwhelmed him. Had he failed? A terrifying thought as punches and feeble knife wounds started to adorn his body as snow the winter ground.

Before losing all hope, before all went completely to black as the wounds overhwelmed his senses, he heard his Deity speak a single word with such impact that it made time seem still, "Hope." Indeed, something Archon had lost seemingly from the beginning of his initial failure- how could he! Foolishly he had led himself to believe that confidence alone, that emotion he felt during his transformation and his first brazen step into the bar, could win the fight he had propagated. Foolish.

Time once again started to tick by, and once again a hail of beatings came down to his bearing. His penance a clear road through this mess he caused; an error of ways that showed him he was no better than the rest. No matter, Archon quickly divined his two abilities of Rune Magic and Empowering before putting them to use in an awesome display of determination. Most of the rabble didn't even have the time of day to realize what sigil grew alight under their sweat-ridden feet and musty faces before it activated. Heavenly glows bleached the wood, and the bar, white as marble and those confined in this glow grew still- a sanctum that they could not tarnish any more with their breaths. Of course they hadn't died then and there, but everything they could perform was halted by Archon's sigil.

Two people had their murky hands on his body and weighed him down even though only their eyes could really react to his actions. Their perpetual actions hindered Archon's next advancement only for a second, and his victory over them marked by two people falling like stuffed animals to the floor. Finally he no longer dangled in mid-air because of some physical and mental imbalanced he had caused, and he saw the need to approach his old subject carefully- especially cautiously.

Another mug splattered the floor with its shards halfway between Archon and the man wielding the metal apparatus- more bullets probably forthcoming if he didn't act perfectly. So his steps, heavy, but showing no pain, especially not from what had just transpired even though it had definitely left him in a worse position than he would like, took him directly behind the shards, but no further. Instead, he would call out to him once more with a voice more reasonable than his previous one, "Please, halt this attack! I do not wish to know where this ends." Archon pleaded,

"If you will, I would like to tell you what I know. You are a man with potential- I can see this. However..." He paused, unsure of his next words for a second- a muffled cough in the background, the paralyzed victims had not yet begun to move once again, "You have been led wayward of the true path. I wish to show you, if you don't mind. Stick with me, and you will see what there is to attain, and what there is to lose if you stay on the course you are now. Accept, and you will not regret!" Defiantly to the very last sense that managed to spit out some wisdom to Archon he decided not to call on any spells to empower him for now- he must see the sincerety in his words!