Breaking the Deal
Author's Disclaimer: I solemnly swear I do not own the rights to "WarCraft" and "Resident Evil".
Ada looked at the massive armoured men who surrounded her, and then turned to Wesker, who simply smiled at her and said, "Ada? Do you have the sample on you?"
The spear of speech slammed against the glass wall that seemed to encase Ada, shattering it with an almost audible crash. Her ears rang with Wesker's words as she turned to meet his gaze. She could feel his snake-like eyes glare at her from behind his glasses and stab her like daggers, impaling her right to her chair.
After what seemed like a pocket of eternity, Ada broke free of the bonds holding her still and turned her head to face King Arthas. The pale man locked his eyes with hers, captivating her with his crystal blue eyes that pulsed with life, yet were hard as stones. The still yet awesome power in his pupils blazed and pulsed slowly and methodically in an intense pattern that entranced Ada in both intrigue and terror.
After a second that stretched to infinity, Arthas slowly smiled a wicked and warm grin. "Now I'm sure that she does not need to provide us with the creature at the moment. After all, she is still exhausted from her mission."
His smile warmed slightly as his gaze intensified, sending another barrage of icy daggers into Ada's body, "You do have the sample, correct?"
Ada tried to speak, yet found that she lacked the strength and will to open her mouth and issue words. She forced herself to inhale deeply, sending a deep gust of much-needed oxygen into her body, providing her with the strength to search her inner sanctums for the will to reply.
"Of course I do." A weak smile crossed her lips as she responded to his question.
Arthas smiled again and sank further back into the chair, "Excellent. I believe that we shall allow you to hold it for the time being."
A wall of realization had just smashed into Ada, whispering into her ear that she had just been given a free chance at life. Something deep inside of herself told her that the men who surrounded her were not going to allow her to leave this room. At least, not unless she was being carried out in a bag.
Arthas could sense the floods of panic welling inside of her, and knew that he had to do something to keep her under his control. "Ms. Wong? Was the support I provided you sufficient?"
Ada turned to Arthas for a moment, and pondered his statement. Support? When did he send her any support? It took her several seconds before she remembered the masked merchants who provided her with the killing machines she used during her mission. "Oh yes. Thank you for the support, King Arthas."
She felt a criticism rise in her bowels, and forced herself to keep from speaking out of turn. A gag issued from her throat and she said, "Although, I would have certainly appreciated more, direct assistance."
Arthas chuckled, "I'm sorry that I could not provide troops to assist you, but the soldiers that I would have sent you would have been… difficult for you to control, I'm afraid."
Ada grimaced at his remark. From what she had seen, the only troops he had at his command were those robed men and women walking around the compound carrying spears, halberds and swords. How could they be so difficult for her to command? Was it that they only spoke that icy tongue she heard them converse in moments ago?
"Tell me, Lady Wong." Arthas inquired, changing his tone to a more formal demeanor, "What is your relationship with Sire Kennedy?"
Ada turned to Arthas and frowned. What was with the sudden tone in voice? And why was he so interested in Leon? All of this talk of Leon, his skills, and his tact. And what was a Death Knight?
Ada took a gulp and said, "I knew Leon six years ago in Raccoon City. He was just a rookie cop, and it was his first day on the Force. When I met him, he was so naïve and easy to manipulate. And yet, he was so honourable and already seemed to possess superior survival skills. In fact, you only needed to look at him to know he was meant for more than being some cop in a hick town like that."
Arthas and the others nodded in unison, intrigued by Ada's words. She continued, "He's been in every tough situation you can imagine, and he always comes out smelling like roses."
Arthas chuckled in a cold voice that filled the hall, "A first-rate survivor? Intriguing."
"And to top that off," Wesker piped in, "He is the primary bodyguard to the family of President Graham."
The light in Arthas' eyes blazed like a comet in the sky for the briefest moment, sending even more knives of frost into Ada. "I do believe that this Leon Kennedy is indeed someone who would make an excellent addition to our ranks."
Baron Morte nodded, "And what's more is that we already have a bind on him from Krauser's knife."
Ada's head snapped in the direction of the speaker and she asked, "What bind?"
"The bind from Krauser's blade, milady." Baron Morte answered, "His blade was a minor runeblade in the form of his original weapon. Those who are cut by the dagger are instantly marked and carry with them a miniscule taint from the weapon."
"I take it that you are referring to a poison?" Ada inquired, trying her best to maintain her normally calm and even demeanor.
The Death Knights and Arthas chuckled. Lord Darkhallow replied, "Is that all your feeble mind can comprehend? A mere poison would seem like a blessing to him compared to what he shall endure now."
Ada couldn't stand the cold, calculating tone of the man who had just spoken. She could almost sense a bit of happiness in his voice as he spoke, as though the suffering Leon was about to undergo was a form of entertainment to him.
"And what exactly is he tainted with?" Ada asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Arthas turned to face her, his eyes blazing with the color or ice. "Me."
Ada locked her eyes with Arthas, and was smacked with his words. Infected with Arthas? How was that possible?
As Ada stared back into Arthas' eyes, she found herself slipping deep into his soul. She tried her best to resist, but some unseen, overwhelming force grabbed her viciously and dragged her forward. She watched helplessly as the madness of this man who called himself a King played out before her. She watched in horror as the events of his life began to reenact themselves. She watched as he wiped out an entire city of innocent people, stole a cursed runeblade, slew his own father, obliterated his own people, and set forth on a crusade that threatened to purge his homeland clean of the taint of life.
After what seemed like an eternity, Ada was finally freed of her mad captor, and found herself gasping desperately for air. Her chest heaved as though she had been running for hours from a relentless hunter. Hot tears formed in her eyes and threatened to flood her cheeks, yet she did her absolute best to keep her shell from cracking.
Arthas, Wesker, Baron Morte, Lord Darkhallow, and the other two men seemed to smile wickedly at her, each one shooting her with invisible arrows and javelins of ice. Her eyes darted from one face to the other, hoping to find some peace and semblance of sanity, and all she found was madness upon madness.
It was then that she perceived, that perhaps it was her time to leave.
Ada summoned all of her courage and strength, turned slowly to face Arthas, and smiled softly, "If you'll excuse me for a moment, Arthas? I must visit the little girl's room."
The other souls at the table remained silent, and turned to watch her as she left. The only sound came from Ada's heels as they slapped against the stone floor.
"Lady Wong?" Arthas's voice echoed throughout the hall, freezing Ada in her tracks.
She turned to face the men sitting at the table and smirked, her arms folded against her chest, "Yes?"
Arthas rose from the table, elevating to his full height of six feet. His shoulders were even broader and his hair seemed to flow like banners in the wind. "Where do you think you are going?"
Ada could feel Arthas reach for something on his waist, but she couldn't tell what. She thought she heard a crack and the sound of stone breaking. Her eyes lifted up, and she could make out light cracks in the statues above her. Stone pieces and gravel toppled to the floor with audible thuds and slaps.
"I told you, Arthas." Ada responded as coolly as possible. "I need to use the little girl's room."
A wicked grin was born on Arthas' lips as he spat, "There is no 'Little girl's room', here."
Ada smiled tenderly, and began to walk backwards slowly. Her right hand slid down her dress and grabbed the handle of her Blacktail.
"AFTER HER!!" Arthas bellowed as his own right hand snapped to his waist and pulled out a long, wicked-looking blade. The perfect steel of the blade sang a high-pitched note as it left the leather scabbard and glistened even in the pale light of the room.
The entire table erupted as the Death Knights rose and unsheathed their own swords. Their blades were black with silver runes etched across the metal.
Ada smirked at them. She was armed with a gun, and all they had were swords. What could they do to harm her?
Just then, the entire ceiling seemed to erupt and roar to life. Stone and mortar erupted and flew off the gargoyles above her, revealing the thick, grey leathery skin living beneath it. The great wings of the giant bat-like monsters flapped to life as an inhuman shriek was born in their throats.
Ada looked up at the living gargoyles in shock, her hands gripping the Blacktail like a child would a blanket. She raised the weapon and fired, tearing a whole into the wings of one of the beasts. Needless to say, the monster was not pleased.
She raised her gun again and fired wildly at the gargoyles as they shot off their pedestals and flew through the air towards her. A trio of gargoyles dive-bombed towards her with frightening speed, and she performed a cartwheel in order to avoid them. The three beasts crashed into each other in a violent orgy of blood and leather. She raised her Blacktail again and fired into the horde, blasting the three of them in the head.
The last one became still just as a fourth creature ambushed Ada and tackled her to her side, its talons digging deep into her body. Pain ravaged her body as she opened her mouth to scream. Hot blood gushed out of her mouth as a wail was born in her throat. She tried to beat the monster off of her, but the creature strengthened its grip on her, crushing her organs and bones to dust.
The pain was almost unbearable as the other beasts encircled them, and Ada felt a heavy cloak of realization drape her frame and she knew, in her heart, that she was going to die here.
The gargoyle that had grabbed her lifted her into the air and tossed her towards the table. She landed with a thud and scraped across the floor until she landed in front of none other than King Arthas.
The other Death Knights, and even Wesker himself began to encircle her, forming a tight group that provided no promise of escape or even a chance to breathe.
Blood slid out of her lips and onto her chin and neck as she looked up at Arthas. Her eyes were glossy and everything looked as though someone had sprayed Vaseline into her eyes and rubbed it in.
Arthas kept his menacing grin on his face and spoke slowly and methodically, "I must say… I am extremely sad at this turn of events. Here I was, praising your efforts and allowing you to know of my plans for this world."
A sigh issued from his lips, "But now you've gone and tried to double-cross me. ME! You dare attempt to flee from the very man who is your savior? You dare abandon the organization that controls you, Lady Wong?"
Arthas' arm shot out and grabbed Ada's hair. She yelped in pain as he roughly lifted her head and their eyes met. Arthas' tone was as cold as steel, "I ought to have my Death Knights ravage you right now and then send you to the next life!"
The very idea of being raped terrified the young woman, and she struggled even harder to flee from Arthas, who held her fast. A faint smile crossed his lips again, and he spoke in little more than a whisper, "But, I am an honorable and just man. I have been known to be forgiving, and forgiving I shall be unto you. For you risked your life for me, and I do not forget so easily."
Hot tears streamed down Ada's cheeks as she felt herself grow numb. It didn't matter if Arthas was going to spare her. She was doomed anyway.
Arthas looked down at Ada's injuries, and smirked again, "I can aid you with those."
Without another word, Arthas rose up to his full height and tightened his grip on her head. She winced and yelped as he took control of her head, and closed her eyes. A silent prayer past her lip, and she readied for the sword to fall on her.
A strange pulsating sensation overtook her body, and her head tilted back with the bizarre feeling. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head violently as a tornado of energy wrapped around her and seemed to suck her away from the world around her.
