Changing the World isn't Easy Chapter Seven
I love writing this fiction, and with the support I get, I love writing it even more :D
Nor Murder
With the success of the auction in Heliord, the newly sold slaves, sex dolls, whatever their owners planned for them, were shipped off to Capua Nor after ferrying them across the port from Torim Harbour.
The plan from then on was to use knight ships under the control of one Captain Michael Lexar to ferry the slaves to Zaphias, where they would be delivered to their new owners. This was done as a safety procedure for the buyers, who'd obviously look suspicious if they entered Zaphias with a slave at their side.
As the slaves were piled onto Lexar's ship, under his watchful green eyes he smirked. Having been one of the orchestrators of the entire capture, he made sure he was going to be the one to finish the job. Being heavily sedated the slaves walked on, one by one, obedient and submissive onto the ship, little did Michael know that he was being watched the entire time.
From the other side of the harbour, a lone knight who was part of the normal Nor Harbour city guard watched on, eyes wide with confusion. This man was not affiliated with Lexar's brigade, instead he was part of Flynn's brigade, which mainly worked as city guards instead of being one collective unit, this was due to the fact that their captain was now the Commandant, so he could no longer lead them around.
"What the hell is this?" he whispered to himself in disbelief, his armour clanking slightly as he moved closer, hiding his frame behind a pile of crates carefully.
The slaves wore little more than rags which had their identification number painted on, their legs were shackled together and their eyes were soulless. It scared the knight, who unconsciously shook in fear and anger.
As he looked at the red-haired captain his blood went cold. The smile on the man's face made him want to throw up. He had always respected Captain Michael, and had a nice discussion with him only the day before. He found it strange how Captain Michael was deployed to stop the late night assaults, when to his knowledge nothing of the sort had occurred in Capua Nor since Ragou had disappeared years back.
However he ignored it, basking in Captain Michaels 'warm' personality, but he discovered now that it was a lie. How did he get deployed here? How is he doing this? Why is he doing this? All such questions ran through the frightened knight's mind as he watched on, powerless.
"I have to go and tell command about this" the knight whispered to himself, clenching his fist tight to install some courage into himself.
As he got ready to slowly escape, he noticed that Captain Michael was no longer looking at the slaves, and instead staring right at him with a small smirk on his face, he noticed the man say something, but he was too far away to hear it.
The captain's gaze had him frozen to the spot, he felt as if he'd die if he moved, but he also knew somewhere inside him that if he didn't move he'd die. "Move damn it!" he ordered his legs in a strained voice, still trying to keep quiet. "Move, move, move, move!" the knight said in a panic, and as if responding to his command, they moved.
The man broke away, and started to run, but he was soon stopped by an unseen force. It felt as if he was being crushed, he couldn't move forward, something was rooting him to the spot. His mind began to think irrationally, images of his childhood, images of his girlfriend who he was planning to ask to marry him and finally the constant thought of why can't I move?
As he thought, a man wearing a Lieutenant's uniform slowly approached him from in front, his momentary relief quickly became despair when he realised that the person's uniform was of the same colour as Captain Michael.
"This'll do very nicely" the silhouetted man said coldly. "Someone delivered himself to my lord to save him the hassle, you have my gratitude" the man said as he finally revealed himself clearly by standing under one of the street lanterns.
His one visible eye was black in colour. The other was obscured by long brown hair, which was tied back in a scruffy pony-tail. His cold expression showed no sympathy for the frightened knight. His expression was hidden under his cape which he wore lopsided, hanging over the shoulder instead of the back. The knight knew this man very well.
His name was Felix de Vart Captain Michael's Lieutenant and servant to the House of Lexar. He was known as a prodigy who had refused promotion countless of times, to remain under his captain's command.
"W-what are you talking about?" the knight stuttered, still unable to move from his spot as the lieutenant approached him slowly, hand on the hilt of his sword whilst the other was on the sheath. The knight's arms began to shake violently, but his legs remained still. "Why can't I move?" he cried out to the uninterested lieutenant.
"That would be my lord's doing" Felix answered him. "You are going to serve as a convenient distraction for my lord, feel proud" Felix said in his usual cold tone.
The thing that confused the knight more wasn't the fact that he was going to serve as a distraction, but why he heard Felix say that from behind him; surely Felix was supposed to be in front of him he thought. At that his eyes widened as blood erupted from his large wound, which connected his right hip to his left shoulder.
As the man collapsed onto his chest, he found that he could move again, he turned his head to see Felix's back, it was so confusing. "W-why?" he sputtered as his consciousness was beginning to fade, tears escaped his eyes, his memories flashed in front of his eyes again before they closed, never to open again.
"Why?" the lieutenant answered the dead body, "because my lord wanted it so" he said coldly as he walked toward the dock.
A few minutes later
"I have returned" the lieutenant said in his normal cold tone, but this time it wasn't due to apathy, it was just down to the fact that he couldn't express himself well.
"Very good Felix, I knew I could count on you" the red-haired captain said with a grin, making Felix bow respectfully for him.
"It was my pleasure my lord" Felix replied, making the captain grin happily. Felix had served as his personal attendant since childhood and was one of the only people in the entire world that Michael could trust.
"You know what to do next right?" Michael asked the man who nodded.
"I'll go to Zaphias and inform Commandant Flynn Scifo of the incident, whilst your lordship hangs around the waters near Zaphias, after four days I'll reach Zaphias and inform the Commandant, when he leaves the capital you enter with the merchandise" Felix said, recalling the plan from memory gaining a pat on the back from his captain.
"Exactly so, now of you go Felix" the captain ordered the man who bowed and left the ship, ready to fulfil his lords every order.
Four days later
Flynn sat impatiently in his office, Raven as First Captain Schwann was due to arrive any minute according to his faithful subordinate Sodia. However, the wait was frustratingly long, like watching a kettle boil, it just seemed to take forever.
As mid-day arrived, Sodia came knocking at his office door like usual and for once Flynn was disappointed it was her. "Come in Sodia" Flynn said tiredly.
As Sodia came into the room, Flynn lifted his head to spy two individuals standing behind her, one of which was who he'd been waiting for, the other was a person he was rather unfamiliar with, but he knew of him.
"Sir, I brought First Captain Schwann as you requested" Sodia said with a salute before turning to the other visitor. "Lieutenant Felix de Vart is also here to see you, he said it was urgent" Sodia informed with a suspicious look on her face.
"Right, good work Sodia" Flynn said with a smile making her expression soften slightly before she joined him at his side like any loyal and professional adjutant would do.
Flynn looked at the two men who saluted him. Though Schwann's was slightly slacked Flynn didn't see it necessary to pick at it. "First Captain Schwann I assume Lieutenant Sodia has informed you of the situation" Flynn asked the man who sighed dramatically, accidently slipping into his Raven persona.
"Aye sir" Schwann said tiredly making Sodia glare slightly, Flynn spotting this chuckled slightly.
"Then since you know the severity of the situation I assume that you'll accept my request?" Flynn asked politely after all he wasn't about to order the man to look after the capital.
"Yes sir" he replied before looking to the side to spy Captain Michael's lieutenant, smirking slightly at the man's effeminate face.
Despite this laid back attitude that Schwann was putting on, he was actually deeply concerned about the whole incident and planned on doing some investigating whilst he was in Zaphias.
"Thank you" Flynn said gratefully as he turned to the second visitor. "Lieutenant de Vart" Flynn addressed, making the man stand at alert.
"Yes sir?" he replied in monotone, voice still cold, but Flynn ignored it. He'd heard of this man, the person who was said to be stronger than Captain Michael but refused promotions under Alexei's rule and his own.
"There was some urgent news you had to tell me?" Flynn questioned, eyebrows raised suspiciously.
"Yes, his lor- I mean Captain Michael sent me to deliver a message" the lieutenant started, waiting for Flynn to signal him to continue. "You see, whilst on patrol, we found a knight that had been attacked sir, with his last breath he told us that his attacker was the same one who'd been responsible for the assaults that had been plaguing the town" Felix lied expertly.
"Apparently he was chasing the suspect but the man got the drop on him, when we reached him he was dying, with his last breaths he told us that he was going towards the port so the Captain gave chase, he told me to relay the message to Zaphias" Felix told the Commandant whose eyes were wide with shock.
"Captain Michael should have apprehended the suspect by now, but I'm afraid that this is part of something much bigger, or so the Captain said" Felix claimed, his lying ability was excellent. "He asked if someone could personally assist Capua Nor whilst he captured the culprit and brought him back to Zaphias" Felix finished, saluting after 'relaying' the message.
Flynn bought into this, the fact that the words 'something much bigger' came into play made Flynn instantly think of the missing persons, especially since Sodia believed it was highly likely they went to Capua Nor.
"Thank you for informing me Lieutenant de Vart" Flynn said gratefully, not noticing the suspicious glares from both Sodia and First Captain Schwann. "I'll see to it that I investigate it personally" Flynn told the man who nodded.
"That would be much appreciated sir" Felix replied as he bowed.
"You are excused Lieutenant" he informed the man who left straight away. After he had left Flynn turned to the two people in the room. "What's with the stares?" Flynn asked gaining a sigh from the First Captain.
"Sir" Sodia called out catching his attention.
"Yes Sodia?" he questioned curiously.
"You don't honestly believe him do you?" Sodia asked in disbelief making the young Commandant laugh slightly.
"Not completely" Flynn informed. "However there is one grain of truth in what he said" Flynn informed the woman who gave him a questioning stare. This however was easily understood by Schwann who knew what Flynn was talking about.
"Something big is surrounding Capua Nor, and I believe that Capua Nor is the key to solving this case" Flynn informed them making Schwann grin.
"You're a sharp young'un aren't you Commandant" Schwann complimented the man, gaining another glare from Sodia for his disrespectful attitude.
"I do my best" Flynn played along, before turning to his adjutant. "Sodia, prepare for the trip, we'll be leaving for Capua Nor in three hours" Flynn said in a commanding tone making her salute and smile.
"Yes sir" she replied, leaving the room.
"That's a feisty one you got there" Schwann quipped when he knew Sodia was out of hearing distance.
"Yeah, but I couldn't ask for anyone more honest, loyal and hardworking." Flynn said with a genuine smile creeping onto his face. "She makes my job so much easier" Flynn said making the old knight smile slightly.
"Yeah, she aint too bad on the eye I guess" Schwann commented as he brought a hand up to his chin, Flynn eyed him as if saying 'that's not what I meant' making the old man laugh again. "Calm down loverboy" Schwann lightly mocked his superior.
"Aren't you supposed to be more serious when you're Schwann?" Flynn asked, seemingly unfazed by Schwann's mocks, however underneath that cool exterior he was actually feeling the heat.
"I guess" Schwann said with a shrug. "Don't you think you should get ready as well, I'll take over from here" Schwann offered the Commandant who got to his feet.
"Thanks again" Flynn told the man who smiled.
"Whatever, get going will ya" Schwann said making the Commandant smile appreciatively before leaving.
Now all alone in the room Schwann walked over to the chair and sat down, thoughts of Lexar's Lieutenant running through his mind, "I know him, but where from?" he asked himself as he closed his eyes to take a little nap.
That night
As night fell on the capital the red haired captain entered the city from the Royal Quarter. At the gates were his own men who saluted him with knowing smiles on their faces as they spied the shackled slaves behind him.
"Is anyone around?" Michael asked the men who shook their heads in unison.
"No sir, the Royal Quarter is silent, only members of our esteemed Michael Brigade are here" one said to the Captain who smiled at his loyal men.
"Then let's deliver these things to their rightful owners" Michael said gaining a chorus of 'yes sirs' in return.
Hours later
Michael had just finished delivering the last slave to their owner, all that was left was the ones they couldn't sell, but that didn't matter, he had plans for them.
With his job complete he decided to head back to his manor, with the leftovers in toll. Looking up to the starry sky a grin found its way onto his handsome face as he pictured Flynn arriving in Capua Nor finding nothing.
"Unlucky, Commandant, I hope this teaches you that no matter how hard you try, you are destined to lose to those of better lineage" he said feeling victorious as he stood in front of his family home, ready to bask in the feeling of success and superiority.
End of Chapter
And so it BEGINS ;p
So I assume that most of you picked up that it was Michael Lexar at the auction in the last chapter, I did mention a captain, but I bet you didn't think he was one of the orchestrators. Felix is very important, in fact he has a deep relationship with Raven, who has a deep role in this story later on.
What Michael doesn't know is that the trail isn't dead in Capua Nor.
Sorry for the long time to wait for an update I hope you enjoyed.
-Aquilon.
