(a/n: Alright new chapter! Thank you all for your reviews and favorites and everything. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Leave a review, if you feel like it. Big thanks to Lucius Walker for all his help.)
Ch.2: There's No 'I' in Team
Kane tried his best to get some quick shut-eye, but to no avail. He eventually retreated to the upstairs lounge of the Bronze Ox Inn to try to get some peace and quiet.
It worked for about two minutes.
"I'm bored!" Jinx whined loudly in the assassin's ear.
"Then go find something to do," the vampiric assassin grumbled, turning away from the blue haired maniac.
"I tried, but they took away my stuff. I was really looking forward to blowing up some Ogres!"
"We told you that you can't blow stuff up. We're trying to maintain secrecy and not kill any of the villagers. Why don't you go bother your boss?"
Jinx huffed. "He's too busy showing off his fancy new gizmos to the village idiots."
"What about Caitlyn?"
"She's on security detail with Vi."
Kane turned and opened his eyes. Inches away from his face was the blue haired NPC, staring deeply into his eyes.
"What do you want?" Kane growled.
"Entertain me!" she demanded.
"Piss off."
"Come on, do something!" she poked his cheek. She continued poking his cheek, chanting, "Come on!" over and over.
Kane's eyes twitched, and was ready to leap onto her and rip her throat out, but an idea came to his head. He smiled.
"I'll tell you what" the vampire said, grabbing the young woman's finger. "How about you go check in on Caroline. I think she needs some help with clearing out some of the new tunnels over at the Town Hall."
Jinx's eyes lit up. She stood up and gave the vampire a salute. "On it, boss!"
She took off running. Kane listened as her footsteps receded and the front door slam shut. After a few moments, the vampire closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Days like this almost made him miss home. Almost.
As Kane laid there on the couch and tried to drift off to sleep, the vampire's thoughts turned toward his current situation.
It's been almost two months since he and his brother wound up in a new world in the bodies of their in-game YGGDRASIL avatars. Ever since then, they've fought dragons, frost giants, and bandits. They've made a few friends and some enemies. On top of that, the two gained a large following of Demi-humans who practically worshiped the ground they walked on. After being away for a good portion of the time, Gareth decided that they should return home to the Bronze Ox and check in on their NPCs and the village that sprung up in their absence. Kane gladly agreed. While the vampire would've liked to see more of E-Rantel and the rest of this new world, Kane wasn't going to say no for some down time away from humans. Ripping apart a room full of bandits with one's bare hands will do that to you.
The first day home was great. Everyone welcomed them back, showering them with questions and warm welcomes. However, in the following days, the two began to get sucked into the problems that seemed to be plaguing the village. At first, there were issues about minor theft and scuffles, but the problems gradually became more complex. Apparently, the goblins, trolls, and ogres didn't like each other. Actually, tThat's putting it mildly. They all hated each other. The occasional scuffles and arguments became more frequent, and a few evolved into full on brawls, involving goblin vs. goblin, troll vs. ogre, goblins vs. trolls and ogres. Fortunately, the two brothers or one of the Inn's NPC staff arrived in time to stop the fighting before they worsened. Unfortunately, they can't be everywhere at once, and their interference only provided a temporary measure of peace. It took a day, sometimes only hours, for the fighting to start back up.
The only time that the fighting seemed to have stopped completely was when Damien arrived. He used [Gate] to appear in the middle of a crowded road filled with astonished goblins. The Artificer greeted them all normally, as if he didn't appear out of nowhere through a magical gate. The villagers were curious and astonished by his sudden appearance. When they saw Gareth, Kane, and Caroline welcome Damien, the Demi-human villagers all relaxed. At least until they met Jinx. From then on, the goblins, ogres, and trolls all looked over their shoulders for who they dubbed "the blue devil", who enjoys poking her nose into their business and popping up seemingly out of nowhere at random times.
After a brief tour of the village, Gareth and Damien began discussing ideas on how to improve the village. They talked about building a school, setting up streetlights, building a power grid, fortifications and security measures. Kane tuned them out, not really one for urban planning. However, he ended up getting called away to help deal with a brewing conflict between a group of trolls and ogres. From what he could remember, the two groups bickered about territory and who was the strongest group. The vampire didn't care and tried to calm them down, as did Rina, the green haired elf girl who was there before him, trying her best to de-escalate things. Unfortunately, neither side seemed to be listening. They began pulling out swords and clubs, bellowing about how they're going to destroy the other. It was then that Kane had enough. Feeling his temper flare and the urge to kill rise, Kane stepped in between them and threatened them.
"The first one to take a swing dies here and now!" the vampire roared, causing both sides to stop and look at him. An uncomfortable silence filled the space between them as Kane continued. "I will not have bloodshed in the village. Just go home and live happy lives and forget this dick measuring contest. Seriously, killing to see who's the toughest is pointless when I'm clearly the apex predator here."
There were some confused looks, but most knew what he was saying. Most, luckily, stood down. They apologized and went their ways, except for one thickheaded troll.
"You not strong!" the troll growled. "You puny."
Kane gave him a dark look. "Don't push me, tiny. I'm not in the mood for your bullshit."
"I'll crush you!" the troll roared, charging and raising his club. In response, Kane pointed his finger at the charging troll.
"[Aura of Despair: Level One]," was all he muttered, and the troll fell onto his knees, wheezing and shivering at the vampire's feet. It was honestly amusing to watch the formerly arrogant troll begin pleading for his life, and after taking a minute to let out some harsh laughter, he let him go.
Kane watched as the troll scurried away like a frightened cat. The goblins and ogres that saw this happen stepped away in fear as the vampire made his way back to the inn. At first, Kane was satisfied by how he handled the situation, but along the way, he began to feel a little guilty. The sheer terror in the troll's eyes and the fear of the other demi-humans as he passed. Sure, it was kind of badass being feared by everyone and everything around him. However, something in the back of Kane's mind nagged at him. The fear may keep the demi-human villagers from turning on one another, but it may create a different set of problems. For example, what if these creatures set aside their hatred and pride, and focused it onto a single target: him.
He's seen those old classic monster movies, and how the angry, frightened villagers formed mobs and torched the monster. Of course, that is if these demi-humans could even lay a hand on them. Kane wasn't keen on killing all these creatures needlessly, but he will defend himself. For the rest of the day, the vampire shut himself up in his room at the Inn. The only times he left his room was for dinner, and to help settle a few things between Gareth and Damien.
Today, Kane decided that he was bored of his room, and changed for the lounge area of the inn's second floor. He tried to rest, but Jinx decided to bug him. So he decided to send her off to help Caroline.
At the moment, the angel in blue was overseeing the construction of the village's official town hall. It wasn't actually a hall, more like an underground administrative center and bunker. While the brothers were away, some goblins stumbled upon a cave a short distance eastward, toward the mountains. Randor and Osric investigated the cave and discovered some mineral deposits. Gareth and Damien decided to expand the cave and convert some of the chambers into extra storage space, maybe a dungeon and an emergency bunker.
Kane knew that Caroline wouldn't tolerate Jinx's childish antics, and that the blue haired maniac would in turn continue to annoy the overseer of the village. They should keep each other busy for a little while. In the meantime, the vampire can catch some z's. As Kane laid on the couch, his mind brought up images of the men he butchered in the bandit hideout and of the woman they had tormented. Their screams echoed through his mind, making staying asleep difficult - at first.
Kane quickly realized that those screams were bothering him less and less, and no matter how hard he tried to cling onto the sense of guilt and disgust, those screams just became a memory for him - an insignificant memory he was easily forgetting, as if it was just another day. An awful thought occured to the vampire, which caused him to open his eyes and stare at the ceiling.
If he felt this way for a bunch of scumbags and nobodies, would he feel anything if he harmed someone closer to him. Matter of fact, was there really anything stopping him from harming them?
The vampire shook his head and sat up, he smoothed back his hair. He forced those thoughts out of his head. He shouldn't be thinking of those things. Kane's mind then turned toward his brother's actions. Of all the time they knew each other, the vampire knew his brother was a big softie, but he wasn't naive. The more Kane thought about it, he was beginning to see that his brother seemed to be changing as well. Whenever he interacted with the demi-humans of the village, Gareth always treated them with kindness, asking after their wellbeing and if they needed something. Even the most mundane things they did, the bard seemed genuinely invested.
It would seem that the changes they went through were more than cosmetic. The more he thought about it, the more Kane grew worried. He feared that one day he would wake up and kill some innocent person, and not feel a damn thing.
Reaching into his Inventory, Kane withdrew a small glass bottle of blood. He uncorked it and downed its contents. The vampire licked his lips, and shivered as the dark red liquid flowed over his tongue and down his throat, the exquisite taste nearly making him growl in pleasure. Although he was clearly aware of the fact that he was drinking blood, Kane couldn't help but enjoy the sweet flavor. The rich, sweet blood satisfied his thirst like water would for a parched man's throat.
Hearing the front door open downstairs, Kane quickly wiped away the remaining blood from his face with his sleeve. He didn't know why he did that, Gareth knew that his brother needed blood to survive. Maybe it was this strange, vague sense of guilt he was having, about his emotions and about his thoughts about killing his loved ones.
Kane shook his head and got up from the couch. He went over to the balcony and looked out over the inn's common area. Sitting themselves at one of the tables on the ground floor, Gareth and Damien were chattering excitedly about something. Standing beside the door was the raven haired woman, Caitlyn, who was cradling her rifle on her arms.
The vampire frowned at the NPC, who seemed to be eyeing him suspiciously. What was she looking at? At first he was worried that she knew that something was up with Kane, but then he remembered that she was just very protective of Damien.
Kane descended the stairs and went to join his brother and their friend.
"...and what about accountability?" Gareth asked, scribbling away on a piece parchment with a feathered quill. "How do we account for corruption or any deliberate attempts to seize power?"
"I don't know, we could try and maybe put in some sort of oversight committee?" Damien suggested, scratching his chin. "But we shouldn't overthink this. The simpler the better."
"Right."
"What're you guys talking about?" Kane asked, pulling up a seat. "Building a new and better girlfriend?"
"We're trying to outline some laws and a civil government for the village," Gareth explained, not looking up from the parchment.
"Government? Seriously?"
"Well, since we're gone for long stretches of time and can't be here to hold their hands, we should find a way to have the villagers govern themselves."
Kane gave his brother a look. "Isn't that what Caroline and Neremyn for?"
"Yes, though governing an entire village requires patience, nuance and understanding. Caroline can intimidate them and has nearly vaporized a few of the villagers, but that's no way to lead. We want this village to be self-sufficient, to take care of itself and to grow organically."
"From what I've seen, the goblins, ogres and trolls have capable leaders," Damien chimed in, "but so far, they're so divided by old grudges and clan lines that it makes any form of long lasting peace nearly impossible."
Kane nodded slowly, understanding the logic. "I see, and how do you propose to implement this new government? I don't think that these guys would like the idea of a government, or get how it's supposed to work."
"We'll call a meeting and propose it," Gareth explained, setting his quill down and looking up at his brother. "Damien and I have gone around and selected some very capable individuals to be a part of this new leadership. However, Caroline will still be the supreme authority, and will have final say in all decisions."
He pushed the parchment over to Kane and nodded. "Have a look."
The vampire picked up the parchment and scanned its contents. It looked like an organizational flow chart, where Caroline and the two brothers were at the top. Below them was a box marked "citizens council", and beneath them are a dozen different boxes marked "sheriffs." There was some text beneath the flow chart, detailing how things are to be organized and how they should operate.
Kane wasn't sure what to make of it, but from how things were organized, the vampire felt that their little scheme might work.
"Looks great," the vampire said, pushing the parchment back to Gareth. "Can't wait to see how it works."
"To do that, we're probably going to need to leave," the bard said, reclining in his chair. "Besides, we're going to need more gold and supplies."
"Right"
"And we should probably check in on Maggie,"
"Who?" Damien asked.
"His girlfriend," Kane said.
"A friend," Gareth corrected.
"Why?"
The bard opened his mouth to answer but fell silent. After a few moments, Gareth shook his head. "I don't know. I just got this...feeling that we should check in on her, to see if she's okay."
Kane would've made a joke about Gareth missing the red haired young woman, but from the serious look on his brother's face, the vampire decided to let it slide.
Damien looked around them and then to Kane. "Where's Jinx?"
"She's with Caroline over at the town hall."
The door opened and the three players saw the two enter the inn.
Kane's eyebrows rose when they saw the duo. Jinx was currently hugging onto the angel like a squirrel hugging onto a tree, much to Caroline's annoyance. It was honestly a miracle that the two weren't wrestling in the dirt by now, with Caroline doing her best to keep things running like a two hundred pound half-vampire wasn't climbing all over her.
"Please get off of me," the angel in blue asked politely, but the blue haired maniac only hugged her tighter.
"Aw, come on! We're best buddies, and buddies like hugs!"
Caroline looked to Gareth and then to Kane, the words "Help me" written plainly on her face.
While the angel was able to disintegrate whatever she deemed a threat, Caroline was very polite, and did her best to be accomodating.
Kane gave the angel an apologetic shrug.
"Okay Jinx, you've had your fun. You can let her go now," Damien said firmly.
Jinx pouted and held on to the taller woman. "No."
"Jinx."
"Why? I'm just hugging my best friend."
"Yes, but she has a lot of work to do in order to prepare for tonight."
Jinx blinked, and released the angel. "What's going on tonight?"
"Tonight we're going to have a meeting with the villagers," Gareth explained, "and we're going to establish a government and some new laws."
The blue haired maniac blinked and looked to Kane.
"We're going to announce the new boss and lay out some ground rules," the vampire told her.
"Ooh," Jinx said, understanding. "Sounds boring."
"It is," Gareth admitted. "But it'll be essential in keeping this place from ripping itself apart."
"That sounds way cooler, why don't we do that?"
"Because we're here to help, not destroy," Damien stressed, waving at the golems who were assisting in the evergoing construction of the growing village outside the inn. Jinx just blew a raspberry at that, before hopping away to bother something else.
Caroline, visibly relieved, asked Gareth, "Is there anything you need me to do?"
The bard shook his head. "No. I'll review the announcements with you before we share them with the village. In the meantime, I need you to review our supplies and write up a list of what we need."
The angel nodded. "Of course."
After Caroline left to fulfill her duties, Kane got up and went to the window. Outside the inn, goblins, trolls, and ogres went about, carrying building materials and aiding Damien's golems as they fortified the village's defenses and built more houses and buildings.
It was surprising to see how quickly the village was growing. It had expanded some more when the two brothers went on that escort mission that ended with them facing down Shalltear. Apparently, from what Caroline and the other NPCs reported, Vret and his followers had gone out and invited more goblins and other creatures to join the village.
"Come to Providence," was the saying. "Come to Providence and find peace."
There were a lot who took Vret up on the invitation, and the laborers had gone into overdrive, trying to accommodate the influx of arrivals.
Kane spied a goblin monk walking past the inn, leading a team of similarly dressed goblins carrying tools and materials.
The vampire wasn't comfortable with the idea of people worshiping him like a god, he will have to admit that having Vret was a major plus. All the goblins seemed to listen to him, even if some don't buy into his new belief system. Vret actively assisted in the construction of the village, and did his best to calm people down whenever it looked like a fight was going to break out. Even the ogres and trolls respected the elderly goblin.
It's no wonder that Gareth selected him to be part of the Citizens Council.
As Kane returned to the table, he heard Damien talking about what he's been doing since they last saw him.
"Aside from filling out orders for the Dwarf Kingdom and mapping out the Azerlisia Mountains," Damien explained as he reached into his inventory, "I've been tinkering with some new ideas. I think you'll like this."
Out of the little black portal, Damien pulled out a shiny black gun. Kane leaned forward, interested. The Artificer held it up and turned it over in his hands, showing it to his friends. The gun had a long double-barrel made of a shiny black material. Etched into the length of the barrel was a snarling, silver hellhound.
"I call it Cerberus," Damien announced proudly.
"Sweet," Kane said with a grin.
The Artificer offered the weapon to the vampire, who hesitantly accepted it. As he inspected the weapon, Damien produced a fistful of bronze shells and placed them on the table.
"It works like it should in YGGDRASIL, I've tested it out in various conditions and on a variety of targets."
He picked up one of the shells and held it up for the two to see.
"Each shell deals with a different element. For example, this one deals with fire, very handy if you run into a horde of undead."
"Impressive," Kane nodded, before opening the shotgun. He frowned at the two chambers for his rounds. "Reloading's going to be a hassle, though."
Smirking, Damien waved his hand over the gun, and hidden runes began to glow in response to his magic.
"Thought about that, which is why I added these runes here. Whenever you need to reload, just say, 'reload' loud enough for the gun to hear you, and it'll put any random bullets into the two chambers. If you need a specific elemental bullet, however, just say something like, 'Light Reload', or, 'Fire Reload', and it'll give you the specific bullets you want. Pretty cool, huh?"
"Nice," Kane chuckled, "Can't wait to test it out."
"Seems like overkill to me," Gareth said.
"True," Damien admitted, "but after what you guys told me, about that Gonzalo guy and that amulet, it's better to be prepared. Who knows what other things from YGGDRASIL are even in this world. First there was that ring, then the amulet but what else? Who's to say that it's only items that ended up in this world."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't say for certain, but we can't rule out the possibility that creatures and even dungeon bosses from YGGDRASIL may have ended up here."
The two brothers shared a worried look. YGGDRASIL had all sorts of dangerous enemies lurking about. The thought of a very powerful dungeon or event boss enemy suddenly appearing in this new world was terrifying. Some were easy, meant for beginners, but a significant number of them were tough, and required a full party of players working in tandem in order to defeat them.
"If you come across any more items or any creatures from YGGDRASIL, try to record any and all information on them and send it to me," Damien asked.
Gareth nodded.
Kane patted the shotgun. "I'll try, but I won't promise that I'll hold back on using this, especially if it's that succubus bitch from Helheim."
Damien shrugged. "Hey, no arguments here. Let's just pray that none of the World Enemies are here."
The two brothers shivered at the thought. The World Enemies were the thirty-two level-breaking bosses scattered and hidden throughout YGGDRASIL, who were said to be the most powerful enemies in the entire game. Very few players had been able to defeat them in combat, and even fewer were able to find them, which granted them legendary status. Not many people know what happens if one were to defeat them, but the general consensus was that players could attain a World Item. But that was pure conjecture. What was factually known was that if a party of thirty players, all well prepared and at level one hundred, were to do battle against even one of these enemies, the battle would be difficult and could go either way.
As Damien talked about some ideas he had about new weapons and upgrades to the village, Kane thought about Brita. The red haired adventurer who received a red potion, identical to the ones they had on YGGDRASIL, from the Adventurer known as Momon. The vampire thought about the lumbering giant in black armor. He didn't like him or his companion, Nabe. Although the information they managed to get from Brita was sparse, it was enough for Kane to suspect Momon of being a player. If he was a player, which one was he? Of course, the vampire didn't know every player from YGGDRASIL, but there were quite a few who made a name for themselves, for good and bad. If Momon was a player, Kane hoped that he was one of the good ones. If not, then there could be trouble.
Then again, Momon might just be some average joe from this world who stumbled upon that Minor Healing Potion by chance, just like Gareth stumbling upon Olivia's ring and that guy with the demon amulet. Kane liked that idea better. But still, it pays to be cautious.
Night fell, and Gareth, Kane, and Damien were in the town hall. Looking around, Kane was surprised by the progress that Caroline and the others had made.
Only hours earlier, the hall was nothing more than a cave that led into a spacious underground chamber. Now, the chamber was expanded greatly, and the ceiling raised higher and smoothed to a dome. Torches and candles provided illumination. It was large enough to accommodate even an ample number of ogres and trolls. Although it was originally meant to be a mine, the chambers had been expanded and reinforced by Osric and the goblins. A dozen tunnels branched out from the main hall, leading deeper into the earth and connected the hall to newly made storage rooms and a dungeon.
The citizens of the new village had packed the hall to the brim. Everyone crowded onto benches, with some sitting on the floor and others sitting on the shoulders of the ogres and trolls. Despite being divided by old grudges and by tribes, everyone was trying to catch a glimpse of Lady Caroline's master and creator and the "great shadow", which was what some had taken to calling Kane.
Standing alongside the three players on the raised platform before the crowd were Caroline, Osric, and Neremyn, along with Damien's escorts Jinx, Caitlyn, and Vi.
The two brothers were wearing their finest garb. The bard looked like an elven noble, decked out in scarlet and gold, while Kane looked like a vampiric king, clothed out in black and silver. Although they offered to loan him something to wear, Damien politely declined. He preferred the clothes that he was wearing.
The trio nervously stood on the platform, gazing out on the sea of green faces, whose expression ranged from curious to deeply suspicious. In order to keep his cool, Gareth spent the majority of the time admiring the craftsmanship that went into creating the hall. Apparently, Osric had found some eager minds who were willing to learn how to work with their hands and with stone.
After the last of the villagers arrived, Gareth took a deep breath and stepped forward. He stood close to the edge of the platform and raised a hand. The crowd gradually fell silent.
"Thank you all for coming," the bard said, smiling. "We're glad that you came. Now, we have gathered here for a matter of official business that concerns everyone here."
This caught the audience's attention, as some straightened up and others leaned forward.
"Tonight, we've come to announce the formation of a civilian government to, uh, govern the day-to-day matters of the village."
There were some chattering and whispers, along with some perplexed looks.
"I know this may seem strange and unusual, but please hear me out" Gareth said. The crowd quieted down, and the bard continued. "I know that this is not what you're used to, that you'd expect us to rule over you directly like kings or gods. But that's not what we want. We don't want you to blindly follow us or to fear us. We want you to live alongside us. We want you to govern yourselves."
Gareth reached into his pocket and produced a roll of parchment, sealed by a blob of red wax. "This here is a document that lays out the laws by which you will be governed. It also contains the specifications of the government, or the body of leaders that will lead you, and the rights each citizen of Providence has."
Judging from the confused looks and muttering of the crowd, the idea of "rights" and "government" is a foreign idea to them. The trolls and ogres just stared blankly at the bard.
"Oh boy," Kane murmured. He stepped forward and stood beside his brother.
"I'll keep this as simple as possible and I won't be repeating myself, so listen up. My brother and I have a lot of important things to do, often very far away from the village. We can't be here all the time to hold your hands and fix your mistakes. You will have to think for yourselves. You will have to lead yourselves and solve your problems on your own. We have selected the most capable among you to represent you, to make rules and decide what is fair for everyone. Now don't worry, Lady Caroline is still in charge and will act as our representative. She has the final say in everything, so don't think of abusing this precious gift we're going to give you. If any of you breaks the laws we give you, you will answer to me."
The vampire silently invoked [Aura of Fear: Level One] to drive home the point. The frightened expressions and the silence that accompanied them told the players everything they needed to hear.
Gareth sighed and held up the roll of parchment. "Just follow the rules we laid out and everything will be fine. We want you all to live peacefully with one another." The angelic bard invoked [Soothing Aura] in order to counteract his brother's power. Fortunately, everyone in the hall seemed to understand and accept what they were saying. Hopefully.
The rest of the evening went by smoothly. Caroline stepped forward and explained the function of the underground town hall, how it was to be used in times of trouble. She also announced the openings of some jobs in the mines and how those who sign up will earn food rations and some gold. Kane was surprised at how Gareth and Damien were able to set up a payment system for the village. Until they could acquire more coins, the village's economy will have to subsist on food rations and the limited supply of coins that the two brothers brought back from their adventures. The vampire was glad that his brother and Damien spent time playing strategy games that involved very detailed and complex mechanics that allowed players to build and manage their own civilizations at a ridiculous level.
As the meeting carried on, Osric inducted new members into the "Village Security Force", a group dedicated to keeping the peace in Providence and to act as a militia, should they come under attack. After that came the induction ceremony for the Citizen's Council. The council of six members, Two goblins, two trolls, and two ogres stood before the platform in front of Caroline. The angel in blue made them all swear to serve honorably and truthfully for as long as they lived. When they got to the part that explicitly stated the penalty for dereliction of duty or corruption, each of them shifted uncomfortably beneath the angel's withering gaze, except for Vret. The goblin monk seemed to puff up his chest proudly and swear to never fail.
Caroline rolled up the scroll and tucked it under her arm. A serene smile appeared on her face "Excellent," she said. "Now, rise and go forth. Lead these people with honor."
The kneeling council members stood to the sound of thunderous applause. As they returned to their seats, Jinx snickered at them.
"Oh man, I think that troll pissed himself," the blue haired vampire giggled.
"Shh," Damien shushed her.
Finally, at the end of the meeting, Caroline called for the wounded and sick to be brought forward. A large number of goblins and ogres came forward, all nursing an injured or the sick. Once they were positioned before the platform, Gareth cast a healing spell which instantly healed the crowd. One of the injured, a young goblin with a missing arm, regrew his lost limb. This caused a bit of a stir, and the crowd began to cheer for what had happened.
Kane watched as his brother gave the crowd a bow. He smiled. Maybe these changes aren't all bad. Gareth seems to be more cheerful and more willing to help those in need. He was like that before, but this urge to do good seemed to be enhanced by Gareth's new angelic form. It was admirable, really. From what Kane learned from the Adventurer's Guild, goblins and other demi-humans were nothing more than crude and savage monsters. It was widely believed that they were incapable of kindness, mercy, or of building something worthwhile.
But now, standing in this underground chamber filled with this horde of demi-humans and monsters, all cheering and weeping for joy, at the kindness shown to them by the angelic bard, Kane knew there was more to these creatures than meets the eye. If given a chance and a firm hand to guide them, maybe these creatures could build and do something truly amazing.
Kane looked at his brother again and got an uneasy feeling in his gut. He couldn't quite place it, but he got a sinking suspicion that from here on out, things were going to change even more. For better and for worse.
A full moon looked down on the city of Arven. The city on the western edge of the Baharuth Empire glittered with the lights of hundreds of street lamps, torches and candles. In the upper district, which housed the wealthy and powerful, all of the great houses were brightly illuminated and filled with laughter and activity. All save for one. At the edge of the district stood a humble (well, humble for the area) manor. The large house was old and looked in desperate need of renovation. Unlike its fellows, the house was devoid of any activity. There were no parties or gatherings, and there were no lights coming from within, save a single light shining through a window on the second floor.
Through the window was a crowded study room. The walls were crammed with shelves of ancient books and folios. Suits of armor stood in each corner, tapestries and paintings covered every available wallspace. The room was illuminated by a few scattered candles, all melted down to near nubs, and the fireplace, which was lit to stave off the chill of the night.
Sitting behind an ancient wooden desk was a young man of twenty-six with golden hair. Although he was weary, the young man's sapphire eyes were still sharp and had energy. He scratched away with his quill into a red book.
Across from him sat a large, muscular man with bronze skin. The man had short, black hair and wore grey clothing. The man was recounting the day's business, how much profit their enterprise had yielded, and how much product was lost. The young man recorded all this, being the head of their company in Arven.
To an outside observer, it may seem like an ordinary business conversation. The man was listing off a shipment of fruits and grain. However, if one were to notice the black hand tattoo on his shoulder, then they would notice that the hand had eight fingers. To the initiated, one would realize that the man was no ordinary subordinate to a merchant. The large man and his young employer were both members of the shadowy criminal society, Eight Fingers.
"And five hundred gold for that shipment of fresh Southern Blackberries," the large man, named Rider, reported, relaxing into his armchair.
Five hundred gold for the shipment of Black Dust, the young man thought to himself as he scribbled in the final transaction into his book.
"According to Hilma's little lap dog, the next shipment is going to be a little light," Rider informed his employer, crossing his arms. "Apparently, they're feeling that we're not being generous enough."
The young, blond man Lucian rolled his eyes. "Of course. Next time you see that sad excuse for a man, make sure that you inform him that we've been more than generous. After all, who was it that approached them for this little venture, and who was it that takes most of the risk? If that drug addled whore wants to play games, then I can oblige. It's just that I don't think she'll like me very much by the end of it."
Rider smirked. "You got it, boss."
Lucian shook his head as he set his quill in the ink bottle on his desk. Hilma Cygnaeus, one of the chief leaders of Eight Fingers and head of the drug trade, was starting to give him problems. A former high-class prostitute, she was cunning and vicious, though a tad arrogant. She attained her position through years of extensive blackmailing and "servicing" powerful nobles. Anyone who dares to challenge her either fell to her "charms" or were eliminated. Lucian had to admit, the woman was good, but she wasn't as untouchable as she'd like to think.
One day, that arrogance will get her killed. When that day comes, Lucian will gladly dance on her grave, but not before he's had a little fun with her corpse. Although his partnership with Eight Fingers was new, the young man had made a name for himself among the less reputable part of the Empire. He had the Bloody Emperor to thank that. His family had once ruled the region as lords, but when Jircniv ascended the throne, Lucian's family lost everything, especially their titles to their prestige and their wealth. They were left with an empty manor and a few gold pieces to last them through the winter months. But they lost those too shortly after.
If it wasn't for the Bloody Emperor, Lucian wouldn't have seen how the world really worked. His dear father, a kind man who had always treated those under him fairly, was forced to beg like a dog. It astonished Lucian. His father was never cruel and he had treated the people with great care. He provided money for the poor and helped those he could. But here they were, taunting and jeering at him, hurling mud and shit at him in the street. Those disgusting peasants made him grovel and humiliate himself for copper coins.
Although Lucian's father wore a smile on his face, the young boy could see that he was broken inside. All those years of kindness and charity, and this was what he had to show for it. After his mother's death, Lucian had to provide for himself and for his ailing father. That was how he met Rider, who was a mercenary at the time. Rider took pity on the boy, who he caught trying to pick his pocket, and decided to help him. In time, Lucian's father passed away, and the two became inseparable. Rider took it upon himself to look after the boy, and teach him how to survive.
Years later, after learning the ways of the world and traveling abroad, the young former nobleman returned home and repaid each and every one of those bastards for their kindness. Lucian had burned their names and faces into his mind, so that he had a reason to fight on and one day return home to Arven to repay them, which was what he did.
Although he never rebuilt his family's vast fortune, Lucian found solace in the anguish of those who had wronged him and his father. He managed to buy back his family's former home. While he had yet to accumulate enough money to pay for laborers to restore the old manor to its former glory, Lucian did have enough to begin gathering influence.
The young former nobleman rubbed his eyes. "Anything else?"
"Nothing, except for the recent shipment of slaves from the Theocracy," Rider informed him.
"Right, right. How many did we lose?"
"Not many, about four."
"Good. In the morning, go with Carver to inspect the product. Pick out the best, and then tell Sigmund that the House of Silk may have some new product."
Rider nodded.
Although he was a criminal and had amassed a considerable influence over the authorities in Arven, Lucian had to have a legitimate reason for his income. He didn't want to raise any eyebrows with the Imperial Ministry of Finance, after all. Which was why he joined in on the slave trade. It was legal in the Empire, and it allowed him to interact with some of Eight Fingers' agents without raising suspicion.
Most found the slave trade distasteful and it's treatment of living creatures appalling, but Lucian was not so squeamish. There was a job that needed to be done and he was willing to see it through to the end. The young former noble quickly rose to prominence as an adept trader and for having an eye for beauty, which came in handy when the young former noble sold his products to the Red Light district and to private clients who had coins to spare.
The job has its advantages, with one of them being him able to mingle with high society. Despite being looked down upon, a good number of high ranking nobles in Re-Estize and officials within the Empire would approach him to buy a girl or a boy. Some of them were toadies for the Golden Princess. The hypocrites. On top of that, Lucian was free to sample the goods with impunity. Though the slave trade was profitable, Lucian had wanted to expand. He wanted more. Which was when he came into contact with Eight Fingers. He knew that they frequented the slave markets. One day, he overheard them complaining of the troubles they were having in Re-Estize, what with the new laws concerning slavery. The young man offered them his assistance and some ideas on how they can still turn a profit, and the rest was history.
A thought came to Lucian's head. "How about The Green Dragon? How are they faring?"
Rider shrugged. "They're doing good, getting some business with Adventurers and Workers."
"And Maggie?"
"She's doing fine. Nothing's changed."
Lucian sighed as he scratched his chin. Maggie Beckwith. The red haired daughter of an innkeeper, and the only girl who had meant anything to him. They had met, very briefly, long ago. When Lucian lived on the streets and was scavenging for food, he bumped into her. She saw that he was in need, and had given him some bread. It was old and tough, but it kept him going. When he returned to Arven, Lucian went back and found Maggie. She still lived with her father at their humble little inn. He wanted to go in and say hello, to say thank you for her kindness, but he couldn't. The young former nobleman had taken lives and had endured all manner of harshness, but for some reason, Lucian couldn't work up the nerve to go in and talk to her.
The young former noble decided to observe her from afar, until the time was right. For the most part, her life was mundane, but the more he watched her, the more Lucian wanted Maggie. She was pretty, she was kind and pure. He couldn't stop thinking about her!
Eventually, Lucian concocted a plan to kidnap the young woman and make her his. He hired some bandits, most of them former imperial soldiers and Adventurers, to abduct her as she journeyed home from the Northern Coast. Although her father hired a party of adventurers to escort her, the bandits assured him that they could deal with them and take the girl before anyone knew what happened.
None of those bandits returned, and Maggie and her party returned to Arven, shaken, but alive. One of Lucian's men, a man adept in stealth magic, observed them from outside the Green Dragon Inn. From his observations, Maggie and her party were rescued by another party of adventurers, who were later identified as The Good Companions. Lucian couldn't find much on them, other than that they showed up one day, defeated the Winter Wolves, and earned the rank of platinum. They also accompanied that insane old fool, General Zirdam, into the mountains to hunt dragons and somehow survived.
From these feats alone, Lucian knew that this particular group was not one to be trifled with. If they did indeed dispose of the bandits he sent, Lucian will have to acquire Maggie some other way. At the moment, however, the former young noble was tied up with Eight Fingers' business. But that could very well change, should he hear back from his other contacts.
Lucian noticed something in the shadows and felt a slight breeze. He felt his heart jump.
"Continue to monitor the girl and the inn, I want to know if anything changes," Lucian said after a while, trying to keep his cool and not alert Rider to the new, unseen arrival in the room.
Rider nodded. "Got it. Is that all?"
"For now, yes. I'll let you know if anything else changes."
The large muscular man rose from his seat and left the study. A few moments after Rider had left, Lucian turned his gaze to one of the shadowy corners of the study. "You can come out now."
The air shimmered, and a tall figure in a blood-red robe appeared. The figure's features were obscured by a hood, but Lucian knew full well who the newcomer was.
"I thought he'd never leave," the figure said, his voice nasally with a tinge of arrogance.
"How are you, Davernoch?" the young man asked, sounding a little annoyed.
"Very well," the Elder Lich said, lifting his head, his skeletal, noseless face becoming visible in the dim light.
"To whom, or what, do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"What do you mean?"
"Come now, we both know that your loyalties are not so clear as you claim. You serve both the god of thieves and the god of death. As do I."
A half smile appeared on the necromancer's deformed face. "Indeed. In that case, I shall dispense with the pleasantries and get to the point. I have come as an emissary of the Countess and Lord Drizad."
Lucian straightened up a little. In his travels, the young noble had come across a group of necromancers who had promised him great power in exchange for loyalty. Although he didn't believe them at first, he was shown the error of his ways when he attacked the one named Drizad. The Elder Lich radiated power, the type of power which significantly dwarfed Davernoch and made him seem like an amateur. He profusely apologized for his mistake. Fortunately, the ancient skeleton accepted it. The young former noble was inducted into their society, and was allowed to live.
In exchange for money and information, the young man would in turn receive a favor of the necromancer cult. He had only called upon that favor only once. In his quest for revenge, one of his intended victims escaped. The man, a former butler of Lucian's family, had risen to the rank of governor and became one of Jircniv's loyal lap dogs. Surrounded by a small army and in the Emperor's good graces, the man was nigh untouchable. Frustrated, and with nothing else to lose, Lucian called upon Lord Drizad and asked him his favor. He asked the Elder Lich for the man's head. In a week, the ancient skeleton sent the young nobleman his former butler's head in a package, perfectly preserved, and the look of fear still frozen onto his face.
From then on, Lucian never doubted them, and always listened whenever Zurrernorn called for him.
"What do they want?" Lucian asked, intrigued that they sent an esteemed member to his home.
"Apparently, they heard that you have a scheme that may prove beneficial to our brothers and sisters," Davernoch said, sounding impatient.
The young man blinked and he thought for a moment. He then remembered that he sent for them. "Ah, yes! Yes I do!"
The young man opened a drawer in the ancient desk, and withdrew a small, black book. He flipped it open and turned it to a specific page. Inside was a specific date and some notes scribbled inside. Lucian could feel a smile force its way onto his face.
"And what, pray tell, is this scheme that would warrant the attention of our esteemed leaders?" the Elder Lich sniffed.
The young former nobleman looked up at the necromancer, the smile growing wider.
"Tell me, what are you and the rest of our brothers and sisters in Zurrernorn doing on the Emperor's Birthday?"
A curious look appeared on the Elder Lich's skeletal face, obviously interested.
Although Lucian had taken revenge on every last man and woman who wronged him, there was still one last score to settle. He was going to need some extra muscle, and Zurrernorn was looking for corpses. Fortunately, the young former noble had an idea that would satisfy both parties.
Gonzalo Alvirus Hawthorn laid on the itchy, uncomfortable straw mattress, trying his best to rest his tired eyes. Unfortunately, sleep eluded him. The former cleric of the Slane Theocracy tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position, but to no avail. Eventually, Gonzalo renounced his quest for sleep and sat up. Looking around himself, the heretic was greeted by the bleakness and sameness of his dark, windowless cell.
After trying to escape the bandit hideout near E-Rantel, Gonzalo had been taken prisoner by the Windflower Scripture. Apparently, the Cardinals wanted him back so they could kill him themselves. At least, that's what he assumed. The clerics who chained him up and put a bag over his head weren't very talkative. The journey was long and uncomfortable, but it could be worse. He could've been torn to pieces by vampires two times over.
Eventually, they arrived back in the Holy Capital. The heretic could pick up the faint smell of lavender and candle wax as the Windflower clerics dragged him into their base of operations. They removed the bag from his head, and tossed him into the tiny cell where he has resided in ever since. Normal procedure dictated that they'd inform him of when he'd be taken to see the Cardinals. So far, Gonzalo had been sitting in his dark and silent cell for who knows how long, and nobody had come to visit him. After what felt like a day, the heretic began to grow worried. What were they going to do to him? Were they going to leave him here to rot, or did they have something worse in mind?
For a moment, the former cleric missed the company of the demon amulet. Even though the amulet would mock and berate him for being a sniveling coward, at least he wouldn't be alone. Sitting in cold, stony silence and darkness was beginning to eat away at Gonzalo.
He scratched his head and rubbed his aching wrists. The manacles clung tightly to his wrists, cutting off any ability to use magic.
Maybe I should've allowed those vampires to eat me, Gonzalo thought glumly. Maybe then I'll be at peace or something.
It was a ridiculous thought, but the heretic really didn't enjoy the silence and solitude. Death was almost preferable to rotting away in total silence and darkness all alone.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, Gonzalo heard the soft jingle of metal and perked up. There was a soft scraping and a loud click. The door of solid metal swung open, allowing in harsh light, causing the disheveled man to recoil. As his eyes adjusted to the newly arrived light, he saw one of the green uniformed guards of the Wind God's temple, standing in the doorway. The surly looking man stepped aside, revealing two figures Gonzalo didn't expect to see.
"Well, well, look how the mighty have fallen," Cardinal Dracrowa, the Cardinal of Light, sneered.
"Such is the life of one who proudly shunned the wisdom of the gods," Cardinal Lagier, the Cardinal of Darkness, chimed.
Gonzalo shrank a little. Dracrowa and Lagier were two of the least forgiving men on the council. They both called for his execution, and were the most reluctant about simply banishing him. Seeing these two men before him, the heretic was really regretting not letting those vampires eat him.
"C-Cardinal Dracrowa! Cardinal Lagier!" Gonzalo squeaked. "Greetings! W-what brings you around here?"
"We thought we would pay you a visit," Cardinal Dracrowa said, trying to sound sweet. "After all, the life of a heretic is a lonely one."
"T-thank you?"
"Don't thank us yet," Cardinal Lagier said, holding up a hand. "We're here to inquire after a certain amulet that you possessed."
"Oh?" the heretic said, surprised.
"How does it work?" the Cardinal of Darkness asked bluntly.
Gonzalo's mouth opened and closed wordlessly. Where to begin? Although he utilized the amulet a lot in the past, the heretic had a hard time trying to put his experiences and methods into words. After all, the amulet was sentient, and it worked based on feeling. There was still a lot he didn't understand. But that was obviously not what they wanted to hear. The two powerful clerics stood there, looking down at the filthy former cleric sitting on the straw mattress gaping at them like a fish.
"Well?" the Cardinal of Light snapped.
"Uh, w-well, the Amulet of the Demon Queen is an object of pure power. It seeks out compatible hosts to bond with and to utilize its power."
"Hosts?" Cardinal Lagier asked.
"Y-yes. You see, the amulet is alive. It is an entity with a mind of its own. It seeks out those with a great talent for magic in order to form a bond with them and, in time, possess them."
"Yes, but how does it work?" Cardinal Dracrowa demanded.
"W-well I-I don't know exactly. All I know is that it requires concentration and powerful emotions, maybe even a little experience with the amulet. I know it prefers a tarnished soul, but it isn't very picky. It takes what it can get."
"Tarnished?"
"Yes, a-a soul that is dark, one that has committed grievous sins and has stained their soul with darkness."
The two Cardinals shared a look and stepped out of the cell. Gonzalo sat there, his hands locked together and twiddling his thumbs. He didn't know what the hell was going on, but he knew full well that to save his own hide, he needed to cooperate with the Cardinals. If they were satisfied, they'd probably let him live the rest of his life in exile, or in a nicer cell. But there was the chance that his answer may displease them, and he really wanted to avoid displeasing them.
After a few tense moments of conversing in the corridor outside the cell, the two Cardinals looked into the cell.
Cardinal Dracrowa looked at the guard and grunted, "Bring him."
Gonzalo felt his mouth go dry as a pair of green-robed temple guards entered the cell, hauling the disheveled heretic to his feet. They dragged him out of the room and followed the two Cardinals as they led the way up the corridor and towards a door. After making their way through the maze of underground corridors, the Cardinals, the guards, and Gonzalo emerged outside. The cool night air made the heretic shiver. The green robed guards handed the smelly heretic off to a trio of grey armored guards, before retreating into the temple.
The Cardinals, their armored guards and the shackled heretic climbed into the black carriage that waited for them at the bottom of the wide front steps of the Wind Gods' temple.
Once they were inside, the carriage was off like a shot. Gonzalo watched the darkened buildings and the streetlamps of the Holy Capital blur past. It had been years since he was here last. Some streets and buildings looked familiar, but the rest were strange to him. One thing didn't change though; the streets of the Holy Capital at night were as lively as a graveyard. The two Cardinals ignored Gonzalo, but pinched their noses, trying to shut out the heretic's foul body odor.
Eventually, the carriage came to a halt, and the footman opened the door. The guards shoved Gonzalo out, causing him to land face first on the hard, stone street. The Cardinals emerged after. Pushing himself up, the disheveled former cleric looked around, and eventually understood where they were.
"I know this place," he murmured out loud.
"Welcome home, Gonzalo," Cardinal Lagier said, gesturing to the front steps of the sprawling building of marble and brick. "Hope everything is to your liking."
The former cleric swallowed. The building was exactly as he left it all those years ago. The Cardinals had brought him back to one of the few buildings in the entire capital that once meant the world to him: the Institute of Research and Experimentation, otherwise known as the Lotus Scripture's headquarters.
The Cardinals and the guards didn't give him time to process his surroundings. They were on the move once more. The two eminent clerics led the soldiers and the prisoner up the stairs and through the front doors. Inside the grand entrance hall, a dozen lamps provided illumination. The brown robed guards of the Lotus Scripture bowed their heads as the Cardinals led their prisoner through a set of doors on the other side of the hall.
Through another maze of corridors, the group reached a winding staircase and began their descent. Gonzalo swallowed hard, remembering where the stairs led to. Underneath the Institute were a series of laboratories where the Lotus Scripture conducted their most secretive experiments. It was here where Gonzalo first tested out the Amulet of the Demon Queen.
Down they went, down deep under the earth. At the bottom of the stairs, the air was cool and the group discovered a single corridor leading onward. On either side of the corridor were ancient looking doors of metal. Each door was marked with numbers, indicating who owned the lab and what experiment was being conducted there. Gonzalo watched as the numbers slowly counted down until they reached the end of the corridor, to a door marked "Lab 001", it was his lab.
Cardinal Dracrowa produced a key and unlocked the door. Opening it, the Cardinal of Light gestured into the lab.
"After you," he said with a hint of a sneer.
The guards shoved Gonzalo forward, and he stumbled into the lab. Inside, Gonzalo saw that his lab had changed. He didn't expect anything less. Gone were his bookshelves, the tables covered in flasks and bottles and jars filled with ingredients. Gone was any evidence of his presence or existence. All that was in the room was a single table with something on top of it, obscured by a white sheet. Standing in front of the table was a woman in brown robes. She turned and saw the new arrivals.
"Ah, welcome, welcome!" the woman greeted them cheerfully. "Come in!"
Gonzalo walked in, followed by the soldiers and the two Cardinals.
"You must be Gonzalo!" the woman said, grabbing and shaking the disheveled man's hands. "It is an honor to meet you."
"It-it is?" Gonzalo said, unsure what to say.
"Yes, I've read your works, well the books that you wrote before you became a heretic, and I must say, your work was fascinating."
"Oh well-" the former cleric began, but was interrupted when Cardinal Lagier cleared his throat. The two eminent clerics and the soldiers were waiting by the table.
"Any time you would like to join us, Chief Researcher Peddle?" Cardinal Dracrowa said, annoyed.
"Oh, right, sorry," the woman apologized, and stepped over to their side.
Gonzalo sighed, and followed the group. At the table, the heretic looked at what occupied the table. Judging from its size, shape and the faint smell of chemicals and flowers, the disheveled man concluded that the thing under the sheet was a human body.
Gonzalo frowned, before he realized his purpose of being here.
"Wait, do you want me to-"
"Use the amulet to revive this woman? Yes, we do."
One of the guards ripped the sheet away from the body, making the heretic's eyes widen.
"C-Clementine?" he stuttered. "S-she's dead? But what could've kill-"
"We don't know, and assuming you do your job right, we can get answers soon," Cardinal Lagier snapped. "So can you bring her back, or what?"
"W-well, I...I'm more used to taking lives, not bringing them back, but...we can certainly try," Gonzalo stuttered. The Cardinals snorted at this, before one of them tossed him the amulet. He fumbled, trying to catch it, before cradling it in his hands. Despite how the cold amulet was willing to throw him away to the other vampire, it still felt like a blessing to be holding it again. The disheveled man felt a surge of energy and strength course through his body, the pain and fatigue melting away. The discomfort of the manacles on his wrist no longer bothered him.
The heretic studied the pale young woman lying on the table. Her delicate, cat-like features were grey and still. She still wore her revealing armor made from the plates of Adventurers she had murdered, although the armor looked like it had taken some damage and was stained in blood. Her blood.
He had met Clementine once, long ago, back when he was still Chief Researcher of the Lotus Scripture. She had visited their Institute to inquire after some topic or something, he couldn't remember. What Gonzalo could remember, however, was her attitude. Despite being a middle ranked member of the Black Scripture, perhaps the finest and most secretive fighting force within the Theocracy, she had a laid back and uncaring attitude. After he had left the Theocracy, Gonzalo caught whispers of her defection. It didn't surprise Gonzalo all too much, but her crimes certainly made him question her sanity. Not only did she murder some Adventurers, but she also killed the Miko Princess of Earth, a young woman who Clementine had once known. It didn't make sense to him. Then again, few truly understood what goes on in the mind of a madwoman.
Gonzalo did a quick check for any serious wounds or damage to the body before he began. He didn't want to bring her back and have her be crippled from the waist down or anything. The heretic was pleased to see that any damage her body had received had been repaired. When they want to, the Cardinals are capable of doing great things. Once everything seemed to be in order, the heretic got to work.
Clearing his throat, he held the amulet before him, the eyes of the shrieking demonic woman glowed green, and Gonzalo felt power coursing through him.
The Cardinals took a step back and the guards brandished their weapons. The heretic closed his eyes and concentrated. A spell came to mind, a spell that he wasn't familiar with or had ever used before. Gonzalo's eyes opened, and he intoned: "[Resurrection]."
Clementine's body glowed blue-white, her back arching a little. The heretic concentrated on bringing her back to life, and felt a substantial amount of strength and energy flow out of his body. After what felt like a few minutes, the spell ended. Clementine's corpse settled back on the table, and Gonzalo's legs gave out beneath him.
Breathing heavily, the heretic held on to the amulet for dear life, and waited for a few moments as he recovered from casting.
"Did it work?" Cardinal Lagier wondered aloud.
"Just to be safe," Cardinal Dracrowa said, walking over to Clementine's unmoving form. He pulled out a bronze wristband that was covered in strange runes, and slipped it onto her wrist.
The Cardinal of Light backed away and everyone focused on the body. A few seconds passed, which slowly turned into minutes. The soldiers kept their weapons trained on the immobile form. The brown robed woman watched with a mixture of anxiousness and hope.
Gonzalo could hear his heart beating loudly. Part of him wanted the spell to work, so that he can live to see another day. On the other hand, he didn't know why the Cardinals were resurrecting a deranged murderer like Clementine. It'd be better to just bury her corpse and be done with it. However, judging the bronze band on her wrist and the runes etched into its shiny surface, Gonzalo understood that the Cardinals knew what they were doing.
After a long, tense silence, the soldiers seemed to relax a little, and the Cardinals appeared to be disappointed but unsurprised. Gonzalo heaved a small sigh of relief.
Clementine's eyes flew open, and she sat up, gasping for air.
The soldiers jumped and were back on their guard at once. The two Cardinals stepped backward, startled. Gonzalo felt his heart sink, and was beginning to regret leaving his cell.
After she managed to catch her breath, Clementine looked around her, confused and startled. Her reddish orange eyes were wide and frantic.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Clementine," Cardinal Lagier said sardonically.
"Where am I?" the scantily clad killer demanded. "What happened? Where's the Elder Lich?"
"Save your strength, young one," Cardinal Dracrowa soothed, raising a hand. A smile formed on the sinister looking man's face. "All things in good time. For now, [Sleep]."
Clementine looked at the pair of elderly men, recognition appearing on her face, but slowly melted away as the old man's sleep spell kicked in immediately. The scantily clad murderer's eyes slowly closed. She struggled to stay awake, but she ended up lying back down, sinking into a deep sleep.
Gonzalo swallowed, and looked at the two Cardinals.
Cardinal Lagier smiled at the disheveled former cleric. "Congratulations, you've done your country a wonderful service."
"I-I did?"
"Yes. With your know-how and your amulet, you have returned a valuable weapon to our arsenal," Cardinal Dracrowa explained, walking over to the murderer sleeping on the table. He brushed away some hair that was in her face. "In time, Clementine will return to the fold and together, we shall deal with the greatest threat our country has ever faced yet."
Gonzalo didn't know what was going on, but all he could do was nod and pretend that he knew. He sincerely hoped that the Cardinals knew what they were doing. They were powerful and wise, but Clementine was known to be crafty. Their new weapon may very well be a double-edged sword. For some reason, that was how the disheveled heretic viewed Clementine now; A double-edged sword that may end up hurting her would-be wielders more than this unknown enemy.
(a/n: What do you think? I forgot to mention that the lyrics for the song from last chapter, from Shalltear's nightmare, are from The Sound of Music. Anyway, until next time. See you later!)
(References)
(Chapter title): song by Taking Back Sunday