Hello once again! It seems as though the last chapter got much more reception then the prologue, which is understandable. Not knowing how the story will go, and how long the opening is tends to do that. I still like the opening chapter, and it gives insight into the type of world Architect comes from, how his actions may differ based on his new world, and what kind of personality he has.
I see that quite a few have read both chapters but very few have followed/favorited. That is fine, but I am curious as to how many actually enjoy this story. If you end up liking the story as I continue, I encourage you to follow/favorite, not only to know when I post new chapters, but also so I can see just how liked this story is.
To those who already follow/favorite, thank you for the support. I know the story is strange from the start, but I am glad you enjoy where I am already taking it.
Architect's Spell List:
Cantrip (Non-Cost, Introductory Spells): Mending, Thunderclap, Dancing Lights, Message
1st Level (Simple Magics): Magic Missile, Thunderwave, Sanctuary, Feather Fall, Cure Wounds, Identify
2nd Level (Novice Spellcasting): Mirror Image, Blur, Shatter, Vortex Warp, Enlarge/Reduce, Kinetic Jaunt
3rd (Standard Spells of a Caster): Haste, Lightning Bolt, Hypnotic Pattern, Glyph of Warding, Dispel Magic
4th (Intermediate Spellwork): Resilient Sphere, Fire Shield, Greater Invisibility
5th (Difficult Spells to Cast): Greater Restoration, Wall of Stone, Wall of Force, Passwall
Artificers like Architect are unable to cast anything above a fifth level, due to their focus upon the imbuements of magic and their dedication to craftwork being more of their expertise.
I plan on reveal a bit more about his abilities each chapter I post. I hope that knowing what spells he has gives some insight into his talents. If you are curious, I use a Draconic to English Translator for his spells, and DND Forum of Spells to have full descriptions on his abilities and spells. If you are curious, more information is on my profile.
With that out of the way, onto the chapter!
"I was built to protect the innocent...and slay the wicked..."
The grip was too tight...too tight! He felt like his spine was splitting. His body could no longer shake and toil, his mind grew cloudy, even as the tears poured from his eyes. He wanted to plea for mercy, to outrage at the unfairness, to threaten this foreign monster with the power of the crown! He had too much to live for! He was Yorrick Von Selastine of-
"And I have decreed that the child is innocent."
*Crack*
Chapter 2: Build A Pyre
Rifana dare not move. Her arms were tired from holding on, her dress ripped at the folds, and her sleeves covered in sap and pine needles. Her legs were numb around the trunk, the bark scratching at her calves as she folded them as best she could around the base. Her exposed sock chaffed against the branches. She did not move.
All she could do was stare at the forest floor, her eyes glued to the shielded man who unceremoniously threw the Melromarc soldier to the side. The body hit the floor, their neck twisting around at a horrible angle, supported no longer by the foundation it was attached to. She sucked in a small breath at the sprawled out form, looking at the man who tried to capture, then kill her only moments ago. Unmoving and still, chest no longer heaving.
The figure turned and faced towards her, and her grip tightened, even as her arms burned from the strain. "Little one, it is safe now." Called to her, deep and monotonous. The words shifted through the plating of his helm, distorting it to sound almost artificial. "I apologize for throwing you earlier, but it was a clear means of ensuring your survival. I hope you understand." Rifana didn't move, her eyes drifting over the form of her 'savior', then back to the man he just killed.
'Should I come down? But what if he is going to kill me too!? Then why did he save me from being captured earlier? I don't know what to do...Raphtalia would know.' At the thought of her friend, the weasel girl sunk in on herself, looking past the trees to her village.
Obscured by trees and foliage canopy, she could make out the edge of Lurolona. She could see movement still active within the village, even from this distance, but not much else. 'Raphtalia..."
"If you require assistance getting down, just jump. I will catch you." The words ripped Rifana from her gaze. The little girl looked back to the ground, where the tall warrior stood under the tree. They raised their arms up, seemingly waiting for the girl to fall into their arms. Rifana was nervous, her hands barely moving away from the base of the tree, only enough to where she could peer down and have a better view.
She was high up. If she were to guess, probably around 10 meters up. No, probably higher. The thought of falling once again terrified her. "H-How..." Her words came out shakily. She grit her teeth, ears flicking on her head as her anxiety mixed with stress. "H-How can I trust you?"
The figure did not move, only seeming to stare her down. Their helm covered all traces of humanity, but even so, she could feel the confidence of the stranger. "Because I'm a hero, and heroes protect the innocent, no matter what." Rifana sucked in a breath once more.
'A hero...' Rifana stared down at the stranger who had just killed several men, their hands still covered in droplets of dried blood, and their armor in tatters. Their visage more that of a gladiator fresh from war, or a mercenary intent on carnage.
'A hero...' Rifana's grip loosened around the tree, and her legs came free. She pushed off, and was flying once again.
Tsairaah shifted his position as the girl fell from the tall pine. Not wanting to waste what magic remained in his systems, he prepared his hands, fanning fingers wide to catch the small payload. He bent at the knees, ready to take the gravity of her descent. She fell further and further, gaining speed through the air before coming within distance of his hands.
He felt weight fall into his arms, and shifted on a foot. Swinging around as the girl came down, he redistributed her kinetic energy, rotating and tucking in, letting his body absorb. Truth be told, she was not heavy in the slightest, compared to what he was used to, but didn't want to take the chance of her getting whiplash or cracking any of her bird-like bones.
Swiveling, he brought himself to a stop, the girl held within both arms and pressed against the remains of his chest plating. Her hands gripped around his arms, a pair of little rodent-like ears atop her head pressed to her skull. Her eyes were closed, her body shaking in his grip. However, seconds passed by, and the tenseness in her shoulders relaxed, her grip softened, and her eyes finally opened.
Tsairaah could see it. Not too big, but a glimmer of hope returned to her eyes. "As I told you." His words being let out with as much softness as his cords would allow him. "I protect the innocent. That includes everyone, even you." He crouched low, allowing her to bring her own feet back to the ground. Her hands apprehensively removed themselves from the armor they held onto. They separated, the difference in height now being more apparent to both of them. The 4'2" height of Rifana, including her ears, was dwarfed by the 7' 1" mound of metal that stood a few steps from her, who stood back to their proper height upon letting Rifana go.
As Rifana's eyes drifted over the figure, drifting more often than not to the battered shield on his left arm. "Now then." Rifana's attention darted to the head of her savior. "Would you be able to tell me what is going on within your village?"
Edge of Lurolona
"Round them all up! Check every hovel and mound of dirt these animals might hide in!" Said troops nodded their heads, continuing their search for any slaves they could find within the decrepit village. He watched as several attempted to struggle against his men, only to be brought down with harsh justice befitting the beasts they were. A demi human male was stomped on with a light metal boot, making them gasp out in pain, then forced up to their feet towards the carts.
Alderforth Karrow, Sergeant and Officer of the Royal Knights of Melromarc, looked around with satisfaction. Him and his men had hit a jackpot with this one! It served him much honor to finally get rid of this stain of a settlement.
Alderforth looked back at the caravan of people/goods his men had been able to round up. While not as many as he had been hoping, it was still a proper payday. Seemed as though many had been killed off during the Wave, which both saddened and invigorated the human warrior. He grinned towards the adults within the nearby cage, appraising many of them before shaking his head. He doubted that most of them would live past a few weeks of work, depending on which business or Lord decided to buy them.
He then looked to another cage, seeing those of younger age within. Now these ones would be of higher value. Forever young, so long as they didn't gain experience, which would make them popular for some buyers. They were naive, moldable, and easily broken, unlike the adults. Child demis could be anything you wanted them to be. He noted a girl with brown hair within, looking around at the other carts near her. Perhaps trying to find another brat she associated with, it mattered not to Alderforth. He let out a huff, turning towards the village that looked worse for wear, even before his Company arrived.
Alderforth didn't know why the Queen bequeathed a whole region to a bunch of mongrels. Ever since the war with Siltvelt, it was in the betterment of society to just eliminate or enslave all of the remaining demis. They were less than human. What their kind did in the war was disgusting, much less how they treated prisoners-of-war.
The Queen made a mistake, in Alderforth's opinion. Allowing these people to act as though they were a peaceable people within the lands of Melromarc; it was just asking for Siltvelt, or even Shieldfreeden, to use them as a forward base in the future. While neither kingdom bordered the lands this village was near, they could always retreat to this location if they were pushed westward. It was for this reason that many soldiers in Alderforth's Company had a low opinion of the Queen's decision.
"Sergeant, we rounded up all of them. Separated them into different trolleys based on where to take 'em too! Squad 4 was seen running for the edge of town in pursuit of a girl, so they should be back soon." A soldier with a gritty smile looked to his commander, as if waiting for his 'due' praise. Alderforth nodded, a smirk forming on his features as the man moved away.
His thoughts went back to the Queen and her decisions. He and his Company still respected her, of course. She was an exceptional leader, and her actions saved the kingdom. Not only as a diplomat, but as a fighter too! Her policy on trade, infrastructure, and domestic affairs were harsh, but fair to all. Coupled with Lord Seatto, who was another strong leader for Melromarc, the kingdom was set for success as long as they held control. But her ideals on demi-humans did little to help those who lost so much to the mutts during the war.
Which was why Alderforth was quite pleased to be given such a 'unique' mission. A lack of communication regarding Lord Seatto made the situation all the more enjoyable.
He would really have to thank King Aultcray for bestowing him with such an honor. To be able to finish what should have been started years ago was euphoric, in a sense. The King even graciously offered a small commission to the Company for each slave they acquired, which meant they shouldn't kill any of them, but would receive a good compensation for showing undue restraint.
Alderforth's thoughts simmered down as the air seemed to cool. The heat of the moment and the thrill hanging about seemingly choked, replaced with eeriness. The noise that accompanied suits of armor died down, soldiers abound slowing or stopping.
Alderforth felt a presence to his flank, and turned to the offending aura.
It was tall. Even from this distance of 40 meters, he could tell the man was giant in size, his height not fitting with the setting of homes that were arranged around him on the road. The figure was dressed down in an impressive, but tattered suit of plate. It was covered in soot, grime, and blood, with slashes and bent in pieces clamoring over each other whenever they moved. A Visored Barbuta helmet was cast over their skull, the eyes unseen behind, holding mystery and intensity. It was bent as well, with a rather large dent being of note on the right hand side of the front, though partially pushed back out. Their hands were behind their back, possibly hiding something that Alderforth had yet to see. The figure wore no ornate pieces upon their armor, no coat of arms, or rosary. An unmarked warrior, who looked like they had fought in war just a day ago.
If only Alderforth knew.
He leveled a glare at this mysterious figure. What he got in return were words. "Is there leadership among these soldiers of Melromarc?" The words cut through the air, and Alderforth took a step forward, brandishing his longsword towards the stranger in broken armor. Following his que, about another two dozen men pulled their weapons, prepped for combat. They all looked upon the man, whose hands shifted from behind his back.
"I am an adventurer who goes by the name Tsairaah. I was hunting down a powerful beast that alluded me. It brought me to a forest not far from here, but by the time I arrived, it seemed to have eaten several soldiers of similar armor to you." A hand slowly pulled away from their back, revealing a ruined kettle helm that was splattered with blood. He tossed the helmet to the floor in front of him, it rolling towards the feet of a nearby soldier. Alderforth's gaze narrowed at the stranger.
"You expect me to believe some random foreigner telling his tale about a beast killing me men?" He pointed his blade at the tall figure. "Even if what you say is true, your failure led to the death of my men." To the surprise of the Company, the stranger nodded their head, bowing to all of them.
"You are correct, their deaths are on my hands." It spoke with a steady, almost cold voice. "I was unable to stop it from killing them, nor a child they seemed to be accompanying." The stranger brought forward their second hand, revealing its contents.
Behind the Company of Melromarc knights, several gasps and cries could be heard by those already in cages. Those who were just outside twisted around from the soldiers who held them, especially that of a younger individual with blue and white hair. They look at the object with despair, tears budding in some of their eyes at another loss within their community.
Near the front of the cart closest to Alderforth, a little girl's heart stopped, her eyes glistening with tears. She sucked in it as much as she could, not wanting to cry. She grit her teeth as her gaze locked onto the adventurer's hand.
A blood splattered, torn pink dress was held in 'Tsairaah's' hand. The adventurer began making steps forward, closer onto Alderforth and the caravan behind him. "It seemed to have killed her first, seeing her as an easy target before moving to your men." Alderforth glowered at the approaching form.
"You not only cost me my men, but also important goods! As a Sergeant and Officer of the Royal Guard, I could have your head!" His words seemed to bounce off of the rickety plate, which still made steps towards him.
"You are 100% correct, once again. I have cost you your men, and your important goods." Alderforth flicked his open hand, his fingers dexterously moving through combinations of orders. His men nearby nodded curtly, passing on the message to those further away as softly as they could. Troops slowly wrapped around the figure, their positions closing in on the stranger who stalked deeper into a circle of blade.
'Who is this adventurer? I have never seen him in Melromarc. He doesn't even seem to have a weapon on hand, though his arm is donned with a broken shield. If he is from Faubrey, it might not be good to kill him. King Aultcray is from there, and Melromarc has solid relations with them. On the other hand, if he tells the Queen, should he ever meet her, she may investigate what happened here. That, and we have enough justification to at least arrest him and give him punishment.' A thought seeped its way into Alderforth's mind, a grin morphing on his face. 'Oh, now that's an idea.'
The figure was now but 15 meters from Alderforth, completely surrounded on all sides by soldiers. Whether he knew that or not, his expressions were still concealed by his armor, his movements having yet to wane as he walked towards the Sergeant of the Company. "Adventurer, for your actions of allowing an important piece of product to die, as well as the death of several Melromarc soldiers, you are under arrest." Alderforth's grin turned despicable. "As your punishment, you will take the place of the product you allowed to die."
The figure stopped, now but 10 meters from Alderforth. His men were all in a wide circle, their swords, spears, and maces also aimed towards the man in the middle. With no response, his feet were firmly on the ground, not but whispers uttered from his frame as the soldiers took small, cautious steps towards him. As they grew closer to 'Tsairaah', some could make out bits of muttering from under his breath. They could not make out what he was saying, some thinking he was making a last prayer. Hands seemingly flinching around, making small movements that caught the attention of those around them.
"What is he saying?!" Alderforth demanded, looking to the unmoving mound of metal standing in the center of his soldiers. "Well!? I can hear him muttering, what is-"
"Dos Di Inhelk (Wall of Stone)!" With all of the power left in himself, his armor, and his soul, the figure casted his magic forward. His magic, small as it was at this time, pooled into his last ditch spell. He left nothing to remain except the ambient power of his Thunderous Fist. The armored hand shot forward, palm outstretched towards Alderforth.
More specifically, behind him.
The ground rumbled from under the troops. Out from nowhere, a ten foot tall wall made its presence known, shooting up from the dirt pathway, hard and unshifting. Soldiers who were close by were forced to jump back, some dropping their weapons or the prisoners they held onto. The action seemed to separate jailor from captives, wrapping all the way around the caravan with no stop. The horses startled within the quickly closing barrier, having not the time to escape before they were trapped in as well. The steeds bucked and screeched, claustrophobically contained in the barrier as they were still attached to carts. However, they now had nowhere to run.
Alderforth looked to the new defense in place, his eyes filled with shock and rage. 'He's a spellcaster! I should have known something was amiss.' He turned to his men, who were just as flabbergasted as himself. "Soldiers, kill this man! He is attempting to-"
Alderforth felt a sensation wrap around him, gripping at his body and soul. He felt it pull, wrenching him towards 'Tsairaah' with power. His feet slid against the ground, boots unable to stop the pressure that overtook his body. He screamed out as he was pulled towards the tall stranger. As soon as he was close enough, a gauntlet snatched him from the air, grabbing around his neck and squeezing at the armor and flesh that was within the grapple.
The strain on his neck pressed his throat to his chain shirt, the scale male plates around the back of his neck folding and shifting from the weight placed upon them. He choked out another order, demanding his men kill this monster.
"Pray for salvation, for I will give none." Alderforth's eyes looked to the side of 'Tsairaah's' position. His expression turned to that of terror.
A massive gauntlet flew towards his face, shaking with unrelenting power.
A resounding scream shook past the walls which constrained all the demi-humans. Next to be heard was the call of war by dozens of voices, then the clattering of metal against metal. The people inside the cages shook around, the horses they were attached to bucking and refusing to calm. Neighs of distress mixed with the noises from outside of the wall, only adding to the anxiety of the situation. People pressed against one another, some in comfort and others to stay standing within their dancing cages.
Just outside of one of the cages, having yet been pushed in, Keel looked around at the mayhem. They looked to the wall that now separated them from the soldier who gripped them but seconds ago. Not wanting to let this opportunity slip, they moved to the horses in front of the caravan. Getting close to one of the manic horses, Keel cooed the creature, which continued to buck unhappily.
Several others just outside of cages began to take the same initiative, trying to calm down the horses as chaos spilled out from just outside of their new prison. The dozen or so horses that were trapped with them began to calm when those more experienced with livestock got involved, placating the larger creatures with slow actions. Taking their focus off of the closed walls, the horses began to slowly relax. Every now and then, one would shift around in nervousness, but quick action by those trapped outside the cages stopped the derangement.
"What's going on? Where did this wall come from?"
"Why did they put this barrier around us? Most of us are already captured?"
"Do you think they might be trying to save us?"
"Maybe they're trying to take us from the soldiers to make themselves some money."
"Could it be one of the heroes? I know the Wave was just a day ago, but maybe they were summoned in haste."
"They said it was a monster hunter. You know how they see us in Melromarc."
Keel looked to the inside of the cages, seeing almost all of their villagers held within. They looked around frantically, seeing if maybe a soldier had dropped the keys in the creation of this strange rock wall. Their eyes darted around, trying to take in any form of shine or glint of metal on the dirt paths that led into Lurolona.
A glimmer of sunlight met their eyes. Keel immediately turned to it, their eyes soaking in the appearance of an abandoned shortsword, its tip barely lit up as the rest of it was concealed by a stony shadow. Running over to the edge of the wall where it lay, they picked up the blade, the heft of it surprising the ten year old looking child. Looking over the blade, Keel's attention shifted to the gates on the cages, vision zeroing in on the keyholes, then back to the tip of the blade.
Keel ran to the nearest cage, taking in the children and young teens trapped within. All of them looked upon with hope, and Keel found new strength light within them. Taking the hefty blade, they jabbed the piercing end into the gap between the lock and the cage wall, before pressing their weight perpendicular to the frame. They shoved hard, pressing their feet against the railings of the cage with all the power in their body. Grunting, they placed all their weight onto the sword, the blade bowing at the pressure being levied on it.
Keel pulled back, removing the sword from the gap with a frustrated huff. They looked to the warped blade with anger, then back to the gap which hardly moved, despite Keel's efforts. Before Keel moved to try something else, a gut-wrenching howl broke around the stone, nearly shaking it with the agony exuded.
Turning back towards the wall, Keel's ears flicked on their head, wondering what kind of fight was happening. The clashing of metal continued, with the sound of blades striking against something else. The squelching sounds that occurred every so often brought Keel's mind to dark places, but would be quickly pulled away by noises that were even closer. The sound of what could be a hammer pounded into thick ground, followed by a noise a chicken makes when a person grabs them around the neck.
Something, no, someone smashed against the stone barrier, the sound of metal and body sliding down the exterior, and no longer moving. The sounds continued for several more minutes, even as Keel continued to try and break locks or pull smaller children through the tight bars to no success. Horses shifted around unhappily, making the carts jostle. This added to the anxiety of the prisoners, who were oblivious to what was occurring.
The noises began to dampen overtime, the sounds of battle growing softer. The amount of traded blows slowed, to the point of maybe a grunt being heard, or that of a yell, then clattering of metal. It could be heard from over the wall that apparently some tried to flee, only for their scream to be pulled back, followed by a resounding crunch. Many of the children covered their sensitive ears as the noises continued to assault their senses.
Silence...
Within one of the cages, a little girl noted the calm, finally having the strength to pull herself from the ground. Her mind still reeled at the bloodied dress placed before her eyes, the pink pastel fabric making her tense at the thought. 'Rifana...' Even so, she looked past others within her cage, eyes shifting to the still present walls that had been placed around the caravan. She could hear nothing beyond the huff of horses, the creaking of wheels. A slight wind fluttered around the walls, making a whistle be the only thing left for their minds to focus on.
A moment later, the sound of crunching, followed by more silence. A scream of agony, a plea, followed by emptiness. It continued for a few more minutes, before tapering off once more.
The villagers all tensed as a soft thud pressed against the walls. Air was sucked in, and eyes all drew to the noise.
*Bam!*
*Bam!*
*Bam!*
*Bam!*
*Shatter*
Rock exploded out, those unfortunate enough to be close by being forced to cover their mouths or breathe in the dust. An armored hand gripped at the edge of the new exit/entrance, the rock crunching under their grip. From behind the puffs of smoke, a figure crouched forward, bending their body to enter inside of the passageway. Their tall form dwarfed all of the other inhabitants, seeming to look around at all of them, be it caged or not. Blood dripped from their armor, flicking onto the ground of the dirt road path he stood upon.
He was covered in cut, slashes, and jagged strikes made upon his metal frame. His helm had a slice going from ear to chin, unevenly coasting over the protective layer that guarded his face. Steam seemed to come off of his form, layers of plate armor cracking and grating against one another with each movement. His chest did not heave with exhaust, however, only his body telling of what just occurred to it.
With slow movements, the figure brought their other hand up, a hand which harnessed a broken shield. Within its hold was a set of rather large keys. "Allow me to assist you with your escape." And like that, the tension seemed to evaporate into nothing.
One by one, each cage was unlocked. The occupants inside rushed to their freedom, many embracing each other once more as soon as they were out. The confines of the wood and metal boxes no longer separated children from parents, brothers from sisters. The citizens of Lurolona waited as each cage was opened, their savior going to each cage to give freedom to them.
Several began to make movements towards the blown open hole in the wall, only to be stopped by the stoic voice. "Before you leave, I have a request." Those who moved to flee, turned towards the battered warrior, concern written on their features. "Have the adults go out first, and clean up the mess. I don't desire for children to witness what occurred." Many blanched at the words, their minds going to the sounds of torture and battle that happened moments ago. Several individual adult demi-humans nodded their heads, mainly men, who proceeded to walk towards the exit with trepidation.
Another cage opened, and several children rushed out from inside. Those with families fell into tight embraces, mothers and fathers tearfully rejoining that which was almost lost. Those without, collided with friends and neighbors, letting them know they still had people who cared about them.
Raphtalia looked upon the giant warrior as she stepped out of the cave, their massive form overshadowing her own, even as he moved away from her prison and towards the next. She took in his form, soaking it in with her eyes as his back faced her, even more dents and wounds noted upon his form. He moved slowly, as if out of steam, but no panting or exhaustion to be of note.
"Raphtalia!" A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into a tight hug. A head pressed against the side of her shoulder, pressing her further into the loving embrace. Raphtalia felt blue hairs on Keel's head tickle her cheek. She lifted her own arms, both of them finding a home around Keel's own torso. She dug her nails in, as if trying to affirm that this was no dream.
Keel made no response, even as the grip became painful. They held on, pulling the shorter girl even closer. The two children stayed like this for several moments, basking in each other's presence once more.
Tsairaah looked to all of the occupants now freed, nodding to himself at the completed task. He proceeded to walk towards the exit he created moments ago. As he did so, the people parted out of the way, seemingly taking in his form. He had no idea why, as his current armor was in pieces, and his equipment had yet to be restored to proper capability.
"A-Are you the Shield Hero?" Tsairaah stopped near the exit, slowly craning his neck around to face the people. Standing among them was a tiny girl, comparable to the one he had saved previously. She had brown hair, coasting over her thin shoulders and simple clothes. Her hand was clasped in the hand of another child, who seemed to have blue hair and boyish features.
"I do not know what this 'Shield Hero' is." Tsairaah said truthfully. The girl looked a bit saddened by the words, her friend looking down at her with concern.
"T-Then, who are you?" Another villager requested, many now looking to Tsairaah, awaiting an answer. Tsairaah turned his head away from the people, crouching back down and through the hole. He gave a sideways glance to all of them, light casting through the opening, glimmering off of his ruined armor.
"I am just a hero, doing what's right." And with that he left, shifting and bending to walk out of the hole.
Rifana waited patiently by the edge of the village, her curiosity being quelled by the directive given to her not half an hour ago. "Stay here, watch the soldier. If someone other than me comes this way, run." Rifana nodded her head, standing next to the treeline of the forest, watching her village from afar.
She had been able to pick out some things from a distance. She watched how a wall of some kind went around part of the village edge, then a bunch of screams and some shaking. After that, she heard crashing noises and some other stuff, but not much else. She was just a bit too far away. It prodded at her desire to investigate, wanting to see what her savior did to the rest of the soldiers.
She had seen what he did to the other four soldiers. He tried to hide it from her, maybe for her own sake, but it bothered her little. She knew it sounded cruel and mean, but she couldn't help but think they deserved it. The way her savior killed them all, the way they died. After the way they treated her, and what they planned for her. No, she held some guilt about it, but didn't feel remorse.
"W-Where am I...hey... Hey!?" Rifana turned to her side, her eyes casting upwards. Dangling a few paces from her, a Melromarc soldier was bound up, shaking about like a wild animal that got caught in a trap. He hung upside down, his head about a meter off of the ground leaving his hair to dangle. A spear was stabbed a few more steps away, his helmet placed atop it, as if to mock him. He bucked and shook, his head bouncing up and down from the weight he put on the thick pine that held him up. But to no avail, the branches held firm, keeping him stranded.
"You! Your little bitch! I swear, I'm gonna kill you once I'm out!" Rifana just continued to watch. Her mind supplied her with confidence that the rigging would not fail. After all, her savior had made it. His hands were bound behind his back, one which tied fervently around a fractured arm. He let out grunts of pain as he struggled, tears building in his eyes as he continued to try and free himself. Droplets splattered to the ground, going up his forehead, which grew redder and redder from blood and stress.
"Y-You better let me out of here, damn it! My company Sergeant will enslave all of you worthless beasts, you hear me!" Rifana bit her lip, not knowing what to say as he rabidly continued his tirade, pain and hatred evident on his face as he continued.
Then her eyes caught movement at the edge of the village, walking towards her with slow, but wide steps. Rifana beamed, jumping up and waving over to the approaching figure. "Mr Savior!" She yelled out, flagging the hero down to her location with glee.
The soldier looked over to the edge of the village as well. Unlike Rifana, however, his face turned to that of shock and horror.
Many within Lurolona had felt as though reality was tilted in every which direction. First, with the Wave of Calamity devastating their community, leaving many without homes or families. Next, with Raphtalia's call to action, reinvigorating hope into the people to take what was broken and breathe new life into it. This was followed by the arrival of the Melromarc soldiers. The very same guards who were supposed to protect them, instead rounding them up like cattle to be sold.
To finish off the myriad of ups and downs, hope and despair, a stranger appeared. A massive warrior, who bound them in a wall, then proceeded to free them. The man who took on a whole Company of Melromarc knights, wielding only a shield on his arm and a set of tattered armor.
Those who went out of the wall first were able to bear witness to his carnage. He gave no sympathy to the soldiers, ripping them apart with little regard to their ability to live on. Even after they began to clean up, the blood that caked the walls and the piles of flesh that were torn from bodies were left abound. The corpses were dragged away from the village's edge, taking close to the cliff sides to be disposed of later. It was only after most of the gruesome aspects were removed, that the children were let out of the wall. Even so, it was a sight to behold for many of them, some becoming sick at the prospects of what battle took place.
The hero then returned moments later, carrying another soldier over his shoulder. What surprised many was the little girl that accompanied him. Her blonde hair shined in the sun, a pair of weasel ears twitching on her head. The underlayers of her dress were exposed to the wind, her hand clasped around the index finger of the much larger man as she trotted in pace with his wide steps.
Raphtalia ran out from the crowds towards her best friend, who broke away from the hero at the same time. The two tackled each other into a hug, both girls filling with joy as more tears desired to flow from their eyes. Another broke from the crowds, sprinting out and joining them in the embrace from behind. Both Rifana and Raphtalia happily let Keel into their hug, joyful laughter filling the air around them.
After the reunion of friends, which was witnessed by many of the community with fondness and love, the hero just seemed to walk by it all. He tossed a bound and gagged soldier to the side, letting his unconscious form slag against a pile of hay. The hero continued past all of the people and families, crouching back inside the walled off region from before.
To the shock of Lurolona, the sounds of carnage continued within that barrier.
A sickening crunch of bone, the shriek of a dying animal, followed by several more. Families moved away from the walled off area, fearing what was occurring within. More sounds of anguish, the sounds of terrified beasts, the neighs of distress. Carts and trolleys jostled around inside the barrier, but nobody dared look inside.
It continued for a few more beats before he stepped back out, encroaching from the opening and looking to the now frightened populace. "Take the horses and bring them to the edge of your oceanside cliff." He stated monotonously. "Remove the armor and anything of metal from the soldiers, then do the same with them. We will burn everything, then scatter the bones into the water. Use the wood from the prison carts as a base for the pyre." His gaze seemed to stretch to all of the people in the village. "If these men are under orders from a king, then nobody can know what happened here. Have some of your people work on cleaning the blood. I will assist with the horses." And with that, the tone of the day shifted once more.
The people of Lurolona packed the corpses of the horses into the prison carts as best they could. Bludgeoned and broken neck bodies slumped around within the confines, several men working together to get them in for the short journeys. Bugs were quick to action, trying to savor a meal before the opportunity was lost. Three people to a cart, they traveled to the cliffside edge of their community.
Men and women looked on with concern and trepidation, but continued with the requests of their hero. Younger children set out with rags and buckets full of dirt, using the former to clean anything they could, and the latter to cover what they couldn't. Young adults and teens took the initiative of removing armor from the soldiers, taking helms, chest pieces, and blades from all of the men at arms. Some gagged at the aspect of touching the corpses, but few relented. They piled the metal into a pile, before dragging the unarmored bodies towards a budding pile.
The horses and carts soon joined them. The whole cage and all was rolled onto the pile of soldiers, the heavy weight of the horses dangling out from the confines they were never meant to inhabit. In joint unison, carts were tipped over onto the Melromarc knights, crushing the already dead. Bones cracked under the pressures that were laid upon them, and many looked away with disgust, happy their tasks were done.
Tsairaah helped bring the last of the horses, pulling the last cart in before shifting it onto the rest of the pyre. The villagers of Lurolona looked to him once more, most of them suspecting what came next. Dusk drowned out the sun, signaling the coming end of the day.
A torch was lit, and was passed to Tsairaah. Looking over the bodies, he lit up the wood of the carts first. Placing more torches in key spots, the wood began to burn, new flames flickering through the material. The wood began to blacken and crack with time, before running up the interior of the cages. The flesh of the horses began to burn, their hair sparking an inferno to take up the rest of them. Tsairaahstarted flames even lower then, ripping apart some left over parts of wood from carts and ruined buildings. He placed them onto the flames, arranging them close to the soldiers at the base of the pyre. Their linens and wools were engulfed, followed by hair, then skin.
The whole pyre glowed brilliantly, smoke and ash billowing high into the air, destroying the evidence of what occurred this day. Tsairaah watched on, even as the villagers moved away. Children were collected by mothers, friends convened and pressed close to one another.
Rifana, Raphtalia, and Keel held hands as they slowly walked away from the flames, every so often looking back at the hero who was illuminated by it. Raphtalia looked to Rifana, then back to the hero. Keel nudged both of them forward, making their way back to the ruined village.
Burning bodies shined brilliant light onto a jagged stone. The names carved into it were emblazoned under the glow of melted flesh, watching over the passing of cruel men from this world.
(End Chapter)
Dos Di Inhelk: Wall of Stone
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Keep in mind, Tsairaah/Architect is a powerful character, but he also went up against fodder. Most of these soldiers, while not specified by Rising of the Shield Hero, didn't seem to be above the status of standard troops. Melromarc wouldn't send elite troops to collect a bunch of underpowered demi-humans, especially after losing their strongest to the Wave of Calamity.
Architect will not be overpowered. He will be strong, but there will be opponents that make him work to beat, and others he can't win against. At least how he is now.
That being said, don't forget to follow/favorite, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. See you in the next chapter.