by Tamryn Tamer
“Told you,” Count Royce said as they approached the scene. “He’s a fucking murdering traitor.”
Slade panted as he looked up at the night sky. He was dizzy and on the verge of passing out, his mental strength deteriorated to almost nothing from casting two grand magic spells. Even his physical condition was deteriorating due to his mental exhaustion. But his job wasn’t over. He still hadn’t paid back the fucker for raising their hands to Hestia.
“I have to admit,” Count Royce said, approaching slowly as Slade backed away. “You’re just as fucking impressive as your reputation says you are. Slade the fucking slicer. You do not disappoint. I mean, eleven fucking royal guards in under two fucking minutes! Wow!”
“I’m disappointed,” the Holy Knight next to him sneered. “The man’s a traitor and I personally can’t wait to make him squeal on his fucking masters.”
“Right,” Slade panted to himself. His job wasn’t over. “I may be a traitor but I’m nobody’s fucking lackey.”
“Excuse me?” Count Royce said. “What’s that supposed to mean.”
“I’m saying that I’m acting alone!” Slade announced loudly for all of the witnesses to hear, grinning like an idiot. “I killed your cunty little friends because they serve the coward Magnus Law. The man who hides behind his pathetic fucking army while abusing the people of the fucking Zira.”
“You are acting on behalf of your master,” Count Royce said, pointing his blade at Slade as villagers looked on. “Don’t try to…”
“You think I’m that bug-fucker’s subordinate?” Slade laughed. “You must be joking. My reputation speaks for itself, doesn’t it? Did you forget what I did in Laven when those cowards from Balar came in and bashed the skulls of the people!” Slade roared so everybody could hear. “And now the cowards from the capital, servants of the cunt Magnus Law come into my fucking city and drag innocent people to prison? Did you think I would allow it!?”
“I see how it is,” Count Royce said, gesturing at his men to approach with him. “You’re protecting your master.”
“I told you I don’t have a fucking master,” Slade said, stepping backward. He needed to time his attacks right if he was going to have his revenge before he died. “I’m the bastard of a whore-fucking noble who rose through the ranks by riding a sea of fucking blood. I’m Baron fucking Slade!”
“So what?” Count Royce signaled to the men behind him and the spellcasters and archers took aim. “That might actually be intimidating if you weren’t on the verge of passing out.”
“I’ll teach you to fear my name,” Slade smiled as an archer loosed an arrow, he deftly swatted it out of the air. His focus was going but physically he could rely on his reflexes to take a couple more of them out. It made sense that they would keep their distance since they likely wanted to take him alive for interrogation. It was a mistake to think they could. “Look at yourselves! terrified like your cowardly master leeching off of the wealth and power of the people of Zira.”
“He has a point, don’t you think?” a familiar voice said, stepping from an alley way. The grey-haired old fuck was dressed in his finest silver armor and a black wyvern skin coat. He was carrying a drawn longsword in one hand and lit cigar in the other. “Not about Herald Law, I can’t really speak about him. But about you, standing back with your men instead of facing him like a man.”
“Commander Grey,” Slade chuckled. “Shouldn’t you be at home? Or at least getting the fuck out of the city?”
“Probably,” the old bastard said while stepping forward, placing the cigar in his mouth as he looked the men over. “But all of the commotion woke my wife and wouldn’t you know it, the good woman that she is insisted that I come and see what’s happening. Although, had she known it was you Baron Slade, she might have let me stay in bed.”
“Ambassador Grey, you have no business here,” Count Royce said, scowling at the old man. “Go back home. This is none of your concern.”
“I’m making it my concern,” Commander Grey said, pointing his sword at the knight. He took a long drag of his cigar before putting it out on his chest plate. He placed the remainder of the cigar in his coat pocket for later. “There’s a young girl I mentor who’ll go all sorts of crazy if anything happens to Baron Slade. Given how fucking crazy she already is that’s saying something. I honestly don’t know what the fuck she might do.”
“I said stand down,” Count Royce growled. “You pathetic old man.”
“Leave him alone,” a villager yelled from their window.
“That’s William Fucking Grey! Show some respect!” another villager shouted as more began chiming in.
“If the Southern Spider’s on Baron Slade’s side then so am I!”
“You’re the ones invading this city!”
“Slade’s a fucking hero! He saved Princess Isabelle and protects Princess Fiora!”
“If he’s killing you then you probably had it coming!”
The shouting continued as villagers streamed out of nearby taverns and shops to yell at the royal guards. Several of Blackwater’s soldiers began showing up as well, weapons drawn as they moved to support Commander Grey.
“Commander,” a soldier said, taking position beside him.
“Ambassador now,” the grey-haired man said while staring down the royal knights.
“Oh,” Count Royce laughed. “Oh no. Commander Grey, are you really going to allow all these people to get killed? Do you really think a bunch of level twenty soldiers and level ten peasants frighten us?”
“Can’t control what other people do,” the old bastard answered. “If they want to get involved, they’ll get involved. Never asked them to. If you start killing them, that’s on you. Personally, I think men as strong as you could easily handle things without killing them. But that’s just me.”
Count Royce waived at his elementalist and pointed to a small group of men standing outside of the tavern shouting obscenities. Without hesitating the elementalist sent a fireball directly at them, burning the low-level peasants before they had time to react. Suddenly everything was silent.
“Ha,” the Holy Knight standing beside Count Royce laughed. “Serves them right.”
“Anybody who remains will be charged with treason,” Count Royce said loudly.
The people quickly scurried away as quickly as they came.
“I could have told you that would happen,” Slade chuckled as he focused on his opponents. “There was only one way this was ever going to play out.”
“You can go,” Commander Grey said to the city guards holding their position behind him. It was obvious they’d changed their mind as the number of supporters dwindled. “No hard feelings. Everybody’s got families.”
“Sorry Commander,” the soldiers apologized as they backed away slowly until Slade and the commander were alone in the middle of the street. “I’m so sorry.”
“Ain’t nothing to be sorry for,” the old man said as he stood beside Slade.
“You can go too,” Slade said, pushing the older bastard’s shoulder. “I’ll handle things here.”
“You look like a strong wind will knock you on your ass,” Commander Grey said. “Can’t really leave you like this and you’re in no condition to run. Even if you could, nobody’s going to let you out of the city.”
“I know,” Slade said. “Which is why I’m not fucking running. Fate put these boys in front of me you know. They’re the ones who raided the embassy.”
“Ah,” Commander Grey laughed. “I suppose some god or goddess somewhere is laughing their ass off right now then. Huh?”
“I’d offer you a chance to surrender but it’s kind of pointless,” Count Royce said. “You know that you’ll be dragged into a cell, beaten, starved, tortured, and eventually executed. I suppose I’ll offer it anyway.”
“I’ll make you an offer,” Slade said, laughing as he stared at the royal guards. He pointed at Count Royce and the Holy Knight standing next to him. “Your life and the life of that sof
t cunt there in exchange for the lives of the rest of your soldiers.”
“Really?” Count Royce said, glancing at the Holy Knight. “Me, I understand. But why him…wait…oh…Slade…you were already at the embassy when we arrived, weren’t you? That’s too funny.”
Slade focused on the two men as they watched him just as closely. The other royal knights were beginning to spread out behind them, the ranged units taking aim at him and the old bastard next to him. Slade was admittedly impressed by the old fuck, not even blinking as the soldiers trained arrows on him. The old cunt might not have been over level thirty, but his balls were level fucking ninety.
Slade couldn’t think of a better man to die with.
CHAPTER 19
“Help!” a royal guard screamed at the top of his lungs as he came running from the north, collapsing in the street as his body melted away until only an armored skeleton was left.
“Sir?” the other guards looked toward Count Royce for answers. “What the fuck did they do?”
“I don’t fucking know,” Count Royce said as he stared at the skeleton as green smoke rose from the bones.
“I warned you,” Commander Grey said, shaking his head. “This stupid fucking bastard is mighty special to a really fucking crazy woman.”
“What?” Slade said, glancing at the alley the guard came running out of.
“What the fuck is happening?” a royal guard said as another royal guard stumbled into the street, screaming as his flesh turned green and melted away.
“Fuck if I know,” Count Royce answered while taking several steps back.
The soldiers looked at each other and then back at Slade before finally deciding to focus on the north and prepare for whatever was coming. Another pair of screaming guards rushed into the street, their bodies literally turning to mush as they struggled to run and crawl away.
“Hel…”
The soldiers waited, taking defensive positions as a cloud of dark smoke flowed from the alleyway. Deep within the cloud a pair of demonic emerald eyes glowed as a cloaked figure stepped out of the alleyway like a demon emerging from the gates of hell. Three black vials crashed on the ground in front of the guards and two of the men began to petrify as the others rushed away from the gas.
“Hestia,” Slade whispered in disbelief as the beautiful elf rushed toward him as the royal guards fired off several arrows in her direction. Slade dashed to intercept the arrows, striking them from the sky before they could hit the elf. “You shouldn’t be here. You’re supposed to be…”
“Thank the goddess you’re safe,” Hestia said, wrapping her arms around him, her hood falling down and revealing her pointed ears. “I saw the light and then I heard people yelling about how you were going to be killed and I came as fast as I could my love.”
“My love?” Count Royce glanced at Slade as the elf embraced him. “I fucking knew it you fucking traitor.”
“Are you alright my love?” Hestia asked, inspecting him. A guard appeared from the alley she’d come from and she quickly threw a small green marble at his feet. The glass ball shattered and released an innocuous puff of emerald gas. The soldier reflexively jumped backward, avoiding the cloud of emerald smoke that rose from the ground like a flower blooming in spring.
“What the fuck…ugh…no…I moved…” the man held his throat as a faint emerald glow began pulsing beneath his skin. He glanced at the other soldiers for help but they all stepped away as he moved toward him, terrified of his touch as the green glow spread. “Help! Hel…” the royal guard gurgled as his body boiled and flesh melted away leaving a green puddle beneath an armored skeleton.
“Stay back!” Hestia shouted while presenting another emerald orb threateningly. “I’m taking my darling and leaving! If anybody tries to stop me, I’ll kill them!”
“What the fuck kind of poison is that?” Slade asked, while staring at the puddle that used to be a person. “And how the fuck can it do that to a level fucking fifty?”
“I would think a man from Laven wouldn’t ask that question,” Commander Grey said nonchalantly.
“Alchemists don’t need to be high level,” Hestia said. “We only need high quality ingredients.”
Slade stared at the emerald-eyed elf, wondering how he could have missed it. The old fucker was right. Slade was from Laven and he should have realized it sooner. He grew up with murderers and assassins that used poison every day in their work. A petrification potion, a deadly poison there, a paralysis toxin, and hundreds of other potions were used to kill higher level enemies.
The alchemists in Laven were dangerous men and women. You would have a drink with them after a dispute over payment and find yourself coughing up blood ten days later. And Hestia was better than any alchemist he’d ever seen.
“Now!” Count Royce shouted as two archers fired arrows at Hestia. Slade quickly moved, parrying the arrows with his dagger, nearly missing as he struggled to maintain his focus. It was practically a guessing game as to which arrows were real since he was seeing double.
“You shouldn’t have come,” Slade said, attempting to stay conscious as his mental state continued to deteriorate. “You’re in danger…”
“No!” Hestia said stubbornly. “You’re in danger and I can’t have you getting hurt. You’re going to marry me and give me dozens of babies!”
“What the fuck is this?” the Holy Knight that’d smacked Hestia laughed. “You’re fucking that demi whore? Is that why you wanted me dead? Were you upset that I gave your little bitch a tap? I knew you were deranged Baron Slade but I didn’t know you were an elf-fucking degenerate as well.”
“Oh,” Hestia covered her mouth while glancing at Slade, realizing she’d said something she probably shouldn’t have. “I’m so sorry! I…”
“What of it?” Slade said, smirking as he stared at the guards. “She’s a better woman than any of the fucking cunts I’ve fucked before. And she managed to kill a bunch of you royal fucks despite being thirty fucking levels lower. She has you cowardly cunts trembling in your fucking boots, doesn’t she? If you ask me, any woman who can make a bunch of high-level royal cowards like you piss themselves is a worthy fucking woman. Don’t you fucking think?”
“Slade,” Hestia smiled while using her free hand to dig in her satchel, revealing the outfit beneath her robe. A steel brassiere and what appeared to be iron fucking underwear.
“What the fuck are you wearing?” Slade whispered as he pulled her robe shut. Her armor was more suited for the bedroom than actual combat. “Where are your fucking clothes?
“Um,” Hestia blushed. “This is my armor. I picked it out at the orc blacksmith in Pluma. It’s the same as the ones all of the orc women wear. Is there something wrong with it?”
“Not if you’re an orc,” Commander Grey said while watching the soldiers. “Their muscles are like steel. They normally only wear armor that covers their sensitive bits. Elves have a few more sensitive bits than orcs.”
“Oh,” Hestia said, clearly embarrassed. “No wonder they were giving me weird looks when I picked it out.”
“We’ll talk about that later,” Slade said. “How many of those green balls do you have?”
“Not many more,” Hestia said. “There were lots of guards outside of the embassy so I had to use a lot.”
“Fuck,” Slade growled focusing on the royal guards, his vision blurring as he focused on the two priority targets. “Okay, give me what you have and…”
“No,” Hestia said as she handed him a golden vial. “You should drink this. It’ll give you energy.”
“What is…” Slade shook his head. “You know what, it doesn’t fucking matter.”
“Good,” Hestia said, waiting for him to finish the vial. “That should last long enough for us to get out of here.”
“They’re not going to open the gate for us,” Slade said, wiping his mouth. “And I have two soft nobles to carve up.”
“We’ll take the smuggler’s exit in the demi part of town,” Comman
der Grey said, gesturing the direction Hestia came from. “Hestia knows where it’s at.”
“You do?” Slade said, glancing at the woman.
“Madam Gardenia told me where it was in case there was ever an emergency,” Hestia said. “Follow me.”
“Like fucking hell,” Count Royce said while signaling for his archers and elementalist to take aim. “Kill them!”
“Fuck…” Slade’s heart felt like it might explode as he not only regained focus, but felt more attentive than he’d ever felt before. His body burned like it was being torn apart as the blood coursed through his veins so fast that he felt he might ignite. Before he knew what was happening he’d parried three arrows while dodging a barrage of ice lances. “What the fuck…”
“What the fuck indeed,” Commander Grey said rushing north as Slade covered them. He quickly followed behind as the guards chased them. “What did you give him?”
“Ragebloom extract,” Hestia answered. “But don’t worry it’s perfectly safe for you to take!”
“What?” Slade said, as they sprinted north. It was no wonder he felt like he was falling apart, just the pollen from the shit she gave him would send monsters into a murderous frenzy. Giving him a fucking refined extract, his heart might actually fucking explode. “What part of fucking Ragebloom is safe!?”
“For you!” Hestia said reassuringly while leading them down a side street, the royal guards following behind, firing magic whenever they felt they had a shot. Slade paid special attention to them, looking for an opportunity to take the heads of Count Royce and the man that struck Hestia. “Because of your resilience to Red Reaver extract and they’re from the same family of plants.”
“The fucking poison?” Slade said worriedly. “I don’t have resistance to fucking Red Reaver!”
“But you do because I’ve been putting small doses of it in your food along with…”