“Who have you saved for me?” I asked as I tried to rein in my rage.
“There are three, Empress,” Saibra replied, and for the first time ever, I detected a slight tremble in her voice.
I stalked over to where the prisoners had already been bound and driven to their knees on the floor. Looking them over quickly, I asked the only relevant question I had for the group of three survivors.
“Which of you are from these lands?”
The lords were not all from Zonnia—some had fled here when Hygan crumbled beneath them. But the information I sought could only come from one of Zonnia’s own—refugee nobles from Hygan were useless to me.
“These are my lands that you’re defiling with your presence,” one of them declared, still full of haughty arrogance, despite his current position on the floor.
“I have no use for these two,” I waved at the pair of nobles who’d remained silent. “Leave me and take them with you. You know what I want done with them.”
Tási and Saibra tried to remain behind, but I forced them to leave as well. I hadn’t tested my unique interrogation technique on a man before, and I was uncertain how things would go. It was not something I wanted anyone to witness until I knew what to expect, and maybe not even then.
“I need just a little bit of information from you, and your suffering will end,” I told him plainly as I stood over him. “Just answer my questions—then you will be free.”
I trailed a finger across his neck and sent a tendril of rage coursing through him as I spoke. I’d hoped that would be all it would take to make the lord give me what I wanted. To my annoyance, he was no soft, sheltered noble. The man that knelt on the floor in front of me was a seasoned warrior, well-accustomed to pain. Even though my tendril made him scream out in anguish, he still looked at me with defiance when I withdrew my influence.
“You’ll… have… to do better than that,” he gasped between ragged breaths.
This was the part I’d dreaded—the thought of inducing… pleasure in this man, or any man for that matter, held no appeal for me. Even in the context of the torture I was administering, I was repulsed by the concept. I had no reservations about ruining this ‘noble,’ but that was not the point. I wouldn’t even consider unleashing my powers on anyone who hadn’t fully earned that fate. It was different this time—my hesitation was more about myself than it was about him. I could deal with what I’d done before to my female captives; it was, in a sense, consistent with who I was. This, however, was quite different. Sending tendrils of pleasure into a man, even as a means of torture, went against the grain of my very nature. Men simply held no attraction for me. Well, one did, and only one. But he was forbidden to me, and I banished any thought of him from my mind whenever my thoughts strayed in that direction.
“Better it is, then,” I sighed reluctantly as I flooded him with a wave of unrelenting pleasure.
The noble had been bracing himself for a second bout of pain and was taken completely off-guard when I struck him with violent passion instead. I’d closed myself off from him emotionally, but just watching his physical response sickened me. His body jerked and spasmed, and he cried out in bouts of tortured ecstasy as the power I’d unleashed inside him overwhelmed every single nerve in his body. Even after I released the flow, he lay twitching on the floor, spilling himself out again.
I waited for him to recover before asking him the question he hadn’t even seen fit to hear.
“You had opposition,” I whispered. “Nobles more decent than you. Ones who truly deserve the title. Who are they and where can I find them?”
He looked at me in utter confusion, completely thrown off by what I’d done to him. But he still remembered the pain I’d caused him, and in his befuddlement, let me see the fear in his eyes for the first time. His glance held more than that—despite the violence of what I’d done, how cruel and overpowering it was, there was a hint of desire in his look as well, and it sickened me even more. There was a truth to be learned in his eyes. For men like him, and in truth, for most men, they cared not where or how they emptied themselves, only that they did. Even if it was in torture.
He withstood my next round of pain, but then, rather than let him sense a pattern to my methods, I sent a third bout of agony into him before I overwhelmed him with pleasure once more. The second time around, the passion seemed to cause him a great deal more discomfort than pleasure, and after enduring the fourth assault of my dark tendrils, he finally gave up the information I sought, verified by the See Truth Spell I cast on him.
The few nobles of Zonnia who’d stood in opposition to their vile brethren had fled downriver to the city of Ayden. There, under the leadership of a Lord Olton, they’d set up a de facto resistance, defying the rule of their former leaders.
Once I had what I needed from him, I slit his throat as he lay weeping on the floor, fulfilling my promise to set him free before I strode out to rejoin my guards and companions.
“The nobles who led our opposition are dead,” I stated simply. “I’m going to offer their followers a chance to surrender before we kill them.”
“What do we need to do?” Saibra was the first to respond.
“Bring the bodies,” I answered her plainly. “And do what I tell you to.”
A large balcony overlooked the front courtyard of the mansion where most of the soldiers loyal to the nobles were gathered, seeing to the defense of their masters. Once I’d given my instructions to everyone, I only had a moment to wait for the final piece of my victory display to arrive.
As soon as everything was ready, we opened the balcony doors and marched outside, in plain view of all those below. Our appearance above the courtyard would likely have gone unnoticed amid all the activities, but for Bane’s roar of triumph from his perch on the roof above us.
As every head turned in our direction, I let the light of my eyes flare again as my guardians and companions slung the corpses of the fallen nobles over the balcony railing.
“Your masters are no more,” I called out, channeling my Charisma into my words. “There is no one left for you to fight for. This war is over; there is no need for further bloodshed. Surrender, and you will not be harmed.”
Several glared back in anger, but nearly all dropped their weapons once they saw the truth of my words. The bodies of those they’d followed were clear for them to see—without the nobles, they had nothing left.
The gates were soon opened, and my own troops rushed in and quickly took the nobles’ soldiers into custody before any of them could have a change of heart. Our victory had come with a cost, the price of which I did not yet know, but it was complete. We had defeated those who’d opposed us, eliminating them down to the last man.
“Stel,” I called to him as I watched the events unfold beneath me. “I imagine that the nobles who fled here brought a great deal of their personal wealth with them. I won’t punish the people or even the Realms for their actions, but I am perfectly willing to confiscate the lords’ individual assets as compensation.”
“I will begin the search immediately, Empress,” he replied eagerly. The thought of gathering loot, even if it wasn’t for himself, always held a certain appeal for Stel, and he relished the opportunity I’d given him.
“It’s time we head back, Dreya,” Venna reminded me. “There will be those who need your attention in camp.”
With the fighting over, save for a few pockets of resistance who hadn’t learned of their masters’ demise, we hurried back to where our Army was encamped. The dead and badly wounded waited there for us, and I had the unfortunate task of choosing among the fallen for the scant few I could restore to life.
Hundreds had been killed, most of them during the battles that raged inside the narrow choke points where they’d been forced to fight through the ambushes that had been set for them. Fortunately, the Curates and those with the scrolls I’d provided had raised the majority of them, and in the end, the final toll we’d had to pay for taking the Realm was re
latively light—just 127 of my soldiers had lost their lives. While every one of them spoke of a personal tragedy, the loss of a loved one or even just the potential life that was snuffed out before having the opportunity to run its course, considering the circumstances, the total was remarkably small.
The tortured decision I faced was who I’d resurrect among the remaining fallen; those who’d been deemed more valuable, a term I found somewhat repugnant, but necessary. Ultimately, no life was more valuable than another, but there were people who were simply more necessary than others. It was just an ugly fact of life, one that I had to accept when I was forced to limit my resurrection attempts to only three individuals.
Most of the losses we suffered were among the heavily armored dwarves who’d been the first to enter the breaches and suffered the onslaught of our enemy’s ambushes. But they were mostly front-line soldiers, and the Curates and others had already attempted their own resurrections on them; there was no more I could do for any of them. I finally chose three from among the so-called critical personnel; one of our Evokers, who’d taken an arrow in the chest, a lieutenant from our spear contingent, and a Curate who had bravely ventured to the front lines attempting to heal the injured. There were others who might have been more deserving, but the wounds they received would have required me to use all three charges of Death’s Embrace, so I chose to raise the three of them rather than restore only a single lost life.
Each came back and opened their eyes with the same confused look I’d seen before. None remembered anything of what had transpired while they’d been gone, but were more than grateful to learn that they’d been brought back. It was a bittersweet feeling to see the three of them restored. There was comfort and even joy in bringing them back, but it was tinged with the sense of regret for the lives I’d been unable to save.
Once I’d done all I could do, I left the infirmary area. It did me no good to see those I couldn’t help, and there was still one more duty I had before I could allow myself the luxury of recovering from the strain of battle.
“Broda,” I said once I’d tracked her down again. “There’s a group of dissident nobles in the city of Ayden. We need to reach out to them, to make one of them the new leader of Zonnia as we did in Hygan. I need you to send an envoy to meet with them and find out if they’re willing to work with us.”
“After this,” she jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the smoldering ruin of Ondale. “I doubt they’ll refuse any terms you offer.”
“You may be right,” I couldn’t help but agree with my Ambassador’s blunt assessment. “But let’s find out for sure.”
That was it—the last loose end I needed to tie up before I could have a few moments to myself. And after all I’d done and been through, I needed those few precious moments.
My darkness and rage had been bled nearly dry during the battle. I’d slung my orbs with true malice and slain with reckless abandon. The effort left me both drained and extremely satisfied, and oddly, to quote Líann, somewhat… stimulated. But Tási could help me with that later…
My first act after throwing myself into the pile of cushions I used for a bed was to open my UI and begin scrolling through what I knew would be a nearly endless parade of messages. I’d killed dozens, probably even more, and Saibra had been quite busy as well. Those kills alone would fill my vision for quite some time, but the Commander’s Bonus effect was also at play, and I had no idea how many kills I’d be getting credit for. Let the games begin, I couldn’t help smiling to myself as the messages began to scroll by.
Valued User: Due to the large volume of your pending notifications, level-up options have been delayed until after you’ve cleared them. We hope this feature enhances your gaming experience.
Experience gained – You have gained 440 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 440 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 770 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 770 XP.
Quest completed — You have completed the hidden quest Blade Master. You’ve defeated a true blade master in battle before becoming one yourself. This is a particularly difficult feat, considering the high degree of skill your opponent possessed. The fact that he was terrified by the creepy green glow in your eyes at the time makes it almost seem like you were cheating. A ‘hack,’ one might even call it. Nonetheless, you have been rewarded with 2200 XP.
Sintári Quest, Control, Advancing – Your companion has feasted on the flesh of one of your own victims, sealing the bond between you. Your Essence is now irrevocably connected to him. He is yours for life.
Experience gained – You have gained 440 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 440 XP
Experience gained – You have gained 770 XP
…
Experience gained – You have gained 770 XP
Commander’s bonus – You have earned party credit for every kill made under your command or the direct command of one of your party members.
Experience gained – You have gained 55 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 55 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 97 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 97 XP.
Boon, Saibra’s Oath – Saibra’s kills belong to you now, and you will receive full credit for every life she takes in your name. In addition to XP credit, you have also received a 1% bonus you may apply to any weapon or armor skill that you currently possess. However, this bonus may not be used to raise any skill above 60%.
Experience gained – You have gained 440 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 440 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 770 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 770 XP.
You have 27 percentage points to distribute amongst your armor and weapons skills.
Quest, The Uniter, Advancing – You have successfully defeated the first Realm to openly defy your rule, in a rather spectacular fashion as well. You have been rewarded with 55,000 XP.
You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 34.
You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to CON and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.
The messages screeched to a halt, and I was able to finally catch my breath. I’d expected a lot, but the endless scrolling of kill credits and the even more weighty quest rewards and notes were more than I’d been prepared for.
The note about Bane was almost too much in itself. We’d already forged a deep bond, but once the impact of the quest hit me, I felt my connection to him more strongly than ever. The note hadn’t said so directly, but I had a very strong sense that he’d been linked to me much like Líann had. Bane would be by my side for life; another constant companion to help me endure the pain of my losses over the many centuries ahead.
The Blade Master quest had a completely different effect on me—in contrast to the weighty news about Bane, I appreciated the humor that had been included in that note. One of the Gods had even bothered to learn something about Second Skin as a game and taunted me like a scorned griefer. I couldn’t help but actually ‘laugh out loud’ at the use of the gamer term I recognized from the dead man’s memories.
Saibra’s Oath had brought me a huge boon as well, but that wasn’t what I focused on as the message scrolled past. With every kill credit she gave me, I felt her pulling me towards her, deepening the connection between us. It was nothing like a true bond, or the connection I felt with my Tári, but there was definitely a strengthening of my link with her that came with every invocation of her oath. Perhaps I needed to speak with her when I was done here—not only about the consequences of her oath, but also about her watching me torture someone the same way I’d done to Ins
leí.
I shook the thought off for the time being and put my point in Strength. I had no idea how many levels I would be gaining, but based on the interesting message that my notes had begun with, and the sheer volume of notifications I’d received, I knew it wouldn’t be just this first one.
You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 35.
You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to WIS and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.
Strength it was again, and the next menu appeared.
You can now choose a new Ability. You must choose one of the following:
Rapid Fire – After firing an arrow, your follow-up shot takes half as long as normal to be fired. Cost – 10 Endurance.
Seeker – Your next single shot has an increased chance to hit. Cost – 10 Endurance.
Body Blow – Your next dagger attack, if it lands, will cause your opponent to suffer an Endurance penalty. Cost – 20 Aura.
Impale – Your dagger inflicts a damage-over-time bleed effect. Cost – 20 Endurance.
Focused Fire – Your next arrow causes increased damage if it hits. Cost – 20 Endurance.
Long Range Shot – Increase the effective range of your bow. Cost – 30 Aura.
Siphon – Advanced Ability – On a successful hit, your arrow bleeds health from its target, transferring a portion of the damage back to you in the form of restored Health. Damage and restoration rates are dependent on proficiency. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 100 Aura.
Companion’s Might – Advanced Ability – Provides additional offensive power for your companion animal. The selection of this Ability provides a permanent boost to your familiar’s attack strength.
Disarm – Advanced Ability – On a successful hit and a failed Dexterity check by your opponent, your arrow causes your enemy to fumble and drop their weapon(s). Chance of success improves with increased proficiency. Modifier – Dexterity. Cost – 100 Aura.
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