"I'm more valuable alive," I said with difficulty. Even though I didn't breathe, it seemed I still needed my throat unhindered to be able to speak.
"You? How could you possibly be more valuable alive than dead? I will put on a show of your torture and put your head on a spike so everyone will know what happens to those who disrespect me."
I tried to speak, but his hand was holding me tight. I tapped it lightly and he loosened it a little. "Anyone can kill a disrespectful man, but few can break one."
He looked at me with contempt and a little bit of interest. "Speak up."
"You cannot effectively torture me because I'm a Traveler. Everyone knows that. I can kill myself anytime I want and resurrect far away from you. Well, what if you broke me? What if you flogged me publicly, put a slave collar on my neck, then led me to a cave where you supposedly ordered me to go earlier? What if you freed me there and dared me to run? What if I not only came back, but I also brought you the head of the king gabat that is terrorizing the nearby plantation? What if I did that meekly, begging you for forgiveness?"
His silence was all I needed to keep talking.
"At the same time, you would show your gratitude to this Ambrassa." His eyes shone even brighter than before; he really hated the woman. "A few will mistake it for weakness. Until I come back, that is. Then, people will wonder: if you have so much power, why do you show needless gratitude? They will see that while you are merciless to those who do you wrong, you also reward well those who help you, even if there is no love lost between you and them. When people start doing things here and there for you simply because there is the possibility of payment, you will thank me.
"Pay some of them well and publicly and soon all the turncoats in the opposing factions, and all the unaffiliated vampires in the city will come to you. They saw the gift you gave your slave..." I nodded to Eternal. "...who has no real political value to you; they'll wonder what you would give pure-blooded vampires for some real help."
His fangs had retracted and his fury had been replaced by... Curiosity. He moved from over me and recomposed himself, going to sit back in his chair. "Those are interesting theories, deathlord. But should your plan fail, I'd be weakened."
"Only if you are as dumb as you look," I said as I lifted my chair from the ground and sat on it, massaging my throat. "Play it as if she was begging your favor by giving you the potion and you will gain power. If you paid attention to what I said to the vampire to make him help, you will realize it was fear of you that did it. Don't you wonder why Ambrassa's minions would be afraid of you? Like I said, a few shall mistake your generosity for weakness in the beginning, but as long as you play it right, you can quell such talk even should I-" I stopped mid-sentence, noticing the way my speech was changing. This was going too far. "Even if I ran away. And if I do, you can just send someone to kill me quietly."
He was tapping his fingers on the desk, looking even more curious at me. "Why do you antagonize me, deathlord?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Wanna be pals, now? Well, if you need a reason I suppose giving you a mirror might suffice." Shit. My parents' finger prints are all over me. I must stop. "I mean, should be enough."
"No. I had taken you for a fool, but you are clearly smart enough to know the dangers of antagonizing me, while at the same time realizing the necessity of being less than severely offensive. If for no other reason than because I could kill you anytime I wish. Still, you persist in walking the hard path. Why?"
Because you are a damn slaver and a liar.
"Woah, you are even slower than I thought. Ok, listen. Me: beautiful, awesome. You: ugly. Beautiful not go well with ugly." He closed his eyes, clearly controlling himself. "Now, get me a pain reducing potion already, I have a beating to attend. And could my slave collar be blue? I like blue."
Eternal had been shifting where he stood and decided to speak before Marbareus could reply. "Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why? Why save her, why do this for her?"
"Because she saved me?"
"But she has been antagonizing you since our first fight!" He said exasperatedly. "She refused to tank, she kept giving orders about being silent and properly reporting and whatnot."
I frowned. "You sounded impressed by her before, not annoyed."
He shook his head. "She is a very good fighter; I'll give her that. But I'd not throw my loot away and get publicly humiliated for her! We barely know each other!"
"I... I don't know what you expect me to say. It's not about liking her, it's about... How can I explain this to you?" I closed my eyes. Everything had been pretty straightforward to me. "Look, she saved my life, I save hers back. The streets don't forgive ungrateful shits and this world has been just a little better than the places I used to hung out at."
"But the only reason you were fighting in close range was to make it easier for her! You don't owe her anything!"
"Dude, that's not how things work. We were fighting together, that means something. Look, I know you are not the fighting type, but show some respect, alright? I don't have a lot of lost love for Daggers, but she saved my ass. Why do you even care so much if we barely know each other?"
He crossed his arms. "Whatever."
I turned to Marbareus. "Now, questions."
"I see no reason to answer any questions you have, deathlord."
"Yeah, yeah. You like my idea of a public beating, right? It saves me from being killed and you from being humiliated. But what would happen if I yelled about our agreement in the middle of the beating?"
His eyes shone. "You wouldn't dare."
"Listen, mister vampire, it's nothing personal. Well, it is, but I don't want the password to your safe. I just want some questions about the Underworld and Valia in general."
This was a unique situation for me. For the first time, I had leverage over him but it would go away as soon as the beating finished. He needed me and I would do almost anything to not die, but he didn't know that.
'Missed opportunities are the greatest losses in politics and the market. Show no mercy for your enemies, for they will not show it to you,' father used to say.
Marbareus looked silent at me for a long time. "Speak."
I smiled. "First, what the hell is wrong with you and the deathlords?"
He closed his eyes. "Are all your questions of this type?"
"Yep." I was sure that if the vampire in the plantations had been a little more politically powerful, he would have killed me. Marbareus would not show me the same mercy if I pushed him too much, so I'd have to tread lightly and not abuse my advantageous position.
He considered me for a few more seconds. "You are playing a very dangerous game, deathlord. I didn't have a good opinion of you before but you're slowly making yourself my enemy. Are you sure you want to force me to be your general knowledge teacher?"
I had already decided to kill him somewhere in the future, so I lost nothing by having his enmity. "Sure thing. So? The answer?"
He laced his fingers over the table. "Religion, history and geography." His voice was businesslike all of a sudden. "Your species claim to be the first to become undead, which is an offense to our god creator. We, vampires, and you, deathlords, have fought each other countless times. And we want supreme control over the same country."
"See, did that really hurt? Now, why do you fight for the same place?"
"The Underworld is divided into four big sections: north, south, east, west. Dakar is in the center. It is the most defensible country because of its geographical advantages and the richest one because of its location."
"Huh? Couldn't people just excavate around and create market centers there?"
"They could. They would die. No few wars were fought over market share supremacy."
"Makes sense, I guess. Wait, does that means everyone hates you?"
He smiled. "Everyone fears us. We are the most powerful country in the Underworld and we are not afraid to use our power to keep the position."
; "Holy shit, they do hate you. That's why everyone hates me?"
"You are an unbound. We hate all deathlords and the deathlords hates you. The other nations might not despise your existence, but only idiots would show sympathy for the enemies of Dakar. Or the Resistance, of course."
"But when I chose an unbound, it said I had diplomacy neutrality with almost everyone."
"I heard the deathlords are looking for you specifically. They are keeping the reasons secret; I don't believe they'd go to such lengths just because you killed the Renno woman. Whatever you did, you inconvenienced them more than normal, which bodes ill for whoever takes you in. If you had been found by any nation other than the drow... Care to enlighten me as to why you are so sought after?"
I ignored his question. I knew what Marbareus was doing: he was trying to make me lose my focus. No way in hell that I'd let him.
"Alright, then. And if you hate the deathlords so much, how the hell did you end up with a joint country?"
"About five centuries ago, the werepeople invaded the Underworld. We hate them more than we hate your people and war ensued. Much to our shame, we were losing. We allied ourselves with the deathlords to win and expel them from our caves."
"Werepeople? Why do you hate them?"
"They betrayed us when we still lived in the Surface world. It's their betrayal that made us come to these gods-forsaken caves in the first place."
"What did they do?"
"It is not spoken of. No threat will make me speak of it." He had a solemn tone.
"Okay. So, you allied with the deathlords. If they were strong enough to turn the tide of war, why the hell didn't they kill all of you after that? Or just expel you from Dakar? Hell, why didn't they enslave you all? You guys seem to love this slavery shit."
"You just blundered past the reason. Only vampires can create ghouls. We didn't see their usefulness long ago, but the deathlords agreed to let us stay in Dakar as long as we provided a very large quota of ghoul slaves to them every year." He looked sideways to Eternal. "They corrupted us with it and I want to end such shame in our society."
He's not even trying, how the hell can't Eternal see through this?
I tried to think of other questions, but that was enough for now. Everything made sense and I only wished I had met someone to explain this stuff to me earlier.
How messed up was a place that forced me to blackmail my enemies for basic information?
Only one thing was left to ask.
"I need my pants fixed and new boots."
He looked at my legs. "Not only fixed; you will need new pants. I can't have my slaves walking around in such a sorry state." He said it matter-of-factly. The more he spoke about slavery the surer I became that he had no intention of freeing any slaves. "Give Eternal the money and he will see to it."
I did. "That's all, for now."
"Tardas is coming. He will bring a new ring for you."
"Huh? Why?"
"Did you forget when I said the lords can see through your illusion? Doing what you did to me, and being an unbound deathlord, I should have you killed, tortured, or given to the bound deathlords." He said the next words as if they hurt him. "The lords will have to believe you're a turned."
I smiled. It meant I would still have some leverage over him.
Actually, it was only fair. His position would get much stronger after my advice about spying on his own clan.
It was basic politics, but he had received it as new information. I guessed there was a limit to how far an AI could go unless specifically programmed for it.
I just hoped I hadn't made him even more dangerous for me.
* * *
The worst part of it wasn't being chained half-naked in front of a crowd of vampires and ghouls. Neither was the smell of rotten food that had been thrown across my whole body, nor the taste that wouldn't leave my mouth. No, the worst part was listening to Marbareus' speech.
"...and so it should be known that the First Lord is not one to be trifled with, and his name not to be used lightly..."
He had been going on for ten minutes already and I had to try very hard to keep feigning fear. Amazingly, Marbareus had broken through the anti-boredom system of Valia and I even had to suppress a yawn. After five more minutes, he finally called Tardas to start the punishment.
I had downed the pain nullifying potion before coming and we did as agreed. In the first few lashings, I didn't scream and provoked Tardas to hit harder. By the sixth lashing, I was wasting my vocal cords as I screamed with the full force of my magical lungs. Thirty or so lashings later, I was begging for him to stop.
"Go ahead, turned. Kill yourself. I dare you! But know that I will find you one, two, however many times it's necessary. I'll be there when you wake up, waiting for you. I'll be there when you sleep, ready to take you. You will be mine!" Marbareus said. We had also agreed on such words beforehand, but he was really bad at this kind of acting and sounded mechanical. Good thing I was a natural and that screaming desperately was a much easier line.
I even managed to cry a little.
When it stopped, some hundred lashings later, I was hoarse. And even though I hadn't felt it, my HP had dropped to two. Not feeling pain was dangerous in its own way.
Marbareus made a show of putting the slave collar on my neck – not blue, but a dull black one. I heard someone commenting on the fact that he had not one, but two Travelers as his slaves, wondering if the first one really was there by his own will or had been broken like me.
Heh. Aren't I a genius?
With the lashing taken care of, Tardas carried me to Marbareus' rooms in the Palace, where I magically healed myself and put my clothes on.
To be sincere, I had been dreading taking my legendary items off for the beating. When I told Marbareus that I didn't want to part with my stuff, he just laughed in a weird way.
Daggers had been silent the whole time, which was a little weird after all the talking she had done in the caves. The damn girl couldn't make up her mind on being mysterious, hard-headed, or talkative. I didn't expect some rescued princess bullshit, but some thanks would have been nice.
Well, whatever, she had almost died saving me; I had just paid her back for it.
After clothing myself, I confirmed for the hundredth time that the key I had been given was the right one for the slave collar I was using.
"Tardas will accompany you to this gabats cave of yours. Remember to pretend weakness from the beating, since you shouldn't have been healed."
"What about Ambrassa?"
His face twisted. "She asked me to meet her in the audience hall, in front of the Prince. I'll make her regret it."
"Good boy. Let's go, Tardas. Did you see how many people came to see me? They must be dying for autographs."
After attaching a chain to my collar, Tardas led us back to the gabats cave. I walked with my back bent, looking at the floor, letting out fake pain moans here and there. People often stopped and commented on me.
"Where do you think you are going, slave?" A woman said ahead of us. I looked up and saw Marbareus' sister, Kassandra, wearing her usual gold armor full of gems and her blue and green cloak.
Tardas actually bowed to her, so did Eternal. I took the hint and bent my back even more. "I am but obeying orders, my First Lady. The First Lord ordered the new slave to get back to his unfinished work. The First Lord is not fond of useless slaves and likes to put all of them to work."
"Except this useless Traveler, it seems," she said with a nod to Eternal.
"I am unfortunately not privy to all the First Lord's orders to all his slaves, my First Lady. If you so wish, I will gladly go ask him right away what are his plans for the pure-blooded slave."
"You'd be glad to do that, would you, Tardas? What if I told you to give me the slaves yourself?"
"I would obey, my First Lady. It is not my place to meddle in how my betters use slaves. I would immediately inform the First Lord, since he is known to be a bit jealous of others using
his property, but that would be all."
"I like your manners, they are far too refined for my brother. Why do you still serve him? You could do much better with me."
"I humbly accept your praises, my First Lady, undeserving as I am, being the lowly slave I am. As such, I am also unable to change masters unless my current master so desires, and it is also not my place to even wonder over who I would rather serve."
"See? Perfect by the book answer. Where are you taking them?"
"To the fourth plantation, my First Lady. The First Lord wishes them to clear the gabats cave that has been found there."
She frowned. "The fourth plantation is under my care, not his."
"I know, my First Lady, but so I have been ordered and so I obey. However, if you might allow me to be so bold as to dare pass to you the First Lord's words on the subject, it might help in enlightening you."
I have to agree with her, Tardas is damn impressive with his sweet slave talk. Leading her right where he wants, hopefully away from me.
"Go on."
"The First Lord has argued that while the fourth plantation is undoubtedly under your jurisdiction, adjacent caves are not. Beyond that, my First Lady, he believes gabats can be considered enemies of the clan for their recent activities and has claimed hunting rights on them."
"He did what?!" She almost shouted furiously. "He cannot claim hunting rights in my area!" Tardas didn't answer. "Where is he?"
"I believe, my First Lady, that the First Lord has a meeting with Lady Ambrassa Sophus scheduled in five minutes, in the Throne Room."
"What in the nineteen hells?!" She walked away, ignoring us and talking to herself. "When I find Burnus I'm going to..."
"Whoa," I said low, "she was able to accomplish a whole bunch of nothing in this talk. A bureaucrat to the core."
Tardas smiled at that and pulled the chain on my collar. We resumed our walk. No one hindered us for the rest of the way and the rope and pickaxe were still where we had left them. He left us without saying a word.
Unbound Deathlord: Challenge Page 32