Who was the one he could trust at this time to be responsible for the horrendous state of this town? This was something that the Crusader was struggling to determine here and now. While yes, the easiest option would be to simply kill both of them with the help of the Spartan, killing a possible innocent bystander was certainly not something he was willing to do. He had been brought here to bring salvation. Even if that meant entertaining these two annoying women to determine the truth. However, he could orientate himself to make the possible upcoming fights easier.
The two women continued to squabble amongst each other, the one in the tower consistently screaming at the top of her lungs, while the one in the room was casually snickering here and there. At the time, both of them seemed to have forgotten about his existence, something that he was rather thankful for at this time. He moved as quietly as he could, sheathing his greatsword and taking out his bow and an arrow.
The two of them were still squabbling back and forth as he put the arrow into the bow. Slowly, he put his aim between the source of the noise and the floating woman. He did not nock the arrow back yet. Rather, all he did was keep his shot ready should the moment come.
At least, that was the plan. Until the floating woman sighed and shook her head.
“No, no, no. This just won’t do.”
With that, she turned towards him with a start, fast enough that he nearly let loose out of shock. She started to sink downwards as she snorted as she jabbed a finger to the ceiling.
“I don’t know what sweet lies that idiot has been filling your head with, but understand this: everything that she has done in the past has all been self-serving and ruined everything. Did you know she was once a slave that managed to break her way out of her chains and get to the status of a noblewoman? However, the way she did it was by trampling on the honor of others, using guile and lies, and throwing people down to the deepest, darkest corners of the underworld. All of that to simply boost her status bit by bit.”
“Then what are you? Perhaps you can explain why you are stuck here, in this catacomb?” The tower lady seethed, “Oh, wait! Are you leaving behind the information that you are a criminal, the famed throat slitter of the dark alleys? The one that stole divinity from others through pure force during the heavy battles, with all of your betrayals resulting in you being chained down to this dark pit without another way out?”
“If we’re going to toss around such baseless accusations, how about you?” The supposed throat slitter frowned, “The one who did absolutely nothing and was gifted divinity by the victor of the war. The one they call the Righteous One, the man that has sent our lives spiraling out of control? Perhaps you’d like to explain how you were able to get such an amazing gift?”
“Gift? Hah! I am not gifted, I am cursed!”
“Of course. A brainless twit like you would never be able to see the blessings you were given.”
“Why you–”
“Throat slitter?” The Crusader questioned as he glared at the woman in front of him, “The Righteous One? Surely you are talking about the Usurper, no?”
“Why, eh?” She blinked. She squinted as she looked at him with a confused gaze on her face, before her eyes widened. “The Usurper? No, you can’t be serious. You serve the Fallen One?”
“Do not dare compare the Heavenly Father to Satan!” He spat as he drew the string back, prepared to punish the woman for insulting God, “Take back those words right now!”
She did not. Rather, she started to shake as her mouth opened and closed. Then, she started to laugh as she turned towards the ceiling once more.
“I can’t believe this! You truly are such a shameless bastard, aren’t you? Betraying your liege like this, all because you take your divinity as a curse! Isn’t this a bit too much, even for you? Returning good favor with such hostility? I’m glad I’m chained down here, I can’t even fathom the thought of being near you! Had I been, I most likely would have ripped you apart limb from limb for the sheer audacity!”
“My flesh has been welded to stone!” The hysterical shriek that burst through the ceiling shook the chamber, the shout bouncing off the stone walls to continuously echo for a good while, “You do not know how awful my life has been after this curse! You will never understand!”
“What I fail to get is why you have the capacity to whine and moan about everything.” A scoff came out of her lips, before sneering. “My goodness, you can talk to people. Why are you holding such a pity party for yourself? Get over it, you can do so many things while I’m bound to this prison here, unable to get out. Perhaps if you thought some more about how you could use your divinity, you’d be able to escape.”
“So you cannot literally leave this place, then?”
The woman turned towards the Crusader and showed her wide, sharp teeth in a smile.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“No, not possible at all. I have divinity, yes, but this entire area is full of power that was designed to keep me in. Besides, none of my abilities are capable of getting out of this place, something that was kept in mind when I was locked up. Unfortunately, there truly is nothing I can do at this time besides bide my time and wait for freedom, something that would have been so easy had–”
“You cannot be trusted, you bastard! A criminal that–”
“Enough.” A sharp and harsh tone came from the portal, one that clearly belonged to the Spartan. “I have been forced to sit here and listen to the annoying ramblings of you two crazy maniacs. In any case, I have certainly heard quite enough from you two. One that was the supporter of the Usurper and is only turning because she didn’t get what she wanted, while the other is a criminal that took divinity from others. Is that all?”
“Well, no! There’s still–”
“That’s pretty much everything,” the floating woman nodded, “Besides, all the other details that make up the story, you’ve got it in one fell swoop.”
“One of you is responsible for the fog that’s taken over the town, and the other is responsible for this tower. So, what you’re both saying is that none of you are responsible for the monsters that infest this area, then?”
“Of course not!”
“Nah. It’s not my style.”
“I see. Then answer me one thing:
“What’s the point of keeping either of you alive?”
The room went dead silent. The woman, who had a smug look on her face previously, now looked serious as she stared up at the ceiling.
“Wh-what?! You heard my story! All about–”
“I have heard nothing. You have not given me a single iota of reason why you can be trusted, nor can I believe whatever bullshit you’ve been spouting. Loneliness? You can talk and transport people around, I fail to believe you couldn’t have had the power to try to save anyone that died in the town from the monsters. The fact you’re blaming everything and everyone tells me that right away, you are definitely not one that can be trusted with anything. Betrayal comes to you naturally, and if this criminal speaks the truth, then there truly is no point in trusting you anymore.”
“W-wait, th-that’s–”
“As for you, criminal,” he continued, “It sounds like you did not have any side in the war, but you were nothing more than a filthy scavenger. One that slunk in the shadows to slit the throats of innocent people, abusing your capabilities to try to gather as much power as possible. Whether by greed or desire, you are one that have done wrong to others without good reason. Am I wrong?”
“Hmph. You say that as if you know exactly what I did.” She said, though there was no humor in her voice anymore. Rather, she looked nervous, almost worried, as she stared up at the ceiling.
“Considering my experiences, I know exactly what you did and how you went upon it. Meaning that there is a difference between the two of us: I obtained mine through self-defense. You most likely obtained yours through aggression and cruelty.”
“And so what?” She spat, “We both did something that many would consider taboo. I just took the time to take the initiative and preserve my position. What is so wrong about that? You’ve been doing it too, don’t even lie! The world is made on strength and power, after everything that has happened. Don’t you dare take the high road on this.”
“Hrm.” The Spartan seemed to muse on that, before a sigh. “You are right on that. Despite the difference in how we have obtained our powers, we have done something that many would call a dishonorable act. However, that changes nothing. You have committed foul acts that are worthy of punishment, and I doubt you would lift the fog on the town.”
“Unless I am freed, you can consider that to be the case.”
“I see.” There was a moment of silence, before he continued, “Then you leave us no choice. You cannot be trusted to be out on the town, not with your clear hostility and violent desires.”
“Oh? What are you going to do? Jump out the portal to try to attack me?” She drawled. Power began to surge throughout the room as she lifted her hands. Red and blue spirals began to form around each of her hands, each of them aimed towards the ceiling. “If you do that, then you’ll have no way out. I doubt that tower bitch will be willing to help you out, not after that giant rant you just spouted. Face it: you can’t touch me.”
“Do you really think that?”
From the look on her face, no, she most certainly did not. Her arms shook a little, and she was definitely shivering here and there. She was not as confident as she should be, that much was for certain. All of her attention was focused on the ceiling, getting prepared for defending against the incoming strike from the Spartan.
One that the Crusader knew was not going to happen at all. All of his ally’s words had reached him, and he instantly understood what needed to be done.
He reared his arrow back and let loose at the woman in the air. So focused was she on the possible threat that she never realized the possible threat right behind her.
She gasped as the arrow struck her lower back, a bit to the left. He cursed as he realized his aim was not as good as he had anticipated. He’d been aiming for her head, after all, with the explicit goal of avoiding any dangerous battles up ahead.
Whatever the case, she certainly was not pleased by the attack. A dark, deep growl erupted from her body as she reached out with her hand and ripped out the arrow in her back. Instantly, the flesh around the wound bubbled up and down until the hole was covered up completely, leaving behind nothing behind, not even a scar.
“You little shit.”
With that, she twirled around. The red and blue energy around her hands began to warp together before launching themselves right at him, all in multiple directions. Up, down, left, right, diagonally, it did not matter. They all bounced up and down in the air, making the act of tracking their paths impossible.
Good thing for the Crusader, he did not need to do such a thing. He breathed in and tapped into the blessing granted upon him. The world began to slow down and he clenched his teeth.
Time to put an end to the fog plaguing the town once and for all.