The differences between these men compared to Mas and Euness made it seem like they were different species of being.
"They can imbue mana," Mas cautioned solemnly.
"I see that, Mas," Euness growled, worry straining his voice, his damaged spectacles reflecting the blue hues of the large men’s auras.
Mas felt like he could feel the heat coming off their ghostly face tattoos. "Those tattoos are odd," Mas remarked. "I believe they are foreigners."
Euness responded with exasperated breath, "That much is obvious, Mas." He raised his hands submissively to the domineering pair of well-built men and said, "Good sirs, I'm guessing you're not from around here."
"Back away from the carriage, little Hunter," one of the men warned, his biceps greater in size and denser than Euness' head.
“Would the origin of you two good sirs be the Lorn Badlands?”
Both men’s low-set brows went up in surprise. Few were aware about the Godforsaken territories known as the Lorn Badlands or could identify individuals who came from such a wretched place.
Mas gulped, “They’re…cannibals?”
“Mas,” Euness hissed, “Can’t you keep your mouth shut for once?”
When Euness looked back at the men he recognized as Badlanders, one had vanished. Euness spotted him following the sound of a loud crash. The muscular man was standing where Mas once stood. The guild receptionist’s eyes searched frantically until he located Mas unconscious, bent backwards against the city wall, his blood smeared against the white stone.
The grizzled hunter was dispatched in seconds, flung meters away in a single strike.
Euness felt his breath leave him witnessing their strength. Gulping saliva to parch his dried throat, he looked back at the two Badlanders, “That might’ve not been a good idea on your part, good sirs,” Euness commented, breathlessly.
“Oh?” The Badlander who hadn’t moved yet replied, “And why is that, little Hunter?”
“The fact that we’re Hunter’s Guild associates,” Euness warned, keeping his eyes steady, hoping his weakening knees didn’t buckle, “The Hunter’s Guild will not forgive those that harm their own.”
“Ha! I wait on the day the Hunter’s Guild begins to care for its lesser slum branch.”
Euness' vertigo nearly overwhelmed him as his feet wobbled. He couldn't recall if he had ever felt such intense terror. If he or Mas perished, the Hunter's Guild would surely look into it, but their predicament was comparable to Red's. The investigation team that would be sent would only arrive in the slums after the trail had already gone cold.
Only the gods knew if these Badlanders would return to this city to be investigated in the first place. They originated from the Lorn Badlands, a lawless place where cannibals could roam unfettered. What significance did the laws of Soalde have to men such as these two?
"You there!" Hewy shouted from the guardhouse. The guard in white armor winced as both Badlanders turned their attention to him. He had to take a second to regain his composure before shouting, "You lot can’t do as you please within the city! There are laws here."
The driver on the carriage, pleasantly watching as the Hunters got trounced, looked at the guard and dismissed him, saying, "Guard, there's no need for you to get involved in this. We’re defending our property. These Hunters are acting unlawfully. They are the ones who are at fault here."
Pharc, the other guard, drew Hewy back. "He’s right, Hewy," he said reluctantly, "we’ve done all we could. It’s up to the Hunters to find out if Red is truly on that carriage or not."
Hewy cursed, "Dammit!"
The carriage driver turned back to the Badlanders and waved as he said, "As you were."
The Bandlanders looked back at Euness and smirked. Euness felt as if the land shifted beneath him. The carriage driver was right. The City Lord would side with these men. Euness and Mas were the ones trying to unlawfully search a transport carriage.
Hunters weren’t the law here in Soalde. They couldn’t do whatever they pleased, no matter how beloved they were by the local populace.
In seeing this realization dawn on Euness, the driver couldn’t help but chuckle. One of the Badlanders walked up to Euness and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. The receptionist was grateful for the rain since no one could see the trickle of urine flowing down his leg.
"Time to go to sleep," the Badlander smiled, his luminous white face tattoo giving him the appearance of a reaper.
"Get away from him!" shouted a voice that carried enough power to rattle bones. The Badlander stumbled a few steps, his hands covering his ears. The voice washed over him in a wave of sound that made him feel as if his ears would burst.
“Elf girl!” Hewy shouted from the guardhouse, noticing the small elf had entered the fray, “It’s too dangerous. Get back here!”
Poly had gotten close to the Badlander and began using her “Siren’s Call” against him. She screamed, “Euness the receptionist, run away! I’ll hold him off!” Poly knew using her power this way had its limits and would eventually weaken to the point of being useless.
Euness could only feel shame at seeing someone so small defend him. He bit his lip until he drew blood, using the pain to break away from the fear that gripped him. His two gauntlet-clad hands rose, and he drew his rusted iron greatsword.
“For the Hunter’s Guild!” he roared and sprang forth, aiming his blade at the muscular neck of the Badlander in an arching slice.
The Badlander caught the weapon with a single bare hand, the greatsword unable to draw a hint of blood. The other Badlander appeared behind Poly, and before she could use her "Siren’s Call" against him, he grabbed her mouth and forced it shut.
The Badlander who was holding Euness' weapon raised his hand and hoisted Euness up off the ground to face him at eye level. The white mana tattoo on the Badlander’s face began to scorch the skin of Euness’ face.
“Argh!” Euness groaned, feeling his flesh get cooked.
“Ah,” the Badlander sighed with delight after sniffing the air, “Smells good!”
Euness attempted to kick away, but given the effect his attacks had on his opponent, he might as well have been kicking a wall. The other Badlander cradled Poly’s head like a ball, preparing to snap her tiny neck, when he felt a force hit his cheek and turn his head viciously. He launched into the air from the impact, his body hitting against the carriage, causing the vehicle to tip precariously over onto two wheels before tilting back and stabilizing once again on all four wheels.
The two-headed buffalo mooed its displeasure at feeling the load it was pulling get tampered with. The driver’s world became chaotic as he felt himself nearly flung from the driver's seat.
The Badlander who was holding Euness had no idea what had transpired until he was catapulted into the air himself. His body struck the carriage as well, causing it to turn 90 degrees. The driver was nearly unseated once more, all the while confused at what was happening to the world around him. He soon discovered two sizeable indents in the carriage and the two Badlanders below him, both bleeding from head trauma.
"What happened?" He sputtered in surprise, "Who did this to you?" The Badlanders stood unsteadily, massaging their leaking heads. They all looked up as they heard someone landing on the ground.
They were faced with a young woman with short, ink-black hair and a tan complexion who had swooped down like a hawk. She wore a linen blouse where her full bosom stretched the fabric and black pants that hugged her curves like final goodbyes. A sword with a jewel-crusted hilt hung from her hip, the blade of which gleamed in the light of her aura. The beauty of her face was detracted by a bored expression that never seemed to go away.
She was surrounded by warped air that resembled heat waves. The wet ground beneath her leather shoes sizzled as the soil there dried. Her clothes were spotless. Raindrops were unable to penetrate the glowing mana rising from her body.
The two Badlanders reflexively backed off a step, their faces twisted in apprehension, both sensing a powerful foe. Their body language screamed that they did not want to contend with this young woman in a fight.
"T-this is none of your business, woman!" One of the men stammered. Despite his towering height over the stranger, he seemed to shrink with each passing moment in her presence.
The driver sitting on the carriage instinctively bowed in a servile manner as he said, with as much respect as he could gather, "If I may be so bold as to ask why you have come here, honorable lady?"
The young woman blinked before turning her lovely, bored face lower to look at the shorter Poly. The elf girl faltered as she noticed that the stranger's eyes were the same golden color as her own.
"I heard a song," the young woman answered simply.
Looking back up to survey her surroundings, she shifted her gaze from the unconscious Mas and the trembling Euness to the guards in white who were watching nearby. "What an odd gathering."
“Guards!” the carriage driver shouted, his face filled with nervousness as he looked toward the guardhouse, “Our two carriage guards have been assaulted without due cause!”
Hewy’s face wrinkled in incredulity as he answered, “It seemed your men were about to commit murder, sir. The young lady had just prevented a crime from what I could tell.”
The driver bit his lip in frustration. Euness attempted to thank the stranger for her help but a raised hand from her kept his words at bay.
The young woman turned back to Poly and knelt down to eye level. She asked the elf girl, “Why have you sung so many songs, elf? Hearing such woe stricken melodies left me no other choice but to come here and check what caused such songs to be sung.”
Poly blushed. She had forgotten how densely packed the city was. Her voice must’ve been heard by thousands and may have disturbed quite a few going about their daily activities.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized then pointed at the carriage where the disgruntled driver glared at her, “But I was trying to save my friend. He was taken by the White Scale Viper gang. I used my song to find him and heard his voice in that carriage there.”
Poly couldn’t penetrate the young woman’s bored expression and guess what her thoughts were or her feelings on the matter. “Then we should check if your friend is there,” the stranger offered, her tone as unreadable as her face.
At her words, Poly nodded enthusiastically. Euness let out a sigh of relief. Poly and the young woman then started to walk side by side toward the carriage.
“H-hey now,” the carriage driver spluttered seeing them approach, “This is private property…!”
At this time, both Badlanders began walking forward, their deep-set brows firm with determination. They came from a hellish place where they were taught savagery would always rule the day. If they faltered here, they would have no home to return to, having lost the courage to be Badlanders. The white of the tattoos on their faces became a blaze of white fire as mana exuded more rapidly from them. Their muscles bulged, becoming bulkier and denser. Under their feet, the ground shook.
“Badland is my land,” one chanted.
“Badland is my land!” repeated the other.
“Badland is my land,” the other said again.
“Badland is my land!”
In their final chant, mana surged around them, forcing the wind and rain nearby to scatter in all directions. The ground beneath them broke apart and was lifted, levitated by mana. Poly slowed her pace, hesitant to continue forward. Euness held both arms up to cover his eyes after feeling bits of debris assail him.
Both Badlanders suddenly disappeared, and with their disappearance, the ground where they stood became small craters, their bodies exuding a power that nature couldn't contain.
When they reappeared, they both had their metal clubs hoisted above their heads, ready to bring them down on the young woman. In response, sage symbols manifested around her like candles being lit on an altar. Her sword arm flickered as her sword appeared in her hand. Within a second, she stabbed into every manifested sage symbol.
In being pierced, the sage symbols exploded out with a tempest of elements. Fire, lightning, water, ice, wood, terra, light, dark—any and all elements shot out in every direction. Only for a second or two did the elements rage before suddenly receding back into the sage symbols.
With that, the sage symbols began to disappear, one after the other, like candles being blown out. In all that time, the young woman had not stopped walking at a leisurely pace toward the carriage. The two Badlanders were nowhere to be seen.
The onlookers blinked repeatedly, unsure what they saw. Only the carriage driver reacted strongly. He was pale and his mouth was wide open as snot ran down his nose.
"I-impossible...!" he mumbled. He watched as two shadowy forms of dust that hung in the air became a fine powder that was picked up and dissolved by the wind and rain. The driver was skilled enough to have witnessed the Badlanders become those two dispersing dust shadows.
Two powerful Badlanders had suddenly become nothing. His eyes couldn’t blink though rain fell into them.
“Where’d those men from the Badlands go?” Poly asked, afraid that they had disappeared with impossible speed again and were about to strike at any moment.
The young woman’s bored expression gave nothing away as she answered, “They went away.” She was almost to the carriage.
Poly’s tiny feet shuffled at a quicker pace to catch up. The elf girl was still unsure what had happened to the Badlanders. Her elf ears suddenly picked up another carriage moving nearby.
Turning around, she saw a carriage painted white headed their way, pulled by a flightless owlbeast with four legs. It had the shape of a lion but had feathers and an owl’s head. It screeched as the driver pulled against its reins to bring it to a stop.
“This might be trouble,” Euness grunted. With the time they had before the new arrivals showed themselves, he ran to Mas to check on him.
Poly didn’t understand. Who were these newcomers and why were they here? Her eyes shifted to the side of the white carriage where she noticed the black and white emblem of Soalde, which featured a white jewel with a sage symbol drawn on each facet. Hewy and Pharc exited the guardhouse at the sight of the emblem and stood at attention.
The driver of the transport carriage looked from where he sat and heaved a sigh of relief, “Finally, he’s here.” In his hand sat a blinking badge, which he stowed into a vest pocket.
The door of the white carriage opened. A guard hopped out first before presenting his hand to the open carriage door. A dainty, powdered hand poked out and was grasped by the guard before a slim man in overly extravagant clothes was helped to climb out. The slim man had a pencil-thin moustache and pointy goatee. His face was covered in powder, and on his cheek was a dot of black makeup to create a beauty mark.
A magnificent coat of gold and red draped over his thin frame with a collar that went higher than his cheekbones. Most of his clothing underneath had been puffed out to give girth to his stick like figure.
“Greetings, Justicar Farbra,” Both Hewy and Pharc shouted with vigor while saluting.
The frail man, Farbra, kept his nose in the air as he waved a delicate hand at the guards saluting him. "At ease, men," he said, his voice lethargic and droning. The guard that had arrived with him produced an umbrella, which, once unfurled, conjured a sage symbol that cast a barrier against the rain.
"Tell me," Farbra said lazily, "what is the problem here?" Someone powerful had contacted Farbra and asked him to come out here despite the rain. He was promised connections to certain influential forces if he handled this situation correctly.
Hewy came forward and reported, “A dispute between Hunters and the people on this transport carriage, sir.”
The carriage driver of the transport carriage dropped down and gave the Justicar a formal bow and said, "Greetings, Justicar. My name is Caden. I am the driver for this transport carriage." He pointed at the young woman and accused, "That woman just killed... Hey! Hey, you can’t open that!"
The young woman had been the only one to ignore the arrival of the Justicar. She had made it to the transport carriage and was in the midst of opening it. Poly had shadowed her. The elf girl did not know who or what a Justicar was, but she knew he spelled trouble. She had hoped that nobody would spot them going for the carriage.
“You there,” Farbra droned, “I have questions for you.” The young woman’s bored face turned away and refocused on the transport carriage. “Hey, I’m talking to you!”
The guard with him, holding the umbrella, shouted as veins in his neck protruded, “You will respect the authority of the Justicar or be subjected to the full extent of the law!”
The young woman’s bored face never faltered as her hands gripped the carriage doors to open them. Caden, the transport carriage’s driver, sped forward, kicking up mud and puddle water in his wake. Though not as fast as the Badlanders, he still had incredible speed.
While glowing with mana, he arrived near the young woman. He used a finger to point at her from an appropriate and safe distance away while he shouted, “Do you not respect the laws of our city?!”
Poly nearly fell over. She had thought he would attack. To imbue mana and to use your top speed to simply chastise someone felt like such a waste to her.
“Do you not respect the Soalde Justice Hall?” Caden roared, eyes reddening as they bulged from his eye sockets. He gave a quick glance at Farbra’s expression and saw his antics had an effect. He turned back to the young woman, “You will stop right this moment and follow the Justicar’s orders!”
Farbra crossed his arms expectantly as he tapped his foot.
The young woman didn’t bother giving a response and simply opened the carriage. Caden’s eyes couldn’t blink. He was in utter shock. Who would be so bold as to not give face to a Justicar? Farbra was only under the High Judges. The High Judges were the most powerful judges in their city, no one but the City Lord was above them in terms of the law and Farbra had sway with them.
“How dare you…!” Farbra rasped, staring daggers at the young woman. The guard with him was at a loss for words.
Doors swung open as the inside of the transport carriage became exposed. Caden could do nothing but watch. The young woman gestured to Poly, who without hesitation hopped into the carriage. The elf girl’s golden eyes examined what looked like a storeroom. Goods in the form of barrels and crates were stacked high to the ceiling.
After confirming Mas was still breathing, Euness rejoined them and climbed into the carriage. His rusty armor dripped water onto the smooth wooden floor. "I don’t see anyone," he said quietly, losing hope. Red was not in the carriage.
"There’s a second floor," Poly said, refusing to give up the search as she hurried up a ladder on a sidewall. She was sure she heard Red from this carriage. Euness decided to check every corner and every wall on this floor.
The young woman with the bored expression moved around as well, helping them in their search for a person that she did not know, but regardless, she helped.
Justicar Farbar, his accompanying guard, Hewy, Pharc, and Caden all walked up to the open carriage doors. Farbar was the first to speak as he pointed at the young woman with his eyes wide with fury, “You! I’ll have your name whether you give it willingly or not!”
She turned and replied, “My name?” Her bored expression felt like disrespect to the Justicar and brought about shades of red to his face. “My name is Lilia.”
“Lilia, is it?” Farbra hissed, “Do you dare give your surname?”
“I am Lilia Crownstone.”
“Ha! We’ll see how you keep up your dismissive attitude once I report back to the Justice Hall.”
“Crownstone?” the guard with him muttered, “Where have I heard that name?”
Hewy was the first to speak up, “Ah, could it be?” They looked at him questioningly. “Crownstone, as in Oliver Crownstone?”
Pharc nearly choked, “That Crownstone? The war hero?”
Farbra felt his confidence shake, now uncertain of Lilia’s status.
The guard holding the umbrella could see questions plaguing the Justicar and decidedly asked Lilia, “Are you related to Oliver Crownstone in any way?”
“My father happens to be named Oliver Crownstone,” Lilia answered, her bored expression and tone undecipherable.
“Oliver Crownstone has a daughter?” Pharc questioned.
“Perhaps it’s a different Oliver Crownstone?” Caden guessed. The rest of them looked at him as if he had rocks for brains.
"There can’t be two Oliver Crownstones," Euness piped in. They glared at him for intruding on their conversation, but Euness couldn’t stop himself after hearing Caden’s mind-numbing words.
“It matters not!” Farbra barked. Caden smiled seeing Farbra still willing to move against this strangely powerful young woman who might have high status. “You have gone against the law of Soalde. I will see that you face justice.”
Lilia Crownstone’s bored, pretty face turned away. Farbra’s reddened face deepened in color.
Euness knew his life as a guild associate was over. With the Justicar here, he would be lucky if he escaped a prison sentence, let alone kept his job. He looked toward Lilia and felt regretful.
He thought, such a talented young woman, throwing her potential away to help us. What self-sacrifice.
"Arrest this woman," Farbra commanded the guards. The guard with him gave the umbrella to Caden to hold as he hoisted himself into the carriage to confront Lilia. Hewy and Pharc remained motionless. Upon seeing their inaction, Fabra growled at them, "If you two want to keep your jobs, you’d best do what you’re told."
Caden jumped forward and cupped a hand over his mouth as he whispered to the Justicar, "I wouldn’t aggravate that young woman if I were you." Farbra looked dismissive, but Caden persisted, "She just killed two Badlanders, both of which wielded power near to that of Underchiefs."
Farbra’s mouth dried. He quickly got the attention of the guard seemingly about to die in confrontation with Lilia and waved for him to return. He knew of the Lorn Badlands and that they were ruled by Warchiefs. Warchiefs were equivalent to Master Hunters in power. Underchiefs were, as their name stated, under the chief in might, but they were still known as having formidable strength.
The Justicar kept his eyes on Lilia. After a few minutes, he said, “Your power and status are formidable, I must admit.” His eyes lit with passion, “But no one is untouchable. You’ll be hearing from me soon enough, and I will look forward to seeing you beg for forgiveness.”
"What faction are you with?" Caden asked the young woman. Someone so powerful wouldn't be without backing in this city, he was certain of it. Her being a Crownstone, he would venture to say that she belonged to the Verdinant House. They were the richest family after the royals. Some claim that the House of Verdinant was actually wealthier.
He guessed Verdinant House since her father had always resided there as a knight protector for the head of the house, Lord Wulfstan Verdinant. However, the Justice Hall could still bring charges against Lilia regardless. The Verdinant House could do nothing about it since she had just killed two men.
“I’m with the Hunter’s Guild,” Lilia answered honesty.
Hmm, perhaps we can stop her, Caden thought. The Hunter’s Guild was an entity of its own. Their sphere of influence encompassed more than just their country of Loderan and had the power of actual heroes at their beck and call. But in the Jewel of Loderan, even Hunters had their limits. Rumor had it that the City Lord was also attempting to put a leash on the Hunter’s Guild lately after rumors of possible rebellion from the guild surfaced. They could possibly use that angle against lilia.
As long as the young woman wasn’t too high up on the chain of command within the Hunter’s Guild, she could still be dragged in front of a court with the help of a few of the High Judges.
Farbar was unconcerned about the Hunter's Guild. Like Caden, the Justicar also knew there would be a method to exact vengeance on Lilia, maybe imprison her. Given her youth, he suspected she didn't wield much power inside the guild.
“I’m also with the Hunter’s Guild,” Euness said, fishing his Hunter’s Badge out of his pocket.
“Who cares about you, you weak old man,” Caden snapped.
Lilia nodded toward Euness and in reading his badge, she acknowledged his status, “Greetings, guild receptionist.” She then showed her badge for the sake of formality.
Euness read the badge and nodded, “Greetings, Vice Guild Master.” His eyes bloomed open as he choked from surprise, spittle flying from his mouth, “V-vice Guild Master?!”
The others nearly fell over.