Kerrigan stood in the arena, tense and uncertain. No announcements of victory, no applause—just whispers that died down until a heavy silence settled over the crowd. Every demon stared at her, unblinking.
It was an eerily awkward silence. She felt like she should be doing something, but she didn’t know what.
Should I speak? What do I say?
Thankfully, she didn’t have to break the tension. With an almost reluctant look, Knight Lord Balto stood up and spoke.
“Well, if no one else is willing to take her, I will,” he said to the crowd. “I’ve got a Knight in my Hecatontagon without a Squire, and she’ll do well enough for him. I will proxy her to him, as is my right as Varkus’ Knight Lord.”
“You mean Varkus the Betrayer,” an orange-winged demon stood up and yelled out with amusement. A laugh rippled through the arena. “That Contract-breaking scum.”
“Aye, Varkus still be un-squired,” Balto replied, glaring at the orange demon. Another round of laughter spread through the crowd. “But it’d be his duty, regardless of what he did.”
“She can have him then. A fine pair they will make,” another winged demon stood up and said, laughing and slapping his leg cuisse with a dark gauntlet. “Varkus the Betrayer with an Ascended Knight who has no family name or battle magic as a Squire… That’s just pitiful. She’s obviously…”
“All the same,” Balto interjected, “I will take her, so shut your damn mouths...unless you want to settle this in the arena.” His glare swept over the crowd. Both the demons who had spoken up sat down quickly, sneering at him.
Kerrigan watched the exchange, feeling like a calf at a cattle auction being sold for veal. Though apparently, she wasn’t a good deal.
Of course, I don’t know any battle magic. It’s fucking. Bloody. Magic.
Balto looked at her. “Kerrigan, usually a Knight will contract a Squire. As you have the soul energy of a Knight yourself, if not the skills, I will contract you to my service and assign you to squire for my Knight Varkus...Will you contract to me as your liege lord, to squire under Knight Varkus Varkusson?”
The unsaid option, refusal, has been clearly conveyed to her before the fight. She would be stuck in the arena fighting until she was accepted, or she was killed. Even so, she hesitated, her mind racing. Apparently, she was being assigned to a Knight with a reputation for betrayal and mocked by his peers. Every instinct screamed at her to refuse, to demand a better deal. But in this world, she was alone, and the bitter truth was clear: survival meant accepting this new reality, no matter how much she hated it. What choice did she have?
“May as well” Kerrigan said at last, her voice steady despite the knot of unease in her stomach. She blinked and suddenly Balto was standing in front of her.
How the…
Balto stepped forward and nodded approvingly. “Then sign the Contract of Fealty. Standard terms as per The Contract...Apart from a stay of the rights and privileges of a Knight, until you complete your squire-ship” he lifted his hand up and deftly wrote runes in the air.
“Standard Terms?” she asked before admitting an obvious fact, “I don't know what that means”
"Standard templated Terms and Conditions” he replied and received a blank look from her in return.
Balto sighed, "Just push your hand through the runes. Honestly, I thought humans were masters of the mystical arts. I remember on Rygal 9, a human boy moved a moon to create an eclipse. Pity he couldn't move it back—his whole world froze to death."
“I’m from Earth remember…that’s not a thing”
“Ah yes, right…not the best sorcerers there. A low energy realm…good wine though” he admitted.
“Whatever”. Resigned, she pushed her hand through the glowing runes. They spiraled themselves up her arm and disappeared into it. It was then she knew, but not quite understood, what it was she signing up to. A Contract of Fealty, medieval in nature with a demonic twist.
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She was bound to obey her liege in all things, while he, in turn, was sworn to protect her from those of higher rank.
She was entitled to keep a third of the soul energy she harvested per cycle, with the remainder taxed by her Knight Lord.
She would be assigned 9 legionaries under her command.
She would be provided with armour.
She would be assisted in the creation of a Knights bounded weapon.
It went on and on…she zoned out from the depth of the of 'legal-ish'…. It didn’t mean much because the clauses were all for a Knight, not a Squire. For her acting position as a Squire, it wasn't a bad deal at all. As a Squire she would get amour but have no subordinates and pay no tax. However, she would be obligated to attend something called the Citadel for training.”
"Do you accept" he asked.
She knew what he was asking her to do, what the contract was asking her to do. "I accept" she confirmed.
“By the laws of the Contract, you are now bound to my service and, through my powers of proxy, the service of Knight Varkus”
She shuddered, her tail swishing behind her. It felt as if something had settled into her very being. The crowd’s murmurs resumed, but this time, the tone was different, curiosity mingled now mixed with the disdain. Kerrigan squared her shoulders, determined not to let their judgment affect her. If this was the start of her journey in the Dark Legion, then she’d face it head-on…fuck’em.
Balto gestured for her to follow him out of the arena. As they walked, he spoke in a low voice. “You’ve made quite the impression, Kerrigan. An Acceded Knight. Varkus may not be the most respected Knight in the Legion, but he’s still a Knight. Don’t let the words of the weak rattle you. Serve him well, and you’ll have a chance to climb higher…You’ll learn the art of soul crafting soon enough”
Kerrigan glanced at him; her expression neutral, but excited at the fact she was going to learn magic, this soul crafting. “And what about Varkus himself? What am I walking into?”
Balto’s lips twitched in something resembling a smile, albeit with too many pointy teeth. “Let’s just say he’s got his own set of challenges. But he’s not without skill. If you can survive under his tutelage, you’ll be stronger for it.”
“Right, but besides my new boss Varkus, what is this contract…Not the one I’ve just signed... what is 'The Contract'? I’ve heard the reference before”, thinking of the demon in the tweed suit.
“It’s The Contract of Contracts. The first contract that ever existed, as written by Finsternis, the Dread Emperor of the Dark Legion. All Contracts stem from his original decree, and every contract written thereafter carries its echoes, defining the laws that govern the Dark Legion. It is said that before Emperor Finsternis introduced The Contract of Contracts, there was nothing in the realm of the Dark Legion. No strongholds, no cities, no families, nor realm travel—just never-ending, blood-drenched slaughter and unfettered chaos. Advancement was rare, the strong would devour the weak with impunity...”, he paused to think about that for a moment, “...Well, that still goes on to an extent...there are always loopholes... but at least now there is a semblance of regulated civility. The main pillar that upholds this order are the The Contract of Fealty.”
“Is the Contract of Contracts long” she asked as the arena door closed once again leaving them in the ready room beneath once again.
“Not really, there are only 6 clauses” Balto said before reciting.
"A Contract is sacred; to break it is to shatter one’s soul.
Nothing is granted freely; to claim power, one must relinquish something.
The terms must be proclaimed, understood, and bound in accord.
Willing submission alone binds the oath; no force shall forge a true pact.
No oath is lightly severed; a Contract stands unbroken save by fulfillment, in accord or the agony of breach.
Betray the Contract, and the Contract shall unmake you. Justice shall be paid in suffering, damages to the wronged.”
“Wow, sounds like breaking a contract is a really, really bad idea,” Kerrigan muttered, thinking about what she had just signed., Kerrigan remarked aloud thinking about what she had just signed.
“Not unless you want your soul energy forcibly ripped out of you by the magic imbued in The Contract and handed over to the other party in recompense. I've seen it happen. It’s not pretty.” Balto whole body shivered in disgust. “Breach a minor contract and you could be sent back a way, breach a larger contract and you could lose a rank, or multiple ranks. Break an important enough contract though, and it’s the end of you”
“It kills you?” she asked surprised.
“As much as any can die in the legion. It’s back to the Pit for you, awaiting rebirth to start your chance again as a Rabid”
“Are there a lot of subcontracts derived from the original?” Kerrigan asked
“There are a great many and new ones are being developed and accepted into the collection by the Council of Kings every tenth cycle. Anyone can submit a new contact template for consideration, provided it is derived from The Contract. Now I’m sure you have a lot more questions, but I’ve another subordinate I’ve got to prepare for a dual. You’re a Squire now, you’re to study at the Citadel while not on assignment with Knight Varkus. I’ll have him meet you tomorrow. You’ll also need to be measured for your amour, but for now…”, he signed some runes in the air once more and two Legionaries quickly appeared.
“Take Squire Kerrigan to the Citadel and get her registered for classes”, he ordered.
“Yes, my Lord”, they both said in perfect sync.
Kerrigan still gripped the bloody axe tightly, but lifted it up to him, offering it back. "You want this back?" she asked, though her fingers refused to loosen their grip. The weight of it was reassuring, grounding.
“Keep it" he said, chucking to himself. He pushed it back towards her. "You’re going to need it”.