“This is unfair chwik, Mira got more customers in a day than I did my whole career chwik!”
The caravan business closed in the evening and everyone is waiting for Rus’s return. Unaware that their leader is captured and is awaiting execution.
“We will proceed with the meeting even if the boss isn’t around, Korpic you start”
“Boss ask me to gather information regarding Semira and your porter Quinn, I also earned some genny during my stay in the city.”
Quinn is washing the dishes and his ears twitched as he heard his name being mentioned outside.
They empty the last two carriages out and it served as a pseudo-kitchen and a bathroom.
He had a hunch about his employer's intention but he knew it will never happen.
He has a lot on his plate and will never be part of this weird group of people, or so he thought.
“I didn’t earn anything today chwik, I had two customers the other one ran away as soon as he entered my tent chwik! But I gave advice to a young girl chwik! On how to gain the affection of his crush.”
“We” “earned” “§2000” “and” “donated” “half” “to” “the” “family” “treasury”
Semira put a box on top of the table that’s overflowing with genny. There is a blush of shame on her face and felt that there’s something wrong in what she did but can’t figure out what it is.
“I didn’t get any consultation or patient. I did everything right, the tent is clean, there’s a sign of a small cross and I’m very descriptive on what I wrote on it.”
I’m sure it’s your signboard.
Everyone thought the same.
“That concludes tonight’s meeting, we’ll discuss things further when boss returns.”
Emeralda and Semira went shopping, her eyes sparkle at the sight of the city at night.
Street lamps are powered by mana, the streets are as lively as it was in the afternoon. The shouts of shop owners never cease as if they are competing who can shout the loudest.
“Upgrading weapons for a 10% discount high success rate!”
“Genoa Weapons and Elemental weapons for sale, buy 2 and get a free healing potion!”
“Hobgoblins, Gnomes, Vase Fairies and many more, all trained and well mannered!”
They both spotted Geal and Byal at the slavers shop haggling for the price of a slave creature. Curiosity got the best of them and followed the twins.
After buying 4 Goblins the twins went inside a dark alley and they waited patiently outside for the twins to come out.
A few minutes later screams of pain went out of the alley but it went unnoticed because of the hustle and buzzle of the city. Only those who focus on that place can discern that it isn’t a sound that belonged in the lively streets.
Geal and Byal went out the alley covered in green blood with a look of satisfaction over their face. For creatures to be seen like this out of the streets is normal because most of them are subjected to a harsh beating by their owners.
Semira and Emeralda weren’t noticed by the twins and went away like nothing happened. The two went inside the alley and their faces went pale at the sight.
The goblin's eyes were removed and squashed, the fingers are scattered everywhere; the bodies are riddled with tiny holes
Their mood to sightsee and shop was dampened.
“Mira always remind me not to tease the twins chwik!”
“Yes, please do the same for me.”
The whole night passed by and they never talked about what they saw nor want to talk about it.
***
The Sydian army is marching through the Togoah desert. They will reach the walls of Inedge City within an hour afternoon.
The General of the army is leading the march, he’s a 6th-Rank Arch Templar. The two empires have been at war ever since the establishment of the Red Dragon Empire. Though rich in minerals and energy resources the desert lacks water and arable land.
The wizards of the deserts are lacking in number compared to the citizens that die from thirst each day. The Red Dragon Empire has abundant rivers and good soil, but their goal doesn’t end in the borders of the desert.
An army of 50,000 soldiers is hiding behind large sand dunes.
“General, we are ready to bombard the walls. But we are unsure if they will succeed in disabling the Sentry Towers”
“Gentleman, the warriors we sent have been planning this for a decade. In over 4 centuries they have pillaged our land. So what if the sentries didn’t go down today!
We will just march back, but if there’s even a slim chance I’ll take it. I’ll march the whole army just to take that chance!”
The meeting room fell silent, the vice generals and their commander want to argue about the information they received and wasted resources. But in this world power reigns above everything.
From 5th-Rank and below people will still consider you as a regular human.
But from 6th and above you’re classified as a High Being.
Every creature has a chance to enter this state. But very few managed to pass the crucial stage. The species that dominate this realm are humans.
Because of the high number of population and the systematic approach they reigned supreme in this era.
At the same time inside the Office of Vice General Heisen, Captain Kurac is reading a report for the Vice General.
“Sir, your daughter was last seen leaving the city gates going east. The latest report from the porter guild said ‘They have been eaten by bears or something’ by a Guy named Quinn Pateli. His current client is Ru..”
His sentence was cut off from and droplets of sweat appeared from the back of his neck. He knows that they will need to question the porter and his current client but there’s a bit of a hiccup.
“What is it, captain? Continue”
“Rus Tessaro, the spy we arrested and on his way to the plaza for execution!”
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The Vice General refuses to believe his daughter is dead. No one in their right mind would harm anyone that has the last name Heisen, especially in the empire. There are a couple of theories that are running through his mind. But the most important thing right now is to gather intel regarding his daughter’s whereabouts, or if worse come to worse his daughter's corpse.
He slammed the table and shouted in anger for the missed opportunity. Every second that his daughter is missing is a needle that pierces his heart. But he can only blame himself for allowing such a situation to happen.
“Get me that bastard, he’s not allowed to die yet!”
His thoughts ran wild, it must be a coincidence that the porter was hired by the guy that will get executed soon. The date on the report also looks suspicious because they hired the porter exactly the same day they reported his daughter dead or missing.
Meanwhile, at the plaza where the bazaar is being held. A dozen soldier is escorting a guy in a black attire that’s bounded Genoa Chains. They bought Rus on the execution platform where they usually announce the sins and also advertise the deeds of the empire.
The executioner is holding a parchment and while his partner rang the bell to gain the attention of the surrounding people.
*clang* *clang* *clang*
“A traitor of the empire, a spy that was raised by the Sydu’s infiltrating our great city. In accordance with the law of the empire. You will be executed by beheading. Let the citizens and our motherland bear witness.”
The crowd booed and threw things like rocks, rotten eggs and things they could grab at Rus’s direction. The soldiers move a little so the incoming projectiles would not hit them.
These types of execution are common for the citizens and most of them view it as entertainment. As long as they are not involved with the guy and it will not affect them in any way possible. Even the kids that’s on the shoulder of their fathers are throwing things at Rus it was a truly enjoyable afternoon for the citizens of Inedge City.
Bethel and the others saw what’s happening and Semira is fidgeting here and there not knowing what to do. The quickest to respond to what’s happening is Bathel he looked at the clock that’s hanging in the City Hall and rubbed his wrinkled forehead.
“Everyone pack the things we’re leaving the plaza.”
The crowd is hyping up, the soldier with the Executioner Sword slowly went up the flat form. They put Rus’s head on top of the chopping board and they remove his gag.
The only ones that knew how grave the situation is Rus’s old family members.
“Any last words before we send you to hell?”
The crowd cheered, the main event of the execution is finally coming.
They heard the most unusual last words for someone that’s about to die.
“Virgin angel’s pussy steak mash twat!”
Korpic and the others looked at each other in understanding. They called out Semira and Quinn that’s still unaware of what they are planning to do.
Bethel was the one who gave out instructions.
“It’s too late he’s at the state that he’s saying main dishes.”
“Let’s all go inside Korpic’s carriage it has soundproof so we’re safe there.”
They all huddled inside his carriage, there is a picture frame of a father, a mother and a son of a noble household. The pieces of furniture are all antiques and the walls are layered with egg racks.
There are also a couple of Green Droplings, they are the kind of slime that’s used to clean a house by absorbing the dirt inside their bodies.
“Don’t speak too loudly chwik, if you want to say something just whisper chwik.”
Outside the carriage, the whole city went silent, like a blackout at midnight in the middle of a city.
Machines that are powered by mana stopped working. The creatures that breathe mana like wisps and fairies are like fishes that are out of the water. Pieces of equipment and items that have a mix of genoa in it fell apart.
The wounds on Rus’s body healed rapidly and the head of the executioner rolled on the platform.
One head, two heads, three heads and in a span of a few seconds all the soldiers that escorted him to die are now headless corpses.
Screams filled the entire plaza, and the citizens ran away.
The figure in front of them is indeed human, but his form is like an ancient beast with a mask of a man.
Rus’s body is hunched forward with his chin almost touching the ground. His arms and shoulders are twitching back and forth, His head is moving side by side and his facial expression keeps changing from sad, happy, contorted, in pain and different kinds of emotion.
“Fried fish fuckery flaming penis”
Don’t move, stay still. Please!
His words didn’t match the thoughts in his head. Rus’s body moves according to the surrounding and follows it up with a kill.
Rus’s leaped forward hacking the father and son vertically. Everything he saw, heard or felt will be slashed and hacked. He’s doing all this while shouting profane words.
He found a new target an Old Grandma with her granddaughter carrying a puppy that was running away from the plaza.
“Boiled whore stew bitching nipples.”
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
He grabbed the puppy and smashed its head with his feet then stabbed the executioner’s sword in the little girl's stomach. The grandma was cut horizontally just below her heart. You could still see the heart beating as she fell on the ground, and from sheer anger, she bit Rus’s ankles as a final act of revenge.
Rus could feel the soft skull and flesh of the puppy while it was being crushed underneath his feet. He could hear the young girl scream while his sword punctured her chest. And he could see the agony and hatred of the old lady’s face while she loses her life.
He felt like the body he’s inside right now is no longer his.
Inside the carriage, Bethel is talking silently with Semira and the others.
“I know you guys have known this for a long time, but Semira and Quinn aren’t aware of it so let me explain it to them.”
“Our boss right now is in a state where he can’t control himself, and the mana in the surrounding itself will vanish. He is a summoned being that kept his memory when passing through the gate. You can compare him to one of the Kaiser soldiers under the command of the emperor.”
“It’s common knowledge that all of those Kaiser soldiers are all are High Beings our boss was also a high being. But our boss entered the mana cocoon again and came out alive.”
“We will all talk about the details when we’re out of danger. But for now, you need to know a few things. Don’t approach him unless he can speak clear words or at least have desserts in his sentences.”
“Otherwise you’ll be killed.”
***
Inside the camp of the Sydian army, the General is giving a speech to his army.
“For centuries our land has been pilfered and abused. Our woman and children became slaves to those redheads. Gentleman, it’s time to take back our city, it’s time for us to leave our mark in the history of the Togoah Empire!”
“For Eternal Glory!”
50,000 soldiers all shouted at the same time their spirits and morale is high as they rush forward the walls of Inegde City. But they encountered their very first obstacle.
“General, the mages can’t use their spells and all of our mana equipment isn’t working.”
“What utter disappointment, I will lead the charge all you have to do is follow behind me. Don’t wuss out because you can’t use your magic tricks! We will fight like the olden times where man, blood, and steel collide.”
Any 6th-Rank class can make their own mana inside their body. With a skill set of a Templar, he can easily break the gates of the city walls where mana isn’t flowing to support it.
With their general leading the charge the Sydian soldiers burning spirit was an all-time high.
Meanwhile, inside the military headquarters of Inedge City, the higher ranks are gathered. They have seen the Sydian army approaching the city.
The General of the garrison is fuming in anger.
“You incompetent bastards! Defend the City with your flesh and blood. Even though the genorite stopped functioning we still have to hold this city! That’s our duty as the sons and daughters of the Empire. Does any of you have any bright ideas?”
The one to break the ice is Vice General Heisen. Those with the last name of Heisen are known for their military achievement throughout the empire.
All of their sons and daughters either became warriors or strategist, you can say that every war that leads to the victory of the empire has a Heisen that took part in it.
“General, without mana supporting the gates it will crumble like a piece of paper. And without sentries, all we can do is use a primitive method of defending our walls!”
“We should gather all the soldiers and equip them with bow and arrow! Worse come to worse we will recruit the citizens to defend the walls!”
“The Vice General will be in charge of the strategy for the defense of the city. See that his every command come to accomplished! Dismiss!”
“For the Empire!”
Everyone saluted and left meeting room only the General and Vice General are left.
“Victor, I’ll leave everything to you. We’ve known each other since we’re kids and you’ve always been the smart one.”
“Don’t say that. You’ve become a great general. You should let nobody see you like this. Even though this situation is disadvantageous to us due to our lack of numbers, it’s not an impossible battle.”
The General slapped both his cheeks and his facial expression became fierce.
Both men in the room came to an understanding as they both slammed their fist in their chest.
The city alarm isn’t working, the soldiers use the church's bell to gather around people and to spread the information.
Captain Kurac is worried about Rus being executed. But the silence in the air worried him. There’s this electrifying feeling underneath his skin he just can’t explain.
He arrived at the plaza where the execution should have been taking place.
His eyes widened and his body shook. There are dead bodies everywhere he looks.
It wasn’t a normal sight where soldiers battle each other to death.
In the battlefield, it is your sword against mine, a clash of wits and strength. But what he saw at this very moment is pure madness.
The once golden bricks of the plaza are dyed red with blood. Mountains of dead bodies from young to old with eyes still open are littered on the ground.
In the middle of this eerie silence, he heard a voice that’s quite far away from him.
“Grilled eggplant! Gold Digging Whore Cutter!”