What should we do?” The young boy asks us.
“It’s intolerable that I have to answer a slum rat’s question. I will be heading to the frontlines and see how powerful I can become! I care not for what you all do.” Felicity then starts to walk away.
“Wait.. You, knight with the blonde hair. Who are you and why did you keep shooting me with glares earlier?”
“You really don’t remember?”
I wouldn’t be asking if I did
“You stole from me when I first arrived here in Alvarez. I needed a ride to the barracks you offered me one then told me to put my stuff in the carriage and I ride beside you I complied and placed my stuff in the carriage, then you just dashed off with the carriage along with my luggage and money!”
I have no idea of that. I have done that same scheme to dumb newcomers in the city multiple times, I can’t remember all the fools I tricked.
“Look… If it’s any consolation your things probably didn’t sell for much.”
I then was hit with a smack to the face with an open palm. I landed on the ground with my cheek stinging. Both Alice and Felicity then left.
“You deserved that.”
Leopold told me as he reaches out his hand towards me.
I smacked it away and stood up by myself.
Everyone seemed to have left while me and Alice were having that argument. Only me and Leopold were left alone in front of the castle.
“Shall we make our way to the front lines?”
“With all due respect your majesty. I’m no knight or adventurer I’m just a commoner not even a noble. There is no way I am going to the front lines.”
“Very well. However as the appointed knight I will be with you at all times.”
Really? All the time? Talk about pressure.
“Your highness you don’t need to be here. I’m going home and that’s it.”
“I will be coming along as well. Also no need to be so formal, we’re partners now so please just call me Leopold as I said before.”
How persistent. Fine I’ll bring him to my house outside the city and then he won't want to be with me anymore. The reason being because he is used to the fancy lifestyle he won't stand being with a comonner such as myself. I make my way out the city and Leopold followed me without question. As I was about to pass through the gate to go outside the city I was stopped by a knight in guard duty. He smelled like alcohol.
“Why hello there Lovre! If you want to go outside that’s 5 pieces of silver Hehehe”
I sighed and reached for my pouch but Leopold stops me.
The knight saw Leopold and started sweating bullets as he straighten his stance and let us through.
“Using your position as an advantage huh? Not very knight like.” I said striking up a conversation.
“That knight was clearly extorting money out of you as the knight captain I can’t stand by and do nothing.”
“He does that all the time and not just him many others do. Look, on the surface the city may look great and perfect, but in reality the people in here are as bad as the demonic beings that gather.”
Leopold looks down as I said the truth.
The night was drawing near so we hurried over to where I lived.
We arrived at a small village just a few distance away from the city. A small little girl runs up to me and gives me a hug on my leg.
“Lovre! You finally came back! Did you bring me anything?”
She asked as I lift her up and carry her.
“Of course I did Laura.”
I then pulled out a small flower in the color of purple and placed it on her ear.
“Who are you?!”
Two more children ran up and with their branches that they picked up they point it towards Leopold who was behind me. He smiles and raised up his arms. When he did I noticed his sword with the handle encrusted with a bit of gold. If I were to take that and sell it I would probably never be able to live to tell the tale.
“Uncle Lovre! We caught ourselves a knight! Let’s take his stuff and sell it. Then we can get enough money to help everyone!”
I sighed and placed my hand on one of the kids head.
“He’s fine. I brought him over as a guest. So be good kids and don’t bother him too much.”
The kids made a clicking sound with their tongue and left. I put down Laura and she smiled and waved at me before heading off to play with the other kids.
“I didn’t know there was such a community this close to the city.”
“Well we tend to keep to ourselves so that the knights won’t take what we don’t have.” I then made my way over to my house. As we go around everyone we passed gave me a wave. Compared to the city the houses here looked more like a hut than anything. It was completely made with straws and wood.
“How many people live here in this community?”
Leopold asks as he looks around in astonishment.
“I don’t know 8 children, 13 adult, and 4 elders? It’s been a while since I kept count.”
“Any of the children have any parents?”
“Huh? Yeah just Laura, the rest no. They were tossed out of the slums in the city due to being a burden. This is a place for those with nowhere to go.”
As we enter my house auntie Hannah was sitting on her rocking chair. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and said my greeting. She’s an old woman that’s been living here for a long time.
“Hello there. Excuse my intrusion, my name is Leopold Von Astrea.”
There was no response from auntie
“Don’t bother… she lost her sight and hearing a long time ago.”
“Is she your grandmother Lovre?”
“What? No, she’s the eldest here and she was the one that started this whole place when I was young. So I feel that I have to take care of her. I’m not complaining of course.”
I go over to the kitchen to make some tea to offer and give some for auntie.
I sat down with the tea and offered it Leopold
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“Sorry for being nosy. But what happened to her if she lost both her hearing and eyesight?”
I sighed
“Really… You are nosy. I don’t think she’ll mind so what the hell. In the past when I was young I found this place and started living here as a resident. The ruler at those times was auntie. Knights back then were the same as the present they come in the community demanding a tax, higher than the usual pay. If we don’t obey they ransack a house of their choosing. Auntie got tired of living under the fear of the knights so she took it upon herself to fight against the knights. She wielded a spear and tried to chase away the knights. Obviously she was overpowered, however she never gave up. The knights come weekly and auntie was always there prepared to take the punishment to chase them away. Then a day came when they decided to toy with her and brought along a mage to completely impair her hearing and eyesight with magic. She wasn’t scared and still tried to fight back but since she lost two of her senses she was just flailing around. The knights laughed and just decided to beat her until they got bored. She never once screamed in pain while they kicked and beat her. After they left she stood up and turned to the people behind her and smiled saying she’ll always be the one to stop them. She’s special to everyone who lives here not just me.”
“Who were those knights?!”
Leopold was holding his cup in anger
“I don’t know it’s a long time ago. I was still a kid back then you know?”
Leopold holds in his anger
“Why are you acting like you’re better than them? Aren’t you just the same as them?”
Leopold took clear offence at my words. He stood up and grabbed me by the collar of my clothing.
“I’m not the same as them!”
I was calm but also irritated
“Are you for certain? If you weren’t then how come you didn’t help out that old man back in the castle? You just let him get taken away didn’t you? You didn’t even argue on what Felicity did was wrong. Instead you were a bystander, not like I’m any better. At least I don’t deny what I am”
“I’m a knight before a prince. If the king does not issue an order then I can’t do anything”
“That’s what I thought. Look feel free to stay here but be sure to help everyone here if you’re going to. We help everyone in this community. Now let go”
Leopold let’s go of me and sits back down. Night time has arrived and I got tired. I showed Leopold to a small room and I headed off to bed. I placed my coat down on the chair before laying in bed and falling asleep.
Smoke…
I smell smoke!
I woke up in a hurry and looked outside. The sky was filled with red as the fire burned down the community.
Leopold runs in the room in a great hurry.
“Gargoyles! They’re attacking from the sky!”
I looked over my coat which I placed on the chair and put it on. Both of us hurry outside to see a pack of gargoyles shooting fire and swooping down and eating humans.
Wait… Auntie!
“If you’re looking for auntie I got her outside the house under some trees. I told everyone to do the same.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and focused on the gargoyles. I reach in my coat and brought out a bunch of throwing knives. I look over to my right and I see Leopold drawing his sword. The sword looked like a rapier completely brandished in white.
The gargoyles took notice of us and fired a bombardment of fireballs. I have nothing for cover.
“Get behind me Lovre!”
He took a stand in front of me and he started running his finger down the blade.
“Holy creator bless this child with the power to cut through everything… Holy blade’s judgement!”
Leopold swings the glowing sword horizontally. It released a wave and completely obliterated the fireballs that were heading towards us. On it’s way it cut up a few of the gargoyles that were in its path. What
“Not bad your highness”
I suppose it’s my turn. Activate lust!
My black hair stands up and turns pink the same color change that happened with my irises. The knives I were holding were coated with a pink aura. I took aim and threw all of them with precise accuracy hitting the gargoyles either at the head or at the heart.
“Now… Kill each other.”
As if they were puppets with no will other than mine they followed my order. They attacked their comrades with vigor.
“So you were bluffing when you said you didn’t know what your skill does?”
Leopold asks as he killed one of the gargoyles.
Then came the leader of the pack a named monster… No… A demonic being. It was a gargoyle but more close to that of a human appearance. He raises his arm in the air and fired some sort of fire magic. It flew high in the sky before exploding releasing a magic that looked like a meteor shower.
“Papa!”
I look over to the scream on my left and it was Laura holding her dead father's hand. Leopold won’t make it if I told him to go protect her, neither would I!
Leopold tries to run and protect her but it was too late the fireball is way too close to her. The explosion left a cloud of dust obstructing our view.
Leopold was furious.
“You will pay! Demonic being, be ready to face my blade!”
I place my hand on Leopold’s shoulder.
“Laura’s fine I used lust to make her activate a barrier. Look”
We both look over at Laura standing inside a green barrier with her irises colored in pink. Leopold then looks at me.
“I didn't know she can put up barriers.”
“She can’t. I ordered her to do that. Anyone I see or hit with an enchanted weapon with lust activated loses all free will and answers to all my demands, no matter how impossible it is.”
Laura then starts running away from the battlefield.
The demonic being then starts to clap slowly.
“Truly magnificent oh hero. The power of lust be it weak surely has its advantages color me surprised kukuku…”
“Why did you come here?!”
“To eliminate you, hero of lust or should I say Lovre Don Faust.”
Leopold raises his sword in the air
“Great creator I shall use a spell with your presence may the lightning speak thy name… Lightning wings of retribution!”
A lightning that came out of nowhere struck Leopold seemingly giving him wings made out of electricity. He jumps up and soars.
“Don’t think you’re the only one who can fly!”
Leopold swung his sword towards the demonic being.
The demon conjured up a sword as well, made of red crystals and blocked the attack.
“Prince Leopold Von Astrea, you are also on the hit list. Truly magnificent two birds with one stone as you would say kukuku…”
While he was speaking Leopold was swinging his sword but he just kept intercepting it. I can't just let Leopold do all the fighting. I call over one of the gargoyles I controlled, it should be fine the gargoyles numbers are dwindling.
“Become my wings”
The gargoyle then grabs me as it flies and follows the direction i think of, it truly feels like I’m flying with my own power. I take out more knives enchanted them with lust and threw them at the demonic being. Without even looking at my direction he created another sword and blocked it all.
“Smart of you to not look at me when I threw those”
If he did I would’ve taken away his free will as I look at him.
“Stop complimenting him. Holy blades judgement!”
“Kukuku…. Anti-matter avid slash!”
The two waves emitted by their blades hit each other and cancelling both in the process.
I took control of more gargoyles and sent them to attack the demonic being.
“Kill the demonic being!”
They gargoyles start to swarm the demonic being. He activated magic to ward them off but Leopold was seizing the opportunities given to him to launch attacks. It was working for a few but then he got used to it and created a floating orb shooting down the gargoyles and some of the shots were aimed at me.
“Learn magic reflection”
The gargoyles then started to contort as I said my order. I didn’t think I would have to use the learn command it shortens my command time of an hour to half. I used it earlier on Laura to make her learn barrier magic. My eye starts to throb.
“Leopold! Finish this already!”
The gargoyles reflected all the magic bullet towards the demonic being.
“May the holy judgement fall upon my enemy with it comes judgement… Holy light recreation!”
Leopold’s sword starts to glow even brighter than it was earlier. He flew in close as the demonic being Was fighting of the gargoyles with magic reflection. He stabbed the demonic being at the stomach.
“To think I’d be pushed this far! Volcanic pillar!!”
The ground below them starts to open a crack.
“Leopold!”
The demonic being holds Leopold’s hand without letting go. Leopold tried to make him let go and he looks at me.
“Don’t die”
The crack opens completely and a plume of flame erupts from it hitting all the gargoyles that was clinging on the demonic being and Leopold.
My eyes starts to get dark and I start losing my consciousness I fall to the ground.
I’m barely holding it together and I saw both Leopold and the demonic being up in the sky both badly burnt.
“You sure are tough…”
Leopold was up in the air panting
“To think you would survive that… truly magnificent prince and Lovre. If it weren’t for the order you would have died”
“True… But it seems our battle isn’t over yet”
“Actually I’m done for tonight… I will leave you my name and hopefully we meet again before you die. My name is Leviathan do keep it well in your mind.”
He then flies away
“Haha…”
Leopold then crashes to the ground as I closed my eyes.