Chapter 106: Intentions
The changes came too fast, too sudden— most of everyone still had their mouths to the floor, too stunned to make heads or tails of what they were seeing.
The man with the hammer broke out of his stupor first. On the same note, he also suddenly broke out of his paralyzing spell.
Between life and death, the only thing more frightening than Balon’s threat of death, was the promise of a life filled with hellish, cruel torture.
Kail already had his nose and lips broken, but he absolutely could not be allowed to die here.
He knew the consequences clearly. Dais might have his allowance cut— he might even be jailed for a portion of his life for letting his younger brother die— but he himself, was going to be forced to live a long life with all his limbs cut off.
But unfortunately it wouldn’t end there. It was certain he was going to be carefully kept alive in a cruel stasis of constant agony. Tubes would enter each hole he had in his body to “regulate” his health, and something was going to be constantly torturing him for the rest of his life.
Maybe it would be snakes, bees or electric eels, though the most likely option was he would be forced to ingest some twisted abomination’s venom, that would put him into a delirious state of constant fever, extreme itching, and ceaseless aching.
All the while he would not even be able to squirm. Maybe he would be allowed to writhe on the ground in misery, but most likely he would be suspended in the air by those vile tubes.
All of that, until either his mind breaks, or his life ends.
Of course, he only knew of these methods of torture because he had been the person administering such things.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The man with the giant hammer sprinted as fast he could. He ran with such vehemence and urgency that his steps boomed through the cavern.
Suddenly those booming steps halted however, as someone placed themselves between him, and the two youths.
“FUCK!” He shouted at the top of his lungs. It was so loud that many of those near him clutched at their ears that were ringing.
“WHY ARE YOU STOPPING ME!?”
Surprisingly it was not Balon, nor any of the three sisters that moved. The one halting the man from stopping Yela’s onslaught was the older brother himself.
“I want to stand here, what are you going to do about it?”
The man with the hammer moved left to go around him, only to find that Dais similarly moved to obstruct him.
Whether he went left, right or up above, he found Dais moved like a mirror reflection of himself, always appearing where he wanted to go.
The older son even took a few glances behind to make sure Kail’s face was being properly rearranged.
“THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!”
In response the man with the hammer finally had enough. He raised his hammer, intent on blowing Dais out of his way.
Two sons that returned injured were better than one who returned in perfect health, and another who returned a corpse.
Luckily for the both of them though, the situation didn’t escalate to such a level.
The resonant clanging sound of metal hitting stone rang out into everyone’s ears.
Any eyes that were previously watching the circus act between the two men, were placed back onto the two youths.
Kail’s face was left a bloody broken mess, but unfortunately for the world he was still breathing.
On the other hand, Yela who stood over him still had her arm floating in the air, and on her face was a look of horrified shock.
Her fury had now passed and she came to her senses. It was then at that very moment when she was exposed to the masterpiece artwork, that was the young boy’s face.
Of course to her, what she committed was a horror, and she immediately dropped the weapon in her hands with nauseous repulse.
That same hand that grasped the silver goblet and delivered the blows was now trembling in guilt, shock and pure bewilderment.
Though…mixed within those feelings of having done something wicked and wrong, were feelings of satisfaction and contentment.
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Her conscious mind and reasoning enforced to her the undeniable fact, that she did something hurtful and wrong. Yet…another side of her questioned if that really was the case.
If it was so wrong, why did it feel so good? So liberating? So gratifying? Isn’t this just what he deserves?
“Attend to him.”
Dais’s voice echoed through the cavern.
Surprisingly, it was directed not at the man with the hammer, but at Nadia, who seemed to have already flashed right next to the youngins even before the last word had left Dais’s lips.
Of course, she didn’t move so fast because she was a dutiful mercenary.
She did so because she did not want the man with the hammer to get any ideas, and end up impulsively attacking the little girl for what she did.
Sneakily, she sent a glance towards the man on the throne.
…If by chance the little girl died, there was no doubt in her mind that what would result this time would be a sure death for everyone.
It was a mercenary’s— no, a soldier’s intuition.
Her long, black silky hair fell like a waterfall as she bent down towards the young man.
There was blood all over his face, he was missing a few teeth, and the intense swelling made her question where his eyes were, but what surprised her most was that he was actually still conscious…Which only meant that he must be in a world of pain right now.
…Though, that didn’t matter to her. The first thing she did was place her hand on his nose, and what resulted next was a crunching sound and a miserable groan.
“Ughhh…”
Though at least his corrected nasal passages allowed him to more easily breathe.
Nadia was no field medic, nor did she care for being gentle. She grabbed the cloth at his chest and lifted him upwards with one hand, dragging him just slightly off the ground towards Dais.
Passingly, she shot a glance towards the little girl. There was a bit of acknowledgement and praise in her eyes, as she too remembered when she had to fight tooth and nail to survive.
If this was the lesson the man on the throne wanted her to learn, it was for sure a success.
‘Hm…’ Nadia’s eyes observed closer…
…Or was it?
The mercenary’s steps halted right before the older merchant son, to which she displayed young Kail’s condition to him.
Dais had no complaints about how his younger brother was treated. The older brother even had a slight grin on his face.
Thinking that his sibling was unconscious, he even leaned his face closer to that bloody mess. And just when he was observing his brother’s reconfigured face a little closer…
“Shhashhhilll…”
Suddenly, sound audibly came out from the broken thing, and everyone’s eyes moved to the disfigured young man.
Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly…he still had the energy to speak his mind.
“What was that younger brother? I could not hear you.” The tone of the voice sounded neutral, much to the effort of the speaker to hide his glee.
“Sssssshhhswlllll…”
“Sssshwilll…”
“Sshswilll!!”
“What?”
Blood started to splatter from his burst open and broken lips. Some of it splattered onto Dais’s face, but he seemed to revel in the sensation rather than be disgusted by it.
“Kkkkkkkssssshh!”
The sound that came from him next, started to turn from slurred murmurs into roaring, demanding screams.
“Kkkkilsssh!”
“Killllllllshem!!!”
“KIILLLSHEMMMALLLL!!!”
“DDDREADD IIIIWAANTSHHHR DREDDD!!!”
“DHSEDHSEDHSEDDSHEDSHEDDD!!!”
The man with the hammer looked at Balon, obviously hesitant to actually attack. With the man distracted however, it allowed Dais to move without obstruction.
A hand descended from the air, chopping down at the back of his younger brother’s neck.
Now the man with the hammer definitely moved without any hesitation, yet it was too late.
THUD!
Breathing heavily, the next thing he did was place his massive hand at the center of Kail’s chest, and found to his relief that it was still beating.
A great deal of steam came out of his nose as his worst fears of fratricide thankfully didn’t come true, and that chop had only rendered Kail unconscious.
“But he has a point…” Although low, Dais made sure to spread his voice throughout the entire cavern…
Then, he made sure to speak in an even louder voice, so loud that even a deaf person could hear.
“Now what would a great merchant lord say if one of his favorite sons returned with such grievous injuries?”
All eyes glanced towards the man on the throne. Even the sisters were intrigued now that their brother was being goaded.
Balon’s head never left the hand it was resting on, though it did tilt forwards in response.
His speech was slow, unhurried, and resonant, and what came next was a deep voice that boomed out.
“Is this some sort of threat?”
“Why I would never threaten those I’ve had dealings with before!”
The man with the hammer rolled his eyes, and a few mercenaries started to move about awkwardly.
“It would be a stain upon my family’s legacy!”
“Such behavior is shameful, disgusting and absolutely scoundrelous!”
In between his speech, he suddenly started to pace across the room.
“Unscrupulous!”
“Villainous!”
“Immoral!”
“Not to mention scandalous!”
“Yet…”
The man sighed loudly and heavily, though it did nothing to make his speech feel any less dishonest.
“What can be done?”
“Now that my little brother has suffered such heartbreaking injuries— such grievances!”
—sigh—
“My powerful, tyrant of a father will most definitely look for revenge…”
“He’ll hire the most professional and excellent investigators.”
“Those with extreme forensic capabilities.”
“If that doesn’t work then I’ve heard that my father also employs fate diviners, and black magic practitioners…”
“And once he’s learned of what’s happened here, he’ll no doubt bring a bloodbath towards all those involved…”
“Armies of mercenaries, sometimes even the borrowed legions of affluent kingdoms…”
“They’ll murder, pillage and…” He made sure to give a grave and dramatic moment of silence, taking a long look at the three sisters before gluing his eyes towards a certain young girl.
“...Worse.”
“But!”
From his previously downcast expression his face suddenly lit up with a bright glow. At the same time, his steps stopped just before, and right in front of, the same young girl who still had blood on her hands and face…
“I, for one, dislike tragedies.”
Dais’s hand reached out to touch Yela’s hair, but feeling the revolting presence she immediately reeled backwards.
She seemed to…feel a foul stench in the air, and in that instant she also felt the urgent need to escape.
Seeking safety and protection, on pure instinct she scampered towards the three sisters and the man on the throne.
It was only until she reached them, did the feeling of those disgusting eyes leave her body.
“I am not a heartless man, I don’t wish to see such needless slaughter.”
“...I could cover up what happened here.”
“Actually, I could even give you more.”
“Look to the stock that I bring. The slaves, the furniture, the furnishings, the provisions— all in all they’re worth pounds in gold, but to me this is nothing.”
“I could double, triple, quadruple— I could give you several times the amount I’ve given you here!”
A finger, subtly trembling as if it couldn’t hide its excitement, pointed itself straight towards Yela.
“All I ask…is you give me her.”