Chapter Sixty-Eight: The First Mission, Part 2

“So, you’re saying the Cult is using Xander to get to you?” Alyx frowned. “That sounds like them. Scummy as usual.”

“What do I do, Alyx?” Yue asked. “I don’t want to kill the rioters, but…”

“You have to,” Alyx responded. “I don’t see your problem, Yue. They’re criminals, murderers, all of them. They serve Dautha and they would kill if asked.”

“But they haven’t, have they?” Yue asked, crossing her arms. She knew this was a delicate issue, one that Alyx disagreed with her on, but she didn’t know who else she trusted enough to tell and had the time to. Alyx was theVanguard Warrior she trusted most, so she’d gone to her immediately.

“But they will!” Alyx told her. “Innocent citizens have died during these riots, Yue, DIED!” This isn’t a simple harmless riot. This is dangerous. If we want to fight the Cult, we have to understand that we will kill. I don’t see the problem with killing someone who will kill innocents.”

“You don’t know they’ll do that!”

Alyx scowled. “If they keep doing what they’re doing, then they will. In fact, I’m betting that the same rioters who you will kill have already maimed several people, if not killed one.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Yue whispered. “They can change, and they deserve to as well.”

“Does a serial murderer deserve it? What about a rapist, or even Dautha himself? Does he deserve a second chance? Maybe Dautha will turn good!” Alyx sneered. “You know the truth, Yue. You give Dautha and the Cult a chance, and they’ll wipe you out. You’re not giving the Cult a second chance, you're giving them their hundredth, and it isn’t even a chance for change, either, it’s a chance for more death! You’re saving citizens by killing others. Get that in your head, Yue. You’ll be doing the right thing.”

Yue bit her lip. “I want to believe you, I do, but these aren’t normal Cultists.”

“Exactly! These are the citizens who will convince or kill other citizens. In a way, it’s even worse than the normal Cultists.”

“And Joanne then?”

“Joanne is a difficult issue,” Alyx admitted. “But I can tell, and so can you, that she has problems with the Cult, but even she would kill if she was asked to, I think. I do think she’s having troubles with the Cult.”

“So she’s proof they can change!”

“No, Yue, she’s proof they can’t,” Alyx responded. “Think about it. The person who’s seen the horrors the most, who’s been traumatized by it, and had friends almost die for it, has kept her Cult religion, and even while having troubles with it, has decided she wants to stay! The person who has the most reason that I know of stays in her blasted path.”

Yue cringed. There was definitely something wrong with what Alyx was saying, but it was convincing.

“So you agree with Zade, then?” She asked.

“You didn’t know that already,” Alyx responded darkly. “I was conflicted about it, at first, I’ll admit. But I’ve seen the truth. The Cult stops at nothing, and so neither should we. We need to fight fire with fire, Yue, no matter if we burn down the whole blasted forest or not!”

Alyx was so heated she was using the recent and common Magefell expletive. Of course, Yue herself had no problem with using it, she just recognized the fire in Alyx’s eyes as she spoke on this.

“You’re right,” Yue said.

“Really?”

“No,” Yue admitted, “But I’m telling it to myself so that when I do this job, I don’t feel as—blasted guilty.”

“One day you’ll see the truth,” Alyx told her. “Whenever the Cult does something unforgivable, then you’ll understand.”

“They already have,” the other warrior responded. “And I still want to be able to forgive them.”

“Suit yourself,” Alyx stood up. “I have to go now. Aster and I are going to see my parents. Think on what I said, Yue.”

“I will, thank you.”

Yue put her head in her hands and kept her mind blank, erasing any thought. She needed to be alone with herself now. She was nervous, scared, and a little sad. Was Alyx truly right? The wind blew through her hair softly as she stared down numbly, ignoring the world. She just wanted to stay here like this, until…

A hand fell over and around her, but no voice followed it. For a second, Yue let it stay, but then she looked up. There was Xander, smiling down at her, his arm wrapped around her protectively.

“You’re not going to ask what’s wrong?” Yue asked.

“I figured you’d tell me when you were ready,” Xander shrugged. “I trust my girlfriend to ask me for help if she needs it.”

“You’re not at all curious about what I’m going through or what happened to you when you collapsed?”

“OF course I am,” Xander admitted. “But I understand that if you aren’t telling me, it’s because you can’t.”

“Xander, I’m going to do a terrible thing!” Yue blurted out. “I can’t tell you what, when, how, or why—I just can’t, trust me—but I’m going to do something horrible, and maybe more than one thing. I don’t want to do it, but I have to.”

Xander frowned. “I don’t know what to say, Yue. I want to help, but—”

“You can’t do anything.”

“Then how do I help? What do you want me to say?”

“Just stay with me. Please.”

Xander nodded, and wrapped his other arm around her too, and she leaned on his chest.

“If you ever need me,” Her boyfriend whispered. “I am here for you.”

“I know,” Yue responded. “And I am here for you. I’m protecting you, Xan, even if you don’t see it.”

“I’m sure you are. And Xan? Why would you—”

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Yue put her finger on his lips to shush him. And there they stood, in the Vanguard grounds, holding each other as the day passed. She melted in his embrace, just wanting to stay, to never leave, for this to stay how it was. All she wanted was to protect Xander.

She opened her eyes. This was why she had to do this, for Xander’s sake. She needed him, and Alyx had to be right.

Closing off all doubts in her mind, Yue looked at Xander.

“I’m ready,” She glared.

“What are you—” Xander gurgled, then his eyes shifted to purple. “Good. I shall start a riot now.”

Yue cracked her knuckles. It was time to do the unforgivable.

— — —

It didn’t take long for a riot to start, and this one was bigger than any other, a real spectacle. Dozens of cultist citizens riling up to defend what they believed in, and Yue was ready to wipe them all out.

The riot was happening in the market, positioned perfectly for any spectators to see what the famous Sterkona would do. And what she would do would change their view of her forever.

As she walked to the market with Xander, many screamed at her, telling her to help them, that the Cult was destroying everything.

“I’ll take care of it,” She scowled at everyone. “Don’t worry about it.”

Unsheathing her sword, she smiled as the market came into view.

This is wrong. The thought slammed into her like a brick wall. She growled and fought against it.

No, I must do this,

Think of the Cultist citizens.

They deserve this!

Do you really believe it?

Yue hesitated. Did she really believe what Alyx said?

No, I don’t. But today, I must.

The riot came into sight. Rioters threw torches in the air, pelted rocks at innocent bystanders, and just harassed anyone they could find. Some were even beating up shopkeepers.

“Some citizens might be dead,” Cult-Xander told her. “Don’t the rioters deserve it?” He smiles at her. “We all deserve to die, don’t we? What happened to your moral code?”

“It agreed with me,” Yue growled. “This is necessary.”

“That’s the spirit,” He responded. “Let’s kill these flaming bastards.”

Cries of STERKONA rang through the rioters as they noticed her, but many began to laugh.

“Even the Sterkona can't take on all of us,” One man hooted.

“But we’d like to see you try,” A woman yelled, to more laughter.

“What are you going to do?” Another asked. “Arrest all fifty of us?”

Fifty, Yue whispered to herself softly. There are fifty of them.

“No,” She sneered at them. “I’m not going to arrest you.” Grabbing the nearest rioter, she stabbed down on its head, blood and brain-matter gushing from the top of his head.

And thus the Magefell Market Massacre began.

Yue spun, dodging a torch thrown at her, and instinctively stabbed up, catching another rioter through the bottom of his head and up to the top. With a gurgle, the woman fell to the ground, trying to stop the flow of blood. Yue meanwhile, had already ended the lives of two more, one decapitated, the other with a stab through the heart.

Gasps arose from the citizens as they watched the Sterkona kill those who couldn’t defend themselves adequately. Inside, Yue knew that it must feel like a betrayal to them, but her mind was filled with thoughts of death.

Another Cultist killed, a stab through his heart. Cultist-Xander was fighting too, but he wasn’t killing, leaving the victims all to Yue.

Ten were already down, and some were stumbling away, but others looked even more invigorated. One threw a punch at Yue, but she caught it with her left hand and twisted, a nasty crunch following. As the Cultist stumbled to the ground screaming, Yue thrust forwards, taking another through the eyes. Then she turned back to the Cultist with the broken arm and ended her life, slashing down without mercy.

The others stood no chance. Each tried to end the fabled Sterkona’s life, and each failed spectacularly, earning a death for themselves. The citizens all looked on in horror and fascination. What was this new version of Yue Zhang and was this permanent?

Another Cultist down, and two more took his place. She stabbed, cutting through a torch, then stabbed once, twice, cutting through both of their heads. Then she kicked the torch up off the ground, picked it up and threw it, catching another Cultist in the head.

“You thought this would be easy?” Yue growled. “I’m in the flaming Vanguard! I’m the greatest swordswoman in the world.”

“You’re not invincible,” A Cultist jumped on her from behind, but she threw him off her and stabbed down.

“Against you,” She smiled. “I’m basically invincible.”

The screams of the damned and dying fueled her as she swung from man to woman, killing them each, one by one, the reaper visiting each rioter that day.

On the positive side, she thought, the riots should stop after today.

The next man to come at her, tripped on the ground, and she didn’t bother doing anything except stomping on his face, but his gurgled screams as he put his hands over his mangled face told her he was not long for this world.

More and more rioters died, and she scanned the remainder. There seemed to be less than ten now. The blood of the dead stained her, marking her as the cruel mistress of death, and she advanced on the last few, and, seeing their end, they did the only thing they could think of doing.

They ganged up on her.

Their mistake.

Yue pushed through them all, giving them all grave injuries. One got a sword through his brain, another through the stomach, yet another stabbed into her chest.

Each fell.

Each died.

When the massacre was over, Yue looked around in horror, realizing what she’d done. The citizens reacted just like her, staring at the gore and death around her. For a moment, time stood still as all stared at what had once been fifty alive people, not turned to bloody messes and corpses. It was a stunning visual.

Then one cheer broke the silence, crashing into Yue. Strangely, the other citizens followed suit. Soon, a full-on applause began as the innocent civilians cheered and screamed for Yue. She began to breathe rapidly, her mind spinning with horrible thoughts.

“Hear them, Yue,” Cultist-Xander whispered in her ear. “Thay may like you now, but I will hsatter your reputation. I will shatter you. Let me start. This is just the beginning.”

Xander collapsed and rose a minute later, his eyes clearing. Looking around in confusion, he turned to a very bloody Yue.

“What happened here, Yue?” He asked. “What have you done?”

Yue stumbled back as the crowd cheered her on. “I…I had to!”

“WHat have you done, Yue?” Xander asked again, his voice more like a screech now.

The citizens continued to applaud her and the mess she’d done, but Yue felt horrible.

Crumpling to the ground, Yue sat down and wept. As the crowd screamed for her, and Xander stared at her horrified, she tried to stop the feelings of guilt passing through her.

She had killed fifty rioters!

Yue just sat down and wept.