Arc 4: What families entail
Road to a hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 16. Had Better days
Gray repeatedly unsheaths, slashes, and resheaths his sword whilst keeping his spiritual senses’ active. Gray slumps to the ground, slouching down in the snow.
Gray: “Same…thing…every day…”
Ryo walks up to Gray, handing him a cup of tea.
Ryo: “With discipline and repetition comes accuracy.”
Gray: “Well…I’m getting better at it. I've been practicing every day, and I can keep the spirit sense going for a bit. But after I stop, it gives me a monster headache…”
Ryo: “Well it’s all to help your friends.”
Gray: “Yeah…depending on what the next letter says is what I’ll use to decide if I want to go.”
Ryo: “Do you think they are doing okay?”
Gray: “I hope so.”
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Rosemary paces around in a cell, walking to the bars to look around.
Rosemary {Dammit…I didn’t even get a chance to fight back…they just put me in this cell and told me to wait…I hope She's okay.}
up on the castle's top floor, Julius sits across from Beauregard sipping tea.
Julius: “Why didn’t you take Leo with you?”
Beauregard: “Because if I did, all of the Red Arrows would try and get him back. And I don’t want that to happen.”
Julius: “I see, now can you release my friend?”
Beauregard: “That girl? Not until I know I can’t get anything out of her.”
Julius: “I would like to strike a deal with you.”
Beauregard: “Alright then, I’m interested.”
Julius: “Do you believe me then? That I’m the prince of Valatrositice.”
Beauregard: “I can see it in your eyes. I would say that telling if people are lying is one of the few things that I excel at. Now, what’s this deal you’re talking about?”
Julius: “I need assistance regaining Walgonia.”
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Beauregard: “What do you mean? Didn’t you win the election?’
Julius: “We were infiltrated by the Sect of anarchy, they are in control.”
Beauregard: “Really? They might not be as much of a joke as I thought they were. But what do you want me to do about it?”
Julius: “I’ll help you take out the Red Arrows if you assist my friends and me with recovering Walgonia.”
Beauregard: “Mmmm…Okay, I’ll take you up on that. I can use it to make the other rulers take me seriously.”
Julius: “So do we have a deal then?”
Beauregard stares Julius down, almost like he’s trying to stare into his soul, only to find nothing. A blank response giving no information. From what Beauregard can tell, Julius is completely serious.
Beauregard: “Alright we have a deal.”
They shake hands, affirming their deal.
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Edward comes to, slowly regaining consciousness.
Edward: “Head…hurts…can’t…breath…”
Edward struggles to open his eyes, the pain of even thinking it too much, let alone moving. He then sees a man with fur on his body, most likely meaning he's a demi-human.
Demi-human: “Hey you’re finally awake.”
Edward: “Where…am…?”
Edward feels the ground rocking and moving underneath him, with the force of the wind hitting his face, and the sound of wheels turning. He assumes he is most likely on a wagon of some kind.
Demi-human: “HEY LUNNY, THIS GUY’S AWAKE!”
Lunny: “Fuck really!? I assumed he’d just die. Jonny tells 'em about what we had to go through to get 'em here!”
Jonny: “Dude!”
Edward: “Loud…too…loud…”
Jonny: “Yeah, anyway Moro beat your ASS! I ain’t never seen a man hit the floor so hard HE FUCKING BOUNCES! He was gonna kill ya but he said if he sold a Helsing, damn the LAST Helsing, he would get a fuck ton of coin!”
Edward: “I’m…not…dead…?”
Jonny: “YO THIS GUY MIGHT GOT BRAIN DAMAGE OR SOMETHING!”
Lunny: “NA, HE JUST GOT FUCKED UP HAHA! HE’S PROBABLY HURTIN’ HARDER THAN WE EVER HAVE.”
Jonny: “WELL DAMN YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!”
Edward: “Where…we…going…?”
Jonny: “Oh we’re gonna sell your ass for the highest bidder! We aren't even out of Athens yet, so it’ll be a long ride.”
Edward looks around, finding his hands bound by chains, as well as his legs.
Edward {I’m bound…can’t fight with injuries…my…right eye...gone….gotta move now…still in…Athens…}
Lunny: “This guy’s eyes’ oh wait for EYE! HAHA! He’s fucking psycho! He’s zoned out.”
Jonny: “REALLY!? That’s called…oh yeah the warriors' spirit! That shit’s not real though right.”
Lunny: “Well if it’s real…then this is it. What is the warriors' spirit though, y’know just to see if it’s this.”
Jonny: “Let’s hope it’s not…Um, I think the stories say that it’s when Helsings' eyes turn blank and their faces go emotionless…um…and they get hella strong!”
Lunny: “Um…that kinda describes what this guy's face looks OH SHIT!”
Edward pushes through the pain, wrapping the chains around Lunny's neck and snapping it as fast as he can.
Jonny: “FUCK LUNNY! I KILL YOU, DAMN BASTARD!”
Edward feels around for anything. He finds the hilt of something, throwing it at Jonny before anything can happen. A blade pierces Jonny's head, killing him and instantly losing control of the wingless drakes pulling the wagon. They end up shaking and running as fast as they can, throwing Edward off balance and tumbling out of the wagon, falling onto the dirt road below.
Edward: “UGH DAMMIT THAT HURTS!”
Edward squirms and quivers in pain, trying to move and inch his way toward his friends.
Edward {Shit! Did they die…no they couldn’t have…right?}
Edward: “HOW DID IT GO SO BADLY!?”
Hours pass as Edward just lies on the ground unable to do anything. Night falls, and Edward hears something approaching behind him.
Edward {Is…this where I die…}
A middle-aged man sits down in front of Edward. Even with the wrinkles and old skin, the man's body was strong, a mix of the lean fighter and the bulky bodybuilder. He takes a sip of some alcohol before nudging Edwards’ body. Edward's eye is drawn to the strangest part of the man, which is the cloth covering the left side of his face.
Edward: “Ow…who are…you?”
Man: “God your throat is dry, here take a sip of this water.”
The man pulls out a canteen, pouring the water into Edward's mouth.
Edward: “Thank…*cough*...you.”
Man: “Damn, all those injuries I don’t know how your ass is still alive. Here let me take these chains off.”
The man effortlessly breaks the chains, picks Edward up, and proceeds to walk into the forest.
Edward: “HEY! Where are you taking me!?”
Man: “To my house up in the mountain, I’ll patch you up in return for you telling me why you’re looking for me.”
Edward: "May I ask your name?"
Lincoln: “Name’s Lincoln, Lincoln Valentine.”
End of Chapter Sixteen.