It was evening before I was able to tell my parents what was happening. I told Aria’s story and requested the cooperation of my parents. My mother looked very gloomy. She had say Therrexis was her best friend before they were ruling over their subjects. I guess seeing your own friend become twisted when a new light is on them must hurt. I had sympathy but I stressed the need to do this, she reluctantly accepted. My father was against it at first because the plan required him to accept the Duke under his Kingdom. Knowing my father’s trust issues, I knew he didn’t trust many, those that he did, he trusted his life to them.

I was one of the few he trusted, so I played that card to help Aria, “Dad, I know you don’t know him but I trust him. I can read people easily and he is trustworthy.”

My father pondered for a while, and then mumbled, “You are good at judging people. Ah, fine. This once, I will do this just once. I will accept his fealty and sign the documents.” He left the room and headed for the office.

My mother stopped me before I could leave the room, “Are you sure about this?” she asked in a strained voice. I looked at her with all the seriousness I could muster and nodded my head. I was dead sure about this.

Hours later, we were all summoned to the King’s throne room. I was seated in the Prince’s chair, my mother in Queen’s, and my father standing above a kneeling Duke Adolf. My Father spoke with commanding tones, “Do you swear fealty to me, and the Astral Kingdom?”

“Yes, I swear the fealty of me, my descendants, and my entire Dukedom to the Astral Kingdom!” swore the Duke.

“Do you swear to answer the call of arms, no matter the opponent?” My father continued.

“My military is under your command.” the Duke said resolutely.

“I hear by dub you, Adolf Windbar, Duke of Shienriech, and Duke of the Astral Kingdom! Rise, Duke Adolf!” My father loudly proclaimed.

Adolf rose and turned to the crowd. Cheers came from all the palace servants and other guests staying over here. Adolf looked like he accomplished a great feat. He turned and nodded at me as if to thank me. I nodded back. Everyone was cheering and congratulating the Duke. All except the Burnhearts.

…

We were all outside the palace entrance seeing the Duke off. It was then I heard a scream from behind me. Turning around I saw Dathinos forcefully dragging Aria toward a carriage of their own. Really? Kidnap and dashing are we? Seriously did these guys have no soul? I walked up to the Baron and punched him square in the face.

When finally got up and Aria got behind me, he spat, “Fine, you can have the little whore! She’s your problem now!” He started to walk off, but I wanted to punish him thoroughly.

I piped up, “Your boys were pathetic. They didn’t even stand a chance against me.” He stopped in his tracks. “Yeah that’s right, I killed them. And now the commoners even look down on you. You must be feeling incredibly low on the totem pole. I tell you what since I’m feeling generous; I’ll strike you a deal.”

Therrexis walked up to the now seething Dathinos. Hehe, first, I crush their pride, and then I get them to willing fight me out of hatred. That is the plan.

“I challenge you to a duel. If you win, you get to take back Aria and go on your way. What do you say?” I say with a smirk

“I want your head. I couldn’t care less about that wench, I want your head. Scratch that, I will thoroughly punish her and have your head!” he looked furious. I thought it would take more to get him this mad, I guess I was wrong.

“Don’t you want to hear what I get if I win?” I say mockingly.

“Your race is extinct for a reason! You must’ve ambushed my sons with mercenaries! You are all weak!” He was spitting each word with disdain. His already red face was even redder than before.

“That means your sons must be even weaker than a dying race then.” I continue to fan the flames.

“I accept your challenge!” He said as he spread his wing and took off the ground, rocketing toward me.

I jump back into a Void Step and appear beside Therrexis. She looked really startled that I appeared beside her but started to attack anyway. I quickly shove her into a portal behind her where she was transport to appear in front of the Baron. They crashed splendidly onto the ground. Both were on their feet, but I was already behind them.

“Hmm we are attracting a very big crowd.” I say surveying the crowd. Even Adolf paused to watch with interest. “Let’s go elsewhere!” I suggest, while I grab both of them and use Void Step to appear in a new land, devoid of people, devoid of life.

The air was inky black and there was purple fog that appeared on the pale yellow ground. To add to the eeriness, there was absolutely nothing anywhere. The cold air robbed you of all warmth. Despite being cold and creepy, I strangely felt at home, weird. There was a something in peripheral vision thought caught my sight.

It was too late to dodge as a red fist connected with my face and sent me sprawling on the ground. My cheek throbbed as I look up at the Baron and his wife glaring at me. He cracked his knuckles and then his whole body caught fire, Therrexis followed suit. He gave me a sinister smile and said, “That was for earlier. Now the real fun begins.” He then runs at me again.

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I give a smile and push out my mana, turning the air around me blue before it expands outward until the dungeon is formed. I Void step away so I could concentrate a little. When I put a good distance between us, I fed much of my mana into the dungeon, setting spawns of monsters and giving the dungeon skills. I gave the dungeon Void Step and Demon Eyes. Doing this made it to wear I couldn’t use them myself but the dungeon will have them to aid in a creative environment. 

Jumping back, I barely dodged an incoming fireball. The massive amount of mana was seen as the purple got so thick you couldn’t see the ground. Then they stood up. Rising out of the ground everywhere, were skeletons. The skeletons stood up lifeless, then the Purple fog around their feet flew into their eye sockets, their bodies gave a jerk before the calmed once again.

Each skeleton had their heads hung down, but slowly started looking at the Burnhearts. The bones turned black, their eye sockets glowed red and the skeletons became shrouded in black and purple mist. They grabbed black swords at their feet and glared at the Burnhearts. The Burnhearts were looking around frantically at all the skeletons. There wasn’t even an ounce of anger from earlier, just sheer terror. I think they were under the effect of demon eyes of the skeletons. I’ve called them, the Void’s Army, and the Burnhearts are on their territory.

Some of the skeletons had skeletal wings and had taken flight. Since they were black, and top of that covered in mist, it was hard to track their movements. Those creepy glowing red eyes were the only thing that stood out, but it caused terror in its victims because of the Demon Eyes. This might have been over kill but hey, they deserve it.

They then charged the Burnhearts. They drew their own swords and desperately tried fighting back. They took out a few of the skeletons that came first, but they rose up and started attacking in frenzy. The Burnhearts were back to back and were extremely battered as the army attacked wave after wave, with no end in sight. Slice after slice their blood was slung across the ground in all direction. With blood loss and fatigue, they eventually fell and couldn’t get back up on their own. I called off the attack, the skeletons back away as I approach the fallen Burnhearts.

They were covered in wounds and their eyes were looking everywhere absolute terror. They were totally devoid of any sanity. They were basically frightened beasts. I instruct some skeletons to hold down their arms and legs.

I kneel down and tell the Burnhearts, “There is a code I live by and encourage others to do the same. It is ‘Do onto others, what you expect other to do onto you’, knowing this, you probably wanted this to happen. Well,” I stand up, “you got what you wanted.” I slam my foot down onto Dathinos arm. A snapping sound could be heard along with the roar of pain coming from Dathinos mouth. I followed suit with his other arm and Therrexis legs.

Screams of pain came from the two and just as they died down a fraction I broke something else to raise the volume. I was starting to enjoy it, as cruel as it was. Even if this was cruel, picturing the things they did and the things they planned on doing to Aria kept me going. I ordered the skeletons to turn over the screaming pair.

 As they did so, I put my foot on the center of Baron’s spine and said, “I am going to strip you of one of the things that mark you as a Noble. May you forever remember this lesson.” I put a hand on each wing. The wings were leathery, but were also bloody and full of holes due to the earlier battle. Grabbing the base of the wings I push my foot down and pull up with all my strength. As the screams of agony grew louder and louder, I could hear snapping sound coming from the wings. Eventually I heard a tearing, then I jerked up and I was standing with a pair of severed, giant bat-like wings. Under foot was a man twisted in pain, screamed in every moment of this living Hell. Soon his wife joined him in the same horrific agony of having the wings torn off their bodies. I order their release.

When released of their skeletal bonds, I picked both of their near-lifeless bodies and cancelled the dungeon. When it cancelled, the skills returned to me and I walked into a Void Step and through them onto the ground in front of curious onlookers. The crowd looked at them with horror. Looking at their broken bodies, they were almost unrecognizable.

Before they lost consciousness, I told them with as much of menacing atmosphere I could muster, “On the accounts of multiple acts of treason, you are hereby banished. Leave this kingdom and NEVER comeback.”

They finally passed out. I threw them in their carriage and told the driver to dump them off somewhere outside the kingdom.

*PING*

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Wow, you... you were pretty ruthless back there.

They deserved it. They were going to kill Aria if I had not intervened, I may not have killed them, but boy I made it to where they wished I had.

So what do you think the others will think about it?

What do you mean?

Well that was pretty brutal, no matter which you look at it. You even ripped their wings off. What will Louise think of this?

I don't expect her to forgive me, I will accept whatever she throws at me.

... I hope you are able to keep those words.