Chapter 65: Huh?!
Under candle light within a room hidden beneath an old bar, two figures stared at a map of the world.
“So… Valentia has fallen to Castiel.” Prior Dume said, the grey-haired priest furrowing his brow as he stared at a map. “Instead of spending all that coin to defend the city, they used it to fund an expedition force to recover an ancient legacy.”
“Ya know it sounds almost noble when you say it that way.” Joy said, the nurse placing a yellow token atop the city of Valentia. The symbol of the Demon Castiel.
“Hm. Noble. Nothing about it. Let us hope Lhikan recovers it before they do, otherwise we'll all be cattle..” Dume replied, narrowing his eyes at the red, green, white, yellow, and pink tokens. Each one a different force. “This place will be a bloodbath. A battle between two demons and us humans are caught in-between.”
“We still have some time before the attack. Castiel needs to reinforce his position and Bellona is still securing the city. We should use this time to escape.” Joy reasoned, tapping on the blue tokens that formed a line.
The Lizaria defense. A conglomerate of city states, fortresses, and bastions raised over the centuries in conjunction with other races to defend the Holy Capital while the demons were fighting each other and attacking neighboring lands.
Everything else in-between the blue line and the colorful tokens?
Abandoned as the tide of monsters overwhelmed unprepared or surrendered lands.
“And abandon the people here? We can't!” Dume replied, his fist slamming on the table out of frustration before he sat down in his rickety chair. “We…”
“We must. To live and fight another day. There's nothing we can do for the people here. There's too many to evacuate. Staying will just maytr us at no one's benefit.” Joy said, resting her hand on the old man's shoulder.
“I know…” Dume sighed. “If only Natalie were still here…”
“She isn't. So… we need to move on. Captain Asher is in. We'll use the old sweets smuggling tunnels. Escape tonight with Sister Arlen and the others.”
“Ok.” Dume whispered, visibly aging. The city had hundreds of thousands of people. People that would be left behind to be made into cattle for the demon Bellona’s army before being caught up in a siege.
Prior Dume closed his eyes, sitting back in his chair as his mind moved to simpler times. “We can only pray that Lhikan returns with the key to our salvation.”
*****
Hiro
“YOU FILTHY BUG!”
“DUMB SLIME!”
“SQUISHABLE!”
“FAKE TITS!”
“Y-YOU! ILL CRUSH YOU!”
“BRING IT!”
Sitting on my throne, I watched in exasperation as Slimey and Ayaka fought each other, neither listening to me as I ordered them to stop.
Fine.
“STOP! STOP SQUSHING MEH!”
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“Or what you little gnat!”
“I'LL BLOW YOU UP! I'LL BLOW US ALL UP!” Ayaka cried as Slimey enveloped the tiny drider. “I'm super p-poweRGurgsnwk!”
SLIMEY! AYAKA! CEASE! I barked, sending a mental command that carried with it my full authority.
The two froze, well, Slimey did, Ayaka was busy drowning in the slime's body and floating around.
Slimey, let her go. I ordered.
The massive slime turned red, but ultimately released the drider, resuming her humanoid shape and wearing her black cloths that were displaying new holes.
“Bleh! BLEHK! BLEEEeeeeee!” Ayaka let out in disgust, the slime covered arachnid flicking slime everywhere. “Gross! I'm all sticky!”
Silence!
Ayaka froze, quickly bowing with the goblin knights within my chambers bowing.
Play nice you two. We're on the cusp of an enemy invasion! I don't need you killing each other while I'm trying to build traps!
Slimey began to shiver, to shake, her gelatinous body quivering in anger.
Over the course of the day, I had been busy inspecting the troops. Instructing them, teaching them. Lhikan following me around as he observed me relay my orders to the goblins and occasionally ask me questions.
Of course I didn't mind, in fact it was quite stimulating. However my day began to go awry as Ayaka and Slimey got into it after the Drider asked to suck on my body once more.
Of course, it went as expected. The twist, unlike any other time being that Ayaka fought back as Slimey attempted to squish her, tearing the priestess robes Slimey adored.
Since then it was just constant back and forth, the two attacking one another and calling each other names.
This had been going on for the last two hours, quite entertaining at first but eventually becoming a distraction.
““My apologies my Lord.”” Slimey and Ayaka said in unison, the two glairing at one another.
I don't want your sorries, I want you two to stop arguing.
““Yes my Lord.””
The pair responded, but I could feel their apprehension through our bond. They would of course obey me for the time being, but it wasn't like my orders were a lasting geas or anything.
Sigh.
Ayaka.
“Y-yes my Lord?” The drider replied, the tiny woman tapping her pointer fingers together and looking up at me with puppy eyes.
A trick! One that I was well acquainted with! And one that wouldn't work on me.
Fix Slimey's dress.
“B-b-b-ut-!” Ayaka stuttered.
And Slimey!
“Yes! My Lord!”
Stop antagonizing the bug.
“As you wish! My body and soul is yours to do as you wish Lord Hiro.” Slimey replied, kowtowing in an exaggerated manner. “After all, as your champion it is only right that I listen to you.”
Right… I didn't say all that.
“I'm not a bug.” Ayaka pouted.
You two are going to get along. If you can't get along, I'll punish you both. And you both know what's happening to the Dryad.
Ayaka shuddered, head down while Slimey simply closed her eyes.
“We apologize humbly my Lord.” Slimey said, her face planted into the floor.
Right, well, get to work. Slimey go and purify my humans and Ayaka, fix Slimey's dress.
Ayaka pouted, but nonetheless followed after Slimey, the pair leaving my throne room with Ayaka's little skittering echoing out.
Sigh… being a parent is hard.
At least Zorin was behaving herself. The only one of my children not actually causing any trouble. Well, on account of her being a lazy bum. Still, she seemed to be doing a fine job of being a morale booster.
In fact, all of the goblins seemed to like hanging around her with that thief Jesse trying to teach Zorin how to talk basic apparently.
Can't say that I really approve. That boy was nothing but trouble. Still, if it kept him from knick picking and attempting to escape all the better.
In the meantime, I had Lhikan searching for his little gnome friend. The irritating short stack becoming a bit of a nuisance the last couple of days.
A misguided attempt at prepping for a rescue, that gnome had been deactivating and disarming my traps! My hard work being undone by that knife-eared irritating little-!
Calm down. She's not an elf. Just elf-adjacent. One of the good ones.
Ok. That sounds wrong. Let me rephra-
“My Lord!”
Oh what now? Can't you see I'm monologuing?!
Gobledo scrambled into the throne, kneeling hastily.
What? What is it?
“It’s a mutiny!!!” Gobledo screamed as war horns sounded.