Chapter Eighteen


    Ambrose did not unleash his spirit upon the bluescale guards that rallied around their priestess. Instead he gestured at Noelle and the arcane white tiger unleashed lightning upon them.


    Their ashes coated the floor a moment later.


    A part of him lemented at killing the guards. They were merely doing their jobs, after all. However, they were not deaths that he laid at his feet but rather at Lizella’s.


    She had manipulated him. Now her people reaped the consequences of her choices. Ambrose knew how that felt and he didn''t mind her feeling it at all.


    He could see it in her eyes, the streak of sadness that appeared within them. The muscles in her jaw worked as she regarded him.


    “You used me. I don''t like being used, priestess.”


    “I did. I would do it again, too.”


    At least she doesn''t deny it.


    A symphony of rage still sung within him. He couldn’t kill her. He needed her. She was the claw of Akaroth.


    “Why? You can''t tell me it was just because the System demands your conflict with them.”


    Lizella shook her head, eyes closing briefly


    “That is precisely why. You have no idea what it''s like to watch your people die over and over again in a conflict without end.”


    She shuddered,


    “My own death reoccurring over and over again is bad enough. I remember each one, vividly, human. It doesn''t go away, not even when I sleep, when I can sleep. But my people? Oh, stars above, the hatchlings. It haunts me. And I can do nothing about it.”


    She hissed, spitting to the side.


    “We cannot leave, and even if I tried, my tribe would abandon me as a heretic. The System pushes at you, pushes and pushes, and it doesn''t stop. Not ever. If I do not seek the conflict, the redscales certainly will. That fueryon you defeated? Woken up by their spies. They knew it would be in a rage, and that it would attack the nearest living beings. Us.”


    She pointed at single claw at him, eyes ablaze.


    “So, yes, human. I used you. I saw a way to be spared watching my people die for the hundredth time. A way to be spared from their screams and dying pains.”


    His anger did not abate at her passionate words. He understood, could even empathize with Lizella and Deira’s plight


    But it didn''t change what she had done even after Ambrose had saved her people. It did change his perspective on the System.


    For the first time, he began to think of the System as more than just a faceless, neutral force of nature. It was evil, what it was doing here. Sure, Lizella made this choice willingly, but no one could be prepared for what she had gone through.


    No one would fully understand what that choice entailed, not until you experienced it. Not even he could be sure at the anguish and despair she must feel.


    Ambrose was no stranger to cruel torture, but this went deeper than mere physical pain. It was the first truly evil thing he felt could be blamed directly on the System.


    None of that changed what he had to do. His bottom line was going after Eric, and for that he needed the money that the bounty would provide. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    In order to get that, he needed the claw of Akaroth, and that was Lizella.


    He spoke slowly, making sure each word pierced her and as he did, he encased his heart in a sphere of numbing ice. This had to be done.


    “You''re coming with me. We are going to summon this dragon of yours, and I''m going to get what I came here for. If you resist, I will bring you back here, and I will force you to watch as I butcher your people in front of your eyes in the most violent ways I can conceive of. Is there any doubt in your mind, any at all, that I can do this?”


    Lizella’s scaly throat worked up and down. A tear fell from one eye. She shook her head as her shoulder slumped, her voice resigned.


    “I''ll come with you. Just don''t hurt anyone.”


    Ambrose wouldn''t have done that. There were children here, and he wouldn''t leave them to starve to death. However, he didn''t want to drag a struggling priestess along with him, having to keep his spirit active.


    It would be much easier if she cooperated, and the threat, even baseless, ensured that happened. Especially because Ambrose knew how to deliver threats.


    You didn''t get loud, you didn''t go into detail. You spoke low, with direct eye contact, and you left much to their imagination.


    There was no doubt in her mind that Ambrose would carry out his threat, because he conveyed not a single hint of deception in his intimidation tactic.


    Nodding tersely, he laid a hand on Noelle’s head.


    “My friend will make sure you stay obedient. Now, let''s go.”


    Another portal opened up. The group stepped through it.


    *****


    “Tell me about Akaroth, and where this alter is. Is it a lair, how much room is there?”


    “Akaroth is a fire dragon,” Lizella stated as if that explained everything.


    Ambrose was just behind her as they walked, going ever deeper. Noelle kept a lazy blue eye on her. If she bolted, they''d see it.


    She couldn’t see his look, so he said,


    “That doesn''t explain anything. What do you mean?”


    She looked back at him, eyes widening slightly.


    “You don''t know about fire dragons?”


    Ambrose blew out an impatient breath, annoyance coating his tone like a bad coat of paint.


    “No, I''m just asking to make conversation. Again, what are fire dragons?”


    She made a clicking sound,


    “You''re already going to kill me, do you have to be rude, too? Fire dragons are…cruel beings. They love treasure with a passion as hot as their fire. Which is very hot by the way,” she tossed the last part out with a snort.


    Ambrose didn''t bother responding to the clear sarcasm in her voice. Tit for tat, he figured.


    “So, what does her lair look like?”


    “It''s a big wide cavern filled with treasure. The altar is on a platform that overlooks it all. You sacrifice me on the altar and Akaroth comes.”


    Ambrose frowned,


    “Is the sacrifice necessary? What if I just try and take some treasure and go?”


    Lizella laughed,


    “Do that and Akaroth will appear alright. Except her treasure madness skill will activate and you''ll be facing a vastly empowered red dragon.”


    Ambrose eyed her,


    “Why not lie? I could have done that and probably have been killed.”


    Lizella rubbed at her face.


    “Or you could portal away, put two and two together and slaughter my people in revenge. Besides, I don''t really blame you. Adventurers like you can''t be expected to do any different in these dungeons. And,”


    She added,


    “I hate the dragon more.”


    “Seems weird for a priestess of Akaroth.”


    “That''s my title because it has to be if I want to lead my people.”


    “Why?”


    She turned her head back to look at him,


    “Why what?”


    Ambrose gestured at her,


    “Why lead your people? Let someone else do it.”


    She laughed loudly, and still chuckling as she said,


    “Because I am the best one for the job. Who else would do it better? No, it has to be me.”


    The cave rounded another corner. Before long, Ambrose and Lizella found themselves before a raised platform.


    Just as she had said, there was an alter upon it.


    “Well now, human. We have come to it. Time for you to kill me.”