Chapter 15: Confrontation.


    A great many things were shooting through Nero’s mind as he stared at the man in front of him. Not many of them were good, in fact most of them left him filled with a fair amount of dread and panic.


    He focused on the happy thoughts however. Happy thoughts, that’s what will help me get through this. Perhaps he had simply misheard the man, perhaps he had said ‘Wife beater,’ he must have been mistaking Nero for someone else, someone with quite alarming anger issues.


    “Light Breather…”


    The man said again, crushing his hopes with one phrase.


    “Are you quite alright?” Nero asked, swallowing his panic and wearing calm. “You got hit in the head rather hard back there.”


    He shook his head defiantly and winced at the effort. “No, I know what I saw, you’re the Light Breather, the Light Breather.” He said with a certainty Nero knew he wouldn’t be budging any time soon. If it was just them he could spend the night making him think he was crazy, but he couldn’t risk Selvas coming back and getting wind of this.


    Now there was the question of what to do with the man. He knew his identity, he was a danger. You need to kill him. The thought was so intrusive, and serrated in his mind that Nero almost thought it wasn’t his, but it was. He knew it was.


    If he blabbed to Selvas then she would know. He couldn’t be certain what she would do, but he could bet good money that she wouldn’t hesitate while doing it.


    It was decisions like these that Nero dreaded having to make, and it seemed it was those very same types of decisions Hell always seemed to have in store for him.


    This time though, through the raw entropy of chance, Nero would not be forced to make it.


    The man’s face broke into a grin. “The God of Hell, you’re real, you’re actually real, here to save us.” Relief coated his features, like a little boy finding out dragons existed.


    That was… unexpected.


    Nero capitalised quickly, ever the snake-oil salesman. He made a shushing noise. “Hey, hey, hey, keep it down, my companion doesn’t know our secret.”


    To his credit, the Caster did as much, nodding. He was silent for several moments, clearly drinking in the realisation. Soon enough, his mind was working and Nero knew exactly where it would end up before it even started. “Y-you have to free me.”


    Nero winced. “I… I can’t. You’re wanted dead or alive, it’d be unsafe to just let you loose on the world.” Nero had never been religious, but he did admire the way theology could be used to twist people against their own self-interest and never hesitated to use it to his advantage back on earth. It was amazing the things people would agree to if they thought God wanted them.


    The Caster’s eyes widened. “Un- unsafe? We’re not psychopaths, all we did was steal from the Chief’s personal coffers.”


    Nero blinked.


    “Please, you have to believe me, they’ll kill me if you take me there.” The man urged.


    He did believe him, no one was that good at lying. Well no one except him really. I just killed two people for the crime of… stealing?


    He’d thought they were wanted for something serious, not fucking theft. When are you going to get it into your thick skull that this isn’t earth!


    His hands were cold, they were trembling, he felt sick.


    Ember hovered in front of him. “Nero you have to help him.”


    “I know, I’m going to, I just need to figure out how.” He said, fists clenched.


    He realised that he’d spoken to Ember out loud, turned to face the man but found his eyes shut and head lolled backwards.


    He was pretending to be unconscious and Nero quickly realised why.


    “He’s still out.” Selvas said from behind him and Nero nearly jumped in terror. He turned to see the woman emerging from the darkness. Far enough to not have heard our discussion.


    “It appears he is.” She was holding rabbits- or at least what Nero liked to call rabbit, they had more eyes than he was comfortable with rabbits having and tentacles instead of feet. “Ah, you caught something.” He grinned, instantly burying all terror.


    “You’re quite perceptive.” Selvas stated in her usual monotone way. No sign of suspicion then, there’s a chance I might be in the clear.


    “And just as warm as the last time I saw you.” Nero noted. He stole a glance at the Caster who was thankfully silent. He did blink his eyes open to steal glances at Nero.


    That’s rather annoying, it might tip her off.


    There was however no way Nero could possibly correct him without making things much worse so he simply drew attention to himself. “We should do this more often.”


    “Huh?”


    “You and I.” Nero said. “We make a good team.”


    The woman raised an eyebrow. “You almost got me killed.” She reminded him.


    “Almost.”


    Selvas gave him a considering look and finally after what seemed to be strong deliberation, nodded in agreement. “You’re right, we do make a good team, a better one soon as you stop being squeamish.”


    “Squeamish? I’m not Squea-” Nero was interrupted by Selvas deciding that now was the moment to throw a severed head in his lap. “Oh my fucking god!” He let out a high pitched shrill, fell on his back and scrambled away.


    For the first time he saw the woman grin. “Squeamish.” She repeated, triumphantly.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    She was a psychopath, clear and simple. Not just cold, not just really cold. She simply didn’t respond to human things in human ways.


    Then why did he have second thoughts about betraying her?


    It didn’t matter what he thought though. It had to be done and it had to be done soon. A man’s life was in the balance and he was responsible for that. Tomorrow, when they were travelling through the woods, before they reached Stradale, that’s when he’d do it, that’s when he’d have to do it.


    “I’ll take the first watch, you sleep.” Selvas told him. “Have to roast the meat either way.” At that the woman hoisted the not-rabbits up again, and began the act of butchering.


    Morning came with its usual heat and Nero didn’t find himself all that bothered by it. He didn’t know if that was because he was getting used to Hell or because his mind was far too plagued with what he had to do.


    Both answers upset him.


    They were moving soon enough, and moving in silence while at it. If he hadn’t known any better, he might have guessed that Selvas was onto him, but he had been in her presence long enough to know that silence was merely her preferred state of being.


    Ember on the other hand was as tense as an uncoiled spring. Nero hadn’t told her anything yet, but she knew he was going to have to do something to save this man from execution. It was not hard to imagine that Selvas might serve as an obstacle to that particular goal.


    The Caster, by contrast, made Ember look completely calm. He was constantly stealing glances at Nero with pleading eyes and he had to reassure him with cool calm and collected nods that everything was in fact okay and that he was working on saving him from certain death.


    It was a great deal of information to try and convey through only his eyes, mind, but Nero reckoned he managed it.


    He had had a great deal of time to think about how best to neutralise Selvas. He would use his Light Breathing to knock her out; it would have to be done sufficiently close to Stradale so she could get back home without any problems, yet far enough from the path that they wouldn’t be interrupted by any passing hunters. He knew a river that was just the right spot and it seemed they had reached it.


    “We should get some fish.” Nero suggested, doing well to keep his tone casual.


    Selvas turned those cold purple eyes upon him and frowned. “We already have food.”


    “Not to eat, to sell.” Nero corrected. “You may have a house and stuff but I’m pretty much homeless and need all the money I can get.”


    Selvas’ frown deepened and Nero’s heart quickened in response. Every second she spent deliberating felt like as many minutes. Her eyes flicked over to the Caster and then back to him. “Chain him to the tree and meet me there.” She said and headed towards the river.


    Nero nodded. “Of course.”


    Once she was gone, he grabbed the Caster’s chain and bolted it around a tree. The man’s eyes widened, shock, panic and confusion settling in. He was whispering hurriedly. “Y-you don’t have to chain me, you can just let me go, let me run off, you’ll never hear from me again-”


    “Relax.” Nero told him softly. “What’s your name?” He asked the man.


    “Boris.” He replied.


    “Good, well Boris the only reason why I’m bolting you around the tree is because I’m half sure she has supernatural sight and would easily be able to check if you really are bolted from far away.” He told him.


    Relaxation set in and the man’s breathing slowed.


    Nero met his eyes. “I’m going to save you Boris, the next time we meet, you’re going to be a free man.” He told him.


    The Caster held Nero’s eyes then nodded. “Th-thank you God of Hell.”


    Calming people, reassuring them, giving them hope, these were all tactics he’d honed to swindle people out of their savings. It felt relieving to finally use them for something good.


    Nero turned, and made his way for the river. Selvas was already there, eyes on the flowing water and back turned to him. “Took you long enough.” She said, not bothering to turn around.


    Nero could feel his heart pounding against his chest. “Heavy chains.”


    Selvas didn’t reply, she merely pulled back her fishing spear and stabbed it into the water.


    Nero calmed himself, drew in a breath and let his Light Breathing cover his palms. It was now or never. He steeled his jittery nerves, burned away his hesitation and moved to strike.


    “I know you’re lying to me Nero.” Selvas said.


    The words halted his movements in their inception, his focus slipped and his magic died in his hands.


    “Wh-what?”


    Selvas turned to him, winter eyes piercing through his deepest secrets. She held the spear with a tight grip. “Many things I’d reckon, who you are, where you come from and most importantly, your magic.”


    “I… I see.” He swallowed.


    “I want to let you know that you can keep your secrets as long as you can promise me it’s not a danger to me or mine, I won’t pry.” She told him “It’s not rare that people pass through Stradale with a past of their own, the circles are cruel worlds and some identities are best left forgotten. It’s not rare either that a Caster keeps their magic a secret, not letting people know what you have under your sleeve is a good way to stay alive, even if those people are allies. Especially if they’re allies.”


    “I… thank you.” Nero told her.


    “Promise me, Nero.” She urged. “Promise me you’re not a danger to Stradale.”


    “I promise you.” Nero said quickly. “I’m not a threat.”


    Selvas seemed mollified. “If we’re going to be working together, it’s best we have an understanding.” With that, she nodded, turned around and went back to fishing.


    Nero just stared at the back of her head, not exactly sure how to process everything he’d just been told.


    “Nero… you have to tell her.” Ember pressed.


    Of course he did, if he didn’t now he’d just come across as an asshole. Fuck! He drew in a deep breath and spoke. “Selvas, I need to tell you something.”


    She turned around with an annoyed expression. “Is it that you’re going to be helping instead of standing there and watching me fish?”


    “I think we should free the Caster.”


    “What are you on about?” She asked, turning around to stab through him with hot eyes.


    Nero suddenly felt far less confident in his decision. “He told me all he did was steal crystals from the Chief’s coffers, if that’s true I don’t think that’s a crime worthy of death.”


    Selvas’ eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter what you think, all that matters is what the Chieftain does.”


    “What does that even mean?!”


    She looked on the verge of snapping, then reined herself in. “They stole from him, it was a humiliation, he’ll want them punished-”


    “Who cares what he wants.” He cut in.


    “He does!” She snapped “And if he doesn’t get it, he’ll make Stradale pay. If we don’t bring him the heads of the humans who wronged him then to him that’s a failure on our part, we might as well have colluded with the people who stole from him in the first place.” She told him.


    “I…” Nero found himself at a loss for words, there was only a tightness in his chest. He glanced at Ember who looked as lost as he felt.


    Selvas continued. “You’ve seen how the town is, you know how much we suffer, you can imagine how many more will die if things get worse.”


    “I… I told him I’d save him.” Nero said, hollowly. “That was the last thing I said to him.” A lie, a filthy fucking lie.


    “That was the last thing you said to him?” Selvas asked, word carrying a heavy weight for a reason Nero couldn’t exactly place.


    “Yes, why?”


    Selvas didn’t answer his question. She simply slid an arrow into her bow and fired it off into the distance. A small thud followed.


    Nero felt like a knife had just been twisted in his gut. “Wh-what did you just do?” He asked, voice strengthless.


    “I killed him, arrow straight through the head.” She explained, voice cold, so cold. Like the depths of the arctic sea.


    Anger was replacing anguish now and Nero didn’t know how or when but he had grabbed Selvas by the collar, lifted her off her feet, and was snarling in her face. “Why the fuck did you do that?!”


    “Nero stop!” Ember begged, but he wasn’t listening.


    The woman didn’t flinch, she merely looked at him as if he were tumbleweed. “Because he was going to die anyways, now he dies with the last thought going through his head being hope.”


    “Wh-what?” Nero turned his head to look at the corpse but Selvas spoke before he could.


    “You don’t want to see that.” She said, “You’re squeamish, remember. I’ll deal with the body and sever the head.”


    Nero’s grip loosened around the woman’s collar and Selvas landed on her feet. She handed him her spear. “You can fish while I work.” She told him and walked past him.


    Nero fell to his knees and stared at the flowing river. After some time, he could hear Selvas pick up the body behind him and travel deeper into the forest. Where she could dismember it without him hearing.


    ‘I’m going to save you Boris, the next time we meet, you’re going to be a free man.’


    Just another load of fucking horseshit.