《For The Drop Of Blood》


 Prolog Ch.0

    Sometimes things don''t go exactly how you want, things happen out of your control, and sometimes out of sheer desperation, You have to deviate from the original plan. Sometimes you have to work with idiots, at the absolute height of metaphoric expression. I always reckoned myself a bit of a philosopher, mostly with both of my balls firmly in the mouse trap. Also metaphorically of course. I actually enjoyed the coolness of the attic compared with the heat of noon outside Also I enjoyed the silence after my last compatriot, somewhat ironically caught Fireball with his mouth, silencing his annoying ass forever. Less amusing was a barrier I had to raise so my lovely and multifunctional tongue doesn''t suffer something like that. That was near the last of my magic essence for the day, before jumping up to reach the attic trapdoor. Two normal bullets slammed against the barrier, insignificant, but this was just a prelude.


    Litlle footsoldiers always go before anyone of note, several magic bullets proved me right, and I managed to pull myself up not a moment too soon. As my barrier shattered with a single blast of Raw Aether. Those who never felt it can''t understand it. Aether as the essence of magic itself is so pure that when swung with abandon as was now made you feel everything, even if you evade it as I did. My legs were good three feet away when it pass under and I felt burned, frozen, shocked, and many more things, even though neither my clothes nor my body showed it. I pushed the iron cover on, then whatever I could find. Until I was certain there was at least half a ton of junk on the cover. Then I slumped near. The floor was reinforced concrete which gave me a small amount of safety, both from conventional ammo and scrying. Iron in the middle was as much protection from ¡°third sight¡± as it was against sheer force, detecting where I am will be messy. They will get me though, eventually, I leaned against something and wiped my forehead before pulling Helen out.


    There was about a 50-50 split about naming your weapon, even though I was somewhere in the middle, I had Helen, sure, but I also had soul forged dagger in my boot, arguably more valuable, and a shortsword, yet I never thought to name either of those. But the first time I picked up a revolver I

 A Few Weeks Ago Ch.1

    ¡°Well, I''ll be damned.¡± trickled past the toothpick I was chewing on as my opponent revealed his full house. My triple cowboys were dead on arrival and so was I. There is a small number of people who can truly appreciate the kick of losing all without a backup plan. No drug, no alcohol, not even sex can beat that high. Well, for certain kinds of men at least, profoundly stupid ones, my kind. I drained my shot of Kentucky finest, took my hat, and said my goodbyes.


    ¡°Well look at that, he just might be of some use.¡± What happened next shook me, second voice, a female, all honey and silk spoke. ¡°Told you, Santino. Not every bum with a drop of power is useless.¡± What still had me frozen was that while now I could ¡°feel¡± the man. Her not even a trace, it was like the voice coming from thin air, bottomless nothingness. There were just a few creatures so empty, and neither was good news. Steel ring pushed my head forward, gently for what is worth. ¡°Let''s join our friend in the room.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± the raspy voice stopped me again ¡°First knock two times, pause, then three more times.¡± I raised an eyebrow but did as instructed. Unmistakably Dwarven voice answered from the other side ¡°It was a bloody time, come on, let''s get this over with!¡± I entered the room and found a short stocky bastard made himself comfortable. In a half-laying position on the bed, with the feet on the chair and a half-empty bottle of something on my pillow, he regarded me with brown eyes, one with a fancy gold monocle, but what more occupied my attention was Aether shotgun aimed squarely at my midsection. Dwarfs were one of the Races not blessed with the touch of ¡°Arts¡± but little bastards and their genius with all things mechanical sorted that little snafu within the century. Even normal Aether firearms were highly praised, and this one was anything but just another spewer of raw Aether, aside from all customization it had a feeling, it felt so attuned to its user that it was part of him. All too overwide barrels, one of those could cut a man twice my size in two. Aether magazine was at least three times the normal size to compensate for larger-than-normal usage.


    ¡°Much obliged.¡± I tried to keep the sarcasm out of my voice but something must''ve broke through since he grinned showing wide tobacco-browned teeth. ¡°My pleasure boy.¡± I took a seat and finally had the opportunity to see all three of my captors. The only one I knew the name of, Santino, was a Human older than me, but for how much it was hard to say, mid-forties, early fifties. Exposure to elements and life, in general, gave his skin that leathery feel not dissimilar to well broken in the saddle. We had at least some grooming habits in common, with his beard not being touched with a blade for at least a fortnight, not that he lacked for those, bandolier with 6 throwing knives hung over his chest, enchanted one I felt by the slight probe. Didn''t know in which way since he was bound to feel a deeper probe and I felt, while my life was not in immediate danger, not to move scales in that direction. The gun was a large caliber Army Revolver, a much harder punch than my Hellen but also handicapped to be able to shoot only mundane ammo. Although the way he snuck up on me and the slight glow behind his blue eyes gave away that firearm, in general, was not his weapon of choice.


    ¡°Don''t hurt yourself puppy, Lamia is the answer, you''ll get used to it.¡± Somehow I doubted that but kept that to myself as I tried to take some kind of initiative ¡°Now, not that I don''t enjoy the occasional company...¡± I paused and motioned to Dwarf to pass me the bottle. He gave a half smile but obliged ¡°...but I usually like to be forewarned.¡± Lamia gave another amused chuckle and looked at Santino ¡°Come on, tell me that he at least doesn''t feel different?¡±


    ¡°He feels cockier than others, but that we already knew from the recon.¡± His Revolver remained steadily aimed at my heart .¡°You have a very peculiar reputation H¨¢kon Firehand.¡± I raised my eyebrows with my best expression of feigned surprise as I opened the bottle and took a generous swig. ¡°I have a reputation? Color me surprised.¡± I returned the bottle but haven''t closed it, as I expected Dwarf did not complain but took a swig at least twice as large as mine Finally even Santino snorted something that could pass as laughter...if you squint. ¡°Ok, kid here is a deal. We for now just want a conversation, how about everyone''s hands stay away from weapons and magic during that? Would you be receptive to something like that?¡± I won''t lie I was intrigued, I mean I was broke and planning to do something stupid for money tomorrow anyway. It could be at least stupid someone else planned. I slowly nodded nearly wrestling the bottle from the Dwarf and taking another swig, I had a feeling I''ll need it.

 Nightime Conversations Ch.2

    Santino reholstered his revolver


    Tension was cut by Santino''s raspy laughter


    I must admit that he so offhandedly assumed all three of them are better than me grated on my pride something fierce. But ten bucks in my pocket and the prospect of two jobs in the line, something I rarely had trumped pride.


    The mood in the room shifted instantly, Aether Clockwire is not something sophisticated, or hard to learn to use, just a few ever use it since it''s basically self destruct mechanism. All of Aether in the user''s blood ignite at once making a nice explosion. It is usually the last act of defiance and the one using it is at the end of the rope already, so it could be compared to a stick of dynamite. However, a few times when users activated it at the peak of their reserves, ohhhhh that was another beast completely. It depends on the user of course. Not counting Ronald I was the weakest of the bunch definitely, but the last time I used Arts was a few weeks back when I enchanted a portion of my ammo and that regenerated a while back. When I go *boom* I expect the city sign might remain intact. Too bad there will be no more city.


    Anna might escape,


    Surprisingly Santino smiled


    Santino glanced toward the window.


    I sat in my room alone again, like the last half hour did not happen. But the hefty leather pouch on the table across me begged the difference. I dragged the chair forward without standing up until I was able to reach and pick it up. Few people appreciate the real weight of gold, because few people ever had the privilege of holding enough of it in their hand. Let me tell you how heavy it is, in this unassuming pouch of deerskin was 100 coins of 1 dollar in gold. If I were to use it as the sap and slam someone over the head with it with some conviction, I reckon there would be little of his head left. And conviction or not, strength was not one of the qualities I''d brag about. That''s what many thieves and robbers forget.

 Daytime Ch.3

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    <h2 style="text-align: center">DAYTIME</h2>


    Well, contrary to my belief that 110 bucks did keep me out of trouble for a day. I had a good breakfast, even the dessert. Then plonked 50 bucks in gold in front of Hanna and Sabrina, which gave me their unconditional love and affection for that day and 3 bottles of Whiskey. I proudly admit I remember very little of that night. It might be my imagination but shortly before the full blackout, Hanna says


    Unholy noise woke me up that morning I stumbled for my gun trying to remember how to conjure something in my left hand...Then I fell out of bed, Church bells were declaring noon and, I in my infinite wisdom, left the window open. The commotion woke the girls up too


    I looked into her bright blue eyes from the floor. Maybe it was light coming from the window, maybe it was something in her gaze, but she looked so innocent at that moment. I nodded. She still didn''t move


    Fortunately, it lasted just about five minutes. When I opened my eyes I felt like new, the only problem was that now I looked like a piece of shit. First I drained half of the jug of stale yesterday''s water, then used the shirt I used yesterday and the remains of equally stale water from the bucket used for toiletries to wash myself up. Fortunately, it had a third left, and with my private soap, I managed to look at at least half human after a clothes change. I left a wet shirt in the bucket, no way in hell I''m wearing that again. Unfortunately for shaving, I''ll have to look elsewhere, just then I realized that suddenly I started to worry about my appearance, like a future corpse preparing himself for a funeral in advance. I grimaced and shook the thought from my head, slipping the dagger into his custom holster in my left boot then picking up my holster belt and tying it around my waist. Helen is snuggly on the right and shortsword on the left, while not magical like the dagger, or special like Helen even my blade was customized. An odd mixture of Gladius with a handbasket hilt with protruding nails to serve as the spiked knuckleduster in a pinch.


    Well, at least no one could accuse me of not being versatile. About a palm away from the sword there was another deerskin pouch fastened to an empty bullet space. I carefully untied it and emptied the contents in my palm, 18 bullets I enchanted a week ago. Plenty, I''d thought, in normal circumstances, 2 elemental loads of Fire and Electricity and one load of pure Aether. Some would consider it overkill even. Now, however, I wasn''t so sure. Helen was loaded with six mundane bullets and I had 10 more on the belt. Itch to enchant at least one more load was strong. I resisted it though. As mentioned, I was versatile, not really a powerhouse. I always considered Arts a nice bonus, but if I had to fight I preferred trickery. Actually running away was my favorite battle move. I returned the bullets to the pouch and retied it. I''ll drop by Khyon after the shave and spend some more gold on some goodies. Coins don''t serve much to a dead man, although I met Houngan or two who would disagree.


    I picked up my hat from the rack and exited the room, slowly walking toward the stairs and there it was again...wrongness. Although this time it was not my supernatural gifts that warned me. It was around 1 PM, maybe a quarter less, the place should be bustling with people who came on lunch or an early drink or six, but it was so quiet down there I could hear flies buzzing around poorly cleaned tables. Itch to return and drop down a water drain was strong, but Paddies Hotel was one place I was remotely welcome, and now when I pushed my tendrils down whoever it was down there. He was angry enough to do something to Paddy or the girls, believing they somehow tipped me off. This meant he was also stupid and I have no inclination to repeat my conviction about the power of sheer dumb-dumb I placed the hat on the head and as quietly as possible cocked Helen hoping the sound of my boots on the floorboards to quiet the sound. The angry presence was behind the stairs, slightly to the right. Beside him I felt only Paddy behind the bar, everyone else was buzzing with fear like a beehive in the back of the kitchen. I must admit, despite my apprehension, I felt a bit of curiosity. As far as I knew I did nothing to piss someone off this much since I returned almost a month ago. If anything, I liven up the economy quite a bit. Losing or spending almost 2 thousand dollars, I doubt the last few visitors together managed that.


    I started down the stairs trying to seem relaxed with my thumbs behind the belt, hiding with the remainder of my palm that the revolver was already cocked. I first saw shoes with silver spurs, strangely familiar but they didn''t bring a face I was down on the first landing now seeing a rotund figure in a black suit with a shoelace bowtie, but still no face. Though I saw a double-barrel shotgun pointed at my back. Large sonovabitch, for bears or buffaloes. That thing didn''t kill anything smaller than a Human before. I felt the hair on the back of my head stand up and I almost involuntary stopped. Both barrels were cocked, that thing couldn''t shoot magic ammo but it did not need to. It would rip me in half if I allowed it to shoot. Once he realized I saw him he gripped his weapon tighter and I tried to remember to say goodbye to someone before it went off, planning as the last gambit to jump over the handrail and duck behind the counter. Then he spoke and I remember that dumbasses aren''t always 100% bad. They like to gloat when they think they have all the cards.


    Shock, anger, shame, disbelief. And with every, his face got redder and redder until his head looked more like a tomato. He rattled something in German that I didn''t understand before returning back to English.


    That somehow angered him more.


    The explosion was something to behold, the damn shotgun was big as it is, but Manfred used some special slugs with an impressive kick, and even Paddy, who expected something similar, barely ducked behind his bar to avoid flying pieces of metal. I descended the remainder of the stairs and tried to shake off copious amounts of smoke this kicked off. When it finally cleared enough to see Manfred again it was one of the grizzlier wounds I saw in a while. Both of his hands were missing almost to the elbows, and his nose and half of his cheeks were gone, somehow one hammer remained intact firmly lodged in Manfred''s eye, and his entire torso was covered with lacerations of various sizes. And he was squealing the entire time. Half in German, half in English When he saw me he yelled,


    Both of us knew that was a monumental lie. Paddy even after all of this will be among the three richest people in the town. But we played the game. I smiled


    My reply made him stop wiping


    Wellington was small, Hell that was the reason most...dubiously reputable people came here. No Sheriff, no jail, as the law goes it depended on Marshals to swing by from time to time while crossing to one of the larger cities and do their job, but most time...issues were solved


    As far as I was concerned then, were just different sides of the same coin. One will use you as the blood bag, or turn you. Simple enough. Nothing like that with Lamias, they would drink your life force, without even touching you. Until you are just dead. No wounds or something, just dead. Also no lucky ¡°turning¡± break. Lamias actually gave birth, VERY rarely, I''m not a pro but smarter than me hypothesized part of the life force they took would store in a special organ of which they had control (so no stupid allowed), and eventually they would get


    That''s why Anne was so pissed, killing 3 Lamias could easily be 1000 years of wasted time. I did wonder how old was she, and the possibility that one of the three was her daughter. Also, the reason I figured it was best was just to book it to the stables and fucking leave. Yet I did neither. After my lengthy stay outside I sighed and decided maybe while I still have above 40 gold to visit Khyon first. Vageully registering the workforce behind me beginning to clean the muck up. Then I was greeted almost cheerfully.


    Vulture was an Elf, but they keep themselves more separated than Humans do, and as acceptance goes his kind was at the lowest rung, I saw cities where they kill them on sight. I admit I had no idea what his name was, like all Elves it was complicated, but Vultures kind of placed some extra effort into it. They arrived at the same time as other Elves and Dwarves, they even came from below as Dwarves, but finding people that hate them more than the two mentioned above would be hard. He was always cool to me, so I did not really care. I shrugged


    I returned the half grin


    I never considered him a friend, we drank a few times together talking nonsense. But I never considered how that looked from his side, by his nick alone it was obvious he was ostracized. For him, I might be the closest thing he had to a friend, it did not feel pleasant to think about it like that. I, for the second time today, shook the line of thought from my mind and moved. Before meeting Vulture I was certain I''ll go to Khyon first but my legs somehow automatically took me to


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 Sunset At The Devil Springs CH.4

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    <h2 style="text-align: center">SUNSET AT THE DEVIL SPRINGS</h2>


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    ¡°What the hell am I looking at.¡± Sidney was leaning against the counter looking not particularly perturbed by my reaction while he telekinetically juggled several different scissors and a razor ¡°Well, considering what I had to start with I''d say minor miracle. There were...¡± he pushed with his small foot remains of my hair on the floor ¡°...two, no three dead hornets in that nest you called hair. Hornets H¨¢kon, they are the size of my forefinger. How in the name of Nine Hells and River Styx one doesn''t notice something so large fighting to escape?¡± I shrugged ¡°By being black-out drunk, by being stranded in the desert hours of dying from dehydration, by being in a shootout that doesn''t go your way, keeping them there like an emergency snack, insects are an excellent source of protein.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, sorry for destroying your food reserves, any complaints that approach being valid?¡± I pointed at my head ¡°I came for the haircut and a shave. How the hell hair is longer than has been and, why do I still have a beard?¡± Sidney patiently nodded like talking to a child ¡°First, actual correct complaint. I''m experimenting a bit with traditional styles like Mutton Chops Beards, Goatees, and Horseshoe Moustache. I wanted something with elements from all but smaller and easier to maintain, your facial structure lends itself well to the style I was going for. Inspired by the overwhelming stench of gunpowder that you brought...¡± ¡°It was self-defense.¡± I cut in ¡°I couldn''t care less, I christened it Gunslinger Beard and Moustache, a rough mix of a Horseshoe and Goatie for the mustache part then flare it into Muttonchop but keeping the width to the minimum, almost like a Chinstrap but wider for about a half thumb. Of course, to completely separate it from it I kept everything between the end of a mustache clean-shaven. I think it looks pretty good on you, but if you want it gone it''s a few-minute job.¡± I glanced at the mirror, he was kinda right. At least to the point that I didn''t hate it.


    ¡°Ok, but hair...¡± He lifted his palm in a theatrical manner. ¡°Say no more. What I''ll disclose next is a secret of barbers given from the master to the student for ages. Some would call it the ultimate technique that we had to devise a special tool just for yours. Behold...¡± he reached into his front pocket and drew something with such flourish that many wand users or even fencers would envy the elegance of his movements. In front of my nose stood proudly raised high...a common comb, one that saw some use too. He first slapped me on the nose with it then tucked it into my front pocket ¡°On the house you lumox. Try to bloody use it at least a few times a week.¡±


    ¡°Seriously H¨¢kon if you don''t give a flying fuck about your hair why do you just don''t keep it real short?¡± I didn''t have a real answer, not singular at least. ¡°I have two nasty scars up top you saw them probably?¡± He nodded ¡°And they are not of a cool-looking kind since I was far from any settlements when I got them. When they are visible I found that amount of bar fights basically doubles. I don''t really care how they look, but it''s not a hill worth dying on. If having a nest of hair will allow me to have a drink in peace I''m willing to sacrifice a few hornets. But keeping luscious locks is a time I don''t have so we end up with what I walked in with.¡± He nodded. Sidney sometimes played that act of this exasperated artist among savages, but his past was shadier than mine. From time to time I''d catch a glimpse of a faded Wanted poster with a picture of very young Sidney, not in just one state, but Arizona, Texas, Louisiana...maybe a few more. He knew when to act and poke, but also knew when to be himself.


    ¡°If you keep like that you will eventually start losing hair whether you wanted or not, I cut just frayed tips that basically were on the verge of becoming self-aware and maybe thumb more to be sure all is healthy. Also, I used Aether to fix the microcracks and reinvigorate follicles. You don''t have to be dandy, look at the indigenous population. Wash it in the hotel with soap or whatever they have at least once a week. Now it''s shoulder length, take that as the base measure when it''s thumb longer cut it back down. If outside find calmer water and do it with a knife. You don''t have to make a work of art with that comb. Just after the bath while it''s wet go through it to keep it straight and untangled. Also, when it gets in your way don''t tie a damn tail with the hair itself cut off a piece of shoelace or any string. It''s not like it will take that much space.¡± He glances at my waist ¡°Actually there.¡± He points at the piece of leather tied to the ring on the pommel of my sword. In theory, it was used for the wrist to go through it before I draw the sword, so even if disarmed, instead of flying away sword would stay dangling around my wrist and easily enough back in my grip...in theory. Practically with Arts and all ranged power, when it came to swordplay it was often the last resort and then I''d rarely think about it. I''d use it only when in advance I knew we were going in points first.


    ¡°It would be perfect, thanks, Sid.¡± I placed two gold pieces on the tray. Well, one he certainly deserved and I hand nothing smaller for a tip. He slightly raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know in your clumsy way I''d bet you''re saying goodbye to most of the people you know here.¡± I thought about it ¡°I always sucked at goodbyes, and never saw much point in them. All that emotion and in a week you''re back.¡± ¡°Not always, and if you are, someone else is not. Desensitization is a part of the work, but it is good to step away sometimes and reflect.¡± ¡°Like you did.¡± He looked up into my eyes and was silent for so long that I thought he won''t answer at all ¡°No. Not like me. I left for good. All I have is a reflection, and that is not all that fun either. Good luck H¨¢kon. With whatever you''re planning.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I was halfway out when he called me one more time ¡°Remember what I told you about hair, if you are around drop by in some three months.¡± I smiled at the hidden meaning behind those words and without turning added ¡°Bet your ass I will, I have my own beard style here after all. See ya, Sid.¡±


    did take the effort though was control to hold back and in places where it mattered, he sliced me good at the upper part which was mostly bone and muscle, but when he got to the belly he cut precisely 50% of muscle, leaving no chance of intestines to burst forth.


    ¡°Beautiful piece.¡± I couldn''t hold back just a slight note of pride from my voice ¡°Yes, yes it is.¡± Then I looked him into his green eyes, most elves with green eyes have emerald hues. Khyon had more dark eyes like darker fir or cedar, equally, they didn''t sparkle that much. ¡°Why the hell did you heal me?¡± He actually grinned ¡°I have a strange talent, I mean besides obvious.¡± he offhandedly waved toward my chest and bloody shirt ¡°I can actually smell a good customer, and you my sashimied friend reek of profitability.¡± I have no idea how many times we did business from that day, but saving my life might''ve been one of the top 10 savviest business decisions, considering starting it cost him just an Aether that likely regenerated within a few days.


    *Still Beating Heart Of Alaskan Wendigo* Livestock? Produce? I entered the doorbell chiming an actual small melody when you open and close it. As always the place was in half-darkness so you either had to watch your step or know the way around, I was somewhere in between so I kept to a familiar route standing here and there to check some new items. My eye caught an odd Aether Rifle. There was no reservoir or way to attach one. Yet by all else, it seemed a superb weapon. Barell seemed like an octagonal version of large game hunting rifles, and I mean large with a capital ¡°L¡± African safaris, elephants, rhinos, this baby was made for those things, yet the lack of a magazine was a puzzle, I guess that''s how Khyon got so close without me noticing, although with him one could never be sure ¡°Oh who is this dashing stranger?¡±


    *One Finger Salute* and he moved around with the usual catlike grace as he moved to the opposite side of the rifle. ¡°Beautiful isn''t it? Every time progress takes a step, it''s either a weapon or something that can be used as a weapon. We are such lovely species, aren''t we?¡± I looked at him ¡°I assume by ¡°progress¡± you refer to lack of magazine?¡± He slowly nodded ¡°That and more. See, some of the big brains across the pond looked at Dwarven Aether Tech which was simply better. They said to themselves, O.K. let''s not play at their field anymore. We will make our field and even if they come we''ll make sure they can''t play. Come¡± He took the rifle and roughly half-sized wooden box from underneath and moved both to the counter.


    First block to Dwarfs, loading.¡± He pressed the button near the trigger and with a hiss compartment was lowered reviling a see-through chamber, a picture begin forming in my mind and it was pretty unnerving. As I expected Elf placed a finger on the chamber ¡°It''s so simple that even those filling Dwarven tech could do it.¡± soon small green light right up next to the chamber turned on and Khyon removed his finger and again pressed the same button this time making chamber retract ¡°Aaaaaaand done. Ready for action. What do you think?¡± I looked him in the eyes ¡°I think you are lying to me. All this practicality is so obvious even a child could get it. It might hold just one bullet but reloading is made so fast and practical that achieves near parity without question and if you make special units taking the men with large capacity almost ensures that you will outgun the opponent. Yup, the gun is useless to any enemy if they capture it if they can''t use Arts, at least until they found some way around it. Plus we can''t forget the weight and bulk of the magazine If I had the money I would definitely put it on my shortlist, but that''s not it. ¡± I gently went over the weapon ¡°All of these capabilities could be made for maybe even a third of the price, that''s likely part of the dog and pony show. Have the competition flood the market with cheap knockoffs. I think that this beauty is not for sale. When some mark with more money than sense shows up you''d say it''s already sold or some other BS. Now will you finally tell me why this thing is made of materials that alone could sell for someone''s annual salary?¡±


    ¡°There! Desert goats I believe.¡± He pointed toward the direction and I soon saw 4-6 shapes on the horizon Honestly I had to take ¡°goats¡± on my host''s superior senses my senses stopped at they are quadrupeds and they have a fur. There were quite a number of species that filled that list even at a place like this, I mean it sucked but it wasn''t the damn Mojave Desert, scraping on the wood returned me back and I saw Khyon dragging God''s forsaken telescope. At, very likely not one of the brightest looks on my face Elf looks at me like he''d bringing a butterfly collection ¡°What? Can''t a man have a hobby?¡± I quickly assisted him and now we''re going somewhere. I didn''t know the difference between a telescope and a pirate spyglass then, and I am merely slightly more educated now. In any case, a bunch of moving dots became 6 Desert Goats actually so believable that they seemed like they were chilling in the backyard. We even got an unexpected visit, slowly crawling toward goats was a cougar, circle of life incarnate. They were eating his cover, he will eat one of them and likely poo some seed somewhere. So poetic. Then Khyon cracked open a wooden box and that uncomfortable feeling I had before was now screaming. The insides of the box were at the same time weird and scary. Three pieces of an iron bar with some screws for adjusting angles. a piece I could describe as a can with holes. Then a scope because I saw scopes before but nothing like this. As he was taking out pieces he immediately attached them to the rifle. No surprise bars when conected turn out to be bipod, I saw a definitely few already although not this modular and definitely not on a single shot, two pieces that surprised me. The can he screwed at the nozzle, he called a ¡°suppressor¡±, by now they are pretty established but then I heard nothing about them. and the last part that I assumed was the spare for the bipod he called a monopod and attached it to the butt of the rifle. Allowing it to stand on its own and pointed through the window. All the while I was checking and giving updates on the cougar and goats. If now everything went to hell finding the next targets would suck.


    ¡°This should be 2 men''s job, we have two men but unfortunately, no offense, if not trained you are just manual labor. Still better than nothing. Ok time to dial up this puppy, we''ll use Cougar as the reference what is your distance?¡± I checked and silently swear. ¡°Eh, it gives me metrics, 5.7 km, that means shit to me.¡± he chuckles again ¡°You''d be so lost if some of your misdeeds forced you to leave the country, look at the right side there is a small leaver just push it down, it just changes overlay to ¡°freedom¡± units .¡± I did as asked and looked again, then feeling like the world''s largest manchild reported ¡°This is screwed, it says 3.55 miles. That''s way too far.¡±He adjusted something slightly on the monopod and nodded ¡°3.55 miles here too, it is correct, so time to show the secret why they went the expensive as shit route, anything less would risk the rifle blowing up. The last time I activated was just the first phase. As you said not a great investment as bang for the buck goes but...¡± He opens the container again, the green light was still on. He places a finger back and begins pushing more Aether, light not a minute later goes red. I must admit I was getting fidgety, we were playing with raw Aether just this one bullet would erase this store with everything in it and I just had to look around that sizable chunk of the land will just be declared Biohazard, and quarantined. Let''s say I was not ready for the next line of defense, it started to beep once a second while the red light began to blink I just turned and looked through the telescope, the beads of sweat began to collect, and drip from my forehead, nose, brows I artificially froze all the moisture on my skin and broke it with a tiny hurricane. For a few seconds, I was the center of a miniature ice storm then I flung all the ice through a window before it melted and left a puddle of sweat around me.


    ¡°Your elemental control got a lot better, not to mention creative, if you took Arts seriously you would be one of the more serious threats in these ruined territories. As on cue beeping stops, and I look at the light, it was gone too. ¡°Is it ready?¡± For some reason, I was whispering ¡°Soon, what''s a read on cougar?¡± I peeked through the telescope ¡°It finally stalked close enough, it is on one side of the large rock, goats on the other I think it plans to climb on it and attack from above.¡± Riffle gave one long beep followed by two short ones and ended on the medium. A small translucent canister, now filled with a misty dark green color of Khyons eyes. Then hissed and closed without any prompt. With bipods and monopods help, the rifle stood on its own for a while, but now Khyon takes the reigns, ¡°Distance?¡± Using cougar as the marker. I checked and shook my head ¡°4.1 miles, you know the number of records you''ll break If you hit even damn rock and no one will know? He just shrugs, ¡°The price of doing business. Spot for me.¡± I never was spotting for a sharpshooter, as far as I knew they were a one-man operation. But I doubt anyone could unglue me from the telescope now, even if they tried. As soon first bullet went I knew I''m witnessing something special, even if it was in the essence kind of target practice. The sound was almost nonexistent, every shot sounded like someone popped their lips close to you. Cougar was the first. It already started its ascent so I was slightly confused when it stopped but the pelt got whiter and whiter. Ice Bullet. Good choice one at the full effect it will erase its scent too. ¡°Hak?¡± ¡°Hit the one all the way left it''s hidden behind a thorn bush and the wind will change¡± *POP*, ¡°Wait, Grayhorn will jump on the stone with the cougar then down.¡± *POP* ¡°While those two fight for the affection of the only Doe that sneaky one will try to go behind the Lilly bush, shoot thumb bellow only flower left.¡± *POP* .¡±Last shot Hak.¡± ¡°Doe those two are too far gone they won''t even notice.¡± *POP*


    ¡°Not bad for a first-time spotter.¡± ¡°Piece of cake with a freak of nature like you behind the wheel.¡± He laughed and then throw 20$ I catch the note and raise an eyebrow. ¡°I was given this piece of hardware to try it out. We have proven that it works, the battery is good for six shots. Did you catch the longest one? One behind the bushes or the sneaky lover. I went to check for the bushes on 4.17, I don''t know about you but I don''t feel like walking 4 miles in one direction just to find out the second decimal is pushed a bit He nodded ¡°Turn the overlay back on the metric to note that too.¡± I actually chuckled ¡°Nice and clean 6.7. km. Nice, So, what will you write in your paper?¡± ¡°Dwarves can have close-up and personal, Elves will corner hyper distance and precision, I mean even 3.5 miles is shit pants far.¡± ¡°I nodded, I might consider saving up for a budget model.¡± He looks for the one on the table ¡°Well this one is more top of the line but it will be used by the time we are done, spot for me four more times and you are getting new hotness.¡± I looked at him speechless. Naturally, I kinda doubted future spotting will be a goat shooting competition, and the likelihood of people with similar if not the same weapons shooting back was near certain. Also, this weapon was going on the market directly against Aether Weapons. Well-proven


    Human</u> scientists said it was a freak accident unlikely to repeat


    ¡°Can you first remove all those doodads except that can that cancel the noise, so I pop a few shots?¡± ¡°Suppressor¡±  ¡°Sure, whatever,¡± I remember thinking a name like that will never catch on. So lucky I gambling is one of my addictions ¡°...may I?¡± He nodded and expertly strip it of everything except that ¡°Suppressor¡± thingie and hand me a rifle. I felt a slight twitch from my holster. Was Helen jealous or found a kindred soul after several decades? That made me slightly uneasy, the only reason she was with me now was that the previous owner denied her one time too many. But that was the story for another time I was careful about her needs more than any person in my life and this twitch was too ambiguous. It will have to wait a while so I pushed it at the back of my mind and approached the window. Khyon leaned a few steps behind me, he didn''t insult me by explaining stuff, he knew I was watching as a hawk the first time around. At first, I was just surprised how heavy it was. A lot was happening under this hood. Khyon likely noticed my face ¡°A lot of platinum was used inside, due to its supreme ductile properties.¡± I raised an eyebrow there were at least three metals that had a less than 1% loss in ductile properties compared to every wire inside being made of platinum with a price difference of at least several hundred bucks. My host smiled ¡°Like I said this is a top-shelf model, there is just one more expensive model.¡±


    ¡°Old Elven proverbs, one is as cryptic as our forefathers liked to be, second was a new one, it basically boasts. Too uncouth for such weapon.¡± ¡°Indulge me¡± He sighed but did indulge me...well for all I know he could''ve lied his ass off but I choose to believe him ¡°Old one is kinda moral lesson. Roughly translated it says: ¡°If you learn to fly with a stone, you''ll need the only one to skip the lake.¡± It is actually pretty common among sharpshooter squads.¡± I glanced at him ¡°And the second one?¡± He rolled his eyes ¡°I end the wars before they start.¡± ¡°I laughed feeling that familiar feeling when you are embarrassed for someone else You are right I might remove that too if I survive, what are the odds of that by the way?¡± Khyon never minced words, that''s one thing I admire him for, delivering bad news like it''s only normal ¡°42% for me 27% for you.¡± I snorted ¡°Quite the ods.¡± His answer was a matter of fact ¡°That weapon at this moment is too expensive to be produced even in small quantities. You''d have to custom order it than pay 2 thirds of the price.¡± That is the money they will actually use for the material, workers, and know-how, once it''s done you pay them a profit and get your rifle That model is 750000 dollars. I instinctively gripped the rifle tighter as if I was afraid I''d drop it and it will shatter. Who is so insane to drop three-quarters of a million for it just to end up here? Like he''s reading my thoughts (not something I''d put past him) ¡°Isn''t a Human saying what you don''t know can''t hurt you?¡± ¡°Oh it is, and if I knew who said it I''d find him and shoot him through the knees with Aether bullets, just to show him what kind of BS he''s paddling, after all, he doesn''t know me.¡±


    ¡°You can be such a violent bastard, so are you in or out.¡± Beware answering I looked at a chequered butt made out of walnut But noticed it was checkered only from the outer side with a swooping flaming eagle in the center. The side that goes to the cheek was polished almost to sheen, It made sense, Snipers could spend hours on some uncomfortable spots, After murdering someone the last thing you''d need chequered pattern on your cheek. I looked through the window and saw a dying tree some 30-35 feet away ¡°Right lower branch with five smaller ones that look like a hand.¡± like we were preparing for a pool match. Khyon tilted his head calculating. I wasn''t famous for my rifle skills, and even if I was, around here most famous rifle was Winchester, and while it boasted a one-mile range 20-30 ft was the actual effective range and range most shooters practiced. His beauty could reach so far with ease, but he had some gambler in him too. ¡°10 bucks that you''ll choke and you have to go from up down.¡±


    ¡°20$ and I''ll go in order but I get 6 shots.¡± Khyon examined the ¡°finger¡± again, The weapon was made for clean penetration over huge blast holes even if I managed to hit it one bellow squeezing every hair width lower bark was attached and it will hold ¡°Deal.¡± In truth, I really wanted to put the weapon through the paces without all the tech advantages. Shooting someone from such a distance they could have their firstborn and send them to school before the shot lands but in truth a lot of my fighting was done at a distance where I knew what the guy had for breakfast from the stench from his mouth. The first two were test runs, I was lucky that the first one was not only thicket but was so filled with termites that it threatened to explode if I even just winged it.


    ¡°consummate professionals.¡± They would turn into recyclers a perfectly good piece of equipment because failed one of their 269 tests for a sword, rapier to be more exact because everything had a different paper and set of tests. The bad thing was if you came too early because you were just so excited to get your hand on a lovely fire sword. I mean it was supposed to be done yesterday, what does it matter if you come in at 8 or noon as they said? Done yesterday It was done yesterday, right? Wrong Dumbster! Production was done then, but ever since the blade was going through a series of rigorous tests and it will be done at noon, not 11: 59 AM, Noon. If you are lucky that is. If you are not, and the sword failed one of hundred tests. In that case, the head of the guild you commission work with will come out themselves and apologize profusely and give you your options to take a full refund, wait another few weeks for them to make another one with a generous discount, or take one already completed weapons with a smaller but still decent discount, You''ll likely find yourself going home with brand new Silver Bastard Sword that you really had no need for and wondered what just happened,


    ¡°Elven weapons don''t fail the user, the user fails Elven weapon.¡± And in all my years it held true. Although I might be slightly biased, see I''m not 100% sure but I believe Helen was made by Elves but just a really really long time ago that the template was lost. Or the customer made sure by contract it stays unique, it is more often than it sounds. Not that showed overt signs, but it did have one unrepeatable, accidental quirk that only enchanted Elven firearms displayed in roughly 1.7% of samples had the property that shared with wands and Aether Weapons but unpredictability prevented the company to make a consistent stream of revenue which in firearms industry sin. Of course, they made money from these mistakes selling them on various actions in very small batches. Professing that it''s a trade secret and they don''t want to flood the market, See, unlike any ammo firearm she had no recoil, at all, no matter the bullet, and trust me I tried cartridges that by right should break my wrist. Nothing.


    ¡°Bastard.¡± and threw 20 on the table ¡°I forefeet.¡± turning to walk away among his wares and wait for frustration to pass.


    ¡°So, love should we do this one? At a later time many to whom I told this story told me my hand-heated Gold Plated handle, the most heat-resistant metal we know about, I imagined all the else, I do pity them, or as close as I could feel pity over their ignorance. ¡°And would you like one of your own to travel with us? If you prefer to travel as is I''ll refuse the weapon. It''s up to you.¡± I felt the same wave of heat bringing security, and something else, the name ¡°Calypso¡±  ¡°Her name is Calypso?¡± Heat I might have imagined but the jerk of the revolver is hard to imagine ¡°O.K. we will get her 24%, or what Khyon said is much better than what our guests offer. I think their survival teeters are 5%¡± I picked up the box and the rifle returning them to their place, well box at least, I tinkered with a rifle. Never feeling quiet. One of those times when I slightly pushed the barrel slightly to the left Khyon did the same as at the beginning, suddenly speaking not 2 full meters behind me


    ¡°It doesn''t have to be exactly the same you know? I think this time my thoughts and feelings already jumped a bit as my hand fell on the revolver as my brain finally recognized the voice. ¡°Jesus, Khyon you will give me a heart attack one day!¡± It was petty revenge for the scare he deeply dislikes even mention of any Abrahamic religion. But this time he didn''t raise to the bait. He calmed since forfeiting, Glancing through the window he noticed missing fingers ¡°Who would win?'' I saw no reason to lie ¡°You, it took me 3 bullets to fall middle one.¡± Khyon laughed ¡°That''s because you always look at the small picture. The second you broke the puzzle. You had no losing tactics, The fact you did it with just 2 bullets extra is just rubbing salt in the wound. You took down my ¡°unbeatable¡± gambit with an allotted number of bullets. I kinda doubt you felt any triumph in shooting the last two.¡± ¡°Ok, you got me there.¡± I agreed ¡°I just wanted to finish.¡±


    ¡°Spotting¡± Khyon looked slightly taken aback ¡°I''ll admit that is unexpected, I saw you recognize the usefulness of weapon as the sniper, but little else, you rightfully recognized that despite his high value you would have to sell it for significantly less¡±  I gave a half grin ¡°There is always the fact that you are too direct hence you are a terrible liar and I mean catastrophically, you forgot about that ¡°buyer¡± at least three times of the top of the head. Khyon gave a half bow ¡°I''ll take that as a compliment¡± ¡°I have my theories about your true employer but this is neither time nor place and in the end, I really don''t care, currently only reason I want to go is that Helen wants someone of their own kind and by her reaction, I think they met before.¡± I figured that is enough truth. I had no idea who Khyon really works for and he is the only one who was receptive to the connection I had with Helen although he didn''t see it in positive light. He was silent for almost a minute. ¡°O.K. my assignment is to push the rifle to absolute limits, today we did preemptive things. Checking is all systems are O.K., Limits of distance, and thanks to you we have several important things about mid-range fights, that were of particular worry for us. The next ¡°Spotting¡± is the day after tomorrow, depending on your target and performance, if satisfactory I''ll answer any possible questions and give some basic guidance and what you should expect.¡±


    ¡°Ok, got it, now onto spending cash.¡± His eyes twinkle ¡°I like the sound of that, go on.¡± ¡°Well I have short-term and long-term issues, so let''s see first what we can do for the short term. I need silver bullets, holy water, some cold elixirs, and the scroll of protection against law and evil.¡± Khyon looks at me ¡°That list basically screams I''m, gonna fight the devil.¡± He wrote down what I ordered and returned with the basket. ¡°O.K. two scrolls of protection.¡± he placed 4 vials of Holly 2 Water ¡°Sorry since Father Geraldi died they have issues filling the spot here. I used to go with full 4 buckets to the church and have it done in 5 minutes, now I need to go to the nearest city and can carry just two waterskins. 2 vials of cold elixir and a box of silver bullets. Standard .45 two bucks a piece. Let''s see 4 for holy water, 10 for elixir 100 for scrolls...¡± I raised my hand ¡°Lemme stop you right there, I have 82 bucks and I''ll give you 70 for water, elixirs, 10 bullets, and one scroll, don''t care which.¡± Khyon laughed ¡°In other words, you''ll pay for bullets and scroll, and the rest I''ll give you because I like you so much, I don''t run charity here Hak.¡° ¡±You said we''re going hunting in 2 days, you want to yell at me just that isn''t worth 24 bucks.¡± ¡°If you survive.¡± I grinned ¡°I''ll survive, you wouldn''t take me if you thought otherwise, on the other hand, if Devils nab me tonight, finding a decent replacement in this hole? In 12 hours? Come on.¡± He rapped his knuckles on the counter against the counter looking at me, in the end, he sighed chucked one of the scrolls back in the basket, counted 10 bullets then pushed stuff toward me ¡°If you screw me over I''ll resurrect you myself just so I can burn you alive.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I immediately replaced mundane bullets in Helen with Silver ones, placing Holly Water in the right pocket and Elixirs in the left, and Scroll I placed in the front pocket of my jacket. ¡°Thanks a bunch.¡± I almost turned to leave when he stopped me ¡°You forgot to tell me about the long-term issues you knucklehead.¡± That stopped me in my tracks and I again lowered my voice like someone might be listening. ¡°Can you get me protection from Lamia in about a week or so?¡± He snorted ¡°Yeah, stay away from one and if you can''t put one Aether or Fire bullet through your heart, so magnificent trio visited you too. You became very popular very quickly.¡± He laughed at the expression on my face ¡°What? You thought you were so important that they got to this shithole just because of you? You egomaniac.¡± I felt my freshly shaved cheeks burning ¡°Kinda.¡±


    ¡°If I knew for what you needed supplies you wouldn''t get them for twice the price. They told you how their little recruitment drive goes so far?¡± I nodded ¡°One alive from 4 jobs, they had three with a 100% mortality rate, why would you accept something like that.¡± I felt a prick of irritation ¡°I''m not a fuckin'' clairvoyant to know you''ll have some job lined up, and us Human work best if we can eat once a day, I was bloody broke. Like a sticking up wagon on my own would be a cakewalk, Doing shit alone is hard, or you would test that magic contraption without me.¡± ¡°If this is a recruitment, imagine an actual job you idiot.¡± In truth, I was actively trying not to think about it. Instead, I answered with a question of my own ¡°Are they powerful?¡± He rubbed the top of his palm ¡°All three combined unquestionably. Separated they are still good, but Lamia stands above them all, I shudder to think how old she is. Older than me in any case and I''ll be 1324 in a few months.¡± ¡°So, no protection.¡± his eyes floated back to me ¡°There is the pendant, unique that makes your life essence poisonous for them, one sip wouldn''t kill her but it would make her violently ill. Both exposing what she tried and dissuading her from trying again, but you couldn''t buy two scrolls where the hell you''d find the money for the unique item? I don''t know what he''s asking for it but I wouldn''t let it go under 50000 bucks.¡± I inwardly groaned I saw this coming as soon as he said the word ¡°unique¡± first time. ¡°And there is nothing on this green earth except that.¡± ¡°Nothing I know about and can get my paws on.¡± He thought a bit.


    ¡°Well, there is a slightly less permanent solution.¡± A spark of hope ignited ¡°Please don''t stop talking on my account¡± ¡°Well old cook, was some explorer in Egypt apparently they were like the plague there, and even now, compared to here, they are relatively common. So while he is not stupid enough to sell something that valuable for peanuts and a friendly slap on the bum he figured out how to make short-lasting potions. For those who expect to pass through one of their haunts here.¡± ¡°How that separation works anyway.¡± He shrugged ¡°I wasn''t exactly there, so this is like 4th hand account, but there was a meeting in Alexandria, before the first sacking. Romans were encroaching and fast. Leaches were coming in their wake and Soul Suckers were not in a position to fight, but Leaches were in a similar predicament. If they move in force and leave flanks undefended. Were beasts from the North will sweep, they will not even wait for the mundane cousins. Their spheres of influence were drawn then, and they still stand for the most part. Entire Asia and Africa were given to Lamias as long as they respect the law of the land. Europe and North America went to leaches under the same conditions South America was to be Neutral and serve as a political hub. Australia and New Zealand were the places both side would send their ¡°undesirables.¡± Lamias walked away more than happy. They kept the richest, most cultured countries. While Vampires accepted undeveloped lands land full of barbarian cultures and continents that might take millennia to be discovered. Well, either Leaches really had clairvoyant or this was the longest con in the history of civilization. So, returning back to the point, the old cook has no real need for the pendant, but making 2-3 potions every month made him not the wealthiest man in the country, not even one of the top 10, but wealthy enough. One potion is 100 bucks. 300 bucks for essentially cooking for few hours¡± ¡°I scratched my neck, well his net worth is about to skyrocket. Go and order a first batch of 5 potions.¡± Elf leaned forward ¡°A first batch? Implying there will be more.¡± ¡°Apparently.¡± ¡°Do I need to remind you that you have 18 dollars in your pocket?¡± ¡°I''ll have money.¡± He shook his head ¡°Just be sure to be alive and ready the night after tomorrow.¡± I smiled and he just raised his hand and went to his warehouse.


    ¡°Lost enough today, besides I have to go.¡± ¡°Time for me to finish this? They were going for like 40 minutes one has to give soon.¡± I nodded ¡°Sure.¡± In truth by the intensity, I thought 15 minutes at most. Now I was intrigued too. After five minutes of acrobatics, finally, the horse lowered his head making a few last half-hearted attempts before stopping jumping and just walking around applause and hooting went around, I applauded too, both were drenched with sweat, this was not only worthy victory but excellent performance. Cowboy took off his wide-brim hat and waved to his friends with a side bow ¡°Twenty-Seventh boys!!!¡±, Like that was some hidden signal Horse''s back leg collapsed in such a convincing fashion that some would say fatigue got him. But I saw something, the cowboy was a picture of an experienced veteran, tilted in the saddle in the mid bow, with one hand out of the picture yet he managed to straighten up and regain stability, once the horse raises he''ll be back in the saddle. But even the most experienced have a limit. As the horses'' hind legs fell down saddle followed, then the cowboy regained composure basically standing, above the hump, where the horn of the saddle pointed up. If the horse didn''t straighten up but bucked...I closed my eyes. There is something visceral in every male that instinctively winces when he witnesses another male getting hit between the legs. I didn''t need to see the saddle horn with the speed of a well-aimed boot crush that man''s family jewels. I heard it all, the reaction of the crowd and the pained grunt of a man. There was no scream, to scream you need to have air in the lungs, all of his was knocked out at the moment of impact, and he was laying in the fetal position vomiting. I think I saw the beginning of red collecting on his trousers. ¡°Well, Devil take me.¡± Omaha silently said as others finally recovered part jumped in to take the horse away and the second part their injured friend. ¡°Yeah, I might be late for my appointment. Get me the Girl.¡±


    ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± I appreciated her optimism even though I didn''t share it. Now I kinda regretted the amount of Aether I used in town playing with that gun. Intellectually I knew it wasn''t THAT much. But on the other side, sometimes even a sliver of power means life and death, it was thumb before the sun started to sink I hesitantly allowed the girl to let loose. She was my third horse and was actually the daughter of my second horse Vanity, and I wouldn''t admit it even to Helen, but she had a special place in my heart, her mother was killed just several weeks into her training, she just gotten used to all the stuff she needed to carry, plus me on top of it. I could''ve rented the horse for several months until she grew into a role. After six months, six months of close calls for both of us, it was hard to find a group that would work with me. No matter what I can do if my horse can''t really keep up, neither to catch in a chase nor escape in a getaway. I survived mostly with petty theft and gambling. But I noticed that since she carried more weight than appropriate for her age, she developed more muscle than Vanity ever had, as the name might imply Vanity was best looking Morgan I ever saw, and while the trader tried to upsell me on a Stallion, all but straight telling how much money I could earn by pimping him out. The sword at his throat made him understand, we are in different businesses. The Girl got that name by accident, since she had to learn so much on the work ¡°That''s a good girl¡±, who''s a good girl,¡± etc. were said so often that soon she stopped answering to any different name. But even if that time is long behind us, that time when she couldn''t catch up with other horses was a hangup I carried with me, and was always content to let her run half speed, or hold pace with other horses. But the prospect of being caught alone at Devil Springs makes me throw that last hangup away, and by all gods living and dead how she galloped, we ate the distance like it was nothing. Sun just began to touch the horizon, but at this pace, we''ll be there before it''s halfway down. Of course, those were magic words, first I saw movement on the left I looked, at three hellhounds, not even watching us, routine. I knew there were be 3 on the right, they were there to box us in. I looked back to see the kill squad and felt cold sweat on my neck. Three Big Boys, under normal circumstances, I''d call BS, there can be just one. One is able to dominate all the others. But there was. Hell is the orderly place but this one was around here on Earth that broke that uniformity. I saw scars that made him do that, most from his own kind, Only weapon attack of any note was a sword strike that went from the crown of its head to about an inch below his left eye, but the eye was whole and burning with malevolent intelligence. It was enormous, to other already size of average draft horses, which put them on par or larger than the Girl. He could dominate them because he was at least twice their size. He defied reality himself with its presence Due to their look, it was easy to think of them as dogs. They had more experience than some humans, and definitely more intelligence.


    ¡°M''lady.¡± She referenced my words from last night ¡°I thought around here latecomers get no gold?¡± ¡°Late?¡± I looked at the sun maybe Milimetar still was over the horizon. I raised my hand and aligned my thumb with the horizon. Unfortunately with all this happening, I haven''t cut my nails and while I saw the sun through it, technically she was right. I glanced down and noticed Santinos nails were freshly cut. ¡°We''ll need a third opinion.¡± he snorted and placed the thumb next to mine, as you can imagine even to say a millimeter was above would be generous. ¡°So am I on time?¡± He lowered his hand amusement somewhere deep behind his blue eyes. ¡°Just about.¡± Anne snorted, shook her head, and left toward the fire Santino smiled and followed her. Ronald stood next to me and slapped me over the back. which felt like someone slammed me with a piece of rock. ¡°There, you just need to survive tomorrow and we''re all set, come to the fire I scored some good rum.¡±


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 Fire In The Desert Ch5

    <h3 style="text-align: center">FIRE IN THE DESERT


    ¡°O.K. now when we all are here, let''s finish introductions and intel at once since I advise you get all the sleep you can before tomorrow. He points at the bear trapped in the human body, Falx, twig next to him is Goutti¨¨re, and Hammond twins Jaxon and Jannet. Mr with the dramatic entrance is H¨¢kon. Lady in the shadows is Elunara, the only passing participant so far. Now since we wouldn''t want you to hurt yourself overthinking plan is very simple. You''ll rob the bank. The one in St. Joacinto to be more precise. Since it''s in Mexico even if they gather the posse I doubt they will cross the border, in Unorganized Territory maybe, but sure as shit, not Arkansas Territory. There is a 30-mile run to the border North-East, and as you see an oasis you are home-free. The border should be already several miles behind you but you keep riding since even the ¡°official¡± border is behind there are only a few sparse markers. Most take the oasis as the real border.¡±


    ¡°That is suicide.¡± Her brother only nods for my side I agreed with the sentiment. Some three years ago I rode with the Dolton brothers, we scoped the place, then it was freshly built not even a year old, and it took us just one recon to nope out of there. The place was built as a bunker. Santino shrugged ¡°I''m not here to convince anyone but explain the mission, if someone doesn''t want to go I believe they can find their way home in the morning.¡± He grins ¡°After they return our generous deposit of course.¡± Goutti¨¨re says something in French that I didn''t even need to pull on my limited pool of Cajun to know it was a curse. I very much shared the sentiment.


    ¡°Well, I see why your recruiting drive was so successful so far. I''m overwhelmed with gratitude you were considerate enough to plan something.¡± There was a predatory glint in his eye as he answered ¡°Oh, when you hear the plan you''ll positively shine with happiness.¡± He takes the branch and draws a rough rectangle and draws a line over a third of it. Then draws a line in the middle of a large part ¡°Entrance, there are two guards armed with rifles and revolvers in both corners. There is one more behind the counters with a shotgun. There are four tillers and all of them likely have revolvers but once guards are down I doubt they will elect to die for their measly pay. Here are stairs upstairs, one more guard on the upper floor is on the top stair with a sawed-off, and there are offices of higher-ups. Normal burglars would need them for the keys, combinations, etc.¡± He thinly smiles ¡°But you are not normal burglars, are you? Any of you with powers needs a key for anything?¡± The silence was all the answer he needed ¡°There, simple enough. Eliminate three guards, which with five of you shouldn''t be much of an issue no? Open the door, grab what you can, and leave a simple and clean job. What is so suicidal?¡±


    ¡°What is not drawn and what is not said.¡± He looks at me with that hidden amusement he often displayed. ¡°Care to elucidate for the rest of class?¡± I took the branch from him and drew two parallel lines next to the building ¡°Road.¡± then I drew three more squares directly across the bank ¡°Saloon, Sherif''s Office, Hotel/Brothel. Both Saloon and Hotel have at least 6 perfectly placed sniper nests.¡± I drew two more squares at the sides of the bank ¡°General Store and Apparel Store. That''s about three years of outdated info but I heard St. Joacinto just grew since then, on account of...¡± I drew the largest rectangle at the end of the road 90 degrees compared to the bank. ¡±...Chappel of Our Bleeding Lady, Statue of Mother Mary that weeps blood every mass. I''m not particularly religious, when is the next mass?¡± Jannet gave a deadpan answer deciding to play along ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°So three years ago it was a city of 3000, let''s say luck is on our side and now is only 3500 people, and the bank is in the center of it. Most of those 3500 people will be there tomorrow to see their bleeding stone, most of them have cash in that bank and it''s surrounded by businesses that 100% have a significant amount of capital tied in it. If someone hears suspicious Colibri fart from inside so many guns will be pointed our way that we''ll be dead before we manage to raise our hands to surrender. And if I''m gambling man...which I happen to be I''d say you picked a Mass Day on purpose.¡± This time Anne answers her voice again all silk and honey, she obviously greatly enjoyed this ¡°Would it be testing otherwise?¡± Santino shrugged and said probably the only thing that he knew will hook if not all of us then most of us ¡°I could do it alone.¡± turned on his heel and walked toward the sleeping bag I assumed to be his.


    ¡°You mentioned some rum?¡± He gave his characteristic jovial laughter ¡°Your accent is shit, but at least I understand you, more than I can tell for most Humans that fancy themselves experts in Dwarven. In my tent.¡± he pointed at a stick driven in the ground with the tarp over it. Well...it was tent-like. ¡°Go uncork it I''ll join you just as I take care of my horse for the night.¡± ¡°Don''t take too long or you will have just a bottle to sniff on.¡± ¡°Don''t worry I saw you drink already.¡± He moved toward his sleeping place and I half-turned when a new voice called ¡°H¨¢kon.¡± I turned back Falx spoke for the first time ¡°Twins have been already notified but with your delay, it can''t be helped you get a private talk.¡± His voice was raspy and the end of every sentence was clipped like cut with a hatchet, it wasn''t really an accent, more the way someone who uses words every blue moon speaks. Not really used to communicating by words at all. ¡°For tomorrow''s job, I''m the leader and Goutti¨¨re here is second in command, that stunt you pulled when you entered was good, no doubt about that. Good enough to earn you third place if you play ball.¡° I looked at both of them and gave a half-shrug ¡°O.K. whatever you say.¡± He apparently took insult with my tone because in a time I could blink one of the heavy forward-leaning knives he carried 4 at the at the belt was at my throat, the blade under my neck did not disturb me, but the fact I couldn''t feel he could use Arts until now. Also, with speed and ease, he controlled a heavy blade, Falx was hiding a lot under that brute muscle ¡°I don''t like the way you bend so easily, it might hide betrayal in the future.¡± I raised my eyebrow ¡°I just don''t want to have pointless butting of heads for one day of suicidal job. If you want the responsibilities of a leader, have at it. If you think you can take Santino, Ronald, and Anne you are delusional and I''m not having anything to do with that.¡± Goutti¨¨re again spoke something in French, but this time I understood one word. ¡°I never claimed I''m not a coward, what I am is survivor, and to achieve that goal there is VERY little I won''t do. And those three...Let''s say I know when I meet my betters.¡± The blade moves from my neck and goes back into the hilt. Falx looks me up and down like an insect ¡°I was wrong about you H¨¢kon Firehand.¡± The familiar silky voice speaks from shadows ¡°But I wasn''t. That''s what matters¡± Anne materializes between two men from the shadows. By micromovement, I saw both of them try to move but were paralyzed, Falx likely under Null field too, Lamia places hands over their shoulders like in a hug. Well, until the nails on her forefingers grew into the size of mini daggers with equally sharp points touching their jugglers ¡°You know, in my country bad children are stolen into the night never to be seen again.¡± I saw actual fear in Goutti¨¨res eyes, but nothing in Falxes. Anne ruffles their hair like they really are children ¡°But they also say, everyone deserves a second chance. If you survive tomorrow. Remember that your next slip-up will be last, now go to sleep like good boys.¡± She melts with the shadows again Goutti¨¨re was sweating profusely but the rage radiating from Falx was so strong I felt it like a coal pressed against my skin. He growled after me ¡°This changes nothing about tomorrow, remember that.¡± I allowed myself a half-smile with my back turned ¡°Yes, boss.¡± I took the Girl from the watering pool and took her where I planned to sleep. When danger is in question she was as good if not better than any guard dog. I took my feeding bag and filled it with oats, there was plenty of fresh grass around, but for some reason, she liked oats since she was a yearling and I always had a few pounds on hand as a reward. And if she didn''t deserve a reward for today, she never did, I remembered that last burst of speed she gave to slip the flankers for a while. I again scratched her between her ears again and with her mouth deep in the bag she just leaned her head against my shoulder for a few seconds. The voice came from behind my back ¡°Your heart rate never raised.¡± I turned and faced Anne ¡°Why should it?¡± ¡°That''s what happens when Humans are scared, both breathing and heart rate raise. You weren''t scared of them, just placating their ego. Why?¡± I paused thinking of what should I say ¡°You are thinking about whether will you lie to me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you?¡± I thought for another second ¡°No.¡± She tilted her head ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I won''t die tomorrow, we need to learn to trust each other to a point.¡± Now she made a pause ¡°True. To a point. So why you weren''t scared?¡± I smiled ¡°Because I knew you were there.¡± I admit I took pleasure in the brief shock on her face. Her eyes narrowed in suspicious slits, she looked like a cat ready to scratch on a first provocation. ¡°How? I know Art users can''t feel me¡± I touched my nose and smiled ¡°You should control your temper better, the first night we met when you exited my room through the window I couldn''t see a thing but you had to pass in front of me, all I felt is the scent of lilies. I do have a rather well-developed sense of smell for a Human. I first slightly but the longer you stayed circling us I smelled lilies again.¡± I gestured at the small patch of green in this oasis and the barren desert behind it ¡°Do you see lilies anywhere?¡± ¡°You revealed your only trump card?¡± I gave another half shrug ¡°It would appear so. It''s kinda how building trust goes.¡± Oddly she smiled in an almost Human way and made a small bow touching her forehead, heart, and belly ¡°And in return, I vow not to harm you or anyone dear to you for a year.¡± I couldn''t help but grin ¡°Entire year. Such generosity.¡± Surprisingly she grinned back ¡°As you said, building trust is a process, besides I''m a lady. Choosing another scent takes time.¡± I bowed ¡°Well m''lady I know Dwarf who is cursing my ancestors for making him wait, so I must leave you.¡± ¡°Sekmeth curse me for keeping you from such important business.¡± And she was gone, again leaving just a smell of lilies in the air. I bid the last farewell to the Girl. and moved toward Ronald''s tent path led me closer to the only survivor so far and I paused looking down at her cloaked figure. She looked up, and even with a hood up I recognized Elven features, slightly slanted eyes, and beauty. For some reason every Elf is pretty. Even Half-Elves carry that ethereal part with them, albeit in a smaller dose. ¡°Yes?¡± Her voice was like a wind chime, there was an accent there but one word couldn''t pull it out. ¡°Did you abstain from joining the company because you don''t want to know anything about the walking dead or you just like to be alone?¡± She gave a small chuckle ¡°A bit of both honestly.¡± Irish accent, and heavy one, she couldn''t be across the pond for more than a few years. ¡°Mind a question?¡± She shook her head, and motion released a lock of heavy red hair, If the Hammond twins had the color of a sunset, this was the color of living burning coal she removed the lock with a small finger. She still looked up waiting for a question. ¡°How did you survive?¡± She again smiled ¡°Easy. I wasn''t greedy. Remember that for tomorrow and luck might be on your side too.¡± I looked down and thoughts began forming in my head. ¡°Thank you.¡± She nodded and returned to her previous position indicating conversation is over.


    ¡°You waited for me, I''m touched.¡± I sat next to Dwarf, He grumbled a bit while opening the bottle ¡°I just don''t like drinking alone.¡± He takes a gigantic swig before passing the bottle to me. I was never a rum lover, too much sugar, but damn me this almost converted me. He wasn''t kidding when he said he found ¡°good stuff¡± I huffed the air from my lungs that burned like fire ¡°Wow, this, is something, I don''t know what, but something.¡± His grumpiness dissipated ¡°Told ya. I paid a small fortune for it but I knew it was the right stuff.¡± He took another swig. ¡°25 years aged as Gods ordained, and then properly sealed. Patience, booze is all about patience. As so many things in life.¡± hard to argue with such wisdom I took another swig and looked at the sky. In spite of where we were sky was perfectly clear, and since the buzz started to catch me they twinkled extra hard. ¡°So those two asses are not coming back tomorrow?¡± I glanced at him he was also looking at the sky. ¡°Who knows, you guys put us in quite a pickle, dangerous job.¡± Dwarf snorted ¡°Boy, you know well what I''m talking about.¡± ¡°Will you mourn them?¡± ¡°I mourn my bowel movements more, at least I know they were decent food before.¡± I took another swig and touched the place where Falx placed his blade. ¡°Well, I don''t know how tomorrow will go, but I have a feeling they enjoyed their last sunset.¡± Then I passed the bottle Ronald emptied his pipe before taking it ¡°Good.¡±

 Coffey With Just A Pinch Of Blood Ch.6

    ¡°Don''t ever do that again...second in command.¡± I slowly picked myself up, damn that was a good rum, also strong, I felt like beef jerky, and not particularly quality one ¡°We need to go.¡± ¡°I gathered that wealth of information when you kicked me. You ass.¡± I mumbled dragging my legs to the horse watering hole and plunging my head inside. It felt so good that I was considering repeating it when it came out from the air ¡°I don''t think I like your tone.¡± There was a bit of steel in the voice now, and I knew what I''ll see before I turned. He was standing in by now the iconized dueling stance, made even more imposing by his low holsters. All of that is horseshit, all of the ¡°gunslingers¡± were dead before 30 because of a wish to retain that image. He was roughly my age, so between 33 and 35 and still alive, which meant he was really good or he was basically killing children to achieve notoriety. Hands up, I admit I kinda hated people who carried low-hanging revolvers to announce to the world ¡°I''m a bad motherfucker¡± So that coupled with a hangover, might''ve shortened my fuse a bit. Drinking was not a great way to replenish your Aether, I think I barely replenished 10% from yesterday, but sometimes you treat yourself. I squeezed my right hand, I was not a thousand-year monster to paralyze someone with ease, but still, it achieved effect. Same micromovements of locked muscles, and the same panic in the eyes. I slowly approached him, pausing for a moment to raise my left leg enough to draw my dagger ¡°I told you yesterday, survivor, not a hero, not a gunslinger and not giving a fuck what someone who will be dead in ten seconds thinks. See in a duel, I might actually lose. That''s kind of a deal breaker for me. At least don''t worry you''ll have the company of your own kind.¡± Panic in his eyes turned into pleading, but I ignored it instead touching for the correct place to stab so it goes through both sides slicing the veins and arteries perfectly in one stab, soul forged weapons can be finicky like that, and I admit my dagger was kinda B quality, but still expensive like shit, not the top shelf though. I carefully inserted it and pushed it through in one smooth fast movement. Luckily I succeeded, I had about a 30% success rate when I used it as it was supposed to be used, and not stabbing like a madman in defense or offense. Goutti¨¨re first started shaking like being struck by lightning, but I held onto him and dagger firm, soon shakes stopped and his eyes began to lose color, I held on until they were white, and then removed dagger. Instead, gush of blood there were a few drops leaking out, and a few on the blade that quickly vanished. Leaving the dagger in pristine condition, I pushed the corpse to the ground. ¡°Dumbass.¡± and returned to plunge my head into the water again. When I emerged I heard several people behind me, but my tiny bath made me feel like a thousand bucks. So I turned to face the music. Falx was there directly opposite me looking at his very dead second in command, basically since I yesterday refused his ¡°generous¡± offer to be his left-hand man to Goutti¨¨res right-hand man, there lay his entire command staff including a fifth of the military. More importantly, the only person he even remotely trusted. I again felt that rage radiating from him as I wrapped myself in a force bubble. Left of me were Santino and Anne her hand and chin resting on his shoulder, there was something in their posture that conveyed intimacy. That was the first time my genius ass caught up to the nature of their relationship, that is it might be slightly more than just business. I mean I understand from one perspective, their entire being, feeding, and procreation depended on raw, unfiltered sex appeal. I''d put a hand in burning oil that she fed on more than one straight female that never thought about sex with women before. She was all that Succubi and Incubi wished they were, absolute powerhouse, incredibly beautiful, and...for them particularly important, not in Hell or Abyss. Well, those were places where she would end when a bastard like me dusts her but with her resume, she will be one of the aforementioned fold very soon.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Falx''s voice returned me back to the present, unwittingly proving how damn dangerous she was. ¡°Your dead second in command for today''s caper.¡± Falx raised his eyes and conected with mine. They were burning red. Two pieces of round coal with two black round dots where the pupils are. He wasn''t Human, not 100% in any case, but sussing out what he is will need to wait. ¡°And pray, how did he die?¡± ¡°He called me out for a duel, he fancied himself somewhat of the gunslinger, you know?¡± ¡°He was the fastest draw I ever saw, a third-rank revolver wielder like you couldn''t hope to measure up to him. So you took a dump on your honor and used Arts like a coward he said you are.¡± I smiled sweetly almost matching Anne at some 20% output, I saw the ivory of her teeth from the corner of my eye. This was a veritable feast for her, so many heightened emotions, she could nibble here and there from the periphery, and if this prolonged she might not even need a lunch today.


    ¡°And I did not contradict him, I said exactly what I am, survivor. Why should I risk a duel I could lose when I could just paralyze him and slit his throat at my leisure.¡± Beast in front of me snarled, and I noticed both the upper and lower fangs being elongated, while his nails completely turned to claws and his skin was the color of raw meat. This was his real form, I would bet on it, amount of self-control that likely took to look human every day when dealing with the rest of us was likely mind-boggling, Falx was strong, once it begins I was not sure I will win alone and neither of ¡°founders¡± appeared too keen to involve themself, Anne probably just enjoying the show, and Santino likely going down the list to fill up the gaps and calculating how long getting new recruits will take.


    ¡°Falkxes you idiot!¡± But no you bast...Kind people. The closest it came to was one type of Nevada War Falxe I saw, but the blade was too wide at the top. Almost like Forward leaning machete, the blade alone might pass for a large Kukri one person I rode with used, but in that case, the handle didn''t fit since this was a rather traditional machete handle. In the end, I had to assume it was some private amalgam of several blades. Yet, I admit, that time for reflection came later, now I was slightly preoccupied. He pulled the blades back with such power that for a moment I considered wrapping one more whip on each when two remaining blades slammed me into the barrier from behind, reminding me why I held off on that plan in the first place. Blades were deflected, but not even a second later as I flung two more whips after them with a ring finger and a pinkie I felt the barrier collapsing, Man was a monster in more ways than one, even three. I had no time to look back so my whips went basically blind, and by miracle, all hooked and hardened. I was fortunate I was dropping my head into the horse pool like crazy before so some of the wetness could be explained by that, but now in private, nope. Every last drop on my face and cords of hair was sweat, I felt it salt/briny taste on my lips, and in my eyes, dropped from the strings of my hair. I slowly curled my thumbs letting more Aether around the tight, rope-pulling contest we had, and started making a spider web, giving my part more structural integrity, so while I felt there was no way I could win in sheer power, once I placed the support in place there was no way he was getting those blades back either.


    ¡°A spider trapped in his own net.¡±...then he lunged forward toward me. My world spun for a second because all this time I thought I was dictating the pace of this battle. Then realizing I was wrong. My Aether supplies were low. Power pulling on those blades did not lessen I gave all I had to hold them. And now Falx was bearing down on me, in his transformation even more massive, some 7 feet to my 6''1¡± and 182 pounds against what looked like 400 pounds of muscle bearing down on me as the train. It would appear I and Santino were right, he was right about me being cocky upon our first meeting, and I was right when I thought there is more to Falx last night. Unfortunately, I thought the transformation was it, but no. The brain behind it was the secret, I was dancing in the palm of his hand since I caught the first blade. True, I was holding all the strings but they were fixating me as much as I was them. Falx might in the term of Arts be One-Trick Pony, but his Aether reserves were absurd, once he lunged toward me pressure if anything increased, not went down he was upon me slightly above second, but enough to see that his legitimate claws were coated with another thin layer of Aether making them more dangerous than his knives. The only thing on my side was that I was still faster with my smaller frame. But judging by his pace not faster by much.


    ¡°In nomine Patris and so forth. Kiss your infernal daddy''s ass plug.¡± Two shots rang with impressive speed one after another. This time there was no roaring, clawing, and such theatrics. Two bullet holes were one above the other between Falx''s eyes and the corpse betrayed its mixed heritage by flesh nearly instantly liquifying, but bones stayed intact, enlarged fangs and all.


    ¡°Just a notice, it''s no healing potion.¡± I snorted, blood accidentally shooting out of my nose ¡°Pardon me, ladies.¡± I wiped the blood away with the back of my sleeve and winked at Dwarf ¡°Like I would expect anything other from you.¡± I opened the flask and just a tiny sip almost knocked me over ¡°What in the name of cosmic horrors is this?¡± He grinned ¡°Fl?k¨², very few non-Dwarves had the honor and pleasure to enjoy it, it comes from fermented liquid harvested from Bkunah fish, a pretty rare species that lives only in deep cavern lakes.¡± he dismissively waves These new generations prefer to add some herbs to it, to ¡°improve taste¡±, but my family makes it as ancestors intended. 3 parts Bkumah fish liquid, 2 parts Patchi mushrooms 4 parts alcohol, and 1 part pure water. No artificial flavoring and such nonsense.¡± ¡°Aren''t Patchi mushrooms poisonous?¡± ¡°Don''t worry a toxin in Bkunah liquid neutralizes it, kinda the acid and the base relationship.¡± Barely anything I heard calmed me down, but on the other side, I felt significantly less pain, then again I also did not feel the tip of my tongue and the tip of my forefinger and thumb at all. Santino cleared his throat to return things back on track ¡°I assume today''s job is out of the question, considering you both killed half of your team and placed yourself out of commission.¡±


    ¡°Metaphorically he killed his entire team. I don''t know or care about that French friend of this thing here...¡± he pushes fanged skull with his leg ¡°...he might''ve been the greatest gunfighter in history, and H¨¢kon might do him dirty, but he also confessed right away, with what I find to be a very sincere and reasonable explanation of it. Morality itself aside.


    However, what we ALL saw was this fight. I would lose, soundly, I think after the second volley of Blades in the back. Jannet?¡± I personally thought he''d be done after the first volley but the kid sounded confident, and if a fight with Falx thought me anything is that looks can be deceiving, more than I thought. Jannet looked at the skeleton that now had a sort of gunmetal grey sheen ¡°I don''t know, I thought 50-50% yesterday when he bullied us into acceptance, I couldn''t begin to gauge the depth of his reservoir. Now more 40-60 in his favor, he hid his intelligence better than his power.¡± She drew a large bag and threw it to Santino ¡°200 gold to a cent. We don''t really spend money much. We are out.¡± She looked at me ¡°And that is thanks to you, you are drained and I detect at least 6 dangerous wounds that have to be looked at, I''d be happy to do it as the thanks, as he said himself my brother would die on the mission, and I was not a shoo-in either. I''ll look them for you.¡± ¡°By the way,...¡± the brother added. ¡°...if his performance this morning does indicate his average and you still insist on some test, I''ll pay off his debt, and he''s welcome to lead us.¡±


    ¡°I agree with the boy, gunslingers morality aside he is a worthy addition to any team, risking losing him on the principle alone is wasteful. I''ll contribute 50% toward his freeing, although I will honor my previously agreed contract, after that I''ll join the Twins and the Human.¡± Ronald puffed on his pipe and grinned ¡°This might be one of the most polite mutinies I saw because polish it any way you like that is exactly what this is. Pluck out all the flowery language and what you left is: ¡°Hey whatever you planning is too dangerous for us, so here is your deposit. All the best!... Oh yeah, and if you don''t hire your last prospect on the spot, you know, the one who murdered and/or fought to the death all the others beside us we''re buying him out and making him our boss.¡± Jannet tilts her head ¡°Yeah, when you put it that way it does sound cue/mutiny adjacent doesn''t it? But once he is healed our prized horse can decide on his own for which team is running.¡± And now I was the horse, if she did not have that charming way about her I''d felt insulted, I opened the chamber removing all empty cartridges, and then, after clumsily opening my deerskin pouch and rifling through it placing one fire, one shock and one Raw Aether bullet in the empty chambers before closing Helen and reholstering her. I was not sure I will run with only mundane bullets in her ever again. The purring voice came from above, Anne was looking at me with more amusement than worry. ¡°Well, someone better get on the healing him, it might not look that bad to you but he is actually some 15-20 minutes to dying.¡± All heads snapped back to her except Santinos, who was on one knee next to a skeleton and added in his raspy voice  ¡°When Falx brought him down, his head missed basin but the back of it still heavily slammed to the ground. Since he''s a macho little soldier he doesn''t want to say it but he''s likely going blind every 15-20 seconds for about a few seconds. That''s because our sight centers are at the back of the head, and he earned himself brain swelling which now pressing against the skull, some internal bleeding might also play a part. I can''t know by guessing.¡± He was right but same as shaky vision, I took bouts of blackness as a side effect of an ¡°empty magic tank¡±.


    ¡°I''m trying to quit, but after over 30 years...it''s still a work in progress.¡± This was the first part of the info he shared with me in a conversational manner so far ¡°The boy is right, killing that behemoth yesterday, getting rid of both Goutti¨¨re and Falx in one on one, no matter how you did it. Now, insisting on you do the job, even with a brand new crew, would be just us insisting on the procedure for the sake of it. You''ve proven that even if your power might not be exactly at our level, combined with your remaining... qualities. You can hang at that level...easily. While you are fixed chew on it, if you want the job is yours.¡± He stood up and joined Anne, Ronald winked at me with his wide grin still puffing on a pipe. Santino added, ¡°So, unfortunately, we have tents large enough, only for the two, you have to choose one healer.¡± I''m still not 100% sure why I did it, maybe to see their stunned faces as I pointed. I got my wish alright. I think Ronald even dropped his beloved pipe. There was first absolutely unhidden sign of shock on Santino''s face. Yet I think I most enjoyed my healer''s face, it was a surprise, sure, but I glinted a bit of rage when her eyes sparkled. Anne was staring down my finger as if it was a barrel of a gun. I dropped my hand down and turned to others ¡°I think it''s only fair, she diagnosed it, it''s not like I doubt in abilities of any of you. Jannete bowed her head but I could''ve sworn I saw a bit of her smile. Elunara also bowed albeit a bit more formally with the palm over her heart.¡±


    was a sleeping surface but I had no idea the name of it. The time I had to study it turned out just it was, at least 70% pillows. While I was admiring my surroundings I heard movement, and there was the moment of truth. I turned toward the entrance just in time to see her secure 4th...and last latch. Not particularly reassuring. Her back was toward me until now, and when she turned I saw the familiar sight. Her true face. Armchair ¡°Monstrologists¡± who have never seen one that is not dead, or close enough that there is little difference claim they are monstrous once the ¡°mask slips¡± They don''t know the difference between the stake and toothpick. If they were dragged in the box across half of the country tied in chains, custom designed to sap their strength, most of the way box being dragged behind by a horse. Without any sustenance through the journey. I have my doubts they would look their ¡°Sunday Best¡± No. Neither Lamias nor Vampires lose not a second of their appeal. Lamias as Anne concretely, changes little on the outside, most visible being her eyes. Color of the molten gold with two slits for the pupils, not really feline, nor snakelike, if pressed to answer, I''d likened them to two inverted tears. The second is fingernails. Some Lamias paint their nails as a flight of fancy, but the truth is their natural color is dark red, permanent nail polish. Once fully ¡°unsheathed¡± they are up to 3 inches in length with a point roughly the shape of a Rondel dagger but have sides much sharper, I saw both razors and scalpels that are regularly maintained that are blunter. The important point here is that they are nearly indestructible by natural means. I saw a fired bullet both blocked and cut in two while in flight by them without any appreciable damage. Also, I saw several duel blades made of Silver, Obsidian, and Crystal with equal results. Raw Aether projectiles or blades are the only things that can damage them with consistency regardless of the underlying conduit. The last thing is the hardest to notice without practice. Their lips get fuller and red like treated with bright red lipstick. Actually completely indistinguishable. The irony is that feature makes them even more attractive, especially when employed solo because that is the rough equivalent of vampiric fangs. Both redness and fullness are products of reaching forward and opening vessels they use to suck our life energy. Class dismissed, David if I catch you napping again I''m feeding you to my pet Lion Scorpion, and no they have no Lion features, references to the large cat are only because of their comparable size.


    ¡°Santino was right, but just some vessels popped, nothing major. I reconnected them and diverted blood to your bladder so don''t be alarmed if you pee blood for the next day or two, it will clear up.¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Her golden eyes met mine ¡°No need. I just did not want to talk with the stuttering mess. I know you expected this, so let''s just finish it. ¡°Yup.¡± It seemed some kind of a burden fell from her shoulders too and her eyes again went black but nail daggers stayed out. Matters of trust ¡°Do you know how many questions I have?¡± ¡°Four.¡± There was a tiny sign of her usual coquettish self ¡°So manly, still not a Heartbeat out of sync.¡± I grinned back ¡°No reason. I have no intention to lie.¡± She raised an eyebrow ¡°So you tell me you will honestly answer all four of my questions? No tricks.¡± ¡°No. I will honestly answer three of the questions. No tricks.¡± She paused In the corner of my eye I noticed her nails were back to normal, but I did neither concentrate nor comment on that. ¡°Excluding?¡± ¡°Killing your...sisters...clan. You are so solitary I have no idea how you call yourself in the plural.¡± ¡°Kin¡± Her voice was carefully neutral, that alone told me enough, she wasn''t happy but she was willing to postpone it. Then she surprised me ¡°I''ll substitute question then. Tell me if you had a reason and it wasn''t some thrill-seeking hunter/ monster killer thing.¡± She actually WANTED to give me a pass, but sheer memory kinda jolted me, second passed before I realized she is looking to my right hand where I squeezed Helen''s handle. I felt Helen kinda tolerated it because even if she came later, she knew what happened and was willing to overlook me nearly damaging her. I slowly let go of the handle. And raised my hands ¡°I''m sorry, it just...¡± Three of her fingers covered my lips ¡°I got my answer, maybe even a bit more. We will talk about it, once we are comfortable with each other. I sorta got my answers for all others questions too.¡± After the outburst, I doubted she had too many dots left to connect.  ¡°You sure?¡±  She took another pillow, a smaller one, and gently removed the big soft one Ronald and Jax placed under my head pushing this one under my neck. ¡°Trust. All answers and questions were essentially the same. My first question would be why you chose me to heal you considering the chip on my shoulder was real. Your answer would be ¡°Because this would be a perfect time to kill me.¡± You are already severely concussed, and it is getting worse. Some might suspect but definite proof would be impossible. Ronald really likes you, he missed someone to just drink and shoot the shit, Santino and I are not those types. Neither is our newest Elven addition, you will do him a lot of good. But he''d stand by my side if it came to that. All other questions are either the same shit just repackaged and you even answered part of 4th question albeit unwillingly.¡± ¡°I did?¡± She first applied Aether to the flesh wounds I nearly forgot about ¡±Yes, you not only are not one of the thrill-seeking monster killers, you knew well who they are, and likely searched for them for a while. Also, something tells me they got exactly what they deserved.¡± She did not wait for an answer because she would not get one. Still, her stance surprised me somewhat. I needed to revise the ¡°1000-year-old monster¡± moniker. She was older by a lot. ¡°O.K. I handled small stuff. Three items left, your brain, your ankle, and your tendon. Two of those will really hurt. I''m gonna put you under, while it would fill me up, it would be just needless suffering on your part. How do you say? Bad way of earning trust? Besides it will give me time to think about the killing you part.¡± While her face was completely emotionless she turned and looked me in the eyes ¡°What? Again not even skipped heartbeat?¡± I smiled "You already decided you won''t kill me.¡± She raised one eyebrow. ¡°Really?¡± I shrugged ¡°Not your fault if you weren''t fixing small stuff it likely wouldn''t happen.¡± ¡°It?¡± I shrugged ¡°Lapsus Linguae. When we talked about offing me you said ¡°You will do him a lot of good¡± when referring to Ronald, and not ¡°You would do him a lot of good.¡± Already then you decided you won''t kill me.¡± For the first time, she chuckled the same way as the night when we first met, every chuckle after that was poisoned by my barb. ¡°Santino is right you know, you are cocky little shit.¡± I snorted ¡°I wasn''t called little in a while so thanks.¡± She placed two fingers on my forehead ¡°Ready?¡± I blinked in confirmation and darkness came for me.

 Healing Process Ch.7

    ¡°He''s alright?¡± ¡°That isn''t a word I used after a 6-hour long procedure, also I''m O.K your concern is touching really.¡± ¡°But he''s breathing?¡± ¡°I did not kill him, Akh''En''Aten, and his accursed offspring, you have a tongue just say what''s on your mind.¡± That exchange was the first thing I heard when I woke up. 6 hours? It felt like I just closed my eyes, in more ways than one, all of my wounds were still painful, but I was able to think clearly, so either she handled concussion or my Aether began to return, maybe both. After just 6 hours I was not eager to light a candle yet, ¡°So, have you killed him?¡± The voice was Rolands ¡°Nope, but all this noise makes me wish she did,¡± I managed to walk to the entrance and notice that just two parts on the right side were opened, frankly the way you would do it if you wanted your house to have the doors closed but not locked. After standing up I realized not only my mind was clear, the pain was there sure. But it was...hard to explain, normal pain after the injury. So after Ronald''s question, I growled my answer and found the trio in front of me after moving the tarp. There was some oddness between them. Ronald seemed relaxed and just like he was asking a question but he had his Aether Gun with him. Santino and Anne were almost squaring off. I assumed it was only two of them before Ronald stepped in. Now, all three looked at me with different expressions. Ronald was most relieved, the only one to be glad to see me alive just because I''m alive. Santino closed his card close to his chest, but he could''ve put them in his ass. In front of someone who earns 40% of his money gambling, he was not open book, but he was surprised, Anne, somewhat surprisingly was the easiest to read, probably because she felt no need to hide it. She was my doctor, and per her professional opinion I shouldn''t be awake let alone walking yet. And my body agreed, now I felt cuts and bruises, I felt the ankle but above all, I felt tendon.


    ¡°He says that you cut off his airways and he can''t answer¡± Ronald interjected helpfully. She hisses but lowers me down I took two gulps of air ¡°I heard we were out for 6 hours. Thank you by the way, only twice have, I heard of interventions above four hours. But you''ve done enough. If Ronald would be kind to help me to the fire I''ll explain the rest.¡± Anne again hissed, Santino composed himself and Ronald was more than glad to serve as my crutch. Although, more precisely would be to say he carried me. We take Dwarfs as tough and hardy, but so often forget how strong they are that once it will break over our collective heads. They are genius engineers, sure, but they are also stonemasons without peer and neck to neck when it comes to Smithing. Once he grabbed me around the waist from the left side I don''t remember my wounded leg touching earth once, and even other only by 50% weight. I had a feeling if he punched me in the chest his large square hand would come out on the other side without too much trouble.


    ¡°Night I came here I had a job lined up since they did not cross, I accepted, since I''m again kinda broke and...¡± pointing at my torn pants and boot ¡°...I''ll be even broker still. Job is tomorrow, and since I am a lucky boy all crap with Falx and whatshisname happened in the morning. So I have time to ask very cordially could Elunara jump in and relieve Anne with my left leg?¡± Both of them raised their eyebrows but in the spirit of cooperation agreed and while Anne shot arrows at our Irish friend with her glare, it would appear that Elunara was not in this situation the first time. First admiring the work, then starting and stopping a few times until Anne was next to her, guiding her through. The ankle was fine in 15 minutes, but the tendon was 3 hours of misery we tried to shorten it with info about our mission.


    ¡°What do you know about gods?¡± I winced as one more string was conected ¡°One, I''m not a believer, two if they did half of a good job I might be.¡± At that 16-year-old angsty answer, Santino actually nodded. ¡°Weird eh? All powerful beings are basically running the experiment. If there were only a few of them, or if they were the same god with different names. It would be kinda, sorta rationalized. But what about all other just Human gods? Olimpians? Slavic gods? Egyptian gods. Damn next to your left leg is an Elf and a Lamia, what about their gods? What about the gods of all beings you know exist?¡± I was in pain and this conversation did not help ¡°Santino, just cut the crap, give me a theory, one you sacrificed a bunch of lives for and I''ll think about it. If it is loonie I might just try to shoot you on principle.¡± He again actually chuckled, the second time since we met and you really had to look closely to notice it. ¡°O.K. here we go, I assume you know all the jazz about Arts, when they began etc?¡± I nodded ¡°Well that happened to Lamias...3000 years ago, they had supernatural stuff already, but not magic, Elves a few hundred years after, then Vampires. But once when Humanity started to feel it, so many religions, so many gods, so many ways to go.¡± I was looking at him I saw the thread, but that was the thread I didn''t want to see. Still, I straightened up a bit, in a way easier to draw Helen, I noticed his response, but assumed it was a bluff. I was better with a bloody slaughter, he was better with Arts. ¡°What you are saying is that something has been killing gods since the dawn of time, after that god''s death its power just dissipated among their followers.¡± I waved across the horizon. ¡°Then we got on the menu, and that thing realized it ignored weak ants too long, so many religions, so many beliefs, that they pressed the pause button. And decided to go first for the straightforward targets.¡± Santino nodded ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡°And the proof is...¡± ¡°Minotaurs can use Arts now. They had only one god, the perfect target.¡± My face scrunched like I ate a really hot pepper ¡°No way¡± Due to their stature and looks Minotaurs always got a bad rep, but they were people who just wanted to be left alone, not some big bad villains. Santino took his hat off and scratched the tip of his head. ¡°Easy enough to prove, I know where the closest territory is, around 50 miles squared for 15 of them. But now when they are coming to accept their new powers, I doubt it will be hard to find them¡±


    ¡°What about you, your gods are in the game too?¡± For the first time, I saw the look in his eyes that genuinely scared me. ¡°If Allfather and his sons and daughters wanted us to know ¡°magic¡± we''d know it¡± his hand places itself on the top of his rifle ¡°Instead they gave us the minds to make it. All dwarves already got the call and are going to their shines, our gods will not fall as long there is a Dwarf alive.¡± I looked at Santino ¡°You have to have more than that someone is killing gods and that''s why from time to time species get magic powers.¡± He gave me his half smile ¡°And indeed I do. It took some time and several hundred lives but in a fight with Elven War God this creature was wounded, just a drop of blood, but it was placed in stasis and thrown into the timestream. The odds are astronomical, but we already have an idea of how to find it. Elunara is 50% sure she can break the stasis field when we''ll have two things no one had before, the blood of a dead god, a quite possible way to revive him, and the blood of an attacker, the first clue of its origin, also old Human adage ¡°If it can bleed, we can kill it.¡± I nodded wincing again, it felt like Anne and Elunara made a nice fire under my Achilles tendon


    ¡°You forgot a few things. One resistance to what we''re about to do, not everyone will vibe with not being to blow a house with a casual move of a hand. But they can be pacified with bullets. However, the knife in the back can''t. One of us is a traitor.¡±


    ¡°He was faster¡± would be a nice obituary. Nobody else moved a muscle, and they could, meaning this was not just my doubt. Santino looked me in the eyes ¡°I would die for anyone here.¡± I smiled ¡°Then drop the revolver so I can shoot you.¡±


    ¡°Think about it, you said this thing is 3000 years old at least, are you that arrogant that in all this time you are the only resistance it encountered? Think, I mean, really think, all failed recruitments, only here we have Khyon. Fuck knows how many such connections you made, you are solid but not perfect, magic or not our dear friends that work on my leg are naturally better than us. Dwarfs are too. We are middle. Arts elevated us. There will be resistance, and there will be betrayal.¡± I cocked down Helen and placed her back in the holster. A few seconds later Santino did the same. Elunara asked, ¡°If you are done, we are ready to finish, are you prepared?¡±


    ¡°What happened?" Elunara answered with a question of her own. ¡°How do you feel?¡± I moved my leg and it was a damn miracle, I felt some tension but no pain. Then I saw something that made it all O.K. Elunara and Anne gave a high five to each other, but I kept it to myself, such moments can get so awkward if pointed out. I started to get up when everyone stopped me. ¡°What now?¡± Roland was blunt enough to give me some news. ¡°You puked like some 5 times, trust me you don''t wanna touch your shirt or sit with it on. Here is my knife, cut the damn thing off so we can burn it, then go to the horse basin, I placed my soap there, and wash yourself. We''ll scope one of Santino''s shirts in the meantime.¡± I thought they were overdramatic until I started to cut, It was like going through the inch-thick oatmeal that thickened. I''ll spare you the details but seeing it on fire was a blessing. I did not go to the basin and wash, I went there took a soap, and had a damn half an hour''s bath. When I got out I stumbled toward the fire. I think I said: ¡°Me go sleep, big job tomorrow.¡± No one disagreed as I curled near the fire but in the morning I found someone placed a blanket over me.

 Preparation For The Drow Ch.8

    that early, morning dew was a long-past memory by now. O figured it was around 10 AM. Still, no one was up yet. The job they did on my leg, and 6 hours procedure Anne did on her own beforehand could''ve wiped the girls out, Ronald likely drank himself to sleep but I expected Santino to be up by now. I carefully stretched my leg, all puking and pain haze prevented me from feeling much last night, but I barely felt anything wrong with my leg. Sure I looked like a hobo. My only shirt has gone, my pants were torn under the knees, and the left boot looked like a German Shepherd used it as a chewing toy in the past seven years. I never particularly cared about my looks, but even I had few standards. Low ones, true, but every journey starts with a first step, 18 bucks could buy me some clothes. Quality of which I shouldn''t think about right now.


    ¡°Come on now, I have full faith in you.¡± Elunara was leaning against the large rock. I was fortunate my skin was rather successfully attached to the rest of my body because I almost jumped from it. Instead of it doing 360, not even realize I used the comb as the knife pointing the sharp end forward before registering who it is. ¡°For sweet baby Jesus! I swear you Elves had some secret meeting making bets who will scare me to death.¡± With a completely straight face she nods ¡°Yup, we do it once every generation, you should be proud, only very special people are even considered.¡± I don''t know what, her beauty, hair, or that singalong accent made my IQ drop to the level I actually raised my eyebrow and before I could stop myself uttered ¡°Really?¡± She laughed, generally ever since it was decided who was in and who was out she basically changed into a different person. She had the same kind of laughter as Ronald, loud, full-hearted...genuine. She did not even dignify that question with an answer but moved from the stone until she was a few paces from me and extended her hand ¡°Gimme.¡± I raised my eyebrows. ¡°Come on both of us have the stuff to do today and trust me you will not stare the comb into submission so, hand it over¡± I shook my head incredulously but obliged.


    ¡°How old are you?¡± The question came unexpectedly ¡°30,32 not sure exactly. Why?¡± She stopped brushing for half a second to tap on one of the older scars and returned to her task. ¡°That would be an impressive collection for a hundred-year-old if you fought ever since you reached your 18 birthday that would still be at least two wounds a fight, meaning you are incredibly bad but lucky, watching the way you handled yourself against Falx you have some skill and some luck¡± ¡°Oh some skill, do I? Well, thanks your highness¡± She chuckled moving behind ¡°Pretending won''t do good to anyone, except boost your ego, which could get you killed in the long run I won''t have that on my conscious, especially if I can help it.¡± I must''ve moved to glance at her since I got one of the educational slaps over the head with the comb ¡°Eyes front, imagine I''m naked...scratch that imagine I''m beholder.¡± I grumbled under my breath ¡°First option was more appealing.¡± ¡°And hence was replaced, you don''t have much of the pants left, how about we don''t get ourselves in awkward situations before we know each other''s full names at least¡± I opened my mouth to say something smartass but I paused. She was right. Santino might and might not be his real name but his full name...nope. Same with Roland, ¡°son of¡± and all that was awesome, and I had no doubt it was true, but he also never offered his family name, for our household monster Santino more/less spelled out that her name is so complicated that they just call her ¡°Anne¡±. As for Elunara, her full name was never offered. And from what little I remembered knowing the full name of any Fey-like being gave you the edge. Now Elves were cousins from the third generation, but they still counted. I figured I was a long way from knowing her actual name. ¡°Sorry, didn''t mean to kill conversation like that.¡± She sounded actually apologetic and for once I took a leap of faith, sure for me easily reversible since aside from Santino I was the only murderer in the pack. ¡°No. it''s not that. I mean we can call ourselves whatever we want, and our goal can be whatever but we are strangers to one another. We don''t know each other''s names.¡± ¡°In time...¡± ¡°Yes. yes...¡± I reflexively started to wipe the hair from my eyes before realizing what she was doing and instead just covered my eyes ¡°...in time can happen a great many things. Roland, Santino, and Anne hanged together for at least half a year. Do they seem like one happy family?¡± There was a pause with Irish Elf moving to my right ¡°No, not really.¡± ¡°So what will change with the two of us in the picture? We magically become one big happy family?¡± she continued to brush my hair in silence, and soon she was done. ¡±Listen, H¨¢kon just because I''m the Elf it doesn''t mean I have all the answers, especially in this case, but I''m not on the constant edge about who should I kill next, and what will happen if I get it wrong.¡± I blinked a few times ¡°That obvious eh?¡± She returned me a comb ¡°Obvious? No. Only to a blind donkey, I wouldn''t like to be close to you when you snort a line of Faerie dust. But I''m also good with Empath Arts. Better than the rest in this group anyway. You don''t like to kill, but you do it the same way someone would clean thrash. Something that needs to be done.¡±


    ¡±O.K. I need to talk to Anne, then scratch some money from Santino to replace my clothes hopefully with something that won''t blow apart on the harder breeze.¡± She chuckled ¡°Although that would be quite a sight, I think it would be best to deprive myself of that pleasure. How much?¡± I tilted my head ¡°What?¡± the sight I likely presented half naked and the look on my face just as someone offered me crown of the England, jewels and all. ¡°Haven''t you heard stories of all Irish Elves having a pot of gold?¡± ¡°Aren''t those Leprechauns?¡± ¡°Another name for Elves and they thought those were Gnomes while they thought we are Dryads and the same kind just different subspecies.¡± ¡°So a pot of Gold is true?¡± ¡°Not as such but I promise I''ll explain the exciting world of finances some other time. Anyway, I''m independently wealthy, this is not money for me, but for doing the right thing. I know those people are rare but they do exist, even if you struggle with such a person in yourself.¡± I raised my hands ¡°Don''t wanna hear anything about that, so you are willing to loan me some money.¡± ¡°No, I''m willing to give you money to buy new clothes, if I loan you anything I''ll never see the money anyway.¡± I was looking at her like the Vampire walked up to me and said that they can survive on cabbage just fine but hunting Humans is more interesting and they really don''t like the sun. ¡°So how much?¡± This was an awkward situation, I planned to ask 30 from Santino because he''d do the same to me and likely spent at least 10 on a poker table. But now some last part of my shame was polishing the boot to kick me in the balls if I pulled the same stunt with her. I awkwardly shuffled ¡°I don''t know I likely could find something decent for 20 bucks I have my own tenner.¡± She pulled out the fine sateen pouch and threw it to me. ¡°They are 5-dollar bills. Take 50$ but when you return I want it to look like you spent at least 40 on clothes, I''m a woman I can smell those stuff. Also, replace that hanger you call sword¡± Now she raised a hand to cut me out ¡°Yeah, yeah, I''m sure you have a lovely memory about cobbling it together and that you stabbed many lovely creatures with it, some to death even, but it looks like shit, it''s too short and it''s outdated for few centuries. Buy a decent Scottish Broadsword, maybe even an English saber or Italian Schiavona. Personally, for my taste last one is best but I see you as a two-sided Broadside guy.¡± By now I was already slightly stunned and just silently counted 50$ when I remembered the productive way for her to use that newfound confidence. ¡°Ok, while you are chatty, what can you tell me about ¡°V¡±s people? ¡° ¡°Drows? Well, that''s some calamity that is overdue to wipe them out.¡± I raised my eyebrow ¡°So you''d be O.K. with the genocide of the part of your people basically because of some old grudge? That''s a bit cold?¡± Elunara gave me a small smile ¡°Talk to me when you meet more than one of them. But for tonight by something against toxins and poisons. Everything they use will be coated with it. Don''t count on the dark, they can see in the dark as best Dwarf tech, they didn''t adopt firearms but started to use rapid-fire and burst Hand crossbows, I know they know they are trying to scale burst technology but Der-Durdan destroyed their testing facilities, but like everything, it''s a matter of time.¡± I sighed ¡°Ok, let''s back up,¡± Again that laughter was so full of joy that I found it impossible to get angry even when it was pointed at me. ¡°Rapid fire means, same as your revolver, they can fire more than one bolt without reloading. Hand Crossbows are equivalent to your revolvers, they are a bit shorter but due to wings not being good for duels, Rapid Crossbows are equivalent to your rifles. The small one carries 5 bolts, the big one 10. Don''t discard them. They did not cross to firearms because stealth is one of their most potent weapons. Imagine a bunch of Humans in a dead dark and suddenly 5 fall dead, no sound, no muzzle flashes to orient yourself, then 5 more are dead. If by some miracle there are more than 10 of you you start to flee and notice that there are more of you than it should be, more people fall before creatures in black with full face black helmets but tarnished so they don''t reflect the light begin to jump from one horse on another. You wonder what the hell, and why you tumble to the ground when you felt no impact before your severed head bounce off the ground.¡±


    ¡°Burst is the evolvement of a normal Hand Crossbow that fires 3 bolts at once. They managed to mount 3 more hands and enlarge the magazine. But the size is enlarged too they are hard to deal with on one hand and precision suffers, they usually use them in closer quarters, size-wise, and to some extent use think of them as sawed-off shotguns. That''s why the full version is an issue, they are large as it is, and enlarging the magazine and placing two more hands is not conducive to their style of combat. Der-Durdan are I guess best explained as Dwarven special forces. While Drow are mortal enemies to Us and Them, it is the fact that, since they shared a biome, they held the front line and have more experience. Der-Duran are in essence small 5-10 Dwarfs, specially trained and equipped especially for combat against Drow, down to the suicide vial.¡± I tried to lighten the mood, although more to warm the bones that started to feel like icicles ¡°Damn you make them sound like the mythical boogeyman.¡± She placed a hand on my shoulder ¡°They are one of the three most dangerous species Underground, it''s foolish not to recognize it. As you saw with Vul... ¡°V¡± They are far from unbeatable but give your gravedigger time to prepare and fight on his own terms you would see the side of him you better pray you miss.¡± I tilt my head ¡°Forgive me, but you seem VERY well-informed yourself.¡± Her green eyes sparkle as she smiles and actually ¡°boops¡± me on the nose ¡°Why would only Dwarfs have special forces? Now go to Anne, I imagine Khyon will want to check the place of ambush and zero in the rifle.¡± I frowned ¡°I never mention him or the rifle if I remember correctly.¡± ¡°Indeed. See how much I trust you. Go back to the basin once you''re done, I have something to teach you.¡± With that, she smiled for the last time and then moved as she will step to the right but instead vanished behind the stone, which should be impossible physically and art can bend, stretch, shrink, etc laws of physics, they can''t completely delete them. I would usually move my tendrils there but I didn''t dare to expend my Art yet, I''ll need to pass this block somehow. Or I''ll stay as the corpse in the savannah tonight.


    ¡°Anne, it''s H¨¢kon. Could we talk?¡± After a few seconds ¡°Oh, the Puppy. Sure, you remember how to enter I believe.¡± I sighed again unlatching two buttons just to lift one side and slip inside and then latch them again ¡°Can we drop Puppy bullshit, how would feel if I called you...¡± I turned and forgot what I wanted to say. She had a light golden necklace with a jade scarab around her neck...and that was all, she sat on the low chair she used when she was healing me and brushed her hair with an amber hairbrush, thankfully her legs were crossed still I saw way too much I pinched the bridge of my nose although more out of frustration. ¡°Anne for fuck sake. This is so not helping.¡± She shook her head ¡°I might point out that you are not particularly more dressed either.¡± Although there was a playful tone in her voice, there was a smell of roses together with a brief breeze. ¡°Open your eyes puritan.¡± I did so ¡°Hardly Puritan, but girls in our camp make me want I''m at least Eunuch sometimes.¡± She was now standing in front of me tying a silk cord around also silken robe, it was nearly ¡°see through¡± but at least went through the trouble of that ¡°nearly¡±  ¡°A bit drastic solution.¡± ¡°I agree wholeheartedly and I explored other solutions.¡± She raised her finely manicured eyebrows ¡°And?¡± I moved to the pile of pillows that seemed like a place to sit and pointed to it raising my eyebrow. She nodded ¡°Please. Would you like some wine or cold sweetened rose water?¡± I scratched my forehead ¡°I''m kind of a hick so I never tried that last.¡± Anne nodded then it was solved, ¡°You can''t die without trying one of the best things the East ever offered to the West.¡± With her speed, it took less than 5 seconds for her to offer me a golden goblet with a circle of finely cut rubies in the shape of tears. She pointed at it and swirled her finger making three ice cubes. I first smelled it, the perfume on his robe did not do it justice, liquid smelled of a freshly plucked rose at the height of its scent and there was something else in it. ¡°Is that a lemon?¡± She nodded in a slightly surprised but approving way ¡°Few drops, together with a touch of vanilla.¡± I sipped on it ¡°God, I think I could live on this instead of water.¡± She nodded ¡°I''m glad you like it, feel free to join for a goblet or two. What you wanted to discuss before you were...distracted.¡± I took another sip enjoying its taste and trying to figure out how to phrase it best. ¡°You are psychically distracting, not your fault, something your kind developed over time.¡± She tilted her head spreading her eyes innocently, their dark color hiding the pupils or the most important part of them. ¡°Just psychically distracting? Your pants disagree.¡± I crossed my legs ¡°Anne please, I''m not an orator, this is already hard.¡± She raised her palm ¡°I''m sorry, sometimes it''s just too easy, you mentioned you were looking for a solution.¡± I nodded ¡°And I think I found one, but it is untested, in other words, I have no idea what will do to you, except make you sick if you try to feed on me.¡± She places her chin on the knuckles of her forefinger and middle finger while her elbow rested on her knee. ¡°Talisman of The Emperor, here of all the places.¡± My eyes spread ¡°You know about it?¡± She laughed softly, unlike her usual laugh this was not almost but actually sad ¡°I should, it was made for me.¡± Then at last her mood improved because her next chuckle was usual Anne, I was unaware why until I realized my jaw actually opened leaving me with wide-spread eyes and with wide opened eyes. I managed to collect myself ¡°Anyway I don''t think there is anyone able to buy it outright, but the owner managed to produce a potion that replicates power for 24 hours for 100 dollars a pop¡± ¡°Greedy bastard.¡± she hissed. I shrugged ¡°Kinda, but if you possess unique produce, you dictated prices.¡± She looked at me inquisitively ¡°What if harmed me beyond feeding?¡± ¡°Then I wouldn''t take it.¡± Just like that, I shrugged. ¡°We just managed to repair our relationship to this level, I won''t risk it. There have to be more ways. Until then we can figure out the strategy that works.¡± She stood up and walked across the room in a way that made me keep my legs firmly crossed, Anne traced the left side of my face with the tip of her finger ¡°That''s more trust than anyone showed me since Santino, and centuries before that. There are no side effects except it would poison me if I tried to feed on you and will indeed block my effects. Take the first batch we will pay for it since it is a kinda group expense.¡± It struck me like I was incredibly lucky as money goes today, and it was not over. ¡°After that, you will get that talisman, to use, eventually I will take it back, it is a very personal item for me. Once I might tell you the full story, but now it just caught me slightly off guard. You will be free to make potions whenever you want.¡± I coughed ¡°I kinda don''t know how and Anne...¡± She placed her finger on my lips. ¡°I won''t kill whoever this graverobber is, he''ll even get ¡°lost and found¡± fee, less than he asks but way more than he deserves. As for the recipe maybe you wanna write this down it is very complex, take a bottle of hard liquor of your choice and place a talisman in it for a week. Then separate the bottle into 5 equal parts and take a gallon of water and just sip it over it. Presto you have a potion together with something that will kill an aroma and make it taste like shit. Otherwise, go the common route, and separate the bottle into five 0.35 pints shots, seal them, and 24 hours before you expect to meet one of my kind, unseal it and enjoy yourself, repeat every 24 hours until the danger passed.¡± The look on my face must have been befuddling because she laughs grab my cheeks and plant a kiss on my forehead before pinching them. ¡°Sorry for all Puppy business but you are so cute when confused. I''ll stop calling you ¡°Puppy¡± but you showed me trust I''m returning the favor.¡± I grumbled, ¡°Don''t do it in front of others.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don''t make me repeat myself, if you like it so much just don''t do it in front of others.¡± She laughed again ¡°Well, thank you.¡± I shook my head and raised my hand ¡°O.K. you won''t kill him, but he literally makes a living by selling anti-Lamia juice, how do you plan to do it?¡± She looks down at me, next blink of my eyes she''s at the other side of the tent holding in her hand a snake bracelet and displaying it like for magic trick, next blink she is above me with her feet on the ceiling of the tent and bracelet perfectly straightened and shoved into one of the pillows next to my head she did perfect flip and land in front of me. ¡°People often make us the seductresses, forgetting that we are the full package when it comes to danger, he sounds like he possesses the brain, let''s hope he uses it because I don''t have to kill him for him pray that I did. Any more questions?¡± I raised both of my hands ¡°No ma''am.¡± ¡°Good Puppy¡± I gave her a glance and a sigh ¡°O.K. I need to find Santino to check with him about my plans for the day and Elunara asked me to find her before I leave.¡± I emptied my goblet of Rose Water, still amazed at how much I enjoyed it I just abuse my privileges about coming for a cup or two. Anne just smiled ¡°I think Santino will be at the Basin right now, he decided to shave after you passed out last night.¡± ¡°Thanks¡± I stood up ¡°Wait for thanks after this.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± I turned barely in time to catch something in my hand and not on my nose, I looked in my palm it was a silver pendant with some runes on both sides. ¡°Thanks for the heads up, what is this? We''re not engaged now or something?¡± She laughed ¡°You wish. You didn''t think to run the gauntlet with Hellhounds on your tail every time have you?¡± my look gave her all the answer she needed ¡°We really hired psycho this time. I make them, but yours was the last time thing. It will keep Hellhounds at bay.¡± ¡°Hm, I assume you keep wards in working order.¡± ¡°Who else? Ronald¡± I gave a half-shrug and nodded ¡°Good point.¡± I did find Santino next to the basin giving himself a shave with a large knife and a broken piece of mirror. Elunara was laying on the opposite side, apparently, they were chatting, I tried to imagine what that is not work-related those two would have to talk about and drew a blank. ¡°And here comes my pupil.¡± Instead of turning his entire head Santino just adjust the mirror slightly and nods ¡°Kid¡± ¡°Santino¡± ¡°I hear you found another way to get yourself killed, you are good with that.¡± I shrugged ¡°Everyone needs a hobby, or it will be driven insane in this desert.¡± ¡°True I guess, catch.¡± this time something flew at my face over the left shoulder but faster I barely caught it. ¡°People really like to chuk things at heads around here.¡± He raised his eyebrows ¡°Forget about it.¡± I look down and saw God damn 10-dollar Coronet Head. ¡°These are barely minted how the hell you managed to get your paws on it?¡± ¡°By eating my vegetables and praying every Sunday like every red-blooded American should.¡± At this, even our Irish friend laughed ¡°Fine what should I do with it, Reverand Santino.¡± ¡°Buy yourself a decent knife.¡± I frowned ¡°What is this certain obsession with my weapons, she with a sword...¡± I nodded toward Elunara ¡°... Now you have an issue with my dagger.¡± He shook his head ¡°I have no issue with your dagger, I''d buy it if you were selling it but would you shave with it?¡± He got me there and saw by the hesitant look on my face. ¡°I rest my case, go to your Elven friend and buy a good blade, not a decent, not a passable, so you can drink or gamble away the rest, I want to smell money from it.¡± ¡°Fine for fuck sake, I''m buying the best damn sword and knife I can find and clothes that say I can afford them.¡± Elunara stood up and stretched ¡°And you are sure you will win the rifle?¡± I looked at her "If anyone can, I can because when Khyon fucks up I''ll kill survivors. Happy?¡± She smiled innocently ¡°Hey I just asked.¡± ¡°Questions you should know nothing about.¡± She just turned ¡°Ok time for a lesson. Come here.¡± I jumped on the basin with my right foot and leaped upward, earning small ironic applause from Santino which earned him one finger salute over my shoulder. Elunara was sitting in a shade where the twins had the tent a few nights ago. ¡°Take a seat across from me¡± I was a stubborn asshole but just as I said if someone will show me something for free... Well, I was not that stubborn ¡°When you fought Falx, that was the first time you emptied your tank completely ever right?¡± I nodded ¡°And now you''re scared that will happen again and are hesitant even to try using Arts¡± I frowned ¡°Well ¡°hesitant¡± is a bit strong...¡± ¡°Have you used them at all since then¡± I found a really interesting bush to look at instead of answering. Suddenly she pinched my arm I winced ¡°Ow, for what is that for?¡± This time she frowned ¡°I''m not a wise man from the mountain holding a monolog, I want to help, you need to talk.¡± I went with my hand pushing my hair up, away from my eyes. ¡°Yeah. I did not like how it felt and every time when I think about doing something, I think about that feeling again and I freeze. I''m not ¡°hesitant¡± I''m scared shitless.¡± She smiled ¡°That''s a good start, I thought we''ll have to use ¡°hesitant¡± the entire time.¡± You are not a grandmaster at wielding magic, Arts, whatever. You somehow bungled into it and it helps you, you never really thought about it... until now. And you don''t like the conclusions you are coming to.¡± I look into her eyes ¡°Are they right?¡± Elunara shrugs ¡°Some are, on some, you are being too harsh on yourself. But that is a too big a topic to cover in one quick session. We''re here to do what you should do long ago, find the source of your power and learn to tap into it so you can draw from it and refill your reservoirs.¡± ¡°I know my reservoirs but I don''t use them¡± This caught her off guard a bit as most do. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because bad things happen when I do.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± Some gunslingers use thin leather gloves, some use slightly thicker versions but without fingers. Mine were a mix of both, thin enough, but also fingerless. That is the kind that came into fashion with Gunslingers who were able to use arts. I turned my gloves palms up and show her the seals. She was stunned ¡°You sealed your power away and let it replenish naturally?¡± ¡°How bad was bad?¡± I again found that piece of grass fascinating ¡°Very.¡± ¡°Take one glove off¡± I shook my head. She made a series of gestures making the first two of us isolated from the world in a bubble, I looked toward Santino and he looked distorted like I watched him from a bowl filled with water, she made another series isolating me from her. Then I noticed all tone was gone too. I was in my own small world. Elunara was now distorted like Santino, I couldn''t hear her either but I could see her eyes. She nodded. For the first time in years, I gently tugged on the left glove, as I did familiar feeling came over me, the smell of brimstone small motes of flames whirling around me, I moved the glove just a half off. Burned tissue underneath was barely visible. I looked up. Elunara looked around her bubble she now looked scared I saw Santino noticed something too and was approaching yelling something but I couldn''t hear him I looked at the gloves half drawn off then noticed stones in the ground around us bubbling and there were no motes anymore steady stream of flame filled my part of the bubble trying to crush either way I pulled glove back on.


    ¡°H¨¢kon what the hell, we need to go and spot the best place in 3 hours tops.¡± To his even larger surprise, I just nodded. ¡°Don''t worry, I''m here to order a few things and am off to wash. And remember this date since this is the only time you will hear this from me. When I order stuff the stuff? Price is not the issue.¡±

 The Night Of The Pale Riders Ch.9

    ¡°Price is not an issue¡± even if the owner is your damn brother, there is a gene in treaders that will after those words just see a sheep ready for sheering. Now, I don''t want to say that I got tricked in any way, I was wearing top-of-the-line stuff, that would someone in not my line of business last for a lifetime. First, our lovely, almost crispy, Irish lass was absolutely right about Scottish Broadsword, or Backsword, or Claymore, Khyon said that pumpkin heads on universities still couldn''t get to terms but I couldn''t give a two cents about it. I handled it wonderfully despite being twice the size of my old poker (which we included in the price, thank you Khyon you leech), so sharp I could shave with it, and with beautifully sturdy leather sheath, double-bladed and still with a point that I could put through the link of a mail, finishing with full fist protection, together with doubled up deer leather on the inside of the shell, I should try to get finger cut inside it. Next new pants, boots and shirt and shirt. All three were unadorned just as I liked it, but with added features. The pants were black leather with equally leather straps at the outer sides so I could adjust the width myself I wasn''t into leather pants of this style myself, but when I placed them on I immediately noticed, there were a bunch of extra parts added on it. ¡°Yup, I won''t lie a bunch of stuff I will sell you today is not allowed for sale to Humans, but again giving you Sniper Rifle isn''t either, but I figured the way you live you''ll be offed soon anyway just like any Elf could and I would like the guy who will watch my back to be alive. Both knees, private parts, and all major arteries have extra stitching of Mithral mail, can''t guarantee for bullets but no one is cutting through that, harder than steel at just 20% weight. Considering it''s just several places it''s barely noticeable extra weight.¡± I had to agree, for extra protection in the areas that I myself targeted more than once, it was a worthy tradeoff. The same was with a shirt except it was blade proofed with 50-50% with bullets especially soft leaded, completely, and to offset weight more they used silk. Now the issue is the price for that little art project already ate half of my budget and I had boots, a knife, new gloves, and a hat still to go. When I mentioned that he nonchalantly nodded ¡°Yup I''m going to take you to the cleaners and add a few more items of my own volition, but I figure Drows usually carry pretty swanky staff themselves. We survive tonight, with your half you will have enough and some leftovers.¡± ¡°If we survive?¡± ¡°Hey if we die I''m gonna be at a loss just as you.¡± I sighed and put the boots on I tightened the straps on the pants as I preferred for boots to go over them. Leather was soft and supple as lambs but I felt the balance to be off and I knocked the front entire front part was as hard as steel. I looked up. To my surprise he raised his arms, I usually know what I get but same as with the gloves this is the exception, Got 100 pairs for our militia. They are hard as fuck though even soles are not only glued but screwed on and metal is some special alloy so keep it on down low. I lifted the boot and true enough 10 screws were on, 5 on each side. I already saw the toughness of metal since, for obvious reasons, I had to put them on first and Khyon was one to put the seals on and opened the path for the pocket dimension for me to put them on. He was actually until today the only one who knew about my secret. And he kept it that way, that and the occasional ¡°Just for Elves¡± item he slipped me from time to time did develop into the closest thing I had to a frined in at least a decade. Gloves also were simple black leather, these ones even bereft of numbs of fingers most had but on four knuckles there was an extra piece of leather, and when I knocked on the sword muffled metallic sound answered. Apparently, Elven blacksmiths played one day and get this alloy that was both lighter and harder than Mithral and were penning one of their equivalents to their eternal rivals Dwarven smiths to glue to the piece of plate mail made of new allow, apparently, they were at third paragraph when tragedy struck, allow was almost as brittle as glass. So no, armor, not swords, not long and poetic ¡°Fuck You¡± to Dwarven Smiths. But Elves are practical, the thing had practical use just as you keep it small enough, apparently even the toes of my boots had to be made from two pieces welded together. But it was perfect for hidden knuckleduster. I punched through the thumb of hard oak without feeling even a small discomfort. The last thing was that part he said he''ll add on it was a weird west with an odd false pocket that was tightly strapped on with four belly straps and three longer ones that went over the chest making it almost made for a shirt. In a way how tightly two pieces went together, so many buckles were a bit too much esthetically for me, and when I checked it doesn''t impede my range of motion I looked at Khyon to say that when I noticed him aiming at me with his Sniper with the suppressor on. I reflexively went for Helen but one *Poof*, hammer strike to the chest and Khyon raised me from the dirt. Unharmed unless you count I felt I couldn''t breathe right for a month. He sighed, there now you are bulletproof I checked where I felt the impact, but expect a little charing, there was nothing there ¡°What about a heads up first?¡± Would you do it then? ¡°Fuck no.¡± ¡°Well, there is your answer. It was thoroughly tested on Elves and you know we break easier than you apes. It does work, especially if fitted properly that''s why so many buckles. If there is too much clack it will still stop the bullet but it will leave enough space for it to break the bone possibly.¡± ¡°O.K. another trade secret I assume?¡± ¡°No, I just don''t understand it. The idea is old. On the West Knights rode in their Iron and later steel armor, on the east in many countries they were making armor from layered cloth. And apparently, it worked. This is the evolution of the idea, fabrics are Elven specific but that''s all after a few centuries of experiments to find the best mix, and what you wear is the result. Fake pockets give extra protection to extra vulnerable areas. For main organs and stuff, the back is twice as thick as the front for extra protection and it''s found that with the shirt it is still effective in 70% of cases. You now have the best protection Elven nation and my humble shop can offer. Tonight we''ll see how it works, technically it is a field test for that too.¡± He threw me something ¡°Since you are probably broke by now, this is on me.¡± It wasn''t a Bowie knife, it had more in common with my old sword. Wide symmetrical blade almost forearm long, tapering into a murderous point, double-bladed, Only difference between the two sides was that one had brass knuckledusters as a knuckle bow. It was a beautiful knife, barely shorter than a Gladius, and with a finish and the hilt he was right I couldn''t afford it when I raised my head with his catlike stealth he was already gone. Somewhere in half dark of the storage I heard his voice ¡°Pick up one hat on your way out we''re leaving in an hour.¡±


    ¡°I was now the best protected non Elf anywhere.¡± The part he did not say, even with some small airholes leather is hot. And I had a hell of a lot of leather on me. We found the best place, well kinda best place. The thing is I was almost a mile in front of Khyon since I had Dwarven binoculars. When I asked about that, he spat a bunch of expletives that basically meant that Dwarfs had better Night-Vision technology, than Elves and he has to do with shit, I forgot to ask what the hell that means for me being a mile closer to the enemy. Now I was alone and first blessed by his equipment I crawled into a vicious thorn bush, and hey-hoy hallelujah it did leave just scratches on the wardrobe once at the optimal position. I placed the binoculars on my eyes and Helen on my other hand, it was unfortunate but the only Aether ammo that did not give out position by light was Ice. Unfortunately, it was still noisy as shit and about 4 times weaker. I placed 3 in and 3 pure Aether. I was a damn spotter, a mile in front of my fire support, that gave me a close-quarter weapon for free. No, I wasn''t too trusting, just too dumb. I was sweating like a pig for an hour before the sun went down and I started scanning the horizon with binoculars. Dwarfs were genius at this as I later realized, there was no color but perfect visibility. It took about 4 hours, and try to imagine it then double it. You are watching at the same spot, unchanging. Suddenly there they were, those boogiemen, about a dozen with horses that almost melted in the background. But I saw them. Black armor, almost similar to mine just favored sharp edges. I tinged Khyon (yeah just that little fire filled me up, something I will need to talk about back in the camp) but this is NOW I messaged Khyon. ¡°Shoot the last one, (13,24)¡± cold as ice answer came ¡°Affirmative.¡± And the head of the last rider vanished, I did not question ¡°Next from behind, as fast as possible.¡± And it happened but not so cleanly, the next in line noticed. And for the first time, I got to the REAL point of spotter. What now? What when you are noticed? I bit my lip and growled, ¡°Leader, free fire after that.¡± With some amount of satisfaction, I saw the first rider have his chin a remnant of his face. But also I saw why they were feared. One more they were down the middle one whose horse panicked. I stayed as still as I could because they fucking vanished. 8 of them just went invisible. I gripped Helen on the right and my new knife on the left. Placed binoculars on the ground, and waited. Until a straight rapier struck my shoulder, it went straight through my back protection, even my mail shirt, but it gave me enough time to move and dislodge the blade. I found myself face-to-face with a mail-protected face, that blade would not pierce, and, unfortunately for the wearer, it extended just to the top of the face. I saw that regret actually when my attacker faced his left eye to be introduced to Helen. Cold shot showered me with frozen particles of brain matter and bone giving me some time to crawl out. Unashamedly exploiting my almost ambidexterity I threw Helen in my left hand and drew a sword. Three small bolts hit the right side of where my heart should be, except for those pesky false pockets. And I was to go charging into it when his head went bye-bye. In a weird way, the fact Khyon was alive was more reason to fight for than he saved my life. Unfortunately for the enemy, my supply of Ice shots dwindled until very out of breath I run on the Khyon tussling on the ground against the enemy in black and another waiting for the outcome. At this point the second guy saw me and presented his blade, I presented Helen and punched a fist-sized hole where his heart should be, Last Drow twisted and brought his elbow on Khyon''s temple knocking him unconscious, before standing and drawing an oddly Messer-type blade and I won''t lie it was beautiful... for one it was like the complete opposite to what I had, for two he knew I had one more shot and not pansy-ass last resort. I could swear there was more than that. I holstered Helen, almost hearing her cries. And took my just ought Scottish Backsword, Drow started with circling and I did what every friend does kicking Khyon with a heel in the groin. Mistake one think you will prioritize your safety, I stood my ground and this bastard was good. Except Khyon thought a bit forward, I was basically cutproof and he crawled away. Recognizing it is one on one now, Drow drew a stiletto, both of his weapons awesome against mail. With Khyon still woozy. The sound of his voice did catch me a bit out of guard, musical, tempting. ¡°You gave a good fight, but it''s more fun I''ll have with you in my chambers.¡± I gave a full grin and jumped back before his head ceased to exist. Santino walked down a first dune ¡°This is not a little distraction, this is fucking declaration of war.¡± Still laying on my back I raised my finger. ¡°Accurate but to who? Now I will pass out, if any of you lose your front lobe and start killing each other, I''m siding with the baddies¡°


    ¡°Three cubes of ice please.¡±I felt the point on my throat.¡± I casually sit up and as expected point retreated I opened my eyes. ¡°Anne glared at me.¡± I glared right back ¡°Allow me to be quite clear if I don''t get something cold to drink I am not going out to calm that storm of testosterone outside this tent.¡± She shook her head but soon I had my cold drink ¡°Irish, you can damn come out too, I could smell you since I regained consciousness.¡± A curly redhead appeared but instead of daggers, there was that light smile on her lips. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°When we shared that special moment this morning, we...rubbed on each other. What we know about one other will last to the end of our existence.¡± ¡°Like knowing that your father killed mine.¡± ¡°I''m sorry for what it''s worth.¡± ¡°Never blamed you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Red.¡± I looked to Lamia ¡°No hard feelings?¡± She looked at me and I was briefly stung by a vulnerability in her eyes ¡°If my man survives.¡± I winked ¡°Thanks for worrying for me.¡±

 Out Of The Tent Ch.10

    ¡°We would die...I would die. You would go to the victor. Khyon would lose, and I would likely lose too. Santino would still get you...except now. If I feel you if you don''t want me to use you, I won''t.¡± I felt the pain, like a bite from an animal, and then calm. I chuckled ¡°So we''re even then?¡± Something like warmth flowed from the handle into my body. ¡°Good because this will be messy.¡± I Drew Helen and emptied the chamber putting magic bullets into the pouch before drawing six fresh normal bullets and enchanting them into pure Aether ones and reloading the revolver. I wanted to try something for a long time but never really had a reason to. And now I figured it a good time as any, I slowly approached the yelling match, which was at such a pitch that my attempts at stealth were likely unnecessary. Still, better safe than sorry. I got to the wanted place between two tents, away from light. Khyon and Ronald were in a shouting match on one side of the fire. Santino was standing on the other side and occasionally threw in a snide remark or two at either participant. He was most coolheaded, but even he was far from a cool and collected self. All armors have a breaking point. I quirked my lip, before pointing the revolver into the fire and pulling the trigger. One of the reasons I exchanged bullets for a full load of Aether ones. Untamppered Aether is best represented as a pure force but it can be tampered with so easily because it''s VERY volatile. Shooting it into any element and you''ll have a lovely reaction. Concretely into a fire pit and you''ll have a disproportionately large blast, but since a fire pit isn''t really usually that rich with fire, and it''s in the open, it''s not really an explosion. Few singed hairs here and there and some light burns, sure if you''re close enough, but not much more, but force blasted in that way would knock a few people on their backs or butts. And it did, but with this bunch, it will not last, I had to be quick. Most Arts have names, not exactly universal ones but you call it something. But there are a few fancy ones, that did have universally accepted names...and most of those were way above my ability. Actually, arguably, this one was too. That''s why I never tried it, I was ballsy enough to think I could because of my affinity for fire Arts, moment after the connect explosion I closed my eyes and reached toward the fireplace toward a few embers still in place and tugged them to connect before others get their wits together and then I molded my creation as I saw it and as fast as I dared. It may be taken just a few seconds but in my mind, maybe half an hour went by. ¡°Pretty good for a first try.¡± Santino''s sarcastic voice make me open my eyes.


    was good for a first try, I don''t care what he thinks. I did see a few flaws here or there but, no one who knew Arts would mistake it for anything else. I made a ¡°Fire Rose¡± on my first try and I did feel a bit proud. Fuck him. ¡°Akhm!¡± Ronald drew my attention ¡°If it''s not too much trouble could you explain why you''re holding us hostage...again?¡± I walked out of the shadows to check it from a bit closer. ¡°Oh? I''m not. I knew a bullet with scatter the kindling and just wanted to provide some light to us with no adaptions to see in the dark.¡± Khyon chuckled and looked around for scattered half-burned logs and started throwing them into the flame, after all, he knew me longest and knew that, yes, that was absolutely something I would do. While Santino pinched the bridge of his nose ¡°And you chose highly dangerous Arts that could''ve burned the entire camp if you messed up or lost concentration?¡± Logs started catching fire again and I said goodbye to my little creation before annulling it ¡°What, in that rigorous vetting you did, didn''t come up that I like to gamble? For shame!¡± I returned Helen to the holster. ¡°At least I wasn''t sitting with my hands on my ass and throwing sarcastic comments, while a fight was about to break loose two feet from me, good going boss. Highest mark for leadership skills.¡± Our eyes met, he was cold enough to freeze balls on a Hellhound, but I wasn''t about to back down. Compared to the current tension, what Khyon and Ronald were doing before was mere friendly banter. Which both realized quickly enough. Both standing in front of us Khyon in front of me and Ronald in front of him and carefully coaxed us away from each other Khyon was pushing me away to one side ¡°O.K. I may have reacted a bit ungratefully toward someone who saved our bacon, misplaced anger. You know the one I should have saved for the idiot who forgot what ¡°secret¡± in secret mission means.¡± Ronald at the same time was leading Santion in the opposite direction ¡°The boy is not a whole wrong, you more than the best know how I get about Aether weapons. And just because Knifeear didn''t prostrate himself in front of you in gratitude you''d let us tear each other apart? It''s not like you man.¡±


    ¡°O.K. I screwed up, I allowed my pride to cloud my judgment. I should''ve stepped in sooner.¡± I bit my lip ¡°I shouldn''t have taunted you...or blown up the fire for shits and giggles...and activated ¡°Fire Rose¡± just to check, can I...I hid from Khyon that you were there...¡± I noticed all three of them looking at me. ¡°What?¡± Khyon narrowed his eyes ¡°You know, the longer you talk, the more it seems all of this is your fault.¡± Ronald fixed his monocle ¡°You know I usually have your back, but when you present it like that...you do make a food point to at least give you a good thrashing.¡± Santino just quirked his lip. I raised my hands ¡°Waaaaait a minute. Yeah, I do a lot of impulsive crap, but we would not be here if each of us haven''t squirreled a hoard of secrets of which at least some have been shared between us. If we behaved as reasonable adults we wouldn''t be here. Now, with that in the account, does any of you really expect me to be the one to start behaving as an adult?¡± They looked at each other. Santino shrugged. Ronald quipped ¡°Well it does save him from that thrashing at least.¡± Khyon added, ¡°Honestly if he began behaving as an adult I''d thought Changeling replaced him.¡±


    ¡°Now when we started to use more parts of our head than just our mouth we can concentrate on how we got here, likely pretty close to dying by one of several parties we pissed off and will piss off.¡± There was silence uncomfortable looks changed around. I sighed ¡°I have to spell the obvious again? Secrets. For one reason or another, we are sitting on stuff that''s pertinent to this case and just choose to keep silent. I''m not asking how the race that can''t produce Aether made Aether weapons. I''m just gonna assume you had many generous donors and no War Crimes in your neverending war with Drows were committed. Like, say, illegal experiments on Art users.¡± Ronald just coughed and pushed a few loose branches into the fire ¡°Or, Khyon. The closest thing that breeds with two legs that I might, under certain circumstances, if the sun shines just right call a friend. Funny how whenever some shit is about to hit the fan, just the right thing falls from the truck. It''s never just a shipment of ponchos, the latest Northern shoes, or something like that, They are suits of armor that would make a Medieval Knight blush and rifles that can shoot Aether for effect at 4 freaking miles.¡± Khyon looked at me but he also kept silent ¡°And Santino, in a happy relationship with the psychic version of a Succubus. Unless you both live in celibacy, while she has munchies on the side, that is strictly physically impossible.¡± Santino was just looking at me with his usual poker face.


    ¡°So I will break one of my rules and go first, but if you continue to play mummers, I''m saying my bye to the girls and leaving. I''ll wait with bated breath to see how well we are going to do splintered. It''s gonna be awesome I bet.¡± I made a pause cracking my knuckles, then took a deep breath ¡°O.K. I''m a bastard...¡± Khyon chuckled ¡°Oh if those are secrets that''s cool. I''m an, in fact, Elf.¡± There were a few snickers around the fire. I offered Khyon to take exact measurements of my middle finger before continuing ¡°...I, of course, meant literal one.¡± Khyon frowned. ¡°But you said you were an orphan since birth and...¡± he stopped himself in time but not fast enough for me not to have my piece of flesh as payment. I looked at him innocently ¡°...and your friends in important places, in fact, fact-checked it and found it to be true. But the funny thing with old records is they are sometimes lost and found ...sometimes.¡± I opened my new swanky jacket, eye-catching three holes from crossbow bolts. Drows, these guys will be buckets of fun, I felt it in my bones. From the front pocket, I removed the bag sealed in the stasis field. I undid the spell and pulled out a small batch of documents, together with old news clippings, and hand it over to Khyon. I summarized for others ¡°According to both newspapers and documents there was a fire in one of the burrows in New York, in the house of respectable midwife Rosemary Austin (65), due to poor conditions of the neighborhood, it spread to 4 more houses. The fire department destroyed two more houses to stop the continual spread because they could not douse something in late Mrs. Austin''s house. With some reluctance, they decided to employ Arts since they did have two practitioners just for cases like this, and several smaller barriers were raised, and reduced, and reduced until after 40 minutes they got close enough to see the thing on fire. Apparently rather calm and happy, healthy-looking baby boy. More practitioners were called, until, finally, a nurse from The Sacred Heart Of The Blessed Mother managed to reduce the barrier to cradle size and take the boy away. The investigation has later shown the almost untouched purse and the dress. Documents inside identify the pile of ashes on the birthing table as Erzs¨¦bet (Father H¨¢kon) H¨®lt. The name of her father is written as the custom if the child is born out of wedlock.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is all very interesting, also suitably macabre for you to score two first kills while you were in the womb. Not to sound cold, but I see little connection with our current predicament.¡± I snorted ¡°Those documents weren''t lost for a bloody trophy, I wanted to find my father and punch his ticket too.¡± Santino barely raises one of her eyebrows ¡°And?¡± ¡°Well, the first part was rather straightforward, relatively speaking as always. There was never any doubt in my identity, but naturally, my grandpa wasn''t called H¨¢kon Sr. for nothing, he was even more senior bastard than I am, this time metaphorically speaking. He was non to happy about that ¡°out of wedlock¡± thing, and apparently, he wasn''t happy I caramelized his daughter either like that was my fault. Just when I was 18 I managed to...convince him, that I''m not looking for a tearful reunion with my father but to put a bullet in his head, which convinced him. He gave me permission to search his daughter''s room. I found the diary, as expected of a lot of young people, nonsense contained like 90% of it. But I did find what I wanted near the end. See looking at me you wouldn''t believe it but she ¡°met a fella¡±. Apparently, the giant of a man, 6''9¡± easily, with fiery red hair and built like a...and this is a direct quote... ¡±Vikings of legends.¡± since he was somewhere from Scandinavia and Hungary, her old country, had dealings with Kyiv Rus before, who, at least in part had a lot of Scandinavian blood. There I thought when he left her, she went a bit loopy because there were long and boring passages about how lucky she was and how when he revealed the truth, she knew what privilege she left her, ¡°privilege¡± being me...¡± I made a brief pause thinking to myself not aware of others waiting for me to continue ¡°She sounds a bit dumb but sweet, I hope it was fast.¡± I shook my head like to shake off cobwebs...or ghosts clinging to me ¡°Then two full pages in runes. I was 18 and barely knew how to levitate and burn stuff, I managed my pyromanias affliction by sawing sigils directly into my palms using Mithral wire...¡± Khyon chuckled ¡°Yeah, he was still doing that when he met me when I suggested just using a pair of gloves and pocket dimension to put them on he looked at me like I just made a world-shattering revelation to him.¡± He noticed me glaring and went quiet ¡°Yeah, maybe some other time...¡± ¡°Never would work too.¡± I growled before continuing ¡°Anyway, translating languages, especially so old and esoteric was an ask. I had to return to that miserable house 6 times, so I had the pleasure of spending a week with my gramps. What a miserable cunt. Anyway...I managed the basics, not the message itself. More what it contained. Kinda map to her hidey-hole in the room where she hid a piece of her lover''s ¡°real self¡± he gave her as a goodbye. with his name carved into it.¡± Santino quirked his lip ¡°Edgy.¡± I moved to the Girl and fished around the bags in the saddle since it might be a decade since I looked at it last. Finally, I found it, inch by inch crystal box with a black stone inside and a rune carved on the side of it. I threw it to Santino ¡°Necessary.¡± I returned ¡°Don''t try to open it, if it gets in contact with oxygen it will burst into flames, rather it will burn until someone strong enough to close the box arrives, or until it burns oxygen, all oxygen it can find...¡± I pushed my pinky into the left ear to scratch one of those annoying itches that you just can''t reach ¡°...on the planet.¡± Santino looked at the rune and finally, I saw a tangible reaction from him. He went pale as the moon above us and gave the box to Ronald, Dwarfs are always more collected, still while his complexion remained the same monocle slipped from his eye and would likely meet unfortunate faith if Khyon and his Elven reflexes saved the day. They exchanged items like they are hostages, as expected Khyons reaction was most relatable, ripping one of few Elven swearing phrases I knew, and for their standard rather juicy one. He did a double take like he doubted his eyes the first time. Then just shook his head and returned the box to me. I went and returned it to the saddle bags. No one spoke the word until I returned. There wasn''t much to say really. Santino''s palm went over his seemingly perpetual 5 o''clock shadow beard. ¡°So...¡± he finally started


    ¡°... Surtr.¡±

 Skelotons Pouring Out Ch.11

    Ronald I waved him off I raised my hand before he could protest I look at the three looking at each other, there was more distrust there than with me. Usually, I''m the most distrusted dung in the room, and more than not with good reason. I was somewhat surprised Santino was the one to go first. He spat into the fire Khyon lifts one eyebrow  Santos just smiled I suddenly filled in Khyon and Roland looked at me as a ghost adds Roland. I shrug


    There is silence again, but this time it felt different, not distrustful but mournful. Ronald Then he turns to me I gave him a half grin He gave a half shrug I smiled Khyon almost resignedly shakes his head I shrugged  Santino finally catches on and chuckles, while I take a seat on the ground and look at the others  Khyon looks at me mildly frowning I raised a finger Santino shrugged


    He furrowed his nose I gave a half-growl  Khyon snorted  He just raised his hands in surrender and started to pick up burned pieces of burned wood. I moved through the tents until I got to Anne''s and coughed a few times outside  Anne''s voice comes behind the curtain  I turned on my heel and began to retrace my steps. Several seconds later I felt a presence on my left  I sighed  I feel she looks at me  I half smiled as we rounded the last tent  I smelled her curls as she shook her head and bit my lip. Santino might be right, I was getting too sweet on this girl. Girl? Spirit? Goddess? In any case, I should come back to Earth, to me she was about as off-limits as Anne was, just for different reasons. We closed the fire and Santino raised his head  She comes out one tent right of us, I roll my eyes, but we are at least all here. Five minutes later we sit around the fireplace. Anne leans back  We all look at her Surprisingly Santino is the first to push back Surprisingly I felt Helen almost deafening me with her scream. And the illusion vanished, I gave the handle an appreciatively gentle touch I would give much to have an expression on her face at that moment. Because of that mix of surprise and confusion, I never saw on her face, before or after. She paused, obviously trying to see all my angles, but I just smiled  Anne shakes her head chucklingShe sits next to Santino and Elunara next to me. Was this coincidence or forming of new factions...or was I really so damaged Human being that I looked for an ulterior motive behind anything, even the damn fact that there are just so many places around fire and pair sitting together is nothing too strange, especially when now all was in the open...well all that was relevant...hopefully.


    As always Ronald Santinos face sours and he takes off his hat and dusts his knees off from leftover dirt from his ¡°sniper nest¡±. Noticing the look on my face I mimicked the move, while not on the knee, I was still sitting. The disadvantage for sure but possible, there was still a bit in the scabbard about what would be the fastest way, then it dawned on me. Santino said ¡°Period Appropriate¡± Whatever, or whoever this Holy Spirit was he''d likely had a shield with a Spear, He would use arts to keep at least a portion where they fought cool enough so his weapons don''t melt, still for him to hold onto the spear and drew the sword, the shield had to go, big mistake. It''s not like they had no protection on their upper legs but due to the shield most went to their lower legs with greaves, upper legs would be minimally protected after all that''s where the shield was. I finished the imaginary move drawing the sword and instead of going up for the heart, neck, or head I stabbed in a push cut and drew back in a pull cut in the same wound. If the sword was shaving sharp and if he used as much might as he had left, it would get to the bone, but more importantly, he''d severed the artery. Still role-playing I grabbed the pretend spear in my chest. The enemy had the benefit of higher ground but he was bleeding, severely, and now I was controlling his longer weapon and had a longer sword. I blocked an imaginary cut, then another, and another...I had no reason to risk. My opponent was already dead if he doesn''t let go of the spear. I imagine he did, standing up and wrenching the spear out of the wound, and in nearly the same move Enemy hurled it at Holy Spirit then lounge with my longer blade aiming for the throat. Santino raises his arm  I raised an eyebrow  Santino glanced in the flames for a good 30 seconds He shook his head, the first time that I saw with complete conviction.


    Red''s musical laughter chimed like a silver bell Santino nodded grimly  Khyon noticing all attention turned to the two of us and raises both eyebrows  Then he glances at me and I grumbled  I look at others  Khyon casually tilts his head. I couldn''t help but smile at the natural-born skinner in him.  He grins   Santino smoothly transitions Khyon gives a half smile I look at Santino  He shrugged  I stood up and look at the crew  Two groups separated and as soon out of earshot I looked at Santino  Santino followed Khyon Khyon took us to the new tent, it smelled of armor oil and odd herbal scents he lit three lamps inside and put out his torch showing booty on the ground. That shut me up for a second, Drow knew how to make pretty things, and despite both Red''s and Anne''s Art, my shoulder was still sore, likely poison. Khyon approached picked something from the ground and threw it to me, the size I expected at least a pound of weight, my of the hand measurement object in my hand couldn''t be heavier than a third of a pound and my eyes did not lie. I held a full-head metal helmet.  he just nodded  He shook his head  I held in my hands mat black plate helmet with slightly odd eyeholesI glanced at the neck hole  how to get it on He pointed on the part of sparse ornamental carving  It did take some power to push the button but once pressed it glided backward smoothly. front portion moved more forward creating an opening through which I was able to squeeze my head in. Once Khyon spoke again to my surprise I heard him perfectly I did and felt the helm closing, for one rather unnerving second I thought it will choke me but it just sealed most of my senses from outside. Only my eyes are in their own small compartment to peak at the world, two more chambers were for breathing and speech, and the last one for hearing I looked at Santos Well if I meant to soothe him that didn''t help It even raised hair on my neck. Khyon tutted  The sentence was perfectly understandable but in an odd pitch-shifted tone that sounded like it came from the other side of the grave, it growled and screeched like nails on the glass suddenly falling in deep chilling bass. Deciding it was enough of talking I looked around I saw the mirror with disbelief I looked at Khyon.  Forgetting my ¡°non-talking¡± rule almost as I made itKhyon laughed but there was some odd sadness in that laughter I looked at the mirror and figured out what disturbed Santino, the helmet was closed and it did look menacing as hell, especially with all my other duds. I was a leather-clad armored... thing but what was most disturbing from those holes in my helmet there was not even a light of the whites. Just two black holes, not unlike a skull. Khyon chimed in,


    He gave me what seemed like a small wooden gun with some string attached. As I did small thing spring into life, springs, and cogs whirling unwinding a thing in a familiar crossbow shape just smaller. Khyon attached a piece of cardboard with the crudely drawn target. Losing a few I aimed and pressed what passed for a trigger, I accounted for a kick...which wasn''t there, well it was but compared to Helen it might as well not be there, next 2 shots went better but the center eluded me. I was shooting from one side of the tent to another. With Helen, I would be able to put a few bullets through the same holes, I was certain. Khyon snickered  He held the same weapon and then shot into the middle, his second bolt split the first one. I swallowed frustration and thanked whatever God''s staying alive and that I still had a helmet on. I took critique and I did improve, slowly but as Khyon said 15 is a hell of a lot of ammo, and last 4 I found my grove and while not splitting the bolts all four went into the center. Khyon laughed and unattached his magazine and showed me how to do it And I did. The first surprise was that this kick of three bolts fired almost simultaneously was comparable to a revolver. The second was that even though they fired so quickly moving was very noticeable. Only the first one found the center, surprisingly Khyon seemed pleased I wasted three more magazines but the third one all five in black. Khyon laughed, almost giddy, even Santino gave a small approving nod, which for him was equal to doing summersaults from joy. Khyon clapped me on the shoulder  I forgot I even was wearing one. I pressed and the thing opened. Just when I felt fresh air on my forehead I noticed a difference  Khyon surprisingly nods approvingly I thought about it when I felt something from the bunch of loot I approached it until I was digging through and emerged with a fully closed handguard saber, I unsheathed it, no surprise it was midnight black and long, calvary saber long to keep it still light for foot fighting it was about third narrower than calvary sabers of the time, that was not only odd thing. Putting false edges was all the rage, but there was nothing false about the last third of the back of this saber. I, naturally fought with a saber, cutlass, basically anything with an edge but I never choose one willingly, it was more that having a blade is better than not having one. I heard the blade whisper to me then talking to Helen, I placed my hand on her  warmth spread from the revolver. I turned to Khyon, but he just raised his hands I looked at him, considering him this was a VERY generous offer. I felt by this little handling of the saber, it was better forged. Backsword was an excellent weapon, the best I had until now, but I didn''t even pause  Khyon smiled and reached sighing  We left the tent, saber around my waist, Hand Crossbow in its safety on form under it, and helmet hung on the back of the belt just where the enormous Bowie ended. I suddenly remembered why we had done all of this and looked at Santino  He looked at me with his usual amused look before he''s gonna say something he knows I won''t like Khyon and I shared a look and at the same moment answered

 Lambs For The Slaughter Ch.12

    ¡°We are gonna die.¡± I rolled my eyes ¡°We are doing nothing because you are not going you, stubborn knife-ear dumbass, I''m not taking you along.¡± He grunted something under his breath ¡°Listen Khyon, this is a stupid quest in the first place, we have to rob a bank set on the island off the coast of Louisiana, which is basically begging someone stupid ship to come near its cannons. Oh, have we mentioned that it''s shared between two nations and three races, one of which is your own?¡± He snorted ¡°And second is your own, also one of the nations too.¡± We stared at each other Ronald approached Santino laying on the other side of the fire with a saddle under his head and a hat under his eyes. ¡°Have they settled does Elf going or not?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Are they close?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°I''m going to sleep.¡± ¡°Good call.¡± I sighed ¡°O.K. Let''s first find some lambs for slaughter then return to this.¡± He looked at me ¡°Not more than three.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why just three.¡± ¡°Because I know you, you already counted a minimal number of people for the job and my guess is a minimum of five if I give you more you''ll just cut me out.¡± I smiled, he did know me well ¡°True. So three then.¡± We both went through the list of people in our heads, more specifically those that fit very specific categories. Able to do the job, willing to work with me, and I won''t miss them when they die. I did not kid myself a chance of even me making it was slim.


    kept alive on purpose through some means. Some say that on foggy nights one still can hear echoes of their torment. Between Ship crews and 700 mercenaries, a bit over 1000 people went in, and less than 100 came back, in the following weeks 70 more stupid enough to stay around were hunted by Derosie''s men and tortured to death. Some 20 still lived albeit nowhere near Louisiana I had the opportunity to talk to two of them and if anything ¡°Impossible to rob¡± was an understatement. Derosie shipped from France custom-made canons that were able to outrange anything even the largest of ships could carry, all 5 ships were destroyed before their crews were even near the range to even out of spite return the fire. Then came boats, low profile, sleek, built for speed, at least 50 of them full of men with rifles and long spears they spread around swimming crewmen and systematically slaughtered everyone they saw. One of the men was one of the few lucky to survive it, he said he first cursed his luck because he was deep in the vessel and he was sure there will be no more boats to flee, well he was right about not being boats but not because they were fleeing, All of them were already destroyed, he said he sailed, part as a navy man part as a pirate for 10 years and never saw that many dead bodies. Then one of the riflemen saw him, and a bullet caught him slightly right of his collarbone, shattering it and deflecting into his shoulder also knocking him back into the ship, he stayed there, neck deep in the water until night then found a barrel and used it to get to shore. Lost the use of that arm though, something went bad with the wound. When I saw him about 3 years passed. His right arm was shrunken like a twig like even bone died and withered. The second one was, arguably luckier. He was one of 700 mercs, and they arrived in their own ships due to the amount needed he was in the second wave to land, first-party advancing unchallenged already half a mile up the road. He manage about 100 feet though before all hell broke loose. They were unchallenged because the enemy waited for all of them to land and then opened from prepared hidden bunkers from both sides, It was the massacre. Part of the men bounded into the wood to challenge the enemy they were immediately caught in hundred of traps. He saw men dismembered by an invisible wire, sharp as knives, people vanishing into holes that opened underneath them never to pop up again. People were beheaded by blades strung around trees and activated god''s know-how. All the while peppered by the rain of bullets and buckshot. He ran back to his boat and together with a dozen more men get the hell out. He thought they were clear when they reached land. Derosie''s men catch up with them on the third day. He got a bullet through the eye but it went sideways and exited through his temple. One of the worst head wounds I saw on a living man, that''s what saved him. When they caught survivors it likely didn''t even dawn on them that someone with such a hole could still be alive. When he came through he was still near their fire and 4 more corpses were where they fell. They took 7 other men with them, they were unlucky ones. He patched himself up the best he could, then sprinted to the Indian village he had distant cousins in. His grandmother was from the tribe. They did what they could, it was touching and go for a week but he survived and immediately as the other man bailed from the state. So why there were so stupid to land there? because they had nowhere else to land. The main approach was the only one that had more than 30 ft of ground before the walls started. It would take an actual Army to take the place, and likely not through attack but a slow and likely very costly blockade until inhabitants run out of something. But they likely had years worth of supplies inside, possibly even an independent food source, water source they had for sure, several.


    ¡°Tenner.¡± Khyon brought me back I first blinked, and my mind completely went of course. ¡°Locked up. And he''d likely kill me because he''s locked up for a string of coach robberies I did. Nobody was hurt so he evaded a rope but 10 years sentence, 2 already served don''t endear you to a man.¡± Khyon sighed ¡°Is there anyone besides me that for sure wouldn''t stab you in the front or back?¡± I seriously thought about it ¡°I think the bulk of them is in this camp.¡± ¡°Who''d thought? Because you are such a likable guy.¡± I waved him off ¡°Amsel Three Feathers?¡± Khyon made a face as he stepped in fresh horse dung ¡°He''s a Viper that''s expelled from his own father''s tribe, and his father is a Chief.¡± I nodded ¡°Yeah, he''s a nasty piece of work, but I never saw someone that good with a knife, also I''m fairly sure he could scale walls without the help of Arts, and since that is the approach I''m thinking about he basically covers the spread. Negatives are that if Derosie offers a substantial reward he''ll absolutely find a way to rat us out if he doesn''t kill us before and take all loot for himself.¡± I shrugged ¡°Of course, that is predicated on the notion he will survive robbery, and the margin for that is as thin as it can get. And the worst-case scenario I can make it certain.¡± Khyon shakes his head ¡°You officially have no right to call someone a nasty piece of work.¡± ¡°Sure, but I''m not disemboweling innocent women and children either.¡± ¡°Fine, we have one. And if we''re taking such fine characters there is also Dal''Ena Amursil¡± I raised an eyebrow ¡°Never heard of her.¡± ¡°And you shouldn''t, the former assassin of the High Court, stripped of that honor because of the collateral count, frankly I think she just kills because she likes it. Can give Amsel a run for his money in blade work but instead of Tomahawk and Bowie she''s more poisoned short knives and Elven Curved Blade, the closest thing to a two-legged serpent you''ll meet excluding Yuan-Ti, and, in my opinion, more coldblooded. Also a competent Arts user, she prefers Illusion, but decent in any school.¡± I gave a half-grin ¡°We pick all the winners, aren''t we?¡± ¡°Why stop now, Angrok Skulltaker if you think you can keep him on a leash.¡± I scratched my chin ¡°The Bull? I don''t know, that Half-Orc piece of shit is legitimately insane. The other two might be psychos, but they are coherent psychos. When The Bull snaps he''ll plaster anything in the way friend or foe. If I could just drop him in the middle of the fort and then let him do his thing he''d be gods given distraction. But traveling with him to the Fort is at least a couple of guaranteed bloodbaths. Even if we somehow keep him away from innocents you think Derosie won''t at least raise an eyebrow if several bloodbaths randomly erupt closer and closer to his beloved bank?¡± Suddenly Santino cuts in ¡°You already have a solution.¡± Both of us look across the fire at his prone figure, he hasn''t moved or spoken since Ronald was here. I thought he was asleep. ¡°We do?¡± ¡°Well, you said it yourself airlift him and drop him into the Fort. That Elven assassin is good at illusions, she makes him invisible, you brainiac keep him airborne and move him with you. At the right time drop him and enjoy the mayhem...from a safe distance.¡± Khyon pipes in ¡°And keeping him non-murdery until we get there?¡± ¡°Anne lived 3 millennia praying on non-geniuses like him, she''ll figure out how to keep him docile.¡± I was slightly surprised ¡°You are coming with us?¡± ¡°Not the heist part, but seeing how pair of you saw fit to gather bloody backstabiests, duplicitous, murder-happy people in existence I figure you might need some assistance at least as far as the boat can take us.¡± I won''t lie there was a second there when I almost liked the bastard, scary thought. Khyon as always was more malleable ¡°Thanks there will be a handful, especially when we gather them all together.¡± I looked at him ¡°We still haven''t settled you coming.¡± ¡°Are you sure you''ll be able to navigate the wall and The Bull?¡± I felt I was on the verge of losing the argument and I didn''t like it. At my silence, he smiled ¡°There it is, admittance, let it out you''ll feel better.¡± Now it was my turn to smile which immediately brought some worry into his eyes ¡°You''ll go as far as Red, Santino, and rest unless you beat me in a game.¡± His eyes narrow ¡°A game?¡± I raised my hands in a placating manner ¡°Nothing like gambling where I can cheat the boots of your feet. Simple straightforward bet.¡± I pulled the coin out of my pocket ¡°I throw this coin in the air, whoever can shoot it first before hits the ground wins. Simple rules. You can use Arts, in turn, I start with Helen already drawn. Do you understand the rules?¡± He snorted ¡°You know I have superior night vision, right?" I shrugged ¡°And you know I''m a better shot. I asked do you understand the rules.¡± He was half annoyed ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°Santino will be witness, name the winner, and throw the coin. Agreed?¡± ¡°I''m glad others are asleep and won''t see this embarrassment.¡± Khyon smirked. Santino sighed under his hat and got up and took the coin from me and offered it to Khyon ¡°Wanna check it for tampering?¡± ¡°I already did it''s just a coin, let''s get this over with.¡± Santino shrugged I drew Helen and removed all bullets placing just one normal one inside and then cocked the revolver. Santino looked at us a glow started forming around Khyons two fingers ¡°Ready?¡± I nodded holding Helen slightly downward Khyon almost grinned looking me in the eyes ¡°Yup¡± Santino started the countdown ¡°Three, Two, One.¡± Several things happened almost at once, the first coin started up, then Khyon''s wrist and eyes began to follow it, and at the same time, I launched a small ball of force into Khyons crotch. Nothing drastic, I guess it felt like a decent knee between the legs. His eyes bulged as concentration left him and he doubled over, shot rung half a second later as a coin rose where Khyon''s head recently was and caught the light from fire it flew into darkness hitting a rock somewhere out there Khyon looked at me. ¡°You cheated bastard.¡± I looked at Santino ¡°Judge?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Rules were: you will use Arts and he will use Helen, I will throw the coin, first one who shoots it out of the air wins. Thats all. Which of those rules was broken?¡± Khyon looked at him in disbelief ¡°He fucking attacked me.¡± Santino remained infuriatingly calm "And where in the rules says he couldn''t? Why the hell do you think he asked you do you understand the rules, twice? Exactly so he can get away with crap like this, you were so concentrated on all benefits you have over him that you thought of nothing else. Like why he''d asked to play the game that favors you, why would he ask you do you understand the rules twice? Because he wants you to win? When you sign a deal with a devil you always read fine print. If he wanted, he could have shot you in the knee and prevented you from going even to Louisiana with us and still win. You are too honest to play games with him, trade yeah, play games not even close. Now don''t pout, you will come a mile from the target, gauging your power you still can help him part of the way.¡± He took a deep breath and straighten up looking at me, I saw he was sorry, and for some reason so was I. ¡°You are so sure that all of you will die that you''d risk our...busyness partnership?¡± I looked at him ¡°We''re friends. It''s odd, I never really had one, it''s awkward and messy. But I don''t want you dying if it can be avoided.¡± ¡°Then try to avoid that for yourself too.¡± I grinned ¡°Oh you can bet I will¡± ¡°Good.¡± ball of force slammed me in the balls, and I doubled over and fell on my knees trying not to puke ¡°Now we''re even as friends should be.¡± Chimed in Khyon and walked toward his tent. Santino looked at me from above ¡°You good?¡± ¡°Oh like a naked babe on the sunny morning.¡± I groaned from the ground ¡°Ever occurred to you that having someone so powerful with you would drastically diminish the possibility of all of you dying?¡± I exhaled as worse passed and turned on my back breathing deeply while looking at the stars. ¡°Yes. Ever occurred to you that I don''t think that''s worth the life of my only friend?¡± The answer obviously took him aback slightly. After a short pause, he returned back to his place by the fire but before lying down he answered ¡°No. No, it didn''t.¡±

 Hunting The Scorpion Ch 13

    ¡°Which one do you think he''s on¡± I thought for a few seconds ¡°Frankly, if we continue at this pace forward he will take a shot as soon as we are in the optimal range. I heard out of firearms he has only long hunting double barrel rifle with a mix of slugs and shells. It is rather long-range, but I think for a greater impact he''ll wait until we are at approximately half range and fire two slugs in fast succession. We worked together, he knows both that I''m an Arts user and equally paranoid as he is. He expects protection, two fast shots from such a rifle might be able to punch the first barrier with one shot clearing the way for the second one to mess up my finely groomed locks by blowing half my head away. He is more than agile enough to jump to another after, that''s one of the reasons we want to recruit him, but I doubt he will. He sees you have a rifle too, even if he doesn''t know you are also into Arts, possibility to be seen during the jump and picked off an unnecessary one. He will likely reload and just change position on the same pillar stealthily. If his gambit succeeds, he''d prune our battle potential in half and still have the high ground. Even if you immediately broke into gallop, he''d have time for two more shots before you''re bellow pillar. I think he''ll reload with buckshot then, just to pepper you a bit, hoping to at least slow you down. Then he''ll change to his specialty Tomahawk and Bowie and try to get a drop on you.¡±


    ¡°That''s a damn play-by-play like you read his mind. How sure about it you are¡± ¡°Fairly, actually above 90%.¡± He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. In response, I just grinned ¡°Honestly that is what I would do in his position, those jobs we did together? I took stock of him, we are fairly similar, nearly equal strategically, pretty same as intelligence goes, and he has a slight edge there but it''s equalized since he is even more impulsive than me, significantly so. His brutality aside we are nearly identical, even physically. He''s faster significantly, I''m stronger not so significantly, that is equalized by Arts. His blade work is more solid, but I have Helen too. If we fought one on one, no holds bared it would end in several seconds, not sure of the outcome.¡± Elf listened carefully and gave it a thought ¡°That is interesting, you have an uncanny precise feel about the outcome. I always kinda of envied that a bit. Your being uncertain about it makes me uneasy and kinda glad we have numbers on our size.¡± I nodded ¡°Same here.¡± ¡°Why don''t you wear that helm you took? If you think he''ll take a shot anyway. Full head protection is as good as it gets, that new gear you bought from me might tank a Buckshot, especially from some distance, but the slug from such high high-powered rifle won''t. Helm on the other side, unless he hits you with such precision that it hits one of a few flat surfaces it has, will deflect the shot. Drow are bloodthirsty slaver bastards, but they are also very intelligent and good at what they do. Dwarfs have them beat as engineering goes, smithing though is a different beast. They use different equipment than Dwarfs since they fight differently and every piece of that equipment is superior to the closest Dwarven counterpart, as seen just by the helm. Even if it''s as fully enclosed as it is and made from metal it is as you noticed by the weight actually light armor. The closest Dwarven counterpart, also made from mithral actually lacks a lower portion, all below the nose is exposed. In a fight, they solve that by carrying a sort of aventail but instead of, being attached to the helm to keep it light, they would wear it around their neck and then pull it up to protect the lower part of the face and the neck they had four points of attachment so enemies couldn''t just pull it down, still in chaos of the field that was most exposed part. Besides it is mail vs plate, not really even the contest for me. Also, ironically it was harder to breathe through. Only full plate helms that are similar to that are in heavy armor units. As blades go Dwarfs make better axes, anything else Drow blew out of the water, not to mention when it comes to their sheer variety is mind-boggling. I think even compared to even most martial-oriented ground Elves they have three times the variety for any one of ours. Concretely for that sword, they have three more versions that would fall into the same category. And when it comes to Light Armor they transcended simple science and tuned it into art actually that helm is part of a specific set. Unfortunately, this war party was likely one on the lower rung and he had pieces of several different sets. That helm is likely the most expensive of the others on him. It''s for their stealth elite. Basically, the group, that is so good that they are cocky enough to wear some plate in an environment where they do their tasks in basically stone tubes where accidental contact of your plate on stone would be amplified and echo so far that basically, you shouldn''t even try to continue. Just scrap the mission completely and pray the enemy isn''t already zeroed in on you. I will try to find the rest of the armor. Not all parts are made of plates either,  just the most important ones. The rest is a mix of specially treated leather and special silk, of two silk is actually stronger one of two. they use two glued layers and that is enough to be basically as strong as a mail. In some situations, even better, like stab defense since there are no links to pry through, the slice is about equal, and against blunt force, a mail has the advantage. Frankly, if I manage to find the rest of the set I believe you will fall in love with it, and I''m certain your enemies will hate it with passion since I''m not too proud to admit it will more than double your protection compared to now. Also, enough of it is form-fitting enough to be able to wear something over if you find yourself in a colder climate.¡±


    ¡°It does sound impressive, but also expensive as hell.¡± he grinned ¡°Well quality is expensive, but we will manage to broker some kind of deal. I''d take unneeded parts of your current kit. And well you are still few jobs short of ownership of this beauty...¡± he pats his rifle, due to possibility we can get under fire ant second, rather in the holster he carried it across the saddle in front of him with a hand on the grip, with his speed he''d be ready to return the fire whin seconds. He did not have a monopod on, but he did have a bipod just folded, also there was no need for particular stealth so the suppressor was not on either. The scope did but in a stripped-down version, making me realize the thing was even more modular than I already saw it to be. It looked significantly smaller, I assumed he removed things for that crazy distance enhancement since this will be a more close-quarter affair so that would be just a waste that added weight. As always he did not have a revolver or some close-quarter firearm, he did however strap on a kind of Elven shortsword, it looked like a miniaturized one-handed version of Elven Curved Blade. Besides the handle being shorter, indicating it is definitely meant to be used one-handed unlike ECB, which could be used one-handed pretty easily but still had extra room on the handle to two-hand it if you wanted that extra power. Besides that, blade geometry was nearly identical to its bigger brother. He also had a dagger on the back showing he clearly came ready to dance, not just relying on the rifle and Arts. To cap it off he had protection on the scope so accidental glare doesn''t betray us too early ¡°...some decent loot comes still come our way, Especially since while the next one might be slightly less dangerous, The last one will involve my nocturnal cousins again, on even more dangerous grounds.¡± ¡°O I just can''t wait.¡± I quipped my words positively dripping with sarcasm. Making him chuckle before getting unusually serious ¡°To be honest I already placed feelers out for the rest of the set in the hope I manage to get it before the bank thing. Outside of providing near twice as much protection, it is an infiltration suit, what little so far heard of the plan, there will be infiltration involved. Arts or not, a full set of this suit will be easier to both climb and move in. By the way, you didn''t answer why no helm?¡± I thought about the answer ¡°You know about his heritage?¡± Khyon gave a half-shrug ¡°Broad strokes, his father is a Native Chief, well respected at that, likely why he disowned his little shitstain of a son, Mother is non-Native, also not Chiftians official wife. With whom he had two more children, both daughters.¡± I slowly nodded ¡°Yeah. The full story is actually pretty interesting. After the second daughter was born, there were some complications that made her unable to have any more children. There were considerations of him taking another wife, while that was a move his wife approved of and approached him about it herself several times. However, this is one of those rare occasions where the Husband thought with his big head and knew that while his wife supported the decision, it was more because she cared about him and knew about his wish to have a son, that wouldn''t mean that having to live with that other woman, likely younger, wouldn''t hurt her. Also if that second wife gave birth to a son, she would by default be seen by the tribe as the Chief''s main wife in all but name. Enormous fall in status. He considered that, and took stock of his current situation, he was in a loving marriage where the feelings of both partners were mutual, with two healthy daughters he adored. He was a well-respected Chief not only in his tribe but their people far and wide. Often younger Chieftains would come to him for advice, and many times he was asked to mediate between two tribes over issues that could lead to tribal warfare many times he resolved the issue preventing wars that would otherwise cost many young life. he was content. Yes, he wanted a son but, not that much to break what he spent the lifetime building. Besides he was a shrewd old bastard, just because he didn''t have a son did not mean that his bloodline would end away from power. His original plan was to scope out the worthy young warriors and in time marry his daughters to them, his vote will always carry much weight when it comes to choosing a new Chief. Then it would be a waiting game, a chance that at least one between two of them will have a son was statistically in his favor. If he chooses both sons-in-law wisely it will not mean that much which one of the two he will propose as successor, basically guaranteeing that his grandson will wear a ceremonial headdress one day and ensuring in the meantime at least one of his daughters to be First Wife of the Chief, most prestigious title any woman can have besides a Wise Woman of the tribe. As plans go decent one isn''t it?¡± Khyon engrossed in a story nodded ¡°Maybe slightly callous but knowing about maneuvering in our own Courts it sounds positively benign.¡±


    ¡°He actually told about the plan to his household. Bold of him to be sure, but he got unreserved support, his wife''s only fear was that this might stick a wedge between sisters but after years of living together Chief did notice, albeit small, relief in his wife and then knew he made a right choice. As for sisters, it is said that Dancing Willow, the younger of the two, kissed her sister and said ¡°Both, being an aunt and helping to raise future Chief would be an honor, which one will be the one is in the hands of Spirits of our ancestors and Almighty Spirit that watches over us all, we''ll trust in their guidance. I have complete trust that our Father will find a worthy warrior to call a husband regardless if he becomes a Chief or Chief''s brother-in-law.¡± Mind you this quote was attributed to her while she was just 12 so I think it''s slightly brushed up. Probably sentiment was there but the real quote was likely less wordy and more simple. In any case, it is irrelevant, both sisters are still thick as thieves in their 30s. So whatever the real quote was, the sentiment behind it was obviously the same as the one that is quoted as real. With the blessing of the family he began scoping potential candidates since Blazing Sunrise was already around 16, soon suitors will begin to circle, actually, he noticed a few already started to jockey and prepare the ground so to speak, and just waited for him to give some signal that it is appropriate to start their advances. However, within a month, something happened that upended all of that. Late at night as the family prepared for sleep there was a rap on the entrance of his abode, he wasn''t particularly worried since the camp was well guarded and there was no alarm. Considering the time it could be some time-sensitive matter but also just a sensitive matter and whoever bothered Chief likely wanted to minimize chances to be seen. So he was more intrigued than worried when going to check who it is kissing his wife and telling him that whoever it is probably wanted privacy so there was no need for her to stay awake too. He opened the Buffalo skin that served as the doors and found himself face to face with a full-on Drow priestess and two of her bodyguards. They went passed a veritable gaggle of guards and went through half the camp undetected and knocked at his doors in the middle of the night so nonchalantly as if it was nothing. For the first time in decades, Chief Broken Claw of Quapaw Nation was lost for words. She was not. Introducing herself as Nalla''Tah Wise Woman of the House DeCrid in perfect Native language without a hint of an accent.¡± I looked at Khyon I assume that I don''t even need to ask do you know about Drow/Native relations?¡± Khyon chuckled and liked reading from a textbook ¡°Uncharacteristically for them in the U.S.A and North America in general there are no registered tensions with quite literally any Native group, no hostilities, not even accidental registered casualties. Actually, it seems they went out of their way to foster at least neutral relations with even the most hostile Native groups on the continent. A few standouts would be their involvement in King Philip''s War when they actually directly intertwined when Governor Josiah Winslow persecuted a particularly brutal campaign in 1675, Drow showed up at the moment when Winslow''s men broke in the Narragansett''s main fort in the swamp. At that point it would be a massacre, in which a lot of noncombatants would be likely burned alive or, if imaginable, worse. Drow did what Drow do. They blindsided the militia in their moment of triumph, while technically militia still had the numbers since Drow sent just 300 people those 300 were actually 3 contingents of their special force troops. Lolth''s Favored, Skinned Hand, and Wrath Incarnate. Led by High Priesstes Ashtanni Rez''Dalla, Matron of Rez''Dalla House. Surprised and disoriented Militiamen were systematically slaughtered, approximately 1000, and a further 100 were carted away and later sacrificed. Only about 100 managed to survive. As a whole, it did not change the outcome of the war but it did prolong it for sure. Drow did not directly intervene again but they did supply Narragansett with weaponry, food, and medicine. Due to that, even now hundreds of years later, New England Natives are one of Drow''s staunchest allies. Even mostly in secret, that act also cut down Josiah Winslow''s career, he lost his post as the coalition leader and was later replaced as a Governor too, in disgrace he committed suicide about 3 years later. They had a significant logistical role in Pontiac''s Rebellion that started in 1763. While this time they did no fighting it approximated around 80% of non-firearm weapons were provided by them, together with a large amount of medical assistance. I could go on. Our intelligence services were stumped for a while since that did not lay the same pattern in other parts of the world, Hell not so far in South America they committed several large-scale genocides, basically erasing at least two Native tribes to the last baby in the cradle. Actually, the answer was too obvious for big brains. They were looking into obscure stuff, conspiracies, etc. It took basic ground operatives less than half an hour, 25 minutes to be exact, to solve the big bad puzzle once when presented with the full picture. There was nothing odd or weird at all, they were serving their own interests as always best they could. They were slightly behind when it comes to migrating into a great new world. By the time they arrived, the jig is up with Humans and everyone else basically already hated them. In the first wave, three great Houses crossed the pond and assessed the situation, they were severely disadvantaged. Until more Houses join they needed a buffer between them and others. Someone who already knew the entire continent as the back of their hand, all secret hidey holes, obscure forest roads, and most importantly someone with already existing bone to pick with the establishment. Natives were systematically screwed over by the government, so many lies, broken promises, massacres...Basically, they were so primed for when Drow started dripping honey into their ears, and what''s more, backed it over and over. Superior weapons, superior armor, superior medicine, and food supplies when famine struck, new Arts, and a new way to use...them all of that for basically free. Right to cross their territory in peace, show them secret ways to evade a common enemy, to pretend they didn''t see them. Turn a blind eye and a deaf ear. While the government was still pissing on Native''s feet and telling them it rains, Drow never broke a single agreement in the last couple hundred years. Basically set up underground factories dedicated just to producing weapons and medicine for Native Americans, not to mention, they got that to such a minute level that if someone was caught telling ¡°Indian¡± or ¡°Indian American¡± tongue they would lose instantly on the spot and hope that''s all it comes from that. When they figured out that more warlike tribes enjoy raiding as much as they did, the partnership was hit into a brand new level of cooperation. The Drow would torment would-be victims during the night making sure sleeping is a no. Start with light psychological warfare you go to pis just to find a guy who went to sleep early decapitated and a head shove up his ass...literally...they would keep that up until 3 A.M. usually when they would actually attack, usually in short swift bursts, 5-10 minutes of absolute horror and they vanish just to do repeat that half an hour later, do several rounds of that. By then survivors are psychologically and physically destroyed by wrecks. Likely already severely depleted in manpower and ammo and some in the will to live at all. Then around 4 to 4:30 AM, they leave and give the post to their Native allies who do one of their patented dawn attacks living not a flea alive. The worst thing since they were supplied by tribes with their weaponry, nine times out of ten only Natives would get blamed and suffer repercussions. By now most Drow speak fluently at least 2 native languages together with dialects fluently. High priestesses most often speak all languages and know even the most obscure dialect. So now several centuries later what do we have? Natives are at best indifferent to Drows and at worst actively work with them. The worst thing is if you take raids out of the mix, It''s hard to argue with them and come out as a good guy. ¡°You fed and brought medicine to that Odawa tribe you, you monster!¡± If someone third is listening and is not already clued in on what Drows really care about, you''d sound like a psycho.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, professor. In any case, Chief was slightly freaked out by unexpected visitors but due to all the things you just said not nervous, or scared. Actually to most Chiefs largest bugbear about Drow was the fact they were so fiercely matriarchal. He just had to jump through a lot of hoops for his family to stay in power while Drow would kick him to the curb in favor of his wife and install his oldest daughter as successor. If he tried to do something like that everyone would think he finally snapped. he often asked his wife for advice as many wise chiefs did, but there is a long way from that to installing a woman as a Chief. Naturally as with everything they were a couple of exceptions but they were exceptional women in exceptional times. As politely as he could muster he asked this Drow Wise Woman about the reason for the visit. She did not beat around the bush at all ¡°I am aware your wife, Broken Feather may she be honored had a difficult last birth which left her unable to conceive again. May the ancestors be praised for her incredible recovery and the health of the young Dancing Willow is truly a blessing. However, my Matron who is the main Wise Woman of our house heard that you were pressured to marry another wife in order to conceive a male child in order to have a successor yet you stuck to your principles and feelings of your wife, above your wishes. She was impressed and wished to reward such behavior properly so she looked into the unseen world and checked skeins of faith and saw one specific that would give you what you want. Due to her gifts, she saw if I was to lay with a man next week, exactly 7 days from now under a blood moon I would have twins, a boy and a girl. You would get your son I would keep the daughter. I want to make something clear, this is not about lust, even faith. This kind of offer was never been made before and it''s hard to believe it will ever be offered again it would be dubious that it would be offered even to you unless there were twins. We won''t ever see each other, you will never see your daughter, and I will never see my son. Those are ways of destiny. I have no doubt my son will be taken care of, be assured it is the same as your daughter. Matron sees great things for her after her schooling ends.¡± Drow priestess stood up ¡°Talk with your wife, don''t hide anything from her. You have seven days until the blood moon, I will wait on the Scoured Hill from sundown to midnight, one way or another you will not hear from me again.¡± She rejoined her guards who stood by the door inside as two statues and left. Now we are going to pluck the fruit from that poisoned tree. I don''t want to wear the helm because he nearly idolizes them. In his mind, they are leaps better than any other I want him to see this helm, and the sword once we subdue him so he can see that I met his idols, and the only thing I was impressed with was their kit. Well, there is still a sore shoulder that disagrees with that, even less than without you and Santino to treat the poison, I''d likely die long before Red and Anne treated my actual wound. By killing his idols, kinda literally, I will piss him off, sure, but also make him more malleable to my proposal. You won''t live forever, even if they fall short on occasion, you''ll just grow older and weaker, just like I will. Kinda life we lead that''s bound to catch up for us. Do one big job, that is nearly impossible, but the payout will be so huge you can move North or maybe even across the pond and live the rest of your life in such luxury that the richest person you ever saw would look like a beggar next to you. That may persuade him first crush his Drow fetish and then build him up like his own man with untold richest at the end of the tunnel but only if he reaches for it now, while he is still at the peak.¡± Khyon looks me from the side ¡°Quite the BS artist, think it will work.¡± I shrugged ¡°We need to survive while subduing him without killing him. Let''s weather that storm first.¡± Khyon looks back ¡°About that, I think we are at half range, still nothing, you still sure about his game plan?¡± I gave a half shrug ¡°We''ve just passed that mark and entered some 20 ft. Technically there is a sweet spot, the longer he waits stronger the punch, but he needs the time to reload, change the position, and squeeze 2 more slugs before we close the distance, We are starting to eat the lead in the next 10 seconds, I''d bet my hand on it.¡± I barely finished when two incredibly fast consequent shots from something big sounded off, I saw a ripple where the first slug impacted the barrier then a brief flash as the second one obliterated it. As previously agreed we started galloping toward the pillars keeping flank to flank so I accidentally didn''t slip out of his protective field I wasn''t about wasting Aether creating a new one Khyons was about twice as strong as mine it will tank the next shots. ¡°You saw where he is or was?¡± I asked Elf, and he nodded ¡°The middle pillar he shot from that natural hole two-thirds up, a good spot. enough space to make himself comfortable, likely moving shade, the good vantage point.¡± ¡°You have a guess about the next spot?¡± And again a nod, I did not need to follow up, Khyon was experienced enough to guess what I wanted. Actually, he already removed covers from the scope before I even asked the first question. Now the hard part of shooting while riding as the banshee, not accidentally killing the target while keeping him suppressed and steering the horse just with your tighs.


    "Pops" with it on I expected something like a crack of a whip. It was first a much longer, kind of winding sound, like a whine that grew louder, and it culminated with a high-pitched mechanical-sounding explosion. Also now I saw how it looked, almost like a small green star with many points flying incredibly fast toward the target. He aimed several feet above Amsel''s position basically vaporizing a portion of the rock and raining debris on the shooter, he was covered with much small debris and dust that would mess with his aim but a few larger pieces hit his rifle too, and I could swear I saw one piece roughly size half of my fist lands on his head too. Since crap was raining from not too far up I doubt any of it harmed him, but messed up his aim for sure, and with another rifleman still hunting him he vanished back without firing any shots. We had the advantage and were in a few seconds under his stone prison, so I did something...well, me. That is impulsive and likely not too smart. I noticed a ledge from where he wanted to take a shot so I placed my hand between the Girl''s ears and she automatically slowed down stabilizing and bouncing from the galop I pulled my feet out of stirrups and lifted them up until they caught and slowly I crouched on the saddle while my horse was still speeding, at what I judged what is the right time I propelled myself up helped with horses speed. I somehow managed. I was hanging on a ledge with an angry psycho on the other side, I saw Khyon shaking his head while I jerked and managed to pull myself up to the waist and then place one boot on the ledge. A bit more effort and I was up I first drew my beast of Bowie threw it into the left hand and pulled Helen. Unfortunately, I couldn''t cock it yet I hear rustling just on the other side he didn''t change levels yet. We were separated just by the width of the pillar. Not reassuring, but then I heard another whine from down below before the explosion struck again, I heard swearing as another rain of debris fell. Khyon had him pinned on this level and wasn''t about to let him wiggle out of it while I was trying to figure out some way to get a drop on him when one of the oddest things happened. I heard movement and figured that he decided if he couldn''t change levels there, and likely guessing I was creeping from below, Half-Drow decided to move and try from this side but all of his attention was on the other side because both of us were there in his mind. He fell into the same trap I did, albeit by probably some divine providence, I mean we were trying to save their divine asses. Bone like this should be thrown more often. I stopped breathing and just extended My hand his second step back pressed the back of his head to Helen, at the same time I cocked the hammer so he hears that sound and know he was out of play. He sounded confused as hell ¡°H¨¢kon? How?¡± ¡°As we were passing I jumped from my saddle and caught the ledge I figure you can connect the rest of the dots.¡± He chuckled. ¡°You''re fuckin psycho.¡± ¡°Needs one to know one, now I know how dangerous you are, uncock the rifle and throw it down the ledge, then with left hand undo your holster and repeat the process. I''m here to actually hire you but I''m not taking any chances with you. Your ear twitches in a way that makes me uncomfortable I''m squeezing the trigger. Aether bullet from this distance, the head will get vaporized, you''ll be lucky if you have some neck left.¡± he silently complied ¡°O.K. now the one in the boot.¡± He snorted, "I bet you don''t know what you had for lunch yesterday, but when your neck is on the line mind like a steel trap, eh?¡± ¡°What I had for lunch yesterday would kill me yesterday, that foldable piece of shit can kill me a year from now.¡± He again complies ¡°O.K. let''s go to my partner down there.¡± ¡°He''s going too?¡± ¡°Part of the way, he and a few more did all the leg work for me and they are going to protect their cuts, so we don''t do what we would.¡± ¡°Like.¡± ¡°Play grabass? Don''t play dumb, we''d try to steal all the cash.¡± He laughs ¡°We would wouldn''t we? What kind of cash are we talking about?¡± ¡°Kind when we can say fuck this and leave for good. I mean the last job kind of cash. I''m tired of several thousand that I spend in a month or so, I''m talking about when we can spend ten times as much every day and still die millionaires.¡± he still had hands up as we descended but turned his head and studied my face with his disturbing dark red eyes for a few seconds. ¡°You are fucking serious.¡± ¡°I am, how many years do we have to perform at our peak? You with your genes decade maybe two, me five years tops. Then all the damage we ate during our life will finally begin to catch up, we''ll get slower, weaker, slopier, and then someone check us out. Screw that. I''m doing this, getting ship across a pond where no one even heard the whisper of me, buying a fuckin mansion, and living the rest of my days as a king.¡± We walked in silence for a while until he began ¡°There are not many places with that kind of cash.¡± ¡°Nope, just three, but two are legitimately impossible. The third one is just theoretically impossible, the right group of crazies might do it. I did my homework, and already paid about 10k just for various info. True there is no way in hell of all of us surviving. Two if we are lucky, and there is zero chance to guarantee one of those two will be either of us, although one survivor is much more realistic, that is why I''m just looking for those like us¡± ¡°You wanna say those with few screws missing already.¡± I gave a half-shrug ¡°If you wanna be technical about it.¡± he suddenly gave a full belly laugh and again looked back, this time there was odd unhealthy mirth in his eyes ¡°Fuckin loon, you had my curiosity... but now you have my full attention.¡±

 Down Comes The Spider Ch 14

    sciina knife. Their favored close-quarter weapon, between 10 and 15 inches long forward curved war knife, and that was exactly what it was. War Knife, it was never drawn unless it would go into whatever enemy was foolish enough. They had a normal knife with which they did most other stuff, hunting, cutting various stuff, skinning, you know...knife stuff. Sciina was never used for such stuff, it was drawn only for two things: maintenance and killing. And as maintenance goes, the mundane blade was so sharp that its superstition went that the odd sound heard when the blade was thrown or swung was reality straining to keep it from splitting it into another dimension. I don''t know about that but I saw Khuno I was on the job once cut a guy''s head diagonally from the left of the crown and through all the bone from the forehead, through teeth, until it exited at the lower right side of the jaw. Later out of morbid curiosity, I examined the cut. It was so clean that it did not even crack the teeth it went through, I would think such a cut impossible without the help of the Arts, yet there it was, right in front of me. I had no wish to be on the opposite end of it and only two Khuna Elves I killed I did from a respectable distance with Arts so they didn''t even have a chance to reach for it. And now I was going with Khyon for their Capital, to fetch his wayward Assassin.


    were Forest Elves. They had no interest in developing any outside of the abundant forest territory, which covered roughly two-thirds of the ceded territory. As long as the two tribes did not bring the war to it, the two tribes were given the go-ahead to do as they pleased with the remaining third, including settling. They were just to stay out of their forest cities unless invited, and they were not to hunt in several specific parts of the forests. Other than that, Khula completely ignored Natives.


    accidentally, you pull the trigger in one situation and save one Chief''s son, you pull the trigger in another situation and kill Chief''s son. Too late to cry about spilled milk. Khula might kill me, but Cherokee will kill me, and not overly fast. Seeing our destination so close I was antsy. Still trusting that Khyon at least knows what he''s doing with his people, I settled for the night under some ferns leaving Girl and Khyon''s horse some 100 feet from our hidey hole. I even didn''t want to risk dried meat for dinner because of its smoke smell. I rather nibbled on the ¡°travel biscuits¡± that I ironically learned to make from another Native nation I was on decent terms with, Apache. More specifically Chiricahua. The biscuit had no meat in it but they were 1. Tasty as hell 2. So abnormally nutritious that I was often warned not to eat more than two at once. But I do have a sweet tooth and just after corn flour, the most important ingredient was honey. They had a bunch more various berries and herbs in them but I was already sold. As far as I know honey was one of the good things introduced to the ¡°New World¡± from Europe and Asia. Before that sweetness would entirely depend on berries and herbs. I don''t doubt they were fine, but fuck that. The only minus biscuits had was that they were hard as a rock so once you crack a piece you mostly sucked on it until your saliva softened it enough to chew and swallow. But all of that aside, they could last for years if stored properly and you had to eat only two in 24 hours to stay alive and moving. They were magic without Art. Once I crossed two weeks of desert, with only 10 of these and two Watterskins. I was not exactly the man who entered the desert, but I was alive and able to get to the first settlement. So now I was laying on the ground under the fern and sucking on the piece of biscuit trying to see the stars from underbrush since that usually got me to sleep when from my left came a low voice ¡°H¨¢kon?¡± I almost chuckled but my paranoid streak kept me in check, that and the sight of Cherokee knives when I closed my eyes ¡°No, it''s my mom. Do you really want to have a conversation now while we ride the entire day with your jaws clamped, like they are welded?¡± There was a bit of silence and I felt he wouldn''t speak even now if he did not feel he had to ¡°Listen Khyon I''ll help you out. You wanted to say something about that I might hear some things about you during this, and that you''d prefer if it would stay a secret.¡± I cracked another piece of the biscuit and started to soften it with saliva ¡°So let me put your mind at ease. I don''t care.¡± There was a longer confused pause ¡°What?¡± I shrugged like he could see me. ¡°Exactly what I said. Everyone in camp knows you are not a simple trader, or they wouldn''t try to recruit you first keeping me as a backup plan, so they might be curious. I couldn''t give a less of a fuck are you a spy, assassin, or agent of that famed Elven secret police. or even damn King in Waiting. You always did right by me, spared my life, traded at a loss occasionally, those are the things that matter to me. What position you take in your own society, is neither my business nor I care. Others are free to find out by themselves.¡± I heard an exhale that was likely a remnant of a silent laugh ¡°That simple?¡± ¡°I''m a simple asshole, treat me nicely and you''ll never find out what a shart is. The only thing is, if that is what made you squirm all the way here making our trip miserable I''d slap you senseless if I wasn''t afraid of a Drow-made Cherokee tomahawk slamming into my forehead.¡±


    ¡°Once you''ll tell me what happened you are almost nonchalant about one tribe, and paranoid about the other while they share hunting grounds.¡± ¡°If we survive this I might.¡± ¡°We''ll survive, go to sleep.¡± Now propped up into the dark upper corner, appreciating architecture and covered in Invisibility I was almost half certain we will. Khyon was not too forward with the plan. Basically short version of it was ¡°Stay hidden and act if I call upon you.¡± Despite my questions, he didn''t go into any more details, he sat and sipped at the tea kindly provided by our courteous hosts, well courteous to Khyon I might well be another pack animal or a pet. And as a good pet, I was without tea in the corner. Upper corner, but the corner nonetheless. I was just called Kyon bastard for a thousandth time and swore that I''d burn this wood paradise to ash if this lasted much longer when I felt it. Same feeling I had when Ronald was in my room, feeling of abused Ether. I relaxed trying to leave as little print as possible while doubling my mundane senses. Not that I had to wait for long. Precisely at the middle of the ceiling body slid down seemingly floating but then light bounced from the incredibly thin wire she used as a substitute for the rope, a wire that with the right move could easily cut throat, and with some power even behead so there was some trick. Her body in a glove suit, made mostly from silk with leather reinforcements used wire mostly as balancing support so it slides straight down without sound. The mechanism of how it works almost made me forget why I was there in the first place, which was bad, and that mostly silken body glove left little place for imagination, which was good. Yet because she descended head first once she reached Khyon''s eye level she had to move her leading hand to the side so their eyes could meet, and I saw it. The mechanism was the size of a large matchbox. It was hard to believe it contained everything needed but yet there it was. A small metal part shaped like a bent tea spoon extended until her thumb. While pressed it would release a spool of wire hidden inside the box and lower her down, once she lifted the thumb mechanism would lock in place. The other side was likely secured behind an illusionary ceiling, and there was likely a way to cut it from this side, although I would have to see it from closer to discern how. I wondered when she changed the ceiling tile with illusion because it was the real thing when we entered. Khyon made sure of every tile himself because I was invisible since I was presented to the rulers. A good 8 hours before. She was good. How badly you had to fuck up in the assassin guild to be thrown out if your skills were at this level?


    ¡°Khyon.¡± Her face was also covered in tight silk fabric, leaving only two holes for eyes that were jet-black, everything except the white of her eyes, was jet-black. Her hair which was likely rather long was tied into an elaborate bun and tightened with two pins that probably were also weapons in their own right. The voice was husky and muffled by the fabric. ¡°Dal''Ena¡± There was something like a short laugh ¡°I remember when you called me just ¡°Ena¡±.¡± Khyon was cold as ice, colder than I had ever seen him ¡°And I remember when you knew what we stood for, you especially.¡± There was the sound of a blade cutting through the wire and she, free from her constraints made a flip almost in place, like gravity had no hold on her before landing in perfect imitation of Khyon''s position From somewhere he produced another cup, and poured tea from her. A gesture that just reminded me how long I was hanging. She removed her mask. She was pretty. To Humans, all Elves are to a greater or lesser degree, but that was not all that was there to it. While Anne, although not really Elf, oozed primal carnal desire, and Red had a simple untainted beauty you could only compare to untouched Nature, majestic vistas, and at the same time private small places such as the untouched creek. Dal''Ena Amursil was regal, regal in a way that if she did not move, talk, or breathe...it would not be hard to imagine her as a statue of long-dead royalty. Her nose was narrow and long, maybe a finger width from her full lips and so straight and symmetrical that one could take instruments and I doubted it would find a flaw. How was it called? Golden ratio. The marble pale of her skin together with the black holes in her eyes. Both Anne and Red were prettier than her but if I were to give a crown I''d give it to this assassin I did not know the first thing about. I frowned and got my head in the game, Khyon needed my support, and crowns can be placed on dead bodies too.


    ¡°So if this is not a social visit, why did you travel so far and risk so much to meet me?¡± Khyon took his own sip ¡°Because I''m here to call on a chit, time to clear the books.¡± Thin as penciled in Dal''Ena''s brows frown ¡°Funny, I don''t remember asking you for any favour.¡± Like he did not hear her he drew a piece of paper ¡°Be here in five days with all the necessary equipment for infiltration from the sea.¡± Two things happened nearly at once. She drew on a thick part of the hairpin revealing the entire thing to be a mini stiletto. Her hair remained perfect since the ¡°scabbard¡± kept it tight but the last thumb width was the handle reviling inch and a half of a blade with an unhealthy green hue, The second thing was as soon as I noticed her hand closing around it I made a focus and sent a violent wave of heat to it, wood evaporated leaving almost pleasant smell in the air, the still red hot blade fell on the tea set slightly damaging it. The red scar marred her white skin. Khyon waved his hand and the wound vanished before picking up his tea cup. She looked at him ¡°That was just a mild paralyzing agent.¡± ¡°He did not know that.¡± ¡°He?¡± ¡°What I do is larger than us, so yes I brought a backup. Frankly, he probably likes you because when you foolishly lunged for that blade there would be just a grease stain to explain to our hosts. I would not call the chit for any shit, this is important Ena.¡± She looks at him almost insulted ¡°Too late to work me with ¡°Ena¡± now, I''ll do this and then I don''t want to hear from you ever again!¡± ¡°I so wish that would happen.¡± She leans her head confused he sighs and snaps his fingers. Invisibility vanishes first then, telekinesis. It was one of my better landings, especially because the moment I started to fall I drew both Helen and Drow''s hand crossbow. By the time I landed, I had both drawn and pointed toward her. She, on the other side, had a segmented blade in her belt drawn and under my Adam''s apple. It was likely also poisoned but, Helen and three poisoned bolts were also pointed to her eyes, at best we were at the draw. Until Khyon gently placed his short sword to her jugular from behind. I continued like I was in the conversation the entire time ¡°What he meant was that this is the first stage of a two-part plan, it is likely that only one of us will survive. By the way, I hung in that corner for a while can I get some tea?¡±

 Skull For One Or Another Ch.15

    H¨¢kon Firehand.¡± The voice sounded like something was forcing them out by the great force of will ¡°You come at a bad time.¡± ¡°There is a good time with you?¡± I retorted ¡°Gnh!¡± that was as close as The Bull ever came to a laugh ¡°Guess not. But I haven''t killed in a fortnight, my blood is up, and you are the only living thing alive.¡± Against my better judgment, I slid off the horse ¡°Not for the first time.¡±


    ¡°True. That''s why you still live, you deserve to face me. Anyone else would be already dead.¡± I saw that was true, his arms had involuntary ticks to grab his axes and get done with it, in a way that was a great compliment coming from him. ¡°I see that, but I do suggest you maybe range a bit and find other prey, or you will miss out on what I came to offer.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°I grinned.¡± ¡°Greatest bloodletting you''ve ever been part of.¡± There was a growl ¡°I was part of many great bloodlettings Human.¡± ¡°Not one like this you haven''t.¡± This was the moment if I piqued his interest to hear more I might walk away with my head, if not...I called upon Aether. The Bull or not, I had no interest in being a lamb for slaughter. Finally, he decided, making fists out of his enormous hands to get involuntary movements under control. ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Which part of ¡°You have to be within my visual range.¡± you missed before you entered his hole?¡± I shrugged ¡°Actually his abode on the inside with one or two changes looks surprisingly like your shop.¡± There was almost an amusment in Khyons response ¡°What heads are only for the sticks outside?¡± ¡°Yeah...inside they are on shelves and much more organized.¡± He looked at me ¡°So my shop?¡± It was my turn to grin ¡°I did say ¡°One or two changes¡± didn''t I?¡± Khyon just snorted ¡°What was the second change?¡± ¡°His game room.¡± Kyon turned his head toward me and in near complete darkness I almost could see an incredulous look on his face ¡°His what now?¡± I chuckled and repeated, remembering how it screwed me up when I saw it ¡°Game...Room. How much clearer do I have to be.¡± ¡°Oh, I think if we went into details we''d be at it still at the Dusk tomorrow. Starting with the fact that he lives in a hole in the ground that he has to crouch or get on his knees to enter. Even you had to lower your head when you entered. Which we still have to talk about by the way.¡± I spat a piece of grime that stuck on my lower lip while I was in The Bull''s abode, at least I hoped it was just grime. ¡°Well about that. I suggest tightening your grip on the saddle, before this. There is actually a 3-story house there, fully furnished. Not counting at least a dozen various tunnels and crawl spaces I didn''t ask about. As you so kindly mentioned a few times I was on thin ice as it was.¡± We rode in complete silence for about five minutes ¡°You are fucking with me.¡± I snorted ¡°I wish. Even the fully furnished part is true, although some were scavenged, some self-made, and some constructed from things you really don''t want to hear about. But for a relatively sane comparison, you saw how he just appeared left of me. I assume that''s where one tunnel led, covered with some hay dirt, and gore so you don''t look too closely and suddenly a musclebound giant with about a dozen nightmarish blades on his person is so close you could spit on him. If you REALLY didn''t value your well-being.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I think I really don''t want too many details just one last thing?¡± ¡°Sure there is still a shitload to ride until Wellington.¡± ¡°Wellington? We''re not going directly to camp.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t.¡± There is a short pause ¡°He''s following us isn''t he?¡± ¡°Almost certainly, so he knows I usually stay at Wellington when I lay low or plan the next operation, this will hopefully satisfy him, especially if we hit Paddies, he doesn''t like crowds if he''s not killing them, although I''m almost positive few poor bastards will not be with us tomorrow morning¡± ¡°You are sacrificing some poor bastards for no reason.¡± ¡°No reason? Would you prefer to stay on your soapbox and take him to the camp where everyone else is? There are about 4 people in Wellington I care about, I''m willing to spin that wheel. Sidney is harder to kill than one might think, Hanna I''ll take for the night, you take Sabrina, Paddy is working as likely as V. As for others I care about about them exactly how much they care about me. Less than to raise an eyebrow when I pass the ¡°Obituary¡± section in the papers.¡± ¡°What about Omaha, I know you at least use a kid for free lodging in the stables.¡± ¡°He''s on the cattle drive and won''t be back for another week at least.¡± ¡°Still, you are ok about someone getting butchered because of us.¡± I actually gave it some thought ¡°O.K. no, but not bothered enough to do something about it. Of course, if YOU care so much there is an alternative. He turned his head so he could observe my face with his fully enhanced vision in the dark.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Like, we stop for the night, as I mentioned there is still a shit load of riding to be done yet. Raising a camp to continue tomorrow fresh would not be suspicious. Of course, he told me he did not off anyone in a fortnight, for him killing is a need as big as eating and sleeping for us...well maybe not sleeping for you but you get my drift.¡±


    ¡°How high are our chances of ending up like a carpet in his love shack or whatever you saw?¡± ¡°About 70%.¡± He actually twitched this time ¡°Why so high?¡± ¡°Because of the game room.¡± ¡°What about the damn gaming room? You''ve been dancing around it since we returned.¡± I rubbed my stubble thinking ¡°I don''t think so, just every time we got close you had another stupid question or wanted something clarified, so we just never got to it.¡± ¡°O.K. whatever, what is so gruesome that spooked you so much.¡± ¡°Actually kinda mundanity of it all, it was the best-furnished room in the house. The tables and chairs were almost new, I don''t think it was scavenged he was choosing prized pieces, slaughtering everyone, and leaving with just the table and the chips.¡± I heard Khyon take a breath between his teeth, he was exerting himself to catch a trace of The Bull anywhere around us. ¡°And the players?¡± ¡°Well the heads, duh. Each of them with nice thigh bone in front of it with the date of the kill and the age of the victim. But for some, it was not necessary.¡± ¡°Because?¡± ¡°As he explained it, those were worthy kills, opponents he respected so he preserved them.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yup. There is an entire warehouse of them so he switches them around, and talks with them when they play like they are alive. He taxidermied them and did a damn fine job for the last 6 or so years. I recognized about 3-4 in the warehouse but it was too dark there, once in the Game Room I recognized at least about 10. Glazer twins, George The Dart, that old ass Marshal that almost got me near Columbus?¡± ¡°George ¡°Ceasar¡± Davis? Everyone thought he vanished somewhere in Canada.¡± ¡°He kinda did, he did him in at the Lake Winnipeg, Rattlesnake Ramirez, he tracked him all the way to Acapulco...¡± I was myself to blame there, I could''ve just quit but part of me thought Khyon deserved to know no matter how bad it was for the mission ¡°What are you not telling?¡± ¡°I''m sorry Khyon, Humans were not the only ¡°players¡± in the room.¡± Words left hanging heavier than any piece of equipment on me. I was trying to phrase it as best as I could but Khyon just cut into it ¡°Del''Vane?¡± I did not nod just added ¡°And As''ra too. On the same day.¡± DelVane was Khyons older brother and As''Ra his twin sister. I heard teeth grinding and the smell of ozone. Will power it needed not just to turn to dust everything in a half-mile radius is something I could only hope to achieve, both in just keeping emotions in check and then just doing it without cheating like I did with Aether Clockwork. I waited because even in his current emotional state I knew that the rational part of his brain worked behind it all like a clockwork. It took 5 minutes, and while his voice straightened he said ¡°That does not explain 70%.¡± ¡°Not alone, ¡°players¡± are arranged in tables like dioramas, some completed likely making sense only to him. Some are pretty simple. Those not finished are usually the easiest to connect the dots. Del''Vane and As''Ra are on the only Blackjack table he has. Also, it has two Reserved places, one for the Player and one Reserved place for the Dealer. Your name is on a player reservation, mine is on dealer one.¡± ¡°So his bloodlust is up and both of us pieces to finish his messed up diorama.¡± ¡°Yup, under circumstances 70% is lowballing it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°I didn''t say a thing.¡± ¡°You''re thinking that we''re full of Ather, you have your rifle and I have 18 Pure Aether bullets for Helen, 3 loads...¡± ¡°Clips.¡± ¡°Yeah whatever, clips of poisoned darts for Drow Hand Crossbow. We can take him.¡± There was a pause ¡°So, what if I was.¡± ¡°Two of us can''t take him, I doubt even with two other psychos and Red on top we could not win.¡± Khyon looks at me, residual Aether making his eyes glow with a light blue light ¡°He can''t be that good, few people could withstand that kind of assault.¡± I sighed, this might be hard to explain ¡°He''s VERY good, but you are right not THAT good, the thing is his ¡°VERY good¡± is mixed with another 50% of ¡°VERY hard to kill¡±. And I mean almost impossible. How do you think he took out that amount of top-notch fighters and Arts users, Del''Vane was better than you in arts and better than me with not only a revolver but with ANY weapon.¡± Khyon nearly snarled ¡°And what? I have to play nice while the bastard who killed my family runs around slaughtering merrily.¡± This time I snapped ¡°Fuck that. The shitstain has to die! You know how I felt about As''Ra, why else I would make nice with your corpo/spy/covert cop ass as a fucking wanted criminal!¡± This calmed him down a bit and even drew a bit of a stifled chuckle at my description of him when we met. ¡°O.K. let''s hear the master assassin, whose martial disciplines are: bar brawling, shooting a lot of bullets into stuff, chopping stuff until it doesn''t have any more visible stuff to cut off, and if all that fails burn it with fire.¡± ¡°While very accurate you forgot one important thing, actually most important.¡± ¡°That being¡± ¡°All said and the fact that I still am the only one who returned alive and relatively unharmed with the job done with The Bull.¡± ¡°I know how to kill him and it''s not that hard. All you have to be a hateful unscrupulous bastard.¡± ¡°Well you have that on lock, keep going.¡± ¡°The thing that no one alive knows, except me that is, most likely not even The Bull himself is that he''s an Arts user.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I think that''s one of the things that made him insane to start with.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should start from the start for us slow little boys and girls.¡± I saw lights of Wellington in the distance ¡°Well, at this pace we have a time for the story. It all started with that job I did with him, well we did. There were 5 of us beside him since we all knew about that ¡°Kill-All That Moves¡± stuff and figured 5 competent Arts users should have no issue with a Barbarian with a few hundred extra muscles.¡± ¡°It was a train job right?¡± ¡°Just two cars actually. The railroad was transferring their earning for those 3 months, Glowing Hunt swore that there was 250k in the last car over 40k per person if we all survived. Unfortunately, the last car was basically a steel box welded on the car before it. Car with 20 Pinkerton finest armed to the teeth. Well plan was simple The Bull rushes in soaking some of the damage, likely butchering some of Pinks in the process giving us space to take up positions and unload on them. Nothing sofisticated. So we had The Bull hides in the cattle wagon, no pun intended, and the rest of us bought tickets and watched the scenery. At one point the train had to go over the pretty steep hill. The idea was to disconnect the last two wagons near the peak so that when they started picking up speed downhill again they wouldn''t immediately notice they were a bit lighter. Worked like a charm. Near the hill one by one move from our seats and make our way to the cattle wagon. The final team member arrived minutes before Go time. Right at the top of the hill, The Bull did a very sophisticated thing and instead of uncoupling the wagon just grabbed The chain and ripped it all off, he apparently had some very creative ideas for the part that looked like a hook. Signs were shoving that he began to lose it and we kind of pointed him toward the doors just as he managed to rip the latch part and leave a proper hook with some 3 feet of the chain, He pushed his three meaty fingers through the chain and in second hand he drew some godamn'' claw thing. Like four knife blades welded on the knuckle duster. All of that took maybe 5 seconds I doubt Pinkertons even noticed they slowed even more and started to stop when, what we thought was a garden-variety lunatic, slammed his boot into solid iron doors, and while doors did what Railroad paid for and just buckled for about foot and a half everything around the doors and hinges just exploded and flew forward. I doubt the first several lucky bastards even knew they died. Just blinked at one moment and was meeting St. Peter next, several next wasn''t so lucky, doors just ground them like, up to half, and left them howling.¡±


    ¡°Not for long since The Bull already rushed in whirling hook in one hand and that claw in another. As far as we were concerned things were going swimmingly. There was enough cover among remains as long as you weren''t too squeamish.


    The howling of the first set stopped as The Bull just crunched them under his feet, my rough approximation is that around 8 Pinks were already dead. When the remainder opened fire. I took a pretty nice shot with a Lightning bullet that fried brain pans of two that were next to each other Leaving only two there hidden by The Bull''s bulk. Glowing Hunt ripped souls out of two in the back row. The fight started not 10 seconds ago and we were already nearly even in numbers, with only The Bull catching a few grazes. That was bound to change, one of Pinkertons right in front of The Bull emptied both barrels of his stagecoach shotgun, I think from that distance its barrels were right under The Bull''s chin. Everything above his jaw went into slurry pink mist, if there was some bone, it was lodged with the rest of the pellets into the roof. Honestly, at that moment I thought ¡°Well two birds with one stone¡±. Lunatic is gone and the remaining share is now nice and round 50k each. I cocked my revolver and waited for The Bull to hit the ground so I can take out his killer and the dude next to him with my second Lightning round. Then I tended to load in pairs, 2 Lightnings to thin the herd, 2 Fires to make them panic about burning alive and start running, and last 2 Pure Aether for stubborn holdouts. But Barbarian did not fall, without missing a beat, like not even realizing he was nearly decapitated slammed that claw under the chin of the guy who decapitated him and lifted him up nailing his head to the roof and at the same time completely obliterating the head of the Pink next to him with the hook. I was still operating under the delusion that this was some prolonged death spasm. But our side stopped firing and watched, the remaining Pinkertones also seemingly forgot us completely pouring everything into The Bull. Then I saw it. His head. It was translucent and purple but it was his head without question, at the same time flesh and bone around the remains of his jaw began to quiver and reconstitute in real-time, in seconds. He wrenched the claw out and again hooked the closest guy through the top of the head his yanking opened his skull as a watermelon. Some Pinkertons tried to reload, one was a blubbering mess, crying and praying, to God or the murdering brute I have no idea. If there were any more alive I didn''t see them. The Bull lept to their last position and I just saw a splash of blood, like someone crushed a bunch of red paint under something heavy.¡±


    ¡°Frankly, we had no idea what to do, just stood there neither shooting nor approaching. Until a figure painted red stood up and looked toward us Glowing Hunt figured it out a second before, and the hook and purple Soulripper Bolt flew by each other roughly at the halfway point. Now, Glowing Hunt was learning how to hunt Cougars armed only with a flint knife before some of us took our first shot, he wouldn''t be caught by a flying piece of metal from that distance, he twisted and the hook missed him by about an inch, unfortunately, Iron Nell still did not unfreeze and it struck her right into steel plating she had on the right of the forehead, it went in deep and threw her out of the car. I also released the shot into his freshly reconstituted eye. The Glowing Hunt''s bolt went straight through his chest and my bullet fried a good portion of his upper head blinding him in the process. Well, in theory. In practice, when he looked at us I saw the purple translucent heart beating where the real one was. and purple eyes watching from the fried holes my bullet left. The remaining of us finally moved Crazy Bill began peppering him with a shotgun fire shells, it looked like a rain of fire and I added two of mine Sal tried to conjure Aether chains to bind him and Glowing Hunt started making Glyph that would rip his soul out. Maybe that would do it, maybe that was what that purple thing inside him was, but that was all theoretical. Because in the real world, he snapped chains and burning from head to toe jumped at us with that one claw, and drew one of his meat cleavers. As mentioned I thought Glowing Hunt had the most chance so I tried to buy him some time. Shooting both of Bull''s knees out with pure Aether bullets, bone, and cartilage vanished. There was nothing. Nothing physical holding his upper stumps with the remains of his calves. Nothing except that purple facsimile. It was quite enough though, reaching and severing Glowing Hunt''s head at the jaw level in one bound, then going for me with the claw. I jumped back but a fair part still bit me.¡± After a long time in silence, Khyon said ¡°Those four scars on your chest that look like a bear got you?¡± I nodded


    ¡°Anyway what I think no one of us noticed in all of this bloodbath, is that gravity took the car again and now it was moving it back at a decent speed.¡±


    ¡°My jump back threw me out of the car and left me bouncing down after it, cracking a few of my ribs on the rails but fortunately third or fourth bounce threw me to the side into a pretty tall grass so I more/less just rolled down some 20 more feet. I was lying on my back trying to remember whose idea was to work with The Bull in the first place so I could crawl back to the car and kill them again. When a loud crash cleared my haze. I lifted my head and saw... Oh, joy! The car also tumbled off the tracks and was lying on the side. I checked for Helen and wondrously my pretty was still in my hand. Empty, but undamaged. Unfortunately, my pouch with enchanted bullets was somewhere uphill and certainly spilled, what''s more, I wasn''t climbing. I somehow clambered to my feet and dragged myself down and looky first damn thing I see is Half-Ork ass on his feet holding bisected Sal''s corpse, his back was turned to me, so I could still slip away, but there were 250k reasons not to do that, and I liked working with Glowing Hunt, dependable, fair fellow. Natives usually are if you treat them fairly, so there might be some vengeance involved in my next actions. Besides I noticed something, the large cut he likely earned in the crush wasn''t healing or glowing purple. It seemed he was out of juice, and I was not. I didn''t have strength or concentration for something fancy, every inch of my body was in pain. So I stepped at steel rails to avoid pebbles and got to some 20 ft all the while draining what power I could muster into double-hand Aether Ball, and cracked him in the back of the skull with it. It still wasn''t enough to kill the bastard, I looked around for something suitable, but I demolished concrete walls with Aether Ball, adding to it with a flick with a piece of wood certainly wouldn''t help. I made my way to the money car and sat next to it. Placing plam against it I slide the last tendrils of my Aether into the lock mechanism, it took god awful 15 minutes but the doors finally clicked. ¡°You did it?¡± I looked to my right and shitface was sitting and looking at me for god knows how long. ¡°I did, but I can''t open this door on my own, so get your musclebound ass over here, do your part, and give me my money.¡± We both lifted to our feet. He growled, ¡°You knock me out.¡± I considered removing my seal, but fuck knows what that would do, maybe melt us both, or gods forbid burn the money making this entire exercise truly pointless. Instead, I moved my shirt ¡°And you kissed me for goodnight¡±, I said showing the scars his claw made. He considered it for a second ¡°Then we''re even this time, but I''ll add your head to my collection...in time.¡± ¡°Nice hobby, I might start with yours too.¡± I talked a lot of shit but he probably could''ve snapped my neck then. He opened the doors. There were 5 bags of 50k, he threw me two, I likely wasn''t capable of carrying more anyway and 100k was more than I hoped for in the first place. That''s the story.¡±


    ¡°Ok I get how it ties into the revenge angle, you will use enemy forces to hopefully drain his juice...¡± I nodded ¡°Them and I might slip Amsel something extra if he gets on the action, he''s a greedy fuck.¡± ¡°Or he rats you out and you get your head chopped off before we reach New Orleans.¡± I shook my head ¡°Mr. Amsel earned himself one of the first reservations in the Game Room. He''d likely pay me to make it go away. Two assholes with one stone¡± ¡°Ok, aside from your absolute steadfastness about killing Amsel even if he helps you, how did you get ¡°The Bull¡± to agree to it.¡± Wellington was close enough that I was able to see his face and I was not going to miss this. ¡°Oh it was simple, I just basically told him everything, including planning to kill him part. He''s game¡± First time in my life I saw Elf lose control of his facial features to that point. His jaw dropped and his eyes grew twice as big, and even in the dark, I saw he''s become ashen color. ¡°You did what!!¡±

 Bodyguard For a Day, Influence for a Lifetime Ch.16

    ¡°Just when I wake up and think, you know he might just already seen all your dumbest moves and you got the other issues out of your system, you commit suicide. Worse you take us with us.¡± This time it was Anne fuming and my supposed friend Khyon in her corner. This was still about Skulltaker of course although it was the third day already, even if he was here (he was they found the fourth body this morning) Fortunately it was the last missing person, in towns like Wellington there was a fair share of metaphorical ghosts. People whose disappearance would go unnoticed maybe for eternity, maybe until bodies were found. I, not trying to sound even more like the monster we were hunting didn''t care. They all died within several hours of each other. The town had a doctor, old Albius, and I have no doubt this upset him very, very much. See, that made me sad in a way. I did not care for Albius in the same way I cared for four to five I made sure were safe that night, and Hana noticed it almost immediately, she was always a smart girl, and not only city-smart. Once I heard her humming the song Orphanages Quire had to learn for some event during my brief stay there. It was a piece of work from some European composer, whose name escaped me, even if I did know it ever, I never revealed that I heard her, it seemed like a private moment. Nor did I ever ask her how she ended up here. In the end, why did it matter? By the sounds next door Khyon, now officially my Eskimo brother, had a rather good time with Sabrina, if The Bull targeted her or him, he''d at least die happy. But considering I had to slip him something in the dring I doubt this could be considered my fault. In my defense, once we called the girls he became as natural conversationalist as a broom in a closet, even prostitutes have some standards. So at one of 100 bathroom breaks I jumped and ran to the blackjack table where Doc Albuis was when I said what I wanted he raised his eyebrows ¡°I never would thought you have such issues, you have a bit of a reputation around here you know?¡± I shrugged ¡°I''m a freak doc what can I say, now ladies are waiting¡± I pitched my head toward the still Khyonless table, I wasn''t sure he wasn''t trying to fit through the window ¡°Oh two at once, say no more.¡± Old Doc took his big black bag he carried always for emergencies. He took a small bottle and a thin piece of paper placed two small spoons inside and professionally wrapped it. and giving it to me I slid 5$ to him and took a pause thinking. This will be a long night. ¡°Give me a doze of cocaine Doc, make it stronger. Also one bottle of liquid laudanum.¡± He raised both brows and opened his mouth but before anything came out 20$ entered his pocket. ¡°Coke is for tomorrow so I return lost energy and laudanum is for treating pain from sword and bow wounds.¡± His brows raise in alarm ¡°You are wounded?¡± ¡°No, but I will be in 2 days, also too far to get your services so leave laudanum unsigned on the bottle in case certain people get their hands on it.¡± While he placed my order in the small black bag. I hissed in the dealer''s ear ¡°This man comes out at least even or there will be a shortage of hands above the wrist, spread the word.¡± Dealer glances at my abundance of blades, especially nasty Bowie at my waist, and nods fighting to swallow. I was back at the table and chuck in Khyons drank an entire dose. Quickly stirring it with my finger, I look at Sabrina She shrugs ¡°Whatever gets the train rolling Hak I''m about to doze off. No, you won''t¡± I poured half of the coke in front of her ¡°Quickly now.¡± As the pro, she makes the line with a male razor she produces from her stocking and sniffs it in a second. I look at Hana and she shakes her head. which was good since the Khyon finally appeared making some excuses, but dust at the split between his hat and the adornment actually confirms my suspicions. He actually DID try to go out the window, half panicking he downed his drink in one gulp prompting the three of us to exchange glances. I wrote ¡°Sorry¡± on a napkin to Sabrina she philosophically just shrugged and when he was undoing the top button from a certain onset of heat calling for another round she imitated herself destroying that line. Well, she was right, out of all the girls at the premises she was likely prepared to handle blitzed out of his socks Khyon and I tended to believe it. I barely resisted saluting her as Khyon lost basic mental functions threw her over the shoulder and actually teleported both to the top floor running toward the rooms. Out of basic precaution, we took the joined rooms. Hanna chuckled ¡°We are walking, got that.¡± I couldn''t help but smile at the note of authority in her voice ¡°Yes ma''am.¡± ¡°So, shall we?¡± I stood up properly pulled her chair back and then offered her the hook of my hand where she rested both of hers, one properly tucked under and the second above, giving a formal pose note of intimacy. We climbed the stairs, and I heard a befuddled patron at the Blackjack table ¡°He just tripled his bet and won for the 4th time, it''s crazy.¡± I heard the old physician say in a slightly superior voice ¡°You just need to know the flow of the cards Nick old sport. I think I''ll cash out for tonight.¡± As he went to take his winnings our looks met briefly and there was a quick wink. Old Fox was old but not a complete imbecile, seeing Khyon''s behavior and mine, plus his abrupt change of luck he added two and two together I imagine pretty quickly I touched my hat for goodbye. He continued seemingly still talking about cards, ¡°Flow my old man like blood, says is important. If you were stabbed, it would hurt, and you''d want it to stop come to me and ask for a prescription, and I''d first make sure why it hurts then treat the pain itself. Pain kills one patient out of 30, and inflammation untreated kills 12 out of 30. Just because we wanted to stop the pain without knowing what''s causing it, if it''s a wound, secondary bleeding, sepsis, chunk of the opponent weapon still inside better to suffer a few more days than die.¡± ¡°Yeah, and you apparently were liberal with whiskey too let''s go find you a carriage.¡± ¡°Ah O.K. but I''m paying for yours too, cards Devils were kind to me tonight.¡± Other men chukled ¡°Card Gods Albius.¡± ¡°Not tonight Nick, not tonight.¡±


    the next room were not really quiet. Hanna chuckled ¡°Did he just try to improvise limerick about his...rudder?¡± ¡°I''m afraid so. But he''s not only to be blamed, didn''t she call it ¡°undying flame¡± like five minutes ago¡± ¡°Considering how much of the stuff you dumped inside I wouldn''t be surprised if she was literal, flame part included.¡± I gave a half smile ¡°Oy, it''s called improvisation for a reason. Let''s hope both are fine tomorrow.¡± Hanna just shook her head  moving across the room taking a heavy nightgown staying in the equivalent of a sleeping gown but...much, much more revealing, and took from the nightstand bottle of whiskey I shook my head taking out the second portion of cocaine ¡°I have to be concentrated, and awake.¡± ¡°Knowing cocaine horny too.¡± I deflected ¡°And imagine, there you are.¡± Hanna took a sip of whiskey cuddling in the large chair, tucking her bare feet under her, it made her look almost minuscule ¡°So will you tell me yourself, or will I have to pry it out of you? I will find out anyway why not just save us both grief? You yourself because I know you don''t like to be silent, cold type, you do have a villain type but it falls in the chattier category, also you like me.¡± ¡°Hanna...¡± ¡°Don''t worry I know it''s not that type of ¡°like¡±, you don''t have sex with someone that many times as we did, and not figure out a thing or two about them, we have a similar sense of humor, we enjoy each others time, and that''s why you here I think. If I married I''d have you be godfather to one of my children. If I stopped working we might still hook up from time to time, but we would never date. Feel better?¡± ¡°Well hot girl just told me she''d never date me while implying she knows I''m here only to protect her so yeah I''m awesome.¡± She grabs one pillow and throws it at me ¡°Asswipe.¡± I laughed and caught the pillow then stood up moving to the chair ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Making moves at you.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I''m Snowhite.¡± ¡°So shut up, you wanted answers and I figured to prevent that chair from eating you¡± I sat in one corner and there was still enough space for her, like the chair was made for Half-Giants, Hanna laid down placing her touch and lower parts on the chair and made herself cozy on my chest. Giving me a generous eyeful. ¡°Thanks, friend¡± ¡°With, occasional, benefits. And I''m still working here on your dime, so you actually can kill the night any way you like.¡± I shook my head ¡°Actually it''s HIS dime and it sounds like he''s really getting his money''s worth.¡± Sounds from the adjoining room stopped being even close to Human a while back and it sounded like two large primates in heat.¡± ¡°Now answers.¡± she was really like a dog with a bone, I sighed ¡°Yeah.¡± I took a deep breath ¡°People will die tonight, hope is no more than 4. Our forces are stretched at most concentrated places, Roughly around 50% of the people are either at the table, bar, or girls so 2 of us are here. We have all the largest hubs covered, around 80% of people with at least one of us there. A lot of others are home. This is not, his M.O. He''ll go for harder kills so fortified places, groups coming and leaving, and warrior-looking folk moving about.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Fort trying to lie about this, I know you likely tried to make 4-5 people safe, you don''t care if 90% of this city burns, but you will lie, so I can feel better, so... thanks.¡± I was at a loss for words for a few seconds before kinda automatically said ¡°You''re welcome.¡± ¡°Uhuh. Good night.¡± almost like a cat, she made a place to sleep half on my bed, half on me, and went to sleep leaving my cocked-up mind to jump at shadows. That is what I was thinking during this lecture.


    ¡°I said there would be collateral damage, there was collateral damage, and only one of four was, sorta, kinda, if you squint a decent man the rest were pieces of shit. But that is not what buns your taint is it, it''s the fact that I told him the truth. That is a real issue. You don''t care about the people of the town.¡± She looked at me, light simmering behind her inhuman eyes ¡°Abso-fucking-lutely true, you endangered the mission.¡± ¡°I did not.¡± Anne turned to Santino ¡°Could you...¡± just to notice he was silently chuckling and likely for a while. Her voice dropped in warmth several more degrees ¡°Could you share the joke, because I don''t see what is so funny.¡± Santino looked at her and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye still chuckling. ¡°Oh, nothing about the situation specifically, just about how the things in general change. As for the situation we''re in I agree with H¨¢kon¡± ¡°What? Are you...¡± ¡°I agree with the boy too.¡± Ronald was sitting on a log destroying bottle of whiskey and occasionally passing me the bottle ¡°Well two drunks...¡± Red came out of the half-dark ¡°I agree with H¨¢kon too, and I don''t drink.¡± Anne looked at the Elf and took a deep breath ¡°O.K. I''ll listen. Start¡± Red shrugged ¡°Who actually met and talked with this... The Bull character.¡± Only my hand went up ¡°Who worked with him before?¡± Still, just my hand stayed up ¡°Now, the most important one who saw and heard the discussion between them a few days ago?¡± Still just my hand. Red shrugged ¡°I could continue, but I don''t want to test the endurance of H¨¢kon''s hand. I have no idea about this ¡°The Bull¡± character but H¨¢kon so far delivered every time, none of us know the position he was in. Yet he delivered again in a way we find odd, yes there I''m with you. But he''s the only one who ever talked with this person face to face, which I understand is a challenge to do even once. He did it twice, I''m ready to believe he''d made the right decision again. He did not let us down before.¡± Anne looked at her and sighed before glancing at me ¡°Do you think this will work?¡± I was tempted to quip but managed to keep my temper


    ¡±Yes.¡± ¡°Red is right you DID deliver so far, and almost died a few times in the process. You earned some leeway...some.¡± Khyon started ¡°But..¡± Red interfered ¡°You are more angry you got drugged than anything else, I''d be too. But that is a private matter. Deal with it privately. This is larger than us.¡± Khyon bit the lower lip and got silent. I almost chuckled but Red then said ¡°H¨¢kon your last rep is due, meet me on the field in five minutes.¡± Since I took Drow Saber she taught me how to use single-edged curved blades. The saber I took wasn''t that much curved so that helped a great deal, but saying that, I have no idea how much worse it would be if I had no practice at all. And now something in her voice told me to run. Still, in five minutes, I was on the practice ground. Saber in my hand. The voice came from my left ¡°It''s been a while since I put my neck so far for someone.¡± Something was off, I closed my eyes and allowed my tendrils to roam. ¡°So you trust that psychopath whose last victim was today drawn from a sewer drain.¡± ¡°I trust he''ll do what he said¡± The attack came from my back I blocked three times but when I counter-attacked there was nothing there. ¡°Why?¡± I didn''t move Red still used only one sword, which was a significantly large handicap. Her two Shamsirs were not only more curved, but she could kill me with one of them whenever she felt like it. That is how it felt. But not tonight. She still fought handicapped, with only one sword, but this was not practice. I felt movement on my right and I blasted the area around me with fire, feeling movement on my left. I caught the blade with mine and did not let it go. She tried to disengage, but the spine of my saber followed. Then I stepped in the only way of retreat, and her viciously sharp blade went through the front of my right leg like it was not there ¡°OK you proved...¡± Aether bolt caught her in solar plexus, and our swords were still entangled, I led her blade to my left leg, and as before, the damn thing was so sharp I felt nothing as it cut through my artery, except seeing blood spurt nearly 5 feet. She was mortified, but not for long as I blasted her 30 feet into the wall. She was out, now Coup de Grass, I blasted fire from my forefinger, and blue flame cut an inch into the stone until it was next to her neck. Done. I carefully laid down and closed my eyes when I heard ¡°Oh you dumb fuck, you dumb, dumb fuck, open your eyes.¡± I peeked it was, naturally, Khyon applying the Arts to fix my left leg and normal medicine to the right one. Both of his hands were bloody to the elbows. ¡°Check her out, I wasn''t gentle.¡± ¡°As fuck I will, you will just fall asleep again.¡± I grunted and the healing lights showed up in my hands I placed them at the wounds. ¡°Now go and check her out!¡± ¡°You will keep that going?¡± ¡°Yeah for as long as I can, so feel free to hurry.¡± He went away and I allowed for healing to do its stuff. What she did was odd, especially after her public support, I understood this was some sort of test, and I also understood I took it too far but I did not like being manhandled. I held my own against The Bull, I sure as hell wasn''t to back off now. My palms started to go numb, I had enough juice left, but I was more of a burst user. Healing and stuff like that was more like a marathon, it tested endurance more than power, I didn''t like it and I did not use those disciplines often. Now I was paying the price for it, I shut my eyes and concentrated. ¡°You are an idiot.¡± Red was next to me she did not look too banged up Khyon did his job well as always. ¡°You decided it was a perfect opportunity to test me.¡± ¡°Not test you in killing yourself.¡± ¡°You are better than me, I had to think outside the box.¡± She shook her head and removed my hands placing hers ¡°I''m getting sick of patching you up.¡± Khyon returned, by his wet hands and absence of blood it was easy to guess he was on the basin. He got next to my right leg and nodded to Red ¡°I''ll finish here, you concentrate on dumbasses artery.¡± ¡°Love you two shower upon me really makes me warm and fuzzy.¡± Both snapped at the same time ¡°Shut up!!¡± after some 15 minutes it was done. And Khyon sighed leaning back while Red stood up ¡°I''m knackered, I''m off to sleep, try not to think ¡°out of the box¡± too much.¡± ¡°Yes, doc.¡± She threw a rag she used to wipe her forehead and hand to my face and left. Khyon sighed ¡°Being your friend is a literal and unending nightmare.¡± ¡°Well, it does have its ups and downs.¡± ¡°Name me on up,¡± ¡°Want me to recite the limerick you composed about your dick last night, I clearly brought out the artist in you.¡± ¡°Open your mouth again and I''m breaking your jaw.¡± I chuckled laying on my back, unwilling to test walking yet. ¡°Your stunt better not be compromising tomorrow.¡± ¡°What''s tomorrow?¡± ¡°Your next to last job for the rifle.¡± I raised my eyebrow ¡°One you called easy one.¡± ¡°Comparetivly.¡± ¡°Well, don''t keep me in suspense.¡± ¡°We are escorting one Elven dignitary from one High house to another.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with spotting job, and the rifle in general? And don''t High Houses have their own guard?¡± ¡°Spotting, none. Rifle plenty. It''s not like it will always be used like a Sniper with all benefits on your side. This tests versatility, how will it perform if surprise attacked, and does not know in advance what components to use in advance. As for the guard, this is a secret mission. Unmarked carriage, standard crew outside. I as the gunner and driver outside, you with our charge inside. Keep both Hand Crossbow and Helen ready, I suggest a larger-than-usual amount and variety of enchanted ammo.¡± I glanced at him ¡°You expect something.¡± He was silent for a moment ¡°Call it a gut feeling, we are undermanned for this job if things go South as they tend to.¡± I thought for a second ¡°Can you get me more of unpoisoned, garden variety bolts for Hand Crossbow?¡± ¡°Sure. Why?¡± ¡°I don''t see why I couldn''t enchant them too, same as bullets, it''s probably even safer, no gunpowder to worry about.¡± He smiled ¡°And three explosive bolts shot in one press of a trigger...¡± he started ¡°...could do something about our ¡°undermanned¡± problem.¡± ¡°You are getting another quarrel with 20 brand spanking new bolts.¡± I grinned ¡°This might be fun.¡± He kicked my shoulder ¡°It would for you...fucking psycho.¡± But he was grinning from ear to ear too.

 Dove & Dowry Ch. 17

    ¡°Oh cool rifle.¡± but the amount of modularity so far was way above anything I ever handled. Just occasionally glancing inside I noticed some new features I had no idea it could have. I tried to sound casual ¡°You know that your people way overengineered that rifle, right? Even if they sell it at outrageous markup they won''t make the profit because that''s...very specific weapon. On the other hand, if they sell it for less than it''s worth, 90% of people would not know what to do with half of that stuff.¡± There was silence. I thought I offended his baby in some way and thought about how to defuse the situation. I really did not want to fight again, especially before the mission when he sighed ¡°I approached the subject already...¡± He finally decides on the bare scope and screws it on and opens the drawer with various add-ons for it ¡°They were...not very receptive.¡± He takes three smaller pieces and screws two forward and one at the side eye goes on.¡±


    ¡°Are they blind or just a bunch of techno-geeks?¡± He opens a smaller drawer pulls out several very sensitive tools I saw already and starts to zero in scope. I didn''t want to bother him at that moment, because this was ¡°save our ases part¡± After several minutes of fiddling he locked the mechanism of the scope. From my relatively short acquaintance with the weapon, I knew now the gun could be dropped down the ravine and the rifle might get messed but the aim would stay true. That part, reliability, I actually really admired.


    ¡°A bit of both I think, but I think two of us are to blame mostly.¡± I lifted the eyebrow ¡°How the hell is that our fault?¡± He shrugs ¡°As this is a prototype for this model, and as I said this is the second most expensive model. They don''t expect to sell very much of these or the one above it, or the one below it. They are prestige weapons. And with my notes, they will make some adjustments to the rifle for mass production. ¡°Mass¡± is under very large quotations. I think there will be only 100 of these if you decide to sell this one you will probably be able to make a nice amount of scratch due to the coveted 000 serial number. Collectors already talking about a ridiculous amount for 001-010. No one is expecting prototypes to hit the market at all it would drive rich snobs crazy.¡± I chuckled ¡°Thanks for the retirement plan, still, I don''t see where is our fault.¡± He closes the drawers opens the lid and then unravels it as a small staircase, like false bottom under false bottom at least 6 times. Well, 7 if you count the real bottom and unscrew the barrel. That I hadn''t seen before, then looked for a while and picked a shorter but also thinner barrel, I started to connect some dots, but still as the amateur, he expected to fire in closer confines, as if someone jumped on the roof of the carriage, but thinner barrel would focus Aether and maintain the power and even minimize the loss of distance. ¡°Yeah, you already know its name don''t you?¡± I scratched my stubble ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°And Helen also approves of it, so I doubt you''d sell it, no more than you''d sell Helen, or that saber you''re killing yourself to get good with.¡± I was silent for a bit ¡°Is that weird.¡± He looked at me ¡°To a normal person probably, I doubt they would understand the difference between knowing a weapons name and giving a weapon name.¡± I looked at him ¡°So this happened before?¡± He grinned ¡°Oh look at my precious flower, always thinking he''s first at something and always being disappointed. It will happen champ, just keep trying.¡± I knocked a pebble at his knee ¡°Ouch. Yeah, it happened forever, and not only with weapons. However, since it''s cooler for them than let''s say necklaces they get the spotlight. Although putting a cube of ice on your bruised ego, it is a pretty rare ability, I think with you I know like four people in total that have it, and the other three are Elves.¡± I paused ¡°Wait a minute, if you don''t have it how did you know the name of the sword?¡± He grinned ¡°I lied, I had no idea, but with everyone around it would be bad for business to just cave in.¡± I shook my head ¡°I never saw someone take his cover so seriously.¡±  Finishing screwing on the new barrel he looks up at me ¡°Nothing fake about that. The cover works best if it''s not a cover, so that is my sole source of income for real. The only thing that hints at my actual profession is the occasional parcel I get that is prepaid and I just have to deliver it, but that''s as far as I''ll go about that.¡± ¡°I shrugged, well it''s like 100% more than you ever said.¡± He takes aim at the tree some 300 feet away and dry fires the rifle ¡°I figured, I should say something since we''re friends now and all.¡± ¡°I groaned ¡°OK, don''t make it awkward now.¡± He grinned ¡°The way you said it, it was a mix of telling someone his mother died and calling them on a first date.¡± I placed my hand on Helen ¡°Another word and I''m shooting you in the foot and remember I have only magic bullets inside, I played with the chamber a few times, and getting your foot blasted with pure Aether would be cruel and unusual punishment...also very satisfying for me.¡± he raises his hand in surrendering gesture. ¡°Now back on the topic, how are we guilty, or responsible, or whatever.¡±


    ¡°We have a 93% success rate.¡± I raised my eyebrow ¡°That sounds good, why are you saying it like your father died?¡± He looks around like he''s trying to find the right words ¡°We are outliers. Closest to us is the actual rifle they plan to sell to consumers, No 5. With 87%. The other two prestige rifles are both in the low 70s or high 60s. In their mind, it''s because they have a fantastic product. They don''t take into account anything else.¡± I tilted my head ¡°Like a competency of testers for example?¡± He sighs ¡°For example.¡± He lowers his voice like someone could hear us in the middle of nowhere. ¡°This is the secret. Rifles from 1-5 stripped to their basics are very similar, material is the most impactful difference for performance everything else is glitz. No 5 is basically the rifle I used when we were catching Amsel, just made of better materials, but not so much better that would matter in such a short engagement. They basically plan to sell prestige models to a few rich snobs and then sell 4-5 to others and actually make money on selling the accessories...¡± he slaps Oak''s box in front of him ¡°You saw how much of this shit is in here and it can make a difference of night and day.¡± Like to demonstrate the point he with several lever movements removes the entire stock and replaces it with an outline of the stock, made of some material unknown to me, and a padded butt. there was a screw at the bottom with flat longer sides that one had no issue screwing and unscrewing with the hand he loosened it and then actually folded it inward to the left so it doesn''t bother his arm since he was right, but I assumed it was possible to do the same in the different direction if the left was your preferred arm. Usually, you''d have to pay to have your rifle restocked for something like that but here it was done with several lever movements and a screw.


    ¡°They are not actually into selling rifles, they will make a fortune in selling these ding dongs that go on them.¡± Khyon chuckles ¡°I''d put it more eloquently but yeah, as testers we all get a full kit. But say you want a decent Aether Sniper, there are exactly zero on the market, you pass by and see your future rifle that comes with roughly two-thirds of this box but there is no way you can afford it. Then you notice model No5 and while is still expensive you can afford it and while you have it wrapped up you see you can buy about 200 ¡±ding dongs¡± on their own and they fit all rifles. So next month you are there for the suppressor and some scope improvement, month after that, few new stocks, etc. By the time you buy everything you want they will come up with series 2 that will have all new din dongs incompatible with the old rifle and it starts again.¡± I raise my eyebrow ¡°And we''re good for business because due to necessity we try various configurations and prove their worth, although Average Joe will hardly find himself in half of the situations we do and could do without half of that stuff.¡± Khyon shrugs ¡°I do highly doubt that even a professional assassin will find himself thinking on the right barrel, stock, scope, and magazine for fighting on the moving coach.¡± ¡°Magazine?¡± He pops out the standard magazine he''s been using whole this time and opens another drawer 4 more different magazines were inside with the empty place for the one he just ejected. Khyon thinks for a while and picks up seemingly one the same size but with the red mark on the bottom and slots it in. ¡°Twice as powerful but otherwise the same, it is made from a different alloy so it can handle the pressure of extra Aether, It''s basically like changing .22 for.45¡± I scratched my head ¡°OK, I take it back. They will make a killing, both metaphorically and literally.¡± Khyon opens a loading mechanism and starts loading the cell ¡°Yeah.¡± I sat near him ¡°I can''t help but notice you don''t dance from joy.¡± The first beep sounds ¡°Don''t get me wrong, in my unbiased opinion this is a great weapon, and if we survive the last trial I''m thrilled you will get not only it but our test ¡±ding dongs¡± box since I think there is about 50 more in this than it will be in most expensive model and precisely 100 more than it will be sold with this model. But the fact that they will use our numbers to sell it to a bunch of poor yahoos is... squeamish. It''s not only tricking them of their money, that is kind of my bread and butter. But how many of them will bite more than they can chew because they saw our numbers and go after someone like Amsel...he''d have their liver out before they squeeze off a first shot.¡± Second beep Khyon closes the cell and does a final check before closing the box and placing a safety cover over the scope. ¡°This is a serious piece of equipment for serious people. When an amateur buys Dwarwen Roomsweeper. He has to point it in a vague direction of the thing he wants gone and squeeze both triggers, even if only 30% of the charge hits, there is a decent chance that the thing he wanted to go is gone. Because if the wall behind you evaporates and you suddenly miss an arm, you will be running until you find help or pass out from blood loss. And most Dwarven Aether weapons work like that, a ridiculous amount of firepower in a relatively short range. They are basically idiotproof unless you are so much of an idiot that you shoot yourself. Then that is just natural selection in action. We''ll try to market this rifle to the same market as the long-range alternative. For an amateur to get model No5, he absolutely needs at least 3-4 more ¡±ding dongs¡± to make it viable, bipod for one, because with a scope even breathing throws off your aim at a medium distance, then suppressor no matter how much you shit on it because of name, because without it you will telegraph where you are even in broad daylight and all still living gods help you if you shoot at night and miss. Someone will wear your ears as a souvenir before you realize that you have to lift your head off the scope after every shot. And last basic would be at least one improvement for your scope. If you are a race that is not blessed with any kind of night vision, then a night vision add-on ASAP. Also, don''t go alone for fuck sake, find a buddy to spot for you. All that should be on the box, but my left ass cheek it will be but you know what will be OUR 93% success rate and due to the facts it''s the same rifle only one is made of steel, and one of Titanium, and one from Mithril, only "Ding Dongs¡± are different. Sure, good shooters will become even better. But the number of yokels this rifle is gonna kill out of sheer overconfidence is the same as the number that will be killed by it.¡±


    ¡°But you knew what it would be used for, why angry now.¡± He suddenly snaps as he jumps to his feet ¡°I didn''t!!¡± He collects himself quickly, but personally, I never saw him lose his cool like that ¡°When it started, it was a Special Operations program, and the people who were in charge understood the complexity of the rifle. Sure there were talks of a simplified version going to the wide market in a couple of years, but after our Drow engagement things started to change. Private money started to flow in, goals changed and I was already committed, there was no going back. And what are we gonna do? Fudge the numbers in a real firefight? I don''t like where is this going, but I don''t hate it that much to risk the death of either of us. My only hope is that people will see it for BS it is¡±. He finally screws on the suppressor, even if it was a different model. Half the length of the one we usually used but also half the width. Rifle overall with folded stock took a whole different aspect, it was maybe palm longer than long barrel peacekeeper, and after shooting it before I was fairly certain I could handle it with one hand. If Someone lands on the roof with a souped-up energy cell Khyon could more than comfortably shoot from the hip and from that distance, I imagine rip anyone in half. He loosens the odd stock screw and returns it in place. This was obviously standard configuration, the shorter one was if things got too close for comfort. ¡°Prepare yourself¡± I opened my mouth to ask for what when I smelled ozone, a sign of activating Arts, and my hand fell on Helen. But before I was able to say or do anything. A glowing oval shape opened to my right and I saw a beautifully made and light courtyard, well it was night there too so it was at least on this hemisphere, then a carriage passed through and stopped in front of us and the portal closed. Well, I was slightly surprised but at least this part we discussed and as Khyon jumped next to the driver exchanging a few words with him I stood on the step opened the door, and slid inside. Even before I fully entered I noticed a few oddities. First, when I grabbed for the inside to enter I noticed the walls were at least a third thicker, and as I entered I looked at the walls and noticed about an inch of some metal as plating. This was the armored carriage, I heard about those but I always thought them to be one of many tales spun about High Elves. Since it was supposed to imitate normal carriage all extra space was taken from inside, which somewhat explained the lack of more guards.


    ¡°What is going on? Lhak''a?¡± Young female voice, their dignitary. Even with the briefness of the fight air was hard to breathe because of the stench of burned ozone, due to attacks and counterattacks. It was an odd stench of burned plastic and overheated metal. Her voice loosened his resolve for a millisecond but enough for me to disjoint my mental arm and wrap around his, I felt ligaments in my arm straining in the real world giving in to mental pressure. The arm is not built to do what I did to it and physically wanted to follow the astral imprint of itself. But I was out of the danger for now. However, this was far from over I was calculating my chances of reaching for every weapon. neither was particularly good. Suddenly I got a mental message from Khyon ¡°What the fuck s going on inside? carriage begins to heat...rapidly.¡± ¡°There was a personal guard inside too. we are fighting to the death right now.¡± Khyon sounded incredulous, not that I blame him. ¡°He called me f¨¨t¨¹m. You know after that only one of us can leave alive.¡± There was silence I thought Khyon was wrecking the brain to salvage the situation somehow. Well, until the doors next to the bodyguard slammed open like hurricane wind ripped them open. Khyon was more flying than holding onto the carriage with his only points of contact being left-hand on the upper part of the door and tip of his boot on the step. Still, a second bodyguard saw his eyes he knew he was dead, he started his last push to set himself free but Khyon ripped him out of my grip and effortlessly grabbed his ankle while landing on his seat and at the same time, guided the falling body under the wheels. He looked almost bored while sounding most similar to something heavy falling through the dry branches, well if it wasn''t for screaming, once that stopped he kept the grip until a particularly violent yank left just the leg in his hand. Khyon grabs the roof and jumps out again giving himself a boost with Arts to bounce him back onto the roof vanishing from the sight. The entire thing lasted for maybe 5 seconds. I just reminded myself about the voice and for the first time I looked at our living cargo. It would look like a 15-16 year old teen if there wasn''t that voice. Our dignitary was a girl, and while it''s always hard to place the exact age of one of the Elves, High ones especially I would give my right nut that she was barely older than 30, which by Elven standard barely placed her into the equivalent of Human 18.


    ¡°Khyon who the fuck is this?¡± There was a pause ¡°It''s hard to explain, I''ll do it face-to-face once this is done.¡± ¡°Once ¡°this is done¡± is a part that worries me. How old is she?¡± ¡°There is an equivalent of a mental sigh, ¡°26 she a Dove¡± ¡°I''m not familiar with the term.¡± ¡°It would be odd if you were. It''s private.¡± ¡°You won''t unprivate it for me?¡± ¡° I just tore someone in pieces for you, you''ll live without this.¡± ¡°I''d win¡± ¡°No you would not.¡± ¡°I had a plan¡° ¡°Did it involve, hoping that distraction will make him freeze long enough for you to slam Soul Dagger into his throat...and before your own hand gives up.¡± ¡°...Maybe.¡± ¡°Soooooo dead. Rest, you spent too much power.¡± That, he was right about, the tussle with a bodyguard drained me so much that I likely couldn''t make a barrier to stop a slingshot. I looked at our charge and just now noticed she was looking at me The clothes were some sort of very large ceremonial silken garb that hid the gender. It was...very, colorful with a bright yellow background and mosaic in vivid colors depicted on it. I was unable to see the mosaic since it was hidden to me to at least 80%. But maybe because of Khyons words I noticed only bird I saw on the remaining 20% was a dove. ¡°What happened?¡± Her voice surprised me, not only because of how young she sounded but her struggle to maintain that air of superiority in her voice. I raised an eyebrow toward the veil over her face. It was thick enough to obscure most of her features but the glow of her eyes behind it was a clear indicator of where to look. ¡°You know what, and you know why.¡± She sounded almost offended ¡°Lhak''a did not know you understood.¡± I almost chuckled ¡°So if I didn''t understand he offended me it would be fine?¡± She sounded like someone forced to talk to a toddler. ¡°Well, of course. What you don''t understand can''t hurt you.¡± ¡°Because I''m f¨¨t¨¹m?¡± She started to answer but stopped ¡°You almost tricked me if I answered you''d kill me.¡± I nodded ¡°How does it feel being played with?¡± I felt her gaze beneath the veil. ¡°You shouldn''t be allowed to speak to me like that, actually you shouldn''t be allowed to talk to me at all.¡± ¡°And I should paralyze your bodyguard until my friend jumps in and throws him under the wheels and holds him there until all that is left of his is a leg?¡± She goes silent but is not done yet, Simply reorganizing herself. ¡°It must be a proud moment showing how powerful you are over an undefended girl, we will see how brave you are when I am again surrounded by the guards under my command.¡± ¡°If¡± Her head bobs slightly. ¡°What?¡± ¡° If you are ever surrounded by your guards again and not killed by bandits in another attack. We barely held them off the first time, when your valiant guard breathed his last.¡± I slowly drew and activated my Drow Hand Crossbow and continued while the mechanism buzzed into life ¡°But fiends sunk so low to pay for the best assassins of your kin. I actually only once saw how their poison works from up close, this might be educational.¡± I admit she WAS good but for a while now I verbally sparred with the best, she wasn''t fit to hold a candle to either Red or Anne. Her superior pose vanished, shoulders slumped she just watched through the desert. I deactivated the crossbow and returned it to the holster. ¡°For the name of Flaming Throne girl, how are you raised if you are so easily broken by a Human? Khyon would be just warmed up for some 5-6 hours of back and forth.¡± ¡°Khyon is a true scion of his house, I''m a barely High Elf. If I didn''t meet the criteria to be a dove I''d be probably a Companion.¡± High Elves and their niceties. Not counting V Drows always tried to kill me on the spot, but there was the part of me that admired their directness, and especially their craftsmanship. But they called a whore a whore and Brotherel a Brothel. Not these nicities with Companions and Gentleman and Ladies Clubs. Paint a donkey with stripes, it won''t become a zebra. But to elevate the establishments that served just one purpose they made these girls go through hell which would make them famous in the wide world. Every companion was able to hold a conversation among the most advanced human ¡°experts¡± in a multitude of fields and that was just conversation. There was dancing, playing several types of instruments, singing etc. I saw several that dared to leave that High Elven mold and become world stars. Shunned by their own people but once the reproduction of your portrait is in the European Royal courts you can giggle your way to the bank and retire before you reach 200, Male athletes were highly sought after. But their isolationist culture was so high that the number of both sexes in the entirety was mid-50s. And now was here someone who looked down the nose at being the Companion and I had the uncomfortable idea that once when I find out what the Dove really is I might hurl. So I was somewhat hesitant. I started a small talk ¡°OK, I''ll tell you what, how about we start again, you forget that you had a bodyguard and forget that word and I forget pretty


    ¡°How you are so sure they will overlook the death of a Lhak''a?¡± ¡°His group likely won''t, same as the group of that Drow with the crossbow. Or a Drow that had this saber.Or Drow that had the helmet locked to my waist, you get the picture. If they want to make a fuss that''s just more money in my pockets and they tend to have a nice kit too. Why do you think your driver did not even slow down when he heard his ¡°buddy¡± being torn to bits under the wheels, or at least go faster to give him a cleaner death? High Elf or not, you don''t drive this route and don''t understand how to recognize hungry Jackals when you meet them a few times. And he bets between the two of us or that finely polished guard of yours, we tend to make better protectors.¡± I actually chuckled at the last part ¡°As paradoxical as that sounds.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry...just it''s been a while since I saw meat so I can fit in this dumb dress, and honestly I don''t even like the cheese, I don''t know what got into me.¡±


    ¡°Most F...sorry, reflex. Most Humans find it too long and dumb, call me ''Mina. That how my servants used to call me...when we had them.¡± There was some bitterness in the last sentence and shrugged. I stared at the flask like its not my buisness ¡°Loyalty is nice and all but it doesn''t feed family alone, I think you know that better than most.¡± She looked at me with those fierce green eyes for a second, like checking if was I making fun of her. Then sighed, ¡±Yes, I do. I don''t blame them as a people, my nana stayed two months longer for free before she had to leave. She cried. But the situation changed so quickly.¡± I didn''t ask what. I heard all tails of tragedy, did it really matter if I skipped one? If she wanted she''d tell me on her own ¡°What''s your name?¡± The question caught me by surprise for some reason. We were talking, and I asked her her name and some pretty personal questions, she wanting to know my name in return was pretty damn obvious. But she was High Elf and during my existence, only three of their kind wanted to know my name. I should''ve lied, my name was so rare around here that it was the same as giving a calling card. ¡°H¨¢kon¡±. She laughed ¡°That''s weird.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she chuckled, ¡°You are the only ¡°H¨¢kon¡± I ever met. The only other time I heard that name was when I read it on my father''s store Wanted poster. Ghaw!¡± Well ¡°Gwah¡± was deserved. The story was wrong, I wasn''t Adonis in the first place, but they made me look like a Goblin, I had a facial scar that I earned in that fight and they it made my front feature that now was barely nick on the tip of my chin but they made it like a god damn Grand Canyon. As a tip on the shit of Cherry Sunday I apparently gunned down 4 of the patrons... considering I had just a knife at the time and most of the shooting was done by Del''Vane, Khyons older brother when he figured out they were cheating at cards, I just shanked one guy in self-defense, for before mentioned scar on my face. Del decided to help me out as thanks for the help, while I was going to grab the News Rag he bought me a one-way ticket as close to Arkansas as it going to get close to. I was about 16 and had no idea I''d see him again, or meet his his brother some 8 years later, or that his sister would be the only woman I loved, nor that I''d work with his killer twice. And now 20 years later when I forgot all about it I was escorting a girl whose first boogeyman was me. I shook my head. Instead of all of that I just said ¡°I heard it''s a pretty common name in Hungary.¡± ¡°So you are an immigrant?¡± I shrugged, ¡°Someone in my family was, I was an orphan.¡± Kind of caught wrongfooted she went silent and threw out usual ¡°I''m sorry.¡± Sometimes I''d like to find who popularized that phrase like a canned response for half a dozen bad news you unexpectedly hear, until ¡°I''m sorry¡± is all he remembers how to say. Suddenly telepathic link pops up. ¡°H¨¢kon¡± ¡°Still here.¡± ¡°Nice because I''ll need you soon I think.¡± My stomach sunk ¡°Easier job huh?¡± ¡°Again, comparatively. Check back some 500 ft, there is a low hill on that side, already the third time I think I noticed a horse shadow when we turned too fast for them to adjust.¡± ¡°Any idea of the numbers?¡± ¡°Nope, but if they know on armor on this baby, I doubt less than 4-5.¡± ¡°Lovely.¡± ¡°I said I''m sorry.¡± The last one was my lovely passenger friend. Not overly unreasonably thinking I''m pouting because of her remark. I chuckled ¡°Very soon you''ll wish that was a reason why I was silent.¡± drawing an odd look from her. I turned down the gas light on my side And then drew binoculars, although I''ll use them more as the telescope. Surprisingly she did as I said immediately, I opened protective shuters. Due to the moon, I didn''t dare push the binoculars out but just opened cosmetic curtains in the middle and watched through one piece it allowed, I already had my night attachment on and used most I could from small space. Khyon messaged me again ¡°Driver said we''re coming at another bend soon.¡± I zeroed in on what I thought was the best place and braced myself so the movement of the carriage didn''t throw me off. It took about three minutes and we swerved. They adapted and I didn''t see a shadow. The same result for Khyon I guessed by a string of expletives, ¡°Calm yourself and collect your toy.¡± ¡°You saw something?¡± ¡°Yup. Horses breath.¡± ¡°You sure.¡± ¡°As I can be but I saw a posse or two and I''m fairly certain we are hunted by one.¡± ¡°Lovely. Opinion?¡± ¡°Just a second.¡± I turned toward the place I assumed the girl was. ¡°''Mina I have a question for you and I''d be very, very grateful if you don''t give me the same song and dance...other, High Elves do because if you do you''ll be enslaved in the next half an hour and the rest of us might be lucky and die.¡± There is a brief tremor in her voice as she confirms with but enough conviction that I decided to trust her. ¡°What is the exactly ¡°dove¡±?¡± There is a heavy, pregnant pause. It likely lasted a minute but if you said an hour I would believe you. But finally, she answers with an odd question ¡°Do you know what a ¡°Hapsburg chin¡±, or ¡°Habsburg jaw¡± is?¡± I looked back into the darkness ¡°Girl I''m a criminal from Arkansas all I know about Habsburg is that was name stamped under some European golden coin with a head of an ugly shit on it.¡± ¡°Well, that ugly mug was one of Habsburg''s lines, since I have no idea who the hell you robbed for it I wouldn''t know which one, but I can say that Habsburg''s chin was why he was ugly.¡± ¡°You are losing me and we are losing time, point please.¡± She sighed and barked something in elven that I doubt was very ladylike ¡°Ok, short version, they did a lot of incest, like all the incest you can imagine and something tells me that you both know what is incest and can imagine a lot.¡± ¡°Oh you''re so lucky I can''t see you, why the fuck they would do that?¡± ¡°Money and power, they were royal family, large one.¡± ¡°I wonder why.¡± ¡°Shut up. So they figured. Why to marry outside the family? If they keep it among themselves, literally, they keep both money, titles, and land for themselves. After several centuries of that, they became so cute.¡± ¡°OK. What does that have to do with Elves and doves?¡± ¡°Well it''s not like Humans are the only greedy bastards on the planet.¡± ¡°Gee thanks.¡± ¡°I said shut up. Anyway, punishment for our wealthy incestoids...¡± ¡°You made that word up.¡± ¡°And you''ll never know. Anyway, the punishment was not the ability to scratch our noses with the tip of our chin but widespread infertility among the ruling class. And when I say widespread just in this city there are 150 cemeteries exclusively for stillborn.¡± Now was my turn to be silent, and she continued ¡°Of course for our wonderful bluebloods not just any orphan will do, and since infertility is 25% more common in females solution is obvious find a lady of the good breeding and get into a legal contract with her, all is very civilized of course. We are a chosen race after all.¡± In a silent tiny carriage enveloped in darkness like a slightly oversized coffin, her voice sounded hollow. ¡°After the contract is signed, you and your entire family get an agreed-upon stipend every month. The stipend depends on with whom is contract is made. Of course. From that moment on I produce babies with the male of the family, and they are immedietly shipped to the Lady of the house who would be by that time be in one of familly estates do the ruse is at least formally possible. I am to be...available how many he wants, and if I get a miscarriage, I''m expected to take potions to get to fertility as fast as possible. If the family deems they have enough male members, the stipend is cut by half, and that sum we receive to the end of the life.¡± There was a silence ¡°Why would you take such a deal?¡± ¡°Most of the doves are daughters of widowed nobless, usually in the war. Smaller nobility, whose husbands and fathers didn''t have enough to leave them in the case of their death. My father died in the Nagash Wars.¡± The Nagash Wars referred to three uprisings led by the Warlock of Drow Middle House of Dim''NarSukh. Still is debated what was gained by them, but they cost the house dearly. The Warlock himself for the beginning. The third uprising was Him, Lesser House of Dahu, and about 300 unaffiliated Creek Indians. High Elves retreated from this one, speculating that the entire point was bleeding of High Elves, in the first two uprisings they lost around 500 warriors and 130 mages plus at least 1000 wounded of various disciplines. By that time Nagash and his various allies lost around 200 people in total and twice that many wounded. He should''ve returned to their caves once their principal enemy decided not to take the field. But it would seem Nagash had a point to make. Well, the baton of High Elves was picked up by Khula Elves, and them alone. Nagash and his army and allies rode into Emerald Grove, on the other side rode out a lone horse carrying a headless disemboweled body with scalped Nagash''s head in the place of bowls, his nose and eyes were missing too, and ears were sharpened to look like a pigs. His manhood was shoved down his throat. Drows, nor anyone else answered this. But the House of Dim''NarSukh was promoted to one of the Large Houses, indicating one of the great Houses engenered all those events ant entry into status and privileges of the Large House was the rewared enouh for the House Dim''NarSukh. ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Second.¡± if we weren''t in our predicament it would be amusing how surprised she sounded I actually know my ass from my elbow. Let alone about stuff that didn''t involve humans ¡°That sucks.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I manifested a bit of light after closing the window cover and gave her the Bowie ¡°Cut about a length and a half of the blade in the middle of the cover of the windows but be careful they don''t spot you, just push until the widest part of the blade and then push downwards and pull it back it should be enough.¡± She nodded and I extinguished the light first hearing the window closer to her and preparing to contact Khyon. ¡°So we''re not gonna die?¡± ¡°I don''t think so.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because after that story I feel like killing something. Just one more question. That guy we''re doing this for seems like a catch, big money?¡± She paused ¡°Kinda¡± ¡°So, how many?¡± ¡°How many what.¡± "Opponents had to die before it was your turn¡± ¡°Are you seriously asking me have I killed someone?¡± I chuckled ¡°No I know you killed someone, and likely yourself since you are not wealthy enough to pay for middleman, some would say callous I say comendable. If there is dirty work to be done, at least do it yourself, that makes a world of difference in my world. So, how many?¡± There was a pause and I heard as fabric tore, not even glimpse of the blade on the moonlight she moved and began at the second window ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Damn, I thought two.¡± she finished with second window and now she produced a small light offering me knife back, I took it. ¡°How did you know¡± ¡°I suspected earlier, but when you explained what dove was it clicked.¡± ¡°What did?¡± ¡°The way you used the knife when you ate, you are practiced, there are no many things knife this large can be used for and, sorry, I don''t see you as a hunter. Your father likely wanted a boy and all his effort pointed toward you, I bet you were able to kick the ass of anyone in your class by age 10 male or female.¡± She shrugged. ¡°OK how about I offered you an alternative, instead of being miserable baby factory for prick who''s mr winky you''ll likely slice in half before the second child I offer you fulfilling job, opportunity that will make all your fathers dream come true.¡± Under the light on just one ghost light, her face would look perfectly evil if she wasn''t confused as hell. ¡°Ok, in short, you will kill an ungodly amount of people, earn enough so your family won''t ever hurt for money again, you''ll get rid yourself of all that repressed anger and you won''t have to see a dick ever again if that''s your preference.¡± She peeked at me suspiciously ¡°Why would you just offer that to me? We''ve just met.¡± ¡°Well, for one, because I never had that choice and I''m giving you one and two I feel like pissing off someone today.¡± She still looks understandably apprehensive ¡°Can we have a like trial period?¡± I shrugged ¡°Sure whatever, there is one rule though.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°I say someone is not on the menu, no accident is to befall that person.¡± She snorted ¡°Amen.¡± I sent a message to Khyon that I had suspicion will upset him.

 Price Of The Freedom Ch. 18

    ¡°That our job was to test the rifle and they can arrange their marriages on their own time and dime.¡± but something told me that there was way more to that. It would appear that my ¡°by the book¡± friend had some seething resentment about his own society too. ¡°Ok, how do you think they will hit us?¡± came telepathic inquiry. "I think there are three groups of them, two professionals likely working together and the last one pigeon shoot. Overzealous locals working on their own or serving as distraction for the other two, they will attack first from our right, I guess you spotted them?¡± ¡°It would be hard not to I hardly resisted not taking shots, four I think but to be certain we bump it to six.¡± ¡°Cool, I think they listened to too many tall tales in saloons and will wait until we are closest to the ridge and just pounce all at once opening fire on you. Since that''s barely 20 feet and they have the higher ground they aim to be upon you in seconds and then hope that sheer weight of numbers will carry them.¡± ¡°Plan?¡± ¡° ¡°Ignore them I''ll mow them down, maybe one manages to get the hang of the carriage, myself or the driver will take care of that. You get the bead for the real assault.¡± ¡°You figure that big rock after we clear the band?¡± ¡°Yeah, for one hiding the group behind us would put them too far behind, I think the third hidden group will try to push the rock on us or before us, while stalkers finally make their move we will have to worry about the rock straight form above and sudden rush from behind.¡± ¡°Plan?¡± ¡°First test our asset, she has telekinetic training, how much juice she is packing is anyone''s guess. Best case she bounces that pretty straight behind us, making the temporary roadblock for pursuers and giving you a clearer kill lane since instead of the entire road they will have few narrow patches of road to maneuver, worse scenario she just bumps it into the ravine.¡± ¡°What about the worse one: She bungles it and one of us has to jump in.¡± ¡° She can do it.¡± ¡°That''s an uncharacteristically optimistic stance from you.¡± ¡°She tries to hide it behind all that ingrained hoity-toity crap you all High Elves brought up with it...¡± ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± ¡°You''re welcome, any way behind it all she''s not dissatisfied or lethargic but properly pissed off at it all, pissed off enough to remove three of her competitors from the running...permanently.¡± ¡°Oh, I heard something about some string of accidents in lower nobility. Damn. So our innocent flower borderline had homicide as a hobby?¡± ¡°Well I wouldn''t go that far but once we pull the lid off of it...I think she''ll handle that stone. You helping by knocking a few of dudes on that side would help, then return your attention to guys in the back I''ll handle what remains, might have to jump up so unlock the roof door from your side.¡± ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Ok I''ll make the plan with her and prepare, you do your thing.¡± ¡°Ok, see you on the other side.¡± Line-cut I looked in the dark and again produced a small ghost light so I could see my... partner...apprentice...I guess we''ll codify that later. ¡°Ok, when I turn the light off open the hatch on the right, and look at the big round rock some 70 ft after the bend, I need you to tell me with absolute certainty what telekinetically can do with it, this is no place for either chest-thumping or false modesty. Just look at it, think about your telekinetic power and what you can do with to it. Got it?¡± There was a faint nervous energy in her gaze but she nodded with certainty, the light went out and I heard latches being worked and protection being opened just slightly then her shadow against outside light she was there for about 4 seconds. Then closed the hatch and locked it. She lit the small space then ¡°What do you want me to do with it?¡± I raised an eyebrow ¡°They will push it, before us, or on top of us, I want you to peak through that hole, and once baulder starts to move I want you to take control and place it behind us some 10 ft would be perfect.¡± She nodded ¡°Ok.¡± I untied my reserve with magic bullets. She looked briefly puzzled ¡°That''s all, just ¡°Ok.¡± You won''t question it?¡± I chuckled ¡°And how would that help exactly? Make you doubt yourself, or make you want to prove yourself, neither really good things at the moment. You said you could do it and I trust you, that''s all there is about it, can I proceed now?¡± She nodded with a look on her face that told me that her word was rarely taken just like that without discussion and that I, accidentally, scored a point in her book, and at this point, I''ll take what I can get. I finished untying and threw magic bullets next to her ¡°We''ll likely start the dance and I''ll likely need to have Hel...my revolver reloaded. Those are enchanted bullets, get acquainted with them, The bullet portion is colored differently from the cartridge. Red for fire, dark blue ice, light blue lightning, and black pure Aether. My usual load is one of either color, then pure Aether, so say ordinary load would be lightning, Aether, fire, Aether, ice, Aether. It doesn''t matter in which order you mix the elements just that one of each is inside. Got it?¡± She nodded. ¡°Ok, that Bowie is for close quarters, that is it''s perfect for this, now what are you packing?¡± She looked at me surprised ¡°How do you know I...¡± ¡°Cats have claws and you are more lynx, or cougar so tell me all of it.¡± She sighed and pointed at the wooden sticks that were holding her bun in place, ¡°...wood is a scabbard they are throwing needles...¡± she noticed my suppressed eye-roll ¡°I''m not dumb, I know they are not killing weapons that''s why I don''t remove them from the scabbard, they are coated with one of the most potent venoms, paralyze is instant and death will take for how long person can hold breath. unless some other organ doesn''t kill them first...like the heart. I heard that it''s bad when those stop beating. Their size is perfect for stabbing at the hand that tries to gain the purchase to the inside, even better if they gain a good purchase they will block others with their body so others will have to rip their compatriot to take his place and repeat the process, after them comes these.¡± she opens her coat and shows two proper throwing knives one that could easily go through smaller bones like fingers and ribs. not to mention neck arteries or eyes, she had 4 in total. ¡°All are treated with the same poison.¡± finally she reaches down and grabs her high heel turns it 360 degrees and removes it leaving a thick and sharp spike in its place. ¡°The second shoe has the same feature, perfect for confined spaces, and will come in handy paired with your Bowie. No poison I''m afraid.¡± She returns the heel. Some of my dumbfoundedness might''ve shown on my face ¡°What? The Lady has to be prepared for such a dangerous trip.¡± I laughed ¡°And prepared you are. So now we wait for our invitation to the dance.¡± I carefully opened the hatch on my side and drew both Hand Crossbow and Helen noticing that ''Mina is checking opposite doors are well and properly locked. I kinda started to think we accidentally made a find of the century. Then fully paid attention outside, Khyon was right, I rarely had to use my binoculars at all. Every half a minute or so top of the hat popped against the sky, so much horse sweat and breath that it almost made a mist of its own and one entire head popped out. I understood Khyon''s twitchy finger, it would be a bit far but I was fairly sure with a lighting bullet I could make a shot a few times.


    ¡°Get down on the floor and don''t pop up, it would suck to die from a stray bullet. In my whole life of misdeeds that was my biggest fear, prepare for reloading and start to concentrate your power, your big moment is coming just after I clean this trash.¡± She got to the floor without objection and I noticed she had already taken out from the bag three Aether bullets and three others. I activated the Hand Crossbow and the mechanism whirled to readiness. I manually fiddled with the load, the first three lightning hoping to catch 3-5 of them into a paralyzing net, then 3 explosive ones to check for myself how this baby can bang. The remaining three loads I left default because I doubted we''d need them. Unlike what I said to ''Mina this time Helen was filled to the gills with Aether bullets. Just by extreme luck even one of six might land on the carriage, I smelled ozone and looked up, Driver or Khyon placed a dome over the top. Likely the driver, not that I blamed him, he would have been the prime target. Without him, imminent bend would throw us into the ravine no matter how inept they were. It was doubtful they noticed I only noticed by smell and the other sparkles of the spell better visible in the dark, others were too far. We were close to the place now and I opened my window completely leaving just a wall as protection as I crouched next to ''Mina peaking with one eye out from her locked window, I hated waiting. Telepathic channel to Khyon opened ¡°Movement around the rock I see three targets, advise.¡± ¡°We will be at the spot in some 5 seconds. Will they still be there?¡± ¡°Inconclusive.¡± I really hated to burn such a perfect ambush but those three were real targets, not these yahoos above us ¡°Fuck it, use your best judgment but don''t let all of them go. We''ll deal with the fact they know the cover is blown. Drow?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°At least some sweet, sweet loot.¡± ¡°If we survive.¡± ¡°Don''t rain at my loot parade.¡± He was right though. That was at least 7 Drows in better positions and I doubt three were all that was there. I listened and a few seconds later I heard two fast-suppressed shots. Grunt from telepathic channel ¡°One down, the second dove into the cover.¡± ¡°Good enough watch for the reaction.¡± Accidentally or not yahoos made their move, together with the reaction to the shots. And another curveball there were eight of them, slightly over our worst predictions. I gritted my teeth and just grunted as the first salvo slammed into the carriage and got introduced to our armor. Few hit in the barrier too but it held. I swung up and aimed at the middle of the mass of now 15 feet-away riders and pressed the trigger, the crossbow made od ¡°twang¡± sound before the mechanism started to pull up three explosive bolts. The electric ones smacked into the bunched group at an ideal 10 feet making some nice fireworks as every bolt conected with the charge of another making a large electric fence, several rounds punched through the canvas and almost singed my hair, and, in response I aimed Helen leaving one of the riders at the side without head and shoulders. Their inexperience shoved as once they got hit with the crossbow and swift decapitation a second later. They did as prey did and bunched up together. At first sight, already 5 of them were out, either dead or without a horse. I unleashed three explosive bolts in those that remained and, on second thought it might not be the wisest idea since they were just about 5 feet away, the explosion left very little of them but the potency of it hit us too having driver struggle to keep us on the road, fighting both blowback from explosion and the curve in the road we were thrown a round a bit. I sent a message to Khyon ¡°Report?¡± ¡°Well amateur hour went in flames but Drows from the back are closing fast.¡± just then I noticed hits in the back wall of the carriage ¡°I hope your big angry hope is ready because she''s up in five.¡± Shit. we got thrown around a bit longer than I thought ¡°''Mina?¡± She threw out a few expletives that I would definitely expect from my mouth, but not out of the lady of good breeding, minor nobility or not. ¡°Oh, we''re having a talk about that mouth of your young lady.¡± ¡°Oh thanks for reminding me about you, add yourself to the aforementioned pile.¡± ¡°Noted. For now, I''ll remind you to open the window and deal with the boulder, like now.¡± ¡°Already? Fuck.¡± I felt her squirming and instead of opening the side window she opened the hatch to the roof and threw herself half out. ¡°The fuck?¡± I think I heard Khyon mirror my words. but it was too late for that I slid back the window and saw that Drows were around 50 feet away. Good enough for Helen but at the far end of the crossbow so I placed it next to me and grabbed Helen with both hands for better accuracy. I cocked the revolver and let one loose, making the lead rider do the same head-vanishing magic trick. Just for the one next to him to get catapulted from the saddle with still smoking hole in his chest, I cocked the Helen again but my target stayed without the upper part of the head. Khyon was showing off his superior rate of fire, I slightly adjusted, and Willowy rider hit with an Aether bullet got torn in half at its thinnest point, waist. Leaving the lower portion in saddle riding in macabre display as the upper part slammed once against the road before falling in the crevasse. Khyon took one more out before a large boulder slammed in front of our pursuers. I turned and grabbed ''Minna drawing her back in ¡°That was fucking irresponsible and...you are bleeding...¡± I was in shock for a second before checking out the wounds, they were not immediately life-threatening but not grazes either, well one wasn''t. She got slammed with a revolver bullet right in the shoulder, second one was a graze to her temple. I closed the sliding door at the back and secured all doors and windows. Then turned toward her ¡°Do you know any healing magic?¡± Still high on adrenaline she pushed me up ¡°I''m not a damn damsel in distress, I''ll live, go up they''ll get overwhelmed.¡± I looked at her one last time ¡°First worst wound then others, start now." I grabbed a Crossbow and hurled myself up just in time to blow away Drow who jumped behind Khyon as he made another barrier. Without even looking at what I killed he nodded settled himself into a shooting position and began to pick off our pursuers, I took a glance at the driver he was missing an ear but handled it surprisingly well. I thought about reloading Helen but ''Mina was right. Two more Drows jumped from above, Both with rapiers I honorably shot closer one in the chest with all three bolts from the Crossbow and pushed him with my foot in his compatriot''s way while mechanism did its thing, Drow burst into flames as he was drenched in the oil, likely all three bolts were fire enchanted, but with honor equaling mine, his friend just kicked him off the roof. Ultimately buying me just enough time to holster the revolver, draw the Sabre, and wait for the mechanism to finish, while testing Red''s teaching abilities. Rapier was significantly longer, but Saber had heft, both Drow made drawing glances from my opponent. I decided to equalize the length of my weapon with the size and barb of my tongue. ¡°Yeah fucker your friend wasn''t the first one to have the misfortune to run into me... I casually waved Crossbow ¡°... or the second, let''s see will you have better luck, I like your boots.¡± He spat something in their language and lunged aiming at my heart, and fuck me I almost heard Red in my ear. ¡°An angry opponent tends to overcommit, you tend to make that mistake. Keep a cool head if you want to keep it.¡± I couldn''t help but smile as I sidestepped the lounge and instead of rushing for the finish, again heard her ¡°You are a beginner, experienced in various forms of combat, but when comes to curved swords beginner. Always favor basics no matter if it takes longer, victory is important not the style.¡± I did a basic circular cut cutting his sword hand above the wrist, and when he yelped and grabbed the stump stepping back I simply kicked him off the carriage. The barrier was taking the beating but less and less. I looked above as the crossbow finished its cycle. Khyon was on one shoulder, the cell was open and he was reloading, slightly pale, who knows which reload this was. Not to count the barrier. Even he had limits I looked at the bunch that rode after us they were at a comfortable 30 feet now. I glanced at the Crossbow and almost smiled, when I enchanted the bolts I colored feathers the same as with bullets. Three black feathered bolts looked at me, well let''s try explosion but at a safe distance now. Instead of remaining 3-4 opponents, I shot at the cliff slightly ahead of them and bolts struck exactly as they were underneath. Now I could enjoy our little invention in safety. The boom was something spectacular I knew it would be stronger than bullets simply because bolts were larger and more Aether went into them but three together striking at the same time it was like looking like the sun. For a brief moment you could read outside in some half-mile radius, after images still dancing in front of my eyes I didn''t see a landslide but I heard it, the rumble of earth and stone mixed with screams of Drows being dragged with it into the crevasse. When my vision returned road behind us was empty. ¡°All of them?¡± Khyon shook his head ¡°Nope I heard two maybe three horses galloping away, cutting their losses.¡± ¡°Smart, lads. Go check on the girl, you were always better with healing stuff than I was.¡± He threw me the rifle ¡°Just in case.¡± I nodded and sat at his place, I called to the driver ¡°You okay there? It''s bleeding pretty badly.¡± He nodded ¡°Ach it''s just ears, always bleed like a motherfuckers. But I''ll be good.¡± He looked at me, a strange look in his eyes ¡°You killed 6 of them just like that.¡± I was slightly taken aback not really getting used to getting praise from High Elves, but then I realized that through happenstance I always communicated with higher strata of society. I doubt Humans would treat me much better in such a situation. This was just the driver. Common folk. I guessed they were always the same, for him this was a maybe once-in-a-lifetime experience. I shrugged ¡°That''s what I was hired to do.¡± ¡°I saw you take that one with just a Sabre. I thought you dead and poof you dismembered bastard in two moves.¡± I shrugged. Nothing I say will lessen what he saw in his eyes. ¡°What''s your name?¡± I looked at him and thought to lie but just shrugged ¡°H¨¢kon Firehand¡± There was a shadow of recognition in his eyes ¡°I heard about you¡± I gave him a half smile ¡°They say you are one mean sonnuvabitch.¡± I chuckled ¡°Do they? And what do you figure.¡± ¡°That I pity the fool who crosses you, but sonnuvabitch part might be from jealous posh dicks who wish they are half as good as you.¡± I looked at the man in surprise ¡°Never thought of it that way.¡± Man shrugs ¡°You should try sometime.¡± ¡°Maybe I will, thanks.¡± Now he seems at a loss for words and just shrugs again. ¡°H¨¢kon.¡° Khyon pops up and I glance at him and his bloody hands and feel something in my gut twist ¡°Don''t tell me that.¡± ¡°I''m sorry, she got a gut wound she hid even from me, you had no chance to see it.¡± My jaw sets and I spit over the railing. Khyon whispers something to the driver and soon carriage stops at the small clearing. I look around, Khyon places an arm on my shoulder ¡°I''ll open the portal to the camp.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I can shove a lot of things under the rug but not you killing a member of Higher House.¡± ¡°And you think I would try?¡± ¡°I don''t think you would try, I think you''d kill him because I''d side with you. Just go home.¡± ¡°Handle funeral for her, a proper one.¡± ¡°Don''t worry about it, I''ll handle things for her family too. This is for you.¡± He gave me a bloody piece of paper. Proper to the end, She found a Notebook, pen and ink, it was dated, she even somehow figured out the time under that was just written: Thanks ''Mina I looked at the note for several seconds before it burst into flames and I blew the ashes off my fingers. Khyon opens the portal, and the driver clears his throat ¡°I''m sorry sir.¡± I just nod his way, ¡°I hope it heals well.¡± ¡°Thanks, sir.¡± I passed through the portal.


    ¡°Hey, Red.¡± this was her first time here. As I said Ronald was as Anne said my enabler which he answered philosophically ¡°Everyone grieves in their own way.¡± ¡°What''s to grieve he knew her for a few hours, and he doesn''t even know her full name.¡± I could almost imagine old Dwarf shrugging at that and never rising to the bait and arguing. Santino visited once a day, never said a word just shared half a bottle with me before nodding goodbye and leaving. Khyon also never said a word, nor showed himself but I both heard and felt him as he sat cleaning and adjusting his rifle on the opposite side of the wall. Never left for a second I did my ¡°business¡± off the ledge, and so did he, only another wall separated us and his position was much safer. He didn''t drink to pass the time but regulated the pack down the cliff. Once a day usually a bit after dusk as the moon started to rise I heard ¡°Poof¡±, ¡°Poof¡±, ¡°Poof¡±... Sometimes for an hour or longer. Even Anne for all her railing was here often, and long. I believe she was watching I don''t slip down the ledge in the sleep. She was good at removing all the traces but since she had to remain almost until I awoke I smelled her. Her love for various perfumes will keep betraying her until we move sometimes cacti aren''t the only plant besides dried grass. But this was the first time Red came. ¡°I''m not in the mood or...capacity, for the lesson tonight sorry.¡± The way she was crouching lock of her hair touched my ear. ¡°No more lessons. Khyon told me a duel you had at the top of the carriage. Impressive.¡± I snorted ¡°The guy was crap.¡± ¡°Khyon wasn''t talking about him but you. You kept your cool, resisted your urges to just jump in and chop him to pieces, and as you said the guy was crap, you likely could but you did as thought. Strong fundamentals and a cool head, if he was three times better outcome wouldn''t change. Of course, there is a limit to that tactic and I can do it, but can''t teach it. Practice what I taught you and be patient, another teacher will present itself.¡± ¡°Why are you hear then? To tell me off, I thought that was Anne''s job.¡± There was a trace of a smile in her voice ¡°It is, and Gods things she says... just not to your face. I''m here just to see you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°For the same reason you cut yourself from the rest of us.¡± ¡°I don''t know why I did that.¡± ¡°And I don''t know why I do this.¡± There was the break and she landed next to me and took a seat. There was not a place for one of those ladylike dogs the size of a shoe on the ledge anymore. She took the bottle and threw it in the darkness. ¡°Hey...¡± I started and then she shut me up or startled me in shutting up not sure which, but I was silent. She hugged me and lowered me as he placed my head on her lap, I felt alcohol vanish and I was stone sober and didn''t like the feeling. Yet her fingers went threw my hair and she sang something I did not understand, except it was beautiful...and sad. So much that it hurt, so much that I cried the first time after I realized I was alone and unwanted...when I was maybe 7. It was an ugly, slimy slobbering cry when you sometimes forget to breathe, I''m pretty sure I destroyed her dress and that she had to scrub her hands afterward. Yet she didn''t pause for a second until, like a child, I got tuckered out and fell asleep. Sun woke me up. I felt the smell of roses this time and took a seat. I stood up without swaying first time in a while and glanced down. Khyon was at work again only 6 Hellhounds looked up at me with their yellow fiery eyes and one did a trick with a jump and fire sniping while the others began to snarl trying to think what to do and finally get their prize. I gave it to them...in a way. Ice was my weakest destruction magic but it was also one that was extra powerful against Hellhounds I used both hands to churn a cyclone of winter cold wind down, and it caught them by surprise I made the wind go faster and faster and the temperature to fall ever lower until they helplessly tumbled in that cauldron of freezing wind, their hellfire long extinguished and fur frozen and brittle breaking as they hit the ground I physically took a large breath and raised my arms and down there wind stopped and 6 beasts beaten and bruised landed trying to get a purchase on solid ground and flee when I exhaled and lowered my arms turning them into 6 ice statues before making fists and making them shatter in thousand pieces. I saw in the distance about 4-5 more strewn around on their way to their daily ritual, too far to deal with magic or a Helen, then I heard three fast ¡°Poofs¡± in about two seconds tearing large portions of skulls from meaty heads, as they fell two last turned to flee and two slower ¡°Poofs¡± fell them in movement in a manner their ass went over their buckling front legs. ¡°Showoff!!¡± I called to the other side of the wall. ¡°Says the man called ¡°Firehand¡± who just froze six Hellhounds before crushing them into the hail!¡± came the response. I came from behind the wall and saw Khyon disassembling my soon-to-be rifle. ¡°Got that final job?¡± ¡°A few days ago.¡± I raised my eyebrow. He didn''t return it ¡°My spotter needs a few days of rest, he gets them. What are they gonna do? Call the guys with almost 30% smaller success rate for a mission marked red.¡± ¡°Red meaning?¡± Now he looks at me with a crooked smile. ¡°Extremely dangerous/Suicidal.¡± ¡°Oh you just spoil me.¡± ¡°Just think about the rifle.¡± He picks up the package and throws it to me. It was remarkably light. Partly opening it I looked at him ¡°How?¡± ¡°There were like 13-15 asswipes last time I returned and did some digging.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Price of doing business, you killed almost half of them. Come to my place and we''ll discuss for how much you wanna sell that second-hand garbage.¡± ¡°Second, hand garbage!? I bought it from you brand new as a ¡°State of the art¡± not a week ago!!¡± He grins ¡°It''s miraculous how armors price declines when you''re being shot at. Go try it on.¡± I vanished behind the wall and unpacked it, it was remains of the armor from the Drow helmet I haven''t yet used. Khyon didn''t lie, the thing was basically 60% plate and was basically half the weight of the stuff I wore now. And fully conected like now it was more like a body glove than separate armor, I found connectors and separated the bottom from the upper part. It was possible to detach every part to the individual pouldrons and gauntlets, greaves, and of course helmet but the best part, it wasn''t even necessary, I stripped naked to my briefs and slid into the entire armor in less than several minutes, I conected upper and lower parts and adjusted straps a bit and looked down, I barely believed I had this much platelike substance on me and it was so light. I went with my hand over it parts were metal, likely Mithril, and parts were layered wood and textile glued together with odd black resin that was giving more than 50% durability, it was like rubber but less stiff at the same thickness without losing any properties, but maybe largest improvements were small metal plates arranged as fish-scales and individually treated with this resin I could slam those two metal surfaces one against other and they would bounce one from another nearly without sound. most parts covered traditionally with mail were covered with these fish scales, even Mithril was treated with it but in thinner amounts. It was also on the soles of the boots, that had another particularity. The thumb was separated from the other fingers and I immediately understood why. This was scouting and infiltrating armor. Sturdy, yeah, compared to Human stuff it could take an unbelievable amount of punishment. But boots in this configuration were both stealthier and easier to climb difficult surfaces with. I armed myself and again turned the corner, Khyon approached me adjusted a few straps, and nodded ¡°Fits like a glove, with a helmet you will be invisible. How does it feel?¡± ¡°Incredible. I can''t believe no one thought of this boot thing?¡± ¡°Actually it comes from Humans in far Asia originally, Drows just adjusted it, improved upon the design and hence it stayed in use when it was surpassed in the original country. I think it''s called Nippon.¡± I shrugged ¡°Asia is not my strong suit, You guys took strongholds at most of it.¡±


    ¡°Hey boy, easy with that you''ll give old Dwarf a heart attack.¡± He looks at me and carefully chooses sentences ¡°You look...well.¡± ¡°I am well.¡± ¡°So this?¡± He revealed a bottle of whiskey I clapped him on the shoulder ¡°We''ll toast with it when we return.¡± ¡°So you finally go up and earn that bloody rifle, I hope it is worth all of this.¡± It was obvious Dwarf was still skeptical ¡°It will be, some trust please.¡± He harumphs but hides the bottle and slaps us on the back ¡°Ok. On your way then, and this time bring me something nice for a change.¡± I nodded to him and moved toward the fireplace, Santino was there with Anne he looked at my new duds and just nodded ¡°Looks both practical and improvement defensively, of course, if you wore a helmet it would help even more, I''ll point out that you can wear your beloved Stanton over it, it''s form-fitting for a reason.¡± I gave him half a smile ¡°Yeah fashion is a reason I didn''t wear it, the fact that it truly locks in place with this chest plate had nothing to do with it.¡± He shrugged ¡°We''ll see now won''t we?¡± I shook my head with a smile and as Khyon and Ronald joined us I got serious and looked at them ¡°Once we do this all our preparations are ready, we should start with preparation for Louisiana.¡± Santino looks at me ¡°Any place in particular.¡± I nodded ¡°St. Orleans, there is Houngan and a retired Pirate that could be of use. We''ll see from there.¡± They nodded Santino nodded toward Ronald ¡°We''ll settle necessary and more specialized equipment before you come, then we''ll discuss finer points, I figure to move within three days after you return.¡± I nodded ¡°See you in a bit then.¡± I was passing near Anne and paused ¡°Thanks.¡± She arched one of her always royally manicured eyebrows ¡°For?¡± I gave a half smile ¡°Pleasant smell in the morning.¡± I could swear she blushed a bit ¡°If you drop to your death, you''re no good to us.¡± She turns her head and grumbles ¡°I swear you have a nose of a bear.¡± I chuckled and moved toward the horses and found Red there washing her hair. She looked at me lightly ¡°Hey. You two are leaving?¡± ¡°Yup, last piece of unfinished business before we leave Southward.¡± ¡°Well, good luck.¡± I paused ¡°About last night.¡± She expertly twists her hair at the top of her head in one move looking at me ¡°Last night, I simply did for you what you would do for me if you knew how, nothing more, I''m sure you would kill a lot of people to protect me and honestly I try not to think what you''d be capable of if any one of us was killed, that''s your skillset. You struggle with empathy, and when you feel it once in a while you lock up.¡± She places a wet palm on my cheek ¡°That is not a flaw, we are built for different things. But I''d be pleased if you tried to work on it a bit. Ok?¡± I kinda again didn''t know what to say except ¡°Ok.¡± Khyon showed up and we took and saddled our horses.