OP
Gear47demon
Tentacle God
- Joined
- May 15, 2013
- Messages
- 793
- Reputation score
- 35
Re: Rift Touched
Sorry again for the late post – I’ve had hardly any time to do writing because I’ve been so busy. Still, I appreciate that you all take the time to read the story despite the long delays.
~
12:35 pm
You notice, and have noticed, Arlandus continually ogle you from the short distance that separates the two of you and decide to use that to your advantage. You also feel that continuing to be polite to the man is in your best interests, as whenever someone displeases him or even remotely challenges him he seems to become flustered and angry; snapping against Qwilgrub, Pria, the elven woman – who’s name you still do not know – and Sharpstone, though more for his behavior more than anything. No… he doesn’t like to be challenged; he thinks he can do no wrong and provoking him would just get me in trouble. Still, I can’t placate him and simply ask questions as that seems to be getting me nowhere fast, and I can’t simply accuse him of anything… but if I were to play on the naïve little girl and act, well, like a ditz than maybe, just maybe I might get him to slip up. I should be careful with how I do this… and I suppose I could try to act more interested in him; a glance here, a lip bite there, a little cleavage and a swish of my hair. Stroking his ego and his manhood, metaphorically speaking, might do wonders to speed this along you think as you gaze at Arlandus as he gazes back from time to time as his adoring fans shower him with praises. You inwardly sigh before you bite your bottom lip while he’s not looking and, once he turns to look at you, you widen your eyes ever so slightly and avert your gaze down and to the right as you take a tiny sip of your wine. Out of the corner of your eye you see Arlandus grin and puff his chest up a little, and it takes all you have to not grin yourself… or to scowl. You strike up a conversation with a human woman in flowing black dress that reaches down to the floor, though you’re not wholly committed to the exchange as she goes on about keeping up with the latest fashion trends by the day, however, you do mention that you had your dress made by Xillia when she expresses interest in what you’re wearing which intrigues her. As you think that you’ve potentially gained another customer for your petite elven lover you notice Arlandus looking at you once again, so you stop to return the look with a shy smile as you bring your right hand to your hair and smooth out some locks behind your ear before returning to the conversation. This goes on for a little while with you offering small moments of interest, even “unconsciously” adjusting the front of your dress so that you show just the tiniest bit of extra cleavage. As time goes on you note that Arlandus spends less time conversing and more time paying attention to you, even fumbling over his words every now and then as he seems to focus his attention on you.
I think he’s sufficiently “teased” and more susceptible now; time to go in heavy.
You bite your bottom lip while looking at Arlandus and, when you notice him looking you quickly stop and try to look like you weren’t doing anything suggestive before asking airily “My lord, Arlandus, that last story was truly riveting. Were you and the late governor good friends, even after the incident?” Arlandus grins when you speak to him and seems to hang on your every word as he nods absently and says “Of course, young Catherine, of course – we knew each other for a great deal of time before, and after the incident he grew to trust me even more implicitly”. This earns a frustrated scoff from the elven woman, and Arlandus snaps his head towards her and glares… a glare which she returns as she takes a sip of her wine. Not wanting to get off topic and have Arlandus start to get belligerent, you quickly ask “My lord, the late Governor Ulric must have trusted you implicitly and greatly valued the friendship you both shared to overlook using him and Glethal as bait to snare the rogues in your trap. Why, most people would not have accepted that fact after learning that they were used, especially knowing that they deceived others into committing a greater crime and falsifying it”. At this statement Arlandus slowly turns to you and cocks an eyebrow as you hold your wine glass in both hands, doing your best to look naïve and meek. He opens his mouth to speak, irritation crossing his features mingled with confusion, but then closes his mouth and seems to be fighting with himself before he slowly says “And what makes you think Ulric learned anything, girl? Why do you assume I told him anything?” You give Arlandus a curious and confused look before responding “But, my lord Arlandus, why would you not share with him your exploits? Your plan was genius and is that not what friends do, my lord? Surely you would have confided in such a dear friend, and surely he must have been supremely impressed with your actions – I am still in awe at your brilliance and boldness at your actions and am eager to hear even more!” You can almost see the gears turning in Arlandus’ head as his dark green eyes look you over before he slowly nods at your performance, seemingly accepting your airheaded response before smiling and saying “Ah, yes, of course young Catherine! You are wise to see the wisdom and brilliance in my actions, but I did not share my exploits with Ulric for… sensitive reasons. He… h-he” Arlandus seems a little confused as he continues to speak, like he’s trying to stop himself – you fear that his reason might be winning over, and so you lean in closer and act very interested in what he has to say, which you are, while showing a little bit of cleavage and smiling at him with a sultry look. This seems to melt Arlandus’ reason as he stops, smiles, and continues after shaking his head “He learned about that night much later on, and not from me. In fact, my ‘old friend’ was in the dark for a few years after that, but had begun to… suspect me of other things. Money turning up short in some areas – construction of new buildings and maintenance of the roads and buildings, services for the ‘less fortunate’, and so on – along with replacing most of the staff here, frequent visits to the capital using city funding… and even questioning some of my advice as they went against his ‘principles’. He began… he began to investigate me behind my back despite all that I had done! The guard is better than it has ever been; more disciplined and with noble blood in them, and those of lesser standing quickly disciplined and turned into a true force! The streets cobbled, the districts ordered! Trade brought to this city at the edge of the country – it has prospered because of me!”
This piques your interest, and the interest of those around him, especially some of the less than pleased with his earlier confessions, and you press the attack and ask “Surely all was well, my lord. After all, he was your friend and he knew your intentions were of the best possible course; your judgment sound and your logic unwaveringly infallible”. “You have no idea how right you are, young Catherine! My judgment and logic have no equal; my will and direction should never be questioned!” Arlandus almost roars loudly as he stamps his staff on the ground a few times, drawing the attention of yet more individuals. You look about and see more nobles of the city, and even a few of the foreign diplomats and emissaries turn to see what the commotion is, even Hera and her troupe – you crack a tiny smile when you see the governess and her son looking, interrupting the conversations that they were having. However, you also notice something else that disturbs you; each of Arlandus’ guards stir slightly from their stone-like stance and direct their attention towards their charge as he becomes more agitated, each of their heads turning in unison. You find the action eerie, but quickly shake it off as the advisor continues by saying “He should not have gone snooping around behind my back. He should have just listened to me, trusted me and my council. I earned everything that came my way… I deserved it, all of it! For years I had earned his trust, but somewhere along the line he became suspicious – my ‘friend’ questioned my methods, the things I bought, and the alliances I made. I don’t know where it all went wrong, but he should not have done so!” It’s striking the turn your line of questioning has taken the advisor as he trails off and his eyes seem to glaze over as he reminisces on what happened. “I am certa- you begin to say, pressing onwards but are abruptly cut off by the elven woman, who has a deep scowl on her face that mars her delicate features, as she growls out “Enough of your naïve and airheaded questions, girl! Arlandus, what did you do?! You turned mere thieves into assassins and had them murdered and tried under your influence and deceit – that was one thing, but now you speak of the governor becoming suspicious of you with guilt on your face and in your voice?” You’re taken aback by the… brashness of the woman, but you can’t deny the results as Arlandus snarls at her, downing his wine before tossing the cup onto the ground and saying “Do not question me, wench, and do not speak to the young Catherine in that tone! I have powerful allies with power that you could not even fathom! Ulric did not realize this when he came to me that night with ‘evidence’ and started asking questions… accusing me of misconduct, corruption, and abusing my power!”
You try to look hurt at the woman’s speaking down to you and, while it does irk you somewhat, you’re infinitely more pleased that the room has grown more silent as Arlandus’ shouts grow louder with every word to match the other woman. You’re curious about who these friends are that Arlandus mentions and so you try to keep with your role as you say “Please, there is no need for this – who might these friends be, my lo-“ but again are cut off as the light brown haired woman slams her cup on the ground, the shattering of glass ringing out around you as it echoes off the stone floor while the remainder of the red wine spills out around the tiny destruction. “Enough, girl, the adults are speaking! Go home back to your father – Arlandus, your words are perilously close to treason! I demand to kno-“ she bellows out in anger, bringing her right hand up and pointing viciously at Arlandus. “You demand from me?!” the advisor roars as he goes red in the face, slamming down his staff in rage with his left hand as he points at the woman with his right “No one demands anything from me you insignificant speck of rubbish! I give the orders, I do as I please, I have power and you do not!” You watch as Arlandus approaches the woman, who stands her ground, and as most of the room watches on with wide eyes and in silence – even governess Glethal and her son Koren are stunned as they watch the display from afar, with only a single guard – the orc guard – moving down the stairs from his post to possibly quell the commotion. You just sit back and watch, both uneasy and amused all at once as things unfold between the two without you having to do much else, and you take note of the growing crowd as nearly everyone in the room remains silent as the two trade punches. “Really?” the elf practically spits out with a grin “So you licking the boots of the governess and her son a little while ago was you ‘giving the orders’ and ‘doing as you please’? You’re nothing more than a glorified brown-noser sucking at the teat of your superiors for table scraps! Ulric –“. “Ulric was a fool!” the nearly purple faced Arlandus cries out, earning a few gasps from the crowd “He should have known better than to question me and my will! The poor districts deserve nothing! That money is rightfully mine! He ordered that I find a way to move more money to ‘help the people’, and so I did if only to appease him, and still it was not enough! He hired some blasted rogues to investigate me behind my back and was going to expose me if I did not step down with some of the ‘evidence’ he had! I couldn’t let it happen… I couldn’t!”
The transition that Arlandus has made from smooth and collected, to irritated, to half mad with anger is astonishing to you, and you silently thank Nyx for the serum and how it has sped things along… and also a prayer to Yyssbo and wishing that nothing like that be used against you. Things seem to reach a head as Arlandus’ rage boils over, but still he holds back… until he looks at you – he looks at you, perhaps for guidance, and in his rage filled eyes you start to see reason cooling the flames of his anger. However, that is the last thing you want to happen, and so you smile shyly at him and give him a smoldering, if somewhat tame, look and say “My lord, your passion is astounding and the lengths you go to for yourself are breathtaking… please, my lord, don’t stop”. And that’s all it takes for Arlandus as he smiles grimly and puffs his chest up as desire sparks in his eyes. “Oh for the love of the gods, shut u-!” the elven woman says angrily as she rolls her eyes before glaring at you… and then a resounding thwack! resonates throughout the room followed by even more audible gasps from nearly everyone around. You watch in stunned silence as the elven woman’s face whips to the left after having just been backhanded by Arlandus. “Silence, fool” the advisor says icily “And listen to what I have to say. That self-righteous idiot Ulric was going to ruin everything I had worked so hard for, and so using my considerable knowledge and skills in alchemy I concocted a most deadly brew I like to call Death’s Lingering Shadow. Once ingested your life is over; it is slow acting and the effects will not show until the fourth day after ingestion. Shortness of breath, fatigue, and lethargy are common, and on the seventh day the heart ceases to function. I killed the miserable bastard and intended to take his place, but his whore of a wife took over due to popular demand and I’ve been at the beck and call of her and her miserable little spawn ever since, which has only gotten worse since the worthless offspring has grown up! Thankfully, they are far easier to control than their pitiful excuse of a husband and father, especially after I was there to ‘console’ her and help raise the little bastard”.
Holy crap you think with wide eyes as the gasps reverberate throughout the room, though the shocked silence that follows is infinitely more deafening to your ears. Forget everything else that he’s said or done; this confession just sealed his fate. “You traitorous bastard” the woman snaps her head back, pain and anger on her face as she spits at his feet and looks him in the eyes with a smirk “You’ll hang for this. You’ve sealed your fate you miserable piece of filth”. Arlandus looks confused for a moment before looking up and noting Glethal and her sons horrified, pained, and enraged faces before turning to the orc/oni guard, who has his great sword drawn. As the seconds tick by he finally realizes what he’s done… and laughs – he laughs hysterically, maniacally, bringing his right hand to his face as he supports his weight on his staff in his left. “Arrest him!” you hear Koren’s voice boom out, and looking towards the young Casaban you see that Glethal is too distraught to issue any orders, tears streaming down her face as she covers her mouth with her hands, though Koren looks more enraged than anything. “I’ve waited far too long for this; I should have done this years ago” you hear Arlandus say, and you can feel something coming as each of the six guards that Arlandus brought with him draw their ornate, jewel encrusted swords from the scabbards on their back. “What are you ta- where are you going?!” the elven woman yells through a visage of anger and disgust as Arlandus turns on his heels… and strides right for you with an evil smile on his face.
Oh, this can’t be good.
You instinctively take a small step back, and you think about defending yourself, but ultimately you decide against it as you see those that are armed and against Arlandus raising their weapons, as well as the guards that are under the governess’ employ making their way towards the advisor – now ex-advisor as the case seems to be. “M-My lord?” you ask as you grip your wine glass in your left hand while reaching down to your leg near your dagger with your right. “Fret not, young Catherine, you may be disoriented for but a moment. It shall pass” is all Arlandus says. “Hold fast, Arlandus!” the orc/oni guard, now confirmed to be male based on the deep, gruff voice, commands as he holds his greatsword out in front of him “By order of governess Glethal Casaban and Koren Casaban, rightful rulers of Kilnhaven and the will of the people, I am placing you under arrest!” At this point you drop your wine glass and start to back away from the deranged man, but alas he doesn’t seem to notice or care and in an instant he reaches out with his right hand and grabs your shoulder… and then you bear witness to the most awesome and terrifying display of magical power you have ever witnessed. He immediately glows in a bright violet, white, and brown mixed light and his staff, along with the crystals, glows and shimmers as he raises it up before releasing an enormous multicolored shockwave that blinds, deafens, and dazes you. You yell out in surprise and fear as your sense of hearing, sight, and entire world become muddled with the only thing that you really feel is having someone’s, probably Arlandus’, hand on your back before being pressed into a soft and silky fabric… that and the world around you seems to be shaking, as evident by the rumbling you feel under your feet. You don’t know how long this goes on for, and you can feel yourself being dragged after a little while and shuffled up some stairs, nearly tripping over your own feet and something on the floor that feels distinctly like legs, as if you’re tripping over other people. After a little while your sense of hearing starts to return, and the first sounds you hear are screams of terror, fear, agony, and panic – your sight starts to slowly return, though blurry as you see shapes, too many to count, moving about a ways away in front of you. After a few more moments your senses fully return and you’re met with a terrifying sight. The first thing you see is people, all dressed in the various finery of the higher class, running and stumbling over themselves towards the door… but it is no use as the stone floor looks like an earthquake struck it right from the spot you and Arlandus were standing; there’s a trail of stone that looks like it was ripped from the very earth itself that travels the length of the room to the doors and, jutting out from the ground, are two huge brown chunks of earth that jut diagonally towards the door, pushing and holding it closed with incredible force.
On top of the screams of terror and panic are screams of agony and, upon searching the room with wide eyes and without breathing, you see many of Arlandus’ guards cutting down people as they go, many of which never stood a chance as they still seem to be blinded and deafened from the surprise attack. You watch in horror as the massive guards’ greatswords swing overhead and horizontally, sending out a spray of blood from their victims. You watch as a human woman in a red dress stumbles about, clearly dazed, only to haze one of the guards thrust with his weapon and impale her through the heart, killing her instantly before withdrawing the blade, letting the body fall as crimson blood pools out from her gaping chest, a stark contrast with the dress the now dead woman wears. You watch as another guard swings his sword horizontally in front of him, catching two men – an elven waiter and a half-goblin noble – decapitating the elf and sending his head flying out into the panicked crowd with the sword travels into the noble’s right arm, severing it as blood sprays from the stump as it continues to travel about halfway into his body. In all maybe a little more than a dozen people are massacred in less than sixty seconds before the entire group seems to have regained their senses. You absently look out at the crowd in shock and find that the orc/oni guard has come to his senses and rushes to engage one of the aggressors. You wonder where the others are and, closer to the stage, you see the dwarf guard pull out his great hammer(?) and scream a war cry before rushing to join his comrade – you wonder where the other two are and, looking to your left, you see the other two pulling the governess towards the edge of the stage with their shields up in defense of their charge with Koren, armed with a shortsword, right behind them shielding his mother as she struggles to recuperate. This all seems to happen in slow motion… and then time and reality start rushing back at you in full force as everything seems to become too loud and the screams become too much – you shield your ears as you become overwhelmed and start to panic from the merciless slaughter. However, a few things push back the fear and shock; first, you see the elven woman shouting out orders to some of the other remaining guards and seemingly soldiers that attended the ball, rallying them, second is that Hera, wielding her longsword and shortsword, issues commands to her guard as they engage, though you can’t really tell what either say from your distance.
The third, and final, thing that pulls you back to reality is the voice of Arlandus right beside you, and it is at this point that you realize fully that you are on the platform at the front of the room directly in front of the seats Glethal and her son had mere minutes ago. “Finally, I shall take my rightful place as ruler of this pathetic city! Gods, I should have done this ages ago – all you who stand before me kneel to me and I shall grant leniency. Know that I reward submission with the gift of life and power… and all who defy me I shall destroy! Now, make your choice – bow to your rightful king or die” Arlandus’ voice booms beside you throughout the room as he holds his hands and staff up with a wide, malicious grin on his face. At his voice the guards under the magician’s command cease their attacks instantly on both the people and the governess’ entourage along with any other would be attacker, their swords out in front of them as they are literally still as stone. “We will never bow to you, traitor! Your kind are the worst – you inspire fear instead of respect, and I for one will never bend my knee to one such as you! I, Yunlya Elistranna, Captain of the Third Ranger Division of Eborthia’s Army, vow to see your head on a pike for your crimes, scum!” the elven woman, Yunlya, roars as she points her shortsword at both you and Arlandus from afar. “I stand with the honorable Captain!” Hera say matter of factly, her towering form imposing even to every other combatant in the room. The guards loyal to the governess and those against Arlandus, such as Qwilgrub and a few others, both armed and unarmed, voice their allegiances against the advisor. Still, there are more than a few that do not speak as they are overcome with fear as they look up the dozens of dead that line the room, some barely recognizable as blades and stone from the spell that Arlandus cast earlier maimed them and reduced some to nothing more than bloody pulps of meat and bone. “I bow to your wisdom and power, King Arlandus! All hail Arlandus!” you hear a familiar, disgusting voice ring out throughout the room, and you look down to see the plump form of Sharpstone, literally bowing down to the ground on his hands and knees in supplication. His submission makes your stomach turn in knots, and your mind works in overdrive now on how you will deal with the situation as it seems Arlandus thinks you truly want him, making you somewhat regret your own skills at the moment.
A1 and B (Act like you’re not doing it on purpose). Ask naively how the governor reacted when he knew that Arlandus tricked the "assassins". And how he must trust him greatly to accept to put his life and his family in danger. I like it nightshade99 
– made me smile when I read it.
– made me smile when I read it.Sorry again for the late post – I’ve had hardly any time to do writing because I’ve been so busy. Still, I appreciate that you all take the time to read the story despite the long delays.
~
12:35 pm
You notice, and have noticed, Arlandus continually ogle you from the short distance that separates the two of you and decide to use that to your advantage. You also feel that continuing to be polite to the man is in your best interests, as whenever someone displeases him or even remotely challenges him he seems to become flustered and angry; snapping against Qwilgrub, Pria, the elven woman – who’s name you still do not know – and Sharpstone, though more for his behavior more than anything. No… he doesn’t like to be challenged; he thinks he can do no wrong and provoking him would just get me in trouble. Still, I can’t placate him and simply ask questions as that seems to be getting me nowhere fast, and I can’t simply accuse him of anything… but if I were to play on the naïve little girl and act, well, like a ditz than maybe, just maybe I might get him to slip up. I should be careful with how I do this… and I suppose I could try to act more interested in him; a glance here, a lip bite there, a little cleavage and a swish of my hair. Stroking his ego and his manhood, metaphorically speaking, might do wonders to speed this along you think as you gaze at Arlandus as he gazes back from time to time as his adoring fans shower him with praises. You inwardly sigh before you bite your bottom lip while he’s not looking and, once he turns to look at you, you widen your eyes ever so slightly and avert your gaze down and to the right as you take a tiny sip of your wine. Out of the corner of your eye you see Arlandus grin and puff his chest up a little, and it takes all you have to not grin yourself… or to scowl. You strike up a conversation with a human woman in flowing black dress that reaches down to the floor, though you’re not wholly committed to the exchange as she goes on about keeping up with the latest fashion trends by the day, however, you do mention that you had your dress made by Xillia when she expresses interest in what you’re wearing which intrigues her. As you think that you’ve potentially gained another customer for your petite elven lover you notice Arlandus looking at you once again, so you stop to return the look with a shy smile as you bring your right hand to your hair and smooth out some locks behind your ear before returning to the conversation. This goes on for a little while with you offering small moments of interest, even “unconsciously” adjusting the front of your dress so that you show just the tiniest bit of extra cleavage. As time goes on you note that Arlandus spends less time conversing and more time paying attention to you, even fumbling over his words every now and then as he seems to focus his attention on you.
I think he’s sufficiently “teased” and more susceptible now; time to go in heavy.
You bite your bottom lip while looking at Arlandus and, when you notice him looking you quickly stop and try to look like you weren’t doing anything suggestive before asking airily “My lord, Arlandus, that last story was truly riveting. Were you and the late governor good friends, even after the incident?” Arlandus grins when you speak to him and seems to hang on your every word as he nods absently and says “Of course, young Catherine, of course – we knew each other for a great deal of time before, and after the incident he grew to trust me even more implicitly”. This earns a frustrated scoff from the elven woman, and Arlandus snaps his head towards her and glares… a glare which she returns as she takes a sip of her wine. Not wanting to get off topic and have Arlandus start to get belligerent, you quickly ask “My lord, the late Governor Ulric must have trusted you implicitly and greatly valued the friendship you both shared to overlook using him and Glethal as bait to snare the rogues in your trap. Why, most people would not have accepted that fact after learning that they were used, especially knowing that they deceived others into committing a greater crime and falsifying it”. At this statement Arlandus slowly turns to you and cocks an eyebrow as you hold your wine glass in both hands, doing your best to look naïve and meek. He opens his mouth to speak, irritation crossing his features mingled with confusion, but then closes his mouth and seems to be fighting with himself before he slowly says “And what makes you think Ulric learned anything, girl? Why do you assume I told him anything?” You give Arlandus a curious and confused look before responding “But, my lord Arlandus, why would you not share with him your exploits? Your plan was genius and is that not what friends do, my lord? Surely you would have confided in such a dear friend, and surely he must have been supremely impressed with your actions – I am still in awe at your brilliance and boldness at your actions and am eager to hear even more!” You can almost see the gears turning in Arlandus’ head as his dark green eyes look you over before he slowly nods at your performance, seemingly accepting your airheaded response before smiling and saying “Ah, yes, of course young Catherine! You are wise to see the wisdom and brilliance in my actions, but I did not share my exploits with Ulric for… sensitive reasons. He… h-he” Arlandus seems a little confused as he continues to speak, like he’s trying to stop himself – you fear that his reason might be winning over, and so you lean in closer and act very interested in what he has to say, which you are, while showing a little bit of cleavage and smiling at him with a sultry look. This seems to melt Arlandus’ reason as he stops, smiles, and continues after shaking his head “He learned about that night much later on, and not from me. In fact, my ‘old friend’ was in the dark for a few years after that, but had begun to… suspect me of other things. Money turning up short in some areas – construction of new buildings and maintenance of the roads and buildings, services for the ‘less fortunate’, and so on – along with replacing most of the staff here, frequent visits to the capital using city funding… and even questioning some of my advice as they went against his ‘principles’. He began… he began to investigate me behind my back despite all that I had done! The guard is better than it has ever been; more disciplined and with noble blood in them, and those of lesser standing quickly disciplined and turned into a true force! The streets cobbled, the districts ordered! Trade brought to this city at the edge of the country – it has prospered because of me!”
This piques your interest, and the interest of those around him, especially some of the less than pleased with his earlier confessions, and you press the attack and ask “Surely all was well, my lord. After all, he was your friend and he knew your intentions were of the best possible course; your judgment sound and your logic unwaveringly infallible”. “You have no idea how right you are, young Catherine! My judgment and logic have no equal; my will and direction should never be questioned!” Arlandus almost roars loudly as he stamps his staff on the ground a few times, drawing the attention of yet more individuals. You look about and see more nobles of the city, and even a few of the foreign diplomats and emissaries turn to see what the commotion is, even Hera and her troupe – you crack a tiny smile when you see the governess and her son looking, interrupting the conversations that they were having. However, you also notice something else that disturbs you; each of Arlandus’ guards stir slightly from their stone-like stance and direct their attention towards their charge as he becomes more agitated, each of their heads turning in unison. You find the action eerie, but quickly shake it off as the advisor continues by saying “He should not have gone snooping around behind my back. He should have just listened to me, trusted me and my council. I earned everything that came my way… I deserved it, all of it! For years I had earned his trust, but somewhere along the line he became suspicious – my ‘friend’ questioned my methods, the things I bought, and the alliances I made. I don’t know where it all went wrong, but he should not have done so!” It’s striking the turn your line of questioning has taken the advisor as he trails off and his eyes seem to glaze over as he reminisces on what happened. “I am certa- you begin to say, pressing onwards but are abruptly cut off by the elven woman, who has a deep scowl on her face that mars her delicate features, as she growls out “Enough of your naïve and airheaded questions, girl! Arlandus, what did you do?! You turned mere thieves into assassins and had them murdered and tried under your influence and deceit – that was one thing, but now you speak of the governor becoming suspicious of you with guilt on your face and in your voice?” You’re taken aback by the… brashness of the woman, but you can’t deny the results as Arlandus snarls at her, downing his wine before tossing the cup onto the ground and saying “Do not question me, wench, and do not speak to the young Catherine in that tone! I have powerful allies with power that you could not even fathom! Ulric did not realize this when he came to me that night with ‘evidence’ and started asking questions… accusing me of misconduct, corruption, and abusing my power!”
You try to look hurt at the woman’s speaking down to you and, while it does irk you somewhat, you’re infinitely more pleased that the room has grown more silent as Arlandus’ shouts grow louder with every word to match the other woman. You’re curious about who these friends are that Arlandus mentions and so you try to keep with your role as you say “Please, there is no need for this – who might these friends be, my lo-“ but again are cut off as the light brown haired woman slams her cup on the ground, the shattering of glass ringing out around you as it echoes off the stone floor while the remainder of the red wine spills out around the tiny destruction. “Enough, girl, the adults are speaking! Go home back to your father – Arlandus, your words are perilously close to treason! I demand to kno-“ she bellows out in anger, bringing her right hand up and pointing viciously at Arlandus. “You demand from me?!” the advisor roars as he goes red in the face, slamming down his staff in rage with his left hand as he points at the woman with his right “No one demands anything from me you insignificant speck of rubbish! I give the orders, I do as I please, I have power and you do not!” You watch as Arlandus approaches the woman, who stands her ground, and as most of the room watches on with wide eyes and in silence – even governess Glethal and her son Koren are stunned as they watch the display from afar, with only a single guard – the orc guard – moving down the stairs from his post to possibly quell the commotion. You just sit back and watch, both uneasy and amused all at once as things unfold between the two without you having to do much else, and you take note of the growing crowd as nearly everyone in the room remains silent as the two trade punches. “Really?” the elf practically spits out with a grin “So you licking the boots of the governess and her son a little while ago was you ‘giving the orders’ and ‘doing as you please’? You’re nothing more than a glorified brown-noser sucking at the teat of your superiors for table scraps! Ulric –“. “Ulric was a fool!” the nearly purple faced Arlandus cries out, earning a few gasps from the crowd “He should have known better than to question me and my will! The poor districts deserve nothing! That money is rightfully mine! He ordered that I find a way to move more money to ‘help the people’, and so I did if only to appease him, and still it was not enough! He hired some blasted rogues to investigate me behind my back and was going to expose me if I did not step down with some of the ‘evidence’ he had! I couldn’t let it happen… I couldn’t!”
The transition that Arlandus has made from smooth and collected, to irritated, to half mad with anger is astonishing to you, and you silently thank Nyx for the serum and how it has sped things along… and also a prayer to Yyssbo and wishing that nothing like that be used against you. Things seem to reach a head as Arlandus’ rage boils over, but still he holds back… until he looks at you – he looks at you, perhaps for guidance, and in his rage filled eyes you start to see reason cooling the flames of his anger. However, that is the last thing you want to happen, and so you smile shyly at him and give him a smoldering, if somewhat tame, look and say “My lord, your passion is astounding and the lengths you go to for yourself are breathtaking… please, my lord, don’t stop”. And that’s all it takes for Arlandus as he smiles grimly and puffs his chest up as desire sparks in his eyes. “Oh for the love of the gods, shut u-!” the elven woman says angrily as she rolls her eyes before glaring at you… and then a resounding thwack! resonates throughout the room followed by even more audible gasps from nearly everyone around. You watch in stunned silence as the elven woman’s face whips to the left after having just been backhanded by Arlandus. “Silence, fool” the advisor says icily “And listen to what I have to say. That self-righteous idiot Ulric was going to ruin everything I had worked so hard for, and so using my considerable knowledge and skills in alchemy I concocted a most deadly brew I like to call Death’s Lingering Shadow. Once ingested your life is over; it is slow acting and the effects will not show until the fourth day after ingestion. Shortness of breath, fatigue, and lethargy are common, and on the seventh day the heart ceases to function. I killed the miserable bastard and intended to take his place, but his whore of a wife took over due to popular demand and I’ve been at the beck and call of her and her miserable little spawn ever since, which has only gotten worse since the worthless offspring has grown up! Thankfully, they are far easier to control than their pitiful excuse of a husband and father, especially after I was there to ‘console’ her and help raise the little bastard”.
Holy crap you think with wide eyes as the gasps reverberate throughout the room, though the shocked silence that follows is infinitely more deafening to your ears. Forget everything else that he’s said or done; this confession just sealed his fate. “You traitorous bastard” the woman snaps her head back, pain and anger on her face as she spits at his feet and looks him in the eyes with a smirk “You’ll hang for this. You’ve sealed your fate you miserable piece of filth”. Arlandus looks confused for a moment before looking up and noting Glethal and her sons horrified, pained, and enraged faces before turning to the orc/oni guard, who has his great sword drawn. As the seconds tick by he finally realizes what he’s done… and laughs – he laughs hysterically, maniacally, bringing his right hand to his face as he supports his weight on his staff in his left. “Arrest him!” you hear Koren’s voice boom out, and looking towards the young Casaban you see that Glethal is too distraught to issue any orders, tears streaming down her face as she covers her mouth with her hands, though Koren looks more enraged than anything. “I’ve waited far too long for this; I should have done this years ago” you hear Arlandus say, and you can feel something coming as each of the six guards that Arlandus brought with him draw their ornate, jewel encrusted swords from the scabbards on their back. “What are you ta- where are you going?!” the elven woman yells through a visage of anger and disgust as Arlandus turns on his heels… and strides right for you with an evil smile on his face.
Oh, this can’t be good.
You instinctively take a small step back, and you think about defending yourself, but ultimately you decide against it as you see those that are armed and against Arlandus raising their weapons, as well as the guards that are under the governess’ employ making their way towards the advisor – now ex-advisor as the case seems to be. “M-My lord?” you ask as you grip your wine glass in your left hand while reaching down to your leg near your dagger with your right. “Fret not, young Catherine, you may be disoriented for but a moment. It shall pass” is all Arlandus says. “Hold fast, Arlandus!” the orc/oni guard, now confirmed to be male based on the deep, gruff voice, commands as he holds his greatsword out in front of him “By order of governess Glethal Casaban and Koren Casaban, rightful rulers of Kilnhaven and the will of the people, I am placing you under arrest!” At this point you drop your wine glass and start to back away from the deranged man, but alas he doesn’t seem to notice or care and in an instant he reaches out with his right hand and grabs your shoulder… and then you bear witness to the most awesome and terrifying display of magical power you have ever witnessed. He immediately glows in a bright violet, white, and brown mixed light and his staff, along with the crystals, glows and shimmers as he raises it up before releasing an enormous multicolored shockwave that blinds, deafens, and dazes you. You yell out in surprise and fear as your sense of hearing, sight, and entire world become muddled with the only thing that you really feel is having someone’s, probably Arlandus’, hand on your back before being pressed into a soft and silky fabric… that and the world around you seems to be shaking, as evident by the rumbling you feel under your feet. You don’t know how long this goes on for, and you can feel yourself being dragged after a little while and shuffled up some stairs, nearly tripping over your own feet and something on the floor that feels distinctly like legs, as if you’re tripping over other people. After a little while your sense of hearing starts to return, and the first sounds you hear are screams of terror, fear, agony, and panic – your sight starts to slowly return, though blurry as you see shapes, too many to count, moving about a ways away in front of you. After a few more moments your senses fully return and you’re met with a terrifying sight. The first thing you see is people, all dressed in the various finery of the higher class, running and stumbling over themselves towards the door… but it is no use as the stone floor looks like an earthquake struck it right from the spot you and Arlandus were standing; there’s a trail of stone that looks like it was ripped from the very earth itself that travels the length of the room to the doors and, jutting out from the ground, are two huge brown chunks of earth that jut diagonally towards the door, pushing and holding it closed with incredible force.
On top of the screams of terror and panic are screams of agony and, upon searching the room with wide eyes and without breathing, you see many of Arlandus’ guards cutting down people as they go, many of which never stood a chance as they still seem to be blinded and deafened from the surprise attack. You watch in horror as the massive guards’ greatswords swing overhead and horizontally, sending out a spray of blood from their victims. You watch as a human woman in a red dress stumbles about, clearly dazed, only to haze one of the guards thrust with his weapon and impale her through the heart, killing her instantly before withdrawing the blade, letting the body fall as crimson blood pools out from her gaping chest, a stark contrast with the dress the now dead woman wears. You watch as another guard swings his sword horizontally in front of him, catching two men – an elven waiter and a half-goblin noble – decapitating the elf and sending his head flying out into the panicked crowd with the sword travels into the noble’s right arm, severing it as blood sprays from the stump as it continues to travel about halfway into his body. In all maybe a little more than a dozen people are massacred in less than sixty seconds before the entire group seems to have regained their senses. You absently look out at the crowd in shock and find that the orc/oni guard has come to his senses and rushes to engage one of the aggressors. You wonder where the others are and, closer to the stage, you see the dwarf guard pull out his great hammer(?) and scream a war cry before rushing to join his comrade – you wonder where the other two are and, looking to your left, you see the other two pulling the governess towards the edge of the stage with their shields up in defense of their charge with Koren, armed with a shortsword, right behind them shielding his mother as she struggles to recuperate. This all seems to happen in slow motion… and then time and reality start rushing back at you in full force as everything seems to become too loud and the screams become too much – you shield your ears as you become overwhelmed and start to panic from the merciless slaughter. However, a few things push back the fear and shock; first, you see the elven woman shouting out orders to some of the other remaining guards and seemingly soldiers that attended the ball, rallying them, second is that Hera, wielding her longsword and shortsword, issues commands to her guard as they engage, though you can’t really tell what either say from your distance.
The third, and final, thing that pulls you back to reality is the voice of Arlandus right beside you, and it is at this point that you realize fully that you are on the platform at the front of the room directly in front of the seats Glethal and her son had mere minutes ago. “Finally, I shall take my rightful place as ruler of this pathetic city! Gods, I should have done this ages ago – all you who stand before me kneel to me and I shall grant leniency. Know that I reward submission with the gift of life and power… and all who defy me I shall destroy! Now, make your choice – bow to your rightful king or die” Arlandus’ voice booms beside you throughout the room as he holds his hands and staff up with a wide, malicious grin on his face. At his voice the guards under the magician’s command cease their attacks instantly on both the people and the governess’ entourage along with any other would be attacker, their swords out in front of them as they are literally still as stone. “We will never bow to you, traitor! Your kind are the worst – you inspire fear instead of respect, and I for one will never bend my knee to one such as you! I, Yunlya Elistranna, Captain of the Third Ranger Division of Eborthia’s Army, vow to see your head on a pike for your crimes, scum!” the elven woman, Yunlya, roars as she points her shortsword at both you and Arlandus from afar. “I stand with the honorable Captain!” Hera say matter of factly, her towering form imposing even to every other combatant in the room. The guards loyal to the governess and those against Arlandus, such as Qwilgrub and a few others, both armed and unarmed, voice their allegiances against the advisor. Still, there are more than a few that do not speak as they are overcome with fear as they look up the dozens of dead that line the room, some barely recognizable as blades and stone from the spell that Arlandus cast earlier maimed them and reduced some to nothing more than bloody pulps of meat and bone. “I bow to your wisdom and power, King Arlandus! All hail Arlandus!” you hear a familiar, disgusting voice ring out throughout the room, and you look down to see the plump form of Sharpstone, literally bowing down to the ground on his hands and knees in supplication. His submission makes your stomach turn in knots, and your mind works in overdrive now on how you will deal with the situation as it seems Arlandus thinks you truly want him, making you somewhat regret your own skills at the moment.
