Chapter 46 - A Deal (1/2)
”Wouldn't you like to join the Chaos Followers? If you train hard and learn some curses, maybe you'll become one of the Seven Servants one day.”
At first, Luke assumed the man was bluffing, then he cogitated that it was a joke, but it wasn't. Draco's proposal was true and sincere, because the man, although he was intimidated, he was also in awe of that half-beast.
”What is the salary?” The boy inquired, interested in the proposal.
Draco smiled and whispered, ”You could make as much as thirty gold pieces a month, like me.”
”But then what would I have to do? Just being an executioner seems a bit tedious.”
”Sigh... and it is very tedious. Except when someone like you comes along, except that people usually never accept my proposal. But typically, we do rituals and sacrifices to Chaos, and the highest-level people have even committed some genoc-” A knife went through Draco's throat.
”You should have gotten less excited...” said Luke, inexpressive, as the man stared at him in amazement.
An instant later, the hunchback knelt on the ground and, like Kriolo, only the hollow thud of his body could be heard after his agony.
Immediately, the half-wolf walked over to the fallen lout and lifted him a little.
'Your pulse is still strong. He just took a good beating. A black dagger was still embedded in Kriolo's shoulder. Shaaac! Luke removed it because he was still unconscious.
Still breathing, one of the lecherous acolytes vociferated:
”You wretch... Chaos already knows what you've done, and now... your life will become hell.”
Seizing the opportunity, Luke left the lout lying down and walked over to this man who barely had any teeth. As soon as he took the collar of his cloak and brought him close, he questioned:
”Where is Chaos? I want to know who is the Chaos that you say so much about.”
The toothless man looked at him with enormous anger. ”Blaspheming fool! You don't know who you're messing with!”
Promptly, the half-wolf stuck Draco's black dagger into the acolyte's leg and questioned once more, now more mildly, ”Where do I find him?”
”Arghhh! Bastard! Blasphemer!”
Luke let go of the man on the ground and looked around, counting only two more acolytes, out of the dozen there were. 'Those religious people with a weak faith, that's... repulsive double.'
However, as he turned his back to try to wake Kriolo, Luke heard a thick voice:
”Luke Lange, 20 years old and a thief by nature, how are you?”
He quickly turned back and saw the same toothless man, now with eyes glowing red and standing upright. With a wry smile, the half-beast questioned:
”You're him, aren't you?”
The disgraced semblance smiled as well. ”Mr. Lange, would you like to make a deal with Chaos?”
”What kind of deal?” Luke with much guardedness sheathed his saber.
”You leave us alone, and I promise that Chaos will end in Vasconcelos. It's a mutually beneficial agreement.”
”All right, I accept.” A doubt still hammered in the half-wolf's consciousness, however, the presence of that being was so overwhelming that he could hardly breathe, but on the outside, he maintained his inexpressiveness.
The being smiled again, nodded, and then turned to ashes, as the monsters in the Dungeons used to extinguish themselves.
After he left, Luke knelt on the dirt floor and put his hand to his throat.