Chapter 353: The Value of Lives (1/2)
Ilea tracked down another one, the rogue teleporting one last time before she finally grazed his legs.
Blood spurted as he was plucked from the air. He crashed hard and rolled.
She landed next to him and smashed another ashen limb into his injured leg. “Stop it already.” She said and stopped the bleeding with her healing magic.
He was one of those that ran immediately, at least not attacking her. There had been quite a number who chose not to fight her.
She flew back and landed near the clearing, throwing the man back onto the pile of groaning bodies. Blood and guts littered the whole area, still obscured by steam, smoke and ash. What’s that?
Ilea listened and heard steel against steel. Valery? “Stay here, or you die.” She said and blinked twice, appearing past the clearing and close to the cage.
A woman in full plate was slashing her daggers at the spellblade, slowly but surely overwhelming her.
Ilea appeared between them and grabbed the woman’s wrist, crushing metal, muscle and bone.
[Warrior – lvl 217]
“You’re injured?” Ilea asked and extended an ashen limb to Valery.
“No… I’m fine…,” the woman replied.
“Let her go.” A man in dark red full plate armor said, frost spreading on the floor near him.
Ilea looked around, staring at all the adventurers who had taken hostages. She closed her eyes and let go of the woman.
The warrior teleported and appeared next to the ice mage, holding her arm but not making a noise.
“Let me handle this.” A male voice said, coming from a mage standing near the cage.
Ilea could see the magic in the air, the dust. If he willed it, all of the captives would die, she was sure of it.
“You don’t speak Vincent. You’ve done enough.” The female warrior said before she addressed Ilea. “Shadow. How much are they paying you?” She hissed, still holding her arm.
Ilea didn’t speak, instead crossing her arms and checking on Valery through her ashen limb. She was fine.
“You will come with me to Riverwatch, where you will be trialed.” Ilea replied.
The mage in red put a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “We are with Baralia. Shadow, whatever Riverwatch is paying, we will top it. I don’t think you want to stand on the wrong side of history.”
Wrong side of history? Ilea laughed and looked at the men and women near the cage. “Do you mind if I murder those two?”
“It would be a favor.” The man apparently named Vincent said in a steady voice.
“I hate people acting like they’ve got morals.” The female warrior said. “Let’s kill her, Gale.”
“Did you not see her before? She would rip us apart.” The man said and stepped forward. “I’d like to discuss our leave, Shadow.”
“You kidnapped, tortured and sold people as slaves. There will be no leaving.” Ilea said.
“You self righteous bitch.” The woman said and vanished, appearing next to one of the hostages.
Ilea was waiting for her however, a simple punch without aiding skillsslamming into the warrior’s stomach. Ashen limbs caught her as she flew back and brought her once again towards Ilea.
Another punch slammed into her chest and a third one hit her head. Ilea grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up as one ashen limb lightly lifted her helmet, another one slamming inside the opening.
A gurgle resounded before she heard a noise in her mind, notifying her about the death.
The body dropped to the floor.
The rogue adventurers to her left dropped their weapons, letting go of the captives.
“She was always a little too impulsive.” The mage said. “Never had the power to back it up, like you do. Now, I for one would like to live. I can offer information on what happened here, about Baralia and…,”
“Don’t listen to him.” The dust mage spoke up once again. “He will run the moment there is a chance. Trust me, Shadow.”
“It’s your word against his then.” Ilea said. “I think the most reasonable solution is to kill you both. You for threatening these people and you, for being orchestrating all this.”
“I am merely securing my imminent survival. You’re friends with that guard aren’t you? Captain Dale… Langston. You came here a year ago to help, did you not?” He said.
Ilea noted the Baralia man tensing up. “Why are you so nervous?” She asked him.
A wave of frost suddenly shot out over the whole group of adventurers and captives, the man vanishing before he appeared twenty meters to the east, magical wings spreading.
Stupid. Ilea appeared behind him, her ashen limbs extending before she released her Heart of Cinder, the spell having heated up throughout the whole ordeal.
A beam of condensed energy, heat and fire slammed into the man from behind, his teleport not ready to use again and his shields and armor melted through near instantly.
Fly first, teleport to dodge. Ilea noted, watching the remaining hunk of molten metal and flesh fall to the forest floor. The sight was bad, the smell even worse. A ding resounded in her mind.
She spread her wings and flew back, happy to find the group of people had remained. “I’m going to heal them, don’t make a move or you die here.” She said and spread her ashen limbs to take care of the captives as well as the adventurers. Some had a pretty bad case of frostbite but the mage had left them alive on purpose.
Smart. He thought I’d prioritize healing them. None had died in the end.
“He gambled and lost.” Vincent said. “I would have thought he might make it. To Riverwatch and into a hideout.” The dust mage seemed more intrigued than anything else.
“Your situation isn’t much better, Vincent Halligan.” Valery spoke up, anger in her eyes. Her purple flame blade was still alight and held in a defensive stance.
“I am alive, he is not. Thank you. Ilea, was it?” Vincent asked.
“You’re from around here. You know Dale and me?” Ilea asked in turn.
He nodded. “I am. Couldn’t properly thank you for killing the Serantis mage but I suppose I can thank you for killing those two.”
“You were here too, part of the operation. Why should I let you go?” Ilea asked.
“I didn’t ask to be let go. For now, my life is all I ask for. The captives will let you know more about what happened here and I am willing to share whatever I can as well. I never approved of the kidnapping and slave trade. At least me and my men could keep the numbers low.” Vincent explained.
“Why not kill them if you were so against them?” Ilea asked, raising an eyebrow. The captives had been healed again, she noted. The dust was still in the air.
He chuckled and spoke, “It would be a lie to say we didn’t have the numbers or the power. I took it as a necessary evil. In case Baralia overwhelmed the empire and expanded this way too. While I had a chance of killing them, I had none at toppling Alistair.”
“So you let them take people, sell them?” Valery spoke up.
“I did. And I will live with that decision. A wrong one it turned out. Still, once everyone talked it will be apparent that I did all I could to slow them down.”
“Except outright attacking them.” Ilea added.
“Except that.” Vincent admitted. “I wish to take your offer. Be trialed in Riverwatch and talk to Alistair.”
Valery moved towards him. “You will die for what you did here. Ilea, you can’t be seriously considering this pig?! He’s been a known crime lord in Riverwatch for decades.”
Ilea stepped through the dust, ignoring the woman, the captives and the adventurers. “Is that true, Vincent? You’ve been a crime lord for such a long time?”
He nodded. “I have. Never have I sold people nor tortured without reason. There’s a difference between the free cities of the west and the savages from the northern kingdoms.”
“Melian would disagree.” Ilea said. “I want to talk to you. Come on.” She walked away from the cage.
“I refuse. These captives are my lifeline. I trust your word, Shadow. But not with my life.” Vincent spoke.
“Take one with you then. That girl there.” Ilea said and pointed at a young girl.
Vincent nodded and walked over to the black haired girl, crouching down and grabbing her hand. “Don’t be afraid. It’s going to be alright.”
None of the other captives made a move to stop him.
“Valery, bind and gag the adventurers. Take care of the captives and check on the survivors I left near the clearing. They all chose to run instead of fighting.” Ilea said, watching Vincent step out of the dust, the cloud condensing and swirling around himself and the girl instead.