Chapter 49: 47 – Decisions

"What a fucking mess, Talon," I mutter to my partner for this whole affair. 

"Pii."

Zahra was quiet the entire time. I assume she's still pissed at me for calling her family out. Doesn't mean what I said was any less true. I still want to kill the others just to make my life easier, but I also know Order and Chaos likely don't want that. Not that I care too much, but I'd rather not piss of the gods and get a hitman sent after me, like they sent me for the Empire.

Guess I'm stuck with an escort quest. Damn. If this was a game, it feels like I skipped over an early level escort, leveled to the max, then realized I needed the quest to clear the final storyline. Leading to an OP character leading a bunch of low levels and protecting them from other low levels. Still kind of pissed I got this pushed on me, but I can't deny I would've probably not come if I knew beforehand what was in store.

Sitting up in a tree not far away with full stealth and with a view of the castle, the next part of this stupid thing starts. I fucking hate when I'm right.

"Talon, get the runner. Don't kill him."

"Pii!"

Talon takes off in the direction I pointed of the presence I felt running away from the castle. Every fucking time. You would think that if they had traitors once, they'd be more careful. Sliding out of the tree with a sigh, I jog towards where Talon had an elf pinned to the ground with her claws and was staring at him, ready to kill with a single command.

"Let me go! Get off me! Let—"

"And why the fuck should she do that, Mr. Spy?" I say as I approach.

He stopped struggling at that and looked up at me, visibly afraid. Yup, that's a guilty face if I've ever seen one.

"I don't have to say anything to you, outsider. Leave this conflict to us elves to solve." He then spit at me, fucking loogie landing on my armor.

Ah, there it is. The stereotypical haughty elven nature from all fantasy stories. I cast cleaning magic on my armor. Not even going to dent my accusation either? You really suck at this.

"Here bite this."

I took out some unused boxers from my big-bag that I had originally brought to trade, and stuffed them in his mouth. Poor bastard caught me at the wrong time. Spitting on me really didn't do any favors for you, either, you sack of shit.

"Now, I'm going to make sure you lay here until I get back. When I do, if you behave, I might heal you and let you free after the conflict is over. I'm talented in healing magic, and you'll be good as new if I heal you, and you heard the Priestess. They don't want me killing more than necessary. Take the time I'm gone to think about it. Just so you know, if you have nothing to say when I get back, I'll kill you slowly."

I unsheathe Seren and cut the tendons behind his ankles, behind his knees, under his arms, and on his elbows. He's completely immobilized. Serves him fucking right for being a spy and pissing me off more when I'm already pissed. Talon remains with her claws around him as he cries behind the gag. Meanwhile, I walk back to the castle. 

Going through the door, I call out to the two I'm looking for. "Priestess Dharma, Princess Zahra, if you could please come with me. I have something I want to show you."

They both look a bit confused but follow me anyway. Walking the couple hundred meters in silence, they finally see Talon and the man below her.

Zahra sees the man and gasps. "You! What do you think you're doing to my people! How dare you attack us after agreeing to help!"

The hot blooded princess begins trying to draw her blade, but the priestess smacks her on the back of the head. Hard.

"Ow! Granny! What are you doing!"

"Enough, ZaZa!" Dharma snaps at Zahra.

Well this is interesting. Apparently these two have a different relationship when not in front of their people. I feel you there. Also, girl, what the fuck did you think you would do against me with a sword you can barely lift?

Dharma stares hard at her and begins scolding. "I raised you to use your head more than this! Think about the situation. Queen Midnight just came and told us all what she was going to do. She also revealed she was a vampire. Now, after everyone heard all that, what would someone be doing this far from the castle? Hmm? Not going to the bathroom! Now use that lump you call a head and think!"

"Ah! Um… He…" Zahra bit her lip and furrowed her brow in concentration.

Come on. You can do it. Put the pieces together. I can see the gears turning. 

"He… He could be going out hunting, maybe?"

Dharma and I both facepalm. What's with this naïve princess! Fuck, is she going to make my escort job even harder? Dammit. I thank the gods that Anastasia is smarter than this. I might have to shock this dimwit out of her comfort zone, because I'm sure as hell not going to deal with this shit.

"He's taking the information he just got to someone, you daft girl!" Dharma grabs both her cheeks and pulls. "If it weren't for Queen Midnight, our location, plans, and information about Queen Midnight would have just been leaked! Do you see now?"

"That! But… Why would he do that? Hasn't he been with us all this time?"

"That's most likely what Queen Midnight brought us here to find out. If she interrogated him and just told us, would it be as believable as hearing it straight from him? If she didn't tell us, wouldn't we search for him? We're not large enough to not notice one of us missing."

Turning towards me, Dharma bows her head. "Thank you, Queen Midnight. And I apologize for this idiotic girl. She's still young and was sheltered and doesn't realize how deceitful people can be. I take responsibility as the one who raised this child."

"Granny!" Zahra begins to protest.

"It's quite alright, Priestess Dharma." I interrupt before the girl says whatever stupid comment she was about to make. "And you are correct. I wanted both of you here for the interrogation. I thought you may have your own questions."

"That's very considerate of you. Please begin whenever you're ready and we will chime in if we have something to add." Dharma said.

Walking over to the man, I motion Talon to step off of him. Bending down and taking out the gag, I begin.

"Alright. I gave you time to think. When I ask a question, if you give me a good answer, I will heal one spot. Let's start with a gimme. Are you working as a spy for the other elves?"

"...Yes," he says dejectedly.

I heal an elbow.

"Good. Now that that's out of the way, does that group know everyone is here at the castle."

"Yes."

I heal the other elbow. This is going better than I thought. Almost a shame. I have a lot I want to vent about right now and was sort of looking forward to some resistance.

"What was their reason for not attacking yet?"

"... We wanted to see what was going to come of the oracle that was received."

I heal a knee.

"In your opinion, using your best judgement. If you brought the information back, what would their response have been?"

"...I think they would've attacked tonight when you were asleep and tried to kill you before killing the others."

I heal the other knee.

"Knowing my level and assuming you relayed it to them, why would they try to attack me?"

"I don't think they would've believed it was true. 71 is just too high to be believable. I don't even believe it."

I heal an armpit.

Big question time. "Are there other spies among the elves in the castle?"

He hesitates before saying, "... If I tell you, will you swear on your Godsword not to harm them and just capture them like you did with me?"

"I swear on the Godsword Seren, as Dalia Midnight, Queen of the Vampires, that I will not kill you or the other spies, inside of the castle, depending on how I judge the information you give me."

He just thinks for a moment and nods to himself. Are all elves fucking idiots? Well, Dharma seems to have some sense. Does their intelligence grow at the same rate they age? This fucker is just making my life too easy. His stupidity is even starting to make me angry.

"There are six others.—"

He lists off the names. I glance at Dharma and she nods, knowing the people. I heal his other armpit.

"How many people are in the force you were going to and that were going to attack us?"

"...There are about three hundred soldiers and three of our elites, all led by the Colonel."

I look at the woman behind me and their eyes are wide.

"Priestess, is this Colonel a big deal? Also, wouldn't that be a sizable chunk of their military?"

She nods. "The Colonel is only behind the General as the leaders of the separatists. That would also be a large amount of their forces… Queen Midnight, co—"

"I'll think about it." I cut her off. 

I know she was just going to ask me not to kill them all. Is this like being attacked by an endangered species? What's with all of these handicaps?

I go ahead and heal an ankle.

"What direction and how far away are they?"

"Are you going to kill them?" he asked.

"I will if I have to. I won't if I don't," I admit.

"...Three miles in the direction I was going."

I heal his last ankle and shove the gag back in. Then I have four chunks of stone appear and enclose his hands and feet so he is held on the ground, unable to move.

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"Talon, watch him. Priestess Dharma, let's go collect the other spies. Princess, could you stay here with him?"

""Yes,"" they reply in unison. Did you two fucking practice that?

As we walk back towards the castle, I ask Dharma something when we are far enough away. "Has the princess ever killed a person before?"

"... No, she hasn't. As you saw, she still tries to believe the best in people. After running and hiding for so long, I think I told her too many times when she was young not to hate the elves chasing us. That they were just scared. That they were all still good people. By the time she was older and I tried to teach her how deceitful and cruel people could be, I think I was too late. Then all of this happens. I believe I failed as her guardian to prepare her for what she needs." She looks down as we walk.

"Maybe so," I conceded. "However, what're you going to do now? Let her continue to be naïve, or shock her with the harsh truth?" 

"..."

"If I'm going to endorse her as a fellow ruler, she needs to be better. For her sake and that of your people. Right now, as she is, she'd get tricked or taken advantage of just like your last king. If you're not going to do it, Priestess, then I will. Because with you all now coming with me to my home, you made this my business. You dragged me and my people into your conflict. As a ruler, I'll do what I must to protect my people. I'll keep killing to what I believe is a minimum, but Zahra will either have her eyes opened, or she will never become a Queen."

As I finished those harsh words, we arrived at the castle. Most of the elves are laying down for the night. Dharma wanted to try to do this without causing a commotion, so she called the elven spies outside. When they'd gathered, they looked ready to run, realizing only spies were out here. Seriously. Why did they even come out? Realize that and bolt! Fucking elves are all idiots, I swear.

"Relax. I already swore to Mr. Spy that I wouldn't kill anyone, inside of the castle. He's fine, just over this way. Please go that way."

Letting them walk ahead, I follow behind with Dharma. As soon as Zahra looked in our direction, I equipped Seren straight into my hand so that not even the sound of it being unsheathed was heard. I activated all of my stealth skills, and with one swing, three heads began falling. As the other elves turn, before the heads even hit the ground, I behead the remaining three in another large swing. Dharma silently watches the bodies fall, likely knowing this was going to happen, and likely knowing what was coming next.

"What are you doing! You swore that you—" the princess started to yell at me before I cut her off.

"Lesson one, Zahra! Words matter! I did swear. I swore that I wouldn't kill the traitors. 'Inside of the castle.' Are we inside? I also swore that it was dependent on the information he gave me. That is an empty promise that is full of holes and completely up to interpretation! If you are going to be a queen, you need to know that every word you speak or that is spoken to you is important. What someone says and how they say it, think about all the angles that could apply to it. Words are weapons."

She was fuming. To this girl, I just reneged on a promise. Am I being harsh on this young girl? I sure as fuck am. She's supposed to be leading her people during a civil war, and wants to become a queen. Well, tough titties. She doesn't deserve, nor has the capabilities, to be a queen right now. Who jizzed in who years ago, doesn't make you a good ruler. Genes have nothing to do with leadership capabilities. Relying solely on lineage is how monarchies crumble. If there was going to be an heir, they damn well better be trained and educated for their position.

I point my bloody sword at the man on the ground. "Now, Zahra, kill the traitor."

"What?" She looks at me with eyes wide, like I slapped her in the face with a dead fish or something.

"Kill him," I repeat.

"No! Why can't we just take him prisoner? If we just bring him along, we could—"

"We could endanger the rest of your people, slow our progress, and leave ourselves open for attack should he escape. Here's another one for you, Zahra. Spies and traitors must be killed. Period. Someone that can spend time with you, share meals with you, and laugh and joke with you, just to turn around and try to kill you? Those are people you can never, under any circumstances, trust. That man was about to be the reason we would have been attacked," I said. Even though I may very well do similar things to the Empire. I'm just a fucking pot calling the kettle black, and I hate it. Especially since if I was on the other side, having moles like this would be what I would do if I couldn't just wipe them out. Fuck, I'm really helping an underdog here.

I take a deep breath and clear my head of self reflection before continuing. "Let me ask you this. Should I not have accepted to escort you, what would have happened? Any of these seven traitors would've told their people, and you would've been attacked. How many of your group would have survived? How many would die trying to protect you? You! What would you think if Priestess Dharma died? If this man was the catalyst for her death? 

"Let him live and all of that could still happen. He could've not told us the names of all of the traitors. There could be more in your group that let him escape while I sleep. They could kill you or the Priestess in her sleep. You say take him prisoner? Then what? Say we make it all the way to my city with him. What then? Lock him up? For how long? You already know you can't trust him. That if you let him go, it could cause the death of your people. How long will he stay locked up? Forever? Are you going to take food from your other citizens to feed this traitor for centuries? Tell me, Zahra. What's crueler? Killing him now, or letting him live for centuries in a cage?"

I was a bit heated up there. She was quiet. Just staring at me. I don't know if all of my words registered, but they had some effect. After almost a minute, she looks away and draws her sword unsteadily. Raising it above the man, I'm not sure if her trembling is from the weight or from her nerves. 

The man stopped struggling and looked up to her with pleading eyes. Tears pouring in a constant stream. She finally brings the sword down. Stabbing it an inch from his neck. She drops to her knees and sheds her own tears with her head in her hands.

"I can't do it! I just can't bring myself to do it!"

"...Talon." 

"Pii."

With only needing to say that, Talon rakes her talons across his throat. He dies after some seconds of bleeding out right in front of the still crying girl. The sun has set, but there is just enough light to still see without needing to be a vampire.

Unequipping my helmet and gauntlet, I squat down in front of the girl. Reaching out, I emphatically grab her face, cupping my hand under her jaw, and force her head to turn. Putting our faces less than a foot apart, I say as clearly as I can.

"Zahra Zarate. As you are right now, I will not recognize you as a queen. I can also guarantee you that Queen Nikita and King Rancorock will also deny the current you. If you are to rule, you need to make hard choices. You need to have conviction in your choices. Simply killing for the sake of it doesn't make you a good ruler. It makes you a tyrant or a maniac. 

"If you're going to kill, have a reason for it that relates to your people. If you aren't going to kill, have a reason for it and a suitable solution that doesn't endanger your people. Whatever your choice, make it with conviction, and accept the consequences of your actions. The day may come when you're forced to kill a former ally. If it does, then it should be for the safety of your people. If you're to become a ruler, you need to protect and defend your citizens from external and internal threats, as well as to hand down just punishment. That's what they'll rely on you for. 

"Your great-grandfather made choices that nearly doomed your entire race. For a thousand years, the repercussions of his decisions have been affecting the elves. If you're going to be the one who changes the fate of the elves, you'll need to make tough choices. You'll need to be better than all of your ancestors were.

"I gave you my word. I'll get you to my city and you can live your life in peace. You could become a tailor, a farmer, a woodworker, or even be a housewife. You can live a fulfilling life and never have to kill. Never have to make choices that could impact your descendants for centuries. Think about it. It isn't a bad life. 

"But, should you want to be a queen? You need to become better than you are. Ask me and I can show you some of what you need, but know this. You're going to be put in much tougher situations than you were tonight over the course of your rule."

I release her head, equip my helmet and gauntlet again, and stand. With a head flick at Talon, we both silently walked off in the direction the spy was going. Leaving behind a stunned, crying, and broken girl with the silent priestess watching her with both sadness and regret.

Perhaps I was too hard on her, but if she wants to rule her entire race, she needs to be ready. I'm not a hero. I'm a person that will fight for and protect what's hers. If that means becoming the devil themselves, then so be it. Maybe I should have been a bit more gentle though… Fuck it, I'll think about that after this.

I told Dharma I wouldn't kill more elves than necessary. Well, an army at our heels while I try to solo escort nearly two hundred people is not fucking good. The life of an enemy and the life of an ally are not the same. The elves in the castle are my responsibility now, and I won't shirk the duty thrust upon me. 

I reach out and pet Talon. "I'm going to need your help on this, girl. For me to not just kill all of these elves, they need to not know a person was responsible. I'm going to need you to fly in from above and cause absolute mayhem. I need you to be careful, though. I don't want you getting hurt. I'll be watching and helping if I really need to, but I want you to fly in, kill their strongest people, cause chaos while killing some more, then escape. Remember all the magic Navi taught you. Think you're up for it?"

"Pii!"

"Thanks, Talon. The strongest people will probably be in the largest tent and those around it. Likely in the center of the camp. Take them out before anything and fly back this direction when done or you have to retreat. If you do get hurt, I can heal you, but please try your best to be safe. Fly high around the camp a couple times to make sure of your target before attacking."

"Pii."

Taking off her tack and putting it in my bag, she looks the part of a wild hippogryph now. As she flies off, I cover myself with my shadow cloak and use all the stealth I can to sneak past guards and up into a tree that I can see the camp in full view from. Yeah, it looks to be about three hundred people. After waiting for a couple minutes, the humid night is beset upon by a hippogryph smashing directly on top of the large tent.

"PIIIII!"

With a loud cry, she activates multiple wind blades while circling on the tent remains, slashing at anyone unlucky enough to be in the tent. I see her look at the tarp she is standing on, and notice a movement. Pouncing like a cat, she slams her claws through the canvas as the movement stops and I see the tent start to stain red.

Running off of the tent and into a camp that is now in full panic mode, she uses air magic on the nearby fire, creating a small fire tornado that then sets the collapsed tent on fire. That's my girl. Make sure your enemy is dead. With a swipe of her wing and air magic, she makes a big fucking gust that fits the remaining camp fire and blows the hot coals and burning logs onto the tents around it.

Running towards the next fire as some elves finally begin to ready weapons, she kills a few with either claws or hooves, and blasts that fire the same as the first. 

"Pii!"

With another cry, she sent a few rock bullets at the archers readying their bows. All while running around like a bull in a china shop, slamming into, clawing, and trampling any in her way. One more fire, and the camp is in pandemonium. 

At last, a couple archers and mages open fire. Arrows and magic slam into Talon, and a couple stick into her flank.

"Pii!"

With a blade of air magic, the ones that hurt her die, but more are readying weapons and beginning to fire at her or point spears. Knowing time is up, she takes off into the air and flies into the night, just as fast as she came. Leaving my tree, I rushed off to where I saw her fly in the dark.

"Talon!"

"Pii…"

Running up to her, I pull out six arrows from her. She also lost some feathers and had some burns. Rubbing her neck while I channel healing magic, I speak to her as calmly as I can.

"Thank you, Talon. You were amazing. You did such a good job, and I saw what you did with those fires. Navi teach you that? That was ingenious. I didn't even think of that. You were smart to pull out when you did. Thank you, girl."

"Pii."

Giving her all the rubs she could want, I'm thankful I can fully heal her. Even her feathers come back. How that works, I'm not 100%, but I guess if I can regrow limbs, I best be able to regrow feathers.

My guess is that she killed between fifty to seventy-five people in the couple minutes she was there. I'm not sure if the Colonel was in the tent, but whoever the fuck was is dead now. 

Walking back towards the ruined castle, I pass by where the spies were killed. Their bodies aren't there anymore and I don't really care enough to ever ask about it. I see Dharma between there and the castle, seemingly waiting for me.

"Priestess Dharma," I greeted.

"Queen Midnight… The camp?"

"A wild hippogryph attacked it. Happened to land on the command tent and kill anyone in or around it, before campfires got blown around setting more tents on fire. fifty to seventy-five people died before successfully chasing it away."

She sighs. "Thank you for not killing them all."

"I don't enjoy killing, Priestess Dharma. Know that if any of those people I let live, kill anyone inside, their deaths won't be on my hands."

"That was harsh what you did to Zahra… But I can't criticize you for it… It was my failure in raising her to be ready to take on her role that led to you needing to intervene."

"Living is harsh, Priestess. I meant what I said. She doesn't have to be a queen. She could be happy being just a normal girl."

"That she could, Queen Dalia. That she could. She's not a bad girl, you know. She's able to always see the best in people. To make them smile and bring a small bit of joy to them."

"Sounds more like a priestess than a queen," I said.

"That… may be accurate. Maybe I failed at raising a queen. Perhaps I inadvertently raised a priestess, like myself."

"If she decides she wants to be a queen, I'll help her how I can. However, I refuse to waste my time on someone that isn't committed to it. You say she sees the best in people? I see the worst in many of them. Whatever she wants, I'll be here, but to forge a sword you must strike the iron. You can't ask nicely for an ingot to become a sword anymore than you can pray for a spear to become one. But, with a hot enough furnace, you can melt down the spear and try forging it into something different." Well, without magic at least.

Tired of this conversation, this side quest, the fucking elves, and the damn gods, I walk away from the castle. At the edge of the forest under a tree, Talon lays down and I sit between her legs in my armor. Leaning back against her side, we both fall sound asleep.

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