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“If you’d prefer we slit your throat, I’m sure Zyranth would happily oblige. Though you’d be missing out on a quarter of Lord Everan’s wealth once we’ve killed him,” Ariella responds slyly.
The elf looks shocked. He sputters for a moment. “A quarter of his wealth,” he says indignantly. “I’d be one of the richest elves in all Oshta.”
“Yes, you would be,” says Ariella. “Though if you’d still prefer we slit your throat…”
“No!” the elf exclaims. “No, that won’t be necessary. I am convinced. Come Lord Everan’s call I will keep my men here, you have my word.”
“Good,” Ariella says, sounding satisfied. “Keep your word, or you will know our vengeance.” With that, she whirls around and makes for the door. I turn and follow her out quickly.
“Well,” I say as we make our way down the street outside the manor. “That was easy.”
“Yes,” Ariella responds. “Dirnyn noted he would be the easiest to bribe, that’s why I took us there first. The next one should go similarly, but after that, we may have our work cut out for us.”
We reach the next manor half an hour later, and sure enough, just as Ariella said, this interaction goes much as the first one did. After a few brief threats and some haggling about how much wealth the elf would receive, he gives his oath, and we withdraw.
The next manor is nearby, and we reach it after a few short minutes of brisk walking. This one is larger than the last two, and it has a much more ominous feel to it. The walls are black in the darkness of night, and the gargoyles perched around the exterior glimmer slightly in the moonlight.
We creep in the front door, like we did at the last two, and begin to make our way toward the stairs. Suddenly, I hear a floorboard creak behind us. I whirl around in the blink of an eye, putting myself between Ariella and the elf standing in the doorway. I cannot make out his features in the shadows, but he is massive. He stands around eight feet tall by my reckoning and his chest and arms are thick as tree trunks.
“I had a feeling you’d come for me,” he says in a deep intimidating voice. “Lord Everan will be pleased when I return his runaway pets. Not until I have a bit of fun though.” Three more elves appear in the doorway behind him as he speaks, each of them dressed in a soldier’s uniform.
As he speaks my bloodlust rises. Finally, something for me to do. All of my anger and hatred of Lord Everan, and elves in general, builds up in me until I feel like I’m about to burst. Unable to contain myself much longer, I look into Ariella’s eyes.
“Kill them,” she says coldly. I smile, then I attack.
Leaping forward in a blur I try to take out the nobleman first, but his reactions are quick, and he manages to get behind his guards before I reach him. No matter. I spin on my heel, claws stretched out in front of me. I hit the first elf in his jugular and he falls in a spray of blood. The next one approaches me, swinging a wickedly sharp ax. I step aside, easily, reaching out with a single claw and stabbing it straight up into his chin. He falls and the next elf advances.
This one also tries to attack, and I slide under his blow, coming up directly in front of him. I grab his head in both hands and twist. The elf crumples to the floor with a sickening crunch.
Their leader now stands outside his manor, hands outstretched in preparation to work magic. He laughs maniacally, waiting for me to make a move.
“Come now, you hideous creature,” he says. “You unnatural spawn of an orc! Come and meet your death, demon!”
I look at him for a moment, then spring into action. Running full speed for him I zig-zag, dodging magical attacks with lightning quickness. I sidestep a ball of fire, then whirl to miss a bolt of lightning. I slide below a burst of pure energy and come up at a full sprint. I reach him just before he can release more lightning and slash at his face with my claws. He dodges and strikes at me with surprising speed.
He catches me off guard – I don’t expect him to be so fast – and manages to land a punch to my stomach. I stagger back slightly, warier than I was moments before. It’s time to end this. The elf steps forward trying for another magical attack, but I’m too fast and too close to him. I somersault forward and come up right in front of him, one claw stabbing directly into his heart. I feel his body shudder once, then go limp.
I slide my claw out, letting his body drop to the ground. Ariella approaches from behind. She looks around briefly and puts a hand on my shoulder to bring me out of my killing frenzy.
“Let’s go before more of them arrive,” she says.
Ariella and I make our way back into the darkness. “These last two are likely to be together,” she explains as we walk. “They are probably awake and scheming, according to Dirnyn. We’ll have to be extra careful.”
When we arrive at the manor, there is a fire burning in the hearth on the bottom floor, illuminating the dark window panes. Inside, two figures are visible sitting near the fire, talking softly. After a brief discussion, Ariella and I decide we’ll need a distraction. Ariella will come screaming into their house, warning of a monster chasing her. When they come to investigate, I’ll be waiting.
Ariella plays her role to perfection, releasing a horrified scream and crying profusely as she barges into the manor. The elves don’t look pleased. They seem to chastise her for intruding, and I hear them yelling at her to leave. This isn’t working. They’d rather she dies in the darkness than be forced to interrupt their conversation to help. I watch from the window. One of them backhands Ariella across the face,
I lose control. Nobody touches Ariella. Nobody. I burst into the manor, dashing through the open door. The two elves look up in surprise, but too late. I reach the first one and grab hold of his head, bashing his skull into the wall with all my might. I feel heat behind me and duck, narrowly dodging a ball of fire from the other lord. Seconds later, the other elf lies dead on the floor, Ariella standing over him with her hand still on the fire poker protruding from his heart.
I take Ariella in my arms, touching her face gingerly where she was slapped.
“I’m fine,” she says, smiling at me. “Come on, this place will be in flames soon. That fireball he threw is beginning to catch.”
Hand in hand, we walk out of the burning manor house together. The flames rage behind us, casting massive shadows across the ground ahead. We step into the blackness with a sense of finality. We’re ready. Tomorrow, we kill Lord Everan.
25
ARIELLA
