By the end of dawn nearly a quarter remained of Spade's men and before the dark spell in him subsided, he managed to wreak havoc to all of Cebunilla, rumors and witnesses all agree that the week before the Bluemoon festival, a monster awoke.
Lacquer Tidelode was unaware of what has occurred in that godforsaken night and as he went back to the capital Gilgaras from his long meditation in Mt. Monaxia, the boundaries between the eastern town of Cilgras and the tropical country of Philoio. Lacquer desperately searched for the resolve in him to kill his dearest friend who he has treated like a brother through the years, and also for the resolve to kill all who stand in his way, even his beloved students.
Upon Lacquer's arrival he witnessed utter chaos from his main campsite where many of the rebels gather but what he saw in there was almost twice the number of inhabitants, people from the remaining 4 camps fled there for reasons he would only find out upon hearing the echoes of his broken men.
3 out of the 5 camps were destroyed and in the first two attacks nobody survived, it was a three-pronged strike in the areas most vulnerable, the areas where women and children sought refuge but last night it became the center of all the bloodshed, the attack was fast, precise, and well planned. It was obvious to everyone that it was an inside job but from the attacks no body was found, some claimed that the attackers threw it into the rivers probably to save the traitors but from Spade's mentation it was to create more emotional scars for the onlookers not being able to find their comrade's bodies and giving them false hope that they survived.
The attacks only ended at the third camp when the people detected that something was wrong but even then the attackers remained mysterious and the survivors claim that by the end of the fight a thick mist came and a silhouette of a beast was seen, all who tried to enter was never found again and by the time that the mist faded, no bodies could found. There were many rumors and opinions regarding the attack that occurred, some say that the Bronsleyt soldiers were at fault, some blame a terrifying beasts that the attackers worshiped, but Lacquer only blamed Rexcarius for it, only he could make a plan so flawless yet so unabashed that barely any soldiers were used, only he could toy with the people's superstitions and know to clean up after the mess but what he couldn't understand was why burn Filgras? It would definitely cause more damage to his image and there's no damage that it can do to Vengeance neither, if anything it just added to his allies. Lacquer needs to analyze everything properly and decide how to react first.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is it day yet? Oh it is... I hadn't slept at all, I keep hearing the screams for the campsites I burned down. Atleast I got a new nickname, 'The beast of Gilgaras' it was my own men who named me that. Blade almost killed them because of it actually but I stopped him because it's a limited resource those men. Other than psychological damage in my head, I lost almost all the fundings from my little lottery scheme and I also lost all of my men, those who survived the ambushes were either traumatized or I simply couldn't pay for them any longer but boy was that a spectacle seeing my own men kill themselves after burning their own friends' body. Needless to say I am a monster both in the eyes of my allies and my enemies, am I having trouble sleeping because of it? Oh sure but in the end its all in the name of Rexcarius fucking Valhalien, I'll bring you to hell myself you piece of shit!
"Sir!"
Blade called to me as I remain seated at the shades of an old oak tree not far from the Pinecore grooves. I looked at Blade with my hollow eyes and he shivered but started to talk again afterwards.
"It's the king's men sir, they're looking for you"
"Tell them that if the king wants me then he fucking go to me himself!"
"Spade Escroc, by the Majesty's orders, you are coming with us"
Five soldiers escort me back to Gilgaras and although Blade tried to stop them, he was far too exhausted to fight back and only followed me back to the palace. I was mounted to a carriage which passed along the Filgras town that I burned in part and as I pass through the rubbles I could hear the screams and I could see the fire, despite it being long gone. Before I could notice, I started hyperventilating which put my escorts on edge, I try to smash the windows open and I thrash to the door as I scream again and again "FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!". The soldiers had to thrust me just to keep me still the whole ride back.
As I get down the soldiers looked weary and relieved that it was over, I was feeling fatigued myself but I just couldn't get myself to calm down, I walked limping barely having any strength left to walk, the soldiers had to drag me back as we enter the King's throne room.
"There you are Spade, you never came back you woried me"
Rexcarius mused with a devilish grin, it enraged me as he asked what happened as if antagonizing me after what he made me do.
I remain quiet all through out having no strength to converse with him nor the disposition.
"You reply when you are asked to boy!"
Ah that goddamn sting in my head, I know it far to well and despise it far too much.
"My apologies, why don't we talk about the weather then?"
The soldier next to me then pounded my gut.
"You do not speak that way to the king!" He screamed, I bet he's been wanting to do that since the carriage ride. I don't mind however, I'm in so much agony that a measly punch like that is numb to me.
Rexcarius then called over the knight next to him and had them leave the premises leaving only me, Blade and him alone.
"Why don't you tell me about the mischief you've been doing last night then?"
"Blade, tell him"
Blade then continued to emphasize on each heinous act we had done and the thought behind it and for most people even just the story of what had happened would make them sick but not for Rexcarius who remained poker faced only smirking on certain times as if he found the genocide interesting.
"Well you certainly did a lot of damage to Vengeance and even left the Bronsleyt warriors a little treat, well done boy"
"A worker that has done well deserves a reward wouldn't he your Majesty?"
"Certainly, what shall it be then?"
"Compensation for each of my men I have lost,10 silver quill for each body and 5 gold coin for every squads I destroyed, if you want proof I still have the mass grave but I estimate some where around 362 men of mine has died and 574 enemies excluding the Bronsleyt soldiers and all in all that's 14 squads each having 41 men not including the civilians and all in all, considering that one gold quill is worth 15 silver quills then you owe me-"
"About 359 gold quill"
"Or 5,394 silver quill and 80,910 bronze quill"
"You counted for each body while they died in the battlefield?"
"No, I estimated it before I attacked, and counted the dead bodies after"
"Wahaha! Very well I shall reward it to you"
"That's not all, I request to be Lacquer's replacement as your advisor and before you make your decision please put in mind all that I have done for you and ask yourself if anyone else would be capable- no if they can even think it"
"You're an ambitious man... I'll think about your proposal"
I signal Blade that we're leaving and head for the door.
"Ambition is a dangerous thing young man"
Rexcarius warns as I leave, don't worry my only ambition now is putting a bullet in your head 'your highness' but as of now I draw closer to my enemy and I will destroy him from the inside.
"Master where are we going?"
"We're paying our little rat a visit"
"Don't you want to rest for a while? You look exasperated"
"Ain't no rest for the wicked is what they say Blade"
I then pay my horse a visit, if he still remains untamed then I'll blind him. I also get a nearby horse for Blade and we leave the palace or so I thought but there's a slight hiccup along the way. Yesterday a guard told me of a woman coming to see me, well she seems rather persistent as she waited by Stallion's side. As she notices me she stood up stiffly and did a knightly bow.
"I.....am.....Captain Ria Limnoula.....the king.....told us.....we were in your care..." She murmured
"Speak up or get out" I became irritated.
"I said I'm Ria Limnoula you deaf punk!" She said pulling my collar
Blade then pointed a sword behind her as she loosened my grip and went back to her meek state and quickly apologized for what she did. Is she bipolar? I guess it exists in here too but wait I completely forgot about the men Rexcarius sent me, well it's for the best I suppose, I doubt they'd be wiling to kill their own people and burn their own home.
"Well then Captain Ria is it? Gather 50 men and bring them in this place I marked on the map"
I suppose my secret spot isn't going to be much of a secret later but it can't be helped, I need a base and if I can get free labor I'd use even the most noble of nights to make my hideout. This base is also my alibi because I sent Shadow to gather some carpenters to build a house of my design near the waterfall cave.
Me and Blade went on ahead first and although Ria wasn't fully aware of my intentions, she still followed the instruction. As we get back I could see that the foundations are partially done although the carpenters won't be back until later afternoon.
Blade knew exactly where I was going and he followed me into the narrow path and inside the waterfall cave when Perseus remains seated motionless, still burdened by the guilt of killing his bestfriend.
"Percy, I want you to do something for me again"
Perseus looked at me with his hollow eyes that start to look more and more similar to Shadow's by the day. Like me the guilt has kept him from getting any rest and he keeps on reliving yesterday in his mind. Taking him here was easy as when I went back to the shed he was the only one remaining, the sisters carried Alfron's remains back home and I hadn't checked on them yet but they'll be fine, even if they're not what do I care? Perseus however was utterly broken, perhaps there had been something in his past that broke him as well and seeing his bestfriend turn into a precious stone brought back past trauma, I do not care about it, I simply reap the benefits from having another broken doll in the palm of my hands.
"I want you to send Lacquer a message, tell him that something bad has happened to Alfron, tell him that last night he cornered you and you were forced to tell him and that destroyed Alfron, and lastly tell him this 'the sisters blame us for what happened to him, is it our fault?'"
This does two things, first give Percy an alibi as well and second add to Lacquer's mental strain. Although this would mean that he wouldn't have to physically kill Alfron which might relieve him, it would still make it his fault that he died. I shall need to break Lacquer's mind first because that is where he is weakest.
Everything Perseus told me had been beneficial, the location of the 5 bases, the weak spots of it, even the fact that Lacquer was away. Of course he didn't say that directly but there were some things I could get from what he said like "Lacquer gave me one job, to tell him about Alfron but Ralph started giving me grunt work because of the lack in manpower when we were starting" The important parts to gather here are that Lacquer specifically hired him for Alfron which would mean he is not supposed to know anything about Vengeance and that Ralph was the one telling him what to do which made sending his head to the main base a risk for Percy if they found out he is still alive.
Making him talk to Lacquer solves one of those problems and as for the second, perhaps Lacquer might know but I have already played my part in protecting him, whatever happens next is none of my concern. I may be able to trick everyone else by lying and saying bullshit like I've been working on my house all night but Lacquer is much too clever for that, he will find out eventually but I am going out of my way to stall it as much as I can even if it means taking a gamble on people like Perseus.