Their battle was violent, each encounter between the blades was accompanied by great sparks, the Hero gave the ghostly creature no respite, frantically landing blow after blow, but the Shearer's defense was well practiced, though she was not born with the ability to fight with a "sword", she still managed to defend herself well to protect her mask.
If it wasn't for her, I could have gone as wild as I wanted, the Hero complained, but I can't make her collateral damage.
Then the Hero realised that he was going to need Malalalivia's help to take down their opponents. She was doing a pretty good job of countering the onslaughts of her unimpaired Shearer, her fighting style was fascinating to watch, she fought in a much less messy manner than the Hero, this was obviously due to the training she had had with the Queen and her best friend.
If he found himself facing her in a real fight, weakened by the seal the doctors had put on him and without Ymir and the powers of the Nemesis, she might have a chance to defeat him.
Her fighting style was closer to a martial dance than a real martial art, she moved with flexibility and each of her blows was delivered with surgical precision - she might have the ability to break his windpipe.
But if she's that good, Lelelitio must be a fighting monster, the Hero thought.
Malalalivia finally broke the scissor nut on Mortalis' Shears and vigorously pushed her back to the Hero, who understood intensely what she was getting at and he too pushed his opponent towards Malalalivia. It still remained that they were unable to break their faces. So the Hero, remembering his training sessions with the Fairy, tried something: like earlier, he leaned on the wall, propelled himself and landed on the edge of the table, ran on it and tried to do a salto... and succeeded! Landing awkwardly but surely on his opponent's blades. Understanding what he wanted to do, she used the Aquiline Thrust to bring her enemy closer against the Hero's. The Hero propelled himself from the swords and slammed his sword into both of the Shearers' masks and crashed heavily to the ground.
Nevertheless, both Mortalis Shears were shot and the children of the orphanage were safe - also Beneltig, but did that matter at all?
The hero congratulated the princess for her fight and for getting out of it, Malalalivia reciprocated and commented:
- It shows that you didn't fight hard.
- At the same time, you were in my way, I wasn't going to accidentally cut your arm off. Oh shit, excuse me," the Hero caught himself.
He had just learned that the princess was a wingless, he didn't know if she still had psychological scars from that period.
- Why?" the fairy princess asked him, "to underestimate me? You're abusing it. There's nothing wrong with wanting to take care of others and worrying about them.
- That's not what... never mind.
- I know exactly what you're getting at, I heard your conversation with Lelelitio," she revealed, "you don't have to pity me, but as I told you: there's nothing wrong with worrying about other people. Come on, let's see if they made it outside.
They climbed the cellar steps, Malalalivia undid the seal Lelelitio had thrown on the door and they found their companions standing over Beneltig's body, helpless in the face of the pain he was feeling. He had not stopped writhing in pain, clutching his neck as if to break the curse from himself, but nothing helped.
- You still haven't managed to get it off him," said the Hero.
- We do what we can, Lelelitio defended himself, if I had a little more time I would have succeeded in removing him serenely but now, it will be complicated.
- What are the objects of the runic curse?" asked Malalivia.
- It's a countdown. Normally, the effect should have been immediate since it seems to have been affixed in a place where the magical essence is much stronger than here.
- If the countdown ends, what happens?" the Hero asked.
- His head will be cut off!
- No kidding...
The Legion really didn't like Beneltig revealing all their little secrets. "Unfortunately, the Hero had to keep him alive - reluctantly? - and bring him back to his beloved. He thought back to what Sawyer had told him and what the Shears had said, well what the fanatics said through them, about magical interference he would emit.
He then walked over to the ex-champion and put his hands on his neck.
- What are you doing?" Lin said excitedly to the Hero.
Lin grabbed the Hero and tried to pull him off of his friend's body.
- Don't get excited, I'm not choking him, said the Hero, there are much faster ways to kill someone than spending ten minutes choking him. Lelelitio looks for a change.
Lelelitio leaned over Beneltig and observed the runes around his neck.
- The countdown slowed down.
So the interference is definitely related to him and maybe it's continuous.
- If I slow down the countdown, will you have time to avoid his decapitation?
- Surely.
- Then do it.
Lelelitio took out a vial containing a green liquid and painted runes on the ground, around Beneltig's head these lit up and affected the necklace of purple runes.
- Malalalivia, why did you ask me if the Shears of Mortalis could speak?
- If the queen can monitor all the waves, the fanatics must have used magic to speak through these monsters, so they are close, very close.
- Where exactly?
- In the Nether. Which narrows our field of action to here. We'll have to wait until Beneltig is able to talk to find out where in the Nether they are.
- Right, then.
If the Mortalis Shears don't talk and only laugh, then the Hero thought he was right in thinking that these voices were particularly familiar to him, he couldn't put them down to who they belonged to but he was undoubtedly sure he had met these two voices before although he couldn't place them in space or time.
- Know one thing," the Hero warned her, "we will not confront the fanatics now.
- Excuse me? What do you mean we're not going to stop them now?
- Didn't you hear what Beneltig told us? These guys are in every stratum of your kingdom, from the small shopkeeper you buy your snacks from to a Saint of the Queen.
- But it's time to stop them!
- All right, then. Are you beating Sawyer?
- Are you? Why do you ask?
- I asked you something!" said the Hero, "Can you beat the Queen's holy knight, son of Torn Vanguard, Sawyer Vanguard?
- Hey, do you know who you're talking to?
- Yes, I do, and do you know that you have a life in your hands? And no, I am not talking to Princess Malalalivia. I am talking to the one who is responsible for a dozen lives that are currently watching us.
The princess turned towards the entrance of the room adjacent to theirs and saw that the children were watching them, fearful.
- Your servant told me about my responsibility to the people who believe in me and that I can make the sky appear again. Personally, I don't care, I just want to get my revenge, but you, who are so keen to be the next hero of the legend, when you took in those kids you decided to take them under your wing, so you owe it to yourself to think about what you're doing instead of acting out of anger. Have you thought about whether the information Beneltig gave us and we're up against a guy of Sawyer's caliber? What will happen to those children you swore to protect? Will this enemy of Sawyer's ilk come here on his own, since they have located us because of Beneltig? Will you be able to protect them and defend your own life? Or will you sacrifice your life like the previous heroine, or abandon them in order to save yourself? So answer me: can you beat Sawyer or not?
Malalalivia didn't know how to answer, she clutched her dress, biting her lip as she wondered what to say. Should she lie for her own ego? But she was facing the man who held the title she so coveted. He would know that she was lying. She could not give up when she had promised herself that she would no longer abandon the weakest as she had been.
- I... I can't... I can't beat him.
- That's it, then. So we don't attack them.
- And what do you want us to do?" Lelelitio cut him off, "You put dilemmas in front of him and you don't give any solutions!
- I'm not one of these shits who comes to expose problems without having a solution. Especially when the main people involved are watching. Now that we have confirmation that there are rats in our midst, we can bring in, not totally, the Queen.
- She'll never agree, says Lelelitio sceptically.
- We have the testimony of this jester, that's enough. I've seen him talking to strange people, that's good. The regulations of I don't know what, that goes out the window.
- And his help, which is not that integral, is going to be used for what?
- To move you and the children to another place with people the queen trusts completely. Then we have to set up a trap with him as bait to catch them in front of everyone, but especially the queen, and for that we'll spy on them.
- Spy on them? You're going to ask your elf friend from Tunsar to help us?
- If she was here and she had heard us, she would have come forward by now, but fortunately she's not here, because maybe she would have reported to the wrong person and that would have put us in trouble. We'll do it ourselves with Beneltig as our guide. But we don't act! Have I made myself clear?
- Yes," they said in unison.
Malalalivia did not speak so brightly as before. The Hero's questions had cast doubt on her ability to protect those in need. Finally, was the young fairy who had her wings abominably torn off right? Did she have the ability to be as strong as the title of Queen of Sylvania or even the Hero of the Legend demands?
- Hey, Malalalivia," the Hero called out to her, removing his hands from Beneltig's neck.
He stood up and spoke directly to the princess, who began to look away, embarrassed by his poor performance.
- Don't get down on yourself. It's obvious that you've had your nerves on edge, knowing that we were close to our goal. But it's because you have something to protect that I put you on your guard. By rushing in without a modicum of thought, you just risk needlessly losing your life and theirs. Besides, you look more thoughtful than me or my princess, so keep your cool.
- You're a bit mean to her," she commented shyly.
- Look at the clowns she carries around," said the Hero, pointing at Beneltig without looking at him, "how can you expect me not to doubt her intellectual skills.
- No, but Beneltig I want to, but not Lin anyway," she laughed.
- The second person is me, the Hero revealed, well I'm going to play with the children while waiting for the other buffoon to recover.
- And when are we going after the Legion? Today?
- That would be cool, but no. They're on guard and we'll have to come up with a plan to spy on them, while not having to make an absurdly Cornelian choice in case they trap us.
The fairy was impressed by the level of thought the Hero had, it was as if he had considered all the possibilities that could arise, but this thought was also reflected in the way he fought, both when they teamed up quickly and in the arena. He was not an opponent to be underestimated during the tournament - if you omit the fact that he was the Hero which made the distrust obvious.
She then followed him to continue the conversation.
- She seems rather interested in the human, Tarkus remarked.
- Despite her vulgarity, lack of intelligence is not one of her faults, Lelelitio said, and it's sure not every day you get to talk to your idol and role model.
- Not too jealous? commented Lin.
- Jealous of what? I am her servant, not her lover. My duty is to support her as best I can...
- It's true...
After playing for a good quarter of an hour and reassuring them about their project, Malalalivia and the Hero put the children to bed, who were dead tired. Then they returned to the others.
- The truth is, after thinking about it, you're pretty clever for someone who devalues himself so much," said the princess.
- With the children? Well, at first they were afraid of me but...
- I'm not talking about that," she giggled, "I'm talking about the way you thought about the situation and everything that could happen.
- Oh, that. That's from my brother. Not the devaluing, but the thinking about all the possibilities.
- Did he teach you to act like that?
- No, it was Helmir, I learned from him to beware of those messed up plans. He's nice but he always sends me to strange places, where there are cannibals, giants, without any help, and when he gives you support, well, it's a bummer because he finally stole your phone battery while you're locked in a fucking cage with fucking poisonous spiders...
- I think I understand," she calmed him down.
- No, but it drives me crazy to be in shitty situations every time," he complained, "Thank God I can't die so easily otherwise...
- Heroes can die?
- Well yes, otherwise I won't have a successor," he pointed out, "but it's very complicated: either you have to be the Nemesis, or...
He approached her ear, miming whispering something to her even though it was perfectly audible to the rest of the assembly in the other room.
- Either know the addictions of the hero in question and use them against him. A restriction imposed by the hero to strengthen the mind of his "host".
- Seriously?
- Yes! And like me, it's sugar.
- And why are you telling me this?" asked the princess, a little shocked by the nonchalance of her interlocutor.
- Are you going to kill me?
- No, I'm not.
- Then it's good," he smiled, patting her on the shoulder, "and speaking of my condition as a hero of the legend, know that nothing tests you to see your worth and know if you are fit to become the hero of the legend.
- Right? What are you talking about? What are you talking about?
- I'm just warning you that what decides to be a hero is absolutely not courage or some ridiculous virtue, it's just the circumstances that decide it, so don't think that if you make such and such an effort your value will be recognized because it didn't happen for my friend.
- Ah...
There was a certain disappointment in her tone of voice. You could tell that she didn't want to lose face by shouting her disappointment, but you could tell by her facial expressions.
- And how come we chose you over your friend who had prepared?" she asked with a voice bordering on annoyance.
- I've been recruited.
At Malalalivia's wary look, he laughed.
- What do you mean, you were recruited? Why did you?
- Well, that's simple: my mother was the former hero. And when I was about to die at the hands of the Nemesis Prime, she chose to leave the role to me, because she couldn't defeat the Nemesis by forcing the hero's destiny a little, she explained with a rather detached expression, and she died as the Nemesis.
Faced with this revelation, Malalalivia apologised.
- I am so sorry, I didn't know! I should have measured my words.
- But you didn't say anything! Even if I understood what your heart was thinking, and you're not wrong: I'm not legitimate to be the hero of the legend, I had no particular talent, no particular physical aptitude, well, as far as I know, I was even too weak to live without anyone's help or for long.
- You mean that becoming the new receptacle saved your life?
- That's right. But it's a blessing in disguise. I outlived my mother to be shackled to a duty too great. That's why I'm gonna ask you a simple question: why are you fighting? To succeed me? To protect what you hold dear? Because it is the duty of the powerful to protect the weak?
Malalalivia wanted to rush to answer his deepest convictions, but the Hero stopped him.
- Not now, you will tell me when you have really thought about it and you will tell me with your heart, he said, pointing to his organ and touching his skin, then I will listen to you and I will see... Nothing. It won't be long before he is free of his enchantment, we should join them.
He left first to see the others. Malalalivia stayed behind for a few moments, thinking about the Hero's words. Before he arrived, Malalalivia was sure she knew what she was fighting for since she had decided to succeed the Queen, but now, after the Hero's last words, her mind was completely turned upside down.
"Protecting what you hold dear?", "...the duty of the powerful..."...what was he getting at?
In the end, she didn't want to dwell on it too much.
After all, they say that night is the best time for advice.
Beneltig, disenchanted with the curse that had been cast on him, jumped to his feet.
- Calm down, you have nothing more to fear, Lin tried to reassure him.
- You! You don't touch me, you traitor! You're one of those people who kidnapped and abused me, I don't want anything more to do with you.
- I'm doing the right thing, I'll have you know, given that not only are you letting innocent people be murdered, and children at that, but you've also sent Thoosa, a girl the same age as us, to be killed, and now you're going to let your own lover be killed to preserve your life? I knew you were a coward, but not to the point of letting others die.
- Are you blind? Have you not seen what they are capable of? There is nothing we can do to understand them, everything is already in their plan, I wouldn't be surprised if they have a plan to defeat the queen without even having to fight.
- Unless they are called fate, nothing they plan to do is inevitable," interrupted the Hero, "and what they haven't planned is for me to come and be bound to the queen.
- And what? You're going to fight the whole of Sylvania's army on your own?" Beneltig chuckled nervously, "Even the queen who cajoles you so much won't let that happen.
- No need, I'm thinking of a plan that will allow us to beat them without really putting everyone in danger. But to do that, you'll have to tell us where they're hiding.
Beneltig angrily refused, claiming that being attacked by Shears and beheaded was enough of a lesson for him. The Hero reminded him that he didn't have much of a choice if he didn't want Tarkus to decide he wanted revenge in a deathmatch without a referee. Knowing he had no choice, he gave in and revealed that the cultists were meeting in the Hydragon Skeleton.
- The most dangerous place in the Nether," commented Lelelitio, "what time do they meet?
- When the Moon shows its head.
- At midnight, then," concluded the Hero, "and is that every day?
- No, it's every important event.
- Okay, so let's create it.
- What do you mean?" asked Lelelitio.
- There's a 50/50 chance that they'll be there today, we can catch them by surprise but we can spread a rumour that he's dead and so they'll meet tomorrow to discuss it.
- That's clever," says Malalalivia, "but are you sure they'll be there?
- Well, no, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it. So now it's up to you to decide when we act. It's a proposal like any other.
Without hesitation, everyone said in unison: "Today". It was not the Hero's opinion, but a democratic vote must be respected, and whether they were there or not did not change his mind, but what was certain was that they would not have to face them, especially him: to be accused of homicide against a Faerie in this kingdom, especially as the champion of an outcast, would play tricks not only on him, but also on his princess, Sawyer and Queen Selia who had supported him.
To his companions, he showed a certain confidence but it was only a facade that could be eroded at any moment, as when he asked Thoosa's mother if she wanted to avenge him, fortunately she put his mind at rest. What was happening in Sylvania had nothing to do with his quest for revenge against the Nemesis and the hero of the legend, these enemies were only pebbles on the path of the promise he had made to the Fairy, he didn't need to dehumanize himself any further. They would settle this with moderate violence.
And as the troop demanded, they set off in the direction of the Hydragon's corpse leaving Lin behind, with a transmission stone to watch over the children in case any danger should arise. They hoped that everything would turn out as they expected.
According to the Hero's ideas - it couldn't possibly be called a plan because it was so messy - they would only spy on the fanatics and find out anything about their identity in their conversations.