VOLUME 1
- CHAPTER 28 -
THE BIG BAD WOLF
-
Peje:- - - - - “I’m Peje Hade, acting counselor of the village.” – He coughs to clear his throat, his slow pacing of words matching the tension in the gathering room. – “Today, I’ll be the judge of Benipe Nate, first leader of the Debeta, for the crimes of conspiracy against order, attempted murder, and disrespect to what is holy. With my powers, we shall impartially look into what is presented to us, and[…]”
- - - - - - - - - - - - Hmm… so, as I thought, it is an extremely serious case. The Chief of Security wouldn’t have said that their leader was in danger of being deposed if it wasn’t the case, and neither they would keep him under shackles even in trial. But attempted murder? Plus conspiracy and divine disrespect… I see. Nate tried to kill Strider, didn’t he? Strider is a hero, and so a Holy Spirit, and the conspiracy part probably was Nate’s attempt to excuse an execution… but it all backfired it seems.
Peje:- - - - - “[…] Kadu?”
- - - - - - - - - - - - “Hmm? Yes? What is it?”
Peje:- - - - - “Are you sure to participate? The sheepkin-“
- - - - - - - - - - - - “-It is of my full interest that I am here. I will meddle as little as I can, please let me act as an observer to my kind.”
Peje:- - - - - “I… I see. You are welcome at our table, miss Kadu.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - “Please, you can call me Nejeka.” – I straighten my glasses.
Peje:- - - - - “Of course.” He nods weakly and turns to the rest of the table. – “Thanks to all of you for your presence. Nejeka Kadu; the sheepkin’s observer; Vute Difivi, acting Chief of Security; Guni Dijegu, as our defendant’s guard; Benipe Nate, our defendant; and Samen Dusk, as the kingdom’s witness.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - The kingdom’s witness…? With his immature face, I thought he was another of the wolfkin’s guards. What is he…? the kingdom’s messenger? No, Nepaty’s attack happened four days ago, the kingdom wouldn’t waste efforts to send a representative to supervise a deposing trial from a mere scout village in the corners of their territory. He is probably a report man, just keeping the kingdom informed of what happens, someone who was already here, maybe a watchguard posted to protect this area. As small as it is, the royalty wouldn’t let a community live within their grasp without safety measures.
Peje:- - - - - “Unfortunately, Strider, the hero who was the victim of this case, refused to take part in this trial and trusted us to give a fair sentence; and Dutak Ave, co-leader and the defendant’s wife, respectfully asked for our forgiveness, because of… the extensive search she’s commanding to find her missing daughter, she’ll be unable to participate on today’s events.”
Nate:- - - - - “Tch. Let’s just get going with this,” – the shackled leader growled. – “No use saying the names of those who are not here.”
Peje:- - - - - “It is… important, Nate. Now, I ask all of you to be respectful as I present the case, your opinions are going to be listened to once the trial officially starts, so please be patient and remain silent until we finish this step…”
Peje’s trembling hands lift a paper near his squinting eyes.
Peje:- - - - - “Yesterday, at Nemi Cecide’s farewell discussion, it was set that her death should be commemorated instead of griefed according to the points presented. Whatever, Benipe Nate suggested that her death was not caused by natural means or by acting her duty as the shaman but by Strider and Willrus Strongblade, -a second hero who was with us until late that same day-, who would’ve assassinated her at the previous night to weaken our predictability on coming dangers, as she supposedly had powers to predict future events.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Nate proceeded and accused the previous day’s dragon-tiger invasion to be a hoax to gain the wolfkins’ trust, and painted Strider as a spy of an unknown monster army to everyone who was gathered. Strider defended himself that there weren’t any motives for him to stay in the village as there was no momentum for an attack or need to gather information from inside, as well as pointing out the Rules of God that made him unable to hurt the villagers, to begin with. Nate countered such statements by theorizing that Strider or Willrus had a special item that allowed control over monsters to undirectly kill one of us without breaking the Rules of God.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Then, Strider stood up and yelled his frustration, remembering every one of risking his life in an attempt on saving two of our children once the dragon-tiger came and announced to take his leave from the village. Nate, whatever, grabbed the hilt of his sword and threatened to kill the hero if he would run away. That’s when Willrus revealed to everyone that Vute Difivi was watching the heroes'' every action and that a magic barrier was lifted in order to confine the heroes in the inn by Nate’s orders, -which Vute and Nate himself confessed to doing-, and thus proving that they would be unable to go to the deceased’s room and kill her.
- - - - - - - - - - - - However, even with those revelations, Nate refused to give up and further threatened to kill both heroes, only stopping once his wife, Dutak Ave, and me, Peje Hade, subdued him with words. After calming down, Nate surrendered and was imprisoned until this day’s trial. With the exceptions of when Guni Dijegu had left his post once sensing the sheepkin’s arrival, where Nate escaped his confinement and attempted to murder Strider for a second time, but was detained; and at the gathering reunion with the sheepkin, regarding Nepaty Citadel’s invasions, which he was allowed by law to participate as his role as the village’s War Chief was still valid.”
The old wolfkin places the paper on the table, finally taking a breath in to prepare himself.
Peje:- - - - - “Any questions or disagreements about what was said?”
- - - - - - - - - - - - “I have a question.”
Peje:- - - - - “Yes, miss Nejeka?”
- - - - - - - - - - - - “You said of Willrus Strongblade. There was a second hero in this village? And why did he leave?”
Peje:- - - - - “Indeed, he arrived two days before the hero Strider, but left yesterday’s late evening. He told us he had unfinished deals to take care of and was headed to the dungeon in which he came from.”
Suddenly someone strikes the table in fury.
Nate:- - - - - “And you had to let him escape!?” – The leader’s chains clanked as his hair raised in anger, but when his glare met Guni’s he slowly quiets down. – “It’s too much of a coincidence, that the day I reveal their plans, one of them runs away...”
Peje:- - - - - “Nate… it’s not yet time to-“
Nate:- - - - - “-that Willrus hero was probably the one who kidnapped my daughter, and you let him go!”
The giant brown wolfkin slaps the wooden table.
Vute:- - - - - “Stop accusing them with your made-up theories!”
Nate:- - - - - “It’s a possibility, Vute. The heroes aren’t the good people you think they are!”
Vute:- - - - - “While you were in prison, Willrus left with everyone waving him goodbye and wishing his safe travels, everyone saw him leaving on his own, there’s no proof he left because of you or with your daughter!”
Nate:- - - - - “He could have come back at night, taken her. You know it’s possible, you understood what I was talking about when you accepted the job to watch them! They are not to be trusted!”
Vute closes his hands tight with hesitance.
Vute:- - - - - “Yes, I did the mistake to listen to you, but not twice. I thought we could have some form of rational discussion here, but you’re just a madman talking nonsense… It’s still not your turn to talk in this trial. If you can’t refute what was written about the case, then shut the fuck up.”
Nate’s shackles slide through the table as he straightened his back.
Nate:- - - - - “You know I can break these shackles at any moment, don’t you?” – His sharp eyes pierces Vute, like a bloody wolf bending down to talk to his prey. – “Guni can’t stop me either, no one in the village can. But I didn’t break it, I didn’t fight against my kind, do you know why?... It’s because I want you to understand me. To protect this village, my family, I need you to see the dangers in front of you. That fire is not something to play with, it’s as simple as that.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - “Fire?... Do you see heroes as if they were fire?”
His glare turns to me, a deep hatred building within his eyes like dark flames.
Nate:- - - - - “What is the difference? Both of them sprawl over everywhere if not controlled, and both of them destroy what they touch. Seeing my people idolize that is as if I was looking at a child innocently playing with the blaze, and yet, they don’t see their skin burning.”
For the first time in a long while, I sensed the urge to break eye contact, as if I wanted to hide and not make my presence noticed. But, instead, I continue to push forward, with a straight posture and confidence.
- - - - - - - - - - - - “What do you have against heroes? You surely overwhelm with vengefulness. What did they do for you to get so angry at them?”
Nate:- - - - - “What they did?” – He chuckles. – “They didn’t do anything.” – He leans on the table to stare closer. – “At least, that’s what the kingdom says. They never do anything wrong. But I know the truth. Heroes are lower than beasts, lower than any monster I have encountered in all these years hunting in the hardlands. All of those I have slain or met with, they all had something in common, a reason to live, a why for doing something, everyone has a motivation in this world. But not heroes. They don’t care.
- - - - - - - - - - - - They die, come back, and kill whatever and whenever they feel like it. They are called holy spirits, but I doubt there’s anything holy in them. They are corrupt, unable to feel how we feel, and so they destroy us without even realizing it. Even if they stared deep into your eyes and saw your sufferings in front of you, they won’t care, they can’t care.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Because it’s impossible to understand someone that is from another world.
- - - - - - - - - - - - I don’t know why the great mages called them, maybe they saw no other solution to fight against the magic beasts or the tyrant gods, but what they called upon us, wasn’t salvation. They called demons, demons who seek purpose in hazarding our world, on making fun of us, to rob us of what we have. That’s why I don’t want anything to do with them. If it was up to me, I would banish all the heroes from this kingdom, kill the ones who didn’t want to leave.
- - - - - - - - - - - - That’s why when the heroes disappeared I thought my wish had been granted, but those two came and destroyed that utopia as quickly as it came. Destroyed it and caused my people to doubt me. All I want to do is protect my family, and yet my children look at me as if I was a monster, while the damn heroes smirk behind them with their filthy manipulative words.
- - - - - - - - - - - - I just don’t want what happened to me to repeat, I don’t want the heroes to destroy my home and my family again, to flatten out my village. But no matter what I do or say, it’s like the curse surrounding the heroes can’t be lifted. People will always think they are the good guys, until they are stomping over your body and all your family is dying around you. Because that’s what they do. They don’t care.”
Everyone looked at him with apprehensive stares, listening to every word he had to say as if we were being spoonfed with poison. The hatred, everyone could feel it, the genuine animosity. Whatever he said, it couldn’t be an act, that was how he felt deep within.
- - - - - - - - - - - - “I see… I suppose the plague’s invasions are at fault? Did the heroes not care about your village being infested? That’s why you resent them?”
Nate:- - - - - “They did not care? I guess I used the wrong wording, no, they did care… to some extent. Because that invasion was their plan. They were the ones who made the plague come, and for the adventurers who tried to stop it, they chopped their heads out. The same heroes who supposedly were there to save us, opened the paths for destruction to come. Ironic isn’t it? Almost like the salvation everyone believes in… is a farce.”
The elder wolfkin clamped his hands and closed his eyes before speaking in his usual slow pacing.
Peje:- - - - - “The plague invasion indeed was very traumatic to all of us, this village is an example, all of the wolfkins here, and I believe in Nepaty as well, were victims of those dreadful impacts.” – His closed eyes widen. – “But Nate… he was just a child at the time, not bigger than his older son. Someone at that age can easily be subverted by his own beliefs, his hatred for the heroes not saving them at the right time was so great that the memories of them murdering the people of his village were fabricated on his mind.”
Nate laughs at that.
Nate:- - - - - “Fabricated, huh? So that’s how you have seen me this whole time, gramps? A pitiful lunatic?... But I know it was true, those damn heroes weakened our forces, let the plague kill everyone, and when they came back, it was only to loot what was left behind in our corpses.”
I lean forth, my elbows resting over the table.
- - - - - - - - - - - - “But how? The heroes… they can’t attack the ones who are not considered holy spirits, unless they are attacked first.”
Nate:- - - - - “That’s what they say. But they have more than one way to make that happen. Using monsters to wipe us out is one of them, just like that filthy cloaked hero said back then, don’t you guys remember? He confirmed that heroes could lure hordes of monsters to take a village out. We could’ve asked him himself if he didn’t bail and decided to not care for this trial. I-wonder-why…”
Dusk:- - - - “That’s something I wanted to ask, actually.” – The orange-haired wolfkin raised his hand. – “Why isn’t the victim of this case here? It’s not like he’s unable to, he’s literally outside walking around.”
Peje:- - - - - “Dusk… he said that he trusted our decision of his own volition, he didn’t want to meddle in what the wolfkins can take care of by themselves, and I respect his decision. He’s just a guest, after all, we don’t want to press our home’s responsibilities to outsiders any more than we absolutely need to.”
Vute:- - - - - “That’s right.” – The chief of security said with confidence. – “We’ve been bothering him from the start, no need to make him go through any more of it.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - “I agree. But for a different reason. I wouldn’t trust that hero, he being here would only get in the way.”
Everyone stared at me with surprise, even Nate’s wrinkles soothed a bit.
- - - - - - - - - - - - “I don’t trust heroes without a contract forcing them to do something. And even then, they can fail you.”
Vute:- - - - - “But… didn’t you see? All he done so far? He used holy magic strong enough to cure all your people at once, saving that little girl who was about to die in the process, he even passed out for all of that! And now, he’s helping your people to be stronger as we speak, to get on their own feet and defend themselves. You were there yourself, by his side!”
I rest my chin over my hands, a deeply thoughtful expression overcoming my relaxing face as if I finally could take something off my chest.
- - - - - - - - - - - - “To tell you the truth. I’m not completely sure about this either, but… I never saw heroes as our saviors, not ever, even when we learn they are the pure embodiment of generosity at school, or listen to all those epic stories we’ve been told when growing up, I’ve never actually believed it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - I’ve worked for many merchant guilds before, and I’ve heard some stories… about heroes going the wrong way. Sometimes, they didn’t only fail their contracts, but they were suspects of abusing the convoy quests we sent them. Yes, most of the time they did their part of the deal, about ninety-six percent to be exact, with a failure rate by death of two to three percent. That was all calculated in the insurance, something we consider as a natural loss, something we have no control over. But there was always that one percent… that one percent which the heroes purposely failed at their missions for personal gain.
- - - - - - - - - - - - My bosses said things like the human possessing the holy spirit being at fault, or that the reports were ambiguous, or that I shouldn’t worry if it was still under the insurance acceptance level. But… I started wondering, why do heroes should be all good? How did someone know that the heroes are going to save all of us? I can’t, I refuse to, and that’s why I fought my whole life against it, I studied my whole life and worked hard to reach where I am now… all to be able to stand on my own, to not need heroes.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Ironically, all of that directed me to work right below them, managing their contracts day in and day out. The time I spent with them gave me a better perspective. They aren’t much different from any other adventurer, they laugh in anger, make inappropriate jokes, get scared by the dumbest things… and yet… the embodiment of generosity…? that’s something I can’t grasp at. How does that make them less of a living being? How do we expect them to do so much? Just because they have more brute power and can die however many times they can? I don’t believe it…
- - - - - - - - - - - - You said about that little girl Strider saved from the brink of death, right? Indeed, she was fine today but… will she in the next year? Maybe the next month or week even? The misfortune that will follow the rest of her life, will the heroes be able to save her from that? I doubt it, and I will explain why I think like that:
- - - - - - - - - - - - Her father died in the invasion, and her mother… she was under a lot of stress, we often caught her mumbling to herself as if she was still talking to her late husband, or chatting with other people as if we were still in the city going on our normal daily lives, she looked at the grass and trunks of the forest and saw them as parts of the city’s stone, and even called people by names nobody knew of.
- - - - - - - - - - - - And then… one day we found the daughter unconscious over the grass, with no signs of the mother around. We sent a few groups to search for her, but… it didn’t take too long for us to find her body, she was hanging by a rope tied to a tree, just right there, wavering with the wind of the forest. All we could make out of the scene was that she had killed herself. And that little girl, she was left behind poisoned by something, probably by the mother herself.
- - - - - - - - - - - - It’s a story that would make anyone sick, something you wouldn’t tell anybody for the sake of peace of mind, both for the listener''s and yourself’s sake. But you know what the hero’s response was when I told him that story?... (“I see”), that’s the only thing he said, the only emotion I caught off of that was… if I had to pick the right word… was annoyance.
- - - - - - - - - - - - He ended up never telling the girl the truth, as I recommended, even when she asked where her mother was, he brushed it off and made her forget about it by teaching some of her skills. But I never… I never felt sympathy coming from him. Not once, on the entire day he was helping the people get ‘stronger’, I felt that he was glad. To tell you the truth… all I felt coming from him, was frustration, and him getting more tired as time went by. E-Even now… I think: is he going to be our savior…? Because… I don’t want him to be.”
I keep focusing on my imaginary point in the middle of the air, but once I realize that everyone was staring at me, I recompose myself.
- - - - - - - - - - - - “I am sorry. I said I was going to be just an observer but I’ve just spent a lot of your time talking. Forget everything I’ve just said, you can continue.”
Peje:- - - - - “No, it’s alright, Nejeka.” – He said lowering his head, speaking a bit slower than usual. – “The sheepkin must have suffered so much. And indeed, we all should stand on our own feet. Even though the heroes do not look to be much, we must hope the prophecy is right. That when the dire time comes, the heroes are the ones who will save us all. That’s why they are called our saviors, not because they are perfect beings, or because they can grant us true peace. But because they have the power to keep our world alive.”
Nate:- - - - - “Tch. She just said the sanest thing I ever heard from any of you, and all you have to tell is some religious bullcrap?” – The leader spat. – “Heroes are trash. They can’t and won’t save our world even if that’s what they wanted to. Look at that Strider hero, do you think that guy can beat me? All he knows to do better than me is run. …and at the end of the day, control your asses.”
The chief of security uncomfortably twitched on the chair before opening his mouth to speak.
Vute:- - - - - “Strider is… indeed a bit closed up. But much like Guni is, in my perspective.” – He pointed to the startling wolf-head. – “They just don’t like talking too much, aren’t about socializing, maybe Strider too had a harsh past and that’s why he’s like that. But we shouldn’t treat him as less of a person. Even he can get tired if he works too hard, and maybe he will react differently about heavy stuff compared to most people, we should be considerate of his thoughts and feelings too.”
Dusk:- - - - “But how are we going to do that if he’s not here?” – the orange-haired said with a shrug and a sigh. – “That’s what I mean guys, why am I the only one wanting the victim, I repeat, the victim and central piece of the case, to be present?”
Peje:- - - - - “As I said, he isn’t necessary. We won’t burden him, we take care of our own by our own.”
Dusk scratches his head nervously.
Dusk:- - - - “Gaahh! The hell with it. Alright, since everybody is having a spotlight, then let me borrow it. The world is going to oblivion anyways, so why would I keep it a secret?...
- - - - - - - - - - - - All of you guys know I’m a watchguard, right? Maybe not you Nejeka, but now you do. The truth is, I''d been doing this since I was eight, that’s twelve years since then. And I’ve learned some tricks in the big cities before being posted to work here. The truth is, I’m kind of a badass, -not wanting to brag of anything-, but I know a couple of things that only royalty knows about, overheard them when I used to work as their guard back in the day, so…
- - - - - - - - - - - - The thing is, it’s not a crazy thing for the heroes… well, how can I say it… to stop being heroes. The fact that they are heroes depends on how many good things they did or not, they call it “karma”. For every huge amount you accumulate, the hero basically gets a better patent, that’s what makes us sure if a hero is actually a hero just by looking at them, it’s like we can see their insignia pressed against their chests, it’s like an aura ability. But if they start doing bad things… well, they lose that badge.
- - - - - - - - - - - - So, for all we know, when they stop being heroes they can actually… well, kill people. I know, I know, it seems bad but Strider definitely is a hero, because if he wasn’t we wouldn’t have thought he was to begin with, we would only see him as an adventurer, or even worse, an underworlder. The fact is, underworlders are actually heroes, but with bad karma. I’ve heard it’s something that Nipir gave to all holy spirits, and it’s fail-proof, there’s no way to mimic it or cheat on it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - But the problem is, that… even the good heroes aren’t saints, the gods don’t follow their trail. It’s an automatic system, if they happen to do more good than bad it marks them with high karma, but it doesn’t mean they will only do good things.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Actually, in my time as a watchguard in the city, I’ve seen a lot of shit happen. Like a phenomenal level of shit. Heroes who were personal guards but had their royal killed by bandits, leaving the scene without a scratch; or heroes who ended up killing dozens of citizens in a bar fight; and there was even a royalty-level hero who descended to be an underworlder by the number of bad shits he did.
- - - - - - - - - - - - All of those, of course, were covered by the kingdom, and we watchguards who were witnesses to any information like that had to be quiet or we would be deposed as crazy. So, that’s that. Believe me or not, that’s what I had to say, though I don’t think it’s very useful for Nate’s case. Either way, don’t tell anybody you heard that from me, I don’t want to lose my job.”
He looms over the chair and turns to the side as if he was a pouting kid.
Nate:- - - - - “Seriously?” – The leader rested his back on the chair. – “Shut up, not even I believe that shit. You want to look cool, go hunt or do something useful.”
Dusk:- - - - “It’s true! It was a big thing… at the time. But nobody knew a hero did those.”
Nate:- - - - - “Heroes being responsible for killing royals? It wouldn’t be easy to keep that a secret forever, and everyone would know they were scumbags if that came out even once. What would they have to do? use a memory-wiping item? If that’s the case, then I’m raising the white flag, I would never be able to win against something like that.” – He leans forward, his face wrinkling like a growling wolf one more time. – “But only I survived in my village and I still remember everything those damn heroes did, if they had something like that, wouldn’t they have taken it out of my head? They can’t control memories, Dusk. Sure, they are trash, but they don’t have something powerful like that.”
Dusk:- - - - “Think whatever you want, then.”
Nate:- - - - - “But the rest… that I can believe. Heroes descending to underworlders, whatever that word means, it makes sense in my book.”
Vute:- - - - - “What are you guys talking about? We should backtrack, it doesn’t matter if heroes did or did not kill royals, or if they can turn into bad people, what we do know is that Strider was falsely accused as a spy and as the murderer of one of our people.”
Nate:- - - - - “Oh, were we still discussing that? I thought we were clear that Strider was guilty.”
Vute suddenly stands up and slaps the table.
Vute:- - - - - “You are guilty, Nate! You are! Strider might look like a bad person, and look really weak. But he has the right heart into it, I know, and all the wolfkins present that day knows what he said was true. Strider did try to protect those two kids, and he was genuinely upset about being called a spy, he was taking it as an injustice, not as someone who was caught with bloody hands like you want to picture.
- - - - - - - - - - - - When he saw the sheepkin coming, he did indeed grab one of them and scared them without any reason to, but he felt so bad that he knowledged his mistake and tried to fix it up by healing everyone.
- - - - - - - - - - - - He might have attacked Guni at that one time, but it was because we never introduced them to each other, right? Guni himself can testify that Strider was just trying to protect us. Even so, he soon realized he was in the wrong and even helped Guni to get past a deep trauma he had, making him see that his head looks like one of a wolf’s wasn’t a curse but a blessing, from Rudaw nonetheless.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Strider might not look like it, but he’s good. He is trying to be at least. Even if he makes a mistake, or multiple ones, he always learns from it and moves forward. He is a hero, and I do believe him when he says he isn’t here to harm us or to betray us. It’s not because of mind control, Nate, not because he is manipulating everyone, but because he acts upon it, he shows why he should be trusted, he doesn’t tell pity arguments or made-up theories like you!
- - - - - - - - - - - - And I can tell, since I was the one being used in one of your plans, of how bad they were, of how manipulative you were being. Maybe you are the bad one, Nate, ever thought of that? That maybe you are in the wrong? It doesn’t make any difference if you are doing it to protect your family, or the village, if you’re doing wrong things, it’s worth nothing. You’re just destroying it all.
- - - - - - - - - - - - But Strider delivers it, even when nobody expects much from him, he tries his best to make it happen. Anyone can see the results, they are as plain as day. It’s up to you to see if what he has done is useful or not. But you can’t tell me that what he’s doing is bad.”
Vute seats down to catch his breath and calm himself, taking a glance at everyone and lowering his head a bit.
Vute:- - - - - “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to get this emotional.” – He chuckles a bit. – “I even told Strider to be easygoing about all this, but I’m the one getting out of hand when it comes to it…”
Peje:- - - - - “It’s okay to let it out sometimes, Vute. But let''s focus on the matter. Nate’s being accused to attempt murder against Strider. Is there a defense?” – He turns to the shackled leader.
Nate:- - - - - “I tried to protect the village.”
Peje:- - - - - “By killing him?”
Nate:- - - - - “He was going to run away, wasn’t he? If he was guilty, the entire village would fall. If he had nothing to hide he would have no reason to run away. I would call it preemptive confinement for interrogation.”
Peje:- - - - - “But you said, repeatedly, that you would kill them.”
Nate:- - - - - “Yes… but it was a threate-- a warning shout, I wouldn’t really do it, not without being sure that he was a spy, of course. Did I swing the sword once? For what I remember, I didn’t even unsheathe it.”
Peje:- - - - - “And about the planned conspiracy of marking Strider as a suspect of being a spy, while knowingly hiding the fact that he never left the inn by Vute’s watch.”
Nate:- - - - - “I wouldn’t say it was a conspiracy. I ordered Vute to watch them and make a barrier weak enough to break once somebody attempted to get out. As only the two heroes were there, if it broke, then he would immediately call for me and we would interrogate them. I did know of that but I was unsure if the barrier went well, as I said on that day, they could, and probably did, passed through the barrier without breaking it.”
Peje:- - - - - “So, you saw it unfitting to share your knowledge, in a moment in which it could have been used to prevent a conflict?”
Nate:- - - - - “Not really. The discussion was heated, I never thought of bringing it up, so it never did it with my mouth.”
Vute moves from his chair with a scornful laugh:
Vute:- - - - - “Ha! I remember you shouting for me to shut up, Nate. Everyone saw it. Even if you did forget, you didn’t want to remember.”
Nate:- - - - - “Tch. It’s not like I didn’t want the information to go out, I just wanted to pressure them a bit more and make them confess.”
Vute:- - - - - “Willrus was the one who brought it up, keeping it hidden at that time would be impossible. Stop weaseling around, Nate, you’ve lost it already, you’re guilty. You want it or not.”
Nate:- - - - - “What do laws serve, if to not protect the people?”
The old wolfkin resumes de discussion:
Peje:- - - - - “And about disrespecting what is holy? You accused a Hero without solid proof. Even if all of what you said is true and purposedly for good, you still failed to act respectfully to one who is seen as sacred. Wanting or not, that’s against the maintenance of peace in the community, independent of your belief in heroes.”
Nate:- - - - - “So, what?” – He glared at the elder. – “Heroes can do wrong things, that’s what kept coming back in this whole trial, I might not have proof, but wouldn’t you agree? a hero, no, two of them arriving at our village after all of them had disappeared, isn’t that a bit strange? Wouldn’t I be more than excused to test them? It might not be common action, but given the situation… wouldn’t it be understandable?”
Peje:- - - - - “Not when it comes to threatening someone’s life. Or hiding information to manipulate your own people to believe in one of your personal views. Or disrespecting the heroic spirits.”
Nate:- - - - - “Then, I’m guilty. If trying to protect who you love is wrong then I’m a hundred times guilty.”
Peje:- - - - - “I see.” – He said grimly. – “Benipe Nate, first leader of Debeta, I hereby declare, guilty of conspiracy against order and disrespect of what is holy. You’ll be absolved from attempted murder since Strider himself saw no problem with it. I asked him before coming to this trial since he wouldn’t come, and his words were that, quote: (“He can bark as loud as he can, but he would never scare me. I didn’t feel my life a bit threatened that day.”) end quote.”
Nate:- - - - - “Fuck him too.”
Peje:- - - - - “Your punishment will be the deposing of your role as Leader of this village, since you cannot be enprisoned while you’re acting as the War Chief, until the threat of the Shadow Army or the dissolution of Debeta’s community, you will be free to act as a civilian until you’re asked to command in battle.” – He turns to the rest of the table. – “For the new leader, we’ll decide that with a majority vote in seven days, for now, Dutak Ave shall be officially named as the second leader of Debeta temporarily. Vute Difivi, you are now assigned as the permanent Chief of Security, as Nate cannot exert his power any longer.”
Vute:- - - - - “I gladly accept it, Elder.”
Peje:- - - - - “If there’s no more accusations or defenses, I shall declare this trial over.”
Everyone but Vute and Nate stand to leave.
Nate:- - - - - “Let’s pray that not many people get killed because of this decision.”
Vute:- - - - - “Enough, Nate. Stop acting like the heroes are at a fault, all you do is drool out your dumb prejudice around and expect everyone to enter your boat.” – The brown-haired wolfkin stands. – “Strider wasn’t the one who killed your family. The plague was.”
Nate:- - - - - “What difference it makes? To me, all heroes are the same… Wait--" – He halts before fully standing. – “Guni… that time Strider attacked you.” – His sharp eyes shifted to the wolfkin who had his back already turned to leave. – “How that happen? How did he attack you when he’s a hero? He shouldn’t be able to with the Rule of God thing, but I clearly remember that you were injured.”
Everyone stopped, Guni turned slowly with a wide eye at Nate. He hesitated, lowered his head and thought about it for a second.
Guni:- - - - - “That day… I… I-- It happened too quick, so… so I ended up hitting him unintentionally, he scared me so I sliced him with my sword, it was superficial, probably healed too quick for anyone else to see, but I saw it, it probably made an exception on the rule, that’s how it works, right? That Rule of God disables if we attack them first, so… that’s when he pierced me with one of his abilities, I didn’t even see it coming. But I’m f-fine now, Dilsu healed me pretty well, it’s like it never happened.”
Nate’s expression soothed out. For now, he accepted the defeat.
Nate:- - - - - “Heroes are… dangerous. Don’t let your guard down, that’s… that’s all I ask.”
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A genuine smile widens on my face.
- - - - - - - - - - - - It’s working better than I expected… First the explosive gain of positive reputation with the NPCs by healing them from the Decay effect, and now they are all coming to me to improve their power? I couldn’t ask for a better scenario, without needing to spend much effort I’m transforming useless NPCs into somewhat useful soldiers, all while gathering information on how this world works. Like in the game, the lower the level, the easier it is to become stronger. Soon enough they will be able to fight against the coming Shadow Army.
I wave goodbye after giving a tip to another kid, an adult steps in next, presents himself, and I welcome him.
- - - - - - - - - - - - I would’ve preferred to evacuate and regroup with Gonkdim’s main army, then use the wolfkins as leverage to command a reconquering counter-attack. But this is fine. It’s not like they would be much of use to me in the long run either way. If they want to stay then let them be.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Let them be mere pawns.
I shake hands with the adult sheepkin and his character panel pops up, I read them one by one and tell him what they are, together with a few tips I can remember and thoughts on how he could test them out. All with a friendly smile on my face.
- - - - - - - - - - - - Don’t worry, I’m on your side. I want you to be strong. Hell, I would turn you all into gods if I could. But unfortunately, I need to play with the cards I have. So please, my pawns, hear what I say, take my tips close to your heart, and use them against whatever is coming. All I ask is for you to hold the line the longer you can, kill as many as you can.
I wave goodbye to that sheepkin, and another one comes next in line. She presents herself, and I welcome her.
- - - - - - - - - - - - In the end, they will all die. Not that it matters anyway, there isn’t a chance of victory no matter how much I teach them. The only thing that’s making me stay here is the possibility of reaching the key out of this world. So, whatever thing you find back in that dungeon best be worth it, Willrus. I’ll do my best to buy you time. Don’t disappoint me.
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- { [2 days until the invasion arrives] } -
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