The Wielder of Death Magic

Chapter 340: Pledge

Peacefully one beside another, mementos of those who died rest in the garden. Left of the mansion and sat in the veranda that gave onto said assortment of pretty flowers and greenery, Staxius had tea in the company of Achilles. The latter, confused, shocked, and clueless, had sworn to not cry over the death of a comrade ever again. Flashbacks of the war that took her life flashed in tandem as the sun voyaged slowly across the skies. Leaves blown by the gust made spiral around the garden to land on the adjacent path. A moment of silence for the master of the mansion reflected. Inside, Lizzie was fed milk by Rosetta, she had taken care of the babe as if she were her own. A warm display of affection that had Staxius glance over the shoulder a few times and think, ‘-did mother care for me like that too?’

Next to the open space with a massive flat-screen, Rile and Laurence worked hard to clean the bar.

“What are you going to do now?” asked Staxius peering to the returning comrade.

“What else, I’m going with you,” smiled, “-being a hero and always caring for others did make me happy. However, that righteousness didn’t do me good when my friends were in peril. I really thought that our bond, our unity, would make me stronger, I felt powerful, in honesty, I was overconfident. The invincibility made me careless, no matter how strong the opponent was, I’d win. The truth came to light when those close to me died. A strong person is someone who can protect what is precious to them. In that aspect,” facing he who sipped tea and listened intently, “-you’re very strong.”

“Strong,” startled, the tea fell out, “-that’s not true. I’m weak,” staring out where leaves fought hard to cling onto their branches, the gust kept the pace to then break them away. The weak fell whilst the strong held. “I’ve lost a lot more than I’ve gain. I couldn’t protect my daughter – how the hell would I have the arrogance to say I’m strong. I’m weak, I might be a good fighter, but in the end, killing one to justify another is pointless. The circle of hate never ends; that’s the reality. I’ve grown rather distant when it comes to killing, I suppose with age comes maturity,” placed on the table without noise, “-nevertheless, if killing is the only viable option then I’ll happily slaughter those who oppose me.”

“Master,” perplexed, she watched fondly.

“What?” monotonous, he caught her glance and demanded answers.

.....

“I never realized it,” from frowned to smile, “-you’ve changed,” the grief of losing a friend was forgotten for an instant, “-the cold-blooded murderer isn’t soft, not that’s far from it, you’re far more ruthless now. Ruthless in a way that others can’t describe; I sense it, a relentless hunger, you’re greedy and vindictive.”

“I suppose,” stood, “-anyone who takes from me ever again, will pay ten-fold, that is what I swore. I will not care who it is, take what is precious from me, I swear I’ll become the definition of the apocalypse.”

“I’ve made my decision,” close behind, “-I’ll follow you once more, master. I, Achilles, hero of another world, pledge my fealty to he who gave me life anew,” knelt, Staxius turned to accept her offer.

“I, Staxius Haggard, accept thy pledge. Hero from another world, welcome home.”

“I’m grateful for the honor,” said in a mumble, upon standing up, she was assaulted by a plethora of angered jealous gazes from the retainers. Pledging loyalty was a great honor, and having the master accept was one even greater. The Ardanians brought up by a strict code of conduct knew the implications.

“Master,” the instant the duo walked in, Laurence spoke, “-I have a question?”

“What is it?”

“Pledging one’s loyalty to another means that he has to protect the master under any circumstances, right?” the eyes lit as if a heartbeat.

“Yes, as for you, Rile, Laura, and Seiran, thou aren’t pledged to my name yet. Therefore, thou art still servants of the crown. Not that it bothers me, thou did come here on thy own.”

“What of the head-maid?” asked Laura who appeared out of nowhere.

“I’ve pledged my service under his majesty’s name,” she smiled with Lizzie in hand.

“MA’AM!” lashed Rile, “-is that not treason, to pledge for one other than the Queen?”

“Listen,” strict and direct, “-I’ve pledged to the Haggard name, which means that I’ll do what is needed to protect master and her highness. Have you forgotten that Master Haggard is also the monarch of Arda?”

“I apologize,” ashamed, the wolf-man returned to his duties.

“Rosetta,” voiced Staxius softly, “-don’t be so rude to the youth, are they not thy disciples?”

“Indeed they are,” she glanced over to Rile who walked at a sluggish pace, “-a little idiotic at times, but they’re worth the trouble.”

“Master,” spoke Laurence yet again, “-let’s not get sidetrack, I was speaking of she who has pledged under thy name.”

“Listen,” patting his shoulder, “-do you think you’re ready to,”

“Master, may I speak?” walked the hero with a greater pace, “-I understand what the young man is implying. If you may, do I have permission?” locking eyes, he nodded.

“Very well, if thou wish to spar, then, the yard is open for combat. Make sure not to ruin the lawn, else, it will be a pain for the gardener.”

“I expected as much,” he cracked his knuckles,”-I’m happy to have left the capital, this will be pleasurable,” a spark lit between the two. Excitement overwhelmed her mind for a chance to battle another human. ‘Too long has it been, too long indeed.’

“Laura,” called Staxius now stood on the porch, “-can you head to the attic and bring me the sword on the table. It should have flowers on the scabbard.”

“Yes master,” she scurried upstairs whilst the duo got ready to fight.

‘The sword, the sword,’ opened to a dim and dusted open space, ‘-where’s the sword,’ she skipped around, ‘-found it,’ on the table, she reached to then jump away. “WHAT WAS THAT?” her instinct screamed of danger, “-that sword,” a dark-mist, invisible to the human-sight, emanated an evil presence all around. It was alive, waiting to strike, wanting to kill, the unquenchable intent to slaughter. ‘Is that his sword?’ she wondered to carefully approach the object.

“Here you are,” downstairs, she had turned pale from the experience,”-master, is that your sword?”

“Yes,” he smiled and held the weapon as if nothing, “-Orenmir is its name, the curse-sword of which sucks the soul of many,” paused to think, ‘-it also contains the soul of a certain man with an unfaltering will to win. The blade is alive and strong enough to cut down anything or anyone, my trusty companion.’

“We’re ready,” returned the duo. Dressed in black with daggers and blades all around, Laurence stood at the ready with the hand creating strings. Achilles, on the other hand, wore her adventuring gear, Kniq’s outfit – the wings of freedom.

“Hey, argonaut,” called Staxius, “-you don’t have a weapon, do you?” he smiled.

“Y-yeah,” she stared away in embarrassment.

“Here,” she caught his weapon with a baffled expression.

“Are you sure?”

“Go ahead, you should be able to tame a cursed-blade; that’s the handicap I’m giving Laurence.”

“MASTER,” screamed the man, “-that’s very insulting, do you not believe in my strength?” Stood on the path dividing the yard and mansion, hard was it to not hear what he said. Hidden by clouds, the sun could but fade away – an aura of dread rose from the butler. Gravely offended, the face shone with anger, one directed at his master.

“There’s a difference between you two, I accepted Achilles’ pledge based on merit. She’s far superior than you”

“Master,” voiced Seiran in a shady tone, “-you realize insulting Laurence means that we could potentially turn against you,” prideful, being belittled from a kid let along by the king, would have dire repercussion.

“We may be retainers,” walked Rile with Laura in tow, “-that doesn’t mean that we’ll take anything you say, there’s a reason we’re known as the defects. Rules don’t apply to us,” all their faces changed to battle-readied.

“Yeah,” whispered from behind, Seiran’s nail reached for the king’s neck, *BANG,* not an instant wasted, the girl flew to hit the porch. Giving a thumbs-up, Elliot stood with Knightfall in hand.

“Defects,” he glared Rile, “-don’t make me laugh,” a side-step followed by a flick to the back of the head, the wolf-man went flying across and into the wall-around the mansion. “Know your place, you dimwits. Don’t think that I’m going to forgive anyone who tries to betray me.”

“HOW DARE YOU,” leaped Seiran, *BANG,* a clean headshot had her consciousness fade, in mid-air her body flew forwards, *Smack,* bone-crushing sounds echoed with her smashed into the gravel-path. Staxius gave an elbow to the nightwalker – thus, ending her life.

“Laura,” grabbing her neck, Staxius glared Laurence, “-if you want her life back, go fight with Achilles. You’ll see the difference in power. Do you think I’ll surround myself with weaklings like you,” spat,” -prove your worthy else I return thee to Arda in body bags.”

“M-MAS-STER,” trying hard to escape the deadly grip, her mind faded to nothingness after a mere few seconds.

“DON’T UNDERESTIMATE US,” howled, Rile changed into a wolf twice Staxius’s size.

“Big Dog,” side-stepped to then a half-powered punch, Rile flew across to crash near the gates with Laura still strangled.

“Quite a commotion,” commented Rosetta who stepped to a bloodied mess, “-did you provoke them?” she asked peering over Seiran’s dead body.

“Yeah,” he tossed Laura near to Seiran, “-they underestimated Achilles and were being brats. Guess I wanted to show them a little lesson.”

“A little lesson,” coughed the nightwalker, “-you killed me,” she stood with the face regenerated.

“You asked for it,” holding out a hand, “-let’s go watch the fight.”

“Master,” she shook her head, “-I can’t figure what kind of person you are,” to which she accepted the offer.

“My head hurts,” awoke Laura, “-what happened?”

“We got annihilated,” limped Rile from the entrance, “-that punch knocked me clean out.”

“I did hold back,” laughed Staxius, “-did you enjoy the lesson?”

“Never again,” they bowed in tandem, “-sorry, master.”

“No matter,” patting their heads affectionately, “-there’s growth potential.”

Meanwhile staring one another, “-master took out all three in less than a minute,” commented Achilies.

“In less than a minute, did he use magic or some kind of enhancement?” the reality seemed a dream, the defects were hailed as the strongest combat servants. How could they be defeated in less than a minute, it was impossible or so was what he thought.

“Are you stupid?”

“Excuse you?” he glared.

“He wasn’t even serious; using magic on a bunch of kids would be overkill. Listen, what you saw was just his normal self,” she laughed, “-don’t go underestimating me,” sword drawn, a whirlwind of screaming souls escaped.

“Oh, oh, she’s gone and done it.”

“What do you mean by that, Master?” asked Laura as they sat on the slope before the yard.

“That blade contains much more than just a weapon, it’s alive and feeds off blood and death. The more it’s fed, the more it will grow.”

“Will it not hinder the argonaut?” asked the nightwalker.

“No way,” he shook his head, “-Achilles isn’t a normal warrior, she’s a hero.” Just as he said those words, the rampaging sword lessened into one docile. Two flickers of light followed with Laurence knocked on the floor.

“H-hold up!” screamed Laura, “-THAT WAS LESS THAN A MINUTE.”

“She didn’t damage the lawn, good job Achilles,” he clapped. Sheathed, the sword returned to its owner.

“I didn’t touch the grass,” she laughed as they stood on the slope.

“Laura...” whispered her brother groveling at the foot of the slope, “-how can a person be so powerful,’ a few minutes had passed, the altercation resulted in them on the lawn.

“I don’t know,” she replied with gritted teeth.

“Why are we groveling,” asked Seiran, “-should we not be doing some kind of housework?”

“You dare ask,” sighed Rile, “-we underestimated the king and the people who protect him. Defect, what the fuck, we’re but pebbles on the road. He held back whilst not even trying, do you know how humiliating this is?”

“Alright,” came Rosetta, “-the four of you are going to spend the day cleaning the outside, I don’t want to see a single piece of trash, understand?”

“Y-YES MA’AM.”

.....