Conviction, page 15
This proved to be a mistake and the right call, as the spider hadn’t fully cleared the corner when Xeal fired off his attack and it seemed that something explosive had been stashed on the spider. Were it not for Xeal’s time dilation and quick reflexes granted from being tier-7, he would have never been able to shift to his lightning form and flash step to the rear of his forces in time. Xeal took note of the look of fear on Finshapi, while she looked to be halfway through shouting a warning. As it was, those in the front rows of the formation weren’t as lucky, as pieces of spider and other substances rained down on them. As they did, screams could be heard as the effects of the liquefied spider caused them immense amounts of pain and damage. However, this chaos wasn’t taken advantage of as no dark elf forces came forward and while the poisonous acid was painful, it lacked the oomph to kill tier-6 and up individuals on its own.
Sighing as order was restored to his forces, Xeal decided to scout himself as he used his lightning form and flash step to quickly reach the curve of the tunnel. Once there he saw that the dark elves had been caught in the explosion and that many more were in need of massive healing. However, it seemed that they lacked healers and so Xeal made a decision as he returned to the front lines of his forces and still hovering above them in his lightning form spoke.
“The dark elves got the worst of that explosion. Charge and capture as many as you can!”
At his words there was a second of hesitation before a shout was let loose and like a dam bursting, the whole force that wasn’t occupied minding the prisoners charged. What followed wasn’t a battle, as the dark elves who could fled the moment they saw Xeal’s forces round the corner and an hour later 1,000 more female dark elves were captured. This included the one who had spoken with Xeal at the start of the battle, who once she was stabilized after nearly dying from being one of the closest to the explosion, was shouting almost belligerently. She seemed to be unwilling to surrender, or accept being captured, as she tried repeatedly to goad any of her guards into attacking her. The major issue with this was that Xeal’s force had long since run out of shackles that could restrain the power of their wearer and so she still had access to her magic currently. It was also clear that the others who had just been captured were going to follow her lead the moment she attacked. So, Xeal stepped forward with Alea to help her handle the situation directly.
“Quiet! You ungrateful bitch!” shouted Alea the moment she and Xeal arrived. “We save your idiotic selves after you try to blow us all up and you still want to fight us!”
“Ha, are you the queen bitch of this army? Is that monster of a male behind you your lapdog, or perhaps he is your mate!”
“Perhaps I should have you spend some time getting to know the orcs that have come with us.”
“Ha, my kind may be twisted, but at least we never allied ourselves with any of the lesser races as equals. Any who fight for us know their place beneath our feet-”
Slap!!!
Alea didn’t hold back as she landed a hard slap on the dark elf, ending her tirade, at least for a second.
“Perhaps I should see to it that you are broken completely before the night is out.”
As Alea said that, she pulled out a syringe with a poison in it and jabbed it into the dark elf’s arm, surprising Xeal and several others present. The look of satisfaction on the dark elf’s face at getting Alea to lose her cool faded a second after the injection as she spoke.
“What did you just use on me!?”
“Oh, well that is simple. See, I am aware that most poisons will do little on you, but there was a healthy supply of one of your people’s favorite tools for bending others to their will in the city we left. I believe it was called love venom and I am rather curious to see just what it will do to you, as it seemed that it is meant for use on tier-5 males. Though I am sure the quintuple dose that I just gave you should still at least make you tingle from the effects.”
The look in the dark elf’s face became one of pure horror as she realized what she was about to experience. By the name alone, Xeal knew it was a twisted tool that dark elves used during mating and he was looking at Alea with a bit of trepidation as the dark elf finally spoke.
“Oh, what, do you think that I am going to disgrace myself by begging for males to fornicate with me? That isn’t going-”
“Heavens, no. My hopes are a fair bit more twisted than that. After all, anything so obvious would do little to actually break you. Instead, I think leaving you surrounded by those you led to almost certain death would be far more interesting.”
At Alea’s words the other prisoners adopted new looks as suddenly, the dark elf went from their leader to a possible plaything for their rage. Xeal could see where this was headed and knew that he might have to step in to impose his morals should things go too far. However, he was willing to wait a bit longer as Alea continued and give her a chance to show that his worries were unneeded.
“Hmm, I wonder just what a detox spell would be worth to you right now, as I am sure you are starting to feel the effects of the venom right about now. Tell me, which comes first, the fever, or the burning need to find release?”
“I will not be done in by something so vanilla. Sorry, little girl, but you and your male will need to try harder than that.”
“Oh, he isn’t my male. No, if anything my mother is one of his perspective mates. Hmm, oh and by the way, my mother’s name is Queen Aila Lorafir, which should be a name that even you should know. I am just here to gain experience as I try and rise to the same height as her.”
At the mention of Queen Aila Lorafir, the looks on all of the dark elves’ faces changed drastically. No longer were they looking amused while thinking about how they could best escape. Instead, they were showing worry for the first time as their leader retorted to Alea’s words.
“Ha, right. You think that we would believe that the cursed queen would dare invade us when she couldn’t take the field herself. That coward denied herself access to the power that our queen and her most trusted followers have been basking in for decades now. Once they get involved, your little army will fall and-”
“Blah blah blah, keep telling yourself whatever you want,” interrupted Alea. “But even my mother knows better than to fight a war against Xeal. After all, he is still only in tier-7, but she is no match for him at this point, as I am sure that spider you sent out can attest to.”
“So, you are just a worthless little girl trying to act big in front of the man your mommy claimed before you could. Tell me, what will you do when my queen takes him and bends him to her will?”
At that Alea just started to laugh in a manner that made it clear that she wouldn’t mind watching such a scene play out, before she responded to the dark elf.
“Tell me, what do you feel when you look at him?”
“Nothing but hatred.”
“Really, he doesn’t make you fear that the world you know is crumbling down and that soon the dark elves will have a king instead of a queen?”
“That will never happen.”
“We will see. Xeal, I think that we would be best served leaving her to stew for a few hours while that venom really goes to work. Ensure she is well guarded as if the others reach her before we return it will complicate things, but make sure they can all call out to her.”
As Alea gave the guards their orders, Xeal continued to hold his tongue until they reached his tent and Alea visibly relaxed before turning to Xeal and speaking.
“Thank you for holding your tongue as I am aware you disapprove of my methods, but I have a purpose behind my actions and they are focused on the end game.”
“You are aware that we are years from that now, right?” asked Xeal.
“No, I hadn’t realized that events had gone so wrong.”
“They have. If we wanted to reach the capital and end this quickly, we would have needed to capture three more cities, one of which is over 100,000 dark elves strong. Only then would we have a path to reach the capital and assault the palace while our army buys us time. That possibility went out the window when the queen learned of us and now we are going to face similar resistance to what the dwarves will. Though now the dwarves will see a noticeable decline in the pressure they are always under.”
“At least I will have time to grow and groom a group of those we have captured to serve under me,” replied Alea. “Tell me, Xeal, do you think that any of your kind would be willing to become dark elves?”
“There are always a few who are willing to take the harder roads, but if you are hoping for a massive influx, that will be a rather difficult venture in many ways.”
“You worry about spies and others who would be less than ideal to allow into our area of control down here, correct?”
“More or less. That is unless you want to try and play the truly long game, and establish a whole kingdom down here and try to slowly overwhelm-”
“Xeal, there will be nothing slow about what I intend once the ball is rolling and I actually got this idea from watching you. I just need you to let me have Salfe play the role of duchess for me, and help my mother push for a second and third elven city above ground once Habia is conquered.”
“You would have a true elven kingdom rise. Tell me, what is your goal?”
“The same that my mother had when she created Anelqua. Only this time I will seek to expand that such that all elves have the opportunity to join us, even if they are currently living in hiding in other parts of the world.”
“You are hoping to include dark elves and allow for players who choose to play as dark elves to be able to enter these cities.”
“Yes-”
“You’re seeking to establish dark cities, not elven ones. Your cities would quickly attract players that wish to play all races which are typically not accepted by humans. This will also draw many dangers and create chaos surrounding them, and you will soon find that the only law that can be enforced is that of power.”
“I am not seeking that-”
“Yet, that is what it will be. Alea, the moment you allow dark elves to wander the streets, you must allow kobolds, goblins, subterranean orcs and every other race intelligent enough to buy goods and not recklessly attack others. Anything else would cause me too many issues to support it and sorry, but that is where I stand on the matter. That said, if we can find another area with a reliable path into the subterranean realm, building such a city actually makes a fair amount of sense. Though, you may have Salfe sit on the council there, but not as anything that would include a noble title. Sorry, but that will be where an elf who has fought in the wars above will have to come in and I expect that they will only be a viscount at the most.”
“Xeal, what good would such a city do for our plans?”
“It will create a third front for the dark elves to fight on, at least once a path is discovered and I have just the place to use, now that I think about it.”
“Fine, I will just leave it to you. Only I will have nothing to do with the rule of such a place, so convince Victor to place whoever you like at the head of it and forget about Salfe.”
Xeal just smiled, as he thought over the possibility of having Holly reopen the collapsed paths that the dark elves were using between the Paidhia and Nium borders. Simply by the fact that the area was under the control of dark elves, made it clear to him that the paths would end up in an area that was controlled by dark elves, or at least close to one. It would also possibly allow for a decisive surprise attack on them, if used when the dark elves were fully focused on the other two fronts. It was with these thoughts that the time passed until they returned to the captive dark elf leader, who looked like she was hating life upon their return.
Gone was the arrogance that had filled her eyes and replacing it was a need that she was fighting against. Sweat covered her whole body and her breaths were more pants than anything. At the sight of Alea and Xeal there was a look of relief, followed by defiance as she tried and failed to rebuild her will to fight them. The smile on Alea’s face was wide as she saw this and wasted no time in speaking.
“It looks like you are having a bit of trouble. Tell me, would you like more doses? I have enough that I can keep you in this state for years if you want.”
“Bitch, you, ugh no, leave me.”
Xeal could see the struggle that the dark elf was even having to speak, as Alea smiled as she continued to speak.
“Sorry, but if I leave you, it will only be after doubling the dose that is currently in your system. I am told that without treatment, love venom can become addictive after-”
“Fine, what do you want!?”
“You to surrender to me in the same way Finshapi surrendered to Xeal. Honestly, that wasn’t supposed to happen, as I am who she should have prostrated her nude form before. I lost out on having a true claim over any of your kind that day. I am not about to let all of you get away from me though.”
Xeal could see the group of dark elves thinking as they watched their leader, who after struggling for a long moment, began to undress and with that Xeal looked away from the scene while cursing internally. Alea was embracing her path to power and it seemed that she was determined to prove that she could rule before her mother handed power over to her. The only problem was, Xeal could see her slipping and being corrupted by the methods she was using, especially with her tastes being what they were. Still, he knew better than to stop her, as he sent a quick message to Kate to speak with Rina about keeping an eye on Alea. If anyone would have the ability to be a check on Alea it was Rina as if Xeal stepped in, it would only cause her to throw his own words back at him.
After hearing what Xeal assumed was the dark elf’s last piece of clothing fall, he heard a similar pledge to the one Finshapi had given him. Following that, Alea accepted the pledge and ordered her to be detoxed by a cleric who was nearby, before leaving with the still-nude dark elf. Xeal could see from the looks of surprise on the other recently captured dark elves, that they hadn’t expected their leader to actually submit and then be humiliated so thoroughly. It also became clear that many of them were reevaluating their situation. Sighing, Xeal knew that as Finshapi had shown herself naked to all, Alea planned to assert the same feat with her new captive. Part of him wanted to stop her, but he knew that in doing so he would ruin any chance for her to be seen as the leader of this force in the future. He also knew that her bringing Xeal with her and being the one to leave with the dark elf alone, made it clear who the dark elf surrendered to. The only problem that Xeal could see with her plan beyond his distaste of it, was that others could see it as desperate and forceful. Even so, at this point all he could do was let things play out and hope everything turned out for the best, as he addressed the rest of the dark elves who had been left behind.
“You all may think that her surrender isn’t yours as she lost you the moment you were captured, but as none of you spoke out against her remaining our focus, you all accepted her as your leader still. So, I will just say this. The one of you who decides that they wish to cause issues, will find yourselves in a much worse condition than your leader was just in. Especially as none of you will have me to stand between you and Alea, who I can tell you is ready to take things much farther than I would.”
With that Xeal returned to his personal tent that had been set up, where he was joined by most of his wives who were present. After spending a while discussing the state of things, it was once more time for Xeal to log out and he just sighed, thinking about his to-do list as the surface war was about to return to a fevered pitch.
(*****)
Morning May 22 to Evening May 29, 2269 & ED Year 9 Days 199-222.
As Alex awoke on Saturday morning, he just smiled at knowing that he was officially free from the restrictions of the cease and desist that Abysses End had sent. Not that he feared it ever holding weight. Rather, his only real concern was that him ignoring it completely would be used to show that he had a blatant disregard for the law. While that would have been something that could be argued in the court of law at a later date, Alex knew better than to take actions that could get under a judge’s skin when it wasn’t needed. Like most things with the law, simply making those who are tasked to enforce it feel as if you are being reasonable could save many headaches along the way. Even if the end result would be the same regardless of the inconveniences that one put themselves in to do so.
Still, there was still a mess of legal procedures left to deal with. While the bill that had been passed seemed to settle the issue about actions during wars in ED, Abysses End was still pushing to force Alex to answer for the actions prior to the bill being passed. Such was Alex’s life as he found his time that wasn’t claimed by his wives or children, focused on understanding the legal situation of it all. With Kate due any day now and him not wanting her to need to deal with any more of it, he figured that he would try and handle it for at least a little while. Though Kate just gave him a look that said she expected it to last a few weeks at best, before settling in to relax for a change of pace.
Though, by the end of the week one thing was clear to Alex. While Abysses End was radio silent on most things, they were certainly planning to make his life annoying for as long as they could. They even had the gall to remind him of a settlement offer that only required him to hand over his guild and they would cover even his own legal fees. Making things worse was the fact that making such a thing public wasn’t in FAE’s interest as it could fuel speculation that if the legal trouble ballooned out of control, Alex could give into such demands. He was just happy that Abysses End couldn’t make it public either, without making it clear that all of the lawsuits they were filing were simply a continuation of their attempts to acquire his guild. Even if many forums were full of such speculations already, and it was clear to anyone was paying attention and had half a brain. The vast majority of people were not paying attention, at least not yet.
