"What’s going on here?” I asked, trying to sound sternly and confidently. The other soldiers rose to their feet.

“Guys! Let’s kill the commander,” one of the strongest soldiers yelled as he jumped onto the cart. Fortunately, the war-hog wasn’t harnessed to a cart and was grazing nearby. Otherwise the warriors would have gone away with it.

“We are led to the slaughter, and here are chests full of coins!” He proclaimed loudly.

“Shut up, you bastard!” Spine shouted, approaching closer with a couple of young fighters. “Have you forgotten who you’re talking to? Or do you want to hide in the woods all your life from now on?”

Intelligence Check

Base

2

Bonus

0

Dice Roll

3

Requiment

4

Success

“Is it revolt against the HAND?” I asked menacingly. Why haven’t I remembered about the HAND before? An attempt on the life of a Black Guard was punishable only by death rather than penalties.

“Greg,” (I read his name in the MESSAGE) are you sure you want this?”

“I don’t care!” The warrior spoke confidently, but his eyes kept wandering. “Let’s go to the free lands, dudes! There are no masters or slaves! All are equal…”

“You’ve probably forgotten,” Spine interrupted him impatiently, “that only my relatives—orcs live there at ease, they constantly forced to defend themselves from the raids of the nagas and the nomads!”

“I don’t believe these stories!” Greg kept yelling. “Right now, I’m going to gut this mermaid, before your eyes. You’ll see that the nagas aren’t dangerous at all! Help me, guys!”

“Are you so cowardly that you’re afraid to fight a girl alone, being armed and clad in armor?” Lysandra asked sarcastically, hiding behind my back (What a smart girl!). I was wondering what to do. My weapon was still in the cart.

“You’re a real bitch, not a girl.” The soldier frowned.

“Are you chicken?” Lysandra asked and burst out of laughing. About ten men joined her laughter, to the displeasure of the failed conspirator. “You’d better get a broom or a garbage bin instead of a gun. That’s would suit you better!”

“Oh, you, scum,” the soldier growled furiously, but instead of attacking us, he got deeper into the cart, “I’m going to gut your fish right now!”

Perception Check

Base

-2(one-eyed)

Bonus

0

Dice Roll

3

Requirement

2

Failure

My Sacrificial sword might be at the edge of the cart, but in the dim light of the torches and the glow of the campfire, I couldn’t see it. I had to get ahead of the conspirators, crowding the cart, and kill them. How many soldiers are there? Five? Ten? I was so stupid that I’d manufactured armor and weapons for them. Damned fool.

I tried to move forward, but Lyska, who had foreseen this situation, held me back. Vasilisa had disappeared somewhere. Most of the soldiers stood at a distance. I didn’t know what they would do next.

I was their commander, but we hadn’t participated in any battle yet. What if I order on behalf of the HAND? I’m a Sergeant! Those who disobey will be considered criminals. I didn’t want to fight the rebels, because some people could die in the fight. If I lose ten or twenty soldiers out of fifty, I wouldn’t be able to fight in the arena and defend the Baron’s honor. So, I needed all the fighters.

“Listen to me! I’m Michael Greystle, a Black Guard, a Sergeant of his Excellency the Baron, demand that you lay down your arms! You don’t have to die killing your companions.”

“Fuck you, asshole!” one of the soldiers shouted. “We’ll take your property and move on. If you keep quiet, we’ll let you live. “

“Do you want to be charged with robbing an official?” I made it clear just in case.

“I don’t care. If we rob you, we’ll just pay a fine or a bribe,” another soldier grinned; there was one robbery on his list of charges. “You’d better stay quiet.”

“But first we’ll gut the mermaid,” Greg added, plunging his sharpened sword into the water. His movement was smooth and confident. He obviously knew how to use the weapon. But what happened next ruined his plans. Water splashed out of the barrel, Triya jumped out and landed on the confused enemy.

“Assault on property! Attempted murder!” I shouted.

The MESSAGE with the charges emerged before my eyes immediately and I confirmed these accusations without reading. The number of Greg’s charges increased; his penalty exceeded one gold coin. Magic!

“Soldiers, capture the dangerous criminal, accused by the magic!”

“Don’t move! Otherwise there will be slaughter! Do you want to die for this bastard in the arena?!” the new leader yelled. “Let us go, and everything will be fine!”

Meanwhile, a real battle flared up in the cart. The mermaid, who had got out of the water, was weak, but she was still able to defend herself. Triya tore off the foe’s twig armor, scratching him with her sharp claws, and hissed with the pain. Greg kept beating the water maiden with his fists and elbows. There were quite a lot of weapons and heavy objects in the cart. The battle might be over in in a few seconds.

What shall I do? Shall I use the Light? Enmyra White is looking forward to it and waiting somewhere nearby. Why doesn’t she intervene? Maybe she wants to kill me and the soldiers at the same time... The Sacrificial sword is in the cart; I have no other weapons or armor. Shall I call a spider? I’m afraid it will take too long.

Luck Check

Base

1

Bonus

0

Dice Roll

2

Requirement

3

Success

Fortunately, Lysandra sent a burning arrow from a bow. The arrow fell into the center of the cart just a few inches from Greg’s head. The rebel was distracted and turned his head.

At that moment, Triya cut his throat with her claws.

“Run! Get out of here! The potions will light up right now!” Lysandra screamed. She’s smart. The soldiers scattered from the cart. I ran up, grabbed my blade and plunged it into the enemy’s body. The Sacrificial sword immediately began to suck blood from Greg’s corpse. Meanwhile, the warlock’s disciple threw the burning arrow into the barrel. It was extinguished there in a few seconds without causing damage.

“Let us go, or you’ll regret it!” one of the rebels shouted with fear in his voice.

“Kill this jerk,” I pointed to the rebel with my flaming sword, “then all the others will be able to sleep peacefully today and tomorrow. I promise that if you lay down your weapons, you’ll fight in the arena. Otherwise I will execute you personally. Right now.”

“Oh, HAND, what nonsense!” Enmyra White emerged out of the darkness, riding her monster. “Just kill each other! What a bore! Everyone’s talking. Don’t you have anything better to do? Watch how it should be done!”

She snapped her fingers, and a small flame ignited in her palm. I only saw two flashes—one in her hand and the other in the bandit’s chest.

Neither wooden armor, nor distance helped him. The flames just flashed in his chest, burning him from inside. After another snap of the fingers the leader’s head exploded, fertilizing the ground with his brains.

I wanted to learn Enmyra’s mastership and effectively kill the enemies with fiery spheres. What if I have to fight the same experienced mages as Enmyra White in the arena? When will this happen? In the fourth round?

“We’re giving up! Don’t kill us!” several soldiers shouted at once. My threats, the Sacrificial sword sucking blood, and the mermaid didn’t seem so terrible as the mage killing one of them with one motion. The rebels immediately knelt down, dropping their weapons. I’m not sure I could fight Enmyra White.

“Tie them up, take their armor. They’ll lead the charge in the arena.”