Chapter 45: Proficiency and Spells

Anselm finds me grinning like an idiot all to myself, and perhaps unconsciously, he mirrors my smile. For once the system gives me good news. Lotar's boon has been conferred upon me.

Circle of Death.

The most powerful spell in my growing arsenal as I see it. The name speaks for itself, the spell allowed me to cast a circle that would kill every living thing upon entry.

I'm unsure how wide the circle will be but so long as it's wide enough to keep a spear away and though I'd still be vulnerable to arrows and other ranged attacks, I'm sure I'll have a shield of zombies protecting me.

"Did you get it?" Anselm asks, his mirrored smile still in place.

"Yes, and it is glorious!" I exclaim, "There are some other spells I still want to try now that my proficiency is sufficient, and there're these other spells that are not exactly spells but-"

"I'm sure there'll be time for that later, right now don't you think you have something to do?" he nods towards a collapsed Leriva.

Right. I rush towards her and fortunately fine her still breathing fine. She'd likely fainted from a complete lack of MP; she must have pushed herself to the limit keeping that Amphiptere around.

I'm grateful for that.

With Anselm helping, we pick her up and carry her up the slope. We have to walk some distance to the horses, or what little is left over in the retreat of the militia.

From what I can see ahead the horses are all set free and now roamed the fields grazing, galloping and neighing as they pleased. Not a very wise business plan, setting your horses free.

I have Anselm arrest and tie the horses together; they will do us some good yet and carry all three of us back to the pseudo-town of Carbina.

At first it is a bit difficult moving with thirteen horses trotting along behind us at various speeds, but again Anselm proves himself and gets it under control. Although, the ride is still not as fun as the first time around.

Soon I can spot the battlement and gates of Carbina, but what disturbs both Anselm and I next is the intense and ceaseless sobbing we hear emanating dead ahead.

On our arrival at the gates, we discover its none other than Mathilda, the Mayors aide-in more ways than one. She is so engrossed in her sobs and moans she doesn't even register Anselm and I unmounting.

Anselm gives me a look that has me sighing, "Fine."

I pick Leriva up off the horse that carried her and set her on my back while Anselm leads the horses inside. There's no one at the gates so he just walks in unperturbed.

It's safe to assume that the village is panicking. I don't know what structure left in place in case she died but it's obviously not working or is seriously in question.

With Anselm gone and Mathilda still not acknowledging my presence I begin kicking at her shins. "Hey! Mathilda." I groan, my body wasn't exactly the best for carrying people long term, especially not after my labours fighting those Cultists.

"Leave me be. Council yourselves for once, this is your chance to take power all that wish to." she is barely audible between her sniffling and sobbing.

It's very annoying though and so, not holding back, I drive my foot in a strike aimed at her vulnerable shin with all my contempt for the hysterics she's putting on to power it.

"Ow! What is wrong with you!" She throws herself off of the ground erect and ready to face off her assailant tears or no.

Her mood however, changes the moment she recognizes me. "Sir Taserman." She whispers in a gasp. Her eyes then fall on her lover laying Deadman style on my back, her face contorts ready to give out another terrible series of sobbing.

"It's okay. She's alive, don't cry, please."

"I…I know she's alive."

And thus, I am serenaded by words of thanks, praises, prayers and even more sobbing.

***

After enduring her cries for as long as I can, I finally suggest we get inside and help Leriva to her bed.

Walking in I find Anselm idling around at the back of a large crowd of people all speaking and screaming at once. The chaos is hilarious but educational.

This world or at least this Kingdom relied heavily on the protection and rulership of the Mages, strong Mages. The speculated loss of Leriva, a Mage nearing B-rank as far as I'm told, is significant, especially in these dire straits.

We may have eradicated one camp and liberated a route out of the village but the threat of the other camps still loomed over head.

And with someone like Mathilda left in charge, no offense to her, their panic is warranted. I'm quite surprised they haven't started looting, raping and killing in a frenzy, perhaps they were built of stronger mental constitution than humans back in my world.

It makes sense given monsters, gods and all sorts of magical and natural forces lie in wake waiting to kill and destroy all they know as civilization.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"The man over there, the one from the briefing." Anselm points at the man trying his best to calm the people in front of the Town Hall down with three other uniformed guards who looked terribly distraught, "He's trying to take control, says he has a plan now that Leriva is dead, a plan he wanted to implement but couldn't because of her. Many in the crowd as challenging his audacity to rule but the only other option is…" he trails off as his eyes linger on Mathilda.

"I know I'm no real Mage, most of what I got from Leriva was just minor practice, playfully really. I'm not someone to lead a village, besides, she's right here, she's alive."

"Yeah, that's right, but she's vulnerable. Our guy over there looks like the type to commit regicide than lose his chance at power." I snort, "Not that I blame him."

"Of course, you don't." I don't have to look to see Anselm rolling his eyes at me.

"We should get her up there. She doesn't look good but she's breathing and that should be enough for these people."

In agreement Anselm immediately falls into military mode, slamming his spear on the ground and announcing with likely all the air in his lungs, "Make way!"

With a pointy blade and a mean face in their sights the people quickly part and let us through. Now that we have their attention, the people with sharp eyes quickly recognize their Mayor despite her dishevelled visage and the fact that her feet rolls limply on the ground as we carry her.

The obvious questions and conclusions begin to circulate, and before we get to where the scowling wannabe usurper stood, the crowd was in upheaval yet again.

"So, you survived." He observes.

I smile at him, "Astute observation uh…what's your name?" I ask, letting go of Leriva and letting the many servants in the Hall help Mathilda carry her in.

"I am Lieutenant Dral and I-"

"Dral. Huh, what a name. I don't see your other friend anywhere here, Oteri was it? Guess he didn't survive, a pity." He parts his lips to talk between my pause but I stop him in his tracks, "Have you observed that the Mayor still lives, Lieutenant Dral?"

At this he straightens up. By now Anselm has finished barking silence at the clamouring people at the steps of the Hall.

"The Mayor may yet live but it seems the battle has taken its toll. It will be days, if not weeks before she is fit to defend the people of Carbina, and that is if she survives."

His emphasis on the likelihood of her survival rubs me the wrong way. He is definitely planning something stupid.

He ignores my next words before I get the chance to say them and pushes himself forward, addressing the people gathered directly. "People of Carbina! The Mayor lives!"

The previously tamed crowd cheers and hails the news with vigour so great it reverberates through me. They really love Leriva huh.

"However, she is in dire straits." He continues woefully, I almost believe him too, "She will be weakened until she is fully healed and ready to protect us all once more. Until then I will pick up the heavy burden of leadership during these terrible times."

The cheers are a lot less now. These people aren't stupid, they know enough to question his right to rule in her place, the right for anyone other than a Mage to rule, it's the same thing with Ioina village.

I can hear them questioning if it wouldn't be better to ask the Marquess to send a temporary Mayor in Leriva's place. Of course, Lieutenant Dral ignores this.

"The route to Aste has been freed of the Cultist camps thanks to the efforts of our dearest Mayor, and once we secure it, we will have free movement once more and progress in the reinforcements of our growing city!" Dral begins to get into his bit of monologing and exclaims, "So follow me! People of Carbina, follow me and let us reclaim our future!"

I won't lie, he has the charisma to take power and keep it for a while. Unfortunately, he didn't have true power, not like I did. Clearing my throat, I set my hand on his shoulder and ask, "Lieutenant Dral are you quite finished?"

He shakes off my hand and growls. "Guards! Arrest this man at once!"

A foolish mistake. And I was going to let him live.

"Death Grip." There's no stopping my spell, immediately his feet rise from the floor as I raise him into the air.

"You are no Mage, Dral. You cannot hope to truly protect Carbina, I would let you live but I fear your ambition for power endangers my fellow Mage, Leriva." I squeeze and the pain of rapid necrosis ends along with his life.

Letting his body drop to the ground, I step by it in a crouch and whisper as I inject the fresh corpse with mana, "Create Undead."

While the horrid transformation is underway, I address the shock-stricken people, much of whom have fainted or fallen to their knees in prayer. "From this moment to whenever Leriva, your Mayor recovers, I am your leader, your ruler and your protector. You may address me as Lord Ash or remain silent."

I turn and throw my focus on the trembling guards and perhaps fellow Lieutenants that Dral tried to command, "Form up a team and secure the route, be quick about it."

"Rargh!" My Ghoul screams, it bears no resemblance to Dral, fortunate.

"Go with them, protect them." I command, hoping it understands orders other than attack.

I'm not sure if any of my new spells have a range limit to them so this is a good time to test it out.

I proceed into the Hall as the new, albeit temporary Mayor of Carbina. There is much this place has to provide and I'd take all to my satisfaction before I leave.