Chapter 156: Terms and Agreements(P2)

The pressure of a thunderstorm over my head did not alleviate, partly because Maylin did not deign to alleviate the brewing thunderstorm over my head even after Serue took his fanciful leave via tear in space.

She's staring down at me now, they both are, Anselm and she find my…lack of preparation and even worse, complete disregard for her daughters safety disturbing.

I've been anticipating this conversation with Maylin for some time yet, and I've got the best response I can think of down to a pat. My defence would be unbreachable, all she has to do now is attempt an attack.

My throat still cut up in many places as Serue played fickle with my dagger, it felt like he shifted its position several times just to make sure he opened up more wounds and cause as much pain as possible. 

I can feel it with my fingers tracing over the torn, bruised and slit skin. It's crude shape; four lines crossing over each other on the skin. I have a jarring feeling it will scar if I don't heal it soon.

Unfortunately for me, my only options for magical healing that won't leave scars or any trace of the injury would be for me to drain a persons soul, but that seems a bit excessive and I wouldn't rightly want to start my supreme and unquestioned rule over Aste by killing someone would I?

I snort at the ridiculous thought, of course someone is going to die, someone always dies. There's got to be one fool or another, some rogue, vile element set in their ways to defy. There will be death, but I'm just not sure when, the fools come to you, you see, one does not go looking for fools.

Unfortunately, my only other option would be to ask Maylin here to do it. But that's certainly not going to happen seeing as she's directly posed to strike me down at any time.

Best part about it? I've got no Shield. Whatever Serue was up to while I was under his illusion…a shameful thought still – must have dislodged or rather, released the Souls I had under my careful care. My magic undone and my ties to them cut.

What a profound waste. Still, if I had managed to somehow keep them I'd still have no way to store the Souls and they'd release their energies over time and escape anyway.

"What do you want to talk about?" I have the decency and immense fear to tip my head down in a respectful nod as soon as I reach her.

To my surprise but sweet relief, the storm overhead dies down and the sounds of crackling thunder disperses.

"Do you remember when I said you were just like your predecessor?" 

And my planned defence jumps out the window. This is the last thing I expected her to say, to mention. 

So many other things to talk about, namely, her daughter!

But I'm being attacked for this? I have no defence, even I can see the irony and wisdom behind Maylin's words back then. I hadn't known what she feared at the class but now, now I think I do.

I don't answer but she continues speaking anyway, "Just looking at you, I'm beginning to feel like I should have just let Serue slit your throat, would have saved me and inevitably, thousands, perhaps million others pain and strife."

Her eyes narrow, "Pain and strife you will cause."

I look back up at her and realize we've never really stood shoulder to shoulder before, never on level ground.

She's tall, and from this angle, looking up at her towering a full head over me, she's beautiful. But wholly terrifying.

"Those aren't my intentions, you know that."

"Do I?" she challenges before I even utter the last word. "Do I really know what your intentions are? You've succeeded in sucking Kaylin into this pointless fight for…what is it again? Right, a fight for the elves." 

She sneers, disgusted at me, "What a farce. It's a shame my child can't see through it, but I can, clear as day. Just how many leaders and wannabes do you think I've come across? You think I can't see you for exactly who you are?"

"And what's that?" I bite back, a bit braver than I should considering her earlier display, but I can't sit back and be…disciplined, even by her. "What's my true nature that only you seem to see, Maylin?"

"You are a conqueror."

I blink. Oh, I wasn't expecting a compliment.

Then she says, "I bet you think that's compliment."

My mouth hangs open at this and she completes, "It's not though, you're a harbinger of chaos. That's what conquerors are. Wherever they set their foot in they just can't seem to help drawing people together under them, or simply brute forcing their way through everything."

I roll my eyes at her, "You can't be serious."

"I am. Look around you, Asher. Look at your journey thus far, and I'm sure you'll be able to see what I say is true, blind as you are."

Biting my lip, I refuse to summon up and review the memories, "And so what? So, what if I'm a conqueror or whatever? I'm doing this for your people, believe it or not, I'm not sitting in some underground dirt dump playing the all-knowing old lady."

She flinches at my hurtful words, "Old?" she gasps.

"But what have you done for your people, Maylin?"

"Something you don't seem to want to do with that mass of wealth you have." She chuckles and twirls, hands spread in the air gesturing at the Palace, "Heck all the new wealth you have. I can guess most of this will be going to feed your army."

Well, I can neither confirm nor deny that.

"You've become just like your predecessor, Asher. And the more powerful you grow the more people you'll hurt."

"You're so deadset in thinking that about me, Maylin, I am not the previous Necromancer."

"Say whatever you wish, but I will learn from history."

I raise my eyebrow at this, "What…what do you mean."

"If you don't want me striking you and all your ambitions down here, you won't mind me taking what I need from the cities reserve."

In the first place I'm not sure what's stopping her from doing so and just walking in a taking what she wants. Wait…what does she want?

"The cities reserve?"

"You know. Food, weapons, gold…a lot of gold."

Oh…great, bribery.