Chapter 127: Three Greetings in New Laeneria

Chapter 127: Three Greetings in New Laeneria

In the moment the ambush appeared, Kai very nearly attacked. It would have been so easy to unleash a Tyrant's Claw that would have probably destroyed half the street. What stopped him wasn't the fact that he'd reveal himself, since the locals might not even be able to tell the difference, it was all the workers in the caravan with him. He'd gotten to know them reasonably well on the trip and he didn't want to see them riddled with arrows.

That hesitation gave him time to think a little more. If the bandit woman and her gang had been out for blood, they could have attacked without announcing themselves and had a better chance of success. The quality of the ambush suggested they weren't complete fools, so their motives couldn't be pure bloodshed.

"Easy there, no one needs to get killed." Kai kept his hands up and forced a smile. "So this is a robbery, is that it?"

"Where are you taking those crystals?" the woman demanded. She didn't thrust her spear in his direction, though, which was an improvement.

"They were ordered by a merchant who lives here. I understand his estate is over that way." Kai gestured with his head, keeping his movements contained.

"We can't let you deliver those. All of you back away, no sudden movements, and you can leave in peace. We don't want to hurt anyone."

"It isn't that simple. All of us here were hired to move these crystals... if we just abandon them, do you think we'll get off without punishment? Word will get out, one way or another. You look like normal workers, no different from us, so can't we come to some agreement?"

At first he thought that his words might be getting through to her, and many of the archers were shifting nervously. He noticed that most were training their arrows on him instead of the drivers, which he supposed was progress. But as he kept arguing, the woman abruptly spat in disgust.

"Don't lie to us, crystallier. This is all to defend your own kind." She raised her spear in his direction. "If anyone reports them, it would be you. Step away from the wagons."

Were they planning to execute him? Kai was less concerned about the arrows than about the implication of her words, but an ambush wasn't exactly the best time for a complex discussion. He'd brought up the idea of the workers being punished mostly as an excuse, trying to appeal to the humanity of bandits he suspected were just desperate people. She treated punishment like it was an expected outcome, which was troubling.

Without warning an arrow streaked toward his head. Kai barely managed to catch it and saw a crystalline arrowhead vibrating just beside his chest.

Everyone held their breath and he realized that he had only a split second to decide. The arrow had come from an upper window, where a slightly older woman looked on in horror. She had a few Physique Levels, but she didn't have the strength to maintain her bow at full draw. It had most likely been an accident... an accident that would be followed by a storm of arrows if he didn't act.

"We aren't here to fight anyone." Kai casually tossed the arrow at the leader's feet. "I can't pretend to understand your exact problems. Maybe you're starving, maybe you're threatened. But all we want is to make our delivery and go back home. Is it really worth starting a fight you aren't sure you can win?"

The woman's spear wavered, then lowered. She stared at him for several long heartbeats, then sighed. "Alright, stand down."

All around them, archers lowered their bows, most of them looking relieved. The workers on the caravan still looked tense, though, and Kai wasn't about to relax after the attempted ambush. As most of the gang melted away, the spearwoman stared at him.

Kai leapt off the wagon to land in front of her. "What's all this about?"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand," she said. "But you're right, we don't want to fight you."

"Don't write me off so quickly. Explain. Why did you want to steal the crystals?"

They were escorted into a sitting room and presented mixed wine, then all the servants cleared out. Kai was still too tense to drink, so he only pretended while he focused on Traegyur.

"Just what's going on in this city?" he asked.

"Oh, it's horrible, horrible." Traegyur drank deeply as if to fortify himself. "You heard about the killings? It's ordinary enough for crystalliers to shed a little blood fighting each other, but this is like nothing I've ever seen. This Omilaena woman is terrible, a she-demon from Rosemount."

"I heard that she executed all the nobles, but she hasn't come for you?"

"She pretends to have a sense of justice, in order to keep the masses on her side, but it's all pretexts and justifications. As soon as she has an excuse to kill someone, she seizes their assets. It's a good plan, if horrifying: she can throw the people some scraps to keep them happy and take the rest for herself. But under her control New Laeneria has fallen to ruins. No one is safe, and even those I can protect here are terrified for their lives."

"So this shipment..." Kai glanced over his shoulder as he felt the qi being released from the wagons. "These are crystals to be used as weapons, right? To defend yourselves?"

"Exactly so! I should have known a crystallier would have a stronger understanding than just any warrior." Traegyur took another gulp from his cup and then waved toward Kai. "Please, drink! Enjoy yourself while you have a moment's peace."

Kai took a sip to mollify the merchant, but he was more interested in information. "We only have confused rumors in Romastir. What is Omilaena doing here?"

"The worst part is that no one really knows. She has been seizing noblemen for some sort of terrible sexual rituals, but we have no idea of her true ends. Oh, but they say that she's strong! Terrifyingly strong. I don't know if it's from her rituals or something else, but she was able to kill several crystalliers at once when they tried to move against her."

All of that sounded uncomfortably familiar. Kai took another drink of his wine as he thought back to Anaelina. He knew that Rosemount was a big continent, but the details matched too well: a warrior capable of draining power from others who used sex as a weapon...

"Tell me, does she have long silver hair?"

"Silverrr?" Traegyur slurred the word and blinked a bit drunkenly. "No, she has blue hair. One of those infernal foreign colors. Arrre the others investigating her? Is more help on the way?"

So it wasn't Anaelina unless she had changed her appearance, which was a slight relief. Maybe just a similar name instead of a fake one. As Kai took a drink, he realized that something was wrong. The taste was just a bit off, which he'd assumed was another weird spiced wine. Now he could feel something churn in his stomach and realized the truth.

Poison. If not for his Physique, he might have already succumbed.

"You poisoned me?" Kai burst to his feet, grabbing Traegyur by the front of his wrap. But the merchant only stared at him blurrily and mumbled something incomprehensible.

"Oh, it wasn't his poison."

The calm female voice made Kai whirl to the side. He couldn't sense anything through the paper wall, but from his new position he could just barely see a silhouette. Someone was sitting on the other side, listening to the conversation.

"Interesting that you haven't succumbed. Maybe this will be fun."