3.31 In Which the Dark Lord Almost Wins

3.31 In Which the Dark Lord Almost Wins

I said that, because I had tohow many times in life are you gonna be served up such a golden opportunity? But realistically, nobody was getting in, and also this was clearly the end of the road as far as the truck was concerned, unless we wanted to waste a lot of time moving a gigantic barricade. On the contrary, it was time for everybody to get outboth those whod been comfortably in the cab with me, and everyone else who was much less comfortable in the back.

Yeah, so, I let him get away, I explained to Yoshi while I dispensed Heals to my goblins. Nobody had worse than bruises and motion sickness, but it was due to my driving so I figured it was the least I owed them. Some massed slingshot fire funneled him down the hole we wanted, and Zui said that only led straight here with no branches or side access, so we had plenty of time to get everybody loaded up. After all, it wasnt hard to outrun a guy on foot in a truck. He didnt even have to start teleporting until the end there.

You got, Yoshi said slowly, a truck.

Yup. I decided not to give him a hard time for stating the obvious; I knew very well the sight of a guy just trying to process a truly ridiculous development. We didnt all have showtime to help with that.

Itsits the truck.

Pretty generic, you ask me. I mean, Im a guitar guy, not a car guy, so Im no expert, but I cant help notice the lack of any branding. Dunno why shed bother with that, its not like Isuzu or Toyota can sue us here. Nah, it seems more like the platonic ideal of a white Japanese delivery truck.

Cos theyre not branded in any of the anime, he said vaguely, still staring goggle-eyed at Truck-kun. They wouldnt be, no brand would want their product associated with episode one teenage roadkill If anything, Kadokawa should branch out into trucks. Omura, I have so many questions.

The answer to all of them is because Virya thinks shes funny.

He sighed. Its a little scary how neatly that does answer all of them.

Right?

I cant help noticing that youve had this for minutes and youve already wrecked it.

He wasnt wrong, Truck-kun was somewhat the worse for wear. The worst was on the front, of course, which had just bashed into a metal wall at speed, twice. Not at normal highway speeds or wed all be dead, but it was going fast enough to crush a goblin and that was made apparent by crumpled fenders, smashed headlights, one torn-off side mirror and a windshield that was almost too spiderwebbed with cracks to see through. Not to mention the entire exterior of the cab was liberally painted with cream of Hoy soup. It wasnt just up there, though; the white walls of the cargo compartment were marred with dings and long scrapes where theyd had rough encounters with the tunnel which, while technically big enough for the truck, was not designed for it. Less obvious from outside but growing increasingly plain to us in the cab toward the end there was the damage the uneven tunnel floor had done to the suspension.

Well, it was boxed in anyway. Time to invoke the other half of that spell.

Banish Delivery Truck.

The battered Truck-kun instantly disintegrated, leaving behind only faint swirls of glowing golden dust which swiftly dissipated on the currents of air constantly blowing down the tunnel. Its disappearance was so sudden and absolute that the coating of liquid Hoy all over its front end splattered to the ground, causing the nearby goblins to leap away, cursing.

Sowait, that was it? Yoshi demanded.

Hm. Lemme try this out

Summon Delivery Truck.

It returned on command, standing there pristine and new. No damage, no mushed goblin in the grille, andI knew, thanks to my being connected through the Void when this spell was createda full tank of gas.

Banish Delivery Truck.

Holy shit, Yoshi whispered, staring at the empty spot where Truck-kun had stood.

Apparently only one can exist at a time, unlike my slime-summoning spell, I said. Which I was still mad about, because of how absolutely busted that wouldve been. It voided my first and best idea of stripping infinite trucks for parts. Man, the possibilities I couldve just holed up in Kzidnak, gathered together all the goblin alchemists and engineers, and fed them an unlimited supply of modern alloys, plastics, electronics, gasoline, and safety glassand in two years my army of giant mechas would be stomping uncontested across Lancor.

Which, of course, was exactly why Virya didnt let me do it. Both goddesses were filthy cheaters, but this game of theirs wouldnt be fun if anybody got an advantage too great. Having an infinitely rechargeable modern cargo vehicle in the medieval setting of Ephemera was already such a massive asset that my head swam with the possibilities, but it was an asset I could only leverage once at a time, in person. Not something that would break the game itself.

Lord Seiji! Our respective ruminations were interrupted by Ritlit, who strode up to me and saluted. I have conducted an impromptu poll amongst the troops, and goblins are about equally divided on the subject of the truck. Half would prefer a swift death over ever getting in that thing again, and the other half want another ride right now. Im in the second group, by the way. Hint hint.

You know, Ritlit, Im really glad you joined us, I said kindly. Youre a real breath of fresh air; its been great for morale, having you along. Now please shut up and go away.

Sir yes sir!

It was actually very nice up front in the part with the seats, Aster said. Very comfy. And its got these vents that blow cold air!

I coulda done without that, Zui grumbled, rubbing her arms.

Howmany people did you cram in the cab? Yoshi asked warily, as if he hadnt seen us all disembark. Well, I guess this spectacle was pretty distracting.

Plus me? Two talls and two shorts, I explained. Fits pretty well, with the goblins sitting on the others laps.

I know that was the absolute highlight of this whole adventure for me, Maizo said, grinning. Right, Naz? We should do that again.

Little man, you just remember that if I find it necessary to kick you in the nuts, your head will hit the ceiling.

Theres just one thing that worries me, said Yoshi.

One thing? Flaethwyn exclaimed.

If you just hit Hoy with Truck-kun I wonder what other world you sent him to? Theres nowhere that deserves having to deal with Hoy.

Hell, Yoshi, I said solemnly. I sent him to Hell. Which is just super convenient for everybody; when I get there I can kill his ass again. All right, everybody okay? In good shape?

Thanks to Amells concoctions, yeah, were all more or less solid, Zui reported. Funny how that super special healing spell of yours doesnt do anything for dizziness and nausea.

Yeah, the limits on Heal are pretty arbitrary.

Because thats not an injury or illness, Biribo said with audible exasperation, its the bodys extremely normal and reasonable response to being slung around the way we all just were. Anyway, its weirdly quiet out there. Did you guys have much chance to look around here?

Briefly, but we noticed the same thing, said Yoshi. The station is cleaned out and deserted. And look at this barricade; you cant tell from this angle, but from any of the station entrances it looks solid. Seems like somebody in Jadraks organization wanted it to seem like they were keeping you locked away while specifically not doing that.

Not just somebody, Pashilyn added. Erecting this would have taken a lot of teamwork. There has to be an entire faction among Jadraks so-called loyalists who are trying to undermine him.

Well, isnt that interesting, I mused. Right, then. The trick now will be to hit him hard and fast enough to actually take him out without provoking him to sacrifice his followers.

Exactly. And now Ive forced his hand; I actually do intend to do exactly what I just said. The stories of his cruelty and greed are going to spread through this city as fast as rumor can travel. He will need to come out and confront me to put his own version forward in the court of public opinion.

So youve got him trapped and forced to comply? Yoshi said pointedly. Isnt that the specific thing we were trying to avoid?

Also, Im worried that dealing with Hoy has given you the wrong impression, Sneppit added. Jadrak is not like that. Hes the opposite of that; hes a lot like you, in fact. Hes stylish, theatrical, and really good at making a speech. Thats exactly how he worked his way up into this Goblin King situation to begin with. Take it from somebody who knows firsthand, were not like the Fflyr; being a rich, powerful figure doesnt get you ahead with the public in Kzidnak. Goblins inherently distrust power. Jadrak commands followers for the entire reason that hes probably a match for you in the specific confrontation you just set up, Lord Seiji.

I nodded. Youre both rightor at least, Yoshi definitely is, and what Sneppit just said lines up with what Ive been hearing. And in this case, those two problems combine to form a solution. Ive put pressure on Jadrak, yes, but its pushing him into what he probably thinks is a winning position. Hell take the bait and confront me.

And then, Yoshi said slowly, all you have to do isbeat him at his own game. Omura, I dont know about this.

Me either, man. I cant say Ive been certain about anything weve had to do this entire time. But I can do this, I promise you. Nothing worth having in life is a sure thing; all you can do is count on yourself and your skills.

Sneppit nodded approvingly. Yoshi still looked unconvinced, as did the other goblins whod filed into the room behind him. And Pashilyn and Aster, who were both peeking in the door.

Trust me, I said, putting on a smile and projecting confidence. This my arena, too. I can take him.

Jadrak evidently thought the same about himself. One hour later, we were gathered on the plaza outside his new headquarters, which Sneppit had called the Core Tower. I had to admit, it was nice digs, even aside from the banners. If I were setting myself up as the lord ruling over Fallencourt this is probably where Id choose to do it from. Something to keep in mind for when Jadrak was out of the picture.

Right on schedule, the Goblin King emerged. And, though I had not specified it in my message, he came alone. You had to admire the sheer ballswhich, of course, was the point. I knew exactly what he was doing, and I conceded that it was some solid gold posturing. Behind me I had my entire entourage, the Hero and his party, two Judges and their respective Arbiters (Rizz and Gazmo were both present, and had been a big help in spreading the stories I wanted spread through the city), and a full line of armed goblins who a couple days ago had been Jadraks own loyalists. Coming out to plant himself in front of this display alone was the kind of powerful gesture that no amount of words could stand in for.

So, with just the opening move hed put one over on me in sheer charisma. That wasnt ideal.

I could tell at a glance that Sneppit was right. This dude had style, done up all in black and gold in a mimicry of Fflyr highborn fashionwhich was a mimicry of Goddess artifact fashion (which I now knew to be a tawdry facsimile of Final Fantasy-esque JRPG art)and unlike everyone from the highborn to the other goblins whod tried this (sorry, Sneppit) even to most of the Earth anime it was all descended from, he actually pulled off the look. His posture and expression were calm, controlled, the bearing of someone fully confident he was in command despite facing a dozen different people who wanted to kill him and were very much capable of doing it.

Which was another point: he would not have stepped out here if he didnt believe he could prevent us from stone cold murdering his ass. Whatever was peeking out from behind the windows of Core Tower would be some serious shit, and without doubt he had something else up his sleeve besides.

Now, this is more like it, the Goblin King said by way of greeting, and again I found Sneppits assessment correct: this was a guy who knew what his diaphragm was for. Everyone in Fallencourt was hearing this, and his voice showed no hint of strain. You know, the Hero tried this earlier. It was one of the most disappointing things Ive ever seen.

Oh, now, I dont believe that for a second, I said easily, grinning and also projecting. Its not like I dont know what kind of week youve been having.

Yeah, Jadrak drawled, as the principal cause of my annoyances, youd be pretty familiar, wouldnt you.

I widened my smile, made my voice softer but no less audible. If you wanted my attention, you could have asked. Shouldnt have murdered the goblins I was friendly with, Jadrak. Thats the difference between us. I will not have anybody fucking with my people.

We smiled at each other, cold and composed, while around us the city held its breath.

So, he said at last.

So.

This was it. The Goblin King and the Dark Lord, mano a mano. Showtime versus showtime. The confrontation wed both been building toward since long before we knew it.

Both of us drew in breath, breaking the tension, opened our mouths like quickdraw artists in a race to be the first to speak, and then somebody chucked a bomb out of the Core Tower.

Not at me or any of my people; I only realized it was a bomb when it hit the metal bridge right behind Jadrak and the explosion sent shrapnel everywhere. Luckily for him, the Goblin King was out of range of the worst of itand also, the son of a bitch was still poised while being actually, literally shelled with explosives, which was more than Id managed. He barely flinched and didnt duck or try to flee, just half-turning the second the explosion ended so he could look behind him without taking me out of his peripheral vision.

The bridge to the Core Tower had been taken out; nothing but twisted scraps of metal extended from both its original moorings. This particular part of the city didnt seem open all the way to the core, so it was probably still salvageable, but that did nothing to help Jadrak right now. He was isolated from his support, alone with me and all my backup, unable to retreat.

Above, the green banners fell as the cords connecting them to the upper windows from which theyd been hung were severed. Fabric rustled as it plummeted; one fell right through the gap where the bridge had been moments ago, the others tumbling to both sides.

And then, from those same windows, new banners were unfurled. The fabric unrolled and came to a stop, securely affixed where the old ones had been.

It was plain at a glance that these were a rush job; they were all patched together from miscellaneous scraps, the colors of which were uneven. You could even see where paint had been hastily applied over the top where the creators hadnt been able to find fabric that wasnt black or red. But theyd done it; sloppy and rough as it looked, these were my flags. The crimson sigil of the Dark Crusade over a black field.

Behind me I heard an incredulous sotto vocce from Flaethwyn. Wait. Slimes andwhat?!

Hah! Nazralind crowed, much less discreetly. I designed that!

Seldom had I wanted anything more than I wanted to turn around and see Flaethwyns expression in that moment, but I was still on the clock here. Showtime didnt end just because somebody usurped it.

Goblin faces appeared in the windows of the Core Tower and along the other covered bridge linking it to the cavern wall, all of them staring down at their erstwhile would-be King. Their expressions were not friendly. They didnt jeer or catcall, just glared in grim silence.

Well. Unhurriedly, Jadrak turned back toward me, and dipped his head once in acknowledgment, his wry little smile outwardly unconcerned. Im a big enough man to admit it: that was well played, Lord Seiji. Color me impressed.

Im tempted to just take credit, but Ive got a feeling that would bite me as soon as people started comparing notes, I admitted. I have no idea what the hell just happened. I didnt infiltrate your headquarters, Jadrak; if you managed to lose the loyalty of your core army, Im afraid you did that all on your own.

Like him, I managed to be outwardly composed, but I was reeling about as hard as he had to be right then. Seriously, what in the fuck? We knew he was having loyalty problems, but this And more to the point, where in the hell had goblin insurgents even seen that symbol? Sure, it was going up in an increasing number of places around North Watch, with some of my followers even starting to embroider it on their black masks and various other articles of clothing, but the goblins of Kzidnak shouldve had no opportunity to lay eyes on that.

Belatedly, it occurred to me that Id had no direct communication with my people since leaving them with orders to hold the tunnel at Maugros offices. Had they managed to

No. It took me an embarrassingly long few seconds of frantic thought to realize it, but I got there. The last time wed seen any evidence of our mysterious, invisible dark elf ally had been right here, in the cavern of Fallencourt. The same dark elf whod been skulking around North Watch for weeks and knew way too much of our business. The dark elf whose aid I had adamantly not wanted, after the debacle they created from our confrontation with the cat tribe.

Never had I been so glad to owe somebody an apology.

Well, isnt that interesting, Jadrak murmured, then raised his voice. Either way, Dark Lord, it sure does look like you have all the advantages here. Ill admit it: youve got me backed into a corner.

Oh, I did not like his expression. Still composed, but with emotion beginning to creep through, and that emotion was not fear. It was anger, a hungry desire for violence that I recognized because I knew it all to well, myself. Belatedly, I remembered the one specific thing we were trying not to do, here.

Okay, never mind. I was going to kill that fucking elf my fucking self.

Listen, I began, holding up both hands.

How about you listen, for once in your life, Jadrak retorted, baring his full complement of wickedly sharp teeth at me and raising one hand in what looked suspiciously like a ritual gesture. Listen, and watch, while I make it clear exactly how out of your depth you are, human. I call the devil Ozyraph!