Chapter 34: Endgame

Chapter 34: Endgame

For a moment, the noose snapped tight around my neck.

My eyes bulged, arms spasming. I thought I was about to hear the sickening sound of my own spine snapping in two, followed by darkness.

I’d always been afraid, you know, of the dark.

Then the last strand of rope snapped. I dropped to the ground, collapsing in a heap as my hands scrambled frantically at the noose. My fingers pulled, and the rope gave. I heaved in a breath of air, chucking the rope away.

“Jesus Christ!”

I glanced up at the words. Electra had likewise yanked off the noose. General Tock had cut through hers cleanly on the first go. “Did you think you could cut it a little closer, Empress?”

I rubbed my neck. “I think I did, actually.”

I pushed myself to my feet, as Electra snorted. “Great. Perfect. Grade-A showmanship.”

I held out the arm with the mana inhibitor on it. “Showwomanship.”

She rolled her eyes, shattering the shackles with a controlled burst of electricity. The metal gave a whine as it crumpled open, and I felt my skills return. “So, please tell me that you have a plan.” She popped her own shackles a moment later.

“Of course I have a plan.” I looked around. The two of us were isolated beneath the scaffolding of the gallows. Around us, I could see the crowd almost frothing as people stampeded from the square. Blue was still causing chaos above.

“First,” I said. There was a thump as Delia dropped through the floor of the gallows, “...we deal with that.”

“You are totally pulling that out of your a— out of your butt.”

“You can swear, Electra.” I buffed my nails as Delia glared at the both of us. “The big bad PR team can't hurt you here.”

Electra squawked. “That was one time!”

“How fitting.” Delia twirled her spear. “You were a thorn in my side until the very end.”

“Oh, honey.” I sighed. “You don't seem to know who's driving this thing.”

Delia growled and lunged. I waved my hand. My mana pool drained to half, pulling dozens of demons into existence. The redheaded adventurer slid to a stop right before a hobblefiend eviscerated her.

“You—!”

“What, you thought this old thing would slow me down?” I tapped the twisted remains of the inhibitor cuff, and it fell to the ground. “Oops!”

At my side, Electra grinned. “Not so much fun now that the shoe’s on the other foot, huh?”

Delia ground her teeth, settling into a defensive stance. “It will take more than some second-rate skills to beat me.”

“Why do they always say that?” I shook my head. With an effort of will, half of my little army of demons spilled up through the gallows. They'd handle the rest of the guildies in the square, and cause... a little bit of chaos before they were killed.

Like all good employers of questionable ethics, I didn't need to pay my new demons if they died before they'd fulfilled their contractual obligations.

“You'll regret taking me lightly.”

I snapped my fingers. “No, that’s what they always say, isn't it?”

“Well.” Electra shrugged. “People don't really have genre awareness in this kind of setting, you kn—”

She snapped backwards just in time to avoid Delia's spear.

I threw out a demon-itize. The inky-black bolt raced through the air, only for Delia to bat it contemptuously aside. “Didn't I already tell you?” She yanked her spear from the wood of the scaffolding, cutting a demon in half with a negligent flick. “It will take more than some second-rate skills to beat me.”

I frowned. “Fucking power creep.”

Now that I'd seen a skill, Delia’s class description changed, morphing to show her second class.

“Still not a rare class?” I clicked my tongue. “No wonder you were so jealous.”

The woman flourished her spear. “Come a little closer, darling, and I'll show you exactly how I feel about you.”

“You guys really were destined to come to blows, huh.” We both stopped, turning towards Electra. The blondes nodded sagely. “The main cast can't support more than one ‘ara ara’ type.”

“Electra?” I said.

“Yeah?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

Then Delia skewered the closest demon, and the fight was back on.

I ducked back away from a sweep. For now, I just had to let my mana pool keep refilling. I'd grind her down through sheer attrition.N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.

“Come on.” I clapped her on the shoulder. “Next time, I'll take care of it.” Electra grimaced, but nodded sharply.

“You were never the type to make someone else do your dirty work.”

I gave a small smile. “You know me so well.” I jerked my head upwards. “Now let's go. We're not done yet.”

She drew in a deep breath. It was hardly her first brush with death, even if it might have been her first time dealing with it, but Electra was made of tougher stuff than your average hero.

“Need a boost?” she asked.

“Bitch.” I rolled my eyes. “You know it.”

It was why she’d lasted so long against me.

She formed a step with her hands. I hopped up, bracing my hand against her shoulders. “Was it always like this, for you?” she mumbled into my stomach.

I huffed, grabbing the floor of the gallows. “It’s never like anything.” I hauled myself up, kicking off her shoulders for that last little boost. Rolling over, I lowered my hand.

Electra looked up at me. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that as a villain, you never have a safety net. You never have a bottom line.” I gave a sharp smile. “No two jobs are the same, and at the end of the day, the only person you have to live with is yourself.”

She clasped my hand. “Sounds... kinda sad, not gonna lie.”

She jumped, I pulled. A few moments later, I got her up onto the platform. I shook my head. “Why do you think I have you and Rel?” She quirked her lip into an almost-smile. Then we both pushed ourselves to our feet and took stock of the damage.

The square was empty of people. I saw the corpses of Delia’s little crew, proof that my demons had done their job. Besides that, no casualties. Just like I’d ordered before my little monsters had no doubt run into the guards and died.

I didn't imagine I'd be welcome here in Silverwall for much longer.

A stillness lingered in the air. I could hear people yelling and screaming as the fight between the rest of the Guilds continued back and forth across the city. But here, for this little moment, it was calm.

“Busy day.” I murmured.

“Here comes the rest of it.” Electra pointed. I turned to see Arlo and the Tarnished come around a corner towards the square. My fellow gang leader looked to be in high spirits despite the narrow gash on his temple. I spotted the rest of my boys and girls with his gang as well, looking no worse for the wear.

My eyes sought out Rel unerringly.

She smiled as she met my gaze.

I gave a little wave as the victorious raiders came into the square. Shouts of surprise went up as my gang caught sight of me.

“It’s Lady Via!”

“Boss!”

“Empress, it's the Empress!”

I smiled a little wider at that, taking a seat on the edge of the gallows. “What, you didn't think I was gonna let you have all the fun, did you?”

A ragged cheer went up from my equally ragged band. It grew louder as Blue bounded up from the stage behind me, preening pridefully. We’d done it. We defeated the Adventurers Guild. With their biggest force taken out by Arlo and Rel, and Delia’s reserves felled by my hand, the rest of the Guild would be mopped up piecemeal.

Of course, an enterprising villain knew to never rest on her laurels.

Rel split from the crowd, coming forward to clasp my hand for a brief moment. “Did I do well, Mistress?”

I raised an eyebrow, and the woman blushed. Still, credit where credit was due. “Perfectly.”

Rel smiled wider.

The Tarnished, the very same gang that had attacked me all those weeks ago, came to a stop a bit further away. Oh, but how the tables had turned, for us and the city both. We had about even numbers between their gang and my little empire, with blades and grins still dripping crimson from the carnage.

We were all of us, red in tooth and claw.

“Arlo!” I waved cheerfully. “How’d things go on your end?”

The gang leaders’s salt and pepper beard twisted sharply around the answering grin. “Couldn't have planned it better myself. The Guild doesn't have a man left on his feet from here to the high wall.”

I grinned back. “Excellent.” I paused for a moment. “But, my friend, I couldn't help but notice that your boys are all wearing my colors.” Black and gold, obviously. “What happened to that thing you had going, with the... Silver Bands, was it?”

“Well.” his grin turned even sharper. “Only one band of hired thugs was invited to join the Guild. It's just how these things go.”

“And the fact that I'll be taking all the blame for this little escapade?” I fluttered my eyelashes at him. “I thought we were friends, Arlo.”

Some of his rogues and cutthroats shifted at my words, but Arlo just kept laughing. “Can't handle a little heat, girly?”

“Oh.” I kicked my feet idly in the air. “Don’t worry about me.”

Because the day had been... all according to plan.