Chapter 671 - Slaughter Or Mercy?

Whilst Aiden was gathering more and more [Draconic Skink] essence, above the surface, at the large, vast central plains of the realm, the battle inside the ruins of the ancient city had finally reached its conclusion.

With Naybeah enhanced by the Amazon Queen's Divine Power's last swing Lord Bartholomeo Diaz's lifeless head rolled down on the ground, painting the nearby dusty streets into a darker shade of red.

His retainers, Lord Bart's already captured and defeated guards, sighed listlessly as they watched the headless body fall to the ground. They knew that it was over; they could not return to the Diaz Manor as the patriarch would surely skin them alive, boil them, or think of some other clever means of torture to vent his grief and anger.

Once the news of the young lord, the Diaz Heir's passing reaches the old man, the dormant monster inside him would surely erupt, and the ensuing chaos would pull many others down along with them.

Still, none of that mattered to them. Their lives as servants in service for the Diaz's have ended right along when the Young Master's carnage has finally come to an end. Was it fate? Justice? None of them knew, nor did they care about it. Their primary goal, ever since stepping inside was always the same: to survive.

Though they had protection and shelter before being under their Young Master's grace, they now needed to find something new. Even if they could get by themselves, they couldn't return without being recruited by one of the four assigned leaders.

Thinking through their options, their heads swayed around as they looked at each other. After some time, they all seemingly reached the same consensus, their gazes shifted revealing determination, the will to survive. The will to push on.

Clenching their fists as they were chained together, they turned towards the heaving, tired, exhausted group of their victors. 

In the next moment, as the oldest figure in their group slowly turned their attention with an inquiring gaze, they all went down on their knees collectively and prostrated themselves towards the man.

"We would like to apologize for any grievance and damage our actions may have caused!"

"We were forced to obey the Young Master, we had no choice!"

"Please believe us, we had no intention of truly harming you, but we couldn't go against Young Master Bart's commands!"

"Please accept us!"

"We are willing to serve!"

"Have mercy! Let us join! Don't let us be stranded in this gods' forsaken place!"

"I do not want to die!"

They each began to cry, and plead for mercy or begged to be accepted, or be forgiven. It was clear from their words they had no loyalty to the Diaz family at all and would do anything to survive and get back to their well-known reality.

Captain Don frowned as he listened to the pleas of these spineless men. Each having no regard for their faces, they easily threw themselves down into the dust and begged for mercy. They were survivors, the true cockroaches of humanity. The perfect representation of humanity as a whole on Eora. 

Having no real loyalty, or sense of belonging. Their only goal was to reach the next day, the next month, the next year. Live their lives maybe not to the fullest, but to the longest possible. Even if it was ultimately fruitless, they wouldn't care. 

Only on their deathbed, as they lamented their own past mistakes could they have a chance to recognize the true darkness that had completely dominated their existence.

"Pfft… Some servants you disgusting vermin are! At least have a spine, a backbone!" Scarlet roared with annoyance, she couldn't listen to their words any longer. Her face was twisted into utter disgust, disdain, and contempt as she looked down on them. 

How could they utter such words so easily? Just an hour ago they were roaring viciously, sneering sinisterly and wholeheartedly as they wanted nothing more than to take the lives of those very men and women whom they are now begging in the very same fashion. With a matching enthusiasm… How deeply, utterly horrid the souls of these filthy men had to be? What manner of sins could they already carry with them, and how many more would stain it even darker?

"I don't think that…" She spoke but was interrupted when the old man, Captain Don raised his right arm in the air.

He sighed and reached for his bearded chin to caress it as he pondered silently for a few seconds before turning his gaze to the prostrating group of captive ex servants.

He turned his attention to the rest of his team members, both the Silver Howl mercenaries and Aiden's young adventurer party. He didn't speak yet the conflicted look on his face revealed that his mind was in a similar turmoil as to how the fiery red-haired girl, Scarlet was thinking. 

He too felt that this group of men wouldn't be worth any effort or energy to save. They had loyalty to no one but themselves, and would not hesitate to backstab them just as they now did with Lord Bart when he was defeated. They would do everything in their power to survive, to push forward, and wouldn't bat an eye if they had to step over their gracious hosts in the process.

Yet, at the same time, on the other hand, he was ultimately a good-hearted man. Yes, he may have suffered in the past, and were forced to escape their old homes when the Empire came and took over everything… still he didn't lose his original drive. His original reason for creating their band of misfits. 

Still, as a leader with years of experience, he knew he had to be decisive, he had to be able, to be capable of making those hard decisions. He knew in his mind that it wouldn't be right to put his own team into a constant sense of threat and danger just because his heart was swaying and didn't want to be witness to merciless slaughter.

He did not ask anyone, yet there was no real need to. The thoughts and emotions were perfectly conveyed and carried over to everyone leering into his pained gaze. Everyone could see, could feel the same weight descending upon them. Whilst some, -like Scarlet or for that matter, his brother Drake as well- didn't feel that any problem with dealing with these scum, others with more compassion in their hearts, like the usually cheerful Lily and surprisingly, even Galina felt that they too did deserve a second chance, despite everything.

Though it may have been that they didn't really care about them. They knew they had their brother, the Young Lord to watch over them in case of trouble…

Taking almost a full minute, Captain Don finally steeled his resolve and turned his gaze back on the still prostrated group when suddenly his eyes opened in shock.

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