Jjhutto_Son of Flame
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B2 Ch. 41 The Queen’s Gambit
🕑 Added 2024-02-15 18:27:12 +0000 UTCThe Queen opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the scarlet bird Ability she had released earlier streaking back into the room and fluttering around her excitedly. It passed on a silent message and then melted away. The queen’s smile died on her lips, and she turned her eyes to the assembly, fury reigniting on her pale features.
“It is as I feared, this vessel was not the only one containing one of those… things. The Brawlers in the Weasel’s caravan were forewarned and managed to open two more of the urns before we could lock them down. There were no casualties, but many more are reporting this Debuff.”
After a moment's thought, her eyes narrowed in on Tilly and she continued, “They are saying that the System notification is now flagging it as Corruption. It has been tagged as ‘Blood Sickness’ for the last few weeks in our notifications, but with your arrival, it has changed… How connected to this substance are you?”
Tilly considered her question, looking for an answer that didn’t involve sharing everything but was still plausible. This, of course, was made more difficult by the fact that he hardly had a handle on the forces at work in this conflict. Whatever was happening seemed to reach through every echelon of power on the Nephesh.
“... I believe I have been set up as an opposition to this entity. My system calls it Corruption and we have confirmation that it is appearing all over the Plane. I don’t know if it has a sentient source or if it is just the result of some sort of magical entropy. What I do know is that I have been granted a power-set that seems to be uniquely suited to mitigate its spread. However, I am far from equipped to stop it alone. Honestly, I don’t even know if I’ll be able to clear it from my own body before it kills me. ” He declared heavily, the implication of his words dropping on the surrounding audience like stone weights.
“Look,” He continued gathering his resolve, “I still barely understand this world, but I know evil when I see it. I might not live through what’s coming, but that doesn’t change the fact that evil is at our door. If we let it, it will take everything from us. As you just experienced, no one is safe. Corruption and whatever is behind it, is making a play for the whole Plane. Its nature is voracious, and It will not stop until it has consumed everything… I would rather die than watch that happen.” Tilly finished with a growl, some of the heat from his chest having suffused his whole body as he leaned into his conviction. As he looked around, he realized his words had been building throughout the chamber, echoing some unseen spirit of nobility that had once filled this room.
The Queen watched Tilly as the ingrained magic of the room responded to him, and washed through her Order’s greatest Knights. Her eyes flicked back and forth in cold calculation before resting on the most senior of her Knights. He moved forward at the unspoken command and they exchanged a whispered conversation before he stepped back and to the side. Having made her decision she sat up straight, exuding an effortless air of royalty as she pulled the attention in the room back to herself.
“Very well, I will need to know how often you can use this Ability and how costly it is to you. We will set up a rotation and move through all of those infected in the city supplying you with potions and Buffs. You will, of course, be reimbursed for your time and I will personally offer you and your companions a sincere gesture of our gratitude for your services.” She decreed, motioning for another Knight to come forward and report to her as if the matter had been decided.
“Ugh, Ma’am-” Tilly began, but Ichiro stepped in before he could continue.
“Your Majesty, we are here as ambassadors of a neighboring Faction, and our interests are much greater than personal wealth. I am afraid our position necessitates that we leave in the next few hours. Your Order is not our final destination. We came here in the hopes of brokering a temporary Alliance of arms.” He spoke over TIlly, in a calm voice that carried its own authority through the room.
The Queen froze at those words, turning back to the group slowly, her lips thinning to a line at their refusal.
“I do appreciate your position and your timely intervention. But I am afraid I am similarly limited by my obligation to my people. Unless you can cast this Ability en mass, I must insist that you stay until we have cleared my population of this taint.” She responded, mustering a reasonable tone that barely concealed the granite behind her words.
“Ma’am, I am more than willing to help as many of your people as possible. But our city is under attack as we speak, we need much more than your money and gifts. We need an Alliance.” Tilly cut back in, not at all liking where this was going.
“Your Majesty!” Hilbert cut in adding desperately, “They claim there are others in their Faction who can cleanse this taint. I brought them here in the hopes that you would be willing to discuss a concerted effort to break one of the Hordes that has formed near our borders. Surely you can see now that we are their next target! Such an alliance would strengthen both of our positions incredibly.”
At Hilbert's interjection, all reasonableness drained away from the Queen’s features, leaving only a mask of apathetic resolve. “It no longer surprises me just how far outside of your station you are willing to step. I do not care that you think you are right, or that you have found a small solution to our current problems. You have defied my authority for the last time.” She declared icily, “I will deal with you, and Sir Micheal when this is through.” She snapped at the Wizard’s Apprentice before turning back to Tilly and Ichiro,
“Now, I am willing to speak of a martial alliance, but not until after you make good on your promise and cleanse my people. Until then, we have nothing more to speak of.”
“No,” Tilly said softly. To his right and left, Ichiro and Gorock’s hands fell back to their weapons.
“Ha! What happened to all of your grand words from a moment ago Human? As soon as things don’t go your way, you sulk? Now do as you said you would and cleanse those who are infected with this ‘Evil’ you claim to stand against.” She hissed, ruby light beginning to flicker in her eyes.
“I will do exactly that, but not before we come to an understanding. I am not one of your subjects. I owe you nothing, but still, our offer stands.” Tilly answered right back, his tone just as frosty.
“Well, we have ways of accommodating such a decision…” She suddenly quipped, allowing her lips to curl up in a predatory smile, and leaning back into her chair. She magnanimously gestured with her right hand and the surrounding Knights reluctantly drew their weapons.
“Actually, Your Majesty,” Amelia declared in an easy tone, coming up from behind Tilly and drawing the attention of the room. “I may have a solution that meets all of our needs quite nicely.” She said, reaching back to her cloak and coxing some of the inert Blood Weed there to shift into her hand.
“I assume you are all familiar with this plant?” She asked, holding it before her and beginning to channel her Mana.
The Queen leaned forward in her chair, her curiosity piqued, “Yes, it is the vial weed that grows into the wounds of our soldiers if we let it. Like so many in this area, it sustains itself with blood. Why do you ask?”
Amelia watched it for a second and smiled as her magic finished imparting a verdant glow to the otherwise dead-looking blade-like stalks. “Mr. Tillman here is not the only one who is fighting an advanced infection of Corruption.” She stated, taking a moment to look Tilly in the eyes before turning back to the Queen. The look has been filled with meaning that he would have to ask her about later… but in the current circumstance, it might as well have been inscrutable. Nonetheless, Tilly was glad for any idea that didn't involve them fighting against a group of higher leveled Knights, or being held prisoner as he was squeezed for every last drop of magic he had.
Amelia stepped into the center of the room and raised her voice easily to present her idea to the room,
“My Class revolves around plants, and I am able to imbue them with my mana imparting specific commands that will last as long as my magic does. My own infection has been contained but not eliminated by the same force that empowers Mr. Tillman’s Abilities, and this gives my magic a unique resonance with both the Fire that he carries and the Corruption that poisons so many of your wounds.” She explained looking back down at her newly imbued plant, excitement showing on her features, as she followed up with a a question.
“Your Majesty, am I correct in assuming your command of blood would allow you to hold a certain buff applied to it in stasis?”
“Theoretically, yes. I would have to build a ritual that would be able to act as a target for his Ability. But if the magic takes hold, I should be able to lock it into the blood for an extended period.” Her look of reserved interest had been blooming into something altogether different as Amelia had dived into her explanation. By the time she had answered Amelia's question, she was leaning forward, something like eager fascination on her face.
It was then realized that for all her cold machinations, she was still a leader facing the possible loss of the majority of her power base. With such a threat hanging over her, especially after the treachery that had just occurred, Tilly could see how negotiations would seem much less of a priority. He saw her unweilding focus on the immediate restoration of her people in a new light.
But now, speaking on a subject that she was obviously passionate about, some of that cold mask fell away. If there was another solution for her people, especially one not centered around the whims of another Faction, she would take it eagerly.
“We would need blood…” The queen continued musing, before turning to Tilly, all of the earlier conflict absent from her features as she worked through the magical problem.
“It is my understanding you paid the blood tax, Yes?”
“That is correct Ma’a- I’m mean, your Majesty,” Tilly said, not sure he understood exactly what these two were suggesting, but happy with the direction things were going.
“That will do nicely. Your blood will be what I use to bind up the rest of the volume into a metaphysical projection of a body. That gives us our best chance at capturing your Ability and imprinting its nature into the whole.” She muttered to herself, her eyes distant as she worked through the problem. Then, having reasoned what was needed to make the spell work on her end she called to the guards,
“Guards, I need the gate vessel here immediately.” Then less enthusiastically, “Hilbert, come forward and assist me, I am confident in my ability to impart the meaning I desire into the spell form, but I want you to look it over… you remain his best student when it comes to theory.” Her subjects rushed to obey the command, and Hilbert jogged forward, sneaking a small smile as the Queen turned to Amelia,
“What conditions will your weed need to propagate?” She asked, rolling up the sleeves of her dress.
Comments
Joshua Hutto
lol, Love that line. We will make a writer of your yet GP!
Wyatt Hilbert
Thanks for the chapter
Wyatt Hilbert
She thought she was offering a carrot but she was offering a dog chocolate.
Kaywye
Exactly as expected. The Queen offered the carrot in the form of monetary compensation, but as soon as it was clear that wouldn't be enough, moved to the stick...unfortunately. It now remains to be seen if the theory presented will solve the kingdoms issue at the level they need it to. Hope so or Tilly and company may find themselves in a sticky situation.
