Fourteen

Fourteen

The loud thump of the carriage wheels running over a deep dip in the road shook me awake. I opened my eyes and found myself seated upon the plush, velvet seats inside one of the royal carriages. Next to me was Griselda, the maid looking quite prim and proper in her black and white uniform. She was seated with her back straight and hands folded properly on her lap, unlike me who had been slumped in the cushions with my forehead resting against the windowpane. I may also have been drooling slightly.

Across from us on the other set of seats were Ghaldor and one of his mysterious assistants. The old wizard was seated comfortably, leaning his back against the red velvet, his face looking forwards with his eyes closed. I don’t think he was asleep since his chin was held up straight and he wasn’t snoring. He was probably meditating, and if not then he was most likely doing something equally wizardly. His apprentice, whose name I did not know, sat similarly to their master. Whether or not they were in a relative state to Ghaldor I couldn’t tell due to the all-encompassing beige robe they wore with its hood pulled tight over their masked face.

I stifled a yawn while I rubbed at my dry eyes. My neck felt a bit stiff, most likely the result of sleeping for so many hours while sitting up. I glanced out of the nearby window and saw nothing but trees and greenery, a typical sight for the heavily wooded area we were traveling through. At the start of our trip, I was so excited. This would be my first time outside the capital city area and I had been eager to see the sights ahead. Sadly, it looked like Duncan was mostly covered in forest so for the vast majority of the trip I saw nothing but trees and bushes. Traveling for days with nothing to see but shrubbery really put a damper on my mood.

Still, the bland scenery couldn’t completely sour my attitude. I was traveling! By carriage, no less. And what a carriage it was. The exterior was quite elegant with gold trim running along the edges of its white-painted body. The interior was equally lavish, with red velvet plush seats and dark wood paneling along the walls. What was most impressive about the vehicle though were the horses pulling it. Well, I call them horses, but they really weren’t. They resembled a pair of mares but had dark, stone skin with glowing runes etched along the sides. They were magical constructs that behaved like real horses but didn’t need to eat or drink like real animals. They could run tirelessly for days, only needing to stop to get refueled. We could have cut the trip time in half if we had just run the magic horses nonstop, but unfortunately, we had a retinue of ten knights escorting us and their horses were of the ordinary variety. Thus we had to stop every so often to let them and their animals rest.

Thankfully, the trip was almost over. It would be only a few more hours until we arrived at our destination: Falsythe Fort, which was located in the province of Ginkrest. Apparently, the local authorities were having some trouble with a group of bandits in the area, and the king thought that it would be fitting for my first mission to go there and take care of them. I.e. kill them. I was still a bit wary of the idea of killing. Although it’s true that I technically killed those prisoners during my debut ceremony, it had been my barrier that did most of the work. I had just stood there and let it happen. Now though I would be expected to be doing said killing. I wasn’t sure if I could do it.

During the last few weeks since the debut, all I had been tasked with doing was ceremonial stuff. Things like attending parades in the capital, meeting with important people like local nobles or foreign dignitaries, and showing up to troop rallies to bolster morale. It had been easy since I mostly just stood there and smiled while someone else (usually Ghaldor or an attendant) did the talking. This mission would be different. It would be rough.

After two more hours of riding, we eventually reached our destination. Fort Falsythe was your typical medieval-looking fortress. It had a moat, tall walls made of thick stone, and an honest-to-god drawbridge. There were numerous archers manning the walls, each of whom eyed our contingent as we passed through the gates with curiosity. The carriage drove to the main courtyard of the fortress where it looked as if the entire retinue within the castle were waiting for us. There must have been over a hundred soldiers lined up in formation, all dressed in the light blue colors of the kingdom and wielding tall, pointy pikes in their right hands. As soon as I stepped out of the carriage, all of them slammed the end of their weapons onto the ground as a ceremonial sign of respect. The air all but shook with the loud thud. I may have even flinched a little.

In fact, I almost tripped over the edge of my dress as I climbed out of the carriage, but thankfully Ghaldor was there to help me. I was eager to get out of my so-called “traveling” attire, which was just a less fancy gown than I was used to. Sure it had fewer frills and was made of more durable material, but it was still much too flouncy for my tastes. Thankfully, I brought my training ensemble, the leather and cotton outfit Madame Rancos had gifted me. I was definitely going to change into it as soon as I found an opportunity.

Two well-dressed men met us at the front of the assembled soldiers. Well, one man and a boy. The man I didn’t recognize, but the boy next to him was familiar.

“My greetings, Hero Amelia,” the older man spoke up as we approached. He was a tall, wiry gentleman in his late thirties and wore a thin set of glasses upon his nose. “I am Reynard Misk, Duke of Ginkrest.” He then turned towards the boy. “And I believe you know my son, Lord Kasen.”

I did indeed. He was one of Prince Callion’s little hangers-on. Part of me wanted to snub him out of disdain, but I held myself back. I decided to give him a break since he did sort of try to stand up for me during the incident with the prince.

The young noble bowed to me as he said, “It’s good to see you well, Lady Amelia.”

I returned the bow with a curtsy. “A pleasure to meet you, Duke Reynard. And good to see you again, Lord Kasen.”

Kasen’s father smiled, then turned to Ghaldor and bowed deeply. “And Master Ghaldor, you honor my lands with your presence.”

“Kind of you to say,” the old wizard said stiffly, his wrinkled face looking like it was trying very hard not to roll his eyes.

“The both of you must be quite tired from your long journey,” the Duke stated, pointedly ignoring both Griselda and Ghaldar’s apprentice in his statement. “I shall have one of my stewards escort you to your rooms where you may rest. We can then speak of our business later tonight after dinner.”

Before the nobleman could fetch a servant, Ghaldor interrupted. “If it’s all well and good, I think Amelia and I would prefer to speak of our purpose here as soon as possible. The both of us have done nothing but rest in that gods’ forsaken carriage during our journey here. The sooner we can get to business, the quicker we can get back to His Majesty.”

I almost groaned when I heard his words. I don’t know about him, but I for one was exhausted! My entire body was sore from sitting still for so many hours. A nice nap would have done me some good. Instead of complaining though, I kept silent. It might make Ghaldor look bad if I disagreed with him in front of the Duke.

Speaking of the Duke, if he was put off by Ghaldor’s gruff demeanor, then he didn’t show it. He merely smiled and said, “Very well. I admire your determination in this sad matter. Come then, we shall speak in my office.”

Ghaldor and I followed the Duke and his son into the fortress proper, with Griselda and the apprentice two steps behind us. Some of Duke Reynard’s attendants had stepped up to the carriage and were in the process of taking down my bags, most likely to deposit them in the room that was assigned to me. The interior of the fort was similar to the king’s castle in that it was made of stone and wood, but it was much less ostentatious in nature. There weren’t any luxurious paintings or tapestries strewn about, nor were the floors laid out in red carpets or fur rugs. Everything had a bare, utilitarian look to it as befitting a military fortress. The hallways and corridors were also much narrower and we were all forced to walk single file in some places as we made our way to our host’s office.

When we reached our destination, I was taken in by how different it was from the rest of the fort. It was like someone took all the missing grandiose decorations in the fortress and stuck it all in the Duke’s office. There were colorful paintings and rich draperies hanging off the walls, finely woven rugs covering the stone floors, and all the furniture was fine and hand-crafted. Duke Reynard bid us sit on an expensive sofa while he opened up a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of dark wine.

“Would anyone care for a drink?” he asked. Both Ghaldor and I shook our heads. The Duke poured himself and his son a glass.

“Now then,” Duke Reynard said as he sat on the sofa opposite ours. Kasen took a seat next to him and sat across from me. Griselda and Ghaldor’s apprentice were staying outside in a side-room and would wait there until our business was finished.

“Lady Amelia, what did His Majesty tell you when he sent you here?” The Duke asked.

“He said something about bandits,” I told him. “And that I was to get rid of them for you.”

The Duke nodded while taking a sip of his drink. “Quite right. These ruffians have been harassing my people for months now. They’ve stolen food, medicine, and even attacked a shipment of weapons headed for this very fort!”

“They are nothing if not brazen,” Kasen remarked.

His father grumbled in agreement. “It’s only recently that we’ve discovered the base that these villains operate out of. I had been all set to send my own forces in order to subdue them, but of course, that would have incurred us many losses. His Majesty, in his wisdom and kindness, has offered me your services. With your abilities, it should be quite the easy matter to put these vagabonds down.”

Duke Reynard leaned back in his seat, and soon a stiff frown marred his face. “That is if you are truly capable of doing so.”

“Father!” Kasen said, his eyes wide in shock.

I blinked in confusion at the Duke. I was about to tell him that I didn’t understand what he was talking about when Ghaldor suddenly spoke up.

“And just what is it that you are implying, Duke Reynard?” The wizard asked grimly, an equally dire frown on his face.

“I mean no disrespect,” the nobleman stated while adjusting his glasses. “But Lady Amelia’s… performance at her debut shows that she has some difficulties with doing what is necessary.”

“You doubt her abilities?” Ghaldor all but growled.

The Duke shook his head. “Oh, no. I am very aware of what her capabilities are. Lady Amelia’s powers are quite potent. What I question is her capacity to use such power.” His dark eyes suddenly focused onto mine and I couldn’t help but flinch under his gaze.

“You are treading rough ground, Reynard.” Ghaldor’s voice was soft but dangerous. The old man’s eyes were all but flaring with rage, and he directed a vicious glare at the Duke. “My Amelia is the Hero of Duncan! To question her is to question the crown itself!”

Duke Reynard sighed and held up a hand. “Calm yourself, Master Wizard. I was merely expressing my concerns. I genuinely hope that she will prove me wrong.” He once more turned his eyes to me and said, “Prove me wrong, Lady Amelia.”

I could only nod stiffly.

After that, the meeting ended in a somewhat gloomy fashion. Ghaldor all but stormed out of the room, his assistant rushing swiftly to follow him. I exited as well, though not before bidding the Duke and his son goodbye. Once I had collected Griselda and was outside in the safety of the hallway, I let out a loud sigh.

Well, that happened. I kind of knew that there would be some type of fallout for sparing those men back at my debut ceremony, though facing the reality of it was much harsher. Duke Reynard was one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. His pretty much calling me out like that did not bode well for me. And if he was thinking this way, how many of the other nobles felt the same way? I had really put the king in a bad position; no wonder he had been so pissed.

The door to the office opened up and out stepped Lord Kasen. The young nobleman looked extremely embarrassed as he approached me. “Lady Amelia, please allow me to apologize for my father’s rudeness. He’s not usually so forward and generally shows a bit more, um, tact. So please forgive him. Father is under a lot of pressure right now.”

“It’s okay,” I told him. “I understand where he’s coming from. I was kind of a disappointment at my debut.” I thought back to that day at the ceremony when I defied the king and let the remaining prisoners live. I did not regret my decision, yet I knew it had caused a lot of trouble for my benefactors.

“I thought you were marvelous!” Kasen said, smiling brightly.

“W-what?” I gasped at him in shock. I thought that all of the nobility hated my guts after that day.

“You probably didn’t see me, but I was in the audience when you showed those men mercy. I watched you do all those spectacular things! Your power is amazing!” His smile dimmed a little as he continued speaking. “But then those men were led out and I realized what you had to do. I was quite appalled that they would force you to perform such a cruel task. I watched in horror as those desperate men came at you, attacking with all their might. Yet you just stood there and took their fury, just as you did with the Prince. I’d never seen anyone so brave. And then at the end, when you refused to kill those injured men.” He looked straight into my eyes and I was startled at the intensity of his gaze. “You did the right thing, Amelia. His Majesty was in the wrong.”

Oh, wow. I did not expect to hear him say that. I really hope he didn’t just commit high treason or something for disagreeing with the king.

I looked away from his eyes, feeling my cheeks flush in embarrassment. Yet, I was happy. Having someone actually agree that sparing those prisoners was a good thing, that showing kindness wasn’t something to be ashamed about… it felt nice. To know that it wasn’t just me who thought these things, that others felt similar to me; it felt like vindication.

I forced myself to look up at the young nobleman and gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Lord Kasen. Your kind words… they mean a lot.”

He returned my smile with one of his own. “My pleasure.”

We continued to talk for the next half hour, mostly about inconsequential things. I asked about his sister Offsen whom he told me was well, still at Princess Riltara’s side with Millisin and trying to keep the both of them out of trouble. We discussed his upcoming enrollment in the military academy where he would learn all about how to command troops on the field. As the eldest son, it was his duty to eventually take control over the duchy which included all the soldiers under its banner. He would be expected to lead those men in the event of war, even if a true war hasn’t broken out on the continent in over 900 years.

We would have probably conversed even longer if Griselda hadn’t interrupted us with a polite cough.

“Forgive the interruption, My Lady, but I must remind you of the time,” she said.

Huh. I had forgotten she was there. I looked out of a nearby window and noted the position of the sun. It was well past noon.

Kasen seemed to notice the same thing as he suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, I am so sorry! You are probably exhausted from your long trip. And here I am taking your time when you could be resting.”

“It’s alright, I don’t mind,” I told him.

“Let me show you both to your rooms, it’s the least I could do.”

I agreed and followed the young lord as he made his way down the hall. Griselda trailed behind us and I noticed that she was trying to hold back a smirk that was threatening to break out on her usually serene face. What was she so amused about?

***

At around 1:00 pm the next day, I found myself outside the location of the bandit encampment. I was in the woods standing upon a rise and looking down on it. What I saw wasn’t what I envisioned. I was expecting a ramshackle collection of tents in the middle of nowhere. Maybe some hastily put up wooden logs for walls. What I saw instead was a fortress, with stone walls, battlements, a keep, and a gatehouse. It wasn’t as large as Fort Falsythe nor did it have a moat, but regardless it had everything else you need to classify it as a proper fortress.

Something was wrong. Was I at the right place? There was no way bandits would have been able to build such a structure. Maybe they found an abandoned fort and took it over? I scanned the walls and buildings from my vantage point, but could not see any signs of neglect. There was no way anyone would abandon such a functional fortress; there was even a well-traveled road leading up towards its gatehouse.

I sighed, leaning against a nearby tree and wondering what to do. This couldn’t be my target, could it? According to the briefing I received last night there should be no other structures in this area except for the bandits’ headquarters. I even double-checked the maps this morning to make sure I didn’t get lost. This was the place the Duke’s men had marked as the center of the bandits’ activities.

I couldn’t just turn around and go back, either. I had left early in the morning in the royal carriage with Ghaldor and his assistant coming with me. I had Griselda stay back at Fort Forsythe for her safety. A contingent of the Duke’s best men were trailing after us on horseback, which meant they would be several hours behind us. They were to serve as the cleanup crew.

Once the carriage was two miles away from the location, I hopped off and entered the forest, following the directions I had been given. Ghaldor and his silent apprentice remained with the carriage to guard it. I was thankful that I was wearing my training outfit, the rugged white and brown dress that Madame Rancos had made for me. It helped me to avoid scrapes and cuts from the sharp brambles that seemed to litter this part of the forest. The more comfortable boots were definitely a welcome addition. It made the two-mile hike much easier and a bit less painful for my feet.

I had to do something. I couldn’t just stand around all day looking at the fort. The Duke’s men would be here in a few hours and I needed to make a choice soon on what to do. I looked down once more at the fortress, seeing some people moving around on the battlements. I guess I could just go down there and take a look. If they were bandits, then I was at the right place and would attack. If not, then obviously there was some sort of mistake and I’d have to trek all the way back to the carriage and ask Ghaldor about what to do.

So I trudged down the incline, avoiding bushes and sharp rocks, towards the direction of the fortress. I suppose I could have just leaped off the rise and lower my gravity so that I could float down; it would have been faster. But I still wasn’t used to my powers yet and I didn’t trust my ability to control my descent. I had tried to fly once some weeks back by negating gravity’s pull on my body and using air currents for propulsion. All I wound up doing was flinging myself into the sky, spinning madly all the while, until I eventually crashed down onto the lawn. My barrier kept me from getting any injuries, but sadly it didn’t do anything for my nausea. I puked my guts out for twenty whole minutes and had to lie down for several hours afterward. So, no, I definitely did not want a repeat of that.

I made it to the fort about forty minutes later. I could tell that they had seen me halfway into the trip since there was a bustle of activity on the walls. I continued onwards, watching the fortress’s walls get closer and closer. I stopped about ten meters away from the gates. I could see the wooden doors were open but the iron portcullis was down blocking the entrance into the fort. On top of the ramparts, men stood, looking down at me in confusion. I guess it was weird to see a well-dressed girl out here in the middle of nowhere. They were talking to each other but they were too far away for me to hear the conversation. Before long, the portcullis began to rise. A lone figure emerged from the fort wearing the distinct armor and sky blue colors of the Duncan military.

Yeah, definitely not the right place.

“Are you alright, My Lady?” The soldier asked in concern. “Are you perhaps in distress?”

“Um, no,” I said, slight frustration evident in my tone. This was such a waste of time! The Duke’s intel must have been faulty. Now I’d have to walk all the way back through the forest and tell Ghaldor about the mistake.

Maybe the bandit camp was nearby? I really doubted it since this fort was so close. No bandit worth their salt would set up their camp so close to a military facility. I decided to ask anyway even though it was a long shot. “Uh, there wouldn’t happen to be any bandit camps around here would there?”

“Bandit camps?” The soldier rubbed his chin in thought. I noticed that he had a peculiar red cloth tied around his left bicep. Weird, neither the Duke’s men nor the soldiers in the capital wore those cloths. Maybe it was a regional thing? “I don’t believe so. Why do you ask?”

I sighed. “Well, I’m the Hero Amelia and I was told that there were some bandits around here.”

The soldier suddenly went stock still, his eyes widening in absolute terror. “H-Hero?” he asked. At my nod, he began to back away from me. “H-H-Hero! Hero! HERO!” He shouted at the top of his lungs.

I just watched in confusion as the soldier ran back into the fort while shouting “Hero!” all the way. The portcullis slid down behind him, slamming into the ground with a loud clang. I was wondering to myself just what the hell was going on when a rain of arrows suddenly fell from the sky.

Huh. I guess I was at the right place after all.

Arrow after arrow was deflected off my barrier as I walked forwards making my way to the gate. I saw through the latticed grille of the portcullis that several dozen soldiers had assembled in the courtyard beyond. All had a red cloth wound around their left arm. They were wielding pikes that were twelve feet long and had gotten into a formation that would utilize the weapons to deadly effect. Among their number, I saw men with crossbows, all ready and aimed at me.

These men were definitely not bandits. They were too well equipped and disciplined. They had to be professional soldiers, not to mention that they were wearing Duncan’s uniforms. So why were they attacking me? And what was the significance of that red cloth?

The rain of arrows from the ramparts stopped when I had gotten to the gate, which was under the wall. I looked up at the portcullis blocking my way. It was constructed completely out of iron and looked to weigh several tons. I mentally did some quick calculations, then reached out and touched the barrier’s surface. I negated gravity’s effect on the portcullis and once that was done, I reached down and easily lifted the now weightless obstruction over my head. The iron scraped loudly against stone, and I saw several of the soldiers cringe at the sound. I stepped through the opening I had created, then let go. I let gravity get back to doing its thing and the portcullis slammed shut behind me.

The soldiers looked afraid but defiant as I strode towards them. Some tried to back away but found their way blocked by the man behind them. Many of them looked no older than I was; some even younger. I thought back to my debut and the looks of the prisoners who had been forced to fight me. They all had similar looks to the men now in front of me.

I lifted my arms in a placating gesture.

“Surrender now and you won’t be hurt,” I told them in a loud voice.

The soldiers looked nervously at each other, sweat dripping down their pale faces. It seemed as if they were seriously considering my offer, but an authoritative voice from behind the formation stopped all thoughts of surrender.

“Anyone who surrenders will be considered a deserter and punished as such!” The voice yelled. “Now gather your courage and fight to the last! Remember what you are fighting for! For your families! For your nation! For your gods!”

Grim determination seemed to return to the soldiers as they held the line. Pikes were leveled down towards my direction, forming a veritable wall of sharp spikes. The crossbowmen, at the front of the lines, got down to their knees and held the stock of their weapons up to their shoulders. Each was pointed towards me, ready to launch a deadly volley of projectiles.

I sighed sadly and lowered my hands.

“Fire!”

The crossbowmen pulled the triggers. Ten bolts were launched at me but were quickly diverted away by my barrier. The projectiles flew in various different directions, most crashing onto the stone walls or plunging harmlessly into the dirt. One was redirected back towards the formation and pierced a soldier through the chest. Luckily for him, his armor took much of the damage and he wasn’t seriously injured. He still looked desperately shaken though, staring down at the wooden shaft of the bolt that was sticking out of his armored chest.

I saw the crossbowmen starting to reload their weapons and decided that I shouldn’t let them do so. Sure, they would do nothing to me, but those weapons could seriously hurt the other soldiers when my barrier redirected the projectiles.

I mentally processed some calculations then leaned forwards. I tapped the toe of my boot onto the ground behind me. There was an explosion of dust as the force was redirected and increased, sending my small body rocketing forwards. I slammed into the frontmost line, sending soldiers flying, and didn’t stop until I was directly in the center of the assembled men. I looked up at their shocked faces for a moment before quickly punching and kicking. I made sure to control the force of each blow using just enough power to incapacitate instead of kill.

I spent the next six minutes breaking ribs and arms and legs. The soldiers had dropped their pikes and drew their sidearms, which in this case were short swords. I tried to hit them before they could attack me and seriously injure themselves, but a few still managed to land a blow against my shield. Needless to say, they suffered broken limbs from it, though one unlucky SOB had his neck sliced open when one of his buddies’ swords was redirected towards him.

I eventually managed to whittle down the soldiers until none came at me. I looked around at the mess I made and found blue-uniformed men on the ground, moaning in pain and clutching at their injuries; I had even managed to get the crossbowmen, who had gotten entangled in the melee. A bunch of them remained still, some unconscious and a few dead. I bit the inside of my cheek and turned my eyes away from the sight of the corpses. I told myself that I had tried my best to minimize fatalities, but part of me knew that I could have done better.

I spotted a lone soldier standing behind a stack of supplies. He had his sword drawn out, though it wasn’t pointed at me. The blade was shaking in his hands and I could see the look of terror on his pale face. His uniform was fancier than the others, with golden trim on the armor and red medals on his chest.

An officer, huh?

I strode towards him, intent on knocking him out when he suddenly squealed in fright and threw his sword down onto the ground.

“I surrender!” he shouted.

I stopped in my tracks upon hearing his voice. It was the same one who had given that impassioned speech to the soldiers about not surrendering and fighting to the last. Now here he was doing the exact opposite of what he had just been preaching a few minutes ago. I hated hypocrites. I stomped towards him, fists clenching in fury.

“For your families, country, and gods, huh?” I spat at him.

“P-please!” he pleaded.

I smacked him in the face with enough force to send him sprawling across the dirt. I used only enough force to knock him out, though part of me really wanted to kill him. He deserved it.

I marched away, headed in the direction of the keep. If I found whoever was in charge, I could force him to surrender. Hopefully, no one will die between then and now.

I ran into another group of about a dozen soldiers, but this one wasn’t as organized as the last. I took care of them swiftly, delivering injuring blows. Thankfully, none of them died this time.

The keep’s doors were barred shut and barricaded on the other side. This didn’t impede me too much. I simply slammed my foot on the ground and sent a blast of force forwards which bowled down all the obstacles obstructing me. Beyond the door were more soldiers, though half their number were laying on the floor either unconscious or dead courtesy of the blast. I cursed myself for being so careless.

Damn it. Who knew not killing people could be so hard?

I strode through the opening I had just made, a grim look on my face. I needed to end this quickly before more people got hurt. The remaining soldiers dropped their weapons at my approach and backed away from my small figure as I stomped past them. I searched the first floor for some stairs. Usually, the head guy was at the top of the building, right? I figured I’d find the general or lord or whoever led this place up there. So I climbed.

I met with several soldiers on my way up. Unlike the ones on the first floor, these had no inclination of surrendering. So I took care of them as quickly and gently as I could, then continued on my way. Eventually, I reached the top floor and began my search. More soldiers met me and I dispatched them. I noticed that their uniforms were fancy, like the jackass from outside, which obviously made them officers. There were a lot of them on this floor, so I’m guessing I was on the right track.

I burst through a large set of doors and found myself in some sort of meeting room. There was a large table with maps and other documents on top of it, along with chairs to seat those important enough to be here. Standing at the far end of the wall were several officers with their weapons drawn. One of them was a tall man with a twirly mustache who wore a red cape and had a ton of ribbons on his chest.

Bingo.

“Surrender,” I told him. “It’s over.”

“Never!” The tall man shouted. He raised his rapier and aimed its tip in my direction. “We will never give in to the likes of you! You are an abomination in the face of the gods! We will-”

I cut him off before he could continue with his monolog. “Listen, uh… who are you again?”

The man frowned. “General Statton. Lord General Arcmal Statton!”

“Lord General,” I turned towards a large set of windows that overlooked the courtyard of the fort. “Look outside.”

He turned his eyes towards the glass and looked down upon the mess I had made. Dozens of soldiers were on their backs, moaning in pain and unable to move because of their injuries. The less injured ones tried to help who they could, but there were very few of them. A small number of the men were stock still, never to move again.

“Please,” I said. “If you care about your men at all, then please stop all this. Even if by some miracle you manage to kill me, it won’t matter since the Duke’s forces will be here in a few hours. You are in no condition to fight them. So you can either have a grand, pointless death, taking all your men with you, or you can stop all this now and give those that are left a chance at life.”

I watched the general closely, noting the dour frown under the mustache. I really, really hope he was buying this. I was pulling out every cliched line I could think of from movies and books that I had watched in the past. Hopefully, it would seem genuine and not sound corny in this world.

“Please, General,” I continued. “Your men fought bravely and with honor. Let that be your legacy, not some fruitless battle to the last man. Send these boys back to their families. They deserve a rest.”

General Statton closed his eyes, then sighed. His fist clutched at his sword tightly causing the blade to shake. After a moment of contemplation, he asked me, “My men will be treated fairly?”

“Yes,” I told him with a nod. “I give you my word.”

“So be it.” He lowered the sword down before letting go of it entirely, and it clattered onto the stone floor. “We surrender.”

After that, all we could do was wait. I allowed the general to send his medics out to take care of the injured. He also organized some men to relocate the dead to the back of a large shed. After all that was taken care of, I had the general gather his men, unarmed and without armor, to the courtyard. It was there that we waited for the Duke’s forces to arrive.

The contingent of troops showed up about four hours later. I could see from the face of the knight in charge that he couldn’t believe I had captured so many men alive. I guess he expected me to have killed everyone in the fort. I was not sorry to disappoint him.

Ghaldor arrived a bit later with the royal carriage. The old wizard was all smiles and he seemed proud that I was able to carry out my first major mission. I turned custody of the general and his men over to the Duke’s troops then hopped into the carriage. I felt completely exhausted, both mentally and physically. As soon as the vehicle began to rumble down the road, I fell asleep.

When I awoke, we were already at Fort Falsythe. Ghaldor and I were then escorted to the Duke where I would be debriefed. We met in the same office as we had yesterday, and he asked us to sit on the same sofa. If Kasen had been there it would have looked pretty much identical to the scene yesterday. In his place was a young man I had never seen before. He had dark hair and eyes and was dressed in an officer’s uniform.

“Lady Amelia,” said the Duke. “May I present Knight Commander Yorn. He is with Army Intelligence and will be present to hear your report.”

The man, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, bowed. I returned the gesture.

After those introductions, we got straight to business. I told the three men everything that had occurred: my arrival at the fortress, my entrance, engaging the troops there, and ending with the capture of Lord General Statton. The Duke seemed pleased with my account, as was Ghaldor; Knight Commander Yorn remained stiff-faced. He was busy writing some details in a small notebook. I glanced at the writing implement he was using and found myself surprised. Who knew that they had pencils in this world?

After answering the men’s various follow-up questions the meeting came to an end. Everyone stood, but before they could leave I spoke up.

“Duke Reynard, could I speak to you for a moment?” I asked. “In private, please.”

The Duke raised an eyebrow, then his eyes flicked over to Ghaldor. I saw the wizard shrug slightly.

“Very well,” the Duke said. “If you would excuse us, gentlemen, it seems as if the young lady and I have unfinished business.”

Commander Yorn bowed before exiting the office. Ghaldor looked down at me with steely eyes, his gaze inscrutable. After a moment, he broke out into a smile.

“Alright then,” he said. “Be sure to get some rest, Amelia. We will be leaving for the capital come daybreak.”

I nodded and watched him leave the room. Once he was gone, Duke Reynard motioned for me to sit down again and I did so.

“Is something the matter, Lady Amelia?” The Duke asked. Although he acted confused, I could see in his eyes that he knew exactly what I was going to ask him.

I took a slow breath to settle my nerves. I felt equal parts angry and nervous, which in turn made me irritated. Damn it, Amelia! Quit stalling and just spit it out already!

I looked up, my red eyes meeting the Duke’s. “Those men weren’t bandits.”

“Ah,” he said with a sigh. “So you did notice.”

Of course I noticed! Do these people think I’m an idiot? They must if they actually believed that I wouldn’t notice the difference between a bandit and a soldier. I felt my ire rising but forcefully pushed it down.

“Who were they?” I asked in a steady voice.

“Well, let’s see. Where do we begin?” The Duke adjusted his glasses, then leaned back on the sofa to make himself more comfortable. He seemed to be collecting his thoughts. After a moment of silent contemplation, he spoke. “You may not know this, but not everyone in the kingdom supported your summoning. Some of the more conservative, religious elements believe that summoning you is unnatural. A crime against the gods. Sadly some of the more influential members of society ascribe to this belief. Several noble families have gotten it into their heads that breaking away from the kingdom to establish their own nation of the ‘faithful’ is a good idea. The king wishes to deny them this delusion.”

“So the fortress that I attacked…”

“Was one of the fortresses that had joined the rebels, yes.”

“But you kept this all from me!” I all but yelled.

“Can you blame us?” The Duke asked. “The incident at your debut did not garner you much confidence in the eyes of the royal court. We weren’t sure that we could trust you to handle the kingdom’s tougher challenges. So we devised this test to see what you would do. Would you follow your orders and proceed with the mission or would you simply retreat back to base without accomplishing the task?”

“I’m guessing I passed your test,” I told him bitterly.

“With flying colors,” he said with a smile.

I bit my lip as thoughts began to circle my head. I knew there would be consequences from my actions at the debut ceremony, but I didn’t think they would go this far. To actually hide vital information from me during a mission. If I didn’t have Accelerator’s power, I could have been killed!

Yet the most aggravating part of this entire situation was that I could see where they were coming from. I obviously did not fit their idealized image of a Hero, both in looks and actions. I had disobeyed an order from the king, in front of two thousand people no less. Their confidence in me after the ceremony must have been in the pits. So, yes, I guess I could understand the why of their actions. I didn’t like it, but I understood nonetheless.

“No more lies,” I finally told him after a few minutes of stewing. “If I’m going to keep up this Hero thing, then I want… no, need for you guys to be upfront with me from now on.”

“Of course,” the Duke readily agreed. “I’m sure the king will be delighted once he hears the news of your success. Trust me, my girl. With this one act you have wiped away all doubt the royal court had regarding your capabilities.”

Good. At least I won’t have to worry about any surprises on their end. It was then that I realized how tired I still was. I was intending to end the conversation when my bleary mind suddenly remembered one final detail.

“Oh!” I spoke up, surprising the Duke with my outburst. “I promised General Statton that we would show his men mercy if he surrendered.”

Duke Reynard looked at me in shock. “Why would you do that?”

“Because it was the right thing to do,” I told him plainly. “They were already defeated and were ready to fight to the death. This was a chance to save their lives.”

“Oh, Amelia.” The Duke sighed and shook his head. “The laws of the kingdom are quite clear. High Treason is to be punished with death.”

I felt something heavy settle in the pit of my stomach when I heard his words. “B-but I gave him my word! I’m the Hero, my word has to mean something. Can’t you make an exception just this once? Please?”

The Duke cut off my pleas with a raised hand. “Amelia, I’m sorry. Even if I could, it’s already too late. The prisoners were all executed on site.”

No. The pit in my stomach grew heavier and I felt the room start to spin. They were executed? All of them? And without a trial? What kind of country was this?

I stood up on shaky legs, feeling my breath hitching in my throat. I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my ear. The room felt wobbly, and my stomach did a dance. I turned towards the door and tried to move myself towards it. It was difficult with the room tilting like it was.

“Amelia?” I heard Duke Reynard ask. “Are you alright? Do you feel ill?”

“Y-yeah, I feel sick,” I told him.

“Should I call a physician?” He asked, sounding worried.

“No, I’ll be fine.” I finally reached the door. I lifted up my hand to grasp the knob when another thought struck me. I turned my head to face the Duke and spoke in a shaky tone. “Those men, the ones from my debut. The ones I spared. What happened to them?”

Duke Reynard turned away from me, suddenly finding the other side of the room very interesting. It was his turn to feel uncomfortable.

“They were hanged for their crimes,” he said. “Hours after the ceremony.”

I didn’t say another word to the Duke as I opened the door and stumbled out of his office. In my head, I saw the handsome face of his son smiling.

“You did the right thing, Amelia,” he had told me. “The king was in the wrong.”

What a bunch of crap. It was all for nothing.

I attempted to walk down the hall in the direction of my room. I made it about three steps before I collapsed to my knees.

I then began to decorate the Duke’s nice clean floor with vomit.

***

For the next two months, the king kept me quite busy. He had me attack three more rebel forts. It seemed as if the rebels were mobilizing their forces so the king wanted those fortresses out of their hands. The missions themselves went well; I managed to secure all the objectives. Unlike my first mission, none of the soldiers took my offer of surrendering. I guess word had gotten out about what had befallen General Statton’s men. The rebels were determined to fight to the death this time, and it made my job of capturing them much harder. There were much more casualties this time around.

And yes, I was still trying to capture instead of kill. I know it was foolish since these men would be executed anyway when they were caught, but I just couldn’t bring myself to kill anyone. So I saved them, only to hand them over to the king’s men to be butchered.

I guess this time I was the hypocrite.

A week after I secured the final fort word reached me that the rebellion was over. Apparently, the fact that I had taken each fortress in less than two hours made some of the rebel leaders rethink their stances. News of the crown killing everyone involved in the plot also contributed to their hasty decision. Many of the leaders took their family and whatever coin they had and fled the kingdom, leaving their lands and people behind. Those who were left could not manage the movement without the support of their wealthy partners, and thus the rebellion fell apart before it could even begin. The remaining traitors were caught and swiftly sent to the gallows.

So, in a sense, I helped stop a civil war from brewing. If war had broken out, tens of thousands of lives would have been lost. The impact on the kingdom’s economy would also have been disastrous. It’s true, there were lives lost, but it was all to serve the common good.

That is what I tell myself every time I lay in bed at night, trying to get to sleep. Yet no amount of self-justification could get rid of the guilt and the disgust that was brewing within me. Could I really keep doing this? To serve as this kingdom’s hammer whenever they needed some skulls to be crushed? I didn’t feel like a hero. I felt more like a tool.

But I had to continue in the role I was given. I owed these people a lot. The King. Ghaldor. The kingdom of Duncan itself. They saved me from the hell that was my old life. They allowed me my independence, freedom, and dignity. It sounds selfish… no, it is selfish. But the thought of going back to who I was, what I was…

I would rather be dead.

I guess this makes me a terrible person. So be it. Let the world dump its scorn on me, I can take it. Let the people shout at me their misery, I’ll endure it. Let the dead seize my heart with contempt. I deserve it.

I deserve it.