Bloodletting

A large, crushing jaw made of steel carrying the appearance that it was forged by a psychopath and fused to the head of a poor victim. Hands bearing long bladed claws on gloves fastened in place by countless leather straps. Those two pieces of war tools alone would make for quite a mighty opponent.

Yet it’s all becomes quickly useless when you have a sword thrust through your skull.

I send the rest of my aggressors a glare and hold their dead friend in place for show.

“You bastards really thought that you’d be able to pick off a simple kill by standing ready at the door. It may have been an effective strategy if all of you weren’t brainless cretins.” I take another glance to the what would be the first Loveless of many slaughtered on my day. “Well, it seems he had some brains, but in this state, it’s not going to do much for him.”

To my greatest pleasure, the moment I’d crossed the threshold into Pride there had been a welcoming committee in wait for me. From the very start I’ve already been catered to. It really brings me to joy to know that I’m an esteemed, honored guest.

Having finally shaken the anchors from its pants, the next challenger comes forward. Dressed up in knightly armor, it has a morphed form bastardizing that of a human. The large wings it bears breaks that illusion. With a single flap it propels itself to grab for me with its talons. I maneuver the pierced corpse in the way and the massive metal claws of my attacker crushes its body.

I draw my second sword with all the might I’m joyful to spend on the winged freak. Its toes come loose and it stumbles to right itself, doubly so given its lack of arms. The beak hidden behind its helmet comes wide open, granting me sight to the serrated barbs running backwards towards its throat. And I give it a taste of steel directly down that grotesque gullet.

“You’d thought that I’d be a sitting duck with this blade in your friend, but I’d thought it’d be good to bring extra party favors today.”

Its head comes loose while I tear the sword clear through its jaw and have my second sword follow through as I loose it from its previous prey.

Away and towards the railing of the grand staircase is a gaunt specter of a woman. The witch hat upon her heat is large on her meek frame. With silently moving lips and moving hands, a spell begins to brew about her with flames invoked to life.

To take account of her, I casually lob a glass vial in her direction. It falls through her ghostly body and crashes to the earth, releasing a piercing blue flame that speedily rages out beneath her. As my fire finds its target first, it begins to creep up her transparent body, solidifying it into a jagged ice. Her spell stop still in her hands as she freezes over. Then she’s rent to pieces when I slam my heel down on her shoulder.

With no other friends to play with, I sheath my sword.

“To little and too few. My advice would be to bring more friends next time. That way I can have more fun. But then again, you’ve caught me at a wonderful time. If I hadn’t killed those brothers of yours last night, there’s no telling how far I would have gone with all of you.”

An elated sigh massages my throat. I reactivate my communications and give Urania my update.

“Urania, this is Khiron.”

“Khiron. What’s been going on? What is your status?” She picks up immediately, pressing with concern.

“Apologies for that. I’d meant to begin communications the moment I’d stepped into Pride, but there were hostiles waiting for me. I had no other choice but to give them my attention first.”

“I understand. Be cautious with the connection. Next time please activate the link before entering in.”

“I read you.”

I say with a smile while I kick the ghostly witch’s frozen head down the stairs to watch it shatter on impact of the reflective marble floor at its end. I give my KNITE a once over and see its read out of the map to the second floor.

“All signs are clear in this room. There doesn’t appear to be any more readings of Loveless for the next few rooms. I’ll exercise caution moving forward.”

I put the device away and have a hover in my step as I press on, eager for the battles to come.

✩ ✩ ✩

Given that Urania would be able to hear my voice, I keep it down and keep my thoughts to myself while taking my joy in the slaughter. Though I’d love to see at least one of them lose their limbs before their life, I relent to keep efficient for the sake of those listening in.

The heart and the head are two standout picks for me in my strikes. A creature with a reversed face no longer has need to worry over how disgusting of an abomination it is any longer. The new stump they’re given pretties them up nicely. Breaking the knee of the oncoming monster with my heel, Nightfall cleaves it into two after a few successive strikes across its body.

Loathed as I am that it’s the end, all the rest of the Loveless are cleared out in this room as well. With a moment to relish the blood now making for another masterpiece of mine about the Dark Seed, I give my environment one last once over.

The light coming in from the hot desert sun keeps the place just warm enough. The glittering of the fine, enormous stained glass windows in this hallway is the one thing preventing the crimson red flames of the candles from bathing all sights in its bloody glow. Every which way I’ve proceeded, plush red carpeting has been underfoot. With the ostentatious artwork filling out the rest nicely, Pride has come to feel like a regal castle despite that it’s nothing but a morbid tower out in the desert.

But the most curious of all is that one way in the hall leads only to a large painting hanging on the wall of its dead end. A painting of a shadowed figure sitting upon a throne seat. All that I can make out from their form is the malicious, perverted smile they wear on their lips.

“It seems that these creatures have their own styles for interior decorating.” I casually inform Urania. “I’m taking a picture right now though I’m not sure how much use it will be. It’s my guess that whoever is depicted in this painting is likely the ruler to this tower.”

“Curious. It will be interesting to keep for the record. Please do send it to the main archives when you’ve returned.”

“Will do.”

I pause another beat and snap another picture. Though I think to fight temptation for a moment, I’m quick to give in and swipe my sword towards the painting, spattering the blood of Pride’s fallen soldiers across its face.

“I think I can understand a bit of why I’d had to gather that magic that I had from the maidens.”

“Pray tell.” She’s as curious as I’d imagined she would be.

“I’d heard stories of how resilient Loveless can be, but even the sword you’d granted me is cutting through them as if they were made of cheap tin. I’m grateful that I’d been given all that I have.”

“To begin you were quite reticent, but you surely have become more accustomed and prepared.”

“If it’s for the kingdom then it’s the least that I can do.”

So closes another short discussion as I move forward.

✩ ✩ ✩

My tour through Pride had been fairly eventful with plenty of blood to draw. But just when I’d begun to think that I’d run out of entertainment, I discover a room unlike any other.

“Now this is interesting.”

“What do you see?” My earpiece picks up.

I look it all over a bit more and feel a sense of admiration for the carnage before me. Loveless corpses lay about and there’s plenty of puddles and spills to be found. An entire room with eight opponents well and properly run through.

“All of the Loveless in this room are deceased and it’s not one that I’d visited yet. I’m getting the impression that someone or something has been here before me.”

“What does the scene look like?”

“Well, some were cut up well, but,” I kneel down to get a closer look at the charred remains leaning against the wall, “there’s a few that seem to have taken flames and other elemental magic. Whoever did this knows a thing or two about spellcasting, that’s for sure.”

“The head priest is a pacifist. He knows nothing of neither weapons combat or magic combat.”

“Then that rules him out. I hope whoever this is happens to be a friend. It would be pleasant to think that anyone who’s in the business of slaying Loveless is doing good for this kingdom.”

“Pride was sealed off and there are no records of anyone else having entry to it. There’s no way that could be given the time frame.” The intrigue in her voice heightens and I can practically see her fixing the frame of her glasses before her icy eyes. “Unless a stray knight ran in during the siege, but there were no reports nor were there any knights unaccounted for by their superiors.

“I’ll investigate it and keep up hopes that I’ve found an ally in all of this. Whatever I can take, I’m willing to have be my aid. I’ll resume investigations.”

“Stay alert and keep your guard high. We can’t be quick to assume. I’ll hope as well that there will be good news to come.”

I take one final glance through the room. The fallen art pieces, shattered pottery and flipped tables add more to the tale.

“Wind magic.”

I return my sword to the ready and say a little prayer that I’d find the head priest safe and sound with such a powerful magician on the prowl.