Battle Admin System 14

14 - Adventuring Reality

Lillea waited for Lord Oxford to calm down. The mana surge left her tingly all over and alarmed her perception. When the roiling mana in the air remained, Lillea slowly channeled mana to prepare for a fight.

“Now I must break my attention away from a security threat on a human level and focus on an apocalyptic threat on a demonic level.” Lord Oxford looked deeply into Lillea’s eyes. Unlike Captain Airmance, the old man could stare into the abyss and prepare to kill what came out. “Do you seek the destruction, subjugation, and/or consumption of humanity?”

“Only with humans who are my enemies,” Lillea answered.

“Did the demon count as a power source? Was there a mention of the absorption being successful from the system?”

“Yes. And her name is Solo.”

“We are Lillea Solo Moonstrider!” the demon exclaimed proudly.

“Indeed,” Lillea added.

Lord Oxford nodded slowly. “According to my information, which may be lacking, but it’s been centuries since Moonstriders bonded with demons. I’ll have to check with the laws. Then I’ll have to ask for amnesty and an exception if you are in an unfavorable position. I certainly will have to ask for guidance from the friendlier side of the church. But before I do any of that, can you answer this. Why the demon?”

“Power. Vengeance. And duty.” Lillea rotated her demon hand around. “Nothing more. Nothing less. The demon was fitting for me. She trusted me. And through my arm, we found harmony.”

“You do not feel like you’re wrestling for control?” Lord Oxford asked.

“Wrestling for control?” Lillea repeated in return.

“I do not wrestle! I control myself. Or Lillea controls me. It’s that simple.” Solo took over smoothly to gesture with her claws like a talking puppet. The transition happened without thought. Easy.

Lillea was still confused by Lord Oxford’s question, though. “Why would I wrestle for control?”

The old human stared at her. “My, my. Perhaps this is something I know with your heritage that you don’t.”

“Impossible,” Lillea blurted.

Lord Oxford smirked. The surging mana around them petered out. He returned to being a bumbling old man floating lazily through the air.

For some reason, Lillia felt even more irritated. He was back to being an annoying and aloof human!

Something in the distance crackled and took her attention off the Cold Tooth Lord. The sound came from the high tree branches above her head. A familiar scent caressed her nose.

Lillea looked up. “Fiona?”

Despite her perception telling true, Lillea still disbelieved the sight of the receptionist in the tree branches. She looked small and vulnerable up there.

Lord Oxford conjured a near translucent platform under the trembling young woman. He helped her down to Lillea’s eye level.

“She came to be a representative of the guild. She wanted to see all the damage and horrors herself. Everyone else should be securing the compound now. We stopped here for you.” Then in a quieter voice only Lillea could hear, Lord Oxford said, “Our demon conversation was held in private, just to let you know.”

“Hello, Lady Moonstrider,” Fiona greeted with a stutter.

“Hey ho, Fiona. I’m not sure you should be here.” Lillea always imagined the receptionist as the usual common human. The only unusual part was Lillea’s attention being drawn to Fiona more often than other common humans.

“I’m scared. And I feel sick to my stomach. And, oh goodness, you’re covered in… blood.” Fiona looked sick. She breathed deeply and recomposed herself before sitting up straight like a professional. “The… guild has failed here. I’ve come to answer for that and bear witness. I’ll draft a report for all parties who should be made aware. For the guild. And for others outside the guild.”

Lillea’s mind sharpened. She knew right away the dangers of Fiona’s bold claims. She glanced quickly at Lord Oxford and saw he was also aware.

All at once, Lillea realized Lord Oxford was trusting her despite her new demonic traits. Fiona would become a human of great interest and shake things politically. Lillea and Lord Oxford had much to discuss back in Cold Tooth, but for now, Lillea raised a hand for Fiona.

“Do you wish to ride with me or Lord Oxford?” Lillea asked. Then she rethought the question. I’m covered in human blood. I have it all over my face. That was not a wise request.

“Yes, I’ll ride with you if it will not besmirch your honor, Lady Moonstrider,” Fiona said shyly.

How can you besmirch my honor? I’m literally covered in the gore of your people. Some of which I’ve eaten alive.

Lillea kept her thoughts to herself. Fiona transferred into her palm. The metal one. Solo’s claws curled around the human but the gesture was more protective than threatening.

Solo knew Fiona was someone who belonged to them. Anyone who belonged to them was precious and worth having pride in. Worth protecting.

“Let me speak with the Sword-Tailed Wolves before we go,” Lillea said. Her companions raised no complaints.

Lillea found the wolves feasting on the bandit bodies. Two bandits remained alive but unconscious.

“We offer these meals. Living and fresh,” said a sword-tailed. “It is good to speak with a Moonstrider again. You should come to the den. See our young and speak to the alpha.”

Lillea responded in the language of beasts. “I will be honored to come one day. But right now I have human matters needing my attention. Please keep the meals for your young. And do you know what favor you will seek from me?”

“The young will appreciate your contribution,” the sword-tailed replied. “There is a tricky predator who kills and runs from us. The alpha will explain more. Come before the next spring.”

The wolf turned back to feasting on the bodies. Lillea watched for a while, feeling ravenous and amazed.

The wolves believed her to honor their agreement. There was no questioning her any further. It was almost refreshing how simple intelligent beasts were compared to other races. Whoever this killer could be, Lillea would gladly hunt them down and strengthen her connection with the Sword-Tailed Wolves.

“Is everything fine?” Fiona asked, looking scared. “I tried to follow along with the conversation. I’m not sure if the growls meant bad news and the yips are for good news.”

Lillea chuckled. “Do not fret. All will be fine after I complete a future favor. Let’s go to the compound.”

***

Returning to the compound under daylight changed how Lillea viewed it. In the night, all the gruesome death was part of the atmosphere. It had added to her ravenous appetite. It had made sing her cruel bloodlust and monstrous whims. It had been the perfect time to cause destruction, death, and disarray upon humans who were deserving of her malice.

Now she felt drained, hungry, exposed, hurt, and uncomfortable. The death and destruction lacked all the defining qualities of a Moonstrider. Lillea had fallen far from the original path and left the aftermath of a primitive giant. As if she had never been a Moonstrider but one of the mongrels.

Captured bandits sat off to the side with stoppage collars around their necks. They gaped up at Lillea as if she would pick up from where she left off with them.

Surrounding the bandit camp were half eaten bodies. Sometimes the lower half remained. Sometimes the upper half. The adventurers and guards stared more at the horrid scenes of death caused by Lillea than the posts binding innocent victims who had been tormented to death.

The goblins jiggered and joked around her. Fifty arrived with Lord Oxford’s costly teleportation spell. A combined one hundred adventurers and guards surveyed the area.

Lillea shuffled behind Fiona as the receptionist jotted down notes with a quill and book she’d summoned. It was a peculiar style of magic Lillea hadn’t seen before until meeting Fiona.

Ink and paper weren’t widely available to common humans, yet Fiona could conjure these at will and record information for safekeeping. Even more impressive was Fiona’s refined and professional soberness.

The first view of all the death and destruction had shaken her. Lillea had nearly taken Fiona away, but the human regained her composure and asked to be let down. Now Lillea felt like a giant shadow hanging over Fiona, and everyone avoided the two and their goblin escorts.

A shout of excitement sounded from the other side of the compound. Lillea sniffed the air and smiled softly. “Fiona, the hostages are here. Will you be okay handling them?”

“Yes,” Fiona said resolutely. “But I will much appreciate your presence if you decide to follow, Lady Moonstrider.”

Lillea gave no response. Fiona hurried toward the one hundred cold, tired, and wary humans. All pale-skinned and similar to the common features of the empire’s people. Mostly merchants from what Lillea could tell. Maybe young lords and ladies of political figures being held at ransom, too.

The goblins led by Sleek beamed merrily from beside the hostages. They left them to the adventurers and guards and ran through their fellow goblins.

Sleek led them into a kneel in front of Lillea, which irked her a bit. He’s smart enough to choose his battles. I can’t justify chastising him. Oh well.

“Everything went to plan, Lady Moonstrider,” Sleek said.

The plan had been simple. Lillea had acted like a big monster to become the main focus of the bandits. Taunting Captain Airmance had made things easier, so when she retreated, they wouldn’t think twice about securing the hostages.

Sleek and his ten grunts had sneaked in and took the hostages to a safe place. Not an easy feat, though. They would have to corral a hundred self-important captives and cover their tracks. But they managed last night regardless.

Lillea lowered down and rested her right index finger on Sleek’s shoulder. “You’ve done well Sleek. Pruz is currently resting in Cold Tooth, or he’ll be here to tell you the same as well. Though ten of ours have been lost, this is a fault of mine, not yours.”

He nodded in appreciation.

Lillea continued. “For now, you, Pruz, and the ten here are to be celebrated. For three days and nights, food and drink and good service at Grimmer’s Throne with your choice of vices at the Succubus Den. This is yours, heroes, along with twenty-four others of your choosing. All to be paid for by me. Of course, our twelve heroes will be rewarded with more than just that. This is a start.”

Sleek and his ten cheered. All the goblins raised a hooplah for them. Lillea chuckled before patting her finger on each of the ten’s shoulders. The last shoulder pat went back to Sleek before the giant stood and refocused on Fiona.

In tune with her whims, the goblins parted out of the way of her next step. After some soft but rumbling steps, Lillea stopped behind Fiona. Instantly, the hostages giving the guild rep a hard time quieted and became more civil. Fiona turned to Lillea and waited on her.

“Carry on, Fiona,” the giant ordered.

“Gladly, Lady Moonstrider.” The guild rep turned and found the interview process with the hostages easier. Seeing this pleased Lillea. Being a support to someone else was valuable. A giant’s presence could make all the difference.

An hour later, Fiona left the hostages in the care of Lord Oxford. She wandered around the compound. Where she went, Lillea followed with slow steps.

Disgust, horror, sadness, and other emotions would break through Fiona’s professional mask. But the young woman continued to work resolutely.

She finally put her ink and book away when they stopped next to a few half-eaten bodies left in the snow. A woman’s horrified face stared up. Her neck had bruises from when String of Pride and Shadow had wrapped around it, keeping the bandit from screaming as Lillea made her last moments alive a horrid affair.

“You truly are a man-eater,” Fiona said quietly.

“When the occasion calls for it.”

“And this was on purpose.”

“I wanted them to suffer. The fear adds to the taste. And their pain was theirs to bear.”

Fiona hugged herself. She endured a series of shivers as if she just realized her life was at jeopardy next to Lillea. At any moment her life could be snuffed out. She stood on mercy alone even if Lillea had no plans to harm her.

After all, Fiona was the weakest person next to one of the strongest here. And the strong dictated the existence of the weak, a harsh but honest reality. It was up to Fiona to reconcile with her weakness and the mercy of the strong.

“I’ve always had a lustrous idea about adventurism. I hear the tales all the time of brave adventurers enduring great challenges and fighting villains with gallantry. The term adventurer comes from the Adventure Rank, which is the rank needed to truly set out and face impossible challenges and see great and nearly unspeakable wonders. That’s what I fill my head with instead of the ugly parts.”

“Apologies,” Lillea said even though it made no logical sense to apologize. Still, she couldn’t help it.

Fiona looked away from the half-eaten bandit and up at Lillea. “You’re a true adventurer, Lillea. Man-eater or not. And you are very kind, too. I can tell. You’ve been so nice to me that it makes me feel guilty that I can’t repay your kindness.”

You risked your job and everything else to bring the calvary. I owe you much more than you owe me.

Lillea kept her thoughts to herself. Fiona’s entire presence disturbed the legendary giant. The commoner could never be dismissed, not after having an effect here with the promise of affecting the future on a larger scale. But she was still a low-level commoner without true power. Just about anything could kill her.

I almost don’t want her around me. She will be endangered. But now she is at the center of a big mess. I don’t want that for her. Weakness and trouble.

“Lady Moonstrider, is there a chance for me to request a favor? I really hope I’m not stretching your kindness too thin.”

“Request from me anything.”

Fiona nodded. “I wish to become an adventurer. My own style of adventurer. One who could help investigate. Record. Negotiate. And even fight if my ink and paper would allow me. But I have no background in fighting. I only have my talents for reading, writing, and organization. My strange skill set has a lack of reliable sources for me to study. And I am weak and cowardly.”

You may be weak, but you are braver than most so-called adventurers. You came here to help without power. Lillea felt annoyed. Her pride wanted Fiona to have more pride in herself. Solo felt the same.

Fiona trembled as more words spilled out. “Could you sponsor me? Adventurers need the Adventure Rank. I haven’t gained that, yet, but it’s possible to have an endorsement and a waiver to start me off as an Apprentice Adventurer. I, um, would require training. But I won’t ever demand that from you directly. If you know someone and can–”

“You. Me. Dinner at the Verdant Gardens. We’ll discuss this further. The answer is yes toward being your sponsor, by the way. Our discussion will go over the details, Apprentice Fiona.”

“Oh. Oh! Uh. Thank you, Lady Moonstrider! I owe you so much. I will work my hardest and repay you one day. You’ll never regret this, I swear on the heavens!”

Lillea shook her head at the silly human. Fiona would receive everything she needed for free as long as she applied herself and continued being brave. It is best I keep the free business to myself. It will be funny when I later reveal she was never indebted.