Chapter 186: Prep For War; Within Demme (P3)

Alric's declaration comes at a shock to many of the people and even I as well, although for vastly different reasons.

For the people, both mine and Alric's, the very fact that a cursed Necromancer is standing right before them is enough to strike fear and anxiety through them.

Whereas, I'm surprised because, well, Alric somehow managed to figure it out. How could he? I have barely been active as the famed and frightening Necromancer for barely a few months.

I highly doubt word of my existence has even passed the borders of this March. Although, that may no longer be the case with Serue running about the place.

Still, I'm not sure whether to be impressed or worried that he's figured it out, but I suppose that isn't the matter at hand right now, the true problem lies in the fact that Alric, the short man is standing up tall and upright to me with his own armed and armoured entourage.

It's almost as if he predicted that people wouldn't be down with starving and dying under his rule for all of eternity until they're all swallowed up by this Benefactor of his.

Scanning Alric's entourage I find that they're a heavily buffed and secure group of fighters. Even to a novice like me I can tell that they've been equipped with the best armour the village has got, and likely the most it can afford.

Finally, I look back down on Alric and smile widely, "Yes, I suppose that is the only thing standing in my way, you and this Benefactor of yours."

Nostrils flaring with budding rage he stamps his foot and one of his clean, fancy puppets march forward to guard his back as he turns around to face the Warriors behind.

"Tell me!" He yells out loudly and I know he's about to attempt some sappy inspirational, guilt-tripping bit. 

I should stop him from damaging my reputation and the facts we've established but, I think things may be a lot more effective with him trying and failing to sway the wills of his tired people.

"Do you believe, for a minute, that a man who proudly walks as a practitioner of foul Death Magics under the sky our Goddess, Anera, the embodiment of life made?"

"Do you believe that he!" He shrieks, pointing an accusing finger my way, "A missionary of Death its very self will come and redeem us?"

"No! No he will not!" He answers for them, "He will instead throw you into a different flame, a worse flame, your souls, your lives. They will be spent, thrown away for his mindless purpose!"

He falls silent for a minute, perhaps letting his words sink into them. 

Surely enough, he picks back up where he left, shaking his head as he does, "It is true, I am not as powerful a Mage as he has clearly displayed, I merely enhance the powers of those who have the will to fight, I merely create trinkets, objects with little magical purpose in battle. I merely hypnotize the creatures when my power will allow me, I merely turn them against each other."

Doesn't sound like just 'merely' to me. I fold my arms and frown, not liking where this talk is going anymore.

"I may not be able to fight beside you men on the lines, protecting our people and our home and our future! But I can and will never eat up your souls and turn your bodies into undead creatures."

Ah ha! The perfect place for me to trip him up. Confidently, I cackle.

"No, you may not turn their bodies into eternal soldiers but at the same time, I believe it's worth asking what you do with the bodies of the fallen. Of the starved. Tell us Alric, what do you do with the bodies of their loved ones? Their comrades?"

He seems to choke up at this, freezing in place as he hears this challenge. 

Brilliantly, I strike another sensitive chord with the Warriors as more murmurs begin flying about.

Slowly he turns to face me, a tight smile on his face, "You're an outsider, of course you wouldn't know not to question the will of the Benefactor who protects us."

I tilt my head at this and hum, "Speak of the devil. The Benefactor!"

He frowns, sensing the trouble I'm about to wroth.

"How does the Benefactor help the village?" I ask, looking back at the Warriors.

"Well the Ben-"

"I wasn't asking you, dear Mayor, I was asking Fragus."

The man in question almost jumps out of his skin at being included. Alric turns and looks up at the buff rippling man.

"Me?" Fragus stutters, a strange thing for a man his size and brimming masculinity.

I nod, "It all comes down to the people, doesn't it?"

"No, no it doesn't. Mages are placed in fiefs to rule and protect the fief and its people from monsters and brigands. The choice of protector is not theirs to make." Alric suddenly and angrily declares.

I can tell the man has some sort of aristocratic background from the little rant, and a proud, powerful and confident aristocrat to boot.

Although, seeing as he's clinging to a danger filled fief, I would say this is his last vestige of power left in all his name. I bet he's merely just feeding off the sense of power and control rulership gives and not much else.

Demme is dead after all. 

A tense atmosphere falls over us three at his outburst, Fragas stares heatedly at the stout man, so much so it makes him uncomfortable enough that he clears his throat.

"But I suppose, in this instance, Fragas may speak on the behalf on the people of Demme in my stead."

Not wasting a second, Fragas turns to me, ready to spill the beans on the operations.

"To be frank, I don't trust you." 

What an awful way to start a conversation.

"But?" I ask, leading him. 

He nods, "But, I trust you a lot more than I trust him."

Alric fumes, "Fragas! I could have you k-"

"Panda!"

"Raaarrrrrhh!!" the deafening roar from my beast is enough to shake out whatever piece of unruly behaviour is lodged in Alric's mind.

He falls silent and I turn my gaze to him, "I believe it would serve you well to keep track of who carries the bigger stick here."

I keep my gaze on the shrinking man for a moment before turning to face Fragas once more, "Please, continue."

Fragas nods, still more than a bit nervous if his sweaty palms are any indication, "I'm not sure what you're thinking but, the Benefactor isn't fake, he isn't some conjured monster or god."

I nod, "I wasn't thinking that, in fact, it's more likely that the Benefactor is the real deal, what I am questioning here are he ways."

Alric mutters something along the lines of 'blasphemy' but we both find it prudent to ignore him.

"Yes, he is quite real. And ever since he revealed himself to the Mayor here, five randomly selected people have been chosen to go into the forest and kill every beast and creature that resides there."

His shoulders fall as he adds, "No one survives, no one is meant to survive. They fight until they drop."

I shake my head at this and express my sympathies. "But, five randomly selected people? Out of the elite fighters surely."

Apparently not.

"No. Five random people out of the entire village. It could even be a child or an infant. It has been those once."

What the frick is going on here?

"Well then-!"

He stops me half way, "Ah, I understand your confusion, the selected people are imbued with the Benefactors powers and become stronger for the remainder duration of their lives. They only serve one purpose then…fighting the creatures of the forests till they're all dead."

I blink at this, "So this is the benefactor's way of aiding you?"

He nods, "The coming boon of harvest and fruit that graces all our lands is how…is how we know every last one of the five chosen are dead, that they've accomplished what they set out to do."

I look down at the Mayor, he's been stoned faced the entire time, not even muttering under his breath.

"And you permit this, you want to continue this practise…Alric."

Slowly, his eyes turn up and land on me, "Yes, this is the only way we know to survive, without the bounty, without the five sacrifices, without the break that they give us. We would have long starved or been eaten by our very own neighbours."

"In the worst of times, before the Benefactor appeared to me, many had begun venturing into the forest to seek out food by themselves, and others…they went in to die."

Slapping my hand on his shoulder I declare, "But now, I am here! Accept me in and let me show you the way to live, the way you have forgotten!"

"I…" He sighs, "I am not entirely against that, but the Benefactor…his is patron to the entire village it will not be a trivial matter to severe ties with him, in fact, I believe the mere attempt would bring about our collective downfall."

"That does sound troublesome, but I find that when I'm dealing with beings of great power like this, it helps to have other, stronger being of great power. If the Benefactor is your patron then surely he'll be interested in meeting and talking with me, the new ruler of the village."

The two look at me like I've gone nuts. "What?"