542: High Ground
“Out of my way!” Olivia screamed as she sliced another Purple Cape soldier’s throat on her way up the stairs toward the main fortress. Gurgling, the dying man slid down against the wall and several steps lower, leaving a smear of blood behind him. “There’s no way in hell you’ll stop me now that I’m so close! Not with your strongest fighters dead or down below!”
“Oh really?” asked the man that blocked Olivia’s path at the end of the stairway. A menacing smile formed on his chiseled face, decorated by an annoyingly perfect stubble beard. The shaved haircut might have been overkill on a lesser man, but with his build and wide frame he wore it with as much pride as the long spear he held over his massive delts and traps.
“Steve,” Olivia recognized the man who literally broke her back against a tree a couple of days earlier.
“I’m surprised you’re able to walk after our last encounter,” Steve grinned even wider.
“I’m surprised you’re alive after failing your mission and running to your captain with your tail between your legs,” Olivia retorted.
Steve’s grin vanished, but he was not left without a reply. “Too bad that ruined woman isn’t here to save you this time.”
“I won’t need saving this time,” Olivia said and took a battle stance on the steps.
“Oh? Then you’ll be an actual challenge this time? Sounds great! Then come up here and show me what you’ve got!”
Olivia was in no hurry to run up the stairs into Steve’s waiting arms. He had the high ground and could use his spear freely where it wasn’t blocked on both sides by walls.
“What? You thought I’d give up my advantage?” Steve asked. “I’m fine where I am. And if you’re all talk then feel free to run back down and take your chances with Captain Flavna. You’re not getting past me.”
_____
“And the little warrior has already stumbled on the first hurdle,” Gamesh said, standing many floors below Olivia and Steve, his eyes pure white and his head titled slightly up. “Steve still proved useful.”
Flavna did her best not to voice out her disdain for the man but she still let her grimace slip.
“She’ll also be surrounded by reinforcements from both sides, so that little problem is dealt with,” Gamesh said and let his eyes return to normal.
“Good,” Flavna said. “Then all that’s left is taking care of these fools.”
“What about the prisoners they freed?” Gamesh asked.
“We can collect them at our leisure if need be after I interrogate these scum,” Flavna shrugged. “But with the main culprits captured, the issue will be resolved.”
“We’re not the culprits!” Beatrice raised her voice. “Please listen! We don’t have to fight! The Queen is the true enemy!”
“You’ve got some nerve,” Flavna said with disgust. “First you blame a defenseless prisoner you just killed, and now you switch to blaming the Queen herself? All of that after you’ve had your way with my men and turned one of our captains into a demonic abomination!?”
“What is she talking about?” one of the purple capes asked the other.
“It was all a dream, right? Right!?” the other asked in cold sweat.
“SILENCE!” Flavna snapped at her hapless, milk-drenched soldiers.
“We can prove it!” Ember spoke up. “That the Queen is in league with the demons.”
“You can?” Alexander asked.
We can? Beatrice almost asked but instead said, “Of course we can!”
“Great,” Flavna said without any emotion. “You two, get down on your knees, and raise both hands in the air. Alexander, pick up one of those swords and cut the left arm off both of them.”
“Why me?” Alexander asked.
“WHAT!?” Beatrice exclaimed. “Who’d agree to something so unreasonable!?”
“Because if any of you are uncooperative you can start killing each other,” Flavna explained. “Even if what you insinuate is the absolute truth, I will not overlook what you’ve done both here and in the city! Arson, assault, murder: you all are overdue execution where you stand! But if what you say is true and proves useful, I am willing to consider sparing your lives.”
“Well, it looks like we have no other choice,” Ember said practically sarcastically and got down on her knees. After that she raised her hands up and looked at Beatrice to do the same.
Really? Beatrice wondered. If she knew anything about her bodyguard is that she would absolutely never let someone lop her arm off for any reason. With that in mind, Beatrice went along, got on her knees and raised her hands up.