Mas Bagus

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

"And the tale keeps twisting! They are both spent! Who would have thought we had a very unusual creature in our little squabbles and game of blood? Did you see what I see? ladies and gents? Did you all—!? Barely minute and two Wigerjurgen fighters are flattened! And I am afraid soon we will see the other one!"

Yvonne barely finished with her power strikes. With the giant human still on his warpath to get Chounan, she had all the chances in the world to inflict any debilitating attack she wished. And she did, the mace swung with great force against the side of the butcher knight's knee, dislocating it and causing the burly attacker to lose his balance. As his broad body toppled and landed adrift on the gravel, his mighty weapon hurled as the last resort, hitting Chonan in the process, but luckily he was struck by the hilt.

The Butcher-Knight! He! Gives! No! Quarter! A relentless rush! Not letting the sneaky guy catch his breath! But now, look at the black-haired lady! She taunts! She taunts, over and over! A look of disdain and victory in one, aimed square at his opponent! So Graceful, so Deadly it makes your blood run cold! Terrific! Marvelous! This gives a new meaning to the proverb small chilies are the spiciest!

Three down, five left. The midgets dropped their last net in horror when one of their brethren suddenly jostled by an impaling arrow, then the one beside him met the same fate. Three left. Two took refuge behind the pillar while the unfortunate one got an arrow on his head when trying to reach for the dropped net.

They thought they were safe there, and their plan was to wait. Daggers in hand, obviously outmatched by those heavy weapons, but theirs were coated with poison, so potent it could kill the knight-butcher in one sneak attack and grueling hours after. And that was how they maintained their mutual respect over the years. The butcher was big but they were numerous, and not afraid to die if it meant bringing a single enemy down with them.

An arrow landed at the wall behind him, lodging itself in a small gap between the trap doors. The violet luster on its head was the last thing those goblin-humans saw before a fiery explosion claimed them.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Everything didn't look very good for the Wigerjurgen crew. One of their heavies was killed and one was dying in such a short period of time. Chonan intended to finish the wobbling butcher-knight by lunging forward, delivering a mighty thrust on the burly man's bare chest. And there was no resistance when he shove his blade into the man's left chest.

Except for the ribcage and hardened muscle. Chonan soon found that his blade was stuck in his victim's abdomen. And being this close, he can feel the giant heart beating and the breathing movement. Looking up again, the butcher-knights holds his sword with his injured hand, and his grin could only mean one thing.

__

Over the years, they only taught one thing. To fight, not to think. To fight, not to talk. And lastly, to fight, not to care. Work with the little men and fight bravely, and so they will triumph.

That was the only mantra the Slavemaster Ugad expected his gladiator to follow to their death. But the fat master overlooked one thing, many years together in peril would form camaraderie, and so when the last butcher-knight rushed to aid his dying brother, he could only watch in awe.

The little nobleman redied her flanged mace, in position to give a nasty counterattack against the rushing knight, but she only went as far as that Standing in the way, expecting the knight to go all out with her, but the giant human was not interested.
He rushed passed that noblewoman as if she was just a thorny twig. The noblewoman welcomed and attacked him in return. It was a heavy one, landed square, and could possibly rip his abdominal wall. But the woman was strong so did her opponent and the size advantage was apparent. It didn't matter, he reached his brother in time and swung his halberd down with all of his might. And like a damned monkey that puny swordsman leaped away, leaving his sword embedded in his comrade's chest. The butcher-knight's eyes were set on Chounan and sought to attack him at every opportunity.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

@Milkman
Sending Jazdia crashing to the corner might be a sound idea if you are not big and brandishing a big stick for a weapon. So when Kaito stood between the butcher-knight and Jazdia, the man did not have an optimal room to swing his mighty weapon, allowing Kaito to skid beside him and leaving a slashing wound on his forearm. The butcher spun around, but the foxy youkai was faster. Taking the advantage of his enemy's limited field of vision he ducked out of sight and used his wakizashi to tear his achiles tendon. Spurting blood all over the graveled ground as the burly man struggled to keep his balance.

@wierdw
Nobody knows where those men came from, what they really were, and how Ulgad trained them into fearsome fighting slaves. One thing for sure, they were tougher than any human.

When the heated metal struck his neck, the butcher-knight still managed to muster an incredible amount of strength to hold it by tilting his head sideways, using all the fat and muscle to cushion the impact, just like what his enemy just did. Behind that strange helmet came a muffled roar, and unexpectedly, he grabbed Henri by his arm and brutally pound him against the wall before succumbing to his fatal wound.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?!"

The two other butcher-knight looked at each other dumbfoundedly. Though their metal helmet showed no expression, they seemed to be flabbergasted by the new guy's bizarre entry. One thing for sure though, they were not one to answer a question, they were here to fight and they would just deliver that.

The trawlers managed to net the unsuspecting Henri, and it seemed to be their biggest catch today. Wasting no time, the Butcher-Knight leaped forward and bring down his mighty poleaxe to the ensnared man before he could defend himself, mercilessly hacking his hardened body.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

When in battle, keep the talking at a minimum. Especially at a close-quarter brawl, especially now!

Just when she thought the vanguard would make their first move, the two midgets hurled their nets at her. Jazdia pushed her body backward to retreat as an archer should, but the big man kept his eyes on her. Nobody could have guessed how his leg could support that tremendous body, but he did; he made a long jump from his position, landed between Jazdia and Yvonne, and swung a centrifugal wide slash across the party, with Jazdia as the main target.

The elf raised her bow to block the heavy blow, but the force was so great it wasn't merely throwing her off balance but also violently pushed her entire body backward and had it collide with the pillar on the right.

The audience cheered in a thrilling stupor as the announcer enliven the match with his feverish commentary.

"—OUT! The elven lady was caught off guard! That sudden jump knocks her off right before the finish—! ACROSS THE LINE—! The Punisher, from Wigerjurgen Crews, the butcher Knight!!!"

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

”Everyone here relies on you to make the decisions, the decisions that make the difference between us completing the mission and making it out alive or running to our deaths. We need you… I need you...the true you. So please calm down.”

"I am calm." said a Jazdia curtly, then, with a purple glint in her eyes under their bristling brows, she added. "If you think I am not, then you don't know me long enough."

The elf let out a heavy sigh, and the air she released looked like it was unleashed from a fiery furnace. But then, her expression softens. "You don't need to worry about me, my little fox."

Walked closer to the end of the tunnel, it seemed they just left a belly of the beast only to walk into another. The arena was a large circular space with three supporting pillars. The wall was solid stone, four meters tall from the base to the lowest seating an audience could sit to. The entire place was lit by a huge chandelier and no shadow at all.

In the arena were two tigers, overpowering, and ultimately pouncing down a fighting slave and ripping his throat off. The cheering was loud and mixed with expressions of contempt or disapproval. The spectators were restless, yet the announcer remained upbeat.

"And so passes, Terminators, champions of Sigurd. The beasts of the Alerac were too much for them!"

Jazdia readied her bow and activated her eyes. It was still distorted, but through the stone ceiling, she could see it clearer; forty, no at least fifty or so people, populate the space surrounding this arena. Their faces were hidden beneath fancy-looking masks, and it was not only men who enjoyed this game of carnage, there were women as well, both aged and young, and 'looked young'.

She readied her bow, picking her target carefully. There was Gerrald. The description matched, and he sat on the front seat, with luxuries on his left and right and a glass of wine at hand.

The arrow glowed, and Jazdia took her steps carefully. Like a hunter she was stalking prey. But she overlooked the possibility of the other hunter. The tigers were not here for a meal, nor to fulfill some sort of craving to feast on human flesh. They were here for the sport, to enjoy the killing, and if humans can teach animals many things, why not cruelty too?

And so with a piercing roar, the twin noticed her and rushed toward the tunnel with sheer of animalistic confidence. Thinking their victim had been cornered and was on their last stand.
However, they were animals and thus couldn't be any smarter than that. When Jazdia's enchanted arrow struck one of the twins, it ripped and tear the other as well. The audience gasped in surprise. The announcer stammered.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! What is that?"
Then, after a moment, he returned upbeat again. "And suddenly, a burst of light! Someone pelted the beast bare! What in the world just happened?! Ah, oh ohhhhh we will be damned! New challengers just entered the Arena! Come on out and don't be shy!"

Shy she was not. Jazdia walked over the dead beast and channeled another shot. This time no tigers, nothing stood in the way of her arrow and that damned guild master, or so she thought. The arrow flew and hit a transparent barrier and exploded in front of the man, but it did not kill him, not even hurt him. And the only annoyance he felt was he accidentally dropped his stemware in surprise due to the flashy firework show.

"There she is! Fiesty lady and her companions! Welcome! Welcome. I see that you are very eager to start! A shame that you are a bit late! Today's match should have been done-and-done! We had seen plundering! Crazy battles! Tight escapes and desperate chases! But fret not! It seems the fight is far from over Ladies and Gentlemen."

There was a loud one from the audience. "Can we buy them?!"

The patron talking was a short, half-bald man with a braided beard. He was sitting between two women with skimpy clothes, and with his stubby, jeweled finger, he pointed at Jazdia.

"Buy them? Of course! If they can survive the gauntlet"

"No, I want to buy them! Can that be arranged?"

The announcer shrugged. After consulting with Gerrald, he announced but was less enthusiastic about the prospect. "If you can tame them Master Ulgad! We will give you an 20 percent rebate!"

The announcer then winked. "Alright! Give hearty applause for Wigerjurgen Crews! You can fuck them boys but be gentle!"

With waves of laughter, the trap door at the north side of the arena opened. Three burly men walked in, their faces were covered with triangular metal helmets but their chests were left bare and hairy. Each brandished poleaxes with rust on its edges. Following them from behind were five stunted men carrying trawling nets with iron weights. Their twisted visage smiled with glee as they waved for the cheering of the audience.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Jazdia shook her head in disgust as the samurai knelt before her. It was too late, and an apology could only do so little. Pathetic, she muttered, her blade was glowing brightly in response to Chonan's dishonorable attack, but she then decided, instead of ending this Samurai's life, she would rather save someone's life.

The metal door toppled sideways after Jazdia slashed its hinges down. Seeing the glowing blade severing iron with fiery sparks, the slaves were horrified, confusion filled the room, some raised their hands in defense, and a few others cower at the corner, far away from the door and their executor's reach. Not in the mood to convince anybody, she hissed. "Leave!" and that was the only word she could afford to say.

Near the exit, there was another chamber, blocked by another metal door with many locks. The door had a barred window, and if one peeked inside, they would see a child in her early teens imprisoned in that chamber. Her ankle was shackled to a heavy iron ball, and she sat on a stone dais with legs outstretched.

Jazdia called, but the girl only tilted her head. She wore a ragged top tube and skirt with a distinctive pattern. She has curly brown hair and a beautiful face, blemished by dust but unscarred. A piece of cloth covered her eyes and she seemed to be heavily sedated. Jazdia could only imagine the unspeakable cruelty they put her through. Someone had to pay for this.

She tightened her grip and slashed everything that holds the door to its frame. Hinges, latches, chains and locks alike, but the door wouldn't budge. Only when Jazdia touched the metal slab to push it down she realized there was a sealing magic that held it shut, and it was linked to one person.
"Gerald, it must be him!"

Without mentioning Chonan, she stormed for the exit and breached its door, reluctantly leaving the girl to her fate. Angry and bitter, she partially acknowledged that her anger was unwarranted. These atrocities were a common occurrence anywhere around the world, and she had seen a lot. So why this one affected her so much?

"Miss Rosenving, this way."

Their exit was a tunnel that leads to a circular arena. From here, the yelling becomes louder, and in it, Gerald's voice could be heard. Or she thought. Why she was so angry?

Perhaps everything would be easier if she could find a way to justify... and atone.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Jazdia was furious. For a split second, she considered the option to plant an arrow on this man's knee and drag him out to be judged. Seeing the dead again, her heart sank, and she felt cheated, her idealism shaken to the core. No matter how to look at it, their operation had costed innocent lives. How could she claim the moral high ground after this?

"On your feet!"

Even when the elf grabbed the samurai by his collar, she was still torn between continuing this mission or bringing this man into the light. Nah... it was too late for that. Now was the time to think pragmatically, but for pity's sake, she hoped the man would show some remorse.

"Hey Samurai! Chonan!"

But the man was in a... psychedelic mess he kept grinning from ear to ear. Yet his eyes were empty, and he trembled as if being overpowered by a mysterious being.
Jazdia, who had no time to deal with this kind of bullshit finally had had enough and punched the man square on his lower jaw.

"Enjoying too much killing aren't you? It's their blood in your hand! Shouldn't you at least feel sorry about it?!"

She had no idea if that punch was enough to mend her ire, or to make Chonan return to his sense. Something very wrong was at play here, and Jazdia, in anticipation clutched the handle of her long knife.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

"But I see our man. He is there..."

Jazdia hadn't finished her report when the Rosenving Daughter flipped a table and make a barrier. While Chonan... well the oriental man was not content with just preparing.

"Hmmm. When it comes for a risk. It will be my pleasure." He announced. Despite his calm disposition, his words were laced with unadulterated excitement. He moved forward, opened the door, and slithered in.

"No! Wait!"

It was the first time Jazdia raised her voice since the operation began, and she immediately followed inside. A sharp groan of agony assaulted her hearing when she entered the room, then the sounds of whimperings and gasps. A silhouette in the shape of a human was slumped, followed by a thud.

The room was dark, the torches were extinguished, leaving two spheres of ember glowing in the haunting darkness. When Jazdia reignited them and brought back the lights into that room, the atrocities became apparent.

The room was separated in two. The first section had a stone beam directly facing the door. On that beam chained two humans. One human was dead, a shuriken embedded on his forehead. The other human, a female, had a throwing star stuck on her neck, and her body was spasming. The last Shuriken landed on an unused pillory.

'Please! Please have mercy!" cried one of the slaves as the light from the torches revealed their faces. In the corner of the room was a large cage with eight humans imprisoned inside. Males, females, and children, all mixed in one place. Their condition ranges from malnourished, to injured and mentally broken.

One of the younger slaves reached out, showing her hand with three stumped fingers. "It hurts! I want to go home! Ma! I will behave! Ma!"

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

“That went pretty smooth so far. Can you see what awaits us inside? I can go in as the captain if needed.”

Jazdia walked closer to the door and activated her eyes. "There is no need for that. The upper floors were empty, and all activities seemed to be concentrated in the basement. The passage to reach the place was a straight line downward. Aisles and slope stairs with several rooms on the left and right. The opposition was minimal. Anything beyond that is still unknown."

The group entered the place, and as the sun rose behind them, their sky was fading as they went deeper.

And indeed no one challenged them. The passage was large, sufficiently lit, and rather clean. The rooms Jazdia described were barred from the outside. Devoid of lives save several flares of life force that deteriorate slowly. At the end of the aisle was a large metal door that stood unguarded, but no one couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister was waiting for them.

As they walked closer, the boisterous noise of cheering audiences could be heard. Jazdia activated her eyes again. Whatever behind that door was a distorted image, blurry and sometimes dark. The place was crowded, with many voices; men, women, gruff, meek and booming. Amidst the chaos, she saw a glimpse of a man with a prominent jawline and long gray hair, sitting proudly on his throne.

"There was a barrier that repelled my power, but it was incomplete."

She took a deep breath, already feeling the strain when she tried to bypass the interference.

"But I see our man. He is there..."