Log inOf Fates And Fetters Ch 9
Gooooood mornin' folks! Hope you're having a good weekend!
I slept for fourteen continuous hours after I crashed yesterday evening!
Holy shit did I need them. ._.
Last week was exhausting.
That said, I was able to use quite a bit of the time I probably should have been sleeping last week to write! So this morning it was mostly just editing. Which, yay!
Anyways.
Here is next chapter! Hope you enjoy, do please drop me a comment and lemme know your thoughts if it pleases ye.
Or don't.
But please do. I enjoy those.
Anyways, chapter. Hope you like.
=][=
I stared at the meat paste that used to be the monster snake.
I looked at Shana, who was still sitting on the damp stone ground, and back to the meat slurry that used to be a supremely dangerous animal.
Shana was a magical girl.
The dumbass kid what followed me around everywhere actually is the last descendant of a line of Kings, God’s Chosen to rule the land.
I’d finally found the Protagonist.
It was obvious now, my role was a hybrid of the childhood friend and mentor.
I was probably meant to die at a dramatic moment for her to have character growth, something something loss of innocence, steeling her resolve. Blah blah blah, she finds some pretty boy, flowers spontaneously manifest, she reclaims her rightful place as ruler, and they lived happily ever after until corporate fucks up the second season.
“Shana?” I said.
“Yes, Dart?” She asked tremulously.
“I swear I won’t be mad.”
“Urk!” Shana twitched, and I recalled a few times growing up when I had indeed gotten very angry after using those words. Though I didn’t say anything those times so she can’t complain about them.
“Did you unlock unfathomable and awe-inspiring magic might in the time I was away and chose not to tell me out of a misguided fear I might react poorly?” I asked reasonably and in a single breath.
“I…No, Dart. I don’t think I did.” Shana answered.
“You sure?” I pressed. “Cause I won’t be mad if you did.”
“N-No, Dart. I did not.” Shana assured me.
“Well okay then.” I said with a nod. “But if you do, you can always talk to me about it.”
“R-Right.” She said, and went back to staring at the remains of the snake.
I turned to Lavitz, who was scowling at what remained of the corpse.
“How you holding up?” I asked.
He smacked his lips, as if tasting his words before saying. “Would you think me strange if I said that I find myself unreasonably upset at the destruction of my spear?”
I looked at the area where his spear and the head of the monster had become vapor. “Nah, I getcha.”
We stared for a while longer before I said. “I would greatly appreciate it if you could keep Shana’s, erm, this.” I waved a hand at the giant snake corpse. “Out of your report.”
Lavitz thought on it for a long few seconds before saying. “Something like this, properly harnessed, could change the tide of the war. If it became known, Shana would not know peace as desperate people tried to make use of her for the meekest hope to harness this capability.” He met my eye and grinned. “It’s a good thing then, that I have something of a history with memory issues.”
I snorted and smacked his shoulder lightly. “I owe you one.”
“Nonsense, I’m still in your debt.”
“We’ll agree to disagree on that matter.” I said. Then clapped my hands, making Shana jump. “Okay! We need to go back to the Rock Fireflies! I feel like a dog picked me up and gave me whiplash! Let’s go, lets go!”
I finished by hoisting Shana up by her armpits and walking with her feet dangling in the air.
“Daaaart! I’m not a child! I can walk on my own!” She whined.
“You spent too long sitting on your butt.” I answered reasonably. “You’ve lost walking privileges!”
“Daaaaart!”
Seeing the Buggy Good Boys (and probably Girls) took care of all of our aches and scrapes, but my armor was still pushing painfully against my chest and belly, and arms, so I was going to have to fix that, preferably sooner rather than later.
I didn’t put Shana down until we were out of the cave.
=][=
The armor was easy enough to fix. I just pulled out the rather inadequate anvil from my Handy Sack.
Shana and Lavits had, indeed, made an utter mess of its contents.
My revenge would be cold, and long time coming. Years from now, they would gaze up at me with betrayal and hurt in their eyes, and I’d remind them of this moment, and they would know only the foolish invite my ire.
But that was a problem for Future-Dart. Present-Dart slammed a hammer against the indentations in the chest plate, back plate, sabatons, rerebraces and vambraces of my armor.
It was a good thing my codpiece was spared, otherwise where would I be?
A good bit of hammering got the plates to ‘good enough’ which was the best I would be able to manage without a forge.
Note to self, figure out how to harness Burnout to use in field smithing.
I put the armor away, heaved my inadequate anvil into the Handy Sack, as well as my hammer, then all but dove shoulder deep into it so I could get back to stacking things how I had them.
If I ever got my hands on a second one, I would do some invasive testing to see if I could figure out what kept the things inside it from squishing against each other and being destroyed.
“Dart? May I have a moment of your time?” Lavitz asked.
“What’s up?” I asked, Shana perking an ear from her spot at the fire, nursing the cookpot.
“That weapon you used on the giant snake, the…the loud crossbow?”
“The rifle.” I supplied. “What of it?”
“Right, the rifle.” He said, chewing on his words. “I’ve only seen something similar in ancient myth. I thought them fanciful depictions of bows and crossbows, or magical weapons whose secrets of construction were lost in the Time of Strife after the Dragon Campaign. How did you come to possess one?”
I sniffed, and spat to the side. “Oh, simple ‘nough. I made it.”
Lavitz’s eyes bulged.
“Took a while.” I continued. “First few prototypes blew up till I got the material tolerances right. And figuring out the gunpowder recipe and how to get it pure enough was a bitch and a half. But it’s passable, totally worth the tinnitus.” I blinked and scowled, concentrating on what my ears perceived, then smiled. “The Rock Fireflies cured my tinnitus!”
“What’s a tinnitus?” Shana asked.
“Ringing or buzzing in the ear, it may be constant or come and go. One of its likely causes being damage to hearing due to loud noises.” I supplied.
“Dart, how did you, when did you, why did you!?” Lavitz choked.
“In order, it came to me in a dream, a few years back when I worked as a blacksmith, and I figured it was a great way to stab something or someone from really far away!” I answered in sing-song. Then extricated my arms from the handy sack and levered myself to my feet. “Yo Shana, how’s dinner coming along!?”
“Dart!” Lavitz barked, bringing me up short. “I would like to purchase exclusive rights to this technology for the kingdom of Basil!”
I shrugged. “Yeah, sure, whatever. I’ll draw up some blueprints when we reach Basil. I guess. We’ll figure out payment or whatever.”
Lavitz stared at me for a long moment before signing and running his hands through his hair. “Was he always like this growing up, Shana?”
Shana giggled. “Dart is Dart.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked with a scowl.
“Dart. You are special.” Shana said with a sage nod. “You are unique, and nobody in the whole world has a hope of being like you. And one day, when you are no more, the world will be a quieter, more dangerous place, because you are no longer in it.”
I blinked, ran that through my head a few times, then shrugged. “Eh, I’ll take it. How is dinner coming along?”
“By Soa, I thought she was the normal one of the two!” Lavitz said with despair.
“Normal is boring~!” Shana and I sing-sung in stereo.
Lavitz sighed, ran a hand down his face, then came over and sat by the fire. “How is dinner coming along?”
“One of us! One of us!” Shana and I said with perfect synchronicity.
“Don’t push your luck.” Lavitz grumbled.
I blew a raspberry as Shana giggled. Hopefully the rest of the trek to Basil would be a relaxing stroll.
=][=
“I promise to be a more devout follower.” I prayed fervently. “Only find it in your heart to protect your unworthy lost sheep from the depravations of evil.”
The infernal creature beneath me whinnied with thinly veiled malevolence.
“Dart, you’re scaring the horse.” Shana chastised as she rode along beside me.
“It’s not the horse I’m worried about!” I hissed, the horrid monster taking a few dancing steps that nearly dislodged me. “I’m the one it keeps trying to kill!”
“I assure you, what’s brought him low is the equinophobia.” Lavitz said to one of the mounted knights who we rode alongside after they found us during their patrol. “He has proven to be a deadly and otherwise fearless combatant.”
“If you say so, Sir Lavitz.” One of the knights said doubtfully. I’d give him a piece of my mind, but that would require taking attention away from the monster trying to kill me.
“No matter how good he is, he could not hold a candle to you, Sir Lavitz!” Said the other knight, his voice sounded younger.
“I wouldn’t gamble on the outcome of that one if I were you.” Lavitz exaggerated quietly.
The two knights were quiet for a long time before muttering among each other. I tried to listen in, but the accursed beast chose that moment to whinny spitefully.
“Daaaart! You just need to relax!” Shana chastised me, wrongfully taking the demon’s side.
“These things hold evil in their black heart, Shana!” I hissed, grabbing on harder to stop it dislodging me. “Pure distilled evil!”
As much as I hated admitting it, climbing onto the walking death traps after we ran into the patrol that found us, had shaved at least two days of travel off our trek to Basil. The capital of the half of the kingdom my home happened to be in had peeked over the horizon in the morning, and we were most of the way to arriving at its walls.
The city was small by my standards, but sprawling by the standards of the technology base people here had to work with. The city was split by a river which served as the Capital’s source of fresh water, the cobblestone road turning into a carefully paved street, the buildings were made of brick with tiled roofs, and the buildings, just like the streets, were all clean and well maintained.
Our arrival was not remarked at first, at least until enough civilians realized that Lavitz (Fuckmothering) Slambert rode among them. Then there was a lot of spontaneous cheering that made the suicide machine I clung on to once again do its best to kill me. At least until Shana finally did me a favor and grabbed its reins. The horse calming almost immediately after, soothed by Shana’s natural born Snow White powers.
Unfortunately, the impromptu festival caused by the Great Slambert’s return made the trek to the castle take even longer. Then again, Sandora had a dragon. I doubted the people of Basil had had much of a reason to celebrate lately.
After an interminable blur of cheering faces and stale adrenaline, I was allowed to dive off the Darwinism organism.
Hello floor. I will never again take you for granted. You truly have always been there for me. Except when you haven’t.
“Dart!” Shana whined and tried to pull me up from my stone safety blanket. “Stop it! You’re embarrassing me!”
“Okay okay, jeez.” I grumbled, standing up. “Can’t ever let a guy enjoy the good things in life.”
The monster whinnied reproachfully.
“One of these days you monster, one of these days!” I said, shaking a fist at it. “Pow! Zoom! Straight to the moon!”
“I don’t know him.” Shana said with her hands pressed against her face, following as Lavitz pulled me along and into the gates of a fancy stone building that I wouldn’t exactly label a castle. “I don’t know him. I swear. We just happened to be traveling together.”
“Your undying vendetta against horse-kind aside.” Lavitz said, his voice so flat and his face so stern it was obvious he was trying his best not to laugh. “King Albert will want to see you.”
“But we’re dirty and smell like horse!” Shana gasped, scandalized.
“The news we bring is far more important than that.” Lavitz said resolutely. “His majesty is the practical sort. He won’t stand on ceremony when it affects matters of state.”
“Shana was just hoping she could take a bath on the fancy royal bathroom.” I said.
“Urk! N-Nooooo?” Shana denied, poking the tips of her index fingers together.
Lavitz snorted. “I’m sure that can be arranged, Shana.”
“Thank you.” She whispered, her face red from her neck to the roots of her hair.
As we were led through the building, leaving dusty footprints on the otherwise immaculately fancy carpets. We were slowed down by maids, cooks, at least one blacksmith, and a number of men in chain mail and knights in plate. All of their faces glowing at the sight of Lavitz. Along with a lot of, “Thank Soa you’ve returned to us, Sir Lavitz!”
Guess he’s pretty popular.
We were led down a number of hallways before stopping at a pair of very fancy doors.
“Sir Lavitz! It is a relief to see you! Please, head right in, the King has been anxious to see you since we received news of your arrival!” Said an old man with a sonorous voice and more frills than could possibly be healthy on his clothes. He opened the door, ushering us in, giving me a glimpse of a man in his twenties with long brown hair tied into a ponytail, and brown eyes. He had delicate aristocratic features and was wearing half his weight purely on gold trim and jewelry, but the ease and grace with which he moved while wearing such cumbersome vestments told me he would not be a slouch in a fight, if it came to one.
Oh right, this was Lavitz’s employer, I wouldn’t wanna embarrass my newest friend in front of his boss, if I did, I probably wouldn’t be able to convince him to pick up the tab when we went bar hopping later.
I squared my shoulders and got ready to make a good first impression.
=][=
“Good Day, Master Albert Basil. My name is Dart Feld, it’s and pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Lavitz’s companion said in an even cadence as Lavitz was halfway through kneeling and the young woman was part of the way through a deep courtesy. The both of them stopped and stared at their blonde companion with a wince and a look of abject panic respectively.
Not without reason, by addressing Albert as an equal he was technically impersonating royalty, by speaking first he had set himself above Albert, and by utilizing the manners of commoners he was insinuating that Albert was no better than those of common blood.
By Albert’s count, that was anywhere between three to seven capital offenses depending on what country one resided in. That said, there was no mockery on the man’s manner, tone, or expression. If Albert were to guess, he was merely being polite to the best of his ability.
Out of the corner of his eye, Albert could see several of his knights beginning to bare steel. Which meant the time to be bemused was past.
He cleared his throat. “Sir Lavitz, it would not at all be troublesome to myself if you were to take a few moments to…educate your companion on the basics of etiquette when addressing royalty.”
Lavitz stood and saluted. “Yes! You are most kind, your majesty!”
He then pulled Dart back so hard the young man yelped, and began frantically hissing into his ear. The young man’s expression changing to affable confusion.
Seeing their King’s lack of offense, the Knights in the throne room relaxed and once again fully sheathed their blades. Once the hurriedly whispered conversation between the First of Albert’s Knights and his companion was over, Albert was quite surprised to see that Lavitz had instructed the man to kneel in the way of a Knight returning from a campaign, something the rest of the Knights in the throne room took note of.
Most interesting.
“Sir Lavitz.” Albert intoned, wishing nothing less than to embrace the man who was to him the closest thing he’d ever had to a brother. “It brings me great joy to see you return to us. Please stand, you and your companions, and tell us how it is this miracle came about.”
“Yes, your highness.” Lavitz said, standing, his companions hesitating before standing as he gave them a subtle sign. “My story begins with my admittedly clumsy escape attempt from dreaded Hellena.”
He then spoke about how his blonde companion had risked oblivion to save the lives of Sir Bart and Sir Leon, two others who had been captured along with Lavitz. Of how the man, Dart Feld, had fought tirelessly to ensure the rescue of the young woman, Shana Seles, and their escape. Humbling the feared Fruegel, failing to avenge the late Sir Leon only due to the jailer’s monstrous toughness, a rumor he was now able to personally corroborate.
He spoke of Sir Bart’s tragic passing on the very cusp of their escape, and of Dart using his skills as a forester and selflessly sharing his supplies to guide Lavitz back to the northern capital. And of the numerous occasions where Dart put his own life in jeopardy to save Lavitz’s own.
All through the tale, the warrior in question stood stoically, though he could not fully hide the embarrassment he felt at the praise. Embarrassment that the young woman seemed to enjoy thoroughly.
By the end of Sir Lavitz’s telling, Albert’s Knights were all a lot more forgiving of the warrior’s prior offense.
“That is indeed a most harrowing and inspiring tale.” Albert said. “Tell me, Dart Feld, what boon can I offer you for the service you have rendered? Bringing Lavitz back to us is no small thing.”
Dart opened his mouth, then glanced at Lavitz and waited for a sign from the knight before speaking. “My home, Seles, was attacked by Imperial Sandora, it wasn’t quite razed to the ground, but there were plenty of casualties and the town itself was severely damaged. I’d ask for any aid you can spare to be rendered to the village.”
Albert felt his heart fall after learning of another of his failures as a monarch. He squared his shoulders as best he could under the heavy royal vestments and said. “The civil war has sapped many of Basil’s resources, but I give you my word, Dart Feld, I will see to it that aid reaches your home.”
“Then I can ask for no more, your uhh…Imperial Majesty?” Dart began authoritative and ended with a great deal of uncertainty.
“Majesty is quite sufficient.” Albert said, only allowing the smallest portion of the amusement he felt to show, incidentally serving to mollify his more conservative knights, how he wished protocol wasn’t so terribly convoluted. “The one with expansionist imperialistic aspirations is my uncle, Doel. I am more than content enough serving the Kingdom of Bale, and in time the Kingdom of Serdio.”
“R-Right.” Dart said uncertain.
Albert nodded. “If there is nothing else, Dart Feld, Shana Seles, then I implore you to avail yourselves of the palace’s hospitality while I discuss some things in private with my knight.”
Dart stared at him for several seconds, then pulled on Lavitz’s shoulder and hissed just loud enough for Albert to hear him. “Hey you only went over how to say ‘hi!’ What do I do!? What I did before but in reverse!?”
Albert used long practice to maintain his royal stoic demeanor while Lavitz went over the proper protocols with his companion. Once they were safely in the hands of the Herald and out of the audience chamber, Albert divested himself of the ponderous jewel encrusted cape around his shoulders, and was finally able to make his way to Lavitz and embrace his best friend, leaning back and lifting the heavy man’s legs from the ground.
“Lavitz, if you ever worry me like that again I will body slam you!” Albert growled.
Lavitz laughed. “I’ll remind you that you’ve only ever managed to do that through trickery!”
“Your Majesty.” Minister Nosh sighed with long-standing suffering. “Such displays of vulgarity are unbecoming of a man of your station.”
“Oh hush you.” Albert said with a laugh as he put Lavitz down, then turned to his knights. “All of you, take some time to yourselves. Lavitz is here, I will be safe.”
There wasn’t any grumbling from the men, but they were nonetheless not overly happy with his decree as he was finally able to have some semblance of privacy.
Once only his best friend and Minister Nosh remained, Albert said. “Now, I could tell there was something about your companion that you were holding back. Speak.”
Lavitz nodded grimly and described an exceedingly dangerous assassin, strategist, saboteur, and alchemist. The ‘healing poultice’ alone would significantly lower the strain on Basil’s logistics. Albert made a note to cut through whatever bureaucracy might slow aid to Seles.
Lavitz hesitated, then took a deep breath and said. “And he built a fire-lance.”
Minister Noish stepped forward. “The weapon of the bodyguards of Emperor Diaz? But those are a myth!”
Lavitz shook his head. “He made one or something very much like it, it is terrifyingly effective.” Lavitz sighed. “When I asked to purchase exclusive rights to the technology for the Kingdom, he easily agreed. Though he did stress that we’d have to negotiate the price.”
“Incredible…” King Albert murmured. “You have done very well, Lavitz.”
“A mere happy coincidence.” Lavitz said. “A silver lining in the face of tragedy.”
“What good news aren’t, these days?” Albert asked sadly. “Now come, the time I have is limited and we will use it to the fullest. Many things have happened in your absence, and I require your council.”
“Yes, my liege.” Lavitz said, Albert’s friend seemingly being subsumed by the dutiful knight.
Some days, the Royal Vestments were heavy indeed.
