亚洲综合中美

‘She’s somewhere inside,’ he moved and soon found the path to be blocked, around the boulder, stuck from outsides view, blatantly guarded the passage. ‘-Auras of monsters,’ arms to the rock, ‘-the air’s not stable,’ he observed, ‘-her presence is faint and alive. Not deathly injured, suppose the king’s got mercy in the vein.’ The open palm clenched – the blockage shattered into a veil of suffocating dust. Red pupils locked on him as if metal to a magnet, nothing else said, the posture dropped into a defensive fighting stance. The unknown outlines leaped, growls and snarls followed, ‘-five,’ he flashed, the muscles tightened – claws and jaws reached for his vitals, Igna stood patiently, arms held a fair distance from his chest, *growl,* a putrid exhale waved over his right ear, he shifted and palmed the surprise attack into the wall, crashing bones and exploding its head into a splatter of brain matter. Others leaped, he countered and pushed, keeping confine into a circle, ‘-transcribe my sword-arts into my body.’ Pushing the beasts was simple, the attack patterns were a boon. ‘-These monsters haven’t learned the battle properly,’ *clap,* a shockwave rattled the surrounding, ‘-knew it,’ he leaped, ‘-strong vibrations are priorities on their minds, staying couped isn’t a good thing,’ one after the next, he punched, crushed, and slit the monsters till a sliding to a stop. Masses of dust imploded, ‘-defeated and returned to their realm.’ Focus settled on where he stood, an open doorway into nothing, ‘-she’s inside here,’ he exhaled, glanced to the side, and spotted a stairway, ‘-dungeon exploring, how fun.’

Moans and painful yelps, Lessie, tied by the hands and legs laid on a metal sheet, a vacant look stared the unhinged ceiling, once a canvas telling of a Lucifer’s descend, now sullied, could but painfully cast saddened gazes on the prisoners. Ruffles at the door, ‘-who’s there?’

“Pizza delivery guy.”

“I ordered three hours ago,” the cautiousness faded, “-you sure it’s the pizza delivery guy, better have food in the box, not a flesh rod,” the words painfully left her lips with muted tones and sometimes, irregular pauses. The locked shattered, the array of spikes screeched inward.

“On the house,” he said, glancing around, ‘-another torture room, separate from yesterday. A pile of bones to the side,’ he scanned, ‘-vague traces of alchemy. The manufacturing of homunculi.’

“Here to rescue a princess or stare at the pile of bones?”

.....

“Fair point,” he said and made for Lessie. Alongside the chains, metal spikes were plunged into her arms and thighs. A slow dripping container rested above her head, the longer it dropped, the heavier grew the impact. Acid scars laid on her chest to her stomach, the occasional rats screeches, “-you look like shit.”

“Unlike you,” her vacant expression barely moved, “-thank you.”

“For what?”

“For visiting,” her lips pressed woefully, “-my cousin’s going to return soon. Leave, tis my punishment for disregarding his order.”

“Right,” he ignored her plea and broke the chains, “-we share the blame,” quick to undo the shackles, “-if it comes to a battle,” he helped in her sitting upright, *AHHHHH,* the body reflectively flung to hit the hard surface and knock her unconscious. ‘Seriously?’ the head shook, “-idiot,” he exhaled, “-better now than never,” *Mana Control: Healing Element Variant: Restoration.* ‘-the method of torture’s quite tame compared to what we use home,’ the right eye crinkled, a haunting reminder of Gophy’s exploits in making people talk. The burnt marks broke, allowing the flesh and skin to merge and rejuvenate. ‘-Healed,’ he paused, ‘-she’s naked,’ he looked around to no avail, ‘-leggings,’ he locked on her bottom-wear. Fabric torn, the leggings turned shorts, as for the area around her chest, wrapped akin to a present. There laid barely enough to keep her dignity.

“Lady Sawdia.”

“Maria.”

“Are you certain he’ll come from this passage?” her head tilted, “-the rumor of strong monsters is there for a reason, right?”

“Maria, I brought you for the simple reason of understanding. Your sister and the brat are harder to-” the sentence stopped by interruption, muffled walking echoed from the inside, “-See, I told you the man’s strong,” her lips pressed, ‘-especially since the man’s the nephew of King Staxius, the man who brought bliss to Arda after the war. If only Elendor didn’t lose, we could have returned home, to a healed Arda. The spirits don’t lie,’ arms crossed, ‘-and I won’t meddle.’

“Xen,” she smiled, “-you rescued her, the princess.”

“Princess?” he escaped from the musty shadow, stepping into the great open, away from the claustrophobic lair.

“Yes, princess,” she smiled, “-the lass’s parents are dukes. Too bad for her, the family once tried opposing the King, as a bargain, they surrendered her to safeguard their position in court.”

“Good offer,” he looked at her slumped visage, the piggy ride gave impressions of an elder brother carrying a sibling.

“Sawdia,” cautioned Maria, “-SOMETHING’S COMING!” He snapped onto the target with a spinning back heel kick, the impact caused the entrance to quiver, “-GET OUT,” the structure crack – the last block caved shy of taking Lessie’s head.

“Holy,” he panted, and dropped on both knees, “-we’ve made it.”

“Come on,” said Sawdia, “-let’s take her to the maid’s quarters,” once there, the wounded princess came to a fast awake, the chosen room was quite a way away, most of the retainers made to the palace. And so, Igna found himself alone in the company of Lessie – a change of clothes laid on the single-bed. Attention was pressed mostly upon the view, a small square giving onto green and brown, no definition nor clear intent.

“She told you.”

“Yeah,” he replied, “-I didn’t pry, thought private business is best left untouched.”

“Well,” she laid on her back, “-I feel better, was going crazy before. Tell me, how did you heal me without leaving scars?”

“A little secret,” he turned and pressed his back against the wall, in return, she sat opposite with back against the frame, “-I used magic.”

“Magic?”

“Yes.”

“The devil’s arts,’ she whispered.

“...”

“I’m joking,” she smiled, “-Magic is a taboo subject, better stray from the matter altogether. Saved me once again,” she exhaled, “-Xen, you’re not a simple candidate to be a butler, are you?”

“No one’s simple.”

“Right,” she settled, “-my being a princess isn’t new nor hidden. Most have forgotten about the incident. Happened more than six years ago, back then, life was peaceful, I grew up to be a princess and fulfill my family’s goal. We controlled a major part of King Juvey’s territory – cousin has a thrill in conquest and invading other kingdoms. As result, there was more land to care for, more people, and less effective means to bring order. My father isn’t strong-willed, the complete opposite of Juvey. Sufferance forced his hands, civil war laid on the table, our domain became the haven for the revolutionist. On announcing the conflict, forces from all-over Juvey’s land rampaged into our land, destroyed everything, killed and slaughtered – heads of revolutionists dragged along the floor, they marched to the capital, took my mother and brother hostage till an offer from cousin. My life in exchange for their land – I mean, a beloved daughter weighted the same to an entire country, father accepted. I spent the next few years in the company of Juvey, going into battle as a simple-foot soldier. You can imagine the pressure on me to survive – hungry beasts... I’ll skip that part. After the many campaigns, we landed in Elendor, they struck a deal and I was confined to the palace, forced to work as a torturer. Time passed and I found solace in hurting others, putting my pain on them brought elation and rest. Got so bad I couldn’t sleep without the ear-tearing scream of a dying soul. My title of princess is naught but a joke, the deflowered princess, that’s how many address me. You were the first who took interest in my job instead of asking to get close to Juvey or that sort of political complication – I figured why not, and here we are, I was punished then rescued,” knees to her chest, “-what about you, Xen, what brings you here?”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Honestly, nothing is interesting about my story. I’m an adventurer from Hidros, a friend offered me a job, I needed a change of pace... I accepted.”

“No, no. Adventurers make way more than maids, hell, some of us don’t get paid. Why forsake a life of excitement and thrill to this?”

“A simple answer, a whim.”

“I get it,” she buried into a pillow, “-there are things no one should know.”

“Oh you’re not guilting me into saying anything,” he laughed, “-Lessie, we’re acquaintances, don’t think more of it,” he moved to her side and patted the shoulders coldly, “-those closest to me often end up dying. Would be better to stay away-”

*Smash,* “-XEN!” a loud entity rose at the doorframe. Lessie’s demeanor instantly dropped into horror, she pulled herself off the bed and hid behind Xen, “-I said-”

“Said to say away from the queen, my liege. Nothing was ever said about Lessie,” he replied, nonchalant to the king’s fury.

“Bastard,” snarled Juvey reaching forth, to which Igna slapped the wrist, “-INSOLENCE!”

“My liege,” he stood ground, “-I’ve said it before, I’m not in employment of the royal family. Regardless of the ground, we stand on, I’m a man of Hidros and a man of principle. Lessie helped me escape the dungeon, and I owe it to my pride to extend a helping hand, especially to someone who unconditionally accepted my request of comradery. Go ahead,” he lowered his guard, “-if his majesty, known master warrior, falls to his ego and pride, all the while forgetting the warrior’s code, then,” he tore his shirt and slammed it at the king’s feet, “-I’ll fight till I die, send how many men you want, I’ll stand firm and show why Hidros’s adventurers are worth their weight in gold.”

“Enough,” murmured Juvey, “-it is enough,” he backed out, “-I’m not stubborn, nor am I a murderer. Lessie was punished for breaking my trust,” he glared, “-whilst you,” he gritted, “-you carefully moved around the orders I set. Tis a good trait for warfare. Xen, as a warrior, I ask for thy assistance in battle.”

“Battle?”

“Yes, a revolt’s broken to the Southwest. The battleground will prove a testing ground for the gathered talents. My forces are on campaign with the emperor’s forces – thus, we’re left vulnerable. The capital is priority – hence I ask for thee to take to the battle.”

“Majesty, pardon my saying, what if I used the information and scaled an attack against thy faction.”

“You won’t,” he grinned, “-reason being, I’ll haunt thee till the day death comes. I will take Hidros if need be to quench my thirst for revenge, only then will I stand.”

“Understood,” he said, “-when’s the transit?”

“In two days,” he made for the opening, “-Lessie, consider Xen’s friendship as a blessing. If another had pulled such a stunt, tis the gallows,” the impactful steps faded to a tranquil room.

“How did you?”

“A person must stand for what he believes. King or not, those fighting for a cause, those protecting something are tenacious, King Juvey knows the feeling of dread attached to a cornered rat. Never push anyone beyond their limits.”