Chapter 169

  The Burden of a Warlord

  Lexton and the others had filled Erin and Ryle in on what they had learned in High Rock Peak so far. One thing they were told was that the area surrounding Golorath’s palace was pretty much in constant chaos, as there were numerous people running in and out of the place in preparation to the Overlord’s celebration. This could give them the opportunity to sneak in the rest of the group, while Erin infiltrated as the new cook.

  There was also apparently a rebellion building up in the darker parts of the city, made up of the warriors that used to rule it. These were people that had lost all power and status, along with a lot more, after they refused to submit to Golorath’s rule, along with others that weren’t happy with the current ruler. Even though a lot of them walked with broken and damaged bodies, they were still willing and ready to fight. All they needed was an opportunity to strike, which they seemed to be waiting for. This led to Lexton and Durge to assume that there was most likely an insider that was sympathetic to the rebellion’s cause, which could provide assistance to their group as well.

  The last thing they learned that was worth noting was that Rayleen was in the city at the moment and seemed to have history there as well. From what they gathered, she had been among the original citizens before Golorath and the other Overlords took over. However, when the city was taken over, she had been among the first ones to swear loyalty to their new rulers. This had made her very disliked among the population of the city that had lived under the original rulers.

  The overall conclusion that they had come to was that there seemed to be two rebellious factions working against Golorath. One was Rayleen’s faction that wanted to take power for themselves, while the other one was the people of High Rock Peak that wanted revenge. If they could somehow make the two work together for a common goal, it would help them greatly in the upcoming battle. That was unfortunately very unlikely, as there was already bad blood between the two sides.

  Having learned of these aspects within the city, Erin decided to go take a look at things for herself, after getting a proper disguise from Lexton first. Not wanting any radical changes like the others, the redhead got a very simple disguise that consisted of a wig and an artificial eye. While the eye would have been fine just looking like the real thing, the kobold had once again decided to go a step further and added something extra. In the case of the fake eye, there was a mechanism that would turn it into a flashbang. Once activated, in a couple of seconds it would blow up in a blinding flash of light, blinding anyone that looked in its direction. Despite not liking the idea of carrying a makeshift explosive in her head, Erin went along with it just to make her disguise better.

  At the moment, the redhead was walking through the streets of the city, watching and listening to her surroundings in order to get a better understanding of what the city was like. She was joined on her walk by Lexton, who wanted to make sure she didn’t do anything too reckless.

  “Now that I’m more aware of what’s going on in this place, it seems even worse than before. And I already thought that there was something really wrong going on,” Erin said as she walked through the streets, taking in her surroundings. “I thought it was just that the local population was feeling depressed over their current predicament, but now I can tell that there is more to it. It feels like this whole place is ready to blow up at any second.”

  “It most likely is. There is only so much oppression one can take, until they have had enough,” Lexton said. “A lot of the people must also be aware of the people that are planning to rebel against Golorath, so there must be conflicting feelings going all around. Those who just want to live their lives out of conflict and are afraid that they get caught in the crossfire. And those who want to fight, but are waiting for the right opportunity and are feeling anxious over that long wait. It really is one big bomb ready to go off.”

  “...You know, you didn’t really have to come along with me, right?” the redhead asked. “I am more than capable of taking care of myself, if anything happens. Besides, I’m not so stupid as to go and cause trouble during such a critical time.”

  “Of course you aren’t! Why would I ever think like that about you!?” the kobold said in a mocking one. “Unless we count your absolutely stupid idea for a disguise and the many other times you screwed up. Tell me again, how did we end up with a crazed serial killer as our guide that one time? Or how about-”

  “Fine. I get it. No need to rub salt in the wounds,” Erin said in a frustrated tone. “You can come along and babysit me during my walk, if that makes you happy.”

  “Happy? Not at all! I would be happy, if I had people around that I could trust enough so that they won’t cause problems while on their own, but I guess I’ll just have to settle for what I’ve got,” Lexton said, still using a tone filled with mockery. “Although, that does give me a nice business idea. Think I could sell my wisdom and consultation in some manner? I could call it “Lexton’s School to Not Being A Complete Moron” or something along those lines. Sound good?”

  “...I’m starting to think you should take your own class, before you end up pissing someone off too much,” the redhead said as she glared at the kobold. “I’ll give you two guesses as to who I’m referring to.”

  The two continued their walk, taking in the atmosphere of the city, along with what they could see and hear. While most of the people were talking about everyday things, there was the occasional person that seemed to bring up the rebels that were hiding within the city, along with rumors of them rising up. Some had a tone of excitement as they talked about it, while others were more scared and hoped the rumors were baseless.

  Their walk came to a sudden end, when they noticed a strange commotion up ahead. A crowd had gathered and seemed to be looking at something. Judging by the sounds they heard, it wasn’t a street performance or anything else pleasant.

  Erin quickened her pace, followed behind by Lexton, who tried to call out to her to stop. The kobold had an idea as to what was going on and feared what might happen, if the redhead decided to get herself mixed in. However, his calls fell to deaf ears and he was forced to follow after his partner, hoping to stop her from doing anything stupid.

  Pushing past the crowd, Erin came to a scene that immediately made her blood run cold. What she saw was a man trying to shield his young son, while what seemed like Golorath’s guards loomed over them with weapons drawn, clearly intent on causing harm.

  What really got to the redhead was that the man she saw was the same man she and Ryle had met in the train when they arrived in the city. In that instant, she understood what he had meant when he talked about things more important than his father’s statue. He had been referring to his own child, who was now at risk of getting killed.

  “Please! I beg of you! Have mercy!” the man pleaded while holding his son tightly. “I know what he did was wrong, but he is just a kid! He didn’t understand what he was doing!”

  “Oh, I think he knew fully well just what he was doing, pal. Or are you saying he mistook Lord Golorath’s picture as some sort of an empty canvas? Huh? Is that what you’re saying?” one of the guards asked in a mocking tone. “I think you’d have to be blind to make that mistake and your kid seems to be able to see just fine!”

  “I swear, had he known just how important of a person he is, my son wouldn’t have ever done anything like that!” the man continued pleading. “Just make an exception! Just this one time!”

  “Listen here, pal, that might have earned you some sympathy, had you come forward with that the day your kid decided to draw on Lord Golorath’s picture. But the fact is that you tried to hide him and slip out of the city without getting noticed. That makes an already unforgivable crime even worse than before,” another guard explained with a sinister grin, taking enjoyment from tormenting the father and his son. “Besides, the rules are pretty simple. You do stuff that defies the big bosses themselves and you either face life in prison or death. All you two had to do was follow such simple rules and couldn’t do it. It’s your own fault that things turned out like this, so cry about it in the afterlife, okay?”

  As the man kept pleading for the sake of his son, Erin watched the event with a horrified look on her face. All of this was happening because a child doodled on someone’s picture? Even though she knew that something like that was more than likely with the Overlords in charge, she still couldn’t accept it. Facing such severe consequences over something so insignificant seemed almost unreal to her.

  Looking at the tearful expression on the father’s face, the redhead couldn’t help but want to help him and his son somehow. She might not have been carrying around her sword or most of her equipment, but she still had weapons that she could use to defend herself with. If she just managed to get the guards by surprise, she might-

  “Don’t even think about it,” Lexton’s voice called out to Erin, breaking her out of her thoughts. “I know that you want to help them, but you should know well enough that you won’t achieve anything by doing that. You’ll only blow our cover and that’s it.”

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  “But we have to try something!” the redhead whispered back. “If we don’t, that child is going to face the death penalty! Can we really just turn away from them, when they need help!?”

  “Yes we can and we have to,” the kobold replied in a stern tone. “Think about it for a moment. Why did we come here? What is our actual goal? Even if you managed to save both of them, what would you end up losing in the process? You have to focus on the bigger picture or else this scene will be repeated far more than you can think.”

  “But I still-”

  “You. Won’t. Do. Anything. GOT IT?” Lexon said, leaving no room for argument. “Those two have my sympathies, but that’s it. We can’t save everyone, no matter how much we may want to.”

  Erin knew that the kobold was right. Acting now would only bring bigger problems to them all and ruin whatever plans they had. The only logical choice was to just look away and let things be.

  Still, no matter how futile it would be or how bad the repercussions would be, the redhead still wanted to do something…

  Just as she was thinking this, the guards began to move towards the father and his son, intending to take them into custody. Just as they were about to reach them, the father pushed his son behind him before pulling out a knife and charging towards the guards.

  Time seemed to slow down for everyone present, as they watched the desperate parent bring his weapon down towards one of the guards, who had been so caught off guard that he wouldn’t be able to react in time.

  However, before the blade could strike its target, something dropped from the sky above, crushing the man underneath. Once the dust cleared up, everyone saw Rayleen standing over the man’s broken body.

  “I tell you, this city just never changes, does it? There’s always something going on,” the warlord said as she stared at the corpse beneath her feet. “I can’t even take a leisurely flight around here, without bumping into something that needs to be taken care of right away.”

  “...L-Lady Rayleen! We apologize for our incompetence!” one of the guards hastily said, once the shock had worn off and he along with his colleagues quickly saluted the warlord. “Thank you for your assistance and for saving my life! Although, there was no need to-”

  “Oh, please! This guy was a traitor, right? It’s my duty then as one of the warlords to put such people down!” Rayleen said nonchalantly. “It’s not like it makes much of a difference whether it’s me or one of you guys who does the deed.”

  As the guards were giving their thanks and appreciation to the warlord, Erin noticed that the regular citizens around them had a completely different reaction. They were shooting nasty looks towards Rayleen, like they were disgusted by her presence.

  “There she is. The prized traitor of our city,” one of the citizens whispered.

  “Guess she just loves earning Golorath’s appreciation. To the point she’s willing to kill a helpless father and his child,” another said.

  “Her father must be rolling in his grave right about now,” a third one said.

  Erin and Lexton listened to the murmuring of the citizens who were not even trying to hide their disgust towards Rayleen. It was only thanks to them not voicing their thoughts out loud that they weren’t brutally punished by the authorities.

  “I guess the stuff we heard about her not being all that popular was true after all,” Lexton said while observing the people. “I have to say that I’ve seen my fair share of hatred, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so widely hated in my life.”

  Erin didn’t say anything, but agreed with the kobold’s sentiment. What she found more surprising was that Rayleen wasn’t reacting to the obvious hatred directed at her, though.

  While the guards were talking to the warlord, the man’s son crawled over to his father’s crushed body and began to cry, getting their attention.

  “Oh, right! We almost forgot about the kid!” one of the guards said. “Allow us to take it from here, Lady Rayleen! We’ll make sure to-!”

  However, just as the guards were about to grab the child, the warlord picked him up from the back of his shirt and easily lifted him up with one hand. Upon realizing what was happening, the child began to struggle, even though it was in vain.

  “Please, allow me to handle this,” Rayleen said with a grin. “I don’t like leaving my work half-assed as it makes me feel uncomfortable.”

  “B-But-!”

  “Besides, as a fellow former warrior of the old guard, it’s the least I can do for the guy I just crushed,” the warlord explained. “Don’t worry. I’ll just take him up in the air and drop him somewhere where no one can see.”

  Rayleen then unfolded her wings and flew up in the air, while the child she had taken screamed in fear.

  “Woah… I never thought I’d get to meet any of the warlords in person. She’s really dedicated to her work, too,” one of the guards said in amazement. “But what did she mean by dropping the kid?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? She’s going to carry out the execution herself!” another guard explained. “Much like us, the warlords can carry out executions on rebellious citizens of their own free will. She’s going to drop him from the sky into some trash, where he’ll crash to his death.”

  Upon hearing this explanation, Erin dashed in the direction Rayleen had gone. Lexton, hoping to prevent her from doing anything reckless, ran after her, but he noticed something that made him stop in his tracks for a moment.

  The man Rayleen had killed seemed to have a peaceful smile on his face for some reason.

  Following after Rayleen was hard, but still possible. There were a couple of times when Erin thought she had lost track of the warlord, but she still managed to follow behind her from the ground.

  Eventually, Rayleen landed in an alley, giving the redhead an opportunity to confront her. She quickly ran to where the warlord had landed and was about to go around the corner, when she heard something unexpected.

  The sound of crying could be heard coming from there. At first, Erin thought that it was the child crying, but upon listening more closely she realized that it was someone else. The crying sounded like it came from a woman, which could only mean one thing.

  Unable to believe what she was hearing, the redhead peeked from behind the corner to confirm it with her own eyes. Much to her shock and surprise, it was as she had thought it was.

  Rayleen was crying, while hugging the child tightly.

  At first, Erin thought that the warlord was faking it, but then she saw the tears falling down the side of her face. She could also tell from the way her body was shaking and how her voice was quivering that this was real sorrow. Rayleen was actually crying real tears, but why?

  “D-Daddy… Daddy is-” the young boy choked out while crying as well.

  “I know, kid. I know. And I’m sorry I had to do that to him, but it was the only way,” Rayleen said in a comforting tone. Erin wasn’t sure whether she was trying to comfort the child or herself. “Had I not done that, those guys would have killed you and it would have been worse for your dad than anything else in the world. That’s why I had to step in, so that I could at least save you.”

  “But you killed daddy! You killed him!” the boy cried out as he started to struggle against the warlord’s hold on him, even going so far as to hit her. “Now I have no one left! Everyone in my family is dead! It’s all your fault!”

  “...I’m sorry,” Rayleen apologized as she hugged the boy tightly. “I’m sorry that you’ve lost so much. It’s not right. You should have been allowed to live happily with both of your parents, but the world isn’t right. All I can do is give you a place where you can hopefully grow better than in here. That’s the least I can do for your father. Hate me if you want, but at least allow me to fulfill my promise to him, okay?”

  The boy finally stopped struggling and began to cry loudly. Meanwhile, Erin had been watching and listening to scene before her eyes, wondering what was happening.

  Eventually, the child’s crying came to an end, as he fell asleep from exhaustion. Rayleen was still holding him gently as tears kept falling from her eyes. It was at this moment that Erin decided to make her presence known by stepping into the alley.

  “I always thought that you were just a cruel brute, like the others, but I guess you aren’t all that bad,” the redhead said, getting the warlord’s attention. “I was really wrong about you.”

  “Who the-? Oh, it’s you. The leader of that little rebel gang,” Rayleen said, recognizing Erin, despite her disguise. “What was your name again? Was it Erwin or something like that?”

  “I’s Erin,” the redhead replied. “Although, while I’m happy to see that you didn’t kill the kid, I’m still a bit confused as to what you’re really after. I mean, I heard about your past. Aren’t you just trying to seize power for yourself and rule the Western Continent?”

  “My past? I see. I guess it wouldn’t be too hard to learn who I was around these parts, seeing as I am somewhat of a local celebrity,” the warlord said. “But what do you mean by what I’m really after? Isn’t it obvious that I’m just not happy with the current rule and want to take over?”

  “That’s not the whole truth, is it?” Erin said. “I’ve seen plenty of greedy bastards. People who only care about getting more for themselves, no matter how much they hurt others. They’re not the types of people who would cry for the sake of others or offer them comfort, yet that’s exactly what you’re doing right now. Since you’re not one of those people, who exactly are you?”

  “...I guess you’ve figured me out then. And here I thought my act was perfect,” Rayleen said with a small chuckle. “What they say about me is true. I am one of the original citizens of this city and I was actually one of the honored warriors even. When the Five Overlords came, I betrayed this city by swearing my allegiance to them, instead of falling in battle like so many others.”

  “But why? Why would you betray your own people?” the redhead asked. “If you were someone who had sworn to defend this city, wasn’t it your duty to fight against invaders, no matter how powerful they were?”

  “Because it was the order of my old man,” the warlord answered, surprising Erin. “Even before the armies of the Five Overlords had gotten close to our doorstep, he knew that they were a force that we wouldn’t be able to defeat. That’s why he told me to surrender and swear loyalty to them, so I would be able to tear them down from the inside. Of course, I wasn’t the only one who did that, as Wargas and Izra were also convinced to follow my example. Quite a few still resisted, no matter how desperate it was… Most of them are no longer alive, like my father.”

  “So you’re not just trying to gain power, but actually free your own people from the tyranny they’re living under,” Erin said. “But will the people accept you? They don’t seem to like you all that much.”

  “No need to point out the obvious. I’m more than aware of how they see me,” Rayleen said with a sad smile. “I know better than anybody that when I’m gone, I’ll be remembered as the worst scum in the history here. Despite that I still have to do this. At least that way I can make sure that things here will be on the right track and hopefully continue that way.”

  “...You’re far more noble than I thought,” the redhead said with a sad look on her face. “I’m sorry for ever doubting you.”

  “Hey, don’t start pitying me here. I’ve still done a lot of bad stuff, which has stained my hands with blood that will never come off,” the warlord said with a slight chuckle. “Hell, I just killed one of my old friends in order to save his son. I might have promised him to take care of his kid, if he were to die, but I still stained the streets with his blood.”

  Erin frowned, realizing just how far Rayleen had gone for the greater good, even going so far as to kill someone she cared about. Only few could do such a thing and still keep going.

  “Anyways, I’ll see you later,” the warlord said as she unfolded her wings. “I’ll have one more meeting with you, before I leave the city to take care of some business.”

  The redhead watched as Rayleen took flight and rose into the skies. She had never imagined that she would feel respect towards the warlord, but that’s what she was feeling now.

  As Erin was lost deep in thought, Lexton finally caught up to her.

  “Erin! Listen! There’s something weird about what just happened!” the kobold said while trying to catch his breath. “The guy that Rayleen killed. He was-”

  “It’s okay, Lex. I know,” Erin said. “Let’s go back to the others. There’s work that needs to be done.”