"I am sorry ladies. I had to wait for the perfect opportunity to catch them unaware", I told the two pinned ladies.
They actually are in a very indecent position but I said nothing of it. Also these two in particular can't even look at me without breaking their necks. Their chained in a "doggy" position.
This actually angered me to no end.
I quickly attempted to unlock them in order to give them freedom. I could tell they had lifeless eyes. I don't even know if they can hear me anymore.
The next moment two extra large wolves broke in to only see me. They both growled but before they could do anything, Nix appeared from behind and lightly scratched one of the wolves with his spear.
The wolf that was spared ran forward toward me while the other one slowly went limp then passed out.
That wolf dove at me only to see me smile and open my arms.
"Man this thing is fun."
The moment the wolf touched me I discharged a large voltage of electricity instantly incapacitating it. Unfortunately he only touched me with one paw so that electricity didn't come back. I'll have to spend some time recharging.
It was after this that Ullr walked in with the three wolves.
"How did it go?" I ask them.
"I was able to knock out two of the wolves in one sitting using the tranquilizer and my arrows. Unfortunately, the second those two were hit they immediately fled in the building."
I look at our passed out victims. "They should be passed out for the next two hours with the amount of tranq I gave them. We should take all of them out along with the wolves."
"And the girls?" Nix asked concerned.
I looked at him smiling, "Why do you care about them?"
Nix thought for a moment, "Not necessarily but these women need help and we're here. We might as well."
Ullr and my smile is gleaming at the moment.
"Good, you can be the one to take them back after we're done with the wolves and men here. Muninn is influencing the thoughts of the bandits to keep them sitting in that hall for a bit so you shouldn't be disturbed."
Muninn can't actually mind control anyone but what he can do is a little trick I came up with. Since he can tell when someone is having a bad time compared to everyone else, all he has to do is pluck a though like, "Yea let's drink" or "I wanna talk to my friends" and place it in those people who want to leave the room. It's not really effective and only works In crowd like situations, but it can at least buy time.
Taking out a bottle from my utility belt, "Nix, this is the same concentrated tranquilizer. Use this on them. We need them to be quiet so there's no other choice here. You'll be here with only you and one of the wolves. Muninn will eventually join you to keep you in contact. Between the two of you, you should be able to take the four women out of there in two trips."
"What about you two", Nix asked surprised at how they were leaving him to this duty.
"We have two more towers to take out other than the one we already raided." I said angrily.
I'm already royally pissed off even standing in this spot. I'm even more pissed off at myself not being able to debilitate these assholes before they could do anything to these women. In particular I can tell one of the women was just a girl of 13 years old.
I want to vomit already.
[You and me both]
You would think this is from a scene of a specific slayer show but what I'm staring at is real as can be.
Even though I couldn't protect the women now, I know I have to take care of the rest of these animals. I'm gonna have fun torturing them later.
[I don't think you have the guts to torture someone]
.... maybe not but I certainly feel like doing so
[Ill be here watching your innocent mind crack like an egg]
Grinding my teeth I begin to keep planning meticulously.
Currently we have five wolves and five bandits captured for a grand total of 10 enemies incapacitated out of 25.
I still don't like the odds of 5 vs 15. I'm not counting Ullr and Sif of course.
If I can get it to 5 vs 11, I would be much more comfortable.
______
Moving out with two wolves and Ullr, we trek our way across the camp silently. According to Muninn, the guards only face outward not inward so it's significantly easier to sneak through the camp than around it.
Making my way to my second target I begin to coat two knives with my tranquilizer.
Most have probably figured this out by now, but the tranquilizer Im using is an opiod. A highly concentrated opiod.
I am releasing this beast into the world currently. I'm using either the injection spell to deliver it mid to close range or my knives to take care of it long range.
Wolves have really good sense of smell so I'm currently masking myself as another wolf.
How am I doing that? You don't wanna know but I will likely have to shower after this event for hours straight.
Now all I have to do is knock out the wolf and their owner simultaneously.
The last situation was special since the owners were distracted but normally, either the owner or the wolf will let the other know that it's in trouble through a thought transfer.
If the wolf howls or the watchman sounds the alarm were fucked so I have to be delicate.
Walking close I can see the watch tower in the distance. I say watch tower but it's really a circular tree house with a ladder. The wood fence runs from tree to tree around the compound.
His wolf is currently on the ground around the tree house sleeping.
Taking my knives in each hand I prepare to throw them. I am currently around 33 yrds (30 meters).
Thankfully I'm not throwing a football if not this would be much more difficult.
I'm more of a use softness versus strength kinda of guy than a brute. I may wield a fairly burly weapon but I usually only use it for decisive attacks or boosting my magic.
Blades and lighter, faster weapons are still my bread and butter. Which is why I love the fact that my weapon can change shape. I'll eventually store a sword, a whip maybe, or something wicked. I actually haven't thought about it but my utility and options in combat would be amazing.
In any case, staring at the watch tower, I can tell this won't be easy. The last one was easier with Nix but now I have to throw two knives more or less at the same time.
Thankfully, I have been throwing knives constantly for three years straight. There's something to be said about a child who plays with knives instead of toys.
[You have great parents]
They didn't know actually until it was too late. Vili only found out when I surprised him in combat because I would practice in my off time.
An now my harbingers of a sweet and silent victory glide throw the air silently one after the other. I have to throw them separately because they are too far away from each other and I'm not that good to throw two knives at this distance in one hand. The first one to be hit would be the wolf. He has the better senses.
Wolves can smell up to 1.5 miles (2.5 km) away. Its the reason I'm literally covered in shit.
I have to nonviolently hit the so a shoulder, or legs is my best bet.
And luckily my aim is true and I hit the wolf on its front shoulder.
At that moment I'm rushing as fast as I can to the watch tower to ensure nothing happens.
I have a spare knife in my hand should I miss.
Luckily I was I did hit him but something is wrong and I hit him square in the shoulder. He went down way too fast.
Rushing over and up the ladder, I can see the man spazzing out in a seizure.
It looks like he's having a bad reaction to the opiod.
In all honesty, this opiod I made is strong enough to knock a human out so doing that does come with risks.
I try and hold him down to call him down but I can tell there's no helping him now. I have no seizure medications.
I have made some common medicines from each class of drug but a seizure med like valporic acid is so specific to synthesize i didn't even try.
The same thing happened with coffee. It was so complicated and when I did complete it I couldn't replicate the flavor exactly so I stopped trying. I guess I have to hope for coffee beans.
This man is currently undergoing a seizure but I'm trying my best to keep him calm but he's starting to make noise.
I'm forced to cover his mouth to keep him quiet. Nix's life is on the line here.
He stares at me with these brown eyes. We make eye contact. As to cover his mouth I can tell he's struggling to get air already. This is common with seizures to need oxygen.
I silently release his mouth for him to only get louder forcing me to cover his mouth again.
I slowly stare at him for about five minutes until I feel there is water around my eyes.
"Loki let go." I heard a slight voice.
Ullr had at some point appeared behind me.
"I can't Elder, he's gonna scream." I respond silently.
"Look again... The light has left his eyes." Ullr put a shoulder on my back.
I'm shivering. I look at him only to see dead eyes.
I just killed this man.
I look down the tower to see the wolves sniffing at their dead companion.
"What have I done?" I say looking at my hands.
Then Ullr kneeled in front of me and said something genuine.
"Something you should never have been exposed to until later. Loki you are doing your duty as a prince and a warrior. You are currently protecting Nix and Sif. If he gave away our location our friend and daughter will be in danger."
I'm shaking at this point as if something was ripped out of me. Innocence perhaps?
"Loki you are the smartest child I know but you must remember you are still a child and It's okay to feel this way. This world is a dark place and you must learn to protect yourself. You have had to bear challenges and stresses no child should have to bear for the good of your tribe. Now you have a brother who would have been in your position should you have not tread this path for him. No one will touch your family knowing you are alive."
I look at Ullr in the eyes and ask something of him, "Am I evil?"
I don't want to be evil. I wanted my life to be a life dedicated to helping others. It's why I was suited to medicine. How do I reconcile murder? I just wanted to capture them alive.
I made an oath to not harm people my past life and this life I just became a murderer. Its too drastic for anyone even if my mind is 20 years advanced.
Ullr then hugs me. "Loki look at what you're doing so far. Those women these people abused and tortured; remember how you felt. These people were less than scum, and you still wanted to capture them alive."
He then took me out of an embrace, "That is your goodness asking this question. Hold onto that. There is no reason for why a Father shouldn't protect his children just like there's no reason that a man shouldn't protect his family. This is natural."
He then got up and moved away only for him to kneel.
"Prince Loki, I apologize for not taking this blow for you. I believe to be following your request in training. I sincerely ask for forgiveness from my younger brother Loki."
I’m generally not a fan of an mc that reincarnates and suddenly goes oh I’m gonna slaughter every Tom, Dick, and Harry that looks at me weird. I do believe in necessary force but thinking about it, if I was to murder someone right now in defense of my family I would be pretty messed up about it. Plenty of studies about soldiers have shown personality shifts due to the act of taking someone else’s life. Sooo I very much reflect that in my writing. I hope I didn’t disappoint my readers with that.