Chapter 18: My Liege
I leave my bedroom through the window and spread my wings landing on the ground below, a young woman is near and she screams running off. I guess seeing a human with wings and a sword can be scary. I smile and head down the street my wings vanish. I pull out my sword and run it across the nearby building leaving a deep mark in the walls of the perfect building. I smile walking closer and closer to the House of Yotal.
I think back to something the herbalist said, "The Yotals have owned this town and the surrounding area for the last 200 years. Ever sense the Dark War. There is very little we can do, besides hope the next head treats this town better. Shortly after the last Liege Yotal died the current Liege Yotal killed his older brother who was betroth to the young Sarfina. He took control of becoming the Liege and claimed young miss Sarfina for himself. He was 15 at the time she was only 10. A girl was born earlier this year. Her Originator died in childbirth cursing her fate. Sadly with a father like him what hope does she have."
I smile as the building comes fully into sight. It is a green marble outer wall with gold flowers wrapping around huge marble columns that hold up the black alabaster shingled roof. The doors are made of iron wood and is on long tracks to open them. Two door knockers on either side of the door are made of titanium and laced with gold. Above the door in silver it reads.
"The House of Yotal may Nullver God of Death and Birth watch over us all and this town we protect and love."
The words look like someone tried to black them out but the words still shine through. Looking at the wall I pickup a nearby stone and throw it at the wall. A light flows from the spot the stone hits and radiates out. There is a shimmer and for a second it shows a huge Dome of light covering the whole structure. The only place in or out is the door.
I hide in the trees, and put my sword away as I think. I watch the doors slide open and three men come out looking around. I smile and reach into my Void bag as an idea comes to me. I pull out a bag and 5 Ice crystals after dropping them in the bag I step out. A smile on my face I walk forward acting like I came for a reason. A look of surprise is on my face as I wave coming forward, "Hello good sir, this is great I don't even have to knock."
The men round their swords on me and the middle one says, "What is your business." I smile and with a big smile I say, "I came to pay tribute to the Liege. I caught some men trying to sell some Ice crystals. I got lucky and took them by surprise. I was hoping to give them to Liege Yotal as pay for my months taxes" I pull out a crystal hold it up to my face like I'm admiring it. The mens eyes light up.
The one who spoke steps forward saying, "We can take those for you. We will be sure the Liege gets them." I drop the crystal in the bag and clutch it to my chest saying, "Are you mad my life depends on him getting these crystals. I'm not trusting anyone I demand to see him immediately."
The guard looks at me annoyed as he says, "wait here." He vanishes inside and I wait. Minutes later the guard is back breathing heavy. When he gets back he bends over hands on his knees he gasps, "The Liege wishes to see you at once, follow me." He stands up straight breathing heavy as he leads me through the doors. "Out of shape much," I think
As I enter I think, "How stupid the crystals show up and now they haven't even taken my sword. All they think about is greed." In the outer courtyard the first thing I see is some of the marble has cracks and is crumbling away. The outside must be kept new cause of the barrier.
That's when I remember what the herbalist said, "It's sad really there are magic relays through out this whole town. Rumor say they were placed there after the Dark War by the Yotals themselves. As long as the barrier is healthy then all the Yotals have to do is feed crystals to it and it repairs all the stone of this whole town as well as it's self. Crystals are expensive but if it had been kept up there wouldn't be a problem."
There are hundreds of lizardmen chained up to spikes in the ground. Each one has about five feet they can walk around the spike. They walk on two legs and look like big crocodiles with long legs and arms. Their scales are orange and their under bellies are purple. The younger ones have smaller bump like spikes around there eyes and light purple bellies. The older they are the darker the purple. They appear to growl and snap at each other but can't reach. They keep trying to break the chains so they can attack each other.
I ask, "Why do they act like that? It don't seem normal." The guard laughs and says, "Is this your first time here? It's a pet project of the Liege. He has used magic on the beasts. Making them more beast like then normal so we can enjoy the show."
"Last week he put them in a cage, starved them for a week." He stops and laughs before he continues, "Then he put their egg in the ring and let them out. They tore each other apart to get a chance to eat their own child. It was funny the stupid animals."
I'd read about the lizardmen or cawlway as they're called. They are very territorial and have customs when dealing with new beings, but are honest, intelligent and once you get their loyalty they will fight to the death to keep you and their people safe.
This doesn't match what I read. "How did he do it?" He smiles and say, "See those collars and wrist bands. Those are shine crystal items. They are the key."
I take a close look at the items. They are black with symbols engraved in them. Small sparks seem to travel across the bands. "I'd say they use lightning crystals as well by the looks," but I say nothing as we move on. We walk past a door that goes into an over grown garden. From the little I see there is a statue in the middle with its head missing.
We enter into the inner house and there I see Yotal. He is a human with orange skin and blue hair. His eyes are orange and he is wearing a orange shirt and yellow pants. He has no shoes on and is sitting on a bed covered with pillows, two women are naked beside him. Each has a chain around their necks. The one on the right has welts across her back and arms. They both stare down at the floor listlessly.
Yotal smiles when he sees me his eyes move up and down my body before he speaks, "You have brought taxes?" He looks please at the idea. I smile and say, "Yes my Liege." I reach into the bag and pull out one of the crystals. When he sees it his eyes get large and he says, "Bring it here." I step forward and place it in his out stretched hand.
At that moment the woman on the left of him lifts up her head. The left side of her face looks like she has been hit. She can't even open her right eye. She uses her one good eye and looks around. A look of surprise and confusion is in her eyes. He sets down the crystal on a nearby table and picks up a small gold container with a cover.
He removes the cover and grabs the girl by her hair lifting her head up further and shoveling it into the container. I smell blood, she must have hurt herself some how. She goes limp and he lets go throwing her back. She falls off the bed. Her eyes are unfocused again as she stares up at the ceiling.
I can see she now has a fat lip. He ignores her and puts the cover back on the container. Then places it on the table beside him. He picks the crystal up again and turns it as he looks at it saying, "How many?" I bow as I say, "5 my most gracious Liege." His eyes get big then he gets himself under control saying, "That should cover 1/2 a month. You may give them here and leave now." I smile still bowing I say, "That's a little to much for 1/2 month."
He slams his hand down on the table next to him and yells, "Well that's my decision. What did you have in mind? You can't actually think this will cover a whole month. That's just ridiculous I have a territory to run. If you want to disagree peasant at the end of the month if you can't pay the rest maybe I should take the rest out of your body. I'm sure my men would enjoy you." I lift my head, smile and say "oh, no sir, I was thinking it would cover something else." He looks at me in confusion saying, "What?" My smile widens as I say, "your life."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone