Chapter 30: Sorry, I lost my temper
D eyed the stocky woman for a moment before turning back around. "Sorry, I thought this was my tent."
Jane and Pena both shouted out an annoyed "D!" While Sin shook her head and chuckled.
"Don't think you can play your games with me, monster boy." She tilted her head and pointed the tip of her dagger at the plan stud earring. "You know what this is? No, of course not. This is an item of Seeing. Lets me see things hidden from others. Like a certain monster stopping to mess with a certain lad's magic ward. To do exactly what the lad was supposed to do. Doesn't that sound a bit strange to ya?" Sin gave him an amazing cat who ate the canary smile.
"What do you want?" D asked, his raspy tone annoyed.
Grinning Sin nodded happily. "Smart boy. Did you see?" D looked around slightly confused. "Not here boy, the Ranger. His sword be stuck in the beast." Her smile grew and her eyes became hungry.
"So?" D shrugged.
"Ahh, not so smart then. Do you know how many bounties be on that one's head? Just a fraction could make you wealthy beyond your dreams lad!" Sin's response came out almost like a hiss of excitement.
"You want me to kill him too?" D frowned.
"Too? Ahh, the mage." Chuckling Sin nodded to herself. "So that be his angle. Whatever cut he promised you boy I can give you more!"
D thought it over for a bit before shaking his head, as much as he loved money he thought it sounded like too much trouble. Besides, he was starting to enjoy his peaceful school life where the worst he had to deal with was a roommate stuck to a wall and Larian's attempts at school drama. "I'll pass." He moved over to get his pack starting to put the few things he'd left out away. 'Stupid Larian not letting me set wards in my tent.'
A pained yelp drew his attention back to the cot to show Sin holding a fist full of Pena's hair while her dagger was pressed to the girl's neck. "I thought to blackmail ya but you don't seem the type to care. But what about your pretty little thing here? It would be a shame if she got cut up don't you think?"
D looked from Sin to Pena. "Why?"
Sin frowned at the boy. "Why? I just told you. For the bounties on the Ranger's head."
"Not you." D rasped.
"I was trying to keep a low profile. And I thought you would enjoy playing the hero." Pena responded calmly, making Sin tighten her grip on the girl's hair. Until the fistful of hair suddenly pulled away. No, she realized as she looked down the head was moving away from the neck. Turning around the now floating head with but the esophagus trailing below still attached to the body smirked at the shocked mercenary leader. Before they could react, hinged fangs dropped down and the head shot forward biting down on the woman.
Jane sat pointing with her mouth open at the head that hovered above Pena's limp body as it worked to slowly stuff the trailing organs back into the body. Sin's stocky form had collapsed while her eyes rolled up into her head only a few heartbeats after she was bitten. "Ugh, give me a hand, this part is always a pain. By the nine choirs, that woman tasted horrible. I think you've ruined me D." Pena's eyes squinted in concentration as she wiggled around working her way back into her body.
D walked over with his pack on his back and started shoving her organs back into her body roughly through the odd opening in her neck. "HEY, NOW NOT SO ROUGH! I'm a delicate lady, you can't just shove stuff roughly into my body." It took Pena a moment to realize what she said before she started laughing. "Wait till I tell Larian about this. He will get a kick out of it."
"Your head came off!" Jane finally found her voice.
"Well duh! Oh yes, I guess you didn't know." Pena's body finally started moving and she reached up to adjust her head before her neck sealed up again. "There we go. So, you managed to get yourself caught? HA, that is what you get for being so rude to a pretty girl."
"I'm always nice to Jane." D was rather proud of himself for the sly insult back at the monster-girl. Sadly, he didn't consider the ancillary effects his words might cause.
"Ooo, someone thinks themselves sassy. Does that mean you killed the monster?" Pena folded her arms across her chest trying not to respond to the aggravation she felt.
"No." D said remembering he was just coming to get his things and leave. "We should go." He told the two girls as if he hadn't forgotten them in his plans to escape. He did stop to pull the plan stud earring from Sin's lobe and twirl it in his finger inspecting it. Beneath his fingers, he could sense the thrum of magic and was surprised by how powerful it was. Yet he could only sense the power through his fingertips. Not wanting to linger he stuffed it into his pocket and turned to leave.
Upon hearing that the monster wasn't killed neither girl questioned his words and instead followed along. "What do you mean the monster isn't dead. Why are you here then?" Pena gathered her skirt in order to keep pace with D's swift gait.
"Escaping." D was ever a man of many words.
"So, they all just gave up? We are all leaving?" Pena glared at D but her gaze kept drifting down to his neck.
"Well not all of us. That crazy Royal Ranger plans on still fighting the monster." Larian slipped up beside them startling the two girls. "Chicken liver pate?" he held out the little plate with a few of his horderves on it.
Despite the strange situation Jane scooped up the few morsels of food and started stuffing them in her mouth before offering D one. She was thrilled when he took it and then forced herself to scowl. Telling herself she was just making sure he had enough to eat in case she needed him to fight again, she was only looking out for herself still... obviously.
Larian tossed the now empty plate over his shoulder and dusted off his hands. "I'm glad we were all of the same mind. Sticking around here will net us only death now. Honestly, I never expected that beast to survive all those attacks. Why it even resisted attacks from ME!" Larian shook his head in utter shock before sighing. "Well, you are up Pena. It seems the capital is under attack. Do you think your contacts are still in the capital or should we try a different route?"
Pena's heart skipped a beat. "The capital is under attack? By who?" Her heart started pounding faster as she suspected who it was.
"Mmm Kindrak, Shemil, oh and Melay. Do you think your people might be involved? If so, hopefully, we can join up with them. How do you feel about razing the capital D?" Larian grew more cheery thinking they might have an easier escape than he thought.
"My people? I don't know… probably not." Pena turned to follow the others as they ducked to avoid a group of soldiers rushing by. 'Master, what have you done?'
**********
Escaping the camp turned out to be easier than they expected. After all, the soldiers weren't looking to keep anyone there and had more than enough to deal with. They had but to state, they were heading out to lay more wards to get by the few that did question them. When they did meet up with a group heading out to lay wards Larian commandeered their wagon with one of his many adlib excuses. Riding back towards the capital was much easier than walking, plus they were in a bit of a time crunch. Needing to outrun the ancient destroyer that seemed hell-bent on getting to the capital.
During the ride Jane watched Pena making sure she didn't try anything with D. She was sure that somehow the monster girl was exploiting D and only she could protect him. Pena though rode along lost in thought often chewing on one fingernail after the other. D spent the ride thinking over the various ward's he'd used during the fight and how he could have improved them. While also occasionally finding himself thinking about the capital being attacked, that thought he found left him with a deep scowl he didn't quite understand.
Larian though was the only one that seemed unaffected by the battle or their hasty retreat. Occasionally humming as he drove the wagon or even bouncing off ideas for new drama events off Pena who barely responded or experiments off D who… well never did give much more than grunt anyways.
After a long hard ride, they finally came into view of the grand capital of the Gelian kingdom. Smoke rose up and the flicker of burning flames was visible even from a distance. As they rode in they caught the sound of distant screams and for D the scent of burning flesh. "Well, I guess let's see if the academy is still standing. The headmaster hasn't given me my most recent paycheck. Plus I think I might have left a cauldron burning still." If the sight of the besieged city bothered Larian he didn't show it.
Rolling through the city they passed plenty of signs of battle though so far the streets were clear. With little difficulty, they managed to roll right up to the academy gates finding them pushed open. Blood splatters bathed the guard post but no bodies were around. D stood up in the wagon able to see the dorms from there or more accurately the charred husk of the dorms. D scowled feeling his heart rate rise just the tiniest bit. He'd originally just thought of the school as a great place to get good food and earn some easy money with Larian's odd requests. During his time there he'd often been more aggravated or annoyed than anything. But it was also the best time of his life he realized, not having to worry about being hungry or cold. No need to fear being beaten or used as monster bait. Even the crazy schemes Larian always subjected him to weren't that bad and were almost… almost a pleasant memory compared to most of those from his life prior to the academy.
Seeing the charred dorms D for the first time in a long time felt a twinge of sadness. That moment was quickly broken by a shrill scream as a familiar figure darted out from one of the warehouses. Rachel the dorm mother sprinted like the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels. Behind her came a man chasing after her wielding a large hooked sword. Seeing the wagon with familiar faces she turned to rush towards them past a short stocky storage house. She felt a gust of air blowback her hair as something rushed past her. Still sprinting madly she glanced back just in time to see her purser's head explode to splatter blood against the storehouse's wall like a macabre Rorschach test. D stood with his back to her, his palm pressed against the wall where the man's head had been after he slammed into him.
Rachel's pace slowed as she gasped for air but her heart was still racing. Wide-eyed she watched as the ever calm D turned while shaking blood and gore from his hand. "Sorry, I lost my temper." He rasped.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Eleraan
Eleraan Seems I never added any tags. I've added fantasy and evolution. Any other tag recommendations? Also, my normal update schedule for this work is Friday through Sunday though I do want to try and sneak in a few more days.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone