Return of the Fallen Volume 4 Chapter 98
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch98
*FWHOOOSH!*
A powerful force of wind ripped past Degra’s ear, causing his left eardrum to rupture and blood to spill out of his ear. Triska had missed. Her trident stopped right next to the side of his head and shook. Triska’s eyes were unfocused and darted in every direction as her thoughts spun.
She gnashed her teeth before she spoke with malice.
“What did you just say?”
These few words were simple enough yet everyone could feel pressure from each word. Many men and women couldn’t help but cautiously take a few steps back as the air seemed to grow cold and they felt a sense of unease spread among them.
In front of everyone though, Degra stood tall and unmoving like a mountain. His expression calm, he chuckled lightly before gently pushing Triska’s trident away from him.
“You heard me but if you really wish to play the fool, I’ll say it once more. Your sister, I have her.”
This small statement sounded alarms in everyone as their thoughts led them all to an unnerving conclusion. Degra should not have said that, his death is guaranteed now or so they thought. To everyone’s shock, the reaction one would expect from Triska didn’t come. Her trident didn’t immediately spin about and cut Degra down, nor did Triska’s fist go flying forward through his head. Instead what they saw baffled them.
Triska’s entire body trembled and her trident wavered. Degra laughed once more.
“Your shaking Triska. Have my words unsettled you? I told you earlier I had a card up my sleeve, I didn’t want to use it, I truly didn’t. Holding someone’s family as a hostage doesn’t sit well with me but damn, you’re just far too strong. My special eyes can kill people at the 3rd stage. I can stop their hearts, pause the movement of blood circulating through their body, or even disallow their lungs from expanding, stealing their breath. You though, I can only slow, and even then I can barely handle you but then you took it a step further and created tornadoes, seriously. I knew you had your secrets as well but that was a toll on the heart if I do say so.”
Triska stared death at Degra yet she was clearly rattled but still, she put up a small front. She grabbed Degra by his collar and hoisted him off his feet. Degra put up no defense nor did he even attempt to dodge and he simply continued to smile confidently.
“I…I don’t believe you.”
Degra said nothing. Instead in response, he snapped his fingers loudly.
*SNAP!*
An echo clapped over the battlefield followed by…
*BANG*
A small explosion erupted from the side of the nearby mountain. A hole had formed unveiling some entrance and with it, a large man with red hair stepped out. In his arms he carried someone bound.
The man leaped from the mountainside and traversed the distance of several hundred feet in a few seconds. Just before he landed a fluff of air slowed him and he landed gently like a feather on the ground. As soon as he landed Triska saw the person he was holding and screamed.
“SISTER!”
A shockwave was sent throughout the entire battlefield and people began to see where this was going.
“She said sister, right? Degra had her sister?”
“This isn’t looking good. If he holds her as a hostage, won’t Triska be forced to turn on us?”
“Not good, we’re gonna have to face Triska.”
Many people began to panic. They didn’t know what to do and looked toward the City Lord hoping for anything but the city lord himself was doing the calculations in his head and he began to turn pale thinking about the outcome.
Kazuki as well was taken aback by these turn of events and several things fell into place. To his surprise, the girl the big man carried was familiar to him.
(That girl, she was the blind one I healed in the library. She’s Triska’s sister. Not only her but the big guy with red hair, he’s the same guy I ran into on the way out of the library. He was snooping around the outside and seemed a little off but it turns out he was watching Triska’s sister this whole time.)
Kazuki then recalled that Degra said he sent someone to take care of something just before they all left Gentis city.
(Could it be the something he was talking about was kidnapping Triska’s sister? Did he actually think this far ahead?)
Kazuki’s opinion of Degra rapidly changed at that moment and he looked back at his friends.
(If he’s willing to go down this route to win, why wouldn’t he try this on me?)
Triska’s trident floated next to her and it began turning toward the newly arrived red-headed man. Triska’s words oozed with venom as she spoke.
“Release my sister now and your head will stay attached to your neck for a while longer.”
The man didn’t respond and looked at Degra instead.
“Terrick, if this bitch kills me then kill her sister immediately.”
The large red-headed man called Terrick nodded.
“Understood boss.”
Terrick’s hand gripped around the young woman’s neck and he prepared to crush at a moment’s notice.
Triska flipped her shit.
“YOU DARE!”
Her trident turned back to Degra but Degra nodded.
“Oh, I dare. You see I’m risking it all on this bet. My life, my wealth, everything. You kill me, then you lose what’s most important to you, your dear precious sister. There is however an alternative where I nor your sister have to die but I don’t know if you’d be willing to listen.”
Triska’s mind was shaken. Her sister, her treasure, her only family was right there in front of her, just out of reach. If she made the slightest error here, her sister would die. Triska cared for one thing and one thing only, her sister. All of her wealth, her strength, the men under her, her influence, and power, all of it was gained in order to protect her sister. Everything she’s done, good and bad has been to make a place so that her blind sister could live a happy life full of peace and joy. Degra right now threatened it all but he also spoke of a way out.
As Triska’s mind was chaotic, Thakriss yelled at her from behind.
“Triska! don’t let Degra play you. He will not surrender your sister to you. even if you give up. It’s all a trick. You know how he is, everything is a vile game with him. No matter what you do, Degra won’t let your sister leave alive, she’s dead either way so kill Degra now while you have the chance. Have you forgotten what will happen once he steps away from here? He will eventually become a 4th stage like you. At that time, you won’t be able to stop him and you’ll still end up dead, so kill him now! Do it!”
Degra shook his head.
“Don’t listen to him, he’s been playing us both for years and you know this. If I was already gonna kill your sister I could have done it long ago. What do I want with some ordinary girl? The only reason why she’s here now is that I still wish to live. I know if she’s dead I’ll die but the reverse is also true. If I die, so does she. As for my power growing. While true I will step into the 4th stage at some point, it doesn’t mean we have to continue to be enemies. Before you turn down my deal, have a listen first, it’s really not a bad one.”
Thakriss roared from behind once more.
“Triska do not listen. Kill him now, we had a deal!”
Triska was caught in a bad place but she truly did not want her sister to die but could she believe Degra’s words.
“Since you’re not saying anything, I’ll go ahead and explain what I want before things escalate, or rather before they escalate further. What I want is simple, you kill Thakriss and we split the city down the middle, you and me. We rule our sides how we see fit and we never interfere with one another. The small gangs we absorb or destroy and it all becomes ours. Separate but equal in every way. Your sister lives, I live and we live how we want for the rest of our days. Afterward, we can work together or completely ignore one another forever, I don’t care but Thakriss, the city lord, he has to die. As for the consequences with King Garn, well I have a few ideas regarding that. So what do you say?”
Thakriss heard this and his pale face became several shades whiter.
“NO! Triska! kill him, kill him right now!”
Triska was still unmoving and Thakriss began to panic. He grabbed Castion who was next to him and pointed at Degra.
“Castion kill him for me!”
Castion didn’t know what to do. If he moved hastily and killed Degra, the redhead called Terrick would kill Triska’s sister, and after Triska got done ripping Terrick apart, would she not come for him as well. Thakriss was basically asking him to go forward and commit suicide.
Castion froze on the spot but Degra saw an opportunity and took it.
“Castion, I know of your past and know you’re wanted in every corner of the Feya continent and can only hide in Gentis. Don’t interfere and afterward, your lifestyle will stay the same and you will be under my wing, this I promise you.”
Castion heard this and a sense of relief washed over him as he thought about the situation at hand. One was asking for him to die, while the other was allowing him to live. Castion sat on his horse and ignored Thakriss’s screaming in his ear.
Degra’s voice tore over the rest of the battlefield as well.
“Soldiers, hear me. The city lord is a selfish greedy fat pig. He forces conscriptions and steals your hard-earned gold. If you speak or act against him, he forces you into labor camps and makes you slaves or even kills you. There is nothing he won’t do to maintain power and even now he further enacts cruelty upon you all by sending you here to face your death. Abandon him and I will reward you all greatly. Stay by his side and your fate will be the same as his.”
The soldiers looked around at one another and you could tell that many of their hearts wavered. They knew how the city lord was and they also knew how Degra was. In the end, looking at the situation, it was simply choosing the lesser evil.
*Clank Clunk Clink Clank*
Who had dropped their weapon first, nobody knew but right after the first one hit the ground, thousand’s quickly followed.
Thakriss could see where this was going but there was no way he could stop it. There were only two options in his head.
(I can fight but…but…there’s no way against Triska. I can run. If I can make it back to the city, I can fortify it with the remaining soldiers and call King Garn and inform him of everything. I’ll be demoted and lose my city bu at least I won’t die. after that, I can slowly get back everything that’s mine piece by piece. Yes, that’s what I’ll do.)
Thakriss tuned his horse and kicked his horse’s side while yelling.
“MOVE! OUT OF MY WAY, OUT OF MY WAY!”
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