"I'm so sorry for what happened to Othare. It was a close kingdom to ours, your loss is our loss." The man rambled on, Guinevere unamused by his antics. "It was a shame that it came to fall however that's not my concern as of currently." Her words flat showing indifference to Thyrane's words.
"Ah! Of course, I understand." His words soft as he made frequent bows. "Is there any mission that I can take on and if not can I leave this city?" She went on, her warm attitude long gone and replaced with something colder. "My apologies if I have offended you in any way but we do have a mission the adventurers are struggling with."
She didn't need to be told to know what it was. "Fine, I'll handle it." And with that she guild. "Hah! I don't think that I did a great job of soothing her. If anything she seemed annoyed with me." Thyrane mused, watching Guinevere's departing figure. "You were way too close for her comfort." The registrar said however a stern glance from Thyrane forced her back to work.
'I'll have to gain favor for her to fancy Redfall or she might choose to defect to other kingdoms.' With a status like her's, it would be of great value if he managed to ring her into the kingdom. He didn't bother wasting any more time as he took his leave.
"That was a princess? She definitely didn't look like one." One joked as they shuffled through the missions on the bulletin board. "And what rank did she get? I've never seen a purple emblem." Another added making the group speculate on her rank. "It's probably privilege, given she's a princess and all."
A comment snarked through the air further muddying the waters. The registrar heard their speculations, wishing to correct their follies but recalling Guinevere's request, she pursed her lips hearing them ramble. "If you're not going to pick a mission and move on then get out already. This isn't some bar where you can yell to your content."
Her voice enraged making the entire room fall silent. One by one they started taking their leave, their faces projecting looks of contempt shot at the registrar but she ignored them all as she reverted back to her screen. 'A lot of people don't know her face thank to her nature of avoiding the public eye but with her status she should cause a stir with minimal effort.
***
Guinevere seated on her horse watched the adventurers fighting against bizarre creatures in the distance. The battlefield was filled with sparking malcore, snarls and screams alike. 'What about power I adore is compromise.' She raised her finger, aiming it at the battle field before a flicker rang through.
It was a lightning spark, harmless at a mere glance but beneath it was a torrential storm waiting to happen. 'Even status and wealth have to bow down to it.'
*BOOM*
The spark touched the field, both the creatures and the adventurers felt an overwhelming jolt of lightning course through them. Screams and cries filled the air but she remained indifferent to it all on her horse that was startled by the scene. "Calm down." She whispered, gently stroking it's luscious hair.
The scene was now bathed with adventurers, most with shocked or angered faces as they tried to look at the source of the attack. It didn't take long for them to figure out that Guinevere was behind it. "You! You could have killed us!" One barked at her.
"What do you mean could have... Some of you pathetic weaklings didn't make it." Bodies singed, residue sparks coursing through their scorched bodies. "How could you kill them so coldly?! Do you have no shame or morality?" For her it was nothing more than noise she waved to the side.
*Plop*
The head of the man who raved popped like a balloon, his brain matter and blood splattering all over the ground. The body unceremoniously fell to the floor. The rest instantly grew wary of her, still baffled that she hadn't used malcore with her attacks. "..." None of them bothered raising their attacks however the scene shifted once more.
The beasts that were meant to have perished rose back to their feet, their injuries mending back up. "Damn it! We have to organize. Quick cover up the left!" Orders rang through, Guinevere watching their efforts with a smile. "You have a badge right? Aren't you going to help?!" A voice rang, anonymous to most but she knew.
"I will, just waiting for you to get it worn out before I step in is all. I'm sure that you could do that for me." Her face shrouded in mystery as her cynical smile shone through. As much as they wanted to lash out on her, they had much more pressing matters at hand.
The creatures they faced had humans limbs, uncanny cries similar to humans as they mindlessly pressed on. They had no range but their regenerative factory made it hard to take it down. And with the numbers, the task proved to be harder. From dices to elemental attacks, none of them could faze the beasts as the fight went on.
'Don't they know that to take care of them that they would have to purge them fully in an attack?' If they inflict damage faster than it can regenerate then it'll fall, dismantling it after.' Her lightning attack was to act as a hint for them but their rage clouded their tip.
'Regardless of how much you attack it, if the body is still intact then the efforts put in are useless.' It wasn't long before screamed filled the air. Slowly but surely the beasts started to gain an advantage. They didn't need to be faster or stronger than them but persistent.
They didn't need to use malcore to fight unlike the adventurers who burnt through their energy reserves as time dragged on. "These idiots can only learn through their failure." Those who managed to fall to the corrupted acted as replenishment, some tainted with the beasts green blood mutating on the scene.
Bones jutted in ways that shouldn't be, internal organs rearranging themselves as their cries grew less human and more monstrous. Their will to keep on fighting slowly waned with each passing second before some opted to flee. "We can't back away now! We have to protect Oliase with all we have!"
The leader shouted as he faced a monster twice his size. He wielded a long-sword, his motions fluid and visceral as he made innumerable cuts to the beast. Just as quick as he made the cuts did the beast recover from them. The first took longer but each cut healed faster than the last.
"Take this!" He shouted, throwing the beast an explosive artifact.
*Boom*
The creature fell lifeless to the ground, his heaves audible from afar. "We can take them down so don't lose hope just yet!" He shouted reinvigorating some of the adventurers.
*Thud-Thud*
The ground shook, some grew faces of paranoia as they wondered what could make such a monstrosity. Guinevere as well as others saw a face within the trees, disturbingly grotesque as it lacked a skin, flesh and blood exposed to the naked eye making most wince in disgust. Trees moved to the side as it inched closer to the scene before it's full body came into view.
On it's stomach were the faces of humans, each in pain as they wallowed beneath the flesh of the abomination. On it's chest an eerie watched the adventurers, glowing faintly with jade. It had no clothes akin to a beast. "What is that monstrosity?" Some pondered as their legs gave way.
They could barely deal with regular beasts and now something far more dangerous had entered the fray.
*Boom*
The eye was rained down with attacks, from arrows to malcore projectiles making the beast stagger back in pain. "Orhh!!" It's cry was sharp, capable of rupturing their ear drums but it did not fall as it held onto a tree for support. The eye grew more jade pupils, a strange green ooze falling to the ground.
The giant started to inch closer to them all, this time the eye remained open but the attacks shot at it didn't affect it. 'It adapts way too quickly. I wonder how Reynolds is doing.' With her head supported by her hand, she fell into a day dream of what Reynolds could be doing at the moment.
As for the beast fell by the leader, it easily got back on it's feet and approached the crowd. "Argh!!" It was at this point that most had given up, running back to Oliase for shelter. "You! Launch your lightning attack to stun the beasts, at least we can buy time with that strategy!"
The leader of the posse mused, his face dripping with sweat. "I demand an apology for your ignorance. How dare you say that I wasn't helping to the point of accusing me of murder." Her tone playful making not just the leader but the rest pause in stupor. They had seen it with their own eyes as she claimed the lives of others and now she was asking for an apology.
"...I apologize for speaking so harshly of you when it was clear that you tried to help." The response she got surprised most however recalling the situation they had no other choice to make. "Say it like you mean it or I'll leave you all to die here. Not just you but the rest of the crowd as well." She pushed on, her mind eager to find their limit.
"We apologize for our short-sightedness." They spoke in unison, in their minds cursing at her. "That should do for now." She raised her finger once more but this time it wasn't lightning but light that shot through. The beam instantly flooded their vision, most turning blind at it's intensity.
As for those who managed to shield their eyes, they could feel the heat on their clothes and limbs. The creatures in her radius were engulfed in her blast with no means of escape. However it wasn't just the abominations but the flora as well that was caught up in her cross hair.
The beam lasted for five minutes before she lowered her hand. For most people present, they had their clothes worn out by the intensity of the heat emitted, if not blinded thanks to her. Every attack that she did would seem to affect those around her, a design she loved.
The sky paling in comparison to her beam regained it's color. The beasts vaporised with no bodies to use for take over. However it wasn't shouts and cheers of joy that she got but complaints. "I can't see! I'm blind! My life is over!" As most moped at the loss of their vision, she scoffed it off as she pulled the horse's reins, ready to take her leave.
"You can't just leave like this!" One shouted however his life was instantly snuffed with a thought. His blood coating those around him. "Watch me! Oh wait! Hahaha!" Her cruel laughs further fueling their rage but they had no chance of competing let alone taking her down. Those who still had their vision felt fear, those blinded anger.
The horse obediently trailed back to Oliase thanks to her guide leaving most of the adventurers with bile in their mouths. There were means of one regaining their vision but it was too expensive, not to mention a blind couldn't lead another blind to safety. Those who still retained their vision sighed as they began to help the blind.
Be it calming them down or guiding them back, they knew as adventurers that it was the right thing for them to do.
***
"Princess Guinevere, it's a miracle that you made it back safe and sound. I take it that the blast of light and lightning was your doing." Thyrane began, his tone though laced with praise amazed by her power. "Your task is done, I'll be making my way to the capital tomorrow." Still mounted on her horse, she started making her way to to her inn.
"As much as I'm sure that you're exhausted, the duke has requested audience from you." Guinevere halted her horse, turning her head to the side looking at Thyrane as he said flatly. "I'm not interested in any deals he might have." And with that she left.