Vice Admiral Hurricane, Qilangos, couldn't shake the feeling that bad luck had been dogging him lately.
He'd been hired for a simple job: kill Duke Negan, and he'd receive a "Blasphemy Card." A prize any Beyonder would kill for. A golden opportunity.
Yet, the moment he arrived in Backlund, someone had already sniffed out his location. Planning to make an example by eliminating a couple of Beyonders for sport, he found his targets were slippery... one seemed to be a Traveler, vanishing with their partner before he could strike.
Qilangos let the two rats go, focusing on his main goal in Backlund. But no sooner had he disguised himself and slipped into a ball attended by Duke Negan than he realized he'd walked into an ambush. Forced to abandon the assassination, he fled.
It infuriated him. A failed assassination meant a wasted trip.
At least I have Creeping Hunger. Escaping's no issue, Qilangos thought, following his pre-planned route to a man-made lake. Just as he prepared for the next step, a voice interrupted.
"Normally, I wouldn't bother with a small-time actor like you, but my hapless student's involved, and you just had to cross him."
The elegant male voice carried a hint of amusement, tinged with resignation.
Qilangos's hair stood on end. The world around him seemed to come alive... stones, plants, even the water he knew so well turned into deadly weapons. They didn't aim to kill outright but trapped him, rendering him immobile.
A figure materialized from the air... a man in his early thirties, strikingly handsome with a refined, scholarly air, like a learned professor.
But Qilangos knew it was a facade. This had to be a demigod of the Monster pathway. As a notorious pirate, he was familiar with the Rose School of Thought and their Monster pathway intel.
"Sir, I don't believe we have any grudge…" Qilangos's mind raced for a way out, forcing a placating smile.
"Indeed, no personal enmity." Alaric said with a smile, not denying it. "I wasn't planning to bother with you, but you made my student upset. So, I'll have to kill you to cheer him up."
His expression was that of a doting parent, exasperated but indulgent, ready to placate a crying child.
"..."
Who the hell is your student?
He racked his brain but couldn't recall crossing anyone connected to this man.
"I'm a bit annoyed, honestly." Alaric continued, like a melancholic parent sharing woes. "My student's made some questionable friends, and one's clearly using me to get rid of you." He sighed.
"Then you shouldn't kill me, right?" Qilangos seized the sliver of hope, jumping in.
"You're not wrong…" Alaric nodded, as if agreeing. But before Qilangos could feel relief, he added, "But if I don't kill you, my student will be upset. So, I'll kill you and give that naughty friend a warning."
"..."
"You're toying with me!" Qilangos dropped the act, glaring at Alaric, ready to unleash a string of curses. But as he opened his mouth, all that came out was a sheep's bleat.
"Shh, foul language isn't civilized. A proper actor doesn't curse." Alaric said, pressing a finger to his lips with a smile. "You've got some things I'm interested in, so I'll give you a choice."
"You're going to die, but if you tell me what I want to know, I'll spare your soul."
…
The Hanged Man, Alger, was cursing under his breath.
After receiving Mr. Fool's tip, he'd immediately alerted the Church. But the head of the Storm Church's Backlund diocese, Ace Snake, was out for a stroll at the time, delaying the message. By the time Alger reached him, the window to catch Qilangos had closed.
Watching Qilangos slip away, Alger cursed inwardly while praying Ace Snake could still nab him.
With that faint hope, Alger reached the man-made lake and froze.
Not far off, Ace Snake was facing a stranger, while Qilangos stood nearby, his back to Alger due to the angle.
Who's this? Qilangos's backer? Alger wondered, glancing at Ace Snake. The usually volatile archbishop looked displeased but showed no intent to fight.
Ace Snake had no plans to engage. He'd recently learned of Helel's existence and received an oracle from the Lord of Storms: "Leave Him be."
The man before him, by all accounts, was that Helel.
"What do you intend to do, sir?" Ace Snake asked.
"Just handling a small matter." Alaric replied with a smile. Seeing Ace Snake's restraint, he guessed the Lord of Storms had tipped him off.
Looks like the Evernight Goddess clued in the old storm pigeon. Wonder if the Steam Lady's in their chat group… Alaric mused, snapping his fingers. Qilangos, standing before him, transformed into a sheep.
Alger's eyes widened. He'd seen all sorts of powers, but turning a man into a sheep was beyond bizarre.
And this was a Sequence 6 pirate, reduced to a sheep without resistance…
The Punishers trailing Alger weren't faring much better, their expressions just as stunned.
"He's all yours." Alaric said to Ace Snake with a smile. "Not much of an actor, but he's a decent villain. I trust you'll give him the ending a villain deserves."
***
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