For two long months I tortured the Bladeheart heir. Burning, skinning alive, bone breaking, finger chopping, I did anything and everything in order to make him suffer, but no matter how much he screamed or begged, I didn't feel any better. Finally, after the two months had passed, I ended his miserable life. It all started to feel monotonous to me.
I walked out of the 'Great dungeon' more unhappy than when I came in and my first destination was a pub. I sat there for hours trying the strongest drinks that I could find in hopes of finally getting drunk. It was to no avail. Finally I rented a room in an inn and got to bed. I hadn't had a normal rest for months, so I thought that a change in environment might do the trick.
What is this? After all that I've done, shouldn't the pain lessen a bit? Alex, you're the smart one, tell me what am I supposed to do now? I see that you're as silent as ever… Bastard. Huh… moving on, did you already meet Diana and the others? Since I consider you a friend, be so nice and take care of them for me on the other side. If you don't, I'll beat your ass when I finally get there myself.
As for you, Diana, Alex is that friend of mine that got me through the 'Great labyrinth'. I know that he's weird and sometimes borderline psychotic, but deep down, very, very, very deep down, he's a good and reliable friend. I'd really appreciate it if you two could get along. Besides, if you somehow were okay with my character, getting along with Alex won't be that difficult.
I spent the entire night tossing and turning, barely getting any sleep. When morning came, instead of breakfast, I went to the adventurers guild. There was one thing that I had thought about while in bed the other night, a way to lessen my suffering, at least in theory, but for that I would need some help. Luckily you can get all sorts of help if you have coins and that bastard Zaiger left me a dimensional ring full of gold and other valuables.
I looked around and found what I was looking for, sat down next to a man in a black hood and placed a pouch with enough gold in it to get his attention.
"What do you want?" The hooded man asked.
"What else can I want from someone like you? It's info, more specifically, I want to know everything about the Bladeheart family. From their businesses to the locations to their mansions, their shaidy past and relations, I even want the name of the current head's dog's name. Everything and anything that you can find, I want it now."
He opened the pouch, looked inside and said. "Our spy guild will gladly take this job, as always, no questions asked."
"Good, when can I expect the results?"
"The Bladeheart family is one of the biggest in the kingdom, naturally it will take time…"
"I'll pay you doble if you can get it done in less than a week."
"... Very well, we'll mobilize everyone that's free. Rest assured, on the honor of the spy guild, it will be done."
I smiled. "Good." Bladehearts, wait for me it's your turn now.
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Exactly a week passed, I was once again drinking and wallowing in misery in the adventurers guild. The same man in a black hood took a seat next to me. He slid me a thick envelope and said. "As you've suspected, the Bladehearts were the ones that sponsored and managed the 'Blood roar' party, they knew about the party's exploits and turned a blind eye to all of it. Also we had to do a bit of digging but we found some connections between them and illegal drug smuggling and various other underground activities."
"Very good, that makes me very happy, now I can go ahead without holding back."
The man in black hood looked a bit worried. "If you plan on blackmailing them, I wouldn't recommend it. They have a way of disappearing those that get in their way."
"Don't worry, I won't blackmail them." I took out a pouch of the same size as the last time and placed it on the table. "You worked well, as promised, this is the rest of your payment." I stood up and left. Maybe after this I will be able to have a good night's sleep.
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Virion Bladeheart
"T-that concludes my report." A very nervous servant said.
I sighed "You may go." I answered.
He quickly left the room.
There was a big pile of papers on my grand oak desk in front of me. I looked at them and with one fluid motion of my arm sent them all flying. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!!!" I screamed. Why is this happening to me, to my Bladeheart family?! First our party with that foolish heir of mine goes missing, then all of my underworld connections betray me and testify against me with no clear reason.
Now, on top of all that, all of my family's businesses and mansions have burned down, taking the inhabitants with them. No one of my blood survived in those fires, not even maids were spared. It's like someone invisible, someone all powerful is scheming against us. What am I supposed to do now? Our once prestigious family is reduced to this one mansion and the things in it.
To make it worse, my servants are spreading rumors that we were cursed and started fleeing. The king and the other nobles are avoiding us as well on the pretext that we're getting punished by the goddess for all that we've done. Damn that king! He's acting like he's innocent in all of this. I shouted again, then slumped in front of the desk and just sat there.
I heard soft knocking on the door, they opened slightly and a boy, no older than five, looked at me through the crack. "Father, are you okay? What happened here?"
My face immediately softened. "Oh, it's you Lionel. Why are you here? You know that your father has work to do, go play outside with the maids."
"I can't, they're all sleeping, I tried to wake them up, but it's no use."
This made me angry. "What do you mean sleeping?! How dare those reches sleep during work?! Did you tell your mom about it?"
"I tried, but she's also ugh…"
"Lionel!" Blood gushed from his mouth, I rushed for him to see what's wrong just to see a blade piercing from back to the chest. Before I could get to him, the blade was retracted and my precious son fell to the floor, blood gushing from his wound. "Lionel!!!" I fell to the ground in front of him, trying to put pressure on the wound. Healing potion, I need a healing potion. I Activated my dimensional ring and pulled a healing potion from it. When I was about to make Lionel drink, the bottle shattered.
"If I decided that he's to die, who are you to object?" A chilling voice came from beyond the door. A man clad in black, wearing a mourning mask stepped forward.
"Who are you?! Guards! Guards! Come here now!" Lionel's breathing was uneven, he was losing a lot of blood, I took out another healing potion, it shattered just like the first, spilling on the ground.
"It's futile to go against me, who do you think you are?" The man said.
"Guards, god damn it, where the hell are you!?"
"Dead." The voice carried a cold conviction. "The guards, the maids, butlers, gardeners, your family and all that's affiliated to it - everyone's dead." He looked at Lionel. "Your son and you will join them soon too."
Lionel stopped breathing. With tears in my eyes and rage in my voice I screamed and charged the man with a sword. "You! It was you! You're the one that is to blame for all that happened to my family! Because of you everyone's dead, even my last son is…" I slashed and chopped with every ounce of strength I had for him to easily block every attack with a short sword. "Why?! Why would you do this!?" I cried.
"Why? Why not? If you are powerful, aren't you allowed to do whatever you want? Aren't you allowed to go against the weak? To torture, exploit, kill, destroy, you've done all of this and more and now you're asking for me to explain yourself?" The man, after blocking a powerful blow, countered and sent me flying.
"You have banished your own daughters from the family just because one of them wasn't talented in swordsmanship. That I could overlook. You allowed your heir to kill and torture anyone that he wanted, I could turn a blind eye to that too, but one day, the bastard came after that what was mine. After my Diana. That's not allowed."
"So… All of this, the destruction of my family happened just because of that?"
"Just because of that?" The man's aura changed. It became so thick with murderous intent that it was almost palpable. "That bastard, that thing came after Diana! My Diana! He and his friends tortured and defiled the poor girl. They did the same with all of my friends too. Do you think that all of this can be forgiven!?"
"But my son, my Lionel… Did you really have to kill him? He was only five, he had done nothing wrong in his whole life. Why!"
"It's simple, I just wanted you to see what it's like to be on the receiving end." Smoke began rising through the floorboards. "His death was relatively quick and painless, I have no intention of torturing a kid, but you… You will burn in a fire along with your estate and everything that you hold dear." I was suddenly surrounded by metallic thread, rendering me unable to move. The smoke became thicker, I saw fire just behind the door. the man began to leave.
"W-wait, stop! Don't do this! What do you want?! Is it money, fame, whatever, I can give it to you! just don't leave me here to die!" I was panicking.
"Goodbye, father in law." The man turned and left, consumed by flames.
I was left alone, tied up, with no way of escaping. "Lionel, my precious son, Lionel… I am so sorry."