《Artifice: Tools of the Gods》Chapter 84: To kill a Servant[End]

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Deko had been watching Salis' fight from the rooftop of a building near the inn the two had been staying at and she had hated every moment of it. She had grown attached to the Terran and had hoped she would overcome this experiment her "master" had put the girl into.

Deko had been ecstatic when Salis had beaten the boy. She had also felt horror upon hearing what the younger had done to the girl's Calorin family. She had nearly lept out in anger as the younger boy killed two of those that had come in search of the girl.

The thing that Deko hated the most had been watching Salis' mind suffer. The girl had endured it well but even she could only take so much and for the first time that Deko had seen the girl had broken down.

Now Deko watched as Salis screamed and writhed on the ground in front of the servant. She was not sure what thing her master had put the girl through this time, but judging from the pain on her face…

Deko knew she had to do something, but what could she do? Could she betray the man who had saved her?

Yes, she thought. Her master had made her help with things none but the cruelest being could do. She had kept telling herself that it was her duty to help her master with these things, but now she was sick of it. She wanted to be free of the cruel experiments.

"What did you do to her!?" Deko heard the woman called Meric say to the servant.

"I merely unlocked the memory of her death." He said, smiling.

"Her death?" The boy called Dario said, confused.

"Did she not tell you?" the servant said, still smiling, "For a Terran to come to Calorin they have to die on Terra first and then be reborn here. I had to seal her memories when she came and decided it was time for her to remember."

"Who are you?" Meric asked.

Salis quit screaming and sat up. Her eyes were wide and looked hollow.

"Are you all right, Salis," Meric said, rushing up to the girl, but not touching her.

"You can touch her now." The Servant said, "I had made her ability stay on when I gave it to her but now that I am done with her it is not."

Meric slowly put her hand forward and hesitantly touched Salis. When she saw that nothing happened she sighed and looked the girl over.

"Why would you do this?" Meric asked.

"Why would I tell a mortal something?" The servant said.

"You will not do this to others are you?"

The Servant smiled. "If you want, I could include you. The next experiment will be much larger and I need to find both willing and unwilling participants."

Meric clenched her teeth.

The servant suddenly looked down. Deko saw that Salis had grabbed both of his legs.

The smile disappeared from the Servant's face and he looked like he was concentrating on something.

The servant began to reach for Salis. "Maybe I should have taken your ability away instead of…"

Deko attacked. The Servant's attention was on Salis now and she hoped he would not see her until it was too late. She also hoped he could not drain her life. If he could give the ability to others, it was entirely possible he could use it.

Deko landed on the servant's back and sunk her teeth into his neck while using her front paws to restrain his arms and her hind legs to dig into his back.

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The servant tried to move but Deko felt as if something were restraining him. Was it Salis?

Deko smiled. She might have a chance, but she would have to be quick.

Several balls of fire appeared in front of her and the servant. The servant was a servant to Lolorai, and since only Melche's servants could use magic, he wouldn't be able to. The only problem would be how quickly he healed.

The balls of fire struck the servant in the face. Servants weren't invulnerable, and the fire burned his face down to the bone. Despite this, Deko could see his flesh begin to regrow.

She made more fire, and this time some spears of ice.

Deko suddenly felt the servant shudder. Thanks to her position behind the Servant, she hadn't seen Meric's attack. The woman had picked up Salis' crystal forged sword and had struck the servant in the chest with it; the edge stopping just short of Deko's chest.

"You will pay for your betrayal, Deko!" The Servant hissed at her, his voice sounding muddled thanks to the damage from her attack. "And you woman," he said now to Meric, "will join her."

Meric pulled the sword out of his chest. The wound healed almost immediately and Deko could hear Meric curse.

"You mortals do not understand what the servants of Deity are capable of!"

Deko knew much of what the servant was capable of, but she knew he was not invincible as shown by the wounds she had given him. The only thing that had to work around was his insane healing speed.

His neck! Deko thought projected to Meric. See if you can decapitate him!

Deko released her jaws from the servant's neck. Moments later she saw Meric come in with the sword and swing as hard as she could at his neck. The blade effortlessly severed his head from his body and it and his body fell to the ground.

Even if you destroy my body, I will grow a new one! Deko heard the servant's voice in her head.

"That was easy." Deko heard Dario say.

"Not yet," Meric said.

Deko looked at the servant's head laying on the ground next to his body and swatted it away with her paw as hard as she could. The head had been sliding to the stump of the neck.

Meric ran after the head impaled the sword through the head and into the ground.

Deko had been expecting him to scream at them again, but saw fear in his eyes.

Deko smiled and then made the head erupt in flames. Unlike before, the servant's flesh resisted the fire. No matter how hot she made the flames, it could not overtake his healing abilities.

"Stop," Meric said.

Deko stopped.

Meric pulled the sword out of the ground, not removing the head. Meric then walked over to Salis.

Salis was no longer holding the Servant's legs and was now curled up in a ball. Deko could hear her mumbling things, most of them about blaming herself for the deaths of others or how horrible she was.

"Forgive me, Salis," Meric said. "But we need you to do whatever it was you were doing to him again."

Salis stopped mumbling and nodded. She then sat up and reached for the head. Meric handed the head to her. Salis grabbed it, hatred flashing across her face for a moment, before curling back into a ball.

"Thank you for your help," Meric said walking to Deko.

Deko nodded.

I am sorry. Deko said. I wish had could have helped sooner, but he would have stopped me.

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"I do not think any of us could have done anything before Salis immobilized him."

"I am surprised you could do anything at all." Deko heard a man say just after he appeared next to Salis.

Meric jumped back, but Deko stayed still. She had seen this man before. He was another one of Lolorai's servants.

The man had long flaxen hair, pale blue eyes, and pale skin. He looked as if he could have been brothers with the other servant.

"How embarrassing." He said and looked at the head in Salis' grasp. "Reduced to this by your test subjects."

The new servant looked like he was listening to someone.

"Who said I came to help you?" The second servant said. "Yes, I could hear your calls for help. I would not have known where to find you if not for them."

He listened.

"Why did I wait so long to come? You give our Master a bad name. Not only have you killed thousands in your experiments, you have interfered in events in at least one war. You know how our Master feels we should leave the mortals on their own."

The new servant listened again.

"Normally I could do nothing to you, but this girl is doing it for me."

Deko's master's face went from fearful to terrified and before long the light of life left his eyes.

"It is done. He will now join the Cycle and be reborn as a mortal."

The servant looked around at the groups of people that had gathered on the street and were watching.

"I am sorry for what has happened here, but I did not have the power to stop him and none of the others felt he was worth pursuing.

"For now, all I can do is recommend you leave before the soldiers arrive in the next few minutes."

The servant disappeared before anyone could say anything.

"He is right, we should leave quickly," Meric said.

Deko looked at Salis. She had let the lifeless head go and was back to mumbling.

It pained Deko to watch. She had sat there and watched the girl suffer, the worst being the moans as Salis went through the memories of those she had killed. The injuries she had received…

Deko stood over Salis. She wanted to do something for the girl.

"Quickly! I can hear them coming." Meric said and began to reach for Salis.

Salis recoiled from Meric.

"No! I'll only hurt you!" Salis whispered and curled into a ball.

Meric's usually calm face was filled with sorrow.

I will take her. Deko said to Meric. To some place she can start over.

Meric stepped back. "Where would you take her?"

Deko was uncertain. There was no way Salis would be safe in Toa Mirr and Flaern would probably only remind her of her dead friends and family.

I will ask Usui for help.

"Usui? He was the one that sent her to Korron."

Whether or not he will help, his forest will be the easiest way out of Toa Mirr. He should at least let us through without killing us.

Meric nodded.

"Take good care of her."

Meric ran and picked up Pali's body while Dario picked up the other boy's body. The two ran off down the alley to the inn.

Deko picked up Salis and put the girl on her back. Deko had expected to get the same reaction the Meric had gotten but had not. Salis had even grabbed her by the neck.

Deko could see the soldiers now. They were not too far down the street but she jumped on to the roof of a nearby building and began heading west more quickly than any person could hope to match.

Deko kept this pace for nearly a week before she reached the Howling Forest. It had been uneventful thanks to the vast wilderness between towns and villages and the only time she went near when was to get food and water.

During the week, Deko had gotten little rest, and even then could not sleep well thanks to Salis' constant nightmares. Normally the nightmares only lasted a small part of the night, but Salis was having them constantly now, and the more she had the less responsive she became. Deko imagined that Salis was seeing the lives of the twins AND the people they had killed.

Not much farther. Deko said to Salis.

The girl made no response. Deko was not even sure if she were awake.

Deko looked at the forest for a moment and then entered it.

She could smell and hear wolves and other animals around them, watching, but none of them attacked. She could also smell a person nearby.

Now that she knew they had seen them, Deko sat down. She hoped that the inhabitants of the forest would send word to Usui and he would come to her and just before nightfall he did.

"I am surprised, Salis. I thought you would have avoided anything to do with me." Usui said.

Deko had never met Usui before, but she immediately did not like him.

"You come all this way and say nothing?" Usui said after he saw Salis would not reply. "I guess you were never one for talking."

Deko knew that Salis would not say anything, so she was going to have to talk. The only problem was that she could not bring herself to speak into a Deity's mind so she would have to change into her human form. She hated taking this form but she could not speak as a cat unlike some other Kin.

Deko bowed to Usui and then transformed.

"I had suspected you were one of Melche's abominations from that island," Usui said.

"Forgive me, but I seek your help," Deko said, still in a deep bow.

Usui looked at Salis, then back to Deko. "What happened?"

Deko could see the worry on Usui's face.

Deko told Usui everything that she knew about what had happened.

"I told Lolorai that he needed to keep better track of his servants!" Usui said angrily.

Deko had seen the anger growing on his face as she had explained but he had let her talk without interruption so she hadn't known what exactly he was thinking.

"To think he would abuse his master's powers like that. Lolorai must be told…"

"If I may make a request," Deko said trying to be as polite as possible.

"Yes?" Usui said, not paying much attention to Deko.

"I want you to help me find a new life for Salis."

Usui finally turned his attention back to Deko and Salis.

"I will help you. It is partly my fault this happened to the child."

Usui walked over to Salis and knelt. When he went to touch her, she shrieked and curled up even tighter.

"I do not blame you for hating me," Usui said sadly.

Usui stood back up and turned to Deko.

"What did you have in mind?" He asked.

"She needs to go somewhere where people will not try to use or exploit her. It would also be helpful if we could find somewhere she would be treated normally." Deko said.

Deko had traveled much of the world and read much of its histories and had seen that most of the countries did not even treat their people with respect and many exploited them. The only ones that seemed to be the exceptions were those founded on the principles of Vellis. All the other countries either tried to exploit Terrans, venerate them, or fear them while those countries founded on Vellis cared more for talents than physical appearance and usually let people do whatever they pleased. The only downside was that most either fell to more aggressive countries or fell to financial ruin.

"Where were you thinking? I doubt you will find any country like that."

"I was thinking about Amirr. It boarders Flaern to the west and, while it is not as stable as Flaern, I believe their Vellis leanings will help her recover."

There were probably better countries out there than Amirr but it was close and the language was close to the Flaern language so it would not take long for her to get used to it.

Usui laughed.

"I do not see the child appreciating a Vellis upbringing but I think it would help her to learn to enjoy life more."

"Will you take us there?" Deko asked.

"Of course. I will even look for someone to help take care of her."

"Thank you," Deko said and bowed to Usui.

"What of you?" Usui asked.

"I would like to stay with her. I want to pledge my life to her, to make up for the things I have helped bring on her."

"Very well. I will have one of my servants take you to one of my groves in Amirr while I look."

“Thank you, Lord Usui.” Deko said.

Usui disappeared.

Moments later a man appeared. Aside from his strange clothes made of leaves, he looked ordinary.

"Come." He said.

Deko picked up Salis and stood next to the servant.

The servant put his right hand on Deko's shoulder. No sooner had he done so than the scenery changed around them. They were still in a forest but there were several people nearby, watching. There was also a stone altar where several naked men and women were praying.

The Servant took his hand off of Deko's shoulder and disappeared.

Now all they had to do was wait. Deko was eager to rest but now that she was in human form there was one last thing she wanted to do.

Deko unwrapped the cloth around Salis' neck. The magic absorbing collar was still there. She had been so focused on getting to Usui that she had forgotten about it and even if she hadn't she need her hands to remove it. That and it was not something important enough to bother with until now.

The collar came off easily. This had not been the first collar she had dealt with, but hopefully, it would be the last.

Deko looked at Salis. The girl looked better now, at least physically.

She lay down in the grass next to Salis. Salis was not making any noise at the moment so she felt she could fall asleep more easily than she had been. She closed her eyes. Sleep would hopefully come soon.

***

Ierus was making another pilgrimage to another temple of another Deity. His wife and daughter had become ill and none of the healers had offered any help. His only recourse had been to make a plea to the Deity. Sadly, both had died not long after he had left home. Now he merely traveled to mourn.

He had already long since visited every Deity and traveled to forget the pain. He no longer cared about his lands or riches. His family had been his whole life. He knew he could not abandon the people under his care, but for now he was content to his wandering.

"Are you Ierus Vellus Son of Adun Lord of Tallhill?" Ierus heard a woman's voice call out to him.

"I am he." He said as he turned towards the woman.

Ierus looked at the woman. She was young, perhaps in her mid-twenties, had long black hair, dark eyes, fair skin and was fit.

What surprised Ierus was that the woman was holding a Terran child that looked no less than eight or nine years old.

"Did you need something of me?"

"Forgive me for asking this," the woman said, getting on her knees and bowing, "but I would ask that you take care of this child."

Ierus stepped back. The woman was asking him to take care of a child? A Terran child.

"Please, she has endured unspeakable things and I want her to start a new life." The woman continued.

"Who are you?" Ierus asked.

"I am Deko, the child's servant."

"And the girl?"

"The girl's name and past are better left unsaid. I am hoping she will forget it entirely, including her name."

"Why me?"

"We appealed to Usui for help and he sent us to you."

Ierus was stunned. Had Usui himself helped these two or one priest at the grove he had visited. He was also not sure if raising a child was the best thing for him at the moment.

"Please. I believe you will give her a safe place where she can recover and rebuild her life."

Ierus walked over to the child. The girl recoiled when he got to close. He could practically feel the pain coming from her even though he could see no wounds.

Seeing the girl in such pain brought back his own, but at the same time, he felt the desire to help. Whatever had happened to this girl had been bad and if he could do anything to help…

Maybe this was an opportunity to help not only the girl but himself.

"I will help."

The woman, Deko, bowed again before standing up.

Ierus hoped he was not making a mistake, but he felt it was worth the risk. He would do his best to make the girl feel loved and at home. She could not replace those he had lost, but he hoped he could help the girl and she help him. He knew it would take a lot for the girl to open up to him, but he knew it would be worth the trouble.

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