《Legend Land: Tale of the Nameless God》Chapter 7.3: Mercy
Advertisement
Wikolia yanks me in her direction to avoid having me crushed under the fury of Kamapua'a's fists. I push her behind me, turning to the boar god.
"Stop!" I hold up my hand, the diamond ring flashing in the light. Out of the corner of my eye, Wikolia searches her pockets incredulously. I'm a thief, remember? Amazingly, Kamapua'a stops, beady black eyes narrowing.
"Where did you get that?" he rumbles. Have you ever seen words come out of a pig's mouth? I'd recommend not trying it. It's a disturbing sight.
"We recovered it," I reply, sweat dripping down my body. Please don't just kill us and take the ring. "I think it belongs to you." His eyes roam over the two of us in the corner, and after a tense moment, his body slumps. He reaches forward, taking the small ring in his large hand. Before our eyes he shrinks back to normal size. Well, normal for him.
"Thank you," He whispers. His voice sounds like the earth itself is moving. This was the type of man to move islands for love. "I haven't seen this in..." He lets out a loud breath, "In a long time." He takes a seat on the floor, leaning back against the wall. "Why are you here, young ones?"
"We were sent by Marinette," Wikolia says, stepping up beside me. Kamapua'a's face hardens, his hand closing around the ring.
"I see," He looks down, face covered in shadow. "In that case—"
"How long have you been like this?" I interrupt. We just stopped fighting, let's not do that again. Mostly because we'd lose.
"Been like what?"
"This," I say, gesturing to his unkempt state. All he wears is a pair of ripped shorts. Food and dirt stains cover his body; they nearly obscure as his tattoos. "How long have you felt broken inside?"
Advertisement
"How did you—"
"She rejected you," I say softly, taking a step forward. "She found someone she thought was better, and she left you here, to be forgotten. But you don't hate her, do you?" I crouch before him. His eyes search my face. I know what he wants. "You can't hate her, because you belong to her. You always will. When will you let yourself rest?" Kamapua'a takes a breath, chest shuddering. Small dots of moisture run down his ruddy cheeks. I hold up a hand subtly behind me when Wikolia starts to move. I've got this.
"It's been so long," He chokes out, tears hitting the ring in his hand. On his left, a gold band gleams. I shake my head; this isn't love.
"Let me make it end," I say, putting one hand on his knee. "Rest, and let go. You deserve that much." To be so rejected, spurned, and still hopelessly in love...it's not something he should be put through. It's not something Pele deserves. His commitment and devotion are binding him; they'll choke him if I don't give him peace. If he can't have love, he should have that, at least.
"Please," He whispers. I nod, standing, gripping my kusarigama tightly.
"This service isn't free," I reply, setting my jaw.
"Namonai!" Wikolia hisses, taking a step forward, but I hold up my hand. I've got this. Kamapua'a nods his head, taking another deep breath.
"Upstairs is a large drill bit made of enchanted diamond. We..." His lips tremble and he sniffs. "We made it together. It's what Marinette is after."
"Thank you," I say softly. Before he can speak, I've stepped forward and jammed the tip of my kusarigama into his eye socket. He jerks but I hold his head to me until his body stills.
Advertisement
"How could you?" Wikolia hisses. I drop Kamapua'a's head and his large body slumps to the ground. "He gave us what we wanted!" I wipe my weapon on the boar god's shorts. His body slowly begins to dissolve into black earth. I hook my kusarigama back on my belt while the Wyvern steps closer. "You didn't need to kill him! He was broken!"
"Go get the drill bit," I reply coolly.
"What?"
"Get the drill bit," I repeat, turning to her. "Now." The Wyvern's face hardens; she'll give in. Marinette hired her, and she has honor. She'll complete the job. After a moment, she turns her back on me in disgust, mounting the stairs. I look at the pile of black earth, closing my eyes. Marinette and I are going to have a talk.
Advertisement
Blue Hills
Nothing had ever felt quite right for Alexander Adamson. He'd worked his way up to a job he could tolerate, a few casual friends, and even a nice little apartment that he could call his own, though it really wasn't. The problem was that none of it was satisfying. It was as though he were going through the motions of a life, rather than having one of his own. Of course, it didn't exactly feel right when he woke up in a strange bed in the middle of nowhere. Nor when he was told that he was now the proud owner and operator of a local farm. A farm that had belonged to a late uncle he'd never known. But with the first train out of town a full 'season' away, he had plenty of time to get used to the idea. Plenty of time, perhaps, to even get to like the strange little town of Blue Hills. I have a discord now. Marvel at my ability to somehow still be antisocial on the other side of a screen! Back from hiatus along with my other fiction. Chapters are on a Thurs/Sun schedule until book 3 of that fiction is completed, at which point I'll be updating this daily. At which point uh.... I dunno what I'm going to do.
8 229Retribution Engine
I've been made aware that the discord link in my post-chapter plug is dead. Use this one until I fix it. Discord "The War of Fog is over. Every major city is under occupation. Now we prepare to take back our home." - Unknown Soldier The world's great heroes have slaughtered one another for the ideals of their countries, but the world keeps moving. The industrious nation of Ikesia lays still smoldering from the nigh-apocalyptic War of Fog, yet it stubbornly forges onward, shielded from further invasion by the impenetrable Blackwall. Its leader - the Sage of Fog - has disappeared, yet his influence is still felt everywhere, his plans and contingencies still in motion - even the Blackwall is said to be his last, desperate creation. New heroes have begun rising from the war of fog, and there is more need for them than ever. A towering foreigner has emerged from the desolate Exclusion Zone. She strides into the war-torn country without the intent to pick sides, but is soon forced to do so when the machinations of malevolent others collide with her own ego.
8 151The Baron von Bickenstadt
A man wakes up in the body of the leader of a mercenary company who happens to also be a Baron. This story follows the exploits of his mercenary company and his political machinations to overthrow the Empire. In this world, with the introduction and normalization of many people from another world with vastly different technological progresses and ways of thought, technological and philosophical thought is all over the place. With such a strange jumble of ideas and technology, how could one man hope to form a united front against his enemy?
8 131Re:Light
He was a legendary emperor during his time in life. He was said to be able to heal all wounds no matter how severe.He was a master of all light magic spells.He was said to be able to recite light-magic spells even in his sleep.He was a master of literature.He was an intellectual.He was kind and benevolent.He loved all the races in the world equally and respected them all.He was the first emperor to abolish slavery and enacted equal rights for all races.Everyone loved him. He was loved by all the people, not only in his empire but even in the other countries.He was the 24th emperor of Xinbu Kingdom.And his name in history will forever be marked!!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Art work was not done by me. Owner owns copyright)
8 201Stress Reliever
This here will be my outlet for stress. You are welcome to look at the rantings and ravings, if you want to. Whenever I am stressed, or just plain bored, I shall come here and write nonsense. Expect updates, if at all, to be sporadic.
8 209Carrion (The Bren Watts Diaries #1)
When a deadly plague spreads like wildfire, 17-year-old Bren Watts is trapped at Ground Zero of a global pandemic.----Bren and his classmates are stranded in New York City, now filled with thousands of murderous infected and desperate survivors. Forced into an unlikely alliance with his school bully and former friend, Logan Hardy, the two boys must find a way back home, traversing through the ravaged landscape of the United States.With their odds stacked against them, Bren has no choice but to use the skills taught by his ex-Navy SEALs father to fight and survive. But the path ahead is bloodied and broken, and if he wants to reunite with his family, Bren must tap into his darkest heart for not only the infected are capable of hatred and violence.The Bren Watts Diaries tells a dark and gritty account of the end, all narrated in the survivor's own voice as a first-hand witness to humanity's end. The story will cover the first year of the Apocalypse, depicting the beginnings of the disease, society's war against the pandemic, and the eventual collapse of civilization.[[Current word count: 450,000 - 500,000 words]]-----The series portrays an LGBTQ+ protagonist and numerous other characters.Violence, like any medium of zombie stories, is described in detail.
8 134