Battleforged
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Chapter 413 - Shark-toothed Negotiations
🕑 Added 2024-04-15 04:00:01 +0000 UTC
The doomed goblin collapsed, clawing his throat as his flesh lost the plump lustre of corruption, becoming old and withered as the dying Barrister bucked and writhed, heels drumming a death knell on the ground before shattering like a dried out husk, eyes widening with unspeakable horror before they exploded in sprays of writhing maggots that faded into the ether, the desiccated corpse then blowing away to unseen winds seconds later, leaving nothing but an ancient plaid suit behind.
“We’ll sign! We’ll sign!” Screamed the remaining pair of barristers no matter how fierce the roars from the pulsating orb that began dripping black blood before the assassin holding it slammed it on the ground with shattering force. And far from an explosion, it erupted with an ancient wheeze that Eric was chilled to hear even through his plugged up ears and then nothing at all as the assassins, ruthless but the farthest thing from fools, shoved their own masters out of the way to be the first to sign the document with hot-eyed glares.
“We are done here,” snarled the cold-eyed killer to a coolly gazing Caliban.
The Elven Prince gave the tiniest dip of his head as a coolly smiling Grim gestured to the door. “By all means, leave with your freedom and lives while causing me and mine no further harm than you already have.”
The killer snorted, turning to the duo behind him, all three seeming to fade into shadow and then they were gone.
“We’ve been abandoned!” Shrieked the closest shaman.
“Move out of the way, fool! We must sign!” Screamed a panicked Barrister as the remaining goblins struggled to sign the document as fast as they could, Eric and Caliban exchanging cool smiles all the while.
ES – What the fuck was that?
C – The drawback of both goblin-derived Barrister and Administrator classes. Those who truck in souls have power far beyond what a Professional of their rank and caliber should. AS you no doubt already know. But should they betray the fundamental oath-binding nature of their twisted arts, refusing to sign or deliberately breaching their contracts without clause or pretext allowing for such… the bindings securing all the souls tied to their documents, souls all too often additionally used as crutches to enhance their own aging bodies… as very few Professionals enjoy the longevity of Classers… well, let’s just say in that instant, all debts must be paid in full.”
ES – So basically its a twisted branch of necromancy so damned weak that their own soul-minions devour them if they’re stupid enough to give their extremely unhappy servants an out.
C – That’s one way of looking at it.
ES – Master Necromancer is a FUCK TON better than that twisted shit.
Caliban snorted.
C – Yes, of course it is. It’s a Master Class.
ES – Master Necromancer = BEST CLASS EVARR! (Along with all my others!!)
ES – Still doesn’t explain why everyone else is suddenly so eager to sign.
Caliban gave him a look.
C – A bunch of cowardly, conniving goblins just saw one of their own suffer the most hideous and degrading death imaginable for not signing. They know better than anyone just how twisted contracts can be. Do you think they’re going to take any chances that the penalty for not signing is limited to their Barristers alone?
ES – Good point.
The ground began to vibrate under all their feet. Yet the alarmed look that Caliban and Eric shared was nothing compared to the panicked whimpers of the goblins. “There. There! Signed and sealed. Signed and sealed!”
If Caliban was alarmed, he gave nothing away to the goblins. “Acknowledged. Freetown is now and forevermore under the Auspices of Blue Federation. Your former bank is now a subsidiary of our own. All charter directives have been superseded by our own.”
The Sylvan Prince flashed an ice-cold smile. “Now, you have exactly twenty four hours to remove your persons and possessions from Blue Corp territory.”
The momentarily relieved shaman’s eyes bulged in dismay. “But… but no! No, you can’t do this! How are we supposed to transport two billion in gold? Those pathetic free-agent Assassins refused to accept standard binding contracts that their lessers MUST endure, and they have DARED to abandon us! How are we supposed to safely transport this gold all the way to New York? How are we supposed to move even a single bar without getting mobbed by what should have been our livestock? This is so UNJUST! It is so UNFAIR!” the elder shaman shrieked and screamed and began throwing a tantrum like a child.
Eric just stared at the monster acting like a child. A monster who had been so willing to damn a hundred and twenty thousand families, including actual children. So he hardened his heart and felt absolutely no pity at all.
No matter how closely related they might actually be.
Fuck no. I am NOTHING like these little shits!
Caliban crossed his arms, before he too was sent stumbling with the latest shock wave coursing through the building… the province entire.
Eric felt a jolt of alarm the equal of Caliban’s expression, even as the goblins were completely unmanned, going so far as to kowtow before Caliban. “Please, great one! Spare Unworthy Gloop and his miserable servants!” He flashed a desperate smile. “We’ll happily accept a Blue Corp card! Yes, yes we will!”
Caliban stared coolly at the goblins that had been so ready to damn the entire city, before snapping his fingers as the nearest Bronze-tier elite who had been ready to wage war for her prince with force shield and crackling blade, presently sheathed, slipped into the role of deferential second, pulling a pristine document forth that Caliban quickly annotated, before flashing the goblins before him with a cool smile.
“In consideration of your confessed intentions to damn our entire city just minutes ago, combined with your status as a directly competing faction, I would be well within my rights to laugh in your face and send you out the door.”
His words resulted in desperate wails and pleas.
“But, seeing as you truly are a pathetic sight, and Blue Corp is nothing if not enlightened in the arenas of equanimity and profit… I am authorized to offer you a gracious exception.”
Gloop squealed with relief, even as the room continued to sway, the air smelling of sharp spicy power. A scent that would have otherwise delighted Eric, yet now left him with the sinking certainty that he knew exactly what it meant.
“Thank you, noble and honorable and revered Administrator Caliban. Thank you so—”
“It will cost you twenty percent.”
Gloop’s eyes bulged. “What?”
Caliban’s smile was all teeth. “Expenses, you understand. And risk. Dealing with your kind poses significant risk. But for a single Bloodtear Syndicate account that may be used to make legal, aboveboard purchases wherever Blue Corp has a presence, and I believe we even have a modest selection of goods and services available in New York… it will cost you twenty percent of whatever funds you choose to put into your account.”
“Outrageous!”
Caliban shrugged. “Well then, we will trouble you no further. As we now share no financial ties whatsoever, your faction is now considered anathema, and we will have no further dealings with you on Terra. You have twenty four hours to leave Blue Corp territories starting—”
“Wait!” Screamed the shaman. “Wait, wait, no need to be so hasty, ha ha! Yes, yes of COURSE we are eager to set up an account and continue our economic friendship. Ha ha!”
Caliban forced a cool smile. “Well then, if that’s the case, we can ease certain strictures and allow for a longer time frame for your inevitable departure. And should your investments with us prove sufficient, you might even be permitted to enjoy extended stays in the most technologically sophisticated city in all of Terra for tourist and shopping purposes… though business and bounty hunting are of course, both off limits. I’m sure you understand.”
“Ha ha, of course. Of course!”
“Excellent.” Caliban smacked down a card as a second female guardian radiating both professional poise and a deadly beauty that Eric recognized all too well, flashed Eric a smile before all her focus turned to the goblin shaman.
Eric’s eyes widened in surprise, Nikita’s exquisite countenance and discerning gaze unmistakable, even if the fierce sharp aura she radiated now was nothing like the humble professional she had pretended to be before. This was a woman well used to the killing fields of war, radiating the poise and power of a Cyber Knight and highly sophisticated professional all at once. Somehow, Eric didn’t doubt that she would be as comfortable in a suit of rugged power armor as she was with the skin-tight force mesh and vibro-blade that she currently wore.
“And how much would you like to place upon your account today, Shaman Gloop, who we now formally recognize as Bloodtear Syndicate’s representative?” Nikita politely asked, electromana bio-scanner held casually in hand.
For some reason the shaman visibly paled, getting a good look at the woman. “No, you can’t possibly…” He shook his head. “Tricky. You elves are so… ha ha! Forgive poor Gloop. He is tired. VERY tired!” He glared at the remaining goblins. “Take two bars, each of you!”
The surviving goblins immediately kowtowed and did just that. Of course most had considerable strength compared to mortals, but the pair of Shamans besides the leader huffed, looking exceedingly unbalanced, waddling with two near 25 pound bars in their hands and no good place to put it, not having thought they’d need backpacks or anything else. And the pair of three and a half feet tall barristers could only manage one a piece.
Gloop’s features mottled with rage. “Worthless, WORTHLESS!” He snarled and spat. “One for each of you. Good! How much does that leave us?” He turned to Nikita, flashing a toothy smile. 1.95 Billion gold!”
Eric smirked, clearing his throat. “I think you’re forgetting something, hoss.”
Gloop snarled, glaring Eric’s way.
Eric’s flashed a very toothy smile he could feel stretching wide.
So very wide.
Heart hammering as he gazed upon twisted foes who had almost damned 120,000 souls HE had sacrificed so much to save and he was so TIRED of getting fucked over and manipulated at every turn and he could sense fate tossing yet another card that would demand he risk everything AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and if these little SHITS hadn’t FUCKED with his friends, his family, and all he wanted to do was tear this little fuckers THROAT out and eat his HEART and—
“Ernest, please put down our client,” Caliban said with a tired sigh.
Eric blinked, chilled to feel the tiny creature screaming and kicking as Eric was so ready to BITE OFF HIS FUCKING—
Eric’s heart began to pound as he carefully leaned his head back, the screaming shaman’s head popping out of his mouth without suffering anything worse than a bit of saliva and void magic disintegrating a few warts… not that Eric’s perfectly normal and totally not an eldritch-horror maw was anywhere near wide enough to fit anyone’s head in the first place, of course.
“Monster! Abomination! He’s an old-blooded abomination! We must flee!” Gloop screamed.
Eric forced a very human smile, (because I AM human! WTF!) desperate thoughts racing across his mind. “Oh, sorry. I was just whispering in Gloop’s ear how much I APPRECIATED him so gracefully paying off his debt so his body wasn’t shriveled and consumed like that foolish barrister. Sorry I yawned so inappropriately. I guess it’s been a long day for all of us.”
He winked at the sobbing goblin before buffing his nails. “So, about that two hundred million you owe me?”
“Yes, FINE! FINE! Give this VILE abomination his two hundred million. So we’ll place 1.75 Billion in our account!
“Excellent!” Nikita enthused with a bright, professional smile. “Minus your twenty percent service fee, and that’s a nice 1.4 Billion credits you can spend anywhere in the galaxy that Blue Corp cards are honored!” Her smile hardened. “And though we EAGERLY await the opportunity to cater to your every legal need, please note that these credits may NOT be used to purchase businesses and equity within Freetown. It may, however, be used to secure the most luxurious hotel suites we have to offer, of course!”
“Sure as fuck not next to my pad,” Eric glowered.
“Of course… Ernest Slaughter.”
“Good.”
Gloop, however, was whimpering. “How did it become 1.4 Bil Bluecorp credits? It was supposed to be two billion… and our precious bank… and our city!”
Grim cleared his throat, even Eric’s eyes watering with the sudden sharp scent of spice.
“I pray you will all forgive the necessity of vacating these chambers, but I'm afraid I must insist.”
Caliban flashed their host a solemn nod. “Of course, Lord Grim. You have Blue Faction’s gratitude.”
The distinguished Moore (lich!) bowed his head in turn. “The pleasure was all mine.”
In very short order, the desperate goblins stumbled out of the manor, eyes darting with clownish panic, screaming their frustrated fury when it became clear that their too independent Bronze-tier assassin guardians had taken their velimobile. But as clownish as they looked, Eric seriously doubted a trio of Bronze tier Shamans would have any problem making their way to another velimobile dealer or otherwise arranging for their exit… or shacking up at a luxury hotel somewhere to sort themselves out. Because fucked up as they were, they were still up 1.4 Billion credits and that wasn’t nothing. And since this was Freetown, which was made up of hardworking Professionals and contract-bound mercenaries with very few predatory assholes (2 less than an hour ago, ha ha!) who were low level trash compared to the goblins… Eric was forced to admit that those buffoons would probably be just fine.
He then turned his focus where it belonged, on a solemn-faced Caliban and Lord Grim, presently giving him such a curious, appraising look.
“Thank you again for coming to our rescue, Lord Grim. Both metaphoric, and quite literal.”
Lord Grim gave a low chuckle. “I must say it has been a most fascinating night, young practitioner of our heritage arts. Your use of blood magic was most impressive.”
Eric grinned, pulling out both Sigil-covered silken sheets with a flourish. “Blood runes infused with the Essence of Dominion. And that asshole was right. I did take inspiration from the orc shaman’s techniques of warding cannons’ from an elven scout’s sight. I’d probably have earned another Blood Mastery level out of it, if it wasn’t already at Rank 34.” He flashed a satisfied smile. “And my Blood Ward skill did just pop up to Rank 5. That’s the advantage of using Essences. Everything’s more real, more intense, and the gains are sweet.”
“Wait! Did I hear you say Rank 34?”
Eric blinked at those words, smiling at the sight of an absolutely stunning Alice, peering at him so intently with wide blue eyes, flawless features, and full crimson lips with just the tiniest ivory white fangs that looked nearly human perking as she bit her lip with a curious frown.
Eric swallowed as he felt his cheeks flush, chuckling ruefully.
“Hi, Alice. It’s been awhile. How are you?”
The strikingly beautiful woman gazed at him for long moments, before her frown turned into a curious head-tilt. “Do I know you? I’m not quite… you do look like someone?”
Eric forced an easy smile.
“Please, call me Ernest. And I think we have a friend in common.”
She waved that away. “Did I hear you right? You, a novice, with Rank 34 in—”
Her words were cut off when the ground jolted once more. A wide-eyed Alice stumbled back as the manor filled with startled cries and soft curses as the sharp wave of spice-scented air that smelled of ripe power and peril sent Eric’s senses aflame even as he darted forward as fast as thought, arresting Alice’s stumble.
Soft blue eyes gazed at his own. “If I hadn’t invested so much into my Mana Pool, I wouldn’t have stumbled.”
“Of course not.”
“I’m not really clumsy.”
“I know.”
“And you’re absolutely gorgeous.”
Eric forced a laugh, taking a slow step back. “Don’t let Louie catch you saying that,” he said with a grin.
Alice’s eye widened. “Wait, you know about Louie?”
Ernest grinned. “I know he’s an awesome catch.”
He then turned to Caliban, sensing the man’s sudden alarm.
“Caliban?”
“No time! Nikita, get the others. We’ll get the gold to our vault via the ATV, but we have to leave now, before the streets erupt in panic!”
He sighed, closed his eyes, and Eric felt his head ring with a System generated prompt.
“This is Administrator Caliban. All Professionals, mortals, and non-combat Classers are to shelter in place. Monster Surge Imminent!”
Comments
Michael schwartz
So is this it ? Does the story continue?
Nick Roland
It is very odd, since he knew people from before, why would their memories be erased?
Daniel
I'm still pretty upset that everyone remembers each other but no one remembers Eric.
Antony Haynes
Please let there be no more crises that require Eric to save Freetown. Let it have enough heroes that it can stand on its own. Let Eric spread his wings.
KatC
Yay one for the Blue Team! Time to do some leveling.
Iain Grubb
Is it a monster surge or is it just Wurmy looking for Daddy?
Trevayne
Nice to see the Goblins lose one for a change. Granted, they are still getting 1.4 billion, but that is much better than the alternative. Naturally, a success doesn't mean new threats can't pop up and a monster surge has been hinted about for a while, although it was originally a few years off. I expect that his mother's ascension to Silver accelerated a lot of things. What will be funny is if the monster surge means the goblins and Eric are fighting on the same side for a while, at least until they can get transportation for themselves and their gold to NYC.
