Chương 42: 042

We slammed into the wall, his armor absorbing some of the impact even as I fisted his faceplate and drove his head back into the stone. The clang rang through the hall, sharp enough to turn heads. Heavy footsteps thundered closer. I bit back a curse and let the bastard slide to the floor, already turning toward the sound. Two guards burst around the corner, weapons coming up. They never got the chance to use them. The orc woman hit them with a roar, her battle cry nearly swallowed by a haze of red mist.

Chains bound her wrists in front of her, but they might as well have been decoration. She barreled into the first guard, slamming him bodily into the wall with a meaty crack. Before the second could react, she whipped the chain taut between her hands, looped it around his neck, and spun. Once. Twice. She built momentum with brutal efficiency, then released. The guard flew, smashing into the far wall with a sickening crunch before collapsing in a heap beside his companion.

The red haze bled away as she straightened, chest heaving. She loomed over me and flashed a lopsided grin.

"That was fucking hot." My brain promptly blue-screened. I wasn't inexperienced, but I'd never imagined body-slamming armed men would be someone's idea of foreplay.

"Uh," I said intelligently.

"Right back at you?" The words escaped before my brain could intercept them. Heat scorched up my neck and I clenched my jaw. Inside thought, that was supposed to be an inside thought! Her grin sharpened, interest flaring as she gave me a slow, deliberate once-over.

"You got a name," she drawled, "or should I just call you kingslayer?" A choked noise worked its way out of my throat.

"Nikolas. I'm Nikolas." I looked away fast, before my gaze lingered somewhere inappropriate. The fur and leather armor clinging to her left nothing to the imagination. Judging by her satisfied smile, my staring hadn't gone unnoticed. Is this normal here? I asked inwardly, head spinning faintly. Time's chuckle drifted back. Orcs are a…blunt race. It does not surprise me that she is no different. Okay then… Taking a breath, I cleared my throat and asked.

"And you are?" She sauntered closer, movements loose and confident. Leaning against the wall beside me, completely unconcerned with the chain still binding her, she smirked down.

"Dura." Her gaze flicked back to Silas's crumpled form.

"I would ask what a nice man like you is doing in a crap show like this…but I'd say I have my answer." I shrugged, careful not to look at the corpse, or what was left of it.

"Yeah, it's…kind of obvious." Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. She hummed, gaze flicking to the unconscious guard, then back to me.

"Not that the display wasn't outrageously attractive, but why did you go after him so hard? You know him?" The heat drained from my embarrassment in an instant.

"He used a child as bait," I spat.

"Said she was perfect because no one would miss her when she was gone." The body slam hadn't been nearly as satisfying as throwing him off a wall, but it would do. Dura's smile vanished. She pushed off the wall slowly, eyes cold.

"Is that so…" She strolled over to him like she had nowhere else to be, stopped, and looked down her nose at his prone form. Then she lifted her foot and brought it down on his groin with everything she had. His strangled yelp cut short when she reeled back and punched him. His helmet cracked against the wall, denting inward as he collapsed again. Dura dusted off her hands and turned back to me, cheerful as ever.

"So. Any chance you can get me out of these? Then we can start snapping the others out of their stupors." That jolted something loose in my head. Dominicus. The rabbit beastfolk. They still stood where I'd left them, staring blankly at Silas's corpse, unmoving.

"Of course." I knelt, rifling through the guards' pockets until I found the key. After unlocking the chains, I gently massaged her wrists, doctor-mode snapping into place.

"Looks like the struggle left you with some nasty abrasions." She shrugged, eyes fixed on me.

"I've had worse. I'll grab a potion later and-."

"There's no need." I met her gaze, frowning.

"I'm a healer. If you'll let me, I can fix this now." I hadn't used my healing spell yet, but after Fast Forward… Healing felt like a lifeline.

"Please," I added quietly.

"Let me do this." I'd done my part as a soldier, killed the evil king. Now, I needed to go back to being the doctor. For my sanity's sake. After a moment, she nodded.

"Alright. If you think it's necessary." Relief washed through me. I drew mana in carefully, recalling Time's guidance. I closed my eyes and pictured moss blooming over the wounds, cool, living green knitting torn skin back together. When I opened them, vibrant moss coated her wrists. The glow faded, and I gently peeled it away, revealing smooth, unbroken skin beneath.

"There," I said softly.

"All healed." Something sharp and fractured in my chest eased, letting me breathe fully for the first time since Silas had fallen. Maybe things would be okay now. Dura ran her fingers over her wrists, humming.

"Yeah," she said.

"All healed…" The air tightened between us. Then Time's voice cut in. You should wake the others. Heat crept up my neck again. I coughed and stepped back.

"So–uh–how do we wake them?" I turned toward Dominicus.

"I thought killing the king would break his control." Dura waved a hand in front of the rabbit beastkin's face. No response.

"No idea. I've heard stories about Silas's powers, but this is a first for me." Same boat, then. I nudged Dominicus's shoulder.

"Hey. You alright?" Nothing. Maybe corpse-staring was normal here. The thought slipped free and Time snorted. You will find that is not 'the norm,' but some kind of after-effect of Silas's mind control power. A pause. Be careful. The king will have allies feigning control, waiting for their moment. He could be one of them. I grimaced. My gut wanted to dismiss it, but experience had taught me better. Silas had said Dominicus needed to be "brought to heel." That suggested resistance, not loyalty.

I'd keep an eye out just in case, but he likely wasn't that snake's friend. With luck, he may prove a valuable ally, Time added. I hoped so. I tapped Dominicus's shoulder again. Nothing. Sighing, I pinched him. Still nothing. Before I could reconsider, I grabbed his ear and yanked. That got a reaction. Just… not the one I'd hoped for.