Chương 30: The Aristocrapsy

The clearing was entirely normal when Lord Fergus and his twelve men arrived the next morning. Andy was gazing, Auri napped on her rock. Veronica moved to the front of the line gesturing for the men to stay back, "It looks like everything is fine. I told you he's perfectly harmless." Veronica approached Andy calmly, "Hey, Andy. I'm sorry about the surprise yesterday. I brought you a snack to make up for it. Andy looked up, his horn glowed and he stamped in delight.

"I'm still mad at you." He projected and turned away from her.

"Oh, I know, I'm sorry. I was going to tell you, but Lord Fergus moved up his deadline and I didn't have time." She reached a hand up to stroke Andy's horn and he pulled away before she got close enough.

"You should have told me this was just your job."

"This was never just a job, Andy. You know that. If you come back with me you and I can be together all the time. I can continue to teach you, and feed you apples. All the apples you could ever want."

"And what's in it for Lord Fergus?"

"That's the best part Andy, you don't have to do anything. Just by being there, a beast of myth, it will elevate Fergus' position. Our city-state would become second only to the King's and we wouldn't have to work for The Harness anymore. She reached up again and looked into Andy's eyes, "you know me. You can trust me Andy." Her hand passed through his horn. She moved the hand through his horn again and Andy exploded into mist.

Vines shot up behind the guards and Fergus blocking them in, The sky darkened again and wind howled picking up and creating a cyclone at the middle of the clearing.

"It's a trap!" Fergus yelled into the wind, unable to tell if anyone could hear him.

"Men! Move out!" No one moved, everyone was frozen in place. The wind died down and at the center of the clearing stood a woman. She was basked in emerald green light. She was beautiful. Thick russet colored hair fell in elegant waves from her head and covered flawless ivory skin. She bore very little clothing but still commanded full authority over the situation. She walked slowly, casually toward Lord Fergus.

His men parted as she approached, quickly yielding and bowing to her in reverence as she walked past them.

"Drop your weapons," She said with casual authority. And they did. Lord Fergus trembled, back pressed up against the vines.

"This land belongs to me." She began. Her voice was melodic and entrancing.

"I think we could come to an agreement–" Fergus began before getting cut off.

"You misunderstand me. I am not asking. This is my land, has been my land since before your grandfather's grandfather settled here. You will leave my forest and you will not return. Is that clear?" Fergus began, "My dear, I am Lord of this city-state. I am responsible for all that goes on within its boundaries, and I am in a bit of a bind, you see. I will pay you for the horse, of course. However, leaving without him is not an option. Lord Harness with the Blessing of the King has given me a deadline.

The unicorn is my only way out. If I show up to the summer solstice with a Mythical beast the King will see my value, our value as a city-state, and will not give my land to Lord Harness."

"No." Lightning struck across the sky accentuating her denial like an exclamation point. Fergus gestured for Veronica to join them.

"I see we have reached an impasse." When she was within arms reach he grabbed her and held a knife to her neck.

"And why would I care about this girl." The woman asked with a snicker.

"She has done nothing but lie and spy in my forest since the moment she arrived. The wind caught her hair and she smiled at Fergus, pointed canines glinting in each strike of lightning.

"I venture that, you may reconsider." Fergus stated as a bead of sweat rolled down his cheek and landed on his shoe.

"Watch out." Andy sent from the shadows to the woman." He's not lying. Something isn't right."

"I reconsider nothing. Leave my forest and do not return." The vines retreated back into the Earth allowing Fergus and his men passage out of the clearing. Tension filled the air as lightning lit up the sky once more.

"I said go." Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Fergus smiled and allowed the tip of the blade to knick Veronica's neck. A bead of blood appeared and streaked down her neck.

"Something is wrong." Andy projected." Auri, I'm bleeding." The woman turned sharply, "What?" she exclaimed. And Fergus laughed. It was a dry hacking laugh that made the hairs on the woman's neck stand on end.

"Checkmate." He slid the knife in a miniscule amount further and both Andy and Veronica screamed simultaneously. The woman took a step toward where Andy waited in the shadows.

"Eh eh eh." Fergus said.

"Not so fast. If you take one more step I will kill her, and the unicorn too."

"What did you do," she demanded.

"Ha! I did nothing. This one turned herself into a legendary conduit. I did not believe her until this very moment." The woman stared intently at Fergus.

"Even better," he laughed, "I have not one but three legendary beasts who will be under my command. Men, grab this woman, find the unicorn." They stepped forward cautiously and the woman gritted her teeth as they secured her arms.

"Alright unicorn. Reveal yourself." Andy's horn shone brightly as he stepped forward. His white coat was stained as a single streak of red trailed down his neck. Andy's eyes burned as he stared defiantly at Lord Fergus.

"Come along now, unicorn. You understand this charade was useless.

"Just one more thing, Fergus," Andy said. Fergus pursed his lips, enough of this. He pressed the knife harder against Veronica's neck, and then she and the woman both popped, disappearing into mist.

"I can't believe you guys fell for that twice. Auri said you would, We call that move, Fox News. And we call this one the Floor is Lava. All twelve guards were ripped off of their feet. Vines had wrapped quietly around their ankles and pulled them into the air where they hung at various elevations upside down. Would you like to see Piñata?" Andy asked, smiling.

(Now if you've never seen a horse smile, imagine it pulls its lips up and as far from its teeth as it can, now imagine a glowing horn on its head and murder in its eyes.)"What, but how?" Fergus exclaimed.

"Well, you see." Andy said, mimicking Fergus' slow overly exaggerated cadence.

"We had a visitor after you left yesterday. She cleared some things up. Luckily. I'm not a unicorn… yet, so the bonding spell that Veronica tried didn't work and it was easily reversed."

"This isn't over." Lord Fergus growled and then yelled at the top of his lungs, "Fire!" Arrows came from behind Fergus all trained on Andy. Gustave, who had been circling and keeping an eye on the unfolding conflict (While providing the storm ambiance) threw five wind blades out at the arrows, slicing them out of the air. Another wave of arrows loosed and Gustave threw five more windblades out slicing four arrows out of the air. The fifth one struck Andy in the right front shoulder. Andy grunted.

"Let's go for the Hostile Take Over." Gustave flew down between arrow rounds and channeled all of the wind energy he had in him, kicking up a cyclone right on top of Lord Fergus. More arrows loosed and Gustave lost concentration as he struck them out of the air. Lord Fergus stood up, windblown and irritable and looked straight into the eyes of a windblown and irritable Lord Fergus. Both Fergus' gasped.

(As there are two Fergus' in this scene we shall refer to them as Fergus one and Fergus two) Fergus one pointed at Fergus two.

"Imposter! I will have your head for this insolence." Fergus two responded, "He's the imposter. Guards! Shoot him."

"Insolent worm. Guards, take him down." The distraction was enough to cause the rear guard to cease fire.

"No." Fergus one said.

"I am the Lord of Jingleheimer!" Fergus two blinked.

"Jingleheimer?" Fergus one laughed, "Oh sorry. I have no idea what your city-state is called. I couldn't remember." He dissolved into mist revealing a small russet colored fox who was looking up at Fergus two (Lord Fergus obviously) and began to groom her paw.

"I guess the jig is up."

"Quite." Lord Fergus remarked. His confidence slowly left him as he realized back up wasn't coming.

"Fire!" He exclaimed again, as if he needed to remind them what their job was. No arrows came. Lord Fergus took off running. His very shiny boots click clacked with every hobbling step and his velvet cape spread out behind him providing Gustave with the perfect handle to grab onto. Gustave grabbed onto the cape, and drug Fergus backward. With the help of Andy's vines he too was now hanging upside down from a tree. Gustave dissipated the clouds instantly brightening the forest.

"Now," Andy said, coming face to face with an upside down Fergus, "We are going to negotiate keeping you and your aristocrapsy out of my forest." [GROUP DEFEATED: LORD FERGUS + SEVENTEEN GUARDSMEN + ONE RANGER] [XP GAINED: +1200 NEW SPECIES BONUS +15] [HERD BONUS +25%] [XP: 3987/?] [SPECIES: HORSE (MAGICAL BEAST)] [PURITY AFFINITY: ACTIVE] [VIRGINAL STATUS: MAINTAINED] [CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WEIGHT: 23%] [SOCIAL BOND: SEVERED (HUMANOID, RANGER-TYPE)] [GALLOP EFFICIENCY: 73%]