Forgotten Conqueror B2

Chapter 34- Price of a Life

"This place is dark and unfitting for one such as yourself. Say the words. Ask for my help, and I shall grant it." The boy's dark eyes stared at her as his voice weaved through the air like magic. Gentle and filled with compassion, they coaxed and reassured her that everything was alright. That all she needed to do, was to ask and to trust him.

Saadra's mouth twitched in hesitance.
She was tainted, and after what happened last night, she had already given up. The pain coursing through her body told her that a life outside of the brothel's cold walls was impossible for them, and that they could never escape.

Feeling Sarah's unsteady hands clutching her arm, her mouth quivered and her vision blurred. Her sister was why she had been able to endure such a life. Why she was able to smile, despite everything that's happened to her. The young girl was all she had, and the thought of such a daunting and desolate future for them both was terrifying. "Kaidus... please help us..." Saadra cried, releasing all her anguish and sorrow to the kindness that was extended before her.

"Understood."

A single word of acknowledgement echoed within the small room amidst her cries.
Through pained sobs, she thought she saw the boy's unwavering gaze glowing dimly. A sense of comfort enveloped her as she stared into the two dark eyes, shaking her to her core and cradling her in their endless calm.

"Give me your hand." The boy instructed, and she nervously extended a bruised hand out to him. Thoughts of recoiling such an ungraceful hand back into the blankets assaulted her, but she held the hand out. "I'm sorry, but please bear with me." She heard the boy mutter as a hot sensation seared her whole body, amplifying the pain she was already feeling. Saadra opened her mouth to scream, but as quickly as it came, the burning vanished. Along with everything else.

She stared blankly back at him with a befuddled expression. Her mouth still agape, there were no words to explain it.
She looked at her arm and her bruises were gone. She felt her sides, and the sharp pain where she had been kicked multiple times was nowhere to be felt.
Her body was refreshed and she felt like new. Like waking up from a long torturous nightmare.

"Come." The boy beckoned without an explanation as he turned to move away from them. She could hear the sound of Myrna and Master Coragus' footsteps as they attempted to flee down the hall. She saw the boy look to the two unconscious men on the floor one last time before stepping towards the door.

Wrapped in the blanket, Saadra quickly stepped off the bed.
As she had suspected, her legs—too—were no longer throbbing.

She turned to Sarah who looked visibly frightened and was still clutching tightly onto her arm. "Let's go, Sarah." She told the girl and heard her own voice shaking with uncertainty.

---

The echoes of the past swarmed him, whispering and reminding him of mistakes long forgotten. Of consequences that came with such choices, and of his already bloody path.

Discarding his own thoughts, Kaidus stepped out of the room. The world he once knew was no more, yet the nature of things had remained unchanged throughout the ages. Those with power hungrily clung onto it, using it to their own benefits without regards to what or who they were hurting. He had wanted to live his life without being hindered by such pettiness, such unwarranted injustice, yet he could not turn away from those in his purview.

"Our business has yet to be concluded. Where are you going?" He spoke, tailing the two who were trying to run. With the injury he had inflicted, the owner was barely able to walk and had to be supported by the woman.

"Y-You! You will not get away with this! You don't know... who it is you are messing with!" Coragus shouted back, gasping for air after every few words.

"You should worry more about yourself." Kaidus replied, widening his strides and catching up to them. "How many others are locked up like Saadra?" He queried, "How many other girls have you forced into prostitution? How many lives have you ruined in your greed?" He closed in on the man and grabbed Coragus' shoulder, ripping him away from the woman—Myrna. Slamming the man against the wall, "No, don't bother answering. I might be unable to hold myself back, and I would not wish for you to go so soon... not yet." He tore the chain of keys away from the man's waist.

"Th- The guards... they will hang you for this! They will skin you alive! Don't think you can get away! I- I own this town!"

"They can try." Kaidus smiled darkly and pushed the man away before turning to Myrna. "How many other girls are here in this brothel?" He gave her an unforgiving glare.

"Fo-forty-seven." She immediately replied, and he could see that she was trembling. No longer was she the abusive and intolerant lady from last night or earlier, but a frightened aging woman.

"Saadra." He turned back to the sisters who were following behind. "Are there others who would like to leave?"
The girl timidly nodded.
"I see..." Kaidus turned his attention back to the woman. "You will go and bring everyone out to the front hall." He tossed her the keys, and she failed to catch it. "I see a single one not in attendance, and we will have trouble." He threatened, not taking another look at her before grabbing the owner and forcing the man to move forward.

"You think this is the only brothel in the world!? That I am the only one who does this?!" Coragus shouted loudly. "Those girls are mine! I picked them up off the streets! They are mine to do with as I will!!"

Kaidus pushed the man forward.

"You're not some storybook knight saving damsels in distress you uncouth savage! You are no knight, and these are not damsels! That little whore would take my cock just as happily as she would yours, and she knows it! She's a whore, and she will always be one!"

"You are correct about that. I am no knight," jerking his arm, Kaidus slammed the man's head into the stone wall. "Regardless, you will keep your filth to yourself unless you would like that tongue ripped out." He rebuked as blood began oozing out of the groaning man's forehead.

Kaidus glanced back, and saw that Saadra was looking down while Sarah held onto her sister and was looking at him with a terrified face. He turned around and continued pushing Coragus through the long hallway.

As they approached the stairs, the muscles of the brothel saw them.

"W-What the fuck are you all waiting for?! Save me!" Coragus shouted upon seeing the men.

"Stay here." Kaidus quickly instructed the sisters to stay put as he walked forward—holding Coragus hostage.
"URAAH!!" A man at the front charged at him with a metal rod.

Kaidus pushed his hostage toward the man and drew his xeberite sword. With an arching slash, he easily sliced the rod in half as his attacker pulled back to catch Coragus. With a quick flick, he struck the man's head with the flat of his blade, concussing the man and knocking him against the wall.

Seeing two men moving in and blocking the corridor, Kaidus swiftly moved to engage them. Leaping onto the side of the hallway, he kicked off the wall and shot toward one of them, knocking them backward with a solid punch to the face.
An upward-slash came at him from the second man, and he easily deflected it with his own sword. The attack pushed him backwards and he landed on his feet with his sword extended out toward the group. "Your swing was wide and sloppy. I can see that you are untrained and unpracticed. Come at me if you would like to see how this ends." He dared, glaring at the man in front and those behind. The group shuffled forward, but none moved to attack.

"What are you all doing?! What am I paying you for?!" Coragus shouted, snapping them out of their hesitation.

A man quickly slipped through the center of the group, charging at Kaidus.

Standing still, he relaxed his posture and lowered his sword.
Kaidus watched as the man swung at him with a horizontal slash, going for his stomach.
Fifth form, Alvue. His muscles tensed, and power coursed through his body.
With a quick swing of his sword, he parried the attack with an arched counter, slapping away the sword that was coming for his left side.

"GYAH!!!" The sound of metal against metal resounded through the corridor, followed by a howl of pain. In a flash, the man's sword arm had been lopped off at the elbow.

Another sword came straight for his face and Kaidus twisted his body to the side. While simultaneously evading the thrust, he moved in on the new attacker with a wide step. Rotating his whole body as he closed in, he planted a firm fist into the man's chest, shattering bones and shooting the man back into the others.

Taking a step back himself, he lowered his sword once again and stood vigilantly. The man whose forearm he had severed was screaming as blood sprayed everywhere, while the other was writhing on the ground gasping for air and life. "Anyone else?" Kaidus taunted, glaring at the group before him in a show of absolute dominance.

The men stopped and none dared to move forward.

Watching the frozen thugs, Kaidus moved back and grabbed his hostage once more. Coragus had gone deathly pale.

"What do you want?! I'll pay you! If it's money, you can have it! If it's that whore, y-you can have her!"

"I believe I told you to shut up." He replied, shaking the man forcefully. Gesturing for the girls to follow, "Any sudden movements, and it will be your lives. Now get back before you regret it." He threatened.
Walking forward, the group of armed men grabbed those who were injured and swiftly backed off to make room for him and the sisters.


...


*Crash!* someone fell from the second floor and smashed into the tables below.
Everyone looked up to see a group of men retreating down the stairs. A young man also slowly descended, dragging someone beside him and followed closely by two girls.

""Master Coragus!"" Those idling on the first floor shouted upon seeing who the man was.

"Mister Coragus. What is going on here?" An aged man with graying green hair questioned, walking over to them as they descended the stairs.

"What do you-!? GUAH!" Coragus cried out in pain as he was smashed into the handrails.

"Kyaaahh!" Some of the girls cried out upon seeing the vicious spectacle.

"What he was trying to say, was that it is time for you all to leave." Kaidus interjected, speaking loudly so that everyone listening could hear. "This establishment is going to be closed for the day in anticipation of changes in owner and services. Now, if all of you gentlemen could be so kind and leave in an orderly fashion, it would make what is to come a lot easier."

"What nonsense is this?! Release Master Coragus at once!" A man stepped from the crowd toward Kaidus, pushing through the others.

Kaidus pulled Coragus forward. "Do not test me again. Tell your men to stand down at once." He commanded, and the man grudgingly obeyed.

Seeing and hearing what was happening, a few of those who were patronizing the brothel began scrambling towards the door while others ignored his words and stayed to watch.

Kaidus scanned the room, then walked to the center and sat Coragus down onto a chair. The sisters wordlessly followed behind him, not leaving his side.

The room became silent, watching his every move. As if waiting for something to happen, the silence prevailed until confused muttering came from the second floor and a group of young ladies and girls appeared.

The remaining customers began asking if it was some sort of special event, even calling out to a few of the girls who were coming down.

"Now that they're here, let us talk." Kaidus spoke, and the stone floor rose up from underneath him, forming into a chair. He smiled, seeing the shock on Coragus' face.

"!!!" Those who were watching became alarmed, having observed the unnatural event.
"Mage!" The word started being whispered around the room as fear became visible in the eyes of the audience.