Forgotten Conqueror Book Two - From RoyalRoad.com by Za1d3

Chapter 28 - A Corrupted Land II

  Setting down Vick who had fainted during the flight, Kaidus moved toward the Countess. He had bound her legs to keep her from kicking, and her arms behind her back. She glared at him, her dark eyes filled with animosity and anger. Yet beneath the willful and ironclad countenance, there were traces of fear in those eyes.
He had also sealed her mouth shut with magic, and made it quite clear to her that she was at his mercy. Should she try anything, he would not hesitate to end her.
Reaching down, he pulled the woman onto her feet so that everyone could see.

"Countess Belinde..."

A voice came from his left side, and Kaidus turned to see the elder.
In the torchlights, he also saw the numerous men, women, and children, staring in his direction. Their eyes were filled with curiosity.
He didn't notice during his descent, but before him was a large mass of people. From the amount of torches and from those he could see, they easily numbered over a hundred. Each and every one of them was carrying something or had something strapped to them: a bag of clothes, a wooden chair, cooking utensils tied together in bundles, torches, luggage of some sort. Some of the women carried babies in their arms while others held onto the hands of younger children.
It quickly made sense why the Countess had required such a large force of soldiers.

"Burn her! Burn the bitch!" A man shouted, throwing a torch before Kaidus' feet. Others hesitantly stalked forward to get a better look. Their anger and vengeance taking priority over what they had all just witnessed.

"How is this possible?" The elder questioned, and everyone else halted and quieted down upon seeing the old man hobbling over to him.

"Such details are insignificant. Is she not the source of your ire? Of your worries?"

The old man stepped closer. "How could I ever forget that face..." He replied, voice shaking with a dry fury. "Or her despicable laughter when she murdered my sons before my very eyes." The old man reached out a trembling hand as if to go for her throat. The young lady beside him placed her hands on his shoulders, and he stopped.

The commanding elder from that evening looked extremely small now. Sorrow oozed from him like a leaking water skin, and there were tears in his eyes.

"Giv'er to us! She needs to pay for everything she's done!" A man bellowed.

Kaidus pulled the Countess out of reach of the bloodthirsty group. "I don't know what transpired between you all, but as you can see, she is my hostage. If you wish to have her, I would like to propose a trade."

"Trade?" The elder looked up at him.

"Coincidentally, I have business with those she is affiliated to. I have questioned many of her kind before, and have grown tired of not getting what I need." He saw the dread on the Countess' face. "You provide me with what you know, and I will hand her over to you, to do with as you wish."

The old man silently stared at him for a moment. "B-Business with people like her?"

"It is personal, and not something you should worry about." Kaidus replied as he looked around once more. "I have also taken the liberty of dealing with your pursuers. None of you will need to flee this night." He added, not going into details. "Now, do we have an agreement or not?"

The elder gave him with a look of shock and surprise, along with an understanding stare. "I... of course. But I'm afraid we might not be able to help with what information you are seeking."

"We shall find out soon enough. Perhaps we can discuss further in one of the houses?"

"C-Certainly. That one right over there." The old man pointed behind him to a hut nearby.

Kaidus stepped over to where Vick was lying on the ground.
"Aaaah!!!" Vick screamed as he attempted to pick the man up. "What happened?! Where am I? What in the world is going on?!" Vick glanced around before locking eyes with him. "Kaidus! What happened?! I was- We were- Were we really flying?!"

"Yes. Now settle down."

"When?! How!? Why didn't you tell me you could do that?!" Vick questioned excitedly.

"Later. We're going inside. Come on." He walked over to the Countess and pushed her toward the small hut. She attempted to put up some semblance of a fight, but was easily forced into the house.

Behind them, the villagers were questioning what was happening. The elder was talking with some of them, telling them to notify the others of the new developments.