I was a little disappointed to hear that nothing had happened. The people of the village had barely noticed that anything had changed. Some of them didn't even realize that the mages had tried to take over and almost caused a civil war. They had been safe in their own little corner of the country and none of them had suffered at all.

In fact, they had prospered even more, because of the increased tourism to the Eastern Empire. That had made me angry again and I struggled to not crush them completely. I shouted at them and I raged at how stupid they were, how lucky they were that in their betrayal of me, they found each other and then betrayed me again by getting married.

“You knew I hated them! Instead of keeping your vows, you went right to them and let them comfort you! You let them touch you! You let them have you!” I shouted. “How do you think that makes me feel? HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES ME FEEL?!?”

My magic tore huge swaths in the dry ground around where the house and barn used to be. I unconsciously used Mould Earth and made copies of Helena and myself in different poses, holding each other, kissing, and then the both of us mangled, me crippled, and the baby in its near-death state. They were soon covered in metal and all those earth, stone, and metal statues surrounded my betrayers.

“I hope you can enjoy your nice, quiet, and happy lives as you gaze upon the results of your actions.” I spat at them and climbed into my tank. I made it appear for them, just to hear their terrified screams, and I drove off up the driveway.

I hid it again before reaching the road and drove over to the garrison. It wasn't one of the places on Melanie's lists; but, I had to check, considering the way they acted the last time I was here. Also, I remember the last commanding officer's words about no one caring about what happened all the way out here. I parked the tank just off the road and put on my swords, then left the tank and walked over to the front gate.

“Halt! Who goes there?” One of the guards asked.

“I am Lord Drake of Drake's Marsh.” I said and his eyes widened. “I request entry to speak to the mage contingent stationed here.”

“The mages aren't accepting visitors at this time.” He responded.

“That's not what I asked you.” I said in a deadly voice. “Open the gate or I will open it for you.”

“Sir, I am going to have to ask you to step away and leave.” The solder said and his partner took aim with a crossbow, as did the two on the overhead bridge. “You can't threaten the army like that.”

“It wasn't a threat.” I said as my magic surged. I waved my hand at the gate and my magic smashed it into splinters. “If you support the mages against the royal family and their duly appointed Royal Inquisitor, you will die as a conspirator.”

“Open fir...”

My snapping fingers interrupted his order and all four men burst into flames and then exploded as my magic lashed at them like it had at the gate. The overhead bridge to the other half of the garrison shattered and the men's remains fell into the wreckage and lit the dried wood on fire.

I walked inside the garrison through the hole the destroyed gate left and several soldiers were scrambling around. “Attack me and die.” I warned them and they didn't listen.

They ran at me with swords and shields, so I melted them and left the men screaming in pain and dying. I walked on and other soldiers were smart enough to not attack me. A few ran into the administration building as I approached the center of the garrison, probably to warn them. It didn't matter. I wasn't really here for them. Not yet, anyway. I always took the mages out first.

“Halt, murderer!” A voice rang out behind me and I stopped to turn and look.

“So, the disgraced commander stuck his tail between his legs and accepted assignment back at the post he committed so many crimes at?” I asked the very man that conscripted me. “That explains the soldiers reactions to me.”

“You're not going to be conscripted this time.” The commander said and motioned to the large group of soldiers behind him and they all hefted crossbows to aim at me.

“What were my words to you the last time you threatened me?” I asked and he looked confused. “Who is going to report what I've done if no one is left alive?”

The soldiers behind him screamed for about two seconds as the bright blue fire immolated them and turned them, their clothing, their armor, and their weapons into ash.

“Well? What's your answer?” I asked and walked over to him. “I'm going to kill them all now, because of you and your decisions. How does that make you feel?”

The man braced to attack and I laughed. “What are you laughing at?”

“You don't care about them.” I said and waved at the men gathering around us. “You honestly don't care that you've sentenced them to death, even though you're responsible for it.”

“They're soldiers. They signed away their lives when they joined up.” The CO said.

I gave him one of Hope's favorite smiles. “So. Did. You.”

He caught his breath and then he no longer had arms and legs as his torso dropped to the ground.

“You didn't even feel that, did you?” I asked and sheathed my sword.

I waved my hand over his shoulders and hips to heal the holes, sealing them and keeping him alive. I also sealed where his manhood used to be. I couldn't let the man breed or ever feel sexual relief again.

“I was going to kill you, just so I would never have to deal with you again.” I said and looked down at him. “Instead, I'm going to do something much, much worse to you.”

“There's nothing you can do to me that I can't take!” The man spat.

I bent over him and gave him another very happy smile. “How about the same thing I went through, only you won't be able to speak.”

He looked confused, so I took out a knife and pried open his mouth, quickly cut out his tongue and sealed it with drops of number ten potion, then used several drops more to close his mouth permanently.

“I think spending the rest of your life as a crippled slave that can't do anything, is quite fitting, don't you?” I asked him.

He wiggled his torso and yelled at me, only it was all mumbles.

“I told you that there are worse things than death.” I said and stood up, only to see nearly a hundred men aiming weapons at me. I grinned at them like the Hag. “Who's next?”

The soldiers exchanged looks for a second, then almost as one, dropped their weapons and ran.

“Please, don't kill them.” A woman's voice said from off to the side.

I turned to see a very pretty red-haired woman wearing mage robes. “You are just the person I wanted to see.”

She looked surprised for a moment, then she sighed. “They wouldn't let you in because of me.”

“Technically.” I said and walked over to her. “As you saw, my old CO corrupted their view of me and they were going to stop me anyway.”

“Did he corrupt their view?” She asked and tensed as I came to a stop in front of her.

“Before I lost everything, he was completely wrong. His assumptions and bias colored everything he did against me. I didn't know any better, and yet, he treated me as if I already knew all his rules and regulations. He was an idiot.” I chuckled. “He still is, actually.”

“And now?” She asked, her body still tense.

“I have nothing left to lose. I have no need to follow the rules. Obey laws. Not kill people that annoy me or stop me from my duty.”

“What is your duty?” She asked.

“Royal Inquisitor.” I said and she gasped. “My job is to hunt down mages and weed out sedition against the Gulf Kingdom.”

The CO mumbled and stopped trying to struggle and get away. He knew he was screwed now.

“I assume you're going to interrogate me and my mages?” She asked.

“Not going to. Have to.” I corrected. “Every mage I meet has to be questioned.”

“That... why would they issue a writ of dispensation for that?”

“It was to keep me from killing everyone and burning the capital city to the ground.” I said and she gasped again. “Yes, I can do it.”

She stared as I waved my hand and all the buildings around us lit on fire. “You didn't chant.”

“I've never needed to.” I said and waved my hand again to stop the fire. “Do you want to do this here or in the mage's quarters?”

“The others will be gathered there by now to wait for my signal.” She said and gave me a searching look. “I hope you don't just kill us all.”

“Only the guilty ones.” I said and she sighed. “You are quite beautiful. I hope you aren't one of them.”

She seemed startled by that comment. “Why would you say that just before an interrogation?”

“To disarm you and make you think you can be nice to me and get leniency.” I explained and she looked even more startled. “My comment is still the truth, only used judiciously.”

“I... I don't... how do I even respond to that?” She asked.

“Lead the way, please. I'm running out of time before I lose my self-control completely.”

She looked at the crippled CO and back to my face. “That wasn't losing it?”

“No. I wanted to turn him inside out instead and still keep him alive. It would be quite the challenge.”

Her mouth dropped open and she stared at me.

I waved her towards the mage's quarters. “After you.”

She closed her mouth and nodded before she led me there. Twelve other mages were gathered together and two of them started to chant right away when they saw me. Two slight pushes with magic caved their faces in and crushed their brains. Their bodies dropped to the floor and everyone stared at them.

“Any more surprise attacks?” I asked and they all shook their heads. “Then take one of these new calming potions and we can get started.”

“I refuse to drink anything that...” One of the men started to say.

“It wasn't a request.” I said and cast the sealing spell on the quarters to close the windows and doors in a magical barrier. “Head mage, if you would. As proof.”

She gave me an odd look, then drank the truth serum. “I can't believe you did that to a human being.”

“He's still technically human.” I said.

She huffed. “What kind of life will he have without a penis? He's even going to disappoint the maids taking care of him.”

“He's going to be a slave in another country, so that doesn't matter.” I said. “Tell me about your involvement with the Grand Mage, the Henrietta family, and any plans to join the mages guild in overthrowing the legitimate ruling body.”

She calmly talked for the whole thirty minutes and then the potion wore off and she had a look of horror on her face.

“I am glad that you were not involved in any of that.” I said and took her hand, bent over it, and kissed it as I shared magic with her. I had forgotten how almost out of control it was now and it filled her and merged with her magic completely.

“OHHHH!” She moaned loudly and had several orgasms. Her hand gripped mine so tightly that she almost broke my fingers. Her eyes, when they cleared of the pleasure a minute later, stared at me very intensely.

“I won't sign any contracts.” I whispered to her and let her hand go. “Who's next?”

Three of the women put up their hands immediately. The fourth woman blushed and looked down.

“Married?” I asked and the three nodded, while the fourth shook her head. “I won't share magic with you if you don't want me to.” I said and she nodded. “I'll save you for last.”

She blushed and nodded again.

I held a hand out to the closest of the three women and she practically jumped on me and guzzled the truth potion. Like the redhead, she wasn't involved and didn't know anyone that was. When I shared my magic with her, she came so much that she messed up her robes. She didn't care about that at all.

“I'll pay you... anything you want... to come home with me.” She whispered.

“The price to have me around is much too high.” I said and kissed her hand again to give her a bit more magic and made her orgasm again. I held my hand out to the next woman and she wasn't as enthusiastic as the last one. She was also innocent and only came twice when I shared magic with her.

The third woman was innocent of knowing anything about Helena and the Grand Mage's plans. She did know several mages that were discussing the conspiracy and she had been asked to participate and refused, which was why she had been assigned out here, well away from the main areas and possibly the first to die in the next conflict. The men she knew were also dead. I had killed them already.

I shared magic with her and she came only once. It was a very hard one, though. She collapsed into my arms and then she fell unconscious with a huge smile on her face.

“The poor thing.” The redhead whispered.

“I agree.” I said and handed her off to the redhead to take care of. I turned to look at the last woman and held out my hand. “Dear lady, if you would be so kind.”

She tentatively took my offered hand and came close to take the truth serum. She was also innocent and didn't know anything. She also said she was a virgin and wasn't allowed to share magic with anyone.

“I won't do so, as I promised.” I said and kissed her hand. “Thank you for allowing me to talk to you.”

She nodded and went to sit with the other women.

The men's questioning didn't go as smoothly. A couple of them were reluctant to take the potion and had to be forced. They were all innocent of the crimes I wanted them for; but, they had done quite a few other things, including adultery, breaking their marriage contracts, thievery, and one even committed murder.

The redhead did not look happy at all. “Are you going to kill them?”

By her tone, I was sure she was asking me to hurry up and do it.

“My writ doesn't allow me to kill anyone innocent of the crimes I'm asking about.” I said and she looked disappointed.

“I'll have to do it the old fashioned way.” The redhead said. “You three are suspended from active duty. You three...” She glared at the three men. “Are under arrest. You'll be turned over to the proper authorities as soon as possible.”

The men looked mutinous and exchanged looks. As soon as they turned back to glare at her and one started muttering, my glowing blade was across their necks.

“I am allowed to stop crimes from being committed during my interrogations.” I said and sheathed my sword as the three heads rolled off of the bodies and the bodies dropped to the floor.

The three women looked shocked, because they hadn't seen me move.

The redhead looked satisfied. “Thank you for saving me three headaches, Lord Drake.”

“You're welcome.” I said and bowed to her and the other women. “If you will excuse me, I have an emotional breakdown to attend.”

They watched me walk out before they spoke.

“Did he just... how did he stay here and...”

“Maybe he was distracting himself?”

“He definitely distracted me.”

“I wish I could have helped him.”

I ignored the rest of their conversation and left them in the mage's quarters. I had a garrison to loot and a CO to convert into a slave and then package him up to send off.