Chapter 56: Cornered

Yima ran in front of the rest, his bow in his hands. It was not his usual weapon, but he was better with a bow at the head of the group, than with anything else.

They made it to the core room, after killing off a couple of chimeras. They had been persistent in attacking him, specifically, and five people had died to shield him by now.

He glanced at Lucius, who didn't even look concerned or mournful. Yima gritted his teeth. The sinking suspicion that this was a trap overwhelming him.

"Lucius, you go in first," Yima made a step back, to let the vampire through.

"As you wish," Lucius stepped in the core room, and made it as far as the pedestal, when cages of light wrapped themselves around his companions.

"Lucius, what have you done?" Yima snapped. Lucius tried to protest, but then the mockingbird took control of him.

"What I should have done eons ago," the vampire said with a smirk. He was still conscious, could hear and see what was being said. But he couldn't move.

"Tommy, I will get you back for this," Lucius snarled in his mind. What he actually said was: "And now, your reign is over. Pity for the others."

Poison gas began to fill in the chamber, as the door to the outside opened. Lucius felt himself move towards the exit, as he tried to at least move his head towards the sound of coughing behind him. They had underestimated Thomas. Lucius knew that some of the high-ranking ones will get out in time. They will spread the word that he had killed Yima. And then...

He was ruined. Outfoxed by a receptionist. He should have known from their chess games that Thomas had it in him to deal out punishment for mistakes. He had just never thought that the man would be able to do so now, against live people.

When the night air hit Lucius in the face, he blinked. Two guards waited for him, one carrying a bottle.

"What? Am I still getting the guest rights?" Lucius snapped.

"Lord Vermont wishes to see you," Lucius saw an entire platoon and a dark-skinned man waiting for him.

"You don't look like a summon," the vampire said, after accepting the bottle. He drank deep after that. Wanting to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth, left by the ruin that was once his good name.

"My name is Jeremy. The Alchemist's Lair used to be mine. Nowadays, I work for the dungeon master," the man told him. Lucius could see the sharp canines. The mana pool that was bigger than his own. The hunger in the thing's eyes.

"How is Tommy? Has his fever broken? Or, would he use it as an excuse for killing off the guild?" Lucius asked. He forced himself to relax and make a couple of steps towards the alchemist.

"Not only is his fever not down, his nose is all clogged up. You got defeated by someone who is as sick as a dog," Jeremy smirked at him, and pointed at the castle. "Come now. The first group you sent out is already out of the dungeon and heading to Orestria."

"They are alive," not many things could shock Lucius, but this gave him hope.

"The higher leveled ones are not, so don't get your hopes up," Jeremy told him.

"What is your endgame?" Lucius snapped. Yima had been a blundering brute, but they had fought together many times. There were also the rest.

Some trained by him. He closed his eyes, and their faces flashed before them. Not the faces with expression of admiration he had wanted to remember. But with the expression of betrayal.

"Thomas wants to make you a kingmaker," Jeremy told him with a grin. "I don't know why you, precisely. However, he is dead set on you being the one pulling the strings."

"And if I refuse?" Lucius was walking in line with the alchemist. People peered from the windows of their houses at the procession. Not wanting to come out, their fear hanging in the air.

"Then, the rest will die as well. He wants you alive. Apparently, he owes you for something," Jeremy made a left turn, and Lucius followed.

"For what? If he really had thought himself in debt, he would have listened to me in the first place," Lucius said, head bowed.

"It is something silly, I am certain. Now, no more questions. We need to get there before the sunrise. You are so mana depleted right now, that it might kill you," the alchemist sent him another smirk, and Lucius entertained the thought of running. Of stalling until the sunrise, and clearing his name.

It could all be noted down as one big accident during an expedition in the dungeon. The only one that will be persecuted was going to be Thomas, as the new dungeon master.

Then, in a couple of years, the king was going to send what was left of the guild after another city or town. Then, Thomas was going to finish them off, despite his fond memories of them.

They made it to the meeting room, and Lucius saw something from the corner of his eye. A bird of some sort. He reached out to it, but it flew away and went through the open doors.

Had the bird had something to do with all of this? For how long had he been carrying it with him? What was it? He still couldn't explain why he had said what he had to Yima. The bird was the only possible explanation.

"Welcome, Lucius. My condolences," Thomas's voice was raspy from the sickness, but it still sounded melodic. Lucius hated him for it.

"Thomas, it seems that you won this game," Lucius sat down, and noted that the entire Slime party was in attendance. With the local lord behind them.

"The first group of adventurers you sent knew nothing of what you planned to do at Yaranhold," Thomas stated. Eyes cold. "But would have plundered the place, if they could have."

Lucius allowed a smirk to blossom on his lips.

"Well, you know your friends the best," the vampire tried to make a dig at the siren.

"I do know them. Which is why, I don't want all of them to die," Thomas spoke. Lucius nodded, and they began to negotiate.