The Novel's Sidekick



Strolling in the office for a while, I went to the underground floor where the captives were held. Yup, they were all here. After all, hell broke loose, the warlock wasn’t in any shape to try anything, his channels were burned from the power of purgatory, rendering him useless to draw a sparkle of power.

Still, he was in the most secure cell along with the rogue knight Rial. There was only one path to the warlock remains: Execution. Yup, for what he did, there was no forgiveness for it and I felt no sympathy for him. For his arrogance and ambition, he put thousands of lives on the line. Not to mention the saint beast, which was not in anyone's mind, he messed with the outer gates, that unstabilized dimension, magic and many things. There will be reparations for that later.

However, the same couldn’t be said about the knight.

Rial kept his life in the little encounter he had with the saint beast with Jon's mentor Lord Penron, though he was hospitalised after being found freezing with wounds in the snow. Anyway, to the topic of Rial, he would likely keep his life all his life in prison. No, it had nothing to do with him being a lesser sinner, but it was because of the Dominion.

Dominion of Reduction, the unique dominion owned by Ruthalyn. The Academy or the empire didn’t have any way to steal the dominion away. If they kill the knight, it would return to the source and someone else would take its place again.

There were other complications when it came to dominion, but that’s not important now.

I had no intention of meeting the warlock or the rogue knight, but a few warders. Two of them, I would need to check up on their afflictions. Well, I worked on their healing once, as I’m the only one remaining who can purge the dark afflictions most effectively.

During the chaos, I didn’t have time or the intention of wasting time on healing two of them. But when the chaos was over, these two were too serious of a stage to be healed by any healer. Even though a few worked on them, they couldn’t completely purge the dark energy. So here I was.

I stood before the cell, which was covered with a thin layer of aluminium or tin alloy. Noyar opened the cell for me and as we got inside, she closed it again. The two rogue warders with dark afflictions share a single cell for convenience’s sake.

“Hello, fellas,” I beamed, raising my right palm in cheer. “I hope the suffering kept you alive. Sorry for all the delays. You should be aware, it hasn't been easy on any of us either.”

One of the two whimpered with consciousness, but the other one was groaning in a semi-conscious state. I guess what they say is right: There’s no rest for the wicked.

Without wasting time, I held onto the hand of the semi-conscious one and jerked to wake him up. “Wakey, wakey, sunshine.”

“Ahem!” Noyar coughed from behind, but I just ignored her.

As I transferred my power to the channels of the rogue warder . . . Correction: criminal—awoke and looked at me with blurry eyes. The other one was also staring at me as if I was a lunatic.

I kept the grin on my lips and did my job. I didn’t know how I look, but I’m pretty sure I’m looking pretty crazy. “Sorry for this behaviour,” I said, still giving the creepy smile, “don’t worry, though, this is not real. Just some safety precautions so that I don’t unconsciously harm you somehow.”

The two guys shuddered visibly and didn’t have the gall to cross my eyes.

“Oscar,” Noyar called, her voice hesitant.

I gave her a look, showing I’m in full control. “I hear you guys agreed to be afflicted,” I said. “Care to explain why so much loyalty? I mean you two don’t look like some cult member to me, nor that possessed or something?” I paused, reading their looks. “That’s not it.” I tilted my head. “Family perhaps.”

The criminal’s eyes widened. Bullseye!

“So, the warlock was just holding you guys’ family,” I asked, “or It's just about the money?”

They didn’t answer to my disappointment. I clicked my tongue and moved to the other criminal, finishing my healing. “Looks like I won't get any answer,” I said and continued the work.

“Joys Masters,” I called a name. One of Althan’s underlings. Dead underling.“Came from an ordinary family. His father died in an unresolved supernatural accident, which drew Joys to become a knight squire in the first place.

“Sherin Kay. He wanted to make sure his family lived well after the devastating storm destroyed their village.

“Kanir Hisk. He, well, he doesn’t have that poor background and probably lived his life in comfort, but that doesn’t mean he deserved to die.”

They looked down, their face ashen.

I drew my words deliberately. “I can throw half a dozen names and a few more who’re not you two responsible for, at least not directly.” I let out a breath without knowing. “Thirteen dead, including a knight, 8 warders, and the rest were just kids. If I put together their family members, it's about 80 people's lives were unsettled entirely by this event.

"I guess the warlock wouldn’t recuperate their family, would he? Well, the warder’s family would get something. That would barely be enough for their family for some years, as for the kids . . .”

My voice trailed off. As far as I’m concerned, their family would get nothing, no money, nor any recuperation. However, I wasn’t totally sure, so I looked at Noyar.

She frowned for a second and shook her head. My fist clenched tighter only to find out I was hurting the wounded man. I let go.

I let go and stood up. “I think Kimbers would give some form of recuperation, at least to give face, but . . .”

“I’ll look into the matter,” Noyar said quietly.

I nodded to her and stood up, finishing the healing. “Well, the purging is done, but unfortunately, I cannot say you two were free,” I said and gave a thoughtful look. “The warlock is captured. How are you guys sure that your families were well-fed or not in any hostile environment?”

The two criminals were lost for words, looking at each other with strange gazes. “No, he gave his word. I’m sure--”

“By he, I presume you’re talking about Rojar Iker?” I asked, cutting him short. “The infamous warlock who risked thousands of lives on his insanity?”

Their faces darkened, and they looked down.

“I’m not sure if he remembers what kind of words he has given to you,” I said, “especially not when his plan went astray. But don’t you worry my friend, I’ll personally look into the matter. If they were in difficult situations, we’ll make sure to take care of them and while we’re at it, we’ll make sure they know what exactly happened to their son, husband or father. You guys have kids, right? I wondered how they would feel to how they live in comfort.”

I kind of feel like the devil is saying all this. I even felt Noyar’s eerie gaze, staring at me intensely. I ignored it, for now, looking at the discomfort, remorse, and agony on their faces. For all that matter, I felt not even a single bit of comfort or glee doing this. But . . . I wondered why I did this.

“Please, my lord,” screamed out the criminal, lunging to wrap his arms around my legs. I dodged by withdrawing a step. But the captive didn’t stop. “I’m begging you. Please! Kika, my boy, he’s only twelve, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if . . . if you do this to him.”

“My lord, please take my life, treat me as your slave, or beat me every day, but please . . . My father . . . he would starve to death before he would take the money. I’m begging you, please curse me with the evillest curse, but leave them out of it.”

“So they talk, huh,” I muttered. “I guess you guys should have thought about all this before joining the warlock.”

“We didn’t know,” they shouted after me, but I ignored them and got out with Noyar.

They didn’t stop begging, and I fear they won’t anytime soon, or any other when someone comes to see them.

I wondered if I did the right thing.

I could still feel Noyar’s intense stare at me. Her mouth hung open as if lost for words. She really hadn’t expected something like this from me, well nor did I. The sudden flash of anger, that . . . I had no intention of starting something like this, but the moment I started talking the names of the dead appeared in my mind. Curse you, eidetic memory.

I fear I'll never forget their names and faces all my life with this cursed memory of mine. They would remain with me until it was my time.

After covering some distance, I couldn’t endure her stare anymore and gave her a scowl. “Something you wanted to ask me?”

“What you did there,” she started quietly, “was rather cruel.”

“Yes,” I admitted in a shaky voice.

“Will you--”

“Oh dear lord, no,” I said without even her finishing it. “I admit I have my faults, but I’m not a psychopath, Noyar.”

Noyar sighed in relief, hearing that as we walked out of the prison dungeon. “So, you won’t go to their family and tell the evil deed of their . . .”

“Nah,” I said, “but they don’t know that, do they?”

“This is . . . certainly . . .” her voice trailed.

Perhaps the word she was looking for was Evil.

“I wondered if this was the right thing to do,” I muttered, giving the prison a last look.

“That you have to ask your conscience.”