Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 942: Upon His Arrival

With Mesmerazia’s aid, the heroes were back on Alliance’s soil in less than an hour from their conversation with the second general. Kara and her companions accompanied them–acting as insurance on the goddess’s part, such that the hero may not fall into another ploy and die before upholding his end of the deal. As generous as the goddess of commerce could be, there was little sympathy in her heart for those who could not follow up on a deal.

As long as the promised resources reached her city, the goddess was on their side–even watching now as the land was godless with nobody barring anyone from looking inside. But in that she wasn’t alone, for the gods of the council could peek just as easily. Alas, their attentiveness would amount to nothing since their distraction was already over, and the only thing left for them to do was move on and prepare for the coming holy war.

Enemies they may have been, but fools they were not. Raven and his party were the world’s best chance at defeating the demon lord, and since the gods remained clueless about the nature of that beast, they served to only fuel the hatred–the very same that feeds that corrupt machine.

"So," setting foot into what had been a fish market, Raven eyed a few of the soldiers wearing armors commissioned out of Aranuvia. "Report to your king, warriors. What’s been going on while I’ve been gone?"

At once, the Aranuvians dropped to their knees, and the leader amongst them spoke with profound pride of his people, the warrior kind.

"M’lord, the people beyond this kingdom–a place known as the Consulate of Hamleth have come to surrender and join us in our righteous effort to free our world of the corrupt rot!" Lifting his head, the man furrowed his brows and motioned to the road that led further into the lower city. "Their leaders are taking shelter in the rubble, and a few of our people have been with them to keep an eye out for anything nefarious."

"And?" Gesturing for the man to stand up, Raven turned his attention to the road ahead. "What do you think of these people? Trustworthy or should we get rid of them before they try something like the wretched goddess Kleismeth?"

Rising up, the man follows the hero’s vision and whispers only a few words that any true Aranuvian would believe in.

"We should see what we can take from them. Resources, people, and then...we should take them. Killing them all would definitely be a waste, especially now since we’ve lost so many people."

"Hmm," a smile crept up the hero’s lips, and as he looked at the man again, he couldn’t help but see the same archivist nature of Aran reflected in the people of his land still. "Almost like the man never left. If only he had talked more, who knows what else we would’ve uncovered?"

The men were confused by their king’s words, not realizing that he was talking about their king before him. However, brushing past it all, Raven made his way towards the lower city ruins. On the path to the city, he was already greeted by many curious glances darting back and forth across him and his party.

To his surprise, the majority of the strangers were elves with a handful here and there, seemingly dark elves or some other race with darker skin.

"Part fae, I can smell it on these people," glancing around at the sidelined crowd, Liliyana spoke what everyone had been thinking. "I can see an aura of fear around them, they’re scared of us, but there’s also a more innocent gray–waiting to be hued with something else."

Looking at her lover, she added.

"They’ve yet to form an opinion of us, or maybe they are waiting to see whether or not we’re gonna accept their surrender."

"I don’t know. We can’t say much if they’re part fae, magic resistance and deception are part of their nature," Amedith’s eyes turned to Raven. He’d been with him nearly his whole life, and being part fae, the magus was familiar with the deception and cunning such creatures were capable of. "What do you think, Raven?"

"I think we should keep an eye on them," turning his head, Raven set his gaze upon Aria. "A lot of people died here, Aria. Your necromancy can keep an eye on these folks while we’re distracted, can’t it?"

"On it already." Nodding with her eyes glowing a silver green, the dark elf conjured her necromantic abilities to listen and see through the wandering souls of the people around them and to keep an eye on the folks that they were walking past.

Only a few steps ahead, a man draped in elven jewelry with long green eyelashes and the most perfect nails stepped in front of the party. Moving right behind were a collection of heavily adorned individuals, but the one that struck out the most was another elf–a female, a fae woman with a mushroom for a hat and a few accessories of the same sort hanging from her neck and shoulders.

Another group moved beside them right after. A stringent-looking man, a pair of women who lugged right by his arms, alongside a gathering of lesser nobility or the sort carrying amenities.

"I hear you want to surrender," Raven asked, stopping with his hands crossed, the red of his collar turning a deep shade.

Combing through the crowd, the fae woman held her hand high with a smile lighter than a feather. Her skin was as dark as the void, glistening with the natural oils of her body, the mushrooms were they adornments or growing right out of her skin? Nobody could tell.

"Our lord has lost his sight, or so it seems; thus we stand in what we feel is just." Bowing her head, the woman dropped to her knees. "Accept our surrender, Lord of champions. We bring our resolve and our offerings."

To her words, the elven women of note, all three of them, stepped forward.