Dragon's Progeny: Chapter 45

“I'm not sure you understand what you're asking us to do, Yosei.”

Faultline’s posture was rigid, her posture filled with tension as the two of us sat in my office. The mercenary had graciously agreed to this meeting after my display at Somer's Rock, and it was clear that the woman was regretting it now. Though given the subject matter, that was more than understandable.

“I was under the impression that you were willing to do virtually any job, given that it doesn't break your code.” I said lightly, “I am not asking you to act as my soldiers. I am merely asking that you defend my territory in my place.”

“And get in the middle of your war which we have absolutely no stake in.” Faultline responded frankly, “Between you and the Empire, I’m not really sure I’d put my money on you, no offense.” I inclined my head, indicating that none was taken, “They’ve got three times the capes and twice the men. If we side with you over them and they win this thing, we’ll be targeted next. We don't need that kind of heat, especially not here.”

Her worries were ones that I had heard multiple times over the last few days and as such, I was well practiced in putting them to rest.

“I understand your hesitation, but rest assured, I have no intention of letting them use any of those resources to their full effect.” I assured her, “You have nothing to fear from the Empire as long as you're working for me.”

“Is that so?” Faultline's voice was skeptical, “And what makes you think that you're capable of protecting us from them when you're the one trying to hire us to protect your territory? That doesn't really add up.”

“I’m hiring you simply because I cannot be everywhere at once.” I explained, “I have a plan for this war, one that requires me to be away from my territory for an extended period of time and I have little doubt that Kaiser would use that time to make a move. If you were here, assisting me with keeping my people safe, the same blanket of protection that falls up on them would find its way to you. Should the Empire attempt to attack you, I will step in, as will those within the ABB.”

“Speaking of the ABB, what about your capes?” Faultline pressed, “You seemed pretty eager to get into this fight. Are you telling me you don't have the firepower to back up your words back at Somer's Rock?”

She was testing me. Trying to see if I would fold under the pressure or go back on my own word. I would not.

I steepled my humans in front of me, “My people are required elsewhere. Lee and Spook are integral to ensuring this war is a short and decisive one. While I am sure either of them would be a great help in the defense, the resulting hole in our offensive would drag this conflict out far longer than anyone in the city would like.”

Faultline seemed, if not pleased, then at least satisfied at my answer, “I see. Speaking of Spook, I have a few questions regarding him.”

“You are more than welcome to speak to him yourself once this meeting is over.” I said, already having an idea of what she wished to ask about, “Though I feel I should warn you, his power doesn't lend itself to polite conversation.”

“I assume his name wasn't chosen randomly.”

I smiled, “No, it was not. He has an interesting sense of humor, as I'm sure you'll find when you speak to him. For now though, I would ask that we return to the topic at hand.”

“Of course, I apologize for getting off topic.” Faultline said, “I’ll admit, I'm still not sure this is a contract I'm willing to take. There's just too much that could go wrong. My team is not meant for combat against capes like the ones Kaiser can field at any given moment. I need assurances that-”

There was a knock at my door, a series of gentle taps that carried a sense of urgency in them. I glanced at Faultline, who inclined her head, seemingly content with waiting, before calling out to whoever was on the other side, “You may enter.”

A thin, balding man of around fifty years of age bowed low as he entered, “I apologize for the interruption, Yosei-sama, but there has been a development that needs to be brought to your immediate attention.”

I straightened, “Very well, Shu. What is it?”

“Several Empire capes have been spotted entering ABB territory, Yosei-sama.” He said, causing me to pause, “Reports indicate that there are five of them in total.”

As Faultline stiffened in surprise, I kept a cool composure in light of this new information. Five capes. That was surprising but not unexpected. Although…

 “Kaiser moves quickly. I wasn't expecting this so soon. It hasn't even been a full day.” I muttered, taking in this new information, “Who are they? Do we have any information on what they are doing?”

“Reports say that both of the Valkyrie Twins are present, as well as Krieg, Victor, and Othala, Yosei-sama. They were last seen near Korea-town.”

I hummed through fully, That was quite a selection of capes. More than enough to deal with most threats that might come their way.

Though my guest was surprised, I could see this attack for what it was. It would seem that my preemptive strike had also struck Kaiser's pride and he was overcorrecting. Such a blow could only be responded to with one in kind, and this was his way of doing it.

It was a show of the Empire's superiority. He believed that I wouldn't confront so many capes even as they encroached on my home and they would in turn, be free to cause as much chaos as they wished. They were attempting to make me lose face with my people, dissolving any faith in me once they realized that I couldn't protect them.

It was unfortunate for them that they had played right into my hand.

“Thank you for the information, Shu. You are dismissed.” I thanked the man, who bowed low and exited.

“Looks like Kaiser isn't playing any games.” Faultline said as the man left the room. She looked at me challengingly, “What are you going to do now? Like I said, we aren't willing to fight the Empire head on, so you're on your own.”

I nodded understandingly, “That's fine. Perhaps this can work as proof of my claims.” I said as I stood up, putting my mask on, “Come with me. I will deal with the Empire and you will see that you have nothing to worry about when it comes to possible reprisal.”

“You're gonna take them on by yourself?” For the first time, Faultline actually sounded surprised and I nodded, motioning for her to join me.

“I have faced greater odds and come out on top.” I said simply, “And this time, I will be playing for keeps. The Empire may think they are making a statement by sending so many capes into my territory, but in reality all they have done is delivered a great deal of their forces right into the maw of the dragon.”

I glanced back at her, “Stay tuned. You are in for quite a show.”

~~~

I observed the damage that had been done to my territory as I arrived at the scene of the incursion. The Empire had wasted no time in terrorizing my people, and several buildings had already been devastated in the short time it had taken to get here.

The street was empty and several fires raged in the buildings around the block. I couldn't see any of my people dead yet, but given the size of the fires, it was inevitable that somebody had likely died in the blaze. Perhaps even more than one.

I kept my cool as I approached the people responsible. None of them seemed surprised to see me, proving what I had already suspected. They were waiting for me specifically. Perhaps Kaiser thought that they would be sufficient to defeat me or maybe they were just lingering to deliver a message. Either way, this wouldn't be going the way they expected.

Krieg was the one to step away from the group to address me, taking the spot of leader in place of his master.

“Look at the devastation your actions have put upon your people, Yosei.” Krieg gestured around us at the towering flames, “All of this because you decided you wanted to take back what wasn’t yours to begin with. This is what happens when people like you get in over your head and try to rise above your station. People get hurt.”

I didn't humor his chatter for even a moment. Normally, I'd respond to them with threats and perhaps a monologue of my own, but this wasn't the time for that. The stakes here were much higher and it was time to show these people exactly what I was capable of, and how big of a mistake they had truly made in following their leader into this conflict.

My mist cut off Krieg’s words, spreading outwards and blanketing the world around me. As I was changed by my power, I would hear those outside recoil in surprise at my sudden actions, before the sound of something large and heavy slamming against the ground caught my ears.

I pushed the mist to the side with a clawed hand and my eyes immediately caught sight of the growing Valkyrie Twins. They already were over twelve feet tall and growing rapidly, until one of them, Menja, judging by the spear in her hand, locked eyes with me.

The Valkyrie’s increased durability meant absolutely nothing when faced with a Gorgon’s petrifying gaze. Her growth stopped immediately and so did her movements. She went completely still, freezing in place as a grey, rocky texture began to spread outwards from the eyeholes in her helmet, spreading to cover over her body in a matter of seconds. By the time it was done, everyone on the battlefield was left staring at the once shining valkyrie, turned cold, hard stone.

The Gorgon's petrification was much, much more potent during a full body transformation and so was every other aspect of its power. My limbs surged with ethereal energy as my snake-like lower body coiled in on itself, before I sprang upwards hard enough to crack the concrete beneath me.

Fenja flinched backwards, bringing her shield up on reflex but I passed it by on the way to her face and latched onto the metal of her helmet’s brow with my claws. The black pupil of her single blue eye dilated as it stared into my own, moments before becoming glassy as it turned to stone just like her sister's.

As the change overcame Fenja, I leapt off of the giant valkyrie, falling back to the ground as the rest of her body began to turn to stone just like her sister, leaving two giant statues standing in the middle of the street.

“Oh my god…” Othala whispered as she witnessed what I had done and how quickly I had done it, and she flinched as I turned towards her, instinctively closing her eyes tightly as she feared she was about to be turned to stone next.

But my eyes moved past her, looking into Krieg instead. The man was staunchly keeping his eyes away from mine, realizing what had just happened and how, and instead turned towards the only woman left in their little group.

“Othala!” He held a hand out and the woman grabbed it without hesitation. I narrowed my eyes, coiling my body once more, but I wasn't fast enough to stop Othala from bestowing her powers upon the man.

Krieg's body blurred as his speed increased exponentially. He streaked towards me like a missile, running just as fast as a low-tier Mover as he closed the distance in mere moments.

I sprung backwards only to hiss as I slowed greatly, caught in his power the moment he drew closer enough for it to affect me. I drew my arms up to defend myself, but it felt like I was moving through water and I was half a second too late to bring them up fully before Krieg was up on me, slamming into my body with a textbook shoulder tackle.

It was like being hit with Squealer's cannon all over again. I flew backwards like a rocket, my bones creaking as Krieg's powers amplified his charge even more than his speed already had. I slammed into a nearby car hard enough to crumple its body inward, metal folding around me like a closing fist as my large body utterly destroyed the aluminum frame.

Growling angrily, I ripped myself free, tearing through the metal surrounding me with ease before throwing the scraps at Krieg as he approached. The debris slowed as it entered his field, practically suspended in midair by the time it reached the man's body and he dodged around it easily, continuing towards me.

My claws ripped through the car's metal chassis as I threw more debris at him, but he was undaunted as he continued towards me. I grabbed even more and prepared to throw, but a loud crack and a harsh line of pain along my abdomen interrupted me as a bullet scraped across my hardened scales.

I looked over to find Victor had not been idle. The man was pointing a rifle at me, pulling back on the bolt as he chambered another round. Not wanting to be shot again, I adjusted my aim, throwing the remnants of the car door at him instead of Krieg.

Othala stepped forward, placing a hand on her partner's shoulder, and the door crumpled around him like a tin can instead of knocking him off of his feet as intended. It did have the intended effect of taking his eyes off of me though, so I would work with what I had.

Krieg was only a short distance away now and I tensed, preparing for another impact. As he took another step however, his speed suddenly drastically decreased, becoming far more human as Othala's power wore off. It seemed he hadn't remained in contact for long enough to get more than a quick burst of power. He continued towards me however, undaunted as he prepared to plow into me once again, and that was his mistake.

Victor's power worked by modifying the kinetic energy of objects or people in an area around him, but there was a limit to how much force he could apply. A strong enough brute would barely be affected by his aura and while Gorgon's weren't reputed to be especially strong, their size more than made up for it.

Springing upwards, I flipped around the top of the car I was pinned against as Victor approached, and used my tail like a spring to launch it towards him at mach speed. It tumbled along the ground like a car crash on the highway, and he was forced to focus his attention on it to prevent himself from being trampled. Which meant he took it off of keeping his eyes off of me.

It was a split-second lapse in judgement, but in a battle as quick-paced as this, it was all that was needed. As the car flipped upwards and over his head, redirected by his power, I was in front of him. He startled, glancing up at my face and meeting my eyes, and that was that.

As Krieg was turned into a statue behind me, I turned my attention towards the remaining combatants on the field. Victor was still struggling with the door and Othala was no help. The woman was staring at Krieg with wide eyes, not able to believe that I had managed to dispatch three of them so quickly and so soundly.

I slithered towards her and she finally snapped out of her funk. She turned to help her partner, pressing her hand to his skin and granting him a new set of powers. Victor’s muscles bulged and he literally tore the obstruction away from his body with a roar and the sound of shearing metal. Tossing either half of the ruined door to the ground, he reached down to grab his rifle from where it had fallen on the ground, but by then I was already upon them.

Othala screamed as I pushed her to the side, moving towards her partner instead. Victor attempted to resist, but my strength in this form was far above his own, and I was easily able to overpower him. Looming over him, I grabbed Victor by the sides of his shaved head, forcing him to look at me. He shied away, closing his eyes so that he wouldn't meet the same fate as his comrades, and my lip curled at his actions.

“Do not shy away from the consequences of your actions, coward.” I hissed, my voice breathy and snake-like as I spoke for the first time since transforming. Victor staunchly refused to open his eyes, and the man’s muscles strained as he tried to pry away my arms. He made some progress, but not enough to be in any way significant, and I growled at his actions, before bringing my fingers towards his eyes, prying them open manually.

Our eyes met in that split second before he managed to flick his gaze into the back of his head, and then it was over. The transformation came over him in an instant, freezing his eyes in place and allowing me to ensure that he was fully petrified. Only a few seconds later, it was finished, and I backed away, staring at my new trophy with satisfaction.

“VICTOR!” A heart-wrenching scream broke me out of my admiration, and I was reminded that my job wasn’t yet complete. I turned towards Othala who was still lying on the ground nearby, and was slightly surprised at what I saw. Apparently I had used a bit too much strength when I pushed her away or perhaps she had just landed improperly. Either way, that arm was definitely broken.

Though that was clearly the last thing on her mind. Othala was staring at Victor with a heartbroken expression, fat tears sliding over her mask as she stared at the grey statue that the man had become, and her shoulders shook with

I felt no sympathy towards the woman as she sobbed, propping herself up with one arm. She turned to look at me and her eyes flickered with terror as she saw me approach.

“Y-you monster! Do you think the heroes will let you get away with this? You'll get a Kill Order once they find out what you did!” She stuttered as she tried to crawl away. Her body shook with either fear or pain as I slithered after her at a leisurely pace, not exerting myself in the slightest as I kept up with her pitiful attempt at an escape.

“They will not.” I said confidently, “Your petrification is not permanent, but it is beholden to my power. Only I am able to undo the transformation my eyes inflict upon your comrades and it must be done willingly. Should I die, you will remain as mere decorations for my garden for the rest of time. Nobody will be able to help you.”

I would admit I was bluffing a bit here. I wasn't sure if my powers truly persisted after my death and nor was anyone else, I was sure, but Othala didn't know that. And judging by the way her eyes widened in absolute horror, my threat carried sufficient weight.

Too much weight apparently. Perhaps from the pain of a broken arm or even from the fear and heartbreak she was feeling, Othala wasn’t quite able to stay in the land of the living for much longer. Her chest heaved as she hyperventilated, clutching her arm as her eyes flicked between myself and at the statue I had made of Victor, moments before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she passed out cold.

I stopped, staring at her limp body with a surprised expression. I hadn’t realized that she would be so afraid that she would actually pass out, but this actually worked in my favor.

With a burst of mist, I returned back to normal. After taking a moment to get used to having actual legs once more, I pulled out my phone and made a call.

“Teruo, I need to request a pick up.”

~~~

I watched as Nana inspected Othala with a critical gaze, pouring over her sleeping features with a keen eye. Eventually, she leaned back, looking perplexed.

“Well I can't say I see the family resemblance.” She said, scratching her head as she stared at the woman's unmasked face, “You sure she’s related to our dear old Tammi?”

“Well it is a rather large family. It's possible they aren't first cousins.” I said as I watched her inspect Othala’s bindings, “What matters is whether or not she knows where Tammi is. It is likely Kaiser shared at least some of the specifics of what he has done with her.”

“Well if she does, I'll make sure to get it out of her. Types like this don't take much to break.”

“Don't hurt her too much. Though she is our enemy, she is still Tammi's cousin and she might still value her in some regard. Get the information you need and nothing more.”

“Party pooper.” Nana pouted but didn't argue, and I gave her a thankful look, before leaving the room.

Faultline was waiting for me outside, standing just outside the door with her arms crossed, “You unmasked her just like that?” She asked in a slightly accusatory tone.

“They kidnapped someone close to me and are holding her hostage to their ideals. The Unwritten Rules are the least of my concerns right now.” I glanced at her, noting her tense posture, “You don't need to worry. Only the Empire deserves such treatment as far as I am concerned.”

“Right.” Faultline stared at me for a long moment, trying to dissect my intentions, before slowly shaking her head, “Anyway, you were right about that being a pretty good show. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone take on that many capes and come out on top. And I’d be more than happy never seeing it again, if I’m being honest.”

“Was the show good enough to put your doubts to rest?” I asked her as we began to make our way out of Nana's parlor.

Faultline didn't speak for a long moment, clearly weighing her options. I let her be, mentally going over the recent battle and effects it would have on the war.

In one fell swoop, I had deprived Kaiser of some of his most effective capes and his one and only healer. Normally, I would say that man must either be immensely arrogant, a fool, or both to have sent Othala into my territory and expect her to return safely, but there was something off about this situation. Even I had to admit that.

For all that I despised the man, Kaiser was no fool. He had kept the Empire running smoothly for years after his father died, while at the same time keeping up his alter-ego as the CEO of Medhall, with nobody any the wiser. The average person didn't have anywhere near the amount of cunning and wherewithal to keep up such a successful front while at the same time running a gang that slammed half the city, and yet he had done so with ease.

So that begged the question, why would he overplay his hand like this so early into the war? It didn't make any sense and I was left grasping at straws as I tried to piece together whatever plan he may be cooking up behind the scenes, assuming there even was one.

I would have to keep an eye on Othala. I decided. The others as well. Though they should be non threats given what I had done to them, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss here.

It was also entirely possible that I was overthinking this, but it was better safe than sorry. If Kaiser truly was the deadly opponent I imagined him to be, then it would be best to prepare for the worst. Though if things went according to plan, then those preparations wouldn't be needed in the slightest.

Faultline turned to me as we stepped out of the parlor, “Alright.” She said, and I raised an eyebrow.

“Alright?”

“We'll work for you.” Faultline clarified, “I might be crazy, but that show was enough to make me think you might actually have a shot at winning this. We'll stick around and help defend your territory as long as the moneys good, but don't try to drag us into something we didn't agree to or we're out.”

I smiled widely at her acceptance, “That’s excellent news! Don't worry, Faultline. I have no intention of getting you involved beyond what we have already agreed. As a matter of fact, if everything goes according to plan, I will only need your services for a few days.”

Faultline tilted her head, “You’re that confident, huh?”

As we walked out of the parlor, I pulled out my phone, dialing a number I knew by heart, “I have to be.”

The phone rang a single time before it was picked up, and silence greeted me on the other line. “Lee?” I spoke into the device.

“I await your command, Yosei-sama.” My right-hand responded promptly.

“Good.” A smile slid across my face as my veins buzzed with anticipation, “We have secured Faultline's assistance. You may begin.”

“Understood.”

Now that Kaiser had shown his hand, it was time to return the favor with a little show of force of our own.