Chapter 10: Merciful

Rebecka was guided by a pair of regular knights to a chamber on the opposite side of the castle from the Great Hall. King Nygard stood in the open doorway that lead to a large balcony, looking out over his domain, while wearing the same leather armor, cloak, and crown as the day before. In the distance Rebecka could hear sounds of people working on something, shouting to one another to move things to different locations. Maybe they were making something? It didn't matter, though. She was just thankful the room had a balcony. Heights didn't bother her. She didn't know anyone who'd died from falling.

"Ah, welcome, Blade Wielder! I trust your room was suitable?"

"It's too small," Rebecka replied bluntly.

The King was taken aback. Whatever he was expecting it wasn't for her to shoot him down immediately. He quickly regrouped.

"My apologies. I will personally see to it you are given a larger room. Now, I understand you were most upset regarding your friend's injury."

The door to the chamber opened and two of the giant guards, accompanied by two smaller knights, pushed a woman in shackles forward. She had light tan skin, short brown hair, long elf ears, and a black eye. Her simple gray pants and tunic were stained with blood from her freshly busted nose. She collapsed on the carpet.

It was her turn to be taken by surprise. Rebecka glanced from the injured woman to the King. "What the hel is this?"

"This, is the former knight who injured your friend, Steve. You are free to do with her as you wish," the King explained with a nervous smile.

The injured woman hung her head but remained silent, her ears drooping. Her breathing wasn't very even and Rebecka couldn't help but notice the watery sound she made with every labored breath. She wondered just how busted up the elf might be.

Unable to scan due to interference, Aettartagi said.

Back to being a robot? Rebecka asked.

I am...not used to feeling...

Feeling what? She asked.

Anything.

King Nygard made a sign with his hands and the guards brought another person into the room. This one was a lighter skinned elf with blonde hair and a slight beard. He too was dressed in gray clothes spattered with blood from having had the shit kicked out of him. He was forced to kneel next to the woman.

What the fuck?

"This, is the former knight who was rough with you yesterday. He too has been stripped of his station and is yours to do with as you wish," the King said.

Rebecka's stomach turned. "What?"

"Consider them a show of good faith. You may have them if you agree to find and destroy Yggdrasil," the King said.

She grit her teeth, then took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was no way for the King to know she had already agreed to kill Yggdrasil. Sure, she had agreed with Aettartangi to do the job before she knew it was going to mess with her body and invade her memories. Now she knew she really didn't have much of a choice and was screwed either way. If she was successful at taking out the corrupted tree, other people like Steve and Quincey might have a chance at surviving. And maybe...just maybe Aetty could figure out some way not to kill Rebecka in the process.

Her anger from the guard dislocating her shoulder had long since passed. There was no reason for her to hurt the guy now. Not to mention the elf woman, who probably had no way of knowing what was going on when she'd encountered Steve. For all Rebecka knew the knight had thought she was defending herself from magic or a weapon or...okay she did kinda want to hurt her for hurting Steve but it certainly looked like she'd been roughed up enough already.

"Release them both," Rebecka said.

"Pardon?" King Nygard said. "If they won't suffice, what would you like as compensation for slaying Yggdrasil? Gold? Land? We're prepared to pay whatever you desire."

"I don't want anything," she said.

The king's face fell as he grew pale. He let out a choked noise and stopped breathing for a moment.

"I mean, I will kill Yggdrasil, no problem. I don't want anything for myself. Just, make sure my friends are safe," Rebecka clarified.

Anomaly detected, Aettartangi said.

We've been over this. Don't do anything, Rebecka replied.

Understood.

"Truly, you don't wish for anything in return?"

It's not like I'd be able to use any rewards or anyway, Rebecka thought.

For which I am extremely remorseful, Aettartangi said.

We can discuss that later. Right now I need to make sure this King doesn't up and kill these two.

I can easily free them, Aettartangi said.

And by "free" you mean "literally unshackle" not "free them of this Earthly coil called 'life,'" right? Rebecka asked.

Yes.

Good. Let's do that, then.

"Are you certain you want no reward?" King Nygard asked.

Rebecka walked over to the woman and knelt down. The elf flinched as she took hold of the heavy cuffs that held her arms in front of her. Aettartangi slithered down Rebecka's arm and hand as dozens of root-like metal vines, that then bit into the rough iron, slicing through it like butter. It didn't stop there, which made Rebecka a little nervous, until she realized it was eating the rest of the cuffs and the length of chain that had hung from them. The former knight made eye contact with Rebecka just before she moved to the blond man and allowed Aettartangi to do the same thing to remove his bindings.

Would you like a summary of their injuries?

I thought you couldn't scan because of magic.

Magic interferes with my scan moreso at a distance. At close range I can get a better lock, even though the data may have inaccuracies and gaps, Aetty replied.

Yeah, then tell me how banged up they are.

The first one has two broken ribs and a punctured lung as well as the other wounds you've already noticed. The second one has a cracked lower leg and injured spleen. Both are in need of medical attention, and soon, or they will expire, Aettartangi explained.

Rebecka got to her feet and pointed down while staring at the king. "Heal them both."

"Are you sure?"

"Aettartangi and I are both sure. You have people who can do magic and healing right? Heal them or I'm tracking down Sigyn to get her to do it. Either way, heal them or I'm not staying in this castle another night," Rebecka said.

Honestly, I don't want to stay here another night as it is.

King Nygard said he would furnish you with a larger room, Aettartagi said.

That's not my only problem staying here.

The King nodded then signaled to the knights who moved to lift the pair off the ground.

"He's got a broken leg, she's got a pierced lung. Don't try to move them. Heal them here."

The knights froze then looked over to the King who nodded.

Rebecka stood a few feet from the balcony entrance as a couple people in light blue and purple tunics were brought in to tend to the wounded former knights. She stayed quiet as magic was cast on them, noting that each time Aettartangi mentioned detecting magic. She wondered how it could detect it if the magic interfered with its scanning abilities.

I measure the magic based on the level of interference, Aettartangi explained.

And the anomaly you noticed earlier?

It has been staying stationary. I believe it to be observing this room, Aettartagi replied.

"There. They have both been healed and will not be punished further," King Nygard said.

The people who had cast the healing magic helped the formerly injured elves up and out of the room. Rebecka waited until they had left before she uncrossed her arms.

"I need a ship and supplies. I smell salt water, so we're near a port, right?" She asked.

The King nodded. "Yes, we are near a port but, there's a problem. All our ships were destroyed with the last incursion."

"What?"

He gestured for her to follow him to the balcony. She didn't hesitate. If he tried to push her over, she was pretty sure Aettartangi would do something to prevent her from becoming a pancake. When they were outside the King pointed with his hand toward a bay that was visible just past the castle city.

"Oh my gods," Rebecka breathed.

The water looked calm, save for the remains of a city skyline poking out of it at an angle. She counted at least five sky scrapers. Some of the windows had been busted out. Here and there she could make out bits of boats that had been cut clean through by the buildings. People in the city were busy with clean-up efforts.

"When did this happen?"

"Six days ago."

She turned to stare at him. "That was before we got here."

"It was. The transpositions have been slowing. Our mages believe yours may have been the last."

"Did Yggdrasil do stuff like this before?" She asked.

Yggdrasil removed itself from the nine worlds and settled in this one, Utgard. I believe it could not process the quantum superposition of being in more than one world at one time. I do not believe this is within the scope of its power unless something drastic has changed in it's processing abilities in the last thousand years. Which, isn't impossible. It has been a thousand years. I need much more data, Aettartangi said.

"We believe this to be the work of Yggdrasil, yes. Which is why it's imperative for you to seek out and destroy the world tree once and for all, Blade Wielder. Anything and everything you need we will provide, but we can not give you a ship from this port," King Nygard explained.

Why does he think it's Yggdrasil's fault?

Organics tend to blame any current catastrophe on something they know was linked to a previous catastrophe, Aettartangi suggested.

"I'll make a list."

"We can not spare many knights to accompany you, but can give you a few to help you on your journey."

"I don't need anyone to go with me. I'm doing this on my own...uh, with Aettartangi. It's going with me," Rebecka said.

"Are you certain?"

"Yeah. I want to check on my friends before I go, but, leaving sooner would be better than later. I'll stay here one more night, then I'm gone," she said.

King Nygard nodded. "I will update my husband, King Finehair, and get you whatever you need. Thank you, Merciful Blade Wielder."