152 Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Two: Of Elves and Kings (1/2)
They looked very pretty, that was sure. Some of the women were mounted on unicorns; many other elves on stags, with great curved racks polished with metal. They all had mail on so fine it could be poured in the hand, sometimes with ornate plate in addition, if they were cavaliers. Their clothes were silk from butterflies and spiders alike, brightly colored, with ribbons and feathers and glittering stones to accentuate perfect complexions and glorious hair and pearly teeth and massive sparkling eyes.
Ah, so munchable.
I had a two-headed harpy gynosphinx's head in my off hand as their leaders rode up on creamy white elven steeds, as much antelope as horse. I cocked an eye, surprised they weren't on pegasi or something similarly magical, but elf-steeds were good enough, I supposed.
And unlike all the other becloaked and bejeweled and bedazzling elves, these two wore crowns of mithral and emeralds on their heads.
I drove my hand into the chest of the sphinx, right through her hide; bone cracked, my nails and Vajra cut and ripped, and I pulled out her heart with a spray of dark red blood that didn't quite reach them. It did spatter on me, but ran right off as if I was Teflon, even my arm that was covered up to my elbow.
”We're not done cleaning the field, Your Majesties,” I spoke to them, pulling out a jug from my Masspack, and stuffing the six-chambered heart inside leisurely. My Exsanguination Tube coiled up from over my shoulder, and I stuck it into one of the aortas of the sphinx as I dropped a five-gallon jug in the ground, and thick red blood began to get sucked out of the carcass. ”Surely proper introductions could wait until the mess is cleaned up?” I punctuated the sentence by hacking off her vulture's wings, lifting up her half-ton body with one hand to chop off the second one cracked and folded beneath her.
The high and mighty monarchs of the Sidhete were a long way from home, and looked down at me with a mixture of curiosity and hauteur.
”Is this not a task you can leave to others, Lady Sama?” the Queen of the Elves of the Sidhete asked. Her silver hair gleamed under the sun, her eyes were deep violet, and her aura of magic was strong enough to rub on my Null. An arcane Caster of tremendous power, definitely post-Ten.
”You want the fruits of your labor, you harvest the fruit. Two skulls suitable for Greater Baneskulls for Warped or Magical Beasts, innate two goldweight each means automatic Lesser Baneskull once properly Enruned. One heart worth two goldweight in burn material. Pinfeathers worth a goldweight for Potions or Scrolls for flight magic. Blood worth a goldweight a gallon for general Potion mixtures or Scrolls, with a +1 CL bonus for Heartsong magic.
”I know you're rich and all, but I want my twelve goldweight reward for killing this mutant thing, and the sixteen goldweight-per-Sword of burning these Tainted things.” I flicked the spiked and twisted blades used by the Carnage Demons I had slaughtered on the field, and the metal seemed to scream at me. ”They're going to die and come back as Warpbane Blades. My boys are already thirsting for them.”
And given I had a few thousand boys to help provide for, it was no wonder.
”Is her hide worth much, Lady Sama?” the golden-haired Elf King, pretty enough to give Legolas conniptions, asked curiously.
”No. These are Warped creatures, tainted with the laws and energies of a cosmos that is not our own. The only thing you do is burn them, or turn them into weapons that can be used against them, like Baneskulls. You don't keep them as trophies, and you don't make them part of something powerful, unless you want those things to be turned against you.”
My voice was flat and uncompromising, and even the elven nobles shifted at the rebuke in it. Yes, the dark hide looked soft and fine, and it was going to burn in vivus like the rest of her.
”Otherwise, I'd've made a nice suit of leather armor out of it, or maybe a magical saddle.”
The elves around nodded at that addendum.
The landscape was already stained white by vivus, with more then a few eyes turning to one area that was basically crystallized by overlapping, massive vivic explosions.
I loved Massacre demons. You always got a two-for-one out of them. Their habit of turning their defeated peers into Weapons they could use was working out so damn well, and the Land agreed with me.
”But, since I don't want to waste your time, what did you come up all the way out of the forest for here?” I inquired, knowing that elven monarchs don't just leave their lands and come out into some place like the Badlands without a good reason. ”Seriously, Your Majesties, I know you've got a Marked in your Court just to relay news. Coming all the way up here just to watch the slaughter is not really necessary, and I'm sure your people are keeping you well informed of all developments.” Since I had to shuttle the reports, I was sure of it, actually.
The King nodded regally. ”That is true, and they even replay some of the events as they happen. It is those reports which inspired us to come in person.”
I'm afraid my expression turned rather sly and knowing. ”Ah. You're looking to Advance, and you're hoping this can do it for you both.”
Both of them glanced at one another, not needing to nod at me. ”You have shown us many deeds, and word of the benefits of your Marks and leadership are singing through my people. Endless conflict, constant victories, slaughtering a fell foe who deserves naught but the end of a blade, and a threat from beyond the very realms... What true king could stay away from such a fight?” the elf-king asked rhetorically.
”And you heard the dwarves signed up first, and aren't about to be out-shone.” I winked at both of them, and they remained perfectly impassive. ”You did hear right. The King Under the Mountain and all the Underkings of the Clans have taken a Mark, and they have a regular old chat room going on in the back of my head. There are things going on among the Rockborn that they've never been able to get going for lack of coordination, and now they are happening.”
”Our servants have indicated that your Marks can enhance either the physical or the mental characteristics of a person, Lady Sama, and raise the limit to which one may advance, in addition to other benefits?” the Queen asked, verifying what she had heard.
”That is true.” The elves behind them glanced at one another, looking a bit eager to be about this.
”And you have no ability to magically control or influence anyone through these Marks, and they can be removed with great speed?” the Queen continued, looking for affirmation.
”Instantly, if you ask,” I agreed, not batting an eye.