“I’ll go.” Benny said brightly. “You boys can’t hold your liquor, so if you showed up, you’d probably get demoted.”
“Ya can’t get demodit from acolyte.” One of them drunkenly mumbled. Larry was an amiable man whose military career was dogged by bad luck. At least if you believed his stories about a number of mixups, and mistakes that had gotten him in trouble.
Benny shrugged. “No, but you can get your pay docked.”
The others in the room nodded as if this was sage advice. Benny reflected on the fact that in their case it was, before moving toward the door.
“Wait. If you go, there won’t be any womans here.” One of the soldiers protested. Benny glanced at the others in the room, who were nodding gravely.
Benny snorted, and gave him the finger. “As if you could get it up anyway John. You’re way too drunk for that.”
The others in the room hooted and whistled at John’s expense as she closed the door behind her.
As she left, she heard a parting shot from Curly. “Damn, she’s got you by the short and-” punctuated by someone throwing something at him. Benny felt sick at the fact that she had likely just ruined these men’s careers. Killing nameless soldiers was very different from ruining the lives of people you knew. Even if only for a few hours.
“I need to do this to survive.” Benny whispered to herself repeatedly as an affirmation. A few seconds later, she reached the top of the stairs, finding the second floor entirely empty. Beneath her, the sounds of the party raged on.
“Lilian?” Benny called out softly.
Lilian emerged from one of the doors a moment later.
“Is everything done?” Benny asked her.
“Yes, Verilien. There are no mages left on this floor.”
“Good, then let’s get going. Hopefully Azel can deal with the rest.” Benny said, hopeful that she wouldn’t have to hurt any more people.
“Agreed. So, how big were they?” Lilian asked brightly as they snuck down the stairs.
“How big? What do you mean?”
“From where I was, your little gathering sounded more like an orgy than a proper party.” Lilian snarked.
Benny groaned. “Why does everyone treat me like I’m a slut? No there was no sex involved. Murder doesn’t exactly put me in the mood you know?”
Lilian shrugged. “It does it for me, and I think we are very similar, so I just assumed. My mistake.”
“We’re not similar at all! For one thing I’m not a jackass.” Benny huffed.
“Keep telling yourself that.” Lilian smirked.
The pair went silent as they disappeared into the night.
Chapter 19
Watching from a house near the action, Benny shivered as the demon reinforcements poured out of the keep. She knew that they had come from underground tunnels, but could only imagine the reaction of the human commanders as the Demons suddenly matched the human numbers.
Next to her, Lilian snorted. “Azel can be such a loveable fool sometimes.”
“What do you mean?” Benny asked, puzzled.
“It’s a rather stupid part of our honor code. Do you see how his soldiers are approximately equal in number to the human army? That’s only a fraction of his true forces. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the human army has other troops spread throughout the city; but even if they arrive, Azel will only send out enough troops to match them. Essentially he is giving the human army the opportunity to win. If they defeat his forces in the field, honor will demand that he give up his hold on the city. If he wins, he will gain significant political power from the victory.”
“Why would he risk everything for that?” Benny groused, seeing the clash between the two forces in a new light.
“Azel may be a fool, but he is not stupid. I have no doubt he has some plan to turn the battle in his favor. The question is how we react. Do we aid him, seek to return to the keep for safety, or wait out the battle here?” Lilian stated, a contemplative look on her face.
“I say we try to get back to the keep.” Benny stated confidently.
“But Verilien, if we-”
“No.” Benny interjected with as much vehemence as she could muster. “I’m tired of killing other humans. Self-defense is one thing, but I won’t go out of my way to find excuses to do it. Aside from that, we don’t know what he has planned. I’d rather not be in the middle of the fight if, for example, he sets off a bomb.”
“But-” Lilian started again.
“I’m your commanding officer, and I’ve made my decision.” Benny stated authoritatively, drawing as best she could on her memories of Captain Ellis.
Lilian sighed. “As you say Verilien.”
“Now we just need to come up with a plan to get past that army.” Benny muttered.
“Actually, that won’t be necessary.” Lilian stated cheerfully.
“What does that mean?” Benny asked, confused.
“We can just use one of the tunnels we used to invade the city. As long as the human army don’t catch us, it should be fairly simple to get open one up again.” Lilian stated, tone still cheerful.
“You’ve known about this the whole time, and didn’t say anything?” Benny was nearly apoplectic with rage.
Lilian shrugged. “There is some risk the humans would catch us, and find out about the tunnels. If they did, it would be a major breach of Azel’s security. At the time we didn’t know there would be a massive army around the keep, so it didn’t seem worth the risk. After that, we left to assassinate the mages, so it didn’t seem relevant.”
Benny sighed, and spent several seconds practicing a breathing technique she had learned during meditation training for the church. “Ok, remind me to yell at you later.”
“As your official assistant, it would be my pleasure.” Lilian intoned brightly.
Benny shook her head. “Alright, do you know where the nearest entrance is?”
Lilian shrugged. “Not specifically, but I know the general areas they were in. Shall we go hunting for them?”
Benny stared at the ceiling, and groaned. “You just can’t make things easy for me can you?”
Lilian smiled sweetly. “My job is to make your time organized, not easy.”
“Later, when we’re crawling through people’s basements, remind me not to strangle you.” Benny muttered.
“Shall I make that a daily reminder?” Lilian asked innocently.
Benny sighed in resignation. “I think that would be a good idea.”
Lilian’s smile widened. “As you said earlier, Verilien, you are my commanding officer. I am compelled to do as you command.”
“Just… take us to the closest tunnel. How you got Azel to fuck you with a personality like that is beyond me.”
Lilian’s smile turned predatory. “Well, you see first I grabbed his-”
“Nope! Tunnel. Now.” Benny quickly interrupted.
They left the house, and Lilian laughed quietly to herself as they snuck through the town.
“Why are you laughing? You’re going to give away our position.” Benny muttered to Lilian.
“I simply find it amusing that you think you are somehow better than me when you give insults as well as I do.” Lilian muttered back.
“I didn’t go out of my way to start… whatever this is. You did.” Benny hissed.
“Don’t get me wrong, I bear you no personal enmity. This is tradition.”
“Tradition? How so?”
“Demons are non-monogamous. When multiple female Demons pursue the same male, they must fight to establish a clear hierarchy. I have already lost to you in single combat prior to this process, and our relative positions preclude me from physical combat with you anyway. Therefore, I thought to establish social dominance. I should have known from the psychotic way in which you strangled me during my attempt to kidnap you that it would not be easy.” Lilian punctuated her statement with an annoyed huff.
Benny’s expression betrayed her shock. “Wait. The reason you’ve
been a constant asshole to me is because you think we’re fighting over Azel? Well you can stop right now because I have no interest in him. We’re not even the same species!”
Lilian shrugged. “You may say that now, but I know Azel. He likes strong women. Not only could you likely match him in single combat, a compliment I do not give lightly, but you have a certain decisiveness to you that I think appeals to him. If he isn’t already head over heels for you, it will not be long. What Azel wants, he finds a way to get. I for one am not the type to wait for the inevitable to smack me in the face before I act.”
Benny sighed. “You know what? I don’t have room for this in my brain right now. Let’s just focus on getting to safety, and we can talk about this later. I can tell you right now though that I have no interest in Azel at all.”
Lilian nodded. “Not yet.” She said ominously before going silent. Benny did her best to force the conversation out of her mind as they continued stalking the streets.
“Hey Lilian?” Benny asked.
“Yes, Verilien?”
“I just realized that I never learned the name of this town. I don’t think I’ve even heard anyone say it.”
“Ah, yes. You see, when Demons take a new territory, they assign it a new name. In this case Azel had little interest in the name, and delegated it to a group of his followers. They have been arguing about it for the past month in a kind of naming committee. Each one wants to be the originator of the idea, seeing it as a way to curry favor with Azel. I think none of them realize that he genuinely doesn’t care, though if they drag their feet much longer I imagine he will be forced to express his displeasure with them.”
Benny snorted. “Sounds like typical bureaucratic bullshit to me. We get the same thing from the officers in the church army.”
Lilian shook her head. “I sometimes wonder if Azel gives these jobs to such people just to keep them busy, and out of his way.”
“He seems like the type to do that. I can’t imagine him tolerating bullshit for long.” Benny said wryly.
“Indeed. I believe he once opened a special court dedicated to reports of incompetence. He told me he greatly enjoys punishing both those found guilty, and those who made false reports.”
Benny laughed, cutting it off a moment later to keep her volume down. “I don’t know whether to feel sorry for them or feel like they deserved it.”
Lilian chuckled. “I share your indecision.”
Locked in this more companionable conversation, they nearly walked into a patrol as they rounded the corner. The two groups stared stupidly at each other for a moment, until Lilian threw a knife taken from one of her hidden sheaths. It landed dead-center in the forehead of one of the soldiers, breaking the confused stillness. The patrol erupted into a chaotic charge, nine soldiers rushing in a staggered formation.
Benny flicked her own knife in a lightning-fast overhand throw, removing the leader of the pack.
“Four each.” She told Lilian, as they separated, ensuring they had room to maneuver.
“Indeed Verilien.”
There was no more time for talk after that. Benny stepped into the clumsy slash of the first soldier. She decided he had had a poor instructor as she grabbed his arm; drawing her sword, and stabbing it through his heart in one smooth motion. Almost contemptuously, she kicked him into the next man. The sudden corpse in his path, combined with his incautious dead sprint, caused him to trip. Benny, correctly predicting his trajectory, swung her sword. His head flew several feet past where his body landed.
Benny felt herself swept up by the thrill of battle. “Come on guys, this is just embarrassing.” She catcalled to the soldiers. Her remaining two opponents came to a halt before they entered her zone of control, more cautious than their counterparts. Snorting, Benny raised her guard, strolling forward slowly.
The two soldiers fanned out, seeking to encircle her. Benny shook her head in shame, and chose a direction. Turning left, she charged the soldier there, moving from a standstill to a full sprint in only two steps. The man, caught off guard, barely had time to raise his sword in an awkward thrust. Benny did an acrobatic pirouette around the sword, using the momentum of the spin to decapitate him with her own sword.
Unconsciously, a psychotic grin dominated her face. “That never works as well as you think it will. If all you have is numbers, you’re only giving up your advantage.” She stalked toward her final opponent, blood dripping from her blade in a small trail. The man was visibly shaking, breath coming in short gasps. Benny shook her head, and closed the final feet. With a terrified scream, the soldier charged. Benny sidestepped his desperate slash, and stuck her leg out. The soldier tripped on her foot, and landed on his own sword, the point sticking out of his lower back. Still in a semi-aware battle haze, Benny walked to the corpse of the very first man, and retrieved her knife, ignoring the groaning, wounded man behind her.
“Verilien, I would request your assistance.” Lilian called.
Benny glanced in her direction, and found Lilian engaged with two men. The two seemed more skillful than Benny’s opponents had been, and had effective teamwork. Benny guessed it had something to do with the sergeants stripes on their shoulders. With a casual toss, Benny buried her knife in the back of one, missing any vital organs thanks to a coincidental last-minute movement. Her sword, thrown with superhuman accuracy, ended the life of the other a moment later. With only one wounded opponent left, Lilian quickly dispatched her remaining foe.
Benny strode calmly to the corpses, retrieving her weapons again as Lilian wiped the blood from her blade on the corpses of her enemies. The haze of battle evaporated from Benny’s mind, and she turned to the wounded man, who was now crying freely into the dirt, while doing his best to silently play dead.
“Shall I finish him?” Lilian asked.
Benny shivered at Lilian’s casual tone. “No. Let’s try to patch him up before we move on. I’d rather not have any more blood on my hands than I have to.”
Lilian shook her head. “Be careful who you pity Verilien. There is nothing more dangerous than a wounded animal.”
“I have to try.” Benny replied stubbornly.
Lilian turned her head to look at Benny from the corner of her eyes. “Do as you will Verilien. I was only offering a warning.”
Benny nodded, and stepped up to the man’s side. He seemed to have become numb to the pain now, and was looking up at Benny in fear as she knelt over him.
“Hey there, I’m here to-” The man surged up with a hidden knife; sticking it into her shoulder with all his strength, while screaming a ferocious, wordless battle-cry. Before benny’s brain could catch up, she had driven her knife through his skull. His frantic scream ended a moment later, cut off as if a switch had been flipped.
Benny dropped back onto her butt as the corpse slumped forward, head leaking blood into her lap. Instinctive disgust moved her to push him off instantly, but she couldn’t help staring at the wet stain on her pants. A strange thought floated through her head a moment later.
“It looks like I just had my period.” She mumbled. A moment later, she began laughing psychotically. Forgetting the need for stealth, Benny laughed at full volume; rocking back and forth as she let out her laughter. As strong-willed as Lilian was, she began to edge away in anxious discomfort.
Benny’s rational mind caught up a moment later. Swearing, she stood, and brushed herself off as best she could. Wincing at the pain of her injured shoulder, she examined the wound. Luckily, the thick leather of the chestpiece under her shirt had absorbed most of the damage, but she still bore a minor gash that partially pierced the muscle.
Lilian cleared her throat. “Verilien, are you ok? Does your wound need tending?”
Benny looked away in shame that Lilian had witnessed her momentary breakdown. “I’ve got it.”
Benny dug around in one of the dead soldiers packs for a moment, pulling out a box of bandages that came with the standard soldier supply pack. Silently, she cleaned, and dressed
her wounds. Lilian stared at her warily the entire time.
“Don’t worry, I don’t bite.” Benny spoke wryly, still not looking her in the eyes.
“If you say so.” Lilian responded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.
Benny sighed. “Come on, let’s find the passageway, and get out of here.”
Chapter 20
The pair dug through the basements of buildings for an hour before they found the entrance they were looking for. No more patrols crossed their paths during this time, and when they entered the passage, Benny said a silent thanks to Orion. She wasn’t sure why she still prayed to him on occasion. She had never been particularly devout to begin with, and her faith had been deeply shaken in the past month. Still, it calmed some corner of her soul.
Lilian walked next to her silently now, occasionally casting furtive glances in Benny’s direction. For her part, Benny was happy with the silence. If she was being honest with herself, she actually preferred it over the incessant banter they had maintained during the past day. She wondered if it was tied to her exhaustion. Having been up for over twenty-four hours at this point, Benny was moving forward only due to a mixture of training, and willpower. Being a Demon who biologically needed less sleep, Lilian was better off. Even so, her feet dragged slightly as they marched silently through the tunnel.
Due to this exhaustion, they nearly missed the turn they needed. Only Lilian’s espionage experience gave her the awareness to catch her mistake, her mind habitually reexamining the last few seconds of visual input. Forgetting her anxiety for a moment, Lilian grabbed Benny’s shoulder; pulling her hand back as if bitten a moment later when her mind caught up to the situation.
Lilian cleared her throat awkwardly. “We need to take this tunnel Verilien.” She said, pointing to the branch on their right. Benny nodded silently, expression blank, and they turned. A few minutes later, they broke through into the bowels of the keep. Both Benny and Lilian breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously. They glanced at each other, and both giggled at the same time, tension releasing at the sense of safety.
When Hell Froze Page 13
