Chapter 103
The Mind of a Fanatic
After Lexton was done tormenting Skeets, Zeldana was tasked with treating the rat man’s injuries, as they still needed his knowledge in order to get to Gotzmeyer’s base. With their guide’s true colors revealed, all eyes were on him now, ready to strike him down the moment he tried to pull any kind of tricks.
“That felt good!” Lexton said with a smile as he put on his usual clothes. “It’s so nice to sometimes get to be as nasty as you want without any repercussions. It’s very refreshing.”
“You say that, but weren’t you just a bit too cruel?” Erin asked. “I get that he’s not exactly someone we should be on friendly terms with, but should you really be taking such enjoyment out of tormenting someone? You seriously scared me with the way you were acting.”
“Is that really what you should be saying right now?” the kobold asked. “I think there’s something else that you want to say to me.”
“What are you-? Oh, right…” the redhead said, realizing what Lexton was referring to. “I’ll get right on that, once I’m done with our guide, okay?”
Erin turned her attention back to Skeets, who was having his injuries checked out by Zeldana. After what he had gone through, the rat man was acting quite docile, allowing the elf to inspect the damage Lexton had caused. However, one could tell by just looking into his eyes that he still had fight left in him.
“Alright, I want some answers from you,” Erin said as she glared at Skeets, who glared back at her in return. “Just what were you trying to pull? Are you one of the assassins working for the Five Overlords or something?”
“The guy I’m working for is called Screw. Last name You,” the rat man replied. “I’m not going to tell you anything. You can do whatever you want, but I won’t crack.”
“Oh really? Sounds like a challenge,” Ryle said as she walked towards Skeets while cracking her knuckles. “Maybe we should put that to the test and see just how much you’re willing to withstand.”
“Now now now! Don’t get carried away here! I’m still not done with the medical treatment,” Zeldana said with a small grin. “If we don’t treat his injuries first, they might get infected and he won’t be telling us anything for long. How about I get that out of the way first and then we can continue asking him questions?”
“...Fine,” the blonde said, taking a step back. “Whatever you’ll do to him will be worse than any torture we could ever come up with anyway.”
“Wait, what the hell does she mean by that?” Skeets asked.
“Don’t mind her!” Zeldana said happily as she dragged the rat man with her out of the cave and out of sight. “Just come with me and you’ll soon be as good as new!”
Almost as soon as they disappeared from sight, the rest of the group could hear Skeets screaming in agony and horror. Soon after that, Zeldana came back with the rat man, who now looked like almost all life had been drained from him.
“I’ll talk… Just don’t let her touch me ever again…” the rat man whimpered.
“Holy crap, what could have Zeldana done to scare him like that?” Erin asked. “I though she was a healer and not a torturer.”
“With her those two go hand in hand,” Ryle said with a sigh.
Once Skeets had sat down, Erin approached him in order to ask her questions again.
“Oky. Let’s try this one more time,” the redhead said, staring down at the rat man. “Who are you working for?”
“What? You think someone wouldn’t come after you unless they were ordered to do so? I did this out of my own free will,” Skeets said, surprising Erin and the others. “It is for my own belief that I decided to try and kill you all. After all, you were trying to perform sacrilege.”
“Hold on… Belief? As in religious belief?” Durge asked, having picked up on the specific words the rat man had used. “Are you a member of the Brotherhood of the Worm or something?”
“What is that?” Erin asked, turning her attention to the orc.
“They’re a bunch or crazy religious people who think the Five Overlords are gods or something. Basically, anybody who dares to oppose them at all are sinners in their eyes that need to be killed for their crimes. Back when I was still with the Laughing Ogre I came across a couple of them,” Durge explained. “I’m guessing this guy figured out what we were up to, once he learned that we wanted to get to Gotzmeyer’s place.”
“There are actually people who see the Overlords as their gods?” Ryle asked. “What kind of an insane cult are these guys?”
“It is YOU who are the insane ones!” Skeets suddenly began to rant furiously. “Do you truly believe that this world was better before they came here!? Violence and unrest were a constant back then! Our gracious lords simply came here and took pity on us by subjugating our world under their rule! Thanks to them, there are no new wars or rampant criminality that rules over us through fear and violence! The world is much better now and it’s all thanks to those five and their righteous fury will destroy you all!”
“Wow, you really are a nutty one, aren’t you?” the blonde said. “From what I’ve seen, your idols haven’t done much good, outside of grabbing power for themselves and anybody who likes to kiss their asses!”
“That just means you are filthy sinners! All of you!” the rat man continued to rant. “The holy book says that those who are pure will find joy and fulfillment within their rule, while those stained by evil cannot accept it! You should change your ways, so that they may have mercy on your filthy souls!”
Taken aback by the insane outburst from Skeets, Erin and her companions could only stare at the murderer in shock. While they knew that there were those who were loyal to the Five Overlords, they had only me those who benefited from their rule. To witness someone who was actually this devoted to them was something they hadn’t expected to ever see.
“...Could you be the “Grand Mine Stabber?” Durge asked, breaking the silence.
“What’s that?” Ryle asked in return.
“A couple of years ago, I heard about some crazy cultist in Grand Mine Central. He apparently was able to kill quite a few people, before being arrested,” the orc explained. “I only heard about it from the news once by accident, so it didn’t really stay in my mind all that much. Not to mention, I thought that he would have gotten the death penalty. Sorry about that.”
“Unfortunately for you, the people at the Black Market saw a possibility for profit in me,” Skeets said with a smirk. “They are willing to let anyone live, as long as they have a chance to make some extra money from them.”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Erin and a few others couldn’t help but grimace in disgust. The idea that a crazed serial killer like Skeets wouldn’t face the punishment he deserved for the sake of some extra money wasn’t an idea they liked all that much.
“No need to apologize, Durge. It’s not like you forgot about it on purpose,” the redhead said to the orc. “I doubt anybody in this group could have known about him.”
“I did!” Zeldana suddenly exclaimed, making everybody else stare at her. “I knew who he was soon after you introduced him to me.”
“WHAT!? YOU KNEW!?” Ryle shouted angrily. “WHY THE HELL DIDN’T YOU TELL US!?”
“Simple! Because not telling was far more entertaining!” the elf replied. “I was waiting to see what he would do and if any were able to react in time!”
“B-But weren’t you also in danger of getting killed!?” Arkay asked. “Had Lexton not woken all of us up, he could have killed any one of us!”
“Oh, you mean that sleep drug he used on us? Yeah, that was very cute of him,” Zeldana said with a giggle. “As soon as he took it out of his bag, I realized what he was doing. The thing is that I’ve dealt with so many drugs and poisons in my life that I was never going to fall asleep from it. In fact, I was just pretending to be asleep in order to let him act and see what he would do.”
Silence fell over the cave as everyone stared at the elf. While Skeets had a look of shock and surprise on his face, Erin and her other companions were glaring at Zeldana.
“...Zel?” Erin called out, breaking the silence.
“Yeah?” the elf responded.
“YOU’RE THE BIGGEST ASSHOLE IN THE WHOLE WORLD!” the redhead yelled in fury.
“...Okay? I thought that was already a well-known fact,” Zeldana said with a shrug. “I don’t see why you need to repeat it.”
Erin let out a frustrated sigh before taking a deep breath. Getting all worked up wasn’t going to help her out at all, so she might as well just get back to working on the issue they were currently faced with. Their guide that had just attempted to kill them.
“Alright, back to the topic,” the redhead said as she looked at Skeets. “So your plan was to kill us in some whatever messed up manner you like to offer tributes to your gods. We get that. Did you lie to us about knowing how to get to Gotzmeyer’s base or was that true?”
“That was never a lie. In fact, the prison would have never offered me to you, if I wasn’t able to do so,” the rat man answered. “The Black Market might be full of nothing but criminals, but they do take their business matters seriously. If they simply screwed over their customers, people would stop coming to them. That’s why they made sure that I had the exact skills you guys were looking for, before I even took a step towards the warden’s office.”
“Alright, glad to know that we got what we paid for at the very least,” Erin said. “Have you been leading us correctly so far or have you taken us on the wrong path? We are talking about going to the servants of your personal idols, after all.”
“As much as I hate to admit it, we’ve been on the right track for this whole trip so far,” Skeets said with a frown on his face. “I couldn’t risk any of you growing suspicious of me, so I made sure to go the right way. Not only that, but I was also hoping that in case I failed to eliminate you all myself, the people serving Saint Gotzmeyer might be able to do so.”
“...Saint?” the redhead asked.
“What else would I call him? Gotzmeyer is one of the direct servants of one of the Five Lords themselves!” the rat man answered, his fanatical side starting to come up once again. “Those who have pledged themselves to serve of gracious lords should only be given such titles! Even if they fail to catch their greatness!”
“You do know you’re talking about someone who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, right?” Erin asked. “I don’t see how someone like that deserves to be called a saint or any other such title.”
“The words of a heretical sinner! Why am I not surprised!?” Skeets yelled. “Only those who haven’t seen the glory that the Five Overlords and their servants have brought upon this world would ever dare doubt their rule!”
“You keep talking about them like they are these great and just leaders, but all I’ve seen them bring is oppression and destruction!” the redhead yelled. “How can you worship people like that!? Shouldn’t you try to oppose them!?”
“You truly are an ignorant one, aren’t you?” the rat man asked. “Do you honestly think that this world was some sort of a paradise before they came? Let me tell you, the world I lived in certainly wasn’t one!”
“What do you mean?” the redhead asked.
“You know what life was like me before the Five Overlords came? It was nothing but constant fear,” Skeets said. “Back then, there were constant conflicts around here. All the big corporations were trying to take over the mining industry here and they were willing to do whatever it took to win. This led to them hiring criminal groups and mercenaries to do their dirty work, and do you think they’d care if an innocent ratfolk family got caught in the crossfire? I had to fear everything. Fear that I might get caught in another shootout. Fear that the place I worked at happened to upset one of the big players in the city, who then decided to raid it and kill everyone. Fear that someone just happened to overhear me say something they didn’t like and get executed on the spot! The Overlords might not be all that merciful, but at least they put down the rich bastards trying to control everything! At least they drove the criminals to the holes they belong to! AT LEAST I GOT TO SEE THE PEOPLE WHO MURDERED MY FAMILY FINALLY PAY FOR WHAT THEY DID!”
Erin was taken aback by the rat man’s rant. While she knew that there were those who benefited from the rule of the Five Overlords, she had mostly assumed that they were just those in the service of their new masters, reaping the benefits of their new positions. However, she had never expected someone like Skeets, who was essentially a regular citizen, to feel actual loyalty to them, even to the point of joining a cult.
A hand laid on the redhead’s shoulder. She turned to look behind her and saw Zeldana staring at her.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s just out of his mind and doesn’t see things clearly,” the elf said. “The Five Overlords are no saviors at all. You’ve seen it for yourself. So don’t even think about doubting yourself now.”
Erin simply nodded in response, but there was still doubt in her heart. Zeldana saw this and knew that she needed to have another talk with the redhead.
“Anyways, I think we can move past from this political and religious debate, and get back to the topic at hand,” Durge said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over the cave. “Skeets, can you get us to Gotzmeyer’s base or not?”
“Like I said already, I know the way,” the rat man answered. “However, my question is, why should I help you at all? I already know you people are nothing but filthy sinners, so what possible reason is there for me to help any of you at all?”
The orc didn’t say anything in response at all. Instead, he simply pointed at Zeldana, which caused Skeets to immediately turn pale.
“...I’ll take you there. I promise,” the rat man said in a meek voice. “Just don’t let her touch me again.”
“See? Isn’t it nice to simply cooperate with us?” Durge asked with a smirk. “Things go a lot smoother, when we are all on the same page.”
“I don’t get it. Why is everybody so afraid of Zeldana?” Erin asked. “She’s just a healer. Not some horrible monster!”
This comment caused everybody to stare at the redhead. Behind the stares was the question “Are you seriously saying that?”
“...Okay, fair enough. She’s honestly a horrible person who takes delight in the misery of others for her own amusement,” Erin said with a sigh. “However, while she might play some of the nastiest tricks on people-”
“Knowingly letting a murderer join our group without so much as giving us a warning is a nasty trick?” Durge asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Okay, she can be an ABSOLUTELY terrible person,” the redhead said. “However, I still don’t see why Skeets or anybody would fear Zeldana like she was going to eat them!”
“That would be preferable to what she actually does,” Ryle said as she rolled her eyes.
“I try my best!” Zeldana chimed in happily.
“It wasn’t a goddamn compliment, you psychopathic bastard!” the blonde yelled angrily.
“Alright! Enough!” Erin said, cutting off any arguments. “Now, can we go back to getting to Gotzmeyer’s base or was there still something that needed to be addressed?”
For a moment, there was only silence as no one seemed to have anything to say. However, just as Erin began to think that they could go back to resuming their journey, the sound of someone clearing their throat could be heard. She turned to where the sound came from and saw Lexton leaning against the wall of the cave, looking like he was waiting for something.
“...Oh right, now I’ve got to do this,” the redhead said with a deep sigh. “Might as well get this over with….”
Erin walked up to Lexton, who didn’t even turn to look at her. She stood before him and took a deep breath, before giving the kobold what he was waiting for.
“Lex, I’m sorry. You were completely right about your assessment over who we should have picked up as our guide,” the redhead said. “I should have really listened to you, instead of simply going by my own intuition alone. You have far more experience in these things and I chose to ignore it. From now on, I’ll make sure to properly listen to you. Can you forgive me?”
“Well, this is certainly strange,” Lexton said. “I’m standing here, waiting for the right words to come out, but all I hear is a bunch of worthless bullshit. Is my hearing bad? Nah, that can’t be it. It must be a problem with wherever the words come out from. Don’t you agree?”
Knowing that she needed to really play into the kobold’s ego in order to get through this, Erin swallowed whatever pride she had and bowed down to the point her forehead touched the ground.
“I mean, I beg of you to accept my humble apologies, Lex!” the redhead practically yelled. “I now know the error of my ways in doubting you! You are most certainly the smartest and wisest out of all of us and we are truly blessed to have you with us! Please find it within you to forgive us fools!”
Erin had shut her eyes as she felt completely embarrassed over what she was doing, but she had no choice. They needed to patch things up or else there would be internal tensions within the group. Not only that, but Lexton was somebody they desperately needed. Getting on his bad side would have devastating consequences in the future. She just hoped that her performance would be enough to fix the whole mess.
The redhead opened her eyes and looked up upon hearing the sound of footsteps approach her. Lexton had walked up to her and was now looking at her with a smirk on his face.
“It’s okay. You can’t help it if you’re dumb,” the kobold said smugly as he patted her on the cheek before walking away. “Just remember to keep in mind which of us are the smart ones.”
Having seemingly achieved her goal, Erin got up from the ground. Her expression was a combination of embarrassment and anger, as her face was almost as red as her hair.
“You want me to kick his ass?” Ryle asked, not amused by Lexton’s actions. “He could use one.”
“No. He was in the right this time, so we don’t really have any excuse to get upset at him. Not only that, but if we retaliate, he wins. And he knows that,” the redhead explained. “The best we can do is avoid getting into situations like this ever again, so we don’t end up as his personal amusement.”
“Well, you’re not the only one who found amusement in this,” Durge said as he pointed at Zeldana, who was laughing so hard she had fallen to the ground.
Erin let out another sigh. She couldn’t help but wonder if this had been worse than facing whatever monsters the caves had within them.
