My thoughts churned as I made my way through the skies, slowly tailing my targets as they split up through the city below.
The signs were all there. The less than subtle polishing the ritual summoning inflicted on the heroes. The way the king and his faction had planned out their farce, identifying the heroes and plainly cataloguing their abilities. Fukushi and Daniella, both in places of power as members of the families of previous heroes. Maybe a hero was something useful to the world, but their true value to the people doing the summoning? Breeding fresh power into lines of living weapons.
Hanada hadn’t been that pretty before. I briefly recalled the bags under her eyes, and how her skin looked like she barely went outside. She wasn’t ugly, but she clearly didn’t put much effort into skin care, and never seemed to have had enough sleep. Instead, she’d become unnaturally attractive? It bothered me more than I thought it would.
Before arriving, I’d never given it thought in depth. No, it was before I went to Earth. Before I read about the concept of human rights. Before I lived among them. Back then, I’d been willfully ignorant. Seeing them as lesser beings, with less worth. But Su’el had been a jerk, like any other bully. He had shattered a perception of mine. Put cracks in the stained glass window.
Gods and Goddesses. We weren’t better. Just different beings. Equally capable of being awful to one another, and treading on those we saw as beneath our notice.
And no. Not them. Us. We didn’t act any better than the king and his cronies. Seeing others as tools and using them as such.
Which meant one thing for the missing heroes. More than likely, they were swiftly kidnapped for a life joining a noble house to spread more empowered offspring across the kingdom.
That idea sickened me. Sickened me because I knew that it hadn’t been so long since I would’ve laughed off the idea as amusing games being played by a silly race of creatures that barely could think for themselves.
What had I done the moment I arrived? Made up selfish plans, arranging for a decade of hedonism and self-indulgence until I could get the small creatures in my care back to their playpen, so I could win a competition.
I huffed a laugh. A self-deprecating one. I really wasn’t any better than the rest.
But I could be. My goals didn’t need to change, but the motivations needed to. ‘Evil’ Goddess Li’erz? If the others were calling themselves the ‘good’ ones, then I’d wear the label they had placed on me with pride. I’d protect the humans, cherish them, and…
I stalled out that line of thought. I knew in my heart that a new Aspect was building. Not a minor one, either. Something about what I was internalizing was deeper, using the experience and time on Earth to solidify. But it would have to wait. Gaining a new aspect would distort reality in a very noticeable way, which would immediately attract divine attention.
I refocused on the city below.
My lead wasn’t turning into anything of substance. Both men had been traveling in disparate directions, and they’d slowed down to lackadaisical paces. They were going into hiding.
What did that guardsman say? Duke Andreas? It’s a lead, at least.
Hopefully it would be a better lead than the two lackeys working their way through the city. I could always catch up to them later, using the marks I’d left on them.
I descended into the streets, dispelling the magics keeping me hidden as I landed gently outside a courier outpost. A tiny bell jingled as I pushed the door open.
“Good evening, madam. How may I help you? Do you need a scribe to write for your delivery?”
I waved it off, smiling at the elderly deskworker. “I need an address, actually. Visiting a family member who works in a noble estate.”
“I see. And who might be the owner of the estate?”
“Duke Andreas, actually. Crazy, right? I haven’t been to the city before, so I wasn’t sure where to find it.”
“Oh, that’ll be a long walk. It’s awfully late for visiting a noble unannounced. You should wait until morning, Madam…” He paused, fishing for a name.
Not like I expected things to be any different. Well protected fellow. Let’s try turning this around.
“I understand. You’re probably right. I’ll return tomorrow and try then.”
I left the place, found an alley to cloak in, and then watched. Sure enough, the courier sent a runner towards the noble district not long after. Easier to follow someone clearly in a hurry, I rapidly found the sprawling manse guarded by a small private army. Not that they’d see me coming to raise a resistance.
Flying a lap around the large mansion, I focused on rooms that were clearly well lit.
It wasn’t even that hard, really. A large dining hall was shining like a beacon, with one side being entirely glass with a clear view of the flower gardens beyond. Inside, three people stood in a line to one side—two men and one woman—all dressed in servile attire, their appearances clean, but their expressions dull and soulless.
By the collars on their necks, they were all slaves. Ones who would become high class servants, but still slaves. Just seeing that made my blood begin to boil. A writhing itch formed along my spine. I did my best to shove it aside with barely any success.
Meanwhile, a muscular man sat at the head of the table having an animated debate with a guest, clearly having just finished their dinners.
The woman having a discussion with the muscular man emanated the aura of someone who’d been born with fairly potent magical abilities. Her capacity to draw upon the elemental planes was certainly abnormal compared to the average I’d sampled from the citizenry.
I got closer, listening in on the conversation.
“Setting aside my new servants, Andreas,” the woman was saying. “I wanted to ask about the heroes. When will they be on the market? I understand they’re mostly C class, but I’d like to purchase a B class when they can be made to understand their roles properly.”
“There were a few runaways that The Circle managed to bring under their wing just earlier today. The details are being quite well hidden for now, but I’m sure something can be arranged eventually, especially for someone with as much means as the head of House Yurienne. B class, though… the demand will be quite high. No chance you’ll accept a C class?”
“My husband was C class, and my children all ended up weaker than me. No, I need a B class to father the heir to House Yurienne, minimum.”
“I understand, Helen. I’ll pass your interest along when I can. Perhaps think of the military value of extra C class individuals marrying into the family lines through your current children. Surely they’d be worth more than a thousand Falx each.” Duke Andreas made his counterpoint, and they both seemed willing to go back and forth for hours like that.
They’re negotiating the prices for the heroes already? That itch I felt grew as a burning sensation formed in my stomach. It began as a low rumble, like a mythical beast awakening for the first time in centuries. It burned inside me, twisting and demanding that I act.
And against my better judgement, I obeyed.
“I’m going to stop you right there.” I announced as I stepped through the glass pane separating the dining hall from the outside. By disabling my invisibility, it looked like I had stepped out of the glass itself, leaving the surface melted in a pool at my feet. “You’re not buying or selling any slaves. And there won’t be any heroes entering your markets, either.”
The burning sensation settled, satisfied that I chose to stop fighting my own nature.
“Guards, intruder!” Andreas tried to stand, reaching for a sword at his waist, but I drowned out his words and actions with an immense pressure of wind blasting downwards on everyone present except myself and the three slaves. That same pressure pinned the doors closed, as well.
With a flick of my finger, I erased the collars around their necks with whispered castings of [Disintegration]. “You three, behind me, please.” They all hesitated, but complied a moment later with their dull expressions replaced with some small glimmer of hope, which just made my fury roar higher.
Directing that anger toward an easy outlet, I turned to the duke and his guests. Helen was trying to raise her head from the table, if only to get a line of sight to use magic on me. “Really, stop, for your own safety. Any more than this, and I’ll start breaking bones.”
The wind was howling, vibrating crystal chandeliers and threatening to shatter the other windows. Andreas still tried to draw his sword, and to my surprise, he grew stronger when his hand settled on the grip, managing to stand despite the pressure.
A descendant of the Sword Hero.
I glared at him, giving a single command. “Sit.” I pointed at the ground, and lightning flashed, perfectly copying what I’d done to the king by turning his chair into kindling. Recycling, really, given how horribly tasteless the thing was.
He refused, trying to take strides my way. At the same time, the woman at the table raised a hand to attempt a blind spell. I decided it was better to cut off their attempts instead.
“[Disintegration]!” I announced the spell at the volume of a clap of thunder.
The room roared with the echoes of my voice, and the table where the woman’s face lay buried… turned to particulate dust, causing her whole body to slam to the stone floor, breaking her nose and shattering her focus on the spell.
For his part, Andreas froze in shock, staring at where his dining table had once been.
“This is not a negotiation. The heroes will not become livestock to be traded for prize breeding. Convey to your fellows that if I discover any slavery, I will spare no noble in this kingdom. I will hunt you all, and excise your foul existences personally.”
He glowered, hand still warily on his weapon, though it remained sheathed. “We meet at last—the prize catch of the bunch. I can offer you everything you’d ever want. Luxuries and comforts beyond your imagination. But you’d refuse, right? Heroes.” He scoffed, as if offended by something in the word.
“Seems you’re only as stupid as you look. There’s no such thing as a luxury I can’t imagine. Nothing you could ever offer would compare to the things I have already experienced. Even if you had something to offer, I wouldn’t take any offers made by you or your ilk.”
“Stories told of the supposed morality of heroes.” Andreas sighed in lamentation. “Then fine. Take your demands and go. Just remember, you have to sleep eventually. I’ll have you one way or another.”
I stared at the man. Really looked into his eyes, trying to find what could redeem such inconceivable trash. His glower shifted into a smirk, and I saw nothing there. Nothing left but whatever the pursuit of wealth and power had made from him.
The sight of the man brought forth a bitter sigh, realizing what I had to do to protect the people in my care. I wouldn’t kill him, though. “Unlike your king, it seems there won’t be any chance for a second meeting between us, Andreas. I won’t banish you to a place you might return from. No, I have a special paradise carved out for you. A certain demon queen invented this, and I mistakenly had the knowledge of it forced on me. But truly, it is perfect for someone like you.”
His smirk vanished at my cold, dispassionate tone. My dead-eyed stare.
“Wait, what are—”
“[Curse of Avarice].”
His eyes lost focus, and within his mind’s eye, there was nothing but piles of riches. Gold, silver, diamonds, and relics. An incomprehensible accumulation of wealth beyond reason.
A prison within his own mind, feeding him what he cherished most.
Andreas laughed then, bewildered by the illusion that overcame his every perception. And then the need hit him. The all-consuming desire for more. To have everything and never stop wanting something to add to it. The fruitless, utterly pointless desire to hoard everything of perceived value he could dream of, and have it never be enough.
The simmering heat in my stomach that had urged me to act was revolted at the very premise of what I had done. To an extent, the spell was a mirror. Forcing him to look at the logical conclusion of what his greed would become, and driving him insane with it.
I took a shuddering breath as different Major and Minor Aspects warred with each other over my choice. My Liberation Aspect had urged me to act, but it caused me pain to have locked someone within their own mind for what would likely become a death sentence. Retribution sang my praises, but felt so much weaker. The growing foundation of that new aspect reared its head amidst the chaos.
I felt my tears for the first time. Hot wetness rolling down artificial cheeks. I suddenly wasn’t sure I wanted the new power. It felt so raw and emotional that it sparked a distinct fear of the unknown. A fear of the irrationality of human emotions. The exact difference that made other deities feel superior to mortals.
“Come on. Let’s go.” I ushered the trio out the way I’d come in, finding an army of guards rushing our way.
I ignored them as I gripped myself and the three slaves by the hips and shoulders, lifting us with the wind.
One of the boys finally asked me a question as I wiped away the moisture on my face. “What did you do to the Duke?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s better that you don’t know.” My voice sounded hollow, even to myself. I’ll have to explain myself to the others soon enough anyway.
My mind was reeling with so many things at once.
Foremost was just how much more seriously I should’ve been taking things. I had been acting with such callous disregard of everything that was happening. Like it was an anime.
There would be consequences for what I’d done.
Instead of thinking more, I just wanted a few minutes to breathe. But I still had to find the heroes.
The Circle. At least I had gained a new lead. Right before crippling my ability to use the duke as a method to find them.