The group once more headed down after relaxing in their rooms for a few more minutes... mainly because Ashley was lazy and didn't want to get up.
"Uhhgggg.... can we just sit here for a little bit more....", she begged while stretching her arms out in front of her, laying on her back in the bed with her hair flaying in all directions, covering the entire bed.
"Sigh... I suppose I didn't take this into account...", Trevor sighed with a hand over his face.
"Hahaha! Don't make me concerned that your plans are going to fail if you couldn't even predict that much.", Garett joked.
Trevor let out a slight chuckle, and eventually they convinced Ashley to get up and head downstairs.
She didn't make any effort to brush her hair, and it looked like a complete mess, but she didn't bother to even so much as blink her baggy eyes due to this.
The parlor had returned to normal operations by this time, and everyone seemed to be minding their own business, so the four simply walked down and out- trying not to attract attention, but also remaining noticeable enough to catch the eye of anyone who was interested in them.
The four were quiet, but walked with confidence out the door before heading down the street and turned a quick corner into an alleyway at Trevor's lead.
"Eight people are following us.... it seems that there are two groups of four... one who seems to be lagging behind the other... Ally, wait for my signal before releasing any magic... I would like to speak with these people who are tailing us in order to... maximize the effectiveness of my plan... heh heh...."
"Got it."
The four all leaned back on the alleyway wall with their arms crossed, as if they were a group of thugs waiting for a fight to break out.
Soon enough, just as Trevor had predicted, a group of four veteran mercenaries showed up in the alleyway.
The one in the front was short and fat, and had a buzz cut- or perhaps he was simply balding. It was hard to tell. He had a short yellow beard on his chin around his mouth, and wore a dark green shirt with white trousers. He reminded Trevor a bit of his former coworker who had betrayed him. The man wasn't equipped for a fight. Even so, he carried a dagger on his left strapped to a weapon holster.
Behind him was a thin and pale man with long black hair, who was extremely tall and wearing similar clothing. Alongside this man were two others, both of them average in height. They looked like twins, aside from the fact that one of them had a deep scar on the right side of his face that covered the entire face. They both had brown and square cut hair, and young but vicious eyes.
The twins both carried swords on one side with sets of three daggers on the other, and the tall man had something that looked like a scythe.
"Is there some business you gentlemen have back here in this alleyway? Surely you couldn't be here because of some nobodies like us, right?", Trevor said mockingly while pressing up his glasses.
"You've got some guts to speak to a group of veterans like us in that manner. Perhaps we should help you out by teaching you all some manners.", the leader stated.
"I completely agree... how shameful it is for that lovely lady there next to you to have to deal with such a disrespectful man.... I'm sure that she would be in much better hands if we were to free her of your grasp.", the tall man said while referring to Samantha.
"Always getting dibs on the beautiful ones first, eh Rad? No matter. I suppose I'll take the ugly one with the droopy eyes. Not really my taste, but perhaps she has some other traits that the beautiful one doesn't?", one of the twins- the one with the scar said.
"I'd like to have a go at her when you're finished, brother... you never know what kind of interesting things can happen if you don't care how they look... it's all about how she reacts...", the other one responded with a lustful grin.
Samantha was beyond disgusted. The thought's of these men were so horrifying that they would go beyond the rating of this novel, and Samantha was staring at them as if they were less than insects- beings who only existed to be squashed, and treated as the filth underneath her sneakers.
Meanwhile.... Ashley....
A crooked and horrifying smile was creeping across her face.
Her lips quivered up and down, and her drooping eyes began to form thick black rings all around them. Her hair began standing on end, and her teeth flashed here and there as her lips started flipping back and forth. Veins spread across her eyes, and she could barely contain her joy.
She was on the brink of an insane fit of laughter.
Why?
Simple.
She had power.
These pieces of scum who were in front of her eyes, who were once the type of people that she was beyond terrified of ever meeting- the type of people who would insult her and violate her without a second thought to the psychological torment she would have to live with... the type of people who didn't even deserve to live... the type of people who's human right's could be taken away and Ashley would argue that it was justified... they were now in the situation of the prey, and Ashley was the predator.
Ashley had never felt so delighted to meet such pieces of scum in her life, and she was exhilarated just imagining giving them a fraction of the punishment they deserved.
Both Trevor and Garett, however, had veins bursting at their foreheads. Their eyes were filled with fury like never before, and they had already far surpassed the realm of murderers.
"Ah... how right you all are. If only you wonderful men would save me from these brutes who force me to stay with them.", Ashley stated with a quivering voice as she barely held in her laughter- however she could not hide her happiness when she said this.
The four men in front of her, took her happiness completely the wrong way. They seemed to believe Ashley was happy to be saved by them.
"Oh? It seems that these awful men don't deserve to keep such women like you both by their sides. Don't worry one bit, we will ensure that they never speak with you again.", the leader said in a sly tone.
Vein's were popping all the way down the neck's of Garett and Trevor, but they both realized exactly what Ashley was doing, and Samantha then played along.
"Would you really? Are you sure you can save us from these two? They are excessively strong... are you all confident enough that you could do it without being hurt?"
The leader was now spinning his arm around his shoulder getting ready for a brawl. His mind was clearly influenced by his lower parts, and a slight bit of drool ran down his mouth when he heard Samantha say this.
"A- *Wipes off drool*. Anything for such a lovely lady as yourself... we don't fear these rookies, no matter how powerful they are... after all, who can pass by such... injustice... and sit back quietly doing nothing but watch it happen?"
"My! How brave!", Samantha exclaimed.
'Come one step closer so I can edit those dirty thoughts of yours and replace them with ones of terror, trash.', she thought, contrary to her words.
The two girls stood back, and the two males elves stood forward, completely irritated.
"You boys alright? Those are some angry faces you have on right now.... don't tell me you've been hogging these fine ladies all to yourselves... we can't have that, now can we? Heh heh..."
The leader had taken his dagger out of the sheath, and held it in an odd stance with one fist up, and holding the dagger pointed down and to the right side in his left hand as he approached the two with the tall man, who was wielding his scythe in an attack formation.
"We of the hellraisers mercenary band consider ourselves to be... somewhat of a liberation force... we like to liberate poor women like those two from the chains of tyrants like yourselves... it's too bad... it really is... if rookies like you didn't go and make such a scene like you did back there, taking all the attention, we would have left you all alone... no, really... it's too bad that you all are so shortsighted... we wouldn't have even noticed you if you had just stayed quiet like good little boys and not attracted attention... it seems like you all simply lacked caution and preparedness..."
"Shortsighted?", Garett asked while a devilish grin drew itself across his face as he face-palmed and dragged his hand down his face, slowly revealing the face of a man who had lost all wit.
"Lacking caution and preparedness? Us?", Trevor questioned as his frown slowly became a villainous smirk... one filled with overconfidence and arrogance.
The two continued walking towards Garett and Trevor, remaining at arms.
"What's wrong, boys? Something to smile about? Better draw your weapons or you're going to die. Oh wait... you idiots came to a place like this without any weapons. Did I stutter? I said that you two lack preparation, and overestimate yourselves.", the leader mocked with a snide grin.
"Hahaha...."
"HAHAHA!!!"
"AHAHAHAHAHA!!!! KAHHAHALKAKAAKAA"
"GET A LOAD OF THIS GUY, THEO!!!!"
"I KNOW!!!! I CAN'T HOLD BACK ANYMORE!!! THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE THINKS.... I.... I CANT!!!"
The two were on the floor, dying of laughter while the four mercenaries stood by in shock, keeping their weapons readied.
"Hey!!! You idiots!!! If you don't want to die defenseless, then you better run now, leaving those women behind!!! I'm warning you!!!", the man who seemed to be the boss shouted, while clearly disturbed from their reactions.
Meanwhile, Trevor and Garett continued their laughing spree.
Ashley couldn't hold herself back either in the chaos. Her smile had reached her ears, and hey eyes were filled with bloodlust.
"Heh heh heh.... heh heh heh.... heh heheheeheeheehe...."
The mercenary in the back- the twin with the scar nudged the other twin with his elbow.
"Oi, that one is a freak... I ain't touching her... these guys.... I have no idea what they did to her.... but you can have your fun alone... I'll wait for the boss to have his turn with the regular one before I claim her...."
The other twin brother, who was imagining all sorts of horrible things, licked his chin as a line of drool dripped from his mouth.
"W- will do brother... shes all mine... I like them crazy..."
"Yeah...all yours...."
The brother with the scar was clearly disturbed by the strange taste of the one without the scar, but they stood back and let the other two maintain their fighting poses.
Samantha at this point was acting. She reacted to their thoughts and pretended to be a damsel in distress. She had a look of fear in her eyes, and stared at the leader as if she was saying, 'please save me'.
She was well practiced in the art of seducing men with her expressions and looks alone, and the leader caught onto her pleading.
"That's it... you two are nut-jobs... don't say I didn't warn you... Rad, you take these guys..."
The leader stepped back slowly and the man with the black hair raised his scythe above the two hysterical elves in front of them.
Then, he brought down the scythe onto Trevor's neck, in order to slice it clean off.
However, when he did so...
It hit the cold ground.
The leader and Rad felt a hand on each of their shoulders, and the two men in front of them were gone.
"The reason why me and my comrade here could not so help but to fall back in laughter..."
"Agh!"
"EEK!!"
The two, who then turned to see Trevor and Garett standing right behind them, freaked out as if they had seen a ghost. They jumped back and quickly retook their fighting stances while facing the two.
"Ahem... it is extremely rude to interrupt someone else when they are speaking.... and leaking bodily fluids certainly would ruin any presentation... while I would normally encourage you both to go and change yourself before you witness my presentation... I don't think that would be appropriate for this scenario.", Trevor monologued. "Now then.... Gary, why don't you inform these fools as to why we couldn't help but to fall down in hysterical laughter?"
"Certainly, my comrade. Now then... why don't we take a quick analysis at the things you both said earlier.... ah yes... you said that we were... tyrants... shortsighted... unprepared... and lacking caution... yes, that about sums it up, don't you think, Theo?"
"Indeed.... now... I will say one thing... you all are certainly right about the tyrant part... however...."
Trevor then approached the two.
The leader tried to move, however... he couldn't.
He couldn't move a single muscle. It was as if he was being held back by some sort of invisible force.
Ashley's fit of insane laughter became even louder, and she seemed to be holding her hand out as if she was grasping something.
"Heeeheeeehee!!!"
Trevor placed his arms on the shoulders of the frozen men and whispered into their ears.
"Tyrant isn't exactly the right term. We prefer to be referred to as dictators."
Trevor pulled back and then continued his ranting.
"Boss!? What's wrong?! Are you alright?!"
The man with the scar tried shouting out, but as he did so, Garett gave him a glare.
"Oi, kiddo... do you need to be taught some manners as well? Ally, please silence these two with the others. I cannot believe they would be so rude as to interrupt Theo during his presentation..."
"With pleasure, Gary!!", Ashley shouted while restraining the other two as well.
The twins ceased moving an inch, and were stuck in an odd position with their hands held forward as if they were trying to reach out for help. Their mouths tried to move, but they also couldn't utter a single word.
"Now.... thank you for that, Gary... my oh my... people these days are so rude.... they simply cannot listen when they are being spoke to, despite the fact that WE ever so patiently listened to their blather when it was their turn.... good grief.... anyways... you all stated that we were unprepared... that we lacked caution... that we were shortsighted.... do you all even understand the meaning of the word caution? I highly doubt it. Do you spend every second, of every day, simulating over and over scenarios hundreds of times worse than that which is theoretically possible, only to take into account that which you have not prepared for? Do you ever worry for hours on end that you have missed even the slightest detail while for the tenth time re-simulating every possible scenario?!?!! I DOUBT IT!!!! If you had done that, you never in a hundred years would have approached us..."
Trevor now looked back and forth between all four mercenaries while pacing around the alleyway with his hands behind his back, condescendingly.
"Do you ever consider the consequences of your actions?! Do you even realize that you are living in a society?!?!! Do you filth ever wonder even for a second whether there will be a repercussion for storming in on some men who you believe are fresh prey, and taking their women for your own!?!?! Certainly not. AND YOU HAVE THE GALL TO SAY THAT WE CAME UNPREPARED!?!?!?! YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY THAT WE OVERESTIMATED OURSELVES!?!?!"
Trevor swayed his hand over his face from top to bottom in a quick motion, dispelling all emotion from his face as he did so.
"You are sadly mistaken. I will make one thing known- those women over there, they are not my property. They are my precious comrades. I was going to let you four go originally with a slap on the wrist, but now that you have gone and insulted them in front of me.... I cannot let that slide... you have made me, one who values logical reasoning and diligent decision making above all else resort to such undignified measures such as emotional appeal... because no matter how many simulations I run...no matter what set of events I see occurring... I cannot imagine a scenario in which leaving you all alive would be the right decision."
Fear and terror had completely come across the faces of the frozen four mercenaries, and they were utterly unsure as to what they should-no, what they could do.
"However... I am not so gracious as to subject you to my own punishment... oh no... for the sin and crime of insulting my comrades... you must be subjected to the punishments in which they deem to be acceptable."
Samantha's face then became that of a sneering woman who had led these men into deception.
"Ah... how pitiful.... they cannot even move a muscle... it's too bad that I don't pity scum like you.... I've already seen the disgusting thoughts that plague your minds. And I've come up with a fitting punishment for insects like you.", she said while slithering around them seductively, and even pressing her demonic finger to their lips- undoing the illusion for just a moment to show them that what lie before them was not a beautiful elf, but rather a demonic succubus.
'Why you!?! You bitch!!!! You deceived us!?!?! I thought you were in need of help!?!?'
So the leader thought, however he couldn't get a single word out of his mouth.
"The only one in need of help is you four... and I am about to help rid you of those filthy desires."
Samantha then twisted her wrist around as if she were screwing something in, and as she did this, she created an extremely thin barrier- no, four of them.
The barriers were as sharp as blades, like pointed ovular shards of glass, and they all hovered around her before splitting up and heading straight for the four men.
"How unprepared it was for you all to attack people without armor to protect yourselves... ah wait, some silly little human contraption like armor wouldn't help you against this anyways! Let me let you all in on something... the hellraisers? That was what you claimed your little mercenary group to be, right? You four have never experienced hell on earth. Unluckily for you, I am the succubus who is here to lead the way."
The blades each aimed at the trousers of the four men, right into the nether regions.
Samantha gracefully swayed her arms while controlling all four shards in the air at the same time, gracefully slicing off and mutilating the lower regions of the four men, leaving them all about to throw up in the horrifying pain.
"A fitting end... to those who only ever think about such repulsive things, to die in such a repulsive manner.", Garett noted while chuckling.
Ashley released the four from her hold, and they began screaming and squirming in pain as they fell to the ground.
"AGGHGHGH!!!!!!"
The four walked out of the alleyway, and Ashley stuck her tongue out while laughing creepily at the men who were devastated with the pain.
"What was that you said before?! HMMM!?! That I was too crazy for you?!?! That you wanted to have your turn with the regular one!?!?! I'M NOT THE ONLY CRAZY BITCH HERE!!!! AHAHAHA!!!!", Ashley shouted while placing her arm over Samantha, and the two laughed villainously together as if they had known each other all their lives.
"HAHAHA!!! KEHKEHKEH!!! HEHEHE!!"
When the four had finished laughing at the screams and pain of the four, and after the screams had died down and the four dropped dead from bleeding out- or from heart attacks due to the vast amount of pain- Trevor turned to a set of barrels which was near the edge of the alleyway.
"Now then.... it looks like we have some spectators over there... friend, or foe? Come out peacefully, and depending on your answer we might spare you."