(Chapter 26 Before Every Load)
"What are you doing? Young Lord?"
Crucabena spoke to Tempest, a disappointed look on her face.
Clervie opened her eyes, expecting another gruesome wound in her body, but to her surprise, there was none, only the wound from the previous shot remained. She looked at Tempest, his face as emotionless and unreadable as ever, still pointing the flintlock at her, smoke curling out of its barrel. Confusion and relief mingled in her gaze as she processed the situation.
Tempest's eyes were cold and distant, betraying no hint of the turmoil within. His grip on the flintlock was steady as if he had resigned himself to this deadly game. Clervie took a shaky breath, her mind racing with questions she dared not to ask.
Crucabena spoke to Tempest, a disappointed look in her eyes.
"You disappoint me, Young Lord."
She said, her voice dripping with contempt.
"I expected more from the heir of House Proudmoore. To hesitate now, after coming this far, you show weakness."
She crossed her arms and shook her head slowly, her gaze never leaving Tempest's face.
"Do you truly understand what is at stake here? Or do you still believe this is merely a friendly game?"
"I won, didn't I?"
Tempest replied to her, lowering the flintlock on his hands.
"You did, but you missed your shot intentionally. You best remember, Young Lord, we're neither your allies nor your friends. Doing something foolish like that will get you killed one day."
Crucabena warned him.
"Right..."
"Well! Unless you join us though! And we'll be forever your allies!"
Crucabena smiled warmly, her disappointment vanishing as if it had never existed. The warmth in her expression replaced any trace of dissatisfaction.
'Strange woman... Just one more round...'
Tempest thought to himself.
"Well then, we'll take a short break before proceeding to the final round. Peruere, my dear, patch up Clervie."
"Yes, Mother."
Peruere replied to Crucabena with a respectful bow, and Clervie followed suit, bowing her head. After a moment, Clervie stepped away from the table, still wincing from the pain in her shoulder.
"You alright?"
Peruere said to Clervie that only they could hear.
"Mhm... Hurts a bit."
Clervie said with a smile. She then glanced at Tempest, who was still standing at the table, his expression unreadable. Her eyes darted back to her best friend, Peruere.
"He intentionally missed the shot... Maybe he's, Mmpf!"
Clervie groaned as Peruere interrupted her mid-sentence, grabbing her left hand and swiftly injecting her shoulder with a morphine syringe. Clervie's expression softened slightly as the pain began to dull, but she shot Peruere a slightly annoyed glance, which her friend met with a look of concern and determination.
"Don't worry, I'll beat him, you should sit down Clervie."
Peruere said to Clervie, as she placed the empty syringe down and carefully rolled up Clervie's left sleeve. With practiced efficiency, she began to bandage the wound, ensuring the dressing was secure and providing a comforting touch.
"I'll remove the bullet later once we're done here, for now-"
"Perrie."
Peruere looked up to Clervie.
"What?"
"Do you think he's... No never mind, good luck, Perrie."
Clervie smiled at Peruere, not continuing her words.
"Mm."
Peruere replied to her and continued patching up her best friend.
"Young Lord, catch."
Crucabena threw a roll of bandage at Tempest, which he caught
flawlessly.
"I apologize, but I can't provide you morphine, since our game isn't finished."
Crucabena smiled wickedly.
"Tsk... Fine by me."
Tempest rolled up his bloodied left sleeve and began to bandage his wounded left bicep. Each movement was met with a sharp, biting pain, but he gritted his teeth, determined to push through. Despite the searing discomfort, his expression remained as stoic and unyielding as ever. His focus was unbroken, his face a mask of grim resolve as he worked to staunch the bleeding and secure the bandage.
"Let's begin..."
Tempest said.
"Excited are we? Very well then, Peruere."
Crucabena spoke, and Peruere promptly moved to the table to take her position. She cast a brief glance at Clervie before shifting her gaze to Tempest, her eyes narrowing slightly as she assessed him. The atmosphere around them was charged with tension, each participant bracing themselves for the final round.
Tempest put back the flintlock on the middle of the table.
"Let's spice things up, shall we?"
Crucabena spoke with a hint of excitement, then pressed a button beneath the table. A section of the table tilted, revealing six bullets, five live and one dud. The section then tilted back into place, and the flintlock was taken beneath the table. Moments later, it reemerged, now held by a small Meka, which cradled the weapon with both its arms.
'Seven hells... Now this is just pure luck... That sly woman...'
Tempest observed the bullets closely as they were revealed. He noted the five live rounds and one dud, calculating his next move. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on him as he mentally prepared himself for the game ahead.
"Then begin, as usual, you're first, Young Lord."
Crucabena spoke, and after Tempest received the signal to begin, he took hold of the flintlock from the Meka's arms, then pointed it to Peruere.
'She's different from the last two, she's not shaking at all, and her eyes remain steady and focused. It's clear she's used to this kind of ordeal. No wonder Crucabena saved her for last.'
Tempest thought to himself, and he then aimed the flintlock at Peruere's left shoulder, and shortly...
*Bang!*
Clervie looked away, unable to bear witnessing her best friend being shot. When Peruere was hit by a live round, she didn't flinch. Instead, she briefly glanced at her bloodied left shoulder before turning her gaze back to Tempest with unwavering resolve. Crucabena, observing the scene, smiled wickedly. It was evident that Peruere's composure was exactly what she had anticipated from her top child.
'four more live rounds and one dud... Fuck... This is going to hurt.'
Tempest thought to himself as he threw the flintlock onto the table. It slid across the table, coming to rest on Peruere's side.
Peruere's eyes shifted quickly to the flintlock as it came to a stop in front of her. Without hesitation, she seized the weapon, expertly aiming it at Tempest.
*Bang!*
"Grgh!"
Tempest groaned in pain as Peruere shot Tempest's left shoulder, which was still suffering a bullet wound on his bicep, The shot came quickly as she snatched the flintlock from the table, her movements precise and unhesitant.
Tempest's eyes twitched as his right arm instinctively pressed against his left shoulder. His breath came in ragged gasps, and dizziness began to set in, but he remained resolute. Despite the pain, his determination to win the game only grew stronger.
'I am not losing here...'
Tempest thought to himself as Peruere threw the flintlock onto the table. It slid to his side, coming to a stop within reach.
"Feeling tired, Young Lord? Let me remind you that you can back down at any time and still receive the benefits of my offer. I will even personally attend to your wounds."
Tempest's eyes flicked towards Crucabena, who smiled warmly at him. He didn't respond to her but instead grabbed the flintlock from the table and aimed it at Peruere.
'The odds are still high of shooting hitting a live bullet, with three live rounds and only one dud remaining...'
Tempest thought to himself, narrowing his eyes as dizziness began to blur his vision. Finally...
*Bang!*
"Oh my, oh my..."
Crucabena's smile widened wickedly as the flintlock erupted with a loud bang, only to emit a puff of smoke from its barrel. Tempest had fired dud.
Tempest's eyes widened, and his heart raced at the realization. Every part of his body screamed to end this deadly game, but he remained still, not even lowering the flintlock, as he was still processing what just happened.
"Young Lord, please pass the flintlock at Peruere."
Crucabena spoke, and finally, Tempest moved again. He glanced at Crucabena, who was smiling warmly, then at Clervie, whose face was etched with worry and her mouth slightly agape. His gaze shifted back to Peruere, whose strange eyes fixed on him with an unreadable, emotionless expression, waiting for Tempest to pass the flintlock to her.
'This has just turned into a war of attrition... Three live rounds... I will be shot two more times... Seven hells...'
Tempest thought to himself, as he threw the flintlock at the table and it slid to Peruere's side.
Without hesitation, Peruere seized the flintlock and aimed it at Tempest, showing no signs of discomfort despite her left shoulder still bleeding.
*Bang!*
'Grghh!"
Tempest groaned in pain as he staggered backward. As he was shot at his right bicep. The shot, precise and unforgiving, had struck him there, intensifying his agony. The pain surged through him, making his vision blur momentarily.
"Argh!"
His left arm instinctively moved to cradle his newly wounded right arm, the sudden shift in position causing a fresh wave of searing pain to shoot through his already injured left shoulder. The agony intensified as he pressed his left arm against the new wound, making it nearly unbearable. Despite the sharp discomfort radiating through his body, Tempest clenched his teeth and fought to maintain his composure, determined not to let the pain deter him from his goal.
"Hahaha! This is quite the show!"
Crucabena laughed manically at Tempest's pain, but he didn't even bother to look at the crazy woman, he stepped forward grabbed the flintlock, and aimed it at Peruere. His vision blurry and his right arm shaking from the new wound, but that didn't stop him.
'Just one more shot... And this is all over... Don't fail me now...'
*Bang!*
Clervie, standing to the side, covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes fixed on the scene with a mixture of horror and concern. This time, she did not look away. As the bullet struck Peruere's right thigh, blood spilled out and quickly drenched her trousers, forming a dark stain that spread visibly. Despite the wound, Peruere stumbled for a second, but quickly got back up and did not even glance down at her injury. Instead, her gaze remained unwaveringly locked on Tempest, her expression unreadable and stoic. The stark contrast between her calm demeanor and the blood seeping from her wound only heightened the tension in the room.
"Grhg!"
Tempest's grip faltered, and he let the flintlock drop from his trembling hands. The flintlock dropped at the table and slid to Peruere's side, the searing pain coursing through his body had begun to overwhelm him. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his vision grew increasingly blurry, distorting the scene before him. Despite his determination, the relentless pain and exhaustion were taking their toll, making each breath a struggle. His once-steady resolve wavered as he fought to maintain his composure, his body betraying him with every passing moment.
'No no... Not now...'
Tempest thought to himself, lowering his head as he fought to steady his breathing. He closed his eyes, taking deep, deliberate breaths to calm the rapid pounding of his heart. The relentless pain and the blurry haze that clouded his vision made it difficult to focus. As he focused on his breaths, he tried to push through the discomfort, reminding himself of the stakes and the importance of his resolve. Each inhale was a conscious effort to regain his composure, while each exhale was an attempt to clear the fog of exhaustion and maintain his grip on the situation.
Despite having been shot twice already, Peruere remained unfazed. Her expression was stoic as she grabbed the flintlock and aimed it steadily at Tempest. The pain from her wounds seemed to be an afterthought, her focus was unwavering, her gaze fixed with unyielding intensity. The determination in her eyes conveyed a sense of calm resolve, even as blood continued to seep from her injuries.
"Hold on."
Crucabena raised her hand to Pereure in a stop gesture. Peruere simply nodded in response. Crucabena then approached Tempest.
"Well? Young Lord? Does my offer sound enticing now?"
Crucabena lifted Tempest's head with her finger with a warm smile.
"I... Am more... Than a weapon..."
Tempest spoke slowly, his voice steady despite the pain. As he did, his eyes momentarily glowed with a shimmering golden hue for a brief moment. Crucabena's eyes widened in shock at the unexpected phenomenon. She instinctively took a step back from Tempest, her expression a mix of astonishment and caution as she observed the strange and unsettling change.
"You..."
Crucabena said, Peruere and Clervie glanced at Crucabena as if she had just seen a ghost.
Tempest gritted his teeth, channeling every ounce of strength within him to steady his body. Adrenaline surged through his veins, sharpening his focus and numbing the pain. With unwavering determination, he prepared himself for the final shot.
'Just one more...'
Tempest thought to himself.
"Shoot, Peruere."
Crucabena commanded, and Peruere without hesitation...
*Bang!*
Peruere fired, the bullet striking Tempest's left thigh with a force that should have been debilitating. Blood surged from the wound, but Tempest stood his ground, his body seemingly impervious to the agony that would have felled a lesser man. The room fell silent, every eye locked on him as he remained resolute, his stance unshaken despite the four searing wounds that marred his body.
Adrenaline coursed through him like a raging river, dulling the pain and fueling his resolve. Tempest's unwavering gaze met Crucabena's, his breath ragged but controlled, a testament to his indomitable will. He had emerged victorious from the brutal game, proving his mettle against insurmountable odds.
He smiled, an emotion breaking through his otherwise emotionless and unreadable face.
"I won."
Tempest declared.
Crucabena gritted her teeth in anger, but shortly after, she smiled warmly.
"You have, Young Lord."
"Now... Tell me... What my Father is planning..."
Tempest spoke slowly.
"Very well, Young Lord. Since you have won, I will uphold my end of the bargain."
Crucabena cleared throat.
"Your Father will be-"
*Thud!*
Tempest fainted on the floor...