Chapter 23: Velaris' gambit
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The battlefield was a maelstrom of chaos as Tharion faced the impossible choice: surrender to Varden or risk the lives of his wife, Sola, and Mina. The sight of them held hostage only added to the intensity of the situation. The soldiers of Brackenridge, with their grip tight on the captives, stood their ground, their faces hardened by the tension.
One of the soldiers, his voice dripping with cold menace, addressed Tharion. "Release Varden now, or these women die. It's your choice, Tharion. Choose wisely."
The demand was a clear and direct threat, adding to the already unbearable pressure. Tharion's eyes burned with a mix of anger and desperation as he looked between his wife, Mina, and Varden. The choice was agonizing, and every second felt like an eternity.
Velaris, standing beside Jarec, observed the situation with a calculating gaze. Despite his physical limitations, Velaris's mind was a sharp and devious tool, and it was now his turn to act. He stepped forward, his presence commanding attention as he approached the soldiers holding Sola and Mina.
"No!" Velaris's voice was firm, cutting through the tumult of the battlefield. "You will not use these captives as leverage. We will not negotiate with threats."
The soldiers, surprised by Velaris's defiant stance, looked at him with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. The tension was palpable, and Velaris knew that this was a critical moment where his cunning would be put to the ultimate test.
Velaris took a deep breath, his mind racing as he formulated a plan. He turned to the soldiers, his voice steady and authoritative. "Listen carefully. If you wish to live and escape this battlefield with any semblance of honor, you will release the captives immediately. We have a counter-offer that will ensure your safety and guarantee Varden's escape."
The soldiers exchanged glances, their resolve wavering as they weighed Velaris's words. Velaris had their attention, and he used this moment of uncertainty to press his advantage.
"What counter-offer by a rat??" one of the soldiers asked, his tone guarded but curious.
Velaris's eyes gleamed with a glint of mischief and intelligence. "If you release the captives now, we will allow Varden to leave with you. We will ensure that he escapes unharmed, and you will have the chance to live another day. But if you refuse, you will find that our wrath will be swift and unforgiving."
The soldiers hesitated, their grip on Sola and Mina faltering as they considered Velaris's proposal. The prospect of escape and survival was a powerful motivator, and Velaris's offer was tempting. The soldiers were caught between their duty and their desire to avoid further bloodshed. They thought that the enemies nexon is depleted that they concluded that they mean it.
One of the soldiers finally spoke up, his voice uncertain. "And if we agree, how can we trust that you won't double-cross us?"
Velaris smiled, his expression a mixture of confidence and cunning. "You have my word. I am a man of my word..... a rat. Besides, you have no choice. It's either release the captives now, or face the consequences of your continued defiance."
As the soldiers debated among themselves, Velaris continued to maintain his composed and authoritative demeanor. The outcome of the negotiation was crucial, and Velaris knew that the lives of Sola and Mina depended on his ability to outmaneuver Varden's men. Fear of death shadows their mind.
In the midst of the tension, Jarec stood nearby, his eyes fixed on Velaris. The rat Con's brilliance was on full display, and the outcome of the situation hinged on his ability to navigate this treacherous moment.
Finally, the soldiers, their faces reflecting a mixture of fear and resignation, began to release their hold on Sola and Mina. The captives were freed, their relief palpable as they rushed towards Tharion. Tharion pushes the battered body of Varden to the guards, sigh of relief escape on his mouth.
Velaris's gaze remained sharp as he addressed the soldiers one last time. "You have made the right choice. Now, leave this place and do not return."
The soldiers, their mission thwarted and their captives freed, quickly retreated, their faces showing a mix of relief and frustration. Varden, still lying on the on his guards shoulder, watched the scene unfold with a look of fury and defeat.
As the soldiers disappeared into the chaos of the battlefield, Velaris turned to Tharion, his expression a blend of satisfaction and exhaustion. "It was a close call, but we managed to turn the situation to our advantage."
Tharion, his wife and Mina now safe, looked at Velaris with a mixture of gratitude and awe. "Thank you, Velaris. You saved their lives."
Velaris nodded, his pride evident in his short stance. "It was nothing. Just another day of outwitting those who underestimate us."
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With Sola and Mina freed, and Varden's soldiers retreating, there was a brief respite in the midst of the conflict. But Velaris was not finished. The rat Con, known for his arrogance and intelligence, had a final, treacherous move to make.
Tharion, his gaze filled with gratitude and relief, approached Velaris. "You've done it. The captives are safe. Thank you."
Velaris's lips curled into a sly smile, his eyes glinting with a mixture of satisfaction and malice. "Ah, but it seems you've underestimated me once more, Tharion."
Before Tharion could react, Velaris's demeanor shifted from composed strategist to a figure of calculated treachery. His gaze swept over the retreating soldiers, and with a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a chaotic surge of energy, a dark and tumultuous wave of power that surged through the air.
The sudden eruption of chaotic energy caught the soldiers off guard. The wave of destructive force collided with them, sending them sprawling and writhing as the raw power consumed their ranks. The soldiers, already disoriented by the unfolding drama, were now engulfed in a storm of dark energy, their cries of pain and confusion mingling with the chaos.
Velaris watched the scene unfold with an almost detached amusement. His voice, sharp and taunting, carried over the battlefield. "How delightfully idiotic of you all. Did you really believe I would allow you to leave unscathed after hostaging them? Your decision to trust in a mere offer of safety by a cunning rat like me was as foolish as it was predictable."
His words, laced with contempt, echoed through the chaos. The soldiers and vardent, now caught in the throes of the chaotic surge, were helpless against the relentless power Velaris had unleashed. The battlefield, once a scene of tactical negotiation, was now a stage for Velaris's final, ruthless act.
"You FUCKING RAT!!" That was the final words of the mighty ruler of Rickenridge before his body become engulfed by the wrath of chaos.
Tharion, stunned and outraged by the betrayal, turned to Velaris with a mix of shock and anger. "What have you done? You promised—"
Velaris's smile widened, his little eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction. "Promises? Oh, please. In this world of treachery and betrayal, what are mere promises worth? It's survival of the fittest, Tharion. And I have always played to win."
The chaos of the chaotic surge intensified, the soldiers' desperate attempts to escape or shield themselves proving futile. The scene was one of utter devastation, a stark contrast to the brief moment of hope that had preceded it.
Jarec, witnessing Velaris's betrayal firsthand, felt a surge of mixed emotions—anger, disbelief, and a cold realization of the lengths to which Velaris would go to achieve his own ends. The battlefield was no longer just a clash of power and strategy; it was a realm where alliances were fluid and treachery was an ever-present reality.
As the chaotic surge subsided, the remnants of Varden's soldiers lay defeated and broken, their fate sealed by Velaris's ruthless actions. Velaris, his expression one of cold satisfaction, turned his gaze back to Tharion and Jarec.
"Now, if there are no further interruptions," Velaris said, his tone dripping with arrogance, as varden and his guard fried on crisp under velaris chaotic surge.
And just like that, the mighty village of brackenridge and its cunning sovereign was no more....