Chereads / The Chronicles of Van Deloney / Chapter 10 - MAIDEN'S GRIM HARVEST

Chapter 10 - MAIDEN'S GRIM HARVEST

October 28, 1879

 AS THE CARRIAGE gained momentum and its speed continuously, Charlotte's body was suddenly thrown forward, her eyes widening in surprise as her heart quickened with a sense of urgency. "What was that?!" the young lady exclaimed with panic filling her voice, her nerves rattled by the unusual occurrence and her mind racing with possible explanations for the sudden speed surge.The carriage continued to blaze ahead across the wide expanse of the landscape, its speed growing faster and its ride becoming increasingly uncomfortable.Lindice suddenly piped up, her voice laced with urgency and her demeanor changing from cool and collected to alert and vigilant. "Speaking of those devils..." she hissed in a tense tone. Her sudden shift in mood and tone, coupled with her quick reach for the wrapped polearm beside her."What are you planning to do?!" She inquired, her voice filling with panic as her concern for her own safety and the potential threat from the followers increased.The young lady's hands gripped the sides of the seat firmly, as she tried her best to maintain a stable position and prevent herself from bouncing around during the vigorous ride.Lindice, whose eyes were narrowed as she gazed out of the back window of the moving wagon, searching for something outside. "Stay here. I just spotted a dirt..." She muttered, her tone was urgent and vigilant. She then kicks the carriage door open, causing a sudden burst of cold air to rush inside the carriage.Before she could speak further, Charlotte suddenly noticed the wind slowly unwrapping the cloth from the polearm that Lindice was holding, the young lady's eyes widening with surprise as she got a clear look at the massive blade that was concealed underneath it. "Hold on a second.... Is that... A SCYTHE?!" she said in her own mind, she filled with a sense of shock and awe, the size and shape of the weapon catching her off guard. Charlotte had never seen anything like it before."Who let her use that?! Is she CRAZY?!"The ride in the carriage continued to surge on, Lindice made a daring and unexpected move, jumping out of the moving wagon whilst it was still in motion. "H-Hey!" Charlotte yelled, trying to catch Lindice's attention, but unfortunately, she was too focused on the task at hand, and didn't look back towards Charlotte's direction.As the riders charged forward on their horses, Lindice stood in their path, brandishing the massive scythe in her hands in a display of bold courage. "Surrender now, kid!" the leader of the men shouted, his tone commanding and his voice filled with authority. Despite her small and thin frame, Lindice stood tall and resolute, her tone dismissive. "What a joke," she chuckled with a tone of slight derision, her words making light of the threat presented to her. From her once icy demeanor turns into a different tone of psychopathy.She raised her Scythe and twirled the weapon in the air, her skilled hands allowing her to manipulate the massive blade with seemingly effortless grace and dexterity. With each sweeping motion, she drew the scythe closer to the approaching foes, her movements like a deadly dance as she closed within striking distance. The two sides drew closer, the tension in the air grew thicker and thicker, the sight of Lindice's graceful yet deadly move sending shivers down the spines of the men on their horses, their confidence in their numerical superiority quickly dwindling in the face of her skills.The men on their horses mustered up all the courage that they could muster, drawing their swords in preparation for the inevitable clash with Lindice. They were determined to eliminate this skilled and brave young woman who dared to stand up to them, her weapon twirling through the air like a deadly dance, her every movement bringing her closer to striking range of her unsuspecting foes.However, it was Lindice who struck first, leaping into the air, and throwing the blade of her scythe through the head of one of the men, causing his blood to spill from his skull as he died a violent death.The blood of Lindice's first victim splashed over her clothes, but the young lady showed no sign of fear or revulsion as she tasted the blood on her fingers. She stood tall and unafraid, her gaze turning towards the remaining men as she uttered a chilling statement. "Now, who's next?" she whispered, her voice filled with sense of psychopathy, as she stared down her other would-be captors, daring them to make their next move. Her words and actions exuded menace and confidence, her strength and skill making her a formidable opponent for anyone who dared to block her path.The remaining men on their horses let out a collective shout of shock, their confidence shaken as they witnessed the ease with which Lindice dispatched their comrades. Yet their courage returned in quick succession, as the leader gave a signal and two men charged forward with their swords raised, determined to take down this menacing foe.However, in a swift movement of her Scythe, Lindice decapitated the two men before they could even land a single hit, their heads falling to the ground with a resounding thud as they were instantly killed. The display of skill and strength was nothing short of extraordinary, and the remaining men were stunned by Lindice's prowess.As the remaining men on their horses gathered themselves, one of the men fleeing from the scene and scream in horror "S-She's a MONSTER!" The leader yelled addressing the man who fled the scene. "YOU COWARD INSIGNIFICANT FOOL!" he yelled, addressing the man who fled the battlefield.The leader of the knights was determined to take down Lindice and not let her escape unscathed and yelled out an order to his remaining men to charge forward with their swords drawn. Lindice, however, was unfazed by their attack and continued to fight with a gleeful demeanor, her laugh turning manic as she displayed her skill and dexterity, using her Scythe to spin and dance while killing them one by one in a brutal and swift fashion."That's right, run towards me FOOLS."The leader of the men was visibly shaken, his expression one of disbelief and fear as he watched Lindice's massacre of his comrades. As he turned to face the young lady, his knees began to tremble with apprehension and his mind swam with thoughts of impending danger. Before long, he had to face the reality that he could very well be facing his final moments in this life. With a shout of terror, the leader of the men exclaimed to himself, "S-She's... SHE'S A GRIM REAPER!" The terrifying prospect of dying at the hands of a psychotic young woman with a Scythe was beyond his comprehension."DIE...." Lindice whispered softly, her voice dripping with malice and her eyes cold and empty of any emotion or remorse. With a swift and savage gesture, she decapitated the remaining men, the sound of her Scythe chopping through their necks creating a horrid and unsettling melody that echoed throughout the entire area.The ravens in the surrounding trees took fright and flew away, their calls of alarm and agitation breaking the eerie silence that was left in the wake of the bloodshed. The young lady's actions left no doubt as to her ruthlessness and disregard for the sanctity of human life.Meanwhile, Charlotte sat anxiously in the carriage, her concern for Lindice growing with each passing moment. The sky above was a peaceful and serene sight, filled with stars and clouds, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening elsewhere in the vicinity.The ride in the carriage continued without incident, Charlotte's concern for Lindice's safety and well-being grew stronger with each passing minute. She moved close to the window and scrutinized the scenery outside. Suddenly, a face appeared in the window, the cold and frightening expression causing Charlotte to jump in her seat and almost losing her soul. "GAH! HOLY MUGGLE FUDGE!"The door to the carriage swung open, and a figure covered in blood stepped inside. It was Lindice, her clothes once pristine but now stained with the blood of her foes. Her Scythe was also dripping with gore and flesh, the blade still wet with the blood of the men she had just killed. "It's just you, thank goodness. Oh, wait..."Without a word, Lindice sat down in the seat across from Charlotte, her expression cold and unfazed by the blood caked on her uniform and her weapon. She seemed to be oblivious to the horror she had just unleashed and the gravity of her current situation."Her clothes... they were all stained with blood. Did she really finish them all?"Charlotte was left speechless as she stared at the blood-soaked figure of Lindice, her mind reeling from shock and awe at the sight of her covered in the gruesome mess of her enemies' flesh and blood. "D-Did...did you...?" she asked hesitantly, her words interrupted by Lindice's sudden response. "Kill them? I did," she said casually, her tone emotionless and her eyes void of compassion or remorse. "Why?" Charlotte's question echoed through the air; her gaze fixed on Lindice as she tried to make sense of her actions."Why did you take their lives?"