NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Subversive Thoughts
4/26 morning
Darcell was tired of Garrick Padfoot's shit. She was new, sure, but she was quickly learning that he was the worst kind of leader. He was charismatic enough, but that just meant he could convince people like her to go along with his shitty ideas like this whole stupid raid on Northshire.
"The checkpoint is nothing," he'd said. "We can take them down quickly, then bust through." Great idea Garrick, but what do we do when they start staffing the checkpoint more heavily and there is no way out? Besides, what the hell were they doing? Stealing grapes. Whoop de fucking do, this was definitely worth all their lives.
The kingpin had taken over all of Westfall. The Defias had a goldmine and an army, and soon they'd all be nobles in a whole new kingdom. Apparently the brotherhood was also bringing in powerful mages like Otto of Westfall, who could transform himself and talk over long distances. He was amazing. Why the hell was someone like that-
She heard a bird in the distance. Damn she was jumpy. Well, anyway, they had magic on their side now, and she was chosen to use some of it. She couldn't wait to learn how to make things explode. Assuming he was that kind of mage; learning how to turn into other people like Otto would be cool too. Or turn invisible. Was that more or less complicated than fire? Whatever; she was gonna be somebody.
She'd taken to sparring with her mates after she got the amulet, trying to learn how to fight better. She'd never been much good before now, but enough practice will make anyone a badass and she had so much energy now. The pussies were already backing down, saying they were "too tired and hungry" to help her work off steam. Pathetic.
The amulet gave her too much energy really. She felt restless unless she was working out, or practicing her knife throwing, anything worked really as long as she was active. She was hungry all the time, but she had figured out how to make food with the amulet. It just appeared out of nowhere, and she needed it more than the rest. She was growing muscles now, she looked like one of them lady soldiers. A small one, but still. Not a half starved fisherman's daughter.
(Art by NovelAi) https://imgur.com/a/GAYuanl
All the exercise helped her focus too. She was calmer now than she'd been since those murlocs killed dad. If soldiers weren't there to keep fishermen safe from murlocs, what good were they? That's why she'd joined up. Once the Brotherhood ran things, stuff like that wouldn't happen. Guys like Otto would stop it. Or, once she was a badass, she would do it herself. Why wasn't he here coaching her? She was sure with his help she could-
Damn Padfoot. He annoyed her just by existing. If he'd at least help her practice she'd have a use for him, but all he wanted to do was bitch about having to leave the vineyard. Didn't he know Otto was the boss now? Otto had their backs. Otto would take care of them. Otto would fix Padfoot's fuck ups. Otto would make everything better. He was already making her better.
"Alright. I've got the plan lined up. I need you all to meet me along the banks of the Northshire river. Near… the waterfall." Another message from Otto, and this one sounded like it was time for some action.
"Yes sir. We will be there. Alright boys. New marching orders. We are going to the waterfall."
Garrick crossed his arms, "so he's pulling our chains again? Gonna tell us to retake the vineyard we just left?" The rest of the crew followed along that line of logic. They just needed to trust Otto and it would be fine. "I don't want to hear it. We are getting out today." That got a cheer. Good; they should have started with trust, but they got there eventually. "Alright everyone. Pack up, we are moving."
Garrick wasn't impressed. "No. I think you should go ahead and bring him to us. We will set up next to that old forked tree. It's close enough."
Padfoot was pissing her off, but apparently Otto thought he was important. Darcell would do anything if Otto thought it was important.
••••••••••
4/26
Lividia was troubled. She was starting to wonder: was her future important to mother? Obviously Lividia deserved every blessing that could possibly be heaped upon her, but mother kept her here on this road. This stupid road, where there was nothing fun but the occasional traveling merchant and the gnolls. As if she wasn't intended to learn or grow from this experience at all.
It was disheartening, but there was only one way to interpret this kind of behavior from the elder dragon. Onyxia was jealous of her. She was holding her back so she wouldn't grow into a threat. Probably she'd have Lividia killed next time she had a chance. Steps would need to be taken to counteract that.