On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor One Hundred And Sixty-Six

One Hundred And Sixty-Six

“What the hell is that? Why do we have soone chained in a box as part of our loot?” I asked, stepping back, wierded out by the intense gaze that peered out from the crack between the lid and the casket.

Shaeula shrugged, frowning. “I do not-not know. Risha, Velna, do you know anything regarding this?”

The two maids looked puzzled, clearly having no idea. As they apologised to their mistress, I thought about it. “Well, I’m pretty certain your brother isn’t going to do anything that might put you at risk. The man’s a total siscon. There must be so reason for this…” as I spoke the box was rocked by several more loud impacts, and a voice, hoarse and dry, as if not used to speaking, started croaking out so quiet words.

“Is… is there anyone out there? Anyone? Please, let out… let out. I’ll be gooooooooood, I won’t do it any moooooooooore!”

Yeah, that’s not creepy at all! As I thought that the thing inside the box started sobbing bitterly. Ugh, now I feel sorry for it. The cries were filled with pain and loneliness, tugging at my heartstrings. I turned to Shaeula, who was also looking doubtful. “So, should we … open up the box?”

“I suppose we must.” She said, looking at the chains uncomfortably. “Ugh, they reek of iron. The Fae do not-not care for the tal, it is like a poison to us, though…” she frowned thoughtfully. “… since I received a Material form, I find it has little-little effect on .”

“I see.” As we decided the thing within the box continued to bang at the lid, struggling. “All right, calm down. We are going to get you out, so just wait, okay?”

“Many thanks, I’ll be goooooooooood, I promise! I’ll make everything tidy, shiny and clean! I’ll make your als and warm your beds, and I won’t break things any moooooooooore!”

That’s a… strangely specific set of skills… my gaze went back to the maids, who were looking perturbed. “So… your brother did say you needed servants. You think… this is one?” What servant needs to be shipped chained up in a box and alternates between manic shouting and sad, bitter tears?

“… I think we should prepare, just in case. Brother Shaeraggo, you fool-fool, just what are you thinking?”

Ulfuric was helping the dwarf, and other troops were around our Territory defending it, as well as taking the opportunity to expand our reach. Still, there were so weaselkin around, who quickly gathered, as well as Haru-san, who hovered in the air above us, still unsure of her place here.

“Here we go then…” I summoned a thin blade of wind and started sawing away at the chains, but they repelled my force, the vibrating blade only faintly scratching the tal. “Damn, these chains are tough… still, I bet I can repurpose them for crafting. Let try this…” adding fla the fire blazed yellow, the edges a hot white, reminiscent of so sort of oxygen cutter. Indeed, using aether as well to create pure oxygen the fla quickly grew in intensity, so bright it hurt my eyes.

“Just what’s he doing-doing, Risha?”

“I don’t know, Velna. I don’t think mortals can work such magics, can they-they?” the maids seed surprised at my talents, and I couldn’t help but grin at their shock. If you think I’m just so slimy mortal who has ensnared and enamoured your princess, you are only half right. I do still feel pretty slimy… with a final hissing of hot tal the first chain sprang off, the edges whipping about.

“That is quite-quite the impressive technique.” Shaeula observed with her eyes. “I see-see. You are creating that gas that fuels fire, Oxygen, I believe. I can use aether and wind to do the sa… Hmm…”

“Yeah, it’s not battlefield-ready yet, it takes a while and too much concentration to get going, but on sothing like this…” the second chain released in a spray of molten iron. “… it’s pretty damn effective. Hey, stop that! I’m removing the chains, just be patient!” the sobbing had turned into frankly worrying chuckling, and the lid of the box crept up, strands of untidy hair cascading out of the gap, a dark black with vivid green and purple highlights.

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll be goooooooooood, just… let out, let out! It’s been soooooooooo long since I saw the sky… the house will be dirty, the beds filthy, the bath will need a scrubbing, ooooooooooh my!”

Yeah, definitely a servant. But I have to be honest, even those two maids that clearly hate are looking a better bet right now. Damn you Shaeraggo, is this so sort of clever harassnt to get back at , since you can’t harm directly? The third and fourth chains popped off, only leaving a couple more, and now the heavy, iron-reinforced lid could lift off a bit higher. An arm snaked its way out, making jump, the fla I commanded scorching the lid of the box, cutting a groove in it. Woah, that was dangerous. The arm was thin and pale, with a small hand sporting painted green nails. It scrabbled about, trying to grasp sothing.

“I am starting to feel this is a bad-bad idea.” Shaeula retrieved her pinwheels, eyeing the flailing arm warily.

“We are definitely made for each other, as I feel exactly the sa…” I joked, though the feeling of unease wasn’t a jest. Still, the remaining chains were severed, and the searching arm shoved the heavy lid off, where it fell to the ground with a crash. The being within sat up, silvery eyes staring at the sky, tears streaking down pale, youthful cheeks.

Whoa, it’s a girl… in human terms she looked like a high-schooler, youthful yet with hints of maturity. Her skin was shockingly pale, as if she had not seen light for ages, and her long hair was the aforentioned black with vivid highlights. She was wearing clothes, but they were little more than rags, barely covering her average-sized chest and slender thighs. Still, it was her eyes that drew , a vivid silver.

“I’m oooooooooout at last! So long in the casket, so loooooooooong!” she marvelled at her freedom. “This ti, I’ll be good, I won’t be bad, I’ll guard hearth and hoooooooooo!”

The weaselkin forces gathered around the area seed unsure of what to do, and I was at a loss as well, this scene not what I expected.

“Are… are you a brownie?” Shaeula asked, uncertain, her pinwheels spinning up behind her, poised.

At her voice, the crying girl turned, face twisting into a smile, though the expression looked… off… sohow. “Yes, yes, that… yes! I was a brownie! Sweep the floors, cook the als, warm the beds if asked, tend the garden, fix the roooooooooof! All soooooooooo fun!” she cackled and cried, laughter and tears intermixing eerily. Looking at Shaeula she curtsied, her rags revealing her pale, emaciated flesh. “Are you the mistress of the hoooooooooo?”

Shaeula shook her head warily. “No-no, Akio here is the master, I am rely but his wife.”

“I see, oh I see. Newlyweds… how… how… upsetting.” The brownie changed expression instantly, her face going blank. “Wife to warm the bed, cooooooooook the dinner, run the bath. No more need for , throw away.”

“Wait, I think you need to…” I paused, seeing her eyes. What? The silver is darkening, turning black…

“I won’t goooooooooo back in the box!” the brownie howled, a wave of darkness cloaking her, forming a dress of inky shadows.

“She’s no brownie!” Shaeula cried, her weaselkin drawing weapons and surrounding her. “Fool brother of mine, what nightmare have you sent us? She has fallen, she-she is a boggart now, a wicked spirit that corrupts and curses a ho! Unseelie!”

“Brownie, bogart, woooooooooords!” the girl spat. “I’m , I tend to the ho, only to be betrayed, exiled, then put in the box.” She howled, her voice filled with intense rage, and pain. “No-one cares about ! I’m all aloooooooooone! Well then, you should all suffer like I doooooooooo!”

It's hard, seeing sothing that looks like a girl… no, just like Shaeula, she is a girl… suffer so. There must be a reason Shaeraggo sent her to us… maybe he wants us to help her? “Wait, calm down. We can talk this out. What’s your na? I’m Akio, it’s nice to et you!”

The darkness around her wavered, and she turned her eyes on , silver dyeing the black a little. “Akioooooooooo? A good na!” the brownie, or boggart, or whatever the hell she was declared. “My na… na, what was it? It’s… been soooooooooo loooooooooong since anyone cared to talk to . Snatch the children, sour the milk, scatter the ashes, burn the plants, noooooooooo, noooooooooo, that isn’t right.” she clutched at her head and suddenly the ground exploded, vines ripping free from the soil all around her, dozens of them waving like thorny tentacles.

“Nature elent!” Shaeula gasped, surprised! “Be careful Akio, such power is dangerous, few but the King and a few rare Fae command such-such might!”

“I doooooooooon’t rember my na!” the tortured Fae scread, her voice raw with dark emotion. Turning her rapidly darkening gaze on Shaeula, she grinned balefully. “If I kill the wife, then Akio will need his brownie again. Warm the bed, hold him tight, raise the children. Murder the pets. Booooooooooil them alive!”