Chapter Two #2
“No,” Vester cut Denny off coldly. He’d reinforced his voice with magic once again, though without raising the volume quite so high.
“This entitlement you feel that makes you think your way is the only right one is over. You don’t get to lecture me on wanting to live freely or having my own life and goals.
You don’t get to act like the golden boy any longer.
Your goddess is a murdering cunt, and you’re following her orders like a blind dog.
That behavior got your asshat of a friend killed.
Take some personal fucking accountability. ”
Denny didn’t seem to know how to respond. His face was flushed with rage, and Vester could see the muscles in Denny’s jaw bunching, yet his brother just stared in helpless confusion. The man’s sword drooped, and Vester gave thanks that his own Party wasn’t pushing for the fight to continue.
“Every time we’ve clashed has been because you’ve come after me,” Vester pointed out.
“Except for the sparring match, Jack was the aggressor, or you were trying to throw your weight around. If you’re angry that you’ve lost each time, tough luck.
You don’t get to come to my house, again and again, and then act the victim when I defend myself.
You fucked around, you found out. Stop thinking you’re the main character and get over yourself. ”
Denny’s jaw dropped, and Vester realized that he had allowed his persona to slip, talking the way he would have back on Earth. He was too frustrated with Denny to truly care, but he knew it could cause him problems later.
Vester let smoke flow around his rapier, and Denny tensed, but it was just a fancy way to dismiss the illusion of the blade. Vester swept Trickster’s Cane in a circle and grounded the cane against the cobblestones with a sharp click that echoed up and down the street.
“Take your fucking friends and go, Denny,” Vester ordered.
He triggered Phantom Form and walked through Emma like a ghost. She never even reacted.
He strode straight up to Denny and then passed through his brother’s body as well.
Then he came to a stop next to Reve and turned to face his twin. “I’m tired of this bullshit.”
“You’re harboring the Dark Lo—”
“Go,” Vester said, once again interrupting his brother.
“I don’t care for whatever justification you think you have.
And I’m done listening to your shit. You were the aggressor, you lost. You can take your friends or you can watch them die.
Throw up your barrier and we’ll crack it like an eggshell.
They’re helpless, and you can’t stop all of us.
You couldn’t stop me alone. Don’t push this.
If you do… you’ll be left on a field of ash. ”
Denny stared at him, and Vester felt his heart break at the hatred in his brother’s eyes. The Hero flicked his eyes at the trio Vester had walked away from.
Davis fired off another blind healing spell in an attempt purge Deprivation Cage’s effects; Rachel’s magic kept popping and fizzling, whatever the Soulsage was attempting apparently unable to function while she was disconnected from the world; and Emma, Emma just cried, silent, unmoving, completely disconnected from everything around them.
Vester suspected it was the tears that convinced Denny to give up.
He saw the exact moment his brother’s shoulders slumped, and knew they’d won.
Denny backed away and picked up Emma in his arms, then carefully slung her over one shoulder.
No one interfered as he put Davis over his other shoulder and lifted Rachel up like a keg and began waddling down the street with them.
“Why did we let them go?” Reve asked bluntly once Denny was out of earshot. She was flexing her metal hand like she wanted to tear something with her nails. “We had the advantage.”
“Because he’s still my brother,” Vester said. The Avatar of Life glanced at him, then gave a reluctant nod. “Was anyone hurt?” Vester asked, turning to face his Party. “Other than Reve’s arm and my face, I mean.”
“Dent’s pretty messed up,” Skylar replied. “And I banged my elbow on the doorframe coming outside,” she whined with an exaggerated wince. “You might have to carry me inside and nurse me back to health.”
The joking complaint got a weary chuckle from Kora. The kitsune was rolling her shoulder, and Vester noted she hadn’t put away her shield yet. Krysta cast her ranged heal on Kora, then each of them one after another, and everyone seemed to relax.
“This doesn’t bode well for us,” Kora observed, staring at Denny’s back while the Hero made his way down the street. “Attacking us in our home, in the middle of Porter’s Walk, in defiance of all the treaties between the Adventurer’s Guild and the Church of Light…”
“Yeah,” Vester agreed. “It’s one thing to do something like this down in the dungeons where no one can see it…
but we’re on a public street and it’s early in the day.
A full fight could have destroyed this whole block.
We’d best head down to the Guild and send some couriers to make sure our deliveries get brought to us there instead of here. ”
“Do you think they’ll attack again?” Krysta asked, clearly anxious. Skylar wrapped the pandali in a one-armed hug, cuddling Krysta to her. Krysta’s tail returned the gesture, wrapping around the both of them.
“Unfortunately yes,” Vester said with a nod. “Denny’s too stubborn to let Jack go, so we’re going to have to be ready.”