Chain the Infamous Chainmaid 18

“What is this? Why are my threads falling apart?”

Corvina asked the question to no one in particular as she stood in her bed chambers watching the soldiers of Bright Rift both in the base with her and in distant Highroot fall through their own eyes. In the base the fact that the best of Bright Rift were being bested by a but a single man armed with naught but his hands and garbed in naught but a pair of white pants was bewildering. Even the Relic in the form of the gauntlet that encased his left arm seemed little reason to allow him to succeed in the heart of a military facility he by all rights should have known nothing about. Bewildering as that was though it was nothing compared to the collapse of her plans in Highroot. Bright Rift’s soldiers even with their Sentinels were being overwhelmed as they were caught between Highroot’s forces and those of the Bandit King. Unable to escape due to antiaircraft cannons filling the stormy skies with burning death for any who would enter them combined with the Bandit King personally shooting down Bright Rift airships only death awaited the soldiers. Even more infuriating was the sight of Finch protecting civilians even as she attempted to track down Chain.

“The southern maid, of course.”

Corvina bit her lip and tightly gripped the head of her closed parasol. A moment later unhinged laughter escaped from the princess of Highroot.

“Of course it would be because of the southern maid. It’s just like I already said; she disrupts the plans of Heroes with her very presence. I just don’t understand how. It doesn’t make sense. She’s possessed of a Relic and should not be able to disrupt the Builders’ Song so casually. And now I’m sounding like that fool Beaks. How dare he not take any of my puppets with him. Did he see this coming and decided to be rid of me to make his empire that he could never rule without my power? Unless of course…”

Corvina again bit her lip as a Sentinel armored soldier under her control came across the Bandit King face to face. Making eye contact the giant offered his typical huge toothy grin.

“You’ve impressed me little Corvina. I would have thought you would have abandoned your thralls by now. Or have you simply clung on out of some desperate bid to retain control. I wonder…?”

The Bandit King did not wait for a reply and smashed the Sentinel and its contents with a single mighty swing of his ball and chain. Although she released the soldier an instant before their demise so as not to experience their death she still sank her teeth deep enough into her lip in rage to draw blood.

“The insolence of that beast! And to think no one in Highroot is even trying to stop him. Not even that brat! Why would she not try to kill him after all of the hatred she has sworn to have for him? Don’t tell me that brat actually considers the lives of the people more important than her vengeance? What about my vengeance?! What about my desire to have the southern maid?!”

“Link… would never… give… in to… you…”

Corvina;s lips curled into a twisted smile as Melody’s voice told her she could not have her way. Turning around to see that the harpy had regained consciousness Corvina fought to stay pleasant.

“What did you say my precious little harpy?”

“You… don’t… understand… Link, at all.”

Walking up to the bed Corvina grabbed Melody by the hair and yanked her up to eye level. Looking into the harpy’s blue eyes she could so easily see the faith she had in Chain and it disgusted her. With a scowl she hissed out her next words slowly.

“What don’t I understand? She is just a foolish maid with a Relic and more power than she knows what to do with. She is naturally troublesome but she is nothing compared to a Hero.”

“Then… kill me… and… find out… for yourself… Link… won’t stop… until she’s had her revenge… and there will be… nowhere… you can hide… She’ll… destroy everything…”

Melody’s words were surely meant to be a threat but they did not have the result she expected. Corvina’s eyes lit up with inspiration instead and she dropped her parasol as she suddenly and violently locked lips with the harpy. Pushing Melody back down onto the bed Corvina withdrew and laughed giddily.

“Of course. There is no better solution. I can get my vengeance on everyone and then find myself a more fitting kingdom to make my own. Perhaps even the Holy Empire of Light. Eh, he, he, he, he. And it’s all thanks to you my precious little harpy.”

The fear present in Melody’s eyes as Corvina looked down on her with twisted glee drew forth even more laughter from the princess. Reaching down she stroked Meldoy’s face and delighted in the aphrodisiac drugged harpy’s attempt to recoil.

“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. No, I have much grander plans for you my precious little harpy. I just hope you don’t break when I kill the southern maid.”

Before Melody could attempt any response Corvina extracted herself from the bed and spun about to face the bedchamber doors as they opened. Immediately two Bright Rift uniformed soldiers with soulless black eyes stepped in and set about the tasks their puppet master orchestrated for them. One had the demeaning pleasure of retrieving Corvina’s parasol while the other rolled Melody up in the bed sheets before hoisting her onto his shoulder. Retrieving her parasol from the soldier Corvina partially drew the blade hidden within and smiled.

“But we need far grander a setting to await the southern maid than this, don’t you think? Besides, my patience is waning and I want for entertainment while I prepare the Stormroots for their end.”

Reaching out to take Melody’s face in hand as the soldier who stepped past her came to a stop Corvina smiled again.

“I would so love to entertain myself with you my precious little harpy but that will have to wait until I learn more about the curse that plagues your kind. A shame that the professor refused my invitations, but his ambitions and lack of playfulness will be his end as well. Eh, he, he, he, he.”

Twirling away Corvina fully drew her hidden blade and giggled away. Relishing in her latest scheme she left her bed chamber with the soldiers under her control in tow.

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater