Chapter 25: Jumped
Perseus POV
As I made my way through the streets with magic alone, something I've been doing often nowadays due to the old man getting tired easily, carrying barrels of ale to the various pubs and taverns as I did every day, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.
The townsfolk eyed me with suspicion, their whispers following me like a shadow as I passed by. But I paid them no mind, my focus solely on completing my task and returning home safely.
After I dropped them off, those eyes felt closer, and I knew that I was in danger, so I went to an alleyway, just to make myself trapped and lead them out.
Suddenly, without warning, a group of men emerged from the shadows, blocking my path and barring my way forward. Their faces twisted into sneers of contempt, their intentions clear as day.
They had come for me on behalf of the nobles who had sent assassins to unleash their pent-up aggression upon the hapless descendant of Wyatt.
With a surge of adrenaline, I braced myself for the confrontation to come. As the first assailant lunged at me with fists raised, I instinctively ducked and sidestepped his attack, countering with a swift blow to his midsection.
The impact sent him reeling backward, gasping for air as he struggled to regain his composure. I was properly fed for the past while, so I'm much stronger now, and with all my other abilities for being born into those powerful slaves...this should be fine.
Ducking beneath his swinging fist, I countered with a swift jab to his ribs, the impact driving the air from his lungs with a pained wheeze. Before he could recover, another attacker lunged at me from the side, aiming a wild haymaker at my head.
I sidestepped the blow with his flailing fists. With a well-timed sweep of my leg, I brought him crashing to the ground, his momentum carrying him into a fall at my feet.
It's not like those nobles sent in mages strong enough anyway, just some weapon specialists to not have authorities tracking the magic signatures back to them.
But there was no time to waste. More adversaries closed in from all sides, their fists flying and curses spewing forth like venom. I fought with all the skill and ferocity at my disposal as I parried their blows and delivered punishing strikes of my own.
Despite their numbers, I refused to back down, refusing to yield to the relentless onslaught. Each blow exchanged only fueled my determination, igniting a fierce fire within me that burned brighter with every passing moment.
The fight raged on, the sounds of grunts and groans mingling with the clatter of steel and the dull thud of flesh meeting flesh. Blood flowed freely from their broken noses as I prioritized aiming at their faces.
*****
As the last of my assailants fell to the ground, defeated and broken, I stood victorious amidst the wreckage of the brawl, my chest heaving with exertion and adrenaline coursing through my veins. Though battered and bruised, I should send the nobles back some messages once they send someone to check on these guys, who I've killed and robbed.
As I arrived home to take a breather, I couldn't help but think about those guys earlier, thought about the recent rumors.
It was the rising cost of glimmerite, the precious mineral that fueled the world's healing magic and served as the lifeblood of society.
Some blamed us for why the shallow reserves were dwindling, depleted by our greed and short-sightedness, while the deeper veins remained untouched, beyond the reach of all but the bravest and most skilled divers.
But for all their courage and skill, many never returned, their bodies claimed by the crushing pressure of the deep or the relentless currents that swept through the underwater caverns.
And those who did make it back often bore the scars of their ordeal, their bodies weakened and their mana reserves permanently depleted, leaving them little more than shadows of their former selves.
The unlucky ones lost their mana entirely and couldn't get up so they drowned.
*****
I later got a newspaper and the news surprised me even more.
Cedric's value also increased quickly, sparking a frenzy among mining companies and other enterprises eager to harness the labor of his servants, the former slaves.
Offers poured in, each one more enticing than the last, promising wealth and power beyond measure in exchange for his cooperation.
They need the specialized glimmerite miners, especially those who were a part of the whale team.
But Cedric remained steadfast in his refusal, rejecting every offer with a resolute determination that surprised even his companions. He knew their true worth, and he would not sell them out for a handful of goal coins.
As the pressure mounted, the empire found itself under increasing scrutiny for the actions of its selfish prince. Public opinion turned against him, with many questioning his motives and his loyalty to the kingdom because he refused to give them slaves, as ridiculous as that sounds, that's what happened.
It seems that the paper also said that Cedric possesses all the slaves of Sam Wyatt's descendants, meaning that my existence is mostly unknown, but it won't be long till some try to kidnap me and get me to do all that.
That means my time after this servitude was about to be up, the spies sent to watch me were a constant threat, lurking in the shadows and reporting my every move to their superiors. I couldn't allow them to continue unchecked, couldn't risk them jeopardizing my plans.
But eliminating them wouldn't be easy. They were skilled operatives, trained to blend into the background and strike without warning. I would have to outmaneuver them, anticipate their every move, and turn their own tactics against them.
After that, I'll have to make my way out of here and toward that magic school on foot somehow, but killing these guys isn't easy, we're going to have to do it one by once.
My goal is to just reach Cedric, he'll let me in...but I...but I don't know if his guards will, I prayed as I needed to see him to end this something, I need to escape out of here and go to find myself some sacred weapons.