World Witout Wizards: Guard

At firsself.

Though the magic MESSAGE report, I wanted to refuse protecting the warlock's disciple because I didn't know how to do it. But then I looked at the dying girl and realized that I couldn't leave her. She'd already redeemed herted that Lysandra's penalty was two hundred and fifty silver coins, I'd never seen or held such a sum of money. My father sold the first blade I had made for two silver coins. One coin went for expenses for the coal and iron, the second—for Greystle's reputation.

"I want to try. I just don't know how or what to do. Can you explain first?"

"Well, you're too young." Vagol scratched his chin, caught something like a spider in his scraggly beard and put it in his mouth.

"Explain, please, what do I have to do for protection?"

"I don't know. I'm not a guard. Hey, Polozoob, you brought this teenager here, so teach him yourself."

"It's too complicated for me to explain," Tren'ya frowned. "First you have to announce that you want to defend this girl. Then say your name and hers loud and clear."

"I, Michael Greystle, want to protect Defector Lysandra."

As soon as I said this, a MESSAGE emerged,

Quest 'Defender' updated: the protection of the accused girl entrusted Michael Greystle

New task: to minimize the degree of punishment for the defendant

"I did it."

"Great. Now, look at this rotter. There's a sсale next to her, most likely it's in the red," Polozoob explained.

My companion was right. I really saw something.

It looked like a ruler I'd seen in my father's forge. It was the color of dark blood. The ruler was marked, and there was the highlighted line with an indicator on it. This indicator was showing some value near the left edge of the ruler; there were only four marks left.

"Yes, I see," I confirmed. "What does it mean?"

"Well," Polozoob looked up at the ceiling, apparently, remembering something.

"Look, can you see the illuminated dial, like a line with an indicator? The more the indicator shifts to the left, the worse the crime is. You need to exonerate her. If you can, of course. Ask her about her crimes. If magic likes her answers, the indicator will move to the right, if not - to the left."

Polozoob explained everything quite clearly.

"Why did Oulsast say that she was sentenced to death if she needs only to pay two hundred and fifty silver coins?"

"It's simple. If a criminal can pay a penalty to the Treasury, his or her sin will be forgiven. Someone else can pay in their stead. Then the defendant will be indebted to the benefactor. If the defendant is a slave, he or she passes into the possession of the new owner, because slaves have no property. But no one would want to pay so much money for a living corpse, taking into account that this beggar tried to kill her own master. Those who cannot pay their debt are sentenced to death."

"You are wrong, slaves are different," Vagol chuckled nastily, "there are very valuable slaves. They are worth more than a hundred silver coins. But this s.l.u.t doesn't belong to them. She's just a cheeky crook, a half-human. This girl won't even live for two hundred years. You can buy an elf with soul-attachment for the same money."

Intelligence Check

Base 0

Bonus 0

Dice Roll 3

Requirement 3

Success

"What is that?" I didn't like the sound of that. The thought of enslaving someone's soul seemed horrible to me. But there was something very important in his words.

"Have you never heard of it?" Vagol shook his head. "You're stupid. Well, let me explain. There are three types of magic: blood magic, life magic, and soul magic. The third kind of magic is the most brutal and most effective. The soul is payback for this magic So, no one likes it, except the nags. But their life is too short... What was I talking about?" The chief of the River village rubbed his forehead.

"Soul-attachment."

"Ah! Exactly. If a person obeyed his master due to soul magic, she will die in one day with her owner. If she dies before, there will be no consequences for the possessor. You might even become stronger if you absorb your slave's power."

The warlock paused for a few seconds, thinking about something, then added, "It's very difficult to deal with such magic. Only a very powerful warlock or a demon can f.o.r.c.i.b.l.y attach others to themselves. But sometimes the magic makes an independent decision on the soul-attachment. It happens rarely.

If, for example, there was an attempt on the life of some official, he can take the offender applying this kind of magic. By the way, I paid a hundred silver coins for this half-blood Moorgla, I spent my money not only for her body and life but for her soul.

"If it weren't for you, sir, I would have been eaten by wolves."

"That's right," Vagol chuckled, remembering the past, "She was unarmed in a cage… I was young and owned a magical artifact since I've graduated from the Academy. It was stupid of me; I wouldn't do it now... but then… Moorgla was free and I…" he patted the girl's behind.

"I see." I tried to understand everything. I did hear something like that. My mom told me about magic reluctantly and rarely. My father preferred working in his forge to talking. Although he was fond of discussing the blacksmith's trade and iron types... I tried to remember everything I heard.

"What about the court? What questions should I ask her?"

"Well," Tren'ya sighed, "Ask her first if she swears to tell the truth. For magic, this is a very big deal. If the girl starts to lie, that indicator will show her guilt. If the girl is telling the truth, then the magic could commute the sentence even if the crime is serious. Buddy, they always lie anyway. Because they're mean by nature."

"Okay, but what if she isn't able to answer?" I pointed to the mutilated girl. "She can hardly open her eyes, not to mention answering many questions."

"It's her problem, not yours. I explained everything. Ask her all the details, how she prepared the crime, whether she really wanted to kill you…"

"Right," I nodded.

It seemed to me that there was nothing difficult in being a defender. I just had to talk if I wanted to save my client. I felt terrible when I looked at Lysandra. I realized that I couldn't live in peace if I didn't try to save her. But how to do it?

I knew nothing about the attack on Oulsast, having heard only the warlock's words and accusations. She was also charged with attempts at the property. What did it mean? Probably stealing something from Oulsast's personal collection or someone else's. Lysandra wasn't Oulsast's only slave. The warlock always appeared with his concubines or disciples. I thought he was proud of having this girl by his side.

"Give her some water," I asked one of Vagol's servants. He looked at his master, waiting for his approval, and brought the flask to Lyska's lips.

At first, the water spilled from the side of her mouth, but then she greedily grabbed the flask with weakened hands and drank it half empty. She immediately vomited on the floor but didn't give the flask back and then continued drinking much more carefully.

"Enough," the warlock ordered, frowning, and the servant forcefully took away the rest of the life-giving liquid. "I don't want to waste my water on this stuff. Let's start. The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be able to go home."

"As you wish." I turned back to Lyska. "Defector Lysandra, do you swear to speak the truth?"

The girl moved her lips, but I heard only weak m.o.a.ns. Evidently, realizing that the others didn't hear her, Lyska made a tremendous effort and uttered only two words, "I do."