Chapter 54 – A Debt to be Paid
Muffled sounds only escaped the house of Satil. Harm stood back from where Bludger's crumpled remains lay and looked back up towards the window where Satil and Vera had been. Neither was visible.
Harm communicated to all the goblins who were still outside the wall to move to the front gate and remain there. Then, he spoke freely to those inside the compound with him.
"Make sure we have members around the back. I don't want anyone getting away from the house. If possible, capture them, but if they resist in any way, you can kill them," Harm said with a flat tone.
"What's happened?" Dafu asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean your fucking hands."
Harm looked at his hands, which were still coated in a layer of ice. "Oh. Erm. I'll explain later. Now we finish what they started."
Confirmation that the rear doors were being monitored was received, and Harm strode to the door again. The smeared blood of Bludger coated its surface, and on closer inspection of the door, he knew it wouldn't be an easy task to break this door in comparison, and he had no idea how the previous cold had been triggered, or how to activate it. He checked with those at the rear, and the door was a similar construction.
"We go through the windows."
All the windows on the ground floor had shutters that were closed. "Break through the shutters," Harm ordered.
Without even the slightest consideration, the goblins all started to smash at the shutters covering the ground-floor windows. Voices of panic could be heard filtering from the inside. Harm had no way of knowing how many remained inside the building. He knew the property had several rooms on the ground floor and upstairs.
Cellar. Harm thought. When he had cleaned the outhouse, he remembered seeing a storm shutter leading into a cellar.
"Stay here," Harm said to Dafu.
Dafu frowned as he watched the clan hack at the shutters.
Harm moved around the building to where the cellar entrance had been located. It looked worn and weather-beaten. There was no chain on the outside, and Harm tried to lift it. The shutter moved slightly, and he could see the links of a chain through the gap.
"Dafu," Harm called.
Dafu came jogging around.
"Lift that and keep it up, will you, while I try and snap it."
Dafu did as Harm asked, grunting as he lifted the shutter. "This is heavy," Dafu complained.
Harm hadn't noticed any weight to it; the difference in strength between the pair of them was blatantly obvious. Harm forced the blade of Florence through the gap, as Harm twisted Florence as he attempted to prise the chainlink apart. It didn't look very substantial.
Dafu let out another grunt as the gap closed slightly, trapping Florence. Harm looked at his friend, seeing the strain he was showing and still holding Florence in one hand, moved his other to lift the shutter. Dafu was leaning back as he tried to lift it, yet Harm placed his fingers in the gap and lifted it with ease. The sudden weight shift made Dafu yelp as his grip slipped and he flew backwards.
Harm couldn't move Florence easily from the position he was in.
"Get another couple to come and lift the door."
Dafu, looking rather embarrassed, sprinted to the front again before two more returned. Between them, they took the weight of the shutter and lifted, allowing Harm to focus on Florence again. After several sharp twists, the link prised open; it didn't snap, but the welded link came apart. Slowly, Harm widened the gap until the chain fell loose. As it did, the two goblins holding the door this time both flew backwards, landing in a heap on the gravel path.
The cellar was in darkness, and Harm entered cautiously; the wooden steps creaked under his weight, making his icy blood course through his veins. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he saw several large barrels and crates stacked up alongside long shelves holding bottles of wine. The smell of alcohol swept into him; the floral bouquet of an expensive wine, mixed with brandy, and his mouth watered. His hand twitched to grab a bottle before he caught himself, shaking his head violently. He hadn't drunk since he was taken to the church, and he wasn't willing to falter now.
The walls of the cellar seemed to narrow, trying to grip him, as claustrophobia struck him. If he hadn't already had icy blood coursing his veins, he would have broken out in a cold sweat.
Dafu came down behind him, his movement silent in comparison, bringing Harm out of his trance-like state.
"You okay?" Dafu whispered.
Harm nodded as he moved to the end of the cellar, where a set of stone steps led to the ground floor. Harm slowly climbed them. He listened at the door before trying the handle; it was locked.
"I'll do it," Dafu whispered. "Give me a minute." Dafu switched with Harm, listening at the door. The muffled cries from inside and outside could be heard, and with all the banging going on, Harm doubted they would be heard, anyway.
Harm watched Dafu call a small dagger into his hand, and with his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth, making him look ridiculous, he worked at the lock. Harm didn't hear the click of the lock opening, only aware when Dafu turned and grinned at him.
There was a cry from near the other side of the door and heavy footsteps as Harm heard glass shatter. The goblins must have got through one of the shutters.
Harm stepped up beside Dafu, looked at him, nodding. Dafu grinned back as Harm slowly opened the door. The crack in the door allowed light to flood into the cellar, and Harm blinked as his eyes readjusted from the gloom.
Shouts still carried through the house, and he heard a scream and the clash of blades. Seeing no one in what looked like a hall, he moved through. It appeared all the noise was coming from the front of the house; the corridor they were in ran from the front door all the way to the rear, where he knew there was a kitchen area. Every room was brightly lit with lanterns.
Harm headed to the front; his black, ominous form appeared to absorb the light. Dafu was just behind him. The stairs opened from the front entrance area and swept in a grand curving gesture to the first floor, and Harm could hear footsteps on the landing, the floorboards creaking. He signalled upstairs to Dafu, and the pair slipped onto the stairs, ignoring the chaos that was unfolding in the vast dining room.
At least nine men were in the room, one body on the floor bleeding badly, along with one of their clan. The others were trying to stab at each other through the shattered remains of glass and wood.
They moved up the stairs swiftly, looking up and over the steps as he did, the stairs folding back on themselves. Not seeing anyone on the landing, Harm sped up as he climbed the remainder. Dafu was only a step behind him.
Raised voices were coming from a room at the end of the corridor, and shadows flickered as beings moved inside. The pair moved down the corridor, Florence gripped tightly in his hand, while Dafu held his short sword.
Another scream filled the house; this time, it had sounded as though it were inside the house. Harm hoped he was one of the men.
"Get this fucking armour buckled now!" Satil screamed at whoever was helping him. Harm doubted he had ever worn armour much in his pathetic excuse for a life.
"Sir," a male voice replied.
"Satil, we need to leave," Vera said, her voice much higher than usual.
Good, they're both here. Harm thought as he smiled.
Harm flung the door open as he stormed into the room.
Satil was standing by a wardrobe, staring in a mirror, where two men were hurriedly trying to dress him in plate armour. He had only been equipped from his feet to his waist. A breastplate was just being lifted as everyone froze. Vera sat on the edge of a huge bed, and as she saw the black demon enter, she let out an ear-piercing scream of terror, alerting the others to its presence.
Harm moved with the speed of a striking snake, leaping across the distance that separated them, thrusting Florence through the gut of the man whose back was facing him, only his head turned as he was lifting the breastplate.
Satil saw Harm in the mirror. His eyes flew open in shock at the sight of the monstrous form dressed in matte black armour with blazing red eyes, against the opulence of the room, with its thick carpeted floor and soft furnishings. The level of luxury was sickening. A sword hung in a scabbard on the door of the wardrobe the armour had been taken from, and he reached for it, as Harm withdrew Florence from his first victim and swiftly brought her down on the top of the other man's head. There was a crunching sound as she cleaved deeply through the top of his skull.
Harm was no more than a few feet from Satil as the man turned his sword, only half cleared from its scabbard, as Harm brought his fist holding Florence's hilt up to meet his chin.
Vera was wailing behind him now as Dafu leapt at her.
The impact of Harm's plated gauntlet caught Satil perfectly. The man may own a long sword, but he wasn't in any way skilled in its use or in wearing armour. He stumbled sideways, his head whipping violently from the blow that clattered him. With the added weight of his plate-covered legs, he stumbled, unable to move freely while wearing them and tripped over a rather expensive-looking chair, inlaid with gold and gems on the armrests, as it snapped under his weight as he fell into it.
Harm stepped over where the man now lay, his face battered from the strike, immediately turning a vile red from the impact. Satil groaned as he turned his face, spitting a mouthful of blood onto his carpeted floor. Carpets were a luxury few could ever afford, and were seen by the masses as wasteful, but not this man.
Florence rested on his chin as he did. Vera still wailed behind Harm, unsure what Dafu had or was doing to her, but as Satil stared in shock at Harm, Vera's wail faded, relentless sobbing replacing it.
"You'd better tell your men downstairs to stand down now, otherwise they will all die." Harm hissed, his voice not just icy cold, but also the cloud of vapour that escaped him. The tension in his fist made the tip of Florence jiggle as it pricked Satil's skin, a thin trail of blood oozing from it. Satil flinched not just from Florence's steel touch, but from the unnatural chill of the vapour that enfolded Harm's words.
Satil was speechless, his eyes almost crossing as he stared at the sharp blade.
"NOW!" Harm bellowed.
Footsteps came along the corridor outside the bedroom, heavy, wearing armour, and Harm glanced to see three armour-clad guards come storming into the room. On seeing Satil half lying over the broken chair remains, they froze, their blades slowly falling as they took in the room. Their boss had been captured, and instinct told them they had lost.
Satil spat another wad of blood as his voice croaked. "Tell the men to surrender."
The lead guard looked at Satil for several moments before he sent one of the others sprinting back down the hall as he and the remaining guard dropped their swords to the floor. The lead guard lifted his hands in surrender.
Harm sent a thought to the goblins. They are surrendering, Dafu and I have Satil and his wife. I want them tied up and guarded, any that remain. We'll decide what to do with them after.
"I was just going to kill you," Harm said, "but I have questions I want answers to."
Satil didn't reply.
"Why?" Harm asked.
"Why, what?" Satil croaked, his face stubborn and defiant, even where he lay.
"Why poison my family? Why kill my herd? What had I ever done to you?"
Satil's eyes narrowed as his hatred appeared momentarily. "You were an obstacle, and after you beat my boy..."
"Your boy was a man who bullied all the girls in the town," Harm bellowed through gritted teeth. "You should have taught the little fucker a lesson if you were a real father."
Satil flinched back from his tone, and Vera let out a loud squeal in surprise.
The message had reached downstairs, and there was a commotion in the hallway as several goblins came charging along, entering the spacious bedroom. The faces of the two remaining guards were terrified as they came to a stop, snarling, their weapons raised to attack.
"Tie them up," Harm ordered, as they took in the room.
Harm reached forward for Satil, the man quivering as he did, a stain could be seen on the carpet, where his bladder had given up on him, the stench of urine adding to the sweat and blood-filled air from the dead guards. The others were now on their knees as the goblins surrounded them.
Satil let out a frightened whimper as Harm lifted him with ease from the floor, pulling the man to his feet. His brow was drenched in sweat.
"What are you going to do to me?" Satil asked, his voice cracking.
"What you did to my family," Harm shrugged, his pauldrons emphasising the movement with dramatic effect. He turned to look at Vera. "Both of you, perhaps."
Vera sniffed her eyes, puffy from the tantrum and sheer fear. Dafu stood behind her on the bed with his short sword blade held across her throat.
"What do you mean?" Vera asked as a large snot bubble formed. Her face was not as pretty as it had been before Harm's previous assault on her, and her healing mustn't have healed her deformity fully. Where the hair had torn from her scalp was still shorter and hadn't grown back fully, even in the weeks since.
"Poisoning. What do you think?" Harm said as he looked at his clan members in the room with him. They chattered excitedly, their enthusiasm palpable. The rumours had spread as to what Harm had suffered, and his followers were beings who would support his every word and action. Unquestioning in their commitment to him.
"Get them all downstairs. This will be a public affair," Harm said as he let go of Satil, whose legs gave way under him, slumping to his knees, his head falling forward, and his hands raised to his face as he started to sob. At last, the cold, callous being had realised the damage he had done with his greed, not just to Harm, but so many had come full circle.
