Death-Bound

Duke of Olives

Chapter Nine

I went on my way, I had to focus! but why am I feeling that it is as if I am dragging myself into it? The fortress’ inside was empty. But I still could hear men, from the outside preparing for battle. I walked like a feline on her hunt. Swift and elegant like a May-flower gliding in the wind. And the best thing about being on a hunt is that one can smell the fear of the prey. I grinned, he was near. My thirst for blood grew! It has been a while since I’ve killed. The thrill of making him suffer made me excited! I grit my jaw, as I suppressed the urge to slit the throat of any breathing thing which crosses the space between my prey and I. I breath slowly, as if he could hear it. He was in a room, sitting, waiting for his death. I walked in slowly but then he knew I’d be coming for him.

“I’ve been expecting you death-bound.” he said. He looked at me with face so genuinely of mad man. He was smiling having a pistol upon his hand.

“You cannot kill me with that, Duke.” I said. I gripped my blade, I know what this deranged man is thinking. If he dies without freeing his slaves, they will all die with him.

“Who said I’m going to kill you?” he said maneuvering his pistol on his temple. He smiled like a devil. I’m afraid he’ll do this! He was about to pull the trigger, when I maneuvered quickly not to let him kill himself. I tried to catch the bullet with my left hand. I succeeded but in return I had my patellar bones dislocated and my flesh burned. The bullet can’t pass through the armor of my hand protecting his head from being holed. My left hand was now useless, but my right isn’t! he smiled once again, but I turned it into a scream when I pushed my blade through his right upper arm. The pain started to crawl from my wound, I had to take the pill. Better be numb than be like this man. I could feel the immediate effect of it as my wound got numb. He started laughing again. He is irritating me. I took my blade off from his arm. But even before he could move it, I decapitated it. He just smiled at me.

“Listen, Duke of Olives, due to your underground propaganda of dethroning his highness—the Emperor—your verdict is to face execution.” He started laughing harder, blood squirting from his decapitated arm. “And the Emperor doesn’t care if you have your children and slaves dies with you.” I had to do anything to make him free his slaves. His laughing stopped upon hearing my last statement.

“I know the Emperor, slave! He wants me to free this country. All of the people here are my slaves. To execute me would leave it barren!” he said in between laughs. “Go ahead and kill me!” he was a though man—a psychopath! I wanted him to be enveloped with fear. This man deserves a brutal death!

“Nobody said the method of your death, duke.” I whispered on his ear and dug my blade on his left thigh. My blade came through the chair, which he sat on. He gritted his jaw and gripped the armchair. “I will kill you slowly. And in every minute which will pass, you will wish your death. And you will die not knowing that you already did. I am no ordinary executioner, Duke, for I am Death itself.” It was now my chance of laughing! I laughed as if I am going to be crazy! I took my knife and decapitated two of his left arm’s digits. “I will enjoy killing you—an i***t who could have easily passed this entirely if you free your slaves and pledge your allegiance to the Emperor” I lied, but I saw a spark of hope twinkling in his eyes. “Hmm, what’ll be next to part from your body.” I said smiling, cutting slowly on his chest. I wanted him to be covered with blood. I wanted him to fear me. I saw his neatly polished nails. I smiled. “I always wanted to have nails like those!” I took the nails from his hand, and placed them on my fingers. “Oh! I’m sorry, I thought it was neat, never mind!” I throw them on his face. And I forcefully stabbed his left hand so that it is immovable from the armchair. Blood was dripping from the chair, he will die soon.

“Enough…please.” He said in a weary voice. I sunk another knife on his other thigh. Then he squalled like a dying pig. “Please, I’ll do anything.” I moved so close that we came face to face.

“Really?” I asked mockingly, I was about to sink my blade into his throat, fear came onto him, that he begged for even more mercy.

“Please! I’ll do anything!” he begged. “Don’t kill me!”

“Free all your slaves and death-bounds!” I said in a hiss, “And swear that you will never scheme against the Emperor!” my blade was still upon his throat.

“Yes! Yes! Just don’t kill me!”

“Say it!” I shouted.

“All of my slaves and death-bounds are free!” he shouted almost in tears. But then after I heard those words, I beheaded him.

Blood stained on my mask and into my face. I took my blades and knives. Then held his head by his hair and walked out of the fortress. All of his soldiers who saw dropped their arms and rejoiced. They are now free. The captain whom followed me through the tunnel took the injured former death-bounds and treated them. I went to meet the captain in a tent.

“Are the Prince and Princesses alright?”I inquired my face still hidden with the mask.

“Yes, my lady. They are now resting. The Prince had recovered consciousness. While the Princesses are now standing and aiding with the injured soldiers and civilians.” He reported.

“Where are their bells?” I asked.

“Bells?”

“Nothing.” I said. I mounted my horse and headed towards my Master’s keep. Every bondage of slavery would disappear, but a death-bound’s bell will remain. A constant reminder that once in that person’s life he was bound and felt the pain of dying, yet never came to it! I smiled, I was happy for the siblings. I am happy for they are now freed. What will become of a death-bound once freed? I guess, I have to find out myself! Before I could get out of that fortress, someone stopped my horse. “Are you Crazy?!” I asked the man as I slid down from my horse. “The horse could’ve killed you!”