Doomed to Die in 3 Minutes

Diverging from Normality

“That’s not usually the type of thing you just ask a person you just met, even if you helped save my life. I’m guessing there are more details?” Corai rolled his eyes as he took a swing of soda. If someone asks for something huge like this, there was probably a lot going on. He wasn’t the type just to kill someone for money. Since he and Albion were from Earth, that sensibility should at least somewhat be shared.

“Well, to be perfectly honest, I can see your stats, spells, and skills.  That’s just what my ability is. So, I know exactly how effective you are. You’re in dire need of… a little bit of permanent magical assistance. I can supply you with something that can help in that department.”

Corai flicked his tongue. That was certainly tempting. Still, it wasn’t something he’d go and kill another intelligent being over. It would be one thing if it was in self-defence but… 

“Ah, and you won’t need to be doing any killing. There’s another guy who will do that. You just need to assist him. You won’t need to hurt anyone you don’t want to.”

Corai grit his teeth. He realised what was going on. You open with something unreasonable and then you make it more and more reasonable with every word out of your mouth. The deal becomes more appealing by the second and due to the previous expectation being overturned… well it becomes quite attractive.

“Also, it’s quite likely no one will need to die at all! It’s barely an assassination!”

Corai crossed his brows. “Okay, now you’ve lost me.” That sounded silly and way too good to be true. Albion has failed to sell his idea in a single second, yet the older gentleman just smiled as the look of anticipation faded from Corai’s face. 

“It’s quite difficult to explain, but in essence, I need you to back up a friend of mine with his job. He’ll try to resolve his client’s desires without needing to kill anyone, if possible. If he can’t, then he will do the deed, though he would prefer not to. That’s where you come in. A master of magic and illusions will no doubt be able to resolve the situation peacefully… with a little fear.”

Corai closed his eyes and thought about it. It did sound fairly reasonable. It wasn’t without risk of course, but if it’s just not getting caught, he felt he was an expert in that. Though his recent track record for rushing in heroically countered that. Cause a little chaos, get paid in a way that lets him make more money down the line.

“Well, then, what is the target like? I don’t want to be say getting rid of or terrorizing an old man who doesn’t want to move from his home or a woman and child who are supposed to be secret.”

Corai asked the obvious question on his mind. He knew though. Albion without a doubt had already crafted the perfect offer. Something he’d bite at. Yet, there were still formalities to go through, and besides that, Corai always did have the option of just slamming the table and saying no, no matter how lucrative the offer was. Telling someone who thinks they’ve won to screw off is, well not quite a power play but certainly satisfying.

“He’s the noble who rules the city of Disk, the man is a B Rank Caster. He’s a cold-hearted bastard who extorts his people and is quick to lop off heads from the slightest provocation. He punishes and tortures those who dare to confront him. Turning their bodies into horrific messes to serve as warnings to others who would even think of the idea of defying him. He’s a man who deserves no sympathy. Honestly, if it was up to me? I’d just kill the f**k and be done with it. Sigh. Yet that guy, he just… well, I guess only someone in his position can afford to take it slow.”

Corai fell silent. The Lord of Disk. He had heard the name before. Nobles abusing their power and preying on the less fortunate wasn’t a surprise at all, but among the scum people would whisper about, this man was the worst of the worst. Mangled naked bloody bodies in the river. Swinging flayed corpses hanging from trees. Impaled and severed figures that were barely recognisable as being anything remotely human. 

That was what people had to wake up to in the morning in that city. He had once done a show in a neighbouring city. After the show was done, he heard it all, drunken screams and wails of hoping that the Lord of Disk would meet a grisly end. How he had ruined the lives of others constantly and continues to this day. He could remember it clearly if he tried. Roars of pure hatred. Wailing anguish of the scars on heart and body. Tears of relief at having escaped. 

There was something truly haunting in the faces he saw and the voices he heard. It had never left him. In dark nights, he would recall them. If the target was this man? Then the risk would be worth it. Despite being a self-proclaimed coward, he had been quick to try and save others since a few days ago. It seemed this bad habit wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon.

“I’ll do it.” Those words were all he had to say. Albion chuckled just a little bit. “You’re exactly the type of man I thought you were.” Olivia had been silent this whole time. Not a single word. Just staring and listening. Her glare digging daggers in Corai’s back but at the exact moment he said yes to this proposal, he could swear it softened. 

“Excellent. Alright. Then, I’ll send you over to my contact now. He’s a bit of a… eccentric but he’s a good man, really. He will be expecting you.” Albion snapped his fingers. Corai and Olivia were ejected out of the room as if they had simply been deleted from the world. 

The pair found themselves in a new environment. A wonderful wood-floored building with windows that shone out wondrous light. A bittersweet smell lingered in the air. “Coffee..?” Corai recognised it instantly. In front of them was a large mahogany table with a fancy green armchair. A young man was sitting within it and he flashed a smile.

He had dark orange hair that covered his right eye; the colour reminiscent of fallen autumn leaves. His visible left eye was a shimmering and piercing green. His chain had a small amount of dark brown stubble, the look of someone who shaved every other day but had very little facial hair in the first place. His height and the frame of his body were rather average. His clothes were dark brown rags that seemed to function as a cloak and yet resembled a poncho. A used and battered steel sword was strapped to the left side of his waist. The man seemed to be strikingly normal, yet his gaze was piercing. 

He leapt out of the chair and quickly approached Olivia with a smile, bowing his body while keeping his right arm below his stomach. “Bonjour mademoiselle, you are a sight for sore eyes. Elves are true beauties but you, my lady, are a jewel among jewels. May I have the honour of your voice gracing my wretched ears with the divinity of your name?” 

“Oh, great. He’s one of those guys.” Corai groaned to himself internally.