NOVPUB
Chapter 62: Losing Someone Precious...
James retrieved his knife and rocketed towards the hooded assailant.
A quick [Identify] showed that she was only level 35.
He didn’t even use [Entoxicating Scent] as he ran at her, his stats for out stripped her own.
Blood sprayed in an arc as the woman screamed. James had cut straight through her arm, the bow and the hand holding the arrow.
He kicked her chin and his enhanced senses heard her teeth shatter.
Her exp notification came a few moments later after he rushed back to Violet.
She was cold and her chest was barely moving, but she wasn’t dead yet.
James grabbed three regeneration potions and poured one in her mouth. He waited five seconds before pulling the arrow out of her guts and placing a white bandage on the wound to stop the bleeding.
His skill [First Aid] was immensely helpful as his mind calmed and guided his body on what to do.
He ripped the other arrow out after a minute and fed her another regeneration potion.
He was still fearful of how hurt she was because they weren’t in a party and he couldn’t see her health.
’I’m so stupid! I need to keep my servants in a party at all times! Goddamn it man, I could’ve been warned so much sooner..’
James absentmindedly pulled the arrow out of his own thigh as he wiped cold sweat of Violets face.
Regeneration potions were insanely good, curing almost anything. The problem was that after one sustained significant damage, the potions sapped ones strength to boost the recovery time.
Violets chest was breathing evenly and James dropped low as after he heard another snap of a bowstring.
He waited for a moment and looked around to see that no one had fired at him.
Instead, he felt relieved as Veronica pulled back her bow again and fired at a group of cloaked figures running away from a very angry Queen.
Emily and Justine were looking around and he could see them panicking until they noticed him.
He saw Emily point at him and shout. The three soon ran towards him.
James’s happiness slowly turned back into anger as he saw his servants.
’Fucking bitches hurt my servants..’
One of Justine’s arms swung uselessly at her side and Veronica had several deep cuts bleeding all over.
Emily seemed to have the least amount of wounds, but her hands that gripped her daggers were covered in other people’s blood.
They started apologizing immediately after coming within earshot.
James held out a hand and commanded them sternly.
"Not now. We can talk about this later. Get ready, that group is headed at us."
His servants spun on their heels and saw the mass of about 30 cultists heading towards them.
Veronica immediately started shooting arrows at a rapid pace and Justine began chanting.
Emily disappeared somewhat as her figure blended in with the darkness.
"Move swift, strike fast. No mercy!"
(You are effected by Justine Clements commanding buff)
(Buff: Swift Demise- Your attack speed is increased by 15% for the next 5 minutes)
"Hit hard with heavy hands. Break through!"
(You are effected by Justine Clements commanding buff)
(Buff: Impactful Strike- Your strength is increased by 15% for the next 5 minutes)
"Eliminate the enemy. No escape!"
(You are effected by Justine Clements commanding buff)
(Buff: Kill Order- wounds you inflict will cause 25% more bleeding for the next 5 minutes)
James felt insane power flow through him. Now that his stats were a lot higher, Justine’s percentage based buffs worked even better.
James used [Identify] a few times and grimaced a little. These women were all about level 55, his increased stats wouldn’t be able to match up with them.
Veronica had felled about 6 cultists, but they were about to be overwhelmed.
James activated [Entoxicating Scent] and screamed internally when he saw that only his servants had been effected.
A thin blue barrier surrounded the cultists charging them.
He had inadvertently just screwed them all as his servants looked around confused after he deactivated it.
They were already out numbered four to one and now they had to meet the charge unprepared.
"Girls! Back up!"
James shouted and threw acid vials at the cultists. It slowly ate away at the barrier, but he was too late.
The cultists hissed out in creepy jubilation as they saw Violet.
"Kill her! Kill her! Kill that wretched girl!"
James tried to block their path, but it was hopeless as one engaged him and and two others slipped past.
The barrier hadn’t dissolved yet and James couldn’t activate [Entoxicating Scent] without endangering his servants.
He felt tears leaking as he heard steel rip into flesh behind him.
He couldn’t even see the girl he was supposed to marry die, because he was getting pushed back by the woman in front of him.
James heard more grunts of pain and the sickening splash of blood.
He activated [Entoxicating Scent] after the barrier produced a hole.
His knife ripped through the throat of the woman in front of him and he turned and cut off the heads of the cultists who killed...
’Justine!’
She had a long sword stuck in her back and multiple deep cuts along her torso. The ground was died red as she gasped for air on her side.
James knelt down beside her hurriedly and fumbled with a regeneration potion.
She wasn’t affected by his skill somehow and pushed the potion away and shook her head.
"M-master.." a bubble of blood popped out of her mouth, "That’s useless.. I- *Cough* I’m already too far..."
Her eyes lost focus and James cried out as he held her.
"Justine! Don’t leave me.. please don’t leave me.. why are you so foolish!"
Her hands softly gripped his and he looked at her while he sobbed.
"M-master.. would’ve b-been sad if she died.. I-I *cough* I’m happy to have been your slave.."
James wailed as she closed her eyes. Her hand slipped off his and her heart stopped beating.
James didn’t know how long he held her, but his throat was raw and he had no more tears left to cry as he stood.
He couldn’t feel anything as he numbly walked around and sawed off the heads of the cultists around him.
The fighting around the palace had died down a little and James deactivated his skill as he crumbled in front of Justine’s corpse.
’So I wouldn’t feel bad.. she died so I wouldn’t feel bad!?’
He bent down and clutched her. He had really grown to care for her over the last few weeks and truly thought she would be a lifetime companion of his.
He held her until the sun rose the next day as he disregarded the people around him.
His servants and Violet had stayed with him and his family showed up after the Queen repelled the invaders.
James took out his knife and cut a braid from her hair, holding it close as he stood.
He numbly walked passed his friends and family, headed towards the teleportation crystal.
His sisters tried to speak to him, but James couldn’t hear their apologies and condolences without feeling worse than he already did.
When Madeline brought them back to the Cromwell estate, James headed to his room and didn’t come out until two days later.
He had layed in his bed and stared at the blue braid the whole time. He didn’t sleep because he knew the nightmares would return.
The only thing that motivated to get out of bed was revenge.
’I’m gonna fucking kill every last one of those bitches. Every. Single. Fucking. One.’
When he opened the door, he was surprised to see a crowd in the hallway.
His sisters, servants, cousins and aunt sat on the ground outside his room. He was shocked to see Galea there as well.
James didn’t have a family or close friends back on Earth who weren’t dead, so he shut the door as they all turned to him.
He felt like an idiot. He was immensely sad that Justine died, but in process of grief, he had ignored the people who cared about him.
He cried a little as he realized this and thought about how Emily and Veronica must feel. Justine was their friend too.
He wiped his eyes and reopened the door.
The girls were prepared this time and didn’t let him shut it.
James fell backwards as he was dog piled on by very large women.
Violet was in his face and cried as she smothered him.
"I’m sorry James.. *Sniff* b-because of me.. I’m sorry-"
James punched her mouth shut and kissed her forehead.
"Ssshhh, none of that. Don’t be sad for me and apologize.. be thankful that Justine was heroic and dependable woman. Don’t apologize for living.."
James was a little sad still, but he was kind of amused as Violet buried her face in his chest and ugly cried. He grew a little disgusted as snot poured from her nose and wiped onto his shirt.
’Thank you for being in my life.. thank you, Justine.’
