Game Master in Another World

After a few hours of travel, the sun was beginning to set, so we started making camp. The process was quick: pitching tents and organising fire pits. The gruel heated quickly, so we sat down with Toby and three other soldiers around a fire.

“Hey, Angel, why did you not help us fight in the first battle today? You would have made short work of them,” a middle-aged soldier asked.

“Well, I don’t like killing people who pose no danger to me or others,” Juliana replied.

“But you could have saved some of our men if you took part,” another soldier complained.

“Maybe, but they would not have attacked us if we hadn't attacked them; they were only protecting their wounded.”

“Our job, though, is to ensure they never attack again. That means we wipe out as many of those bastards as possible so they never recover.”

“Yep, and the more we kill now, the fewer of our people they kill later,” responded the first soldier.

“I won’t stop you slaughtering them, but I will not aid in that, either.”

“Why did you not ask the men to bury the bodies, Juliana?” Toby asked.

“The wolves need feeding. Leaving all those bodies will keep them well-fed for a while.”

That was not an answer I expected from her.

We finished up our meals and retired for the night. Juliana’s mood was not recovering from the day's events. I hoped after a good night’s sleep she might at least feel a bit better.

The next day brought a light drizzle; everything was wet and uncomfortable. Juliana was no longer her happy self. She had lost her smile, and I could feel the frustration within her.

“What’s wrong?” Toby asked.

“This journey is vexing me. I can’t wait for it to be over already,” Juliana responded, her trademark smile missing from her face.

Breakfast was again a simple porridge, which we sat down with Toby to eat quietly. The meal was rather bland—barely a hint of flavour—but it was still filling.

We broke camp and continued. We weren’t following any tracks now, instead relying on a guide.

After an hour of riding, our neighbouring soldier spoke to us—a middle-aged, clean-shaven man.

“We’re in Forlinth now. I can’t wait to get some payback for all they’ve done.”

“I’m not looking for payback; I’m here for peace, nothing more,” Juliana replied.

“Peace will be attained when everyone in Forlinth is dead or enslaved. There is no saving them,” the soldier responded.

“Why do you think that?” Juliana asked.

“Well, they are cannibals after all, and they rape children. They are the lowest of the low.”

“What evidence do you have of this?” Juliana asked.

“I don’t need evidence. They are evil, and they deserve everything they get.”

Juliana sighed. “This war is never going to end if you can’t think of them as humans like us.”

“I don’t want it to end until Forlinth is a distant memory.”

“Would you accept them as refugees?” Juliana asked.

“No way. They would flood over and replace us, then seize power when there are enough of them. Not to mention the crime rate would increase immensely; our women wouldn’t be safe, including you.”

“Have you met someone from Forlinth before?” Juliana then asked.

“No, nor do I ever want to. I would sooner kill them than talk to them.”

“Even a child?”

“Yes, they are rotten from birth; there is no saving them.”

“I’m warning you now, if you attack a child, I will stop you,” Juliana said sternly.

“Well, what you don’t see doesn’t happen, so just look away if you know what is good for you.”

The soldier then moved further up the line.

Juliana was seething, her mouth tense, and she gripped the reins tighter.

“Those Forlinth people sound nasty,” Toby said.

“I doubt they are like the rumours; a country could not function like that,” Juliana responded.

Juliana carried on riding in silence for the next few hours, her anger not diminishing over time.

There was a shout from the front, “Village ahead! There are people!”

The commander shouted, “Let's kill every single woman, man, and child! Leave no survivors and burn it to the ground! This is our opportunity for revenge!”

Juliana had endured enough; she spurred her horse to the front, wheeled around, and glared at the column.

“I will not allow the slaughter of civilians; this is not how we achieve peace!”

I, too, agreed with her on this. I didn’t want a repeat of seeing such carnage, let alone actively taking part in it.

The commander rode up, his face flushing red.

“You signed a contract! You must follow my orders, or I’ll have you arrested for treason!”

The commander was foaming at the mouth, his eyes bulging with rage, spittle spraying Juliana in the face once again.

“Hear me now: anyone who passes me chooses death and divine punishment. Any attempts to arrest me will result in your swift demise!”

“Private Corvis, arrest this woman immediately. She is a traitor!”

Private Corvis rode forward towards us. “Yes, Sir, right away.”

Juliana chanted an incantation. Dark clouds congregated, and the heavy feeling of static electricity gathered around her. Arcs of lightning began to jump between the strands of Juliana’s hair.

“I’m warning you, Private Corvis; I will not show mercy.”

I saw Captain Grisham and Graham backing away at the rear before bolting with their horses; no one else followed.

As Private Corvis got within arm's length, a bolt of lightning struck him on the head, arcing through him and the mount below. Both were dead before they hit the dirt.

The unit stood frozen for a moment before the remaining cavalry charged at Juliana.

She changed forms partially, sprouting giant wings, and snatched up Toby. She flew into the air before the soldiers could reach her, and then the rain of lightning began. As promised, anyone who crossed the imaginary line Juliana had set died.

We felt several spells try to constrain us; Juliana glared in their direction, striking the casters with further bolts of lightning.

Once thirty men lay dead on the ground alongside their horses, the commander began to back away, his eyes wide with fear.

Juliana struck his horse with lightning; the beast collapsed on top of him, pinning him to the earth.

The rest of the cavalry broke, fleeing in a panic. Juliana showed no mercy, pursuing them and killing five or ten at a time. The soldiers rode at full speed trying to escape, but she was relentless. It wasn’t more than five minutes before there were none left, save for Captain Grisham and Graham.

Juliana ceased her pursuit and flew back to the commander, landing next to him.

“I am not normally a vengeful person, but I will let some of my upbringing out just for you, Sir.” She made sure to accentuate the word sir.

“Please have mercy! I can pay you whatever you want,” the commander snivelled.

“I do not want money. I want peace.”

Juliana then changed into a snake; she slithered forward before sinking her fangs into the commander's arm.

She shifted back into a Nhalyri again, staring down at him.

“You have ten minutes to live. These ten minutes are going to be the most agony you could ever experience, as your body liquefies slowly, radiating outward from the wound.”

Juliana turned away and began walking towards the village. “Toby, leave him be; he doesn’t deserve any more of our time.”

This was a side of Juliana I never thought possible; the level of anger and malice was something I would have expected from Drisnil.

As we approached the village, we began to hear the commander's screams of pain.

At the head of the village stood a very tall man in full plate armour, brandishing a shield and a mace. He wasn’t wearing a military uniform, but rather looked like an adventurer.

We walked towards him. When we were thirty metres away, he shouted out.

“Halt! This village is under my protection! Come any closer and I will kill you!”

Juliana stopped.

“I mean the village no harm. I’ve prevented my former comrades from sacking it, however, and apart from the commander, they have all met a swift end,” Juliana responded.

“How can I trust the Devil of Freyton City?” the man asked.

“Not everything you hear about me is true. I merely try to protect the innocent, and I do not discriminate.”

The man lowered his weapon a fraction.

“If you truly mean us no harm, you will drop that dreadful spell, then?”

Juliana dismissed the clouds, causing them to dissipate as quickly as they had arrived.

The man walked slowly towards us until he towered over both Juliana and Toby.

“Well, if you haven’t attacked me yet, I think I can trust you at least a little. I’m Igasnov Jones, a wanderer who protects the innocent.”

Igasnov held out his hand, stooping slightly.

Juliana took it and gave it a shake.

“I’m Juliana, and this is Toby. It is a pleasure to meet you, and quite refreshing to meet someone who is more interested in protecting than revenge.”

In the background, we could still hear the screams of the commander.

“Why is that man screaming so much?”

“Oh, I poisoned him with a venom that turns his insides to liquid. I found him so despicable that I felt it was a punishment he thoroughly deserved.”

Igasnov stepped back a little. “Venom? Surely you are misusing that word; don’t you mean poison?”

“No, I changed into a venomous snake and bit him.”

“Oh. And do you usually mete out this kind of punishment?”

“No, but over the last two days he broke my temper, and my upbringing came out.”

“Ah yes, the Nhalyri. You are well renowned for your sadistic tendencies.”

“I have been trying to escape those. I wish to follow a more righteous path now,” Juliana responded, holding her hands together as if in prayer.

“I, too, follow the righteous path, for I am a Paladin. Which god do you follow?” Igasnov asked.

I took control. “It is a personal god, but also the god Phrindrec, the god of guidance for my kind who seek a different path.”

“Interesting. I have not heard of that god. I follow Solvarn, as I believe in justice.”

I released control immediately; the mention of a follower of Solvarn triggered bittersweet memories of Illara, and I did not wish to cry in front of him.

“Why don’t you come into the village, then, and meet the locals? They may want to meet their saviour after all,” Igasnov said, stepping to one side.

“I might just do that. I would love to meet the kind people here and present a more positive view of my countrymen.” Juliana’s smile returned, bringing with it a rush of elation at finally being able to be herself.

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