I could hear the quick running footsteps of the duke outside as I laid motionless underneath the bed. I had no Idea who's room this was, or even if it was just a random guest room, but what I did know was that I would like to love another day.
It had started out so innocently, we were given training weapons that without class buffs, could only ever do a single point of damage. This combined with bracelets the Duke had given us, allowing us to regenerate HP over time, made me have hope that this could be educational, and help me further my skills. Instead I watched Jax get slammed trough a wall with a single swing and fall unconscious before waking up because of the healing. Selene had taken a swing, but done 4 damage before getting knocked out herself. What was worse was the fact that the duke was casually talking like it was a regular afternoon and he was taking a stroll. We had all bolted for the door and made it back into the house, but the Duke followed. I glanced to where Jax was laying under a dresser across from me. The door creaked open as we heard a terrifying voice.
"I know at least one of you is in here, I have 9 kids, you think I'm not a champion hide and seek player?"
Jax and I silently looked at each other as my eyes slowly panned over to Jax's tail that was slightly sticking out. A hand like lightning shot down and grabbed it as Jax yelled.
"REMEMBER MEEEE!!!"
As he was quickly dragged out and the sound of a loud thwack reverberated as Jax seemed to crash down the hallway.
"You know, for someone who is seemingly so adamant about getting better with a spear, you sure are hiding quite a bit."
Came a voice from next to me. I slowly turned, my entire body shaking from fear as the duke looked back, resting his head on his palm as he grinned.
I don't remember the impact, but I did wake up mid way trough crashing trough the window I was sent flying at. Below me I could see the Duchess was talking with Kaelen, Liora and Thalia. Of which Kaelen seemed resolute, like he knew there was no saving me while Liora and Thalia seemed surprised and horrified.
I bounced a few times on the cobblestones as I jumped to my feet in a sprint.
"This isn't training, its a slaughter!!!"
I yelled as I leapt a bush only to hear the sound of breaking glass above me. The Duke landed with a loud boom as in his hand was Jax being held by the scruff of his neck.
"Hey, hey, check it out. I call this one... Wolf Chucks."
The duke said grabbing Jax's tail and starting to spin him all around his body as Jax screamed in a distorted way. I saw Selene on the second floor looking out the window in horror as I shakily readied my spear. The dukes eyebrows raised as he asked.
"Confident in your friends durability?"
I gulped as I nodded, meanwhile Jax who was still being swung around seemed to think otherwise.
"NO, no he's not, I am very fragile, VERY FRAGILE!!"
The duke didn't seem to listen as he swung Jax around. If I had more skill with a spear I could have potentially tried to do a light deflection, I however am very much still new to it, so instead I had to retaliate in full force. Each time I struck back, blocking Jax's path of flying at my body I could hear his pained yelps. All I could do was say I'm sorry every time.
My muscles ached, both from hiding and running for over an hour at this point, combined with the sudden movements that needed every bit of speed I could muster was doing nothing to help the fatigue I was feeling. I could barely keep up as it was, and that was only from the help of accel thought, and Will coming in every other second to twist my spear to catch something I missed.
The Duke swung jax in a wide arch as I tried to intercept, but to my surprise, Jax was closer than he should have been. I went flying back from where the duke had thrown Jax as we both laid on the cobblestones, bruised and aching. The duke, seeming satisfied with this turned to the window where Selene started sprinting away as he jumped what must have been 20 ft into the air to get back into the window and sprint after her.
"My… everything is broken."
Jax wheezed out as he laid there twitching. A moment later Kaelen, Liora, and Thalia came over with the Duchess.
"Um, guys, you good?"
Liora asked slowly as she looked us over as if inspecting the damage on broken equipment.
"No, Jax just got used as a set of nun chucks, I got launched out of a window, and-"
I was cut off by another sound of breaking glass as I continued.
"And I'm pretty sure that was Selene getting thrown herself. We have been playing some morbid game of hide and seek where the penalty for being found is unconsciousness only for these stupid bracelets to wake us up again and repeat the cycle."
I said sitting up with a look of annoyance on my face. The Duchess gave a deep sigh as she held the bridge of her nose. She seemed to mumble something under her breath, but I was a bit to distracted by the strange noise of someone screaming. Looking up I saw a rather strange sight. Above the Dukes house was a figure flying as they waved their arms frantically. Worse still, they even looked like Selene, but that would imply she got launched hundreds of feet up, and only someone like… the duke.... Oh fuck.
I jumped to my feet and tried to position myself under Selene as Thalia turned forming a set of strings in 3 layers, that while snapping slowed Selene down. I held my arms out to catch Selene as my knees almost buckled and the joints in my body all popped at once. My cheeks filled up as I tried to avoid screaming as a strange sound like a deflating balloon escaped from my lips. I gently let Selene down as I fell backwards as Kaelen quickly chanted a prayer and healed Jax, Selene and I.
We remained laying on the cobblestones, whatever fear of impoliteness we had held when we first entered had been washed away by the beating we had received for the past hour. I glanced over to Jax and Selene from where I was laying.
"I have no Idea how you all do it, this hurts like hell."
Jax and Selene glanced between each other and shrugged as we heard the swift approach of the Duke. We all sat up as we started to scramble, the duchess held a hand out. A green energy flowed forward, coalescing into a large wooden mallet made of vines and leaves that quickly swung down on the Duke who seemed none the wiser. The hammer landed with a loud crash as the Duke was now laying face down in the dirt. The Duke sat up with a timid look as the Duchess turned to her husband with a sharp look.
"How many windows did you break?"
The Duke stammered before looking to us, Kaelen, Liora and Thalia seemed uncomfortable, meanwhile Jax, Selene and I in that moment would have been wearing Duchess Therinder merchandise if we could.
"I mean, a few happened to break, but it wasn't my intention to-"
The Duke was cut off by the Dutchess pulling out a small handheld mirror from her pocket and running her finger along the rim.
"This is Emerelda Thenrinder, I am ordering that Alvin Thenrinder's weapon supply be confiscated for the span of 1 week"
The Duke looked horrified as he stared at the 3 of us with pleading looks. We all grinned innocent smiles at the duke as we all started talking loudly.
"I-I got thrown through 4 windows, how about you Aiden?"
"I only went through 3, but I believe Jax holds the record here."
"Of Course, I went through 7 windows, and let us not forget how much furniture and other things were broken as he chased us swinging a sword through the hallways, I mean think of the wallpaper."
The Duke paled as he slowly turned to look at his wife who seemed to be emanating what I could only assume was killing intent more and more as we described the damages. She walked over to the Duke and grabbed him by the back of his collar as she started to drag him.
"Lets go assess the damage together, shall we?"
The Duchess said with several veins bulging on her face as the Duke gave us a sheepishly pleading expression as he was dragged away.
"Man, Karma's a bitch, but today she's beautiful."
Jax said as he laid down and rested his chin on the ground. I joined him as Selene turned to the others.
"S-So what were you all up to while we were being hunted?"
They looked between each other as Kaelen shrugged.
"Mom said they are hosting a party to commemorate my return in two weeks, even my fiance will be there."
We glanced at each other, not really sure how to respond as we remembered Kaelen telling the story of how he fled from his home and Fiancée. Liora crossed her arms and spoke next.
"Worse still we are part of that party as a bit of a spectacle."
Selene let out a tired sigh seemingly knowing what that means as Kaelen and I exchanged confused glances.
"And that means?"
I asked confused on what they were trying to say. At this Thalia rolled her eyes as she looked to us.
"Do you or Jax know anything about ballroom dancing, because if not our next two weeks are going to be dance drills with instructors that Kaelen says are rather particular."
Jax and I slowly turned to each other as Jax asked.
"Do you think if we beg the Duke may go back to just chasing us down instead of that?"
I shrugged
"Worth a shot."