novelraw Chapter 61: Elda
Chapter 61: Elda
(A.N.: Sorry for the late Chapter update... I have been very busy today trying to move from my university accommodation back home... I should be able to update the second Chapter in 2 hours)
"But since you failed, I will allow you to choose your punishment," Jensen said to Talia.
Talia fell silent for a few seconds as she thought of the best way to get out of this with as little punishment as possible.
Finally, it clicked, "since we failed to capture him alive, we owe you the value of that failure," she said. "We will kill or capture three Level 3s."
Jensen’s lips twitched as he heard the wording of her stated punishment.
It might seem like the punishment was proportionate to the failure, but it was not.
This punishment could not be simpler.
By now Talia had surely realized the limits of their bloodline abilities haven finally seen them in action.
With the blood energy from just this camp, at least one of them could break into Level 2 making the plan far easier than she had previously thought.
Since they now owed him the life of three Level 3s, all they had to do was complete the current mission and they would have gone far beyond.
Their mission required them to remove every bandit group, criminal and beasts from these mountain range and they would be facing several Level 3s anyway and that would count as well.
Even if it didn’t by the time they were done clearing the mountain range they would have been strong enough to hunt down as many Level 3 as they needed.
Jensen lips twitched... however he had given his word that he would allow her to decide their punishment, and she had found a loophole and used it.
He couldn’t even be angry about that.
He sighed and turned around. "Capture them... I want you to capture the three Level 3s you owe me."
"My Lord," Heinz said from the ground. "I can also be of help to you."
He had been listening to everything and realized that these people did not see him as much.
This entire operation seemed to be nothing but a training exercise for the three people who had attacked him.
He did not want to find out what the real deal would look like and if it was possible to jump on their ship, he was more than happy to do so.
Jensen smiled as he glanced down at Heinz. "Oh, do not worry. You will be joining the family... Just not the way you think."
Heinz was confused by what Jensen said. "Uhm... my lord, what do you mean?"
Jensen ignored him as he turned to Talia. "Do whatever you need to do." Then he turned to Jim. "And gather the dead bodies here."
"Yes, my lord." Jim and Talia bowed and left to fulfil their assigned duties.
"As for you, Roden... focus on recovering and securing the perimeter and also make sure to keep an eye on the unconscious men."
Roden bowed and immediately got to work.
Seeing them work, Jensen returned his focus to Heinz.
"I guess it is time for you to join the family as well."
His hands transformed into claws as he reached down and stabbed into Heinz’s neck.
He nicked himself and began the process of transforming him into a thrall.
***
Jensen finally finished refining Heinz, and it took slightly less time than it had with Posey.
"Rise," Jensen said as he stood back from the new thrall.
Heinz rose from the ground, his movements were mechanical, just like Posey’s.
Jensen did not bother testing his product this time.
Instead, he brought out a complete suit of armour from his spatial ring which he had prepared it specifically for the Thrall Guards.
He orders Heinz to wear the armour while he completed a similar mind connection to what he had with Herald.
Once he was done Jensen stopped paying attention to the turned bandit and started to explore the rest of the camp, giving Talia enough time to do what she had to.
He eventually made his way to where Talia was working.
She had gathered the slaves that were previously owned by the bandits, but they were still fast asleep.
Evidently, they had also drunk the drugged water forcing them into an almost comatose state.
They were mostly made up of females and children since most of the men and they were easily identifiable from the bandit by their skinny bodies and rags.
She had also moved the surviving babies and young children there who were from ages zero to four and most of them were also asleep.
A quick count showed that there were twelve babies and sixty-four slaves.
Slavery in general was illegal and there were serious consequences for such acts but that was only if you were caught by the government in the first place.
Even then Talia had no plans to release them... at least not for free.
Instead, she planned to have them pay for their release if they wanted to be free, however some of them, if not most, were born slaves and had never known another way of life.
So, with better conditions, treatment and a small salary, they would be more than willing to come under the Morvath family as servants.
Talia was sure of it.
As for the ones who preferred to leave, she would charge them a large fee and if they did not have family members to pay for them, they would have to serve the family for a few years.
Of course, they would not get as good treatment as the real servants of the Morvath family.
Jensen watched for a moment before he turned to leave but someone grabbed hold of his leg.
He looked down to find a girl was holding his thigh and she looked to be in her early twenties.
Her left hand was cut off with the stump still bleeding and her left eye was missing from it socket leaving it hollow and dark.
Bruises and scares covered her whole body showing that she had been seriously tortured for several days.
The fact that she was still awake meant she had not drunk or eaten anything in at least a day.
Seeing Jensen’s expression, Talia spoke up quickly.
"I am sorry, my lord... she is almost dead and there is barely anything we can do for her."
She sighed as she continued, "Even if we used her a Grade 3 healing potion, she would not make it because she is unawakened."
Jensen nodded in agreement... what she said was indeed true and he was also sire that if Talia could have saved her, she would have.
His eyes focused on the girl grasping at his feet and she looked back at him with her only eye with unyielding will to live.
’Truly a strong will,’ Jensen thought impressed by what he was seeing.
"What is your name?" he asked as if for a final confirmation.
"E...L...D...A," she managed to say through all the pain.
"Very well, Elda. You have impressed me..." He paused. "Survive."
A drop of Noble Vampyre Blood Essence appeared in front of Jensen.
He flicked it at her and the blood essence shot into her forehead and disappeared beneath her skin.
Elda’s body went limp as she immediately released Jensen from her grasp.
Jensen looked at her for a moment then he turned and walked away.
The rest was up to her now.