Mother of Midnight

Chapter 70 – Mercy

Darnath’s jaw clenched tightly, his defiance unwavering despite the fear flickering in his eyes. He met her gaze, his voice steady but edged with bitterness. “You can devour my body, monster, but you’ll never break my spirit. My faith in the Sovereignty—”

Vivienne burst into laughter, a sharp, mocking sound that echoed off the chamber walls. “Oh, stop,” she said, wiping an imaginary tear from one of her eyes. “Spare me the martyr’s monologue. Faith? Spirit? Please. You’re just words and flesh. And you’ll find that the latter is much easier to work with.”

She straightened, towering over him with an almost casual menace, her tail swaying lazily behind her. “But I’ll give you credit for one thing: you’ve got guts, Father. Guts I’m quite curious to taste.”

Darnath’s silence only deepened her grin, and she extended a single claw, running it lightly down his chest. “Last chance. A name. A purpose. Something that’ll make me think twice about finishing what I started.”

The priest’s lips parted, but no words came. Only his ragged breathing filled the space between them.

Vivienne sighed, dramatically rolling her many eyes. “Ah, well. Guess we’re doing this the fun way.” Her claws flexed, gleaming dangerously as she prepared to strike.

But before she could move, a small voice piped up from the doorway. “Wait!”

Vivienne froze, her eyes snapping toward the interruption. Snarl stood in the entrance, her green face pale with fear but her expression resolute. Renzia hovered behind her, tilting her head curiously.

“What now, little one?” Vivienne asked, irritation lacing her voice.

Snarl shifted nervously, wringing her hands. “I-I just thought... maybe he’s not lying about not knowing anything important. He’s just a grunt, right? Maybe it’s not worth the trouble.”

Vivienne’s grin returned, though this time it was tinged with annoyance. “And here I thought you were smarter than this, Snarl. Are you suggesting I let him go?”

The goblin hesitated, then nodded. “Y-yeah. You’ve already won, haven’t you? What’s one more corpse going to do for you?”

For a long moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Vivienne stared at the Goblin, her expression unreadable, while Darnath’s breathing quickened, his stoic facade finally beginning to crack.

Then, with a theatrical sigh, Vivienne stepped back from the priest, her claws retracting slightly. “Fine,” she said, her tone bored. “You’ve got a point. He’s beneath my notice now.” She looked down at Darnath, her grin returning. “But you’re not walking out of here unscathed, darling.”

Before he could respond, Vivienne lashed out with her claws, slashing his other leg. He cried out in pain, collapsing further into the bloodied floor. “A little reminder,” she said sweetly, “of what happens when you cross me.”

She turned to Renzia and Snarl, her voice sharp. “Let’s go. We’ve got better things to do than babysit the leftovers.”

Renzia nodded and followed silently, her mechanical grace contrasting with Snarl's hurried, stumbling steps. The goblin glanced nervously over her shoulder one last time, her gaze lingering on the priest’s crumpled form before hurrying after Vivienne. Behind them, the faint echo of Darnath’s agonized cries reverberated through the fortress’s cold, blood-stained corridors.

As they wound their way through the labyrinthine passageways, Vivienne’s sharp ears caught the telltale sound of Snarl’s hesitant footsteps slowing. The goblin was staring at her, her wide yellow eyes flicking between Vivienne’s many eyes and her swaying tail.

“Yes?” Vivienne drawled, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

Snarl flinched, wringing her hands nervously. “Oh, uh, I just... didn’t think you’d let him go,” she stammered, her voice trembling slightly. “I mean, not after all that.”

Vivienne stopped in her tracks, turning slowly to face the goblin. She tilted her head, her expression unreadable as her many eyes bore into Snarl’s. “Let him go?” she repeated, her tone laced with mockery. “Sweetheart, did you miss the part where I left him bleeding on the floor?”

Snarl hesitated, her small frame trembling under Vivienne’s intense gaze. “I-I just mean... you didn’t kill him. You could have, but you didn’t.”

A slow, predatory grin spread across Vivienne’s face, revealing the faint gleam of her hidden maw. “Oh, Snarl, you think that was mercy?” She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “What I left him with was worse than death. He’ll suffer. If he doesn’t bleed out, I presume the soldiers that come down to this fortress after I report my findings to Serkoth will deal with him. And if he survives all that, he’ll remember me every time he screams in pain.”

Snarl gulped, her gaze dropping to the ground. “R-right. Mercy. Got it.”

Vivienne chuckled, the sound low and menacing. “Good. You’re learning.” She straightened and resumed walking, her claws clicking softly against the stone floor. “Now, are you finally ready to tell me your name or do you want to keep being called Snarl?”

“…Kivvy,” the goblin blurted out, her voice barely above a squeak. She fidgeted nervously, wringing her hands as she glanced up at Vivienne. “My name’s Kivvy. Not Snarl.”

Vivienne stopped, turning to face the goblin fully. Her many eyes narrowed slightly, studying the small figure with an unsettling intensity. “Kivvy,” she repeated, savoring the name like a rare delicacy. “Much better. Thank you for sharing.”

Kivvy swallowed hard, her hands twisting together nervously. “S-so… what are you going to do with me?”

Vivienne’s lips curled into a sly smile, her tone almost playful. “You mentioned you have no loyalty to Aegis and that you came from the Sovereignty, yes? I find myself needing insight—what life is like for the average citizen there, how their society works, and other little details. You could prove quite useful in that regard.”

Kivvy hesitated, her brow furrowing. “You… want me to tell you about the Sovereignty?”

“Precisely,” Vivienne replied, her smile sharpening. “I’ll simply say you were a prisoner I freed. The people of Serkoth are much more forgiving of artificial creatures like you than the Sovereignty seems to be. Once you’ve shared what you know, who knows? Perhaps I’ll let you go on your merry way. Or… perhaps you’ll find other reasons to stick around.” Her voice dipped into a predatory purr on the last line, her many eyes glinting.

Kivvy’s lips pressed into a tight line. “And if I don’t want to help?”

Vivienne’s grin widened, a glimmer of her jagged, hidden maw slipping through. “Then I’ll let you go on your merry way.”

The goblin blinked, her disbelief evident. “You’d just… let me go? Just like that?”

Vivienne tilted her head slightly, her expression one of amused curiosity. “Of course. You’ve already been quite helpful, and you do amuse me. I’m not entirely

unreasonable, you know.”Kivvy’s eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into her voice. “And I suppose there wouldn’t be any strings attached, either?”

Vivienne chuckled, the sound rich and predatory. “Well, if you think about it, you’d be leaving with your life intact. That’s more than what most people get from me. But if you’re so concerned, stay and help. Either way, it’s your choice.”

The goblin studied her for a long moment, clearly weighing her options. Finally, she sighed. “Fine. I’ll help. Not like I have a whole lot of other options right now. Plus standing beside the terrifying all consuming monster sounds safer than being in front of her.”

Vivienne smiled, this time a touch more genuine. “Smart choice, Kivvy. You might find sticking around has its perks.” Her tone remained light, but there was an unmistakable edge that hinted at the consequences of betrayal.

They reached the massive front doors to the fortress and Vivienne frowned as her gaze shifted back toward the faint golden light seeping through the cracks in the fortress doors. Her many eyes narrowed, the tension in her posture growing palpable.

“I’m sorry, Renzia dear,” she murmured, tilting her head toward the mannequin. “It seems I’ll need to impose on you once more. That ball of light out there is far from inviting.”

Renzia tilted her head, her frame creaking softly as she acknowledged the request. With a smooth motion, her hands moved to the buttons along her torso, swiftly unfastening them. The hollow compartment opened, revealing the darkened space within.

Vivienne turned toward Kivvy, her smile turning faintly teasing. “Now don’t look so horrified, darling. I’ll only be a moment.”

Without waiting for a response, Vivienne’s form began to dissolve, her body shifting into a flowing, formless shadow. It seeped into Renzia’s open frame like smoke, her presence filling the mannequin’s hollow structure. Renzia straightened as the last wisp of shadow disappeared, the compartment closing smoothly over her chest.

Kivvy stared, wide-eyed and uneasy. “That’s… unsettling,” she muttered, rubbing her splinted arm.

A soft laugh emanated from within Renzia, Vivienne’s voice echoing slightly in the confined space. “Unsettling, perhaps, but practical. Now, stay close and don’t dawdle. Renzia, my dear, let’s be on our way.”

Renzia nodded, her movements fluid yet mechanical as she stepped forward and pushed the massive doors open. The golden light beyond was blinding, its intensity forcing Kivvy to shield her eyes as they stepped out into the courtyard.

The oppressive heat and energy from the pulsating orb above bore down on them, the very air shimmering with power. Renzia moved steadily, unaffected by the weight of the energy radiating from above.

“What… what is that thing?” Kivvy whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of raw aether.

Vivienne’s voice echoed coolly from within Renzia, her tone tinged with wry amusement. “Surely you must have seen it during your stay here? It’s rather hard to miss.”

Kivvy shook her head, her small hands wringing together nervously. “They kept me under the fortress, mostly working on artifacts. By the time you arrived, I hadn’t seen the sun in weeks—let alone stepped foot outside the fortress.”

Vivienne’s chuckle carried a sharp edge. “Why’d you stay, then? Doesn’t exactly sound like a vacation.”

Kivvy glanced at the ground, her expression souring. “You really don’t know anything about the Sovereignty, do you?”

“Not a lick,” Vivienne replied breezily. “Which is why I kept you around. Enlighten me.”

Kivvy sighed, the weight of her frustration evident. “Well, we goblins are at the bottom of the ladder, which would be a laugh if it weren’t so bloody depressing.”

“How would that be funny?” Vivienne asked, her curiosity piqued.

“They worship artifice,” Kivvy explained, her voice laced with bitter irony. “Praxus, the god of order and patron of mechanists and artificers. You ever seen one of their Nexus Arbiters?”

Vivienne’s response was immediate. “Yes. It was very hard to pull apart.”

Kivvy’s eyes widened in astonishment. “You fought one? And won?”

“I had help, but yes,” Vivienne replied nonchalantly. “Carry on. You were saying something about hierarchy or something?”

Kivvy nodded, her enthusiasm waning as she continued. “We goblins were made by some arsehole wizard centuries ago to be assistants. We’re rubbish at aetheric manipulation, but we’re the best enchanters and artificers in all of Nymoria. No one can match us.”

Her chest puffed with pride for a moment, but her expression quickly darkened. “But…”

Vivienne’s tone softened, a sliver of genuine interest creeping in. “But?”

“But we’re artificial creatures. Alive, made of flesh and blood, but artificial. To them, that means we’re lesser at best—disposable tools at worst. We’re not exactly strong either, so we’re stuck in the worst lot.”

Vivienne’s many eyes narrowed. “Then why not just leave? Surely you’ve thought about it.”

Kivvy let out a dry laugh. “Leave? Only humans can come and go as they please. Lekines and sirens need chaperones to move around, and goblins? We need government permission just to leave one province for another. That’s assuming they even let us go.”

Vivienne’s claws twitched within Renzia’s hollow frame, and her voice came through with an edge of genuine disgust. “That’s barbaric! They value your skills enough to use you, but treat you like tools? Cowards.”

Kivvy gave a weak shrug. “That’s just how it is. The Sovereignty runs on Praxus’s ideals—order, hierarchy, function over form. And to them, goblins aren’t much more than cogs in their machine.”

Vivienne hummed, her tone laced with icy disdain. “Perhaps it’s time someone broke their precious machine.”

Kivvy glanced at Renzia, whose tall frame moved with mechanical precision toward the looming staircase. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Vivienne purred, her voice dripping with dark amusement, “that systems like the Sovereignty’s only function because everyone accepts them. And systems like that? They’re oh so satisfying to break.”

Kivvy shivered, her large eyes darting upward to the mannequin carrying Vivienne’s formless essence. “You know, that sounds absolutely terrifying coming from you.” She hesitated, wringing her hands nervously. “Actually, everything sounds terrifying coming from you.”

“Fear and terror,” Vivienne said smoothly, her voice carrying a subtle purr of pleasure, “are my currencies. They’ve served me quite well, and honestly, you should be thankful I’m spending them on others at the moment.”

Kivvy muttered something under her breath, her voice barely audible, as they reached the entrance to the staircase. The oppressive hum of the aether was even stronger now, filling the air with a low, ominous pulse. Once inside, Renzia paused, allowing Vivienne to slip out, her form swirling and coalescing back into her curvaceous, formidable prime.

Vivienne straightened, her tall frame now fully restored, the black obsidian scales of her arms gleaming as her tail flicked with a quiet, predatory grace. She turned to face Renzia and Kivvy, her expression one of quiet satisfaction, though her eyes glinted with a dangerous anticipation.

“Well,” Vivienne began, her voice smooth and cutting, “I think I’ve had enough of caves, mysterious glowing balls of light, and traitors of the state.” She stepped forward, her claws clicking against the stone floor, each movement deliberate. Her grin stretched wider, revealing the jagged edges of her hidden maw.