Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 830: No More Threats

As the child’s head reared itself, Linkle held her gasp for its body was covered in a dark slime. Letting it coat her hand, she slowly and with practised care scooped her hand around June’s lower body to help the mother push the child out.

Gripping tight on Aradin’s arm, June kept her eyes closed and let the screams escape. Pushing more and more, she howled in pain. The child’s body was the first pass, and the head nearly split her body apart.

”AUGHH! HGHHH!!” Through gritted teeth, she grunted like a beast. ”I-I’m gonna pass out...”

”Just a few seconds more, June. Keep going, we’re almost done!” Lifting her head while still holding the baby’s body, Linkle looked at June’s pain-torn face. ”You’re doing great, okay? Just a few more seconds, and I’m sure we will be done. Think about your child and do it for them, okay?”

Staring back at the witch while heaving hastily, June gave her a nod and closed her eyes again. Feeling the pressure building up around her legs, Linkle got back on her knees to help with the final process. Pushing with what little strength that had remained in her body, June squeezed her fingers and grunted loudly.

Seeing the head being forced out finally, the witch reached around the rims of June’s body to ease the pressure around the child’s head. A moment passed, and the pain quickly subsided. Leaving behind the wet sound of liquid pouring out of June’s body, and as soon as Linkle cleared the child’s face of the dark slime, the baby’s cries resounded.

Quickly wiping the rest of the child’s body while June began to slip, Linkle heaved a sigh of relief and announced to the mother.

”It’s a girl,” looking at June’s face as she was slowly losing consciousness, Linkle held out hope that she too would make it until help came. ”As pale as you and she’s got the ears, just shorter–an half elf.”

The witch’s heart contorted at her own words. A half-elf was far from ideal, given the complications. Inheriting both the good and bad of both races, the girl was as fragile as glass for the first few weeks, at the very least. She could die at any moment, suffocate on her own spit, and even if she makes it far longer, who’s to say that her half-ancestry wouldn’t cause problems later along the line like the dragonic paladin, Flitza Copperhide.

”What now?” Walking towards the witch, Aradin had moved away from his wife for a moment. Holding his hand towards his kid, he offered to take it from Linkle. ”We need to get Erika here. Shamisha isn’t here either. We can’t risk waiting anymore–not for her nor Hannah or Tris.”

Pushing his stretched arms away, Linkle turned her head to the back of the room. Staring at the walls, she nestled the child close to her chest.

”We still have visitors, Aradin. I want you to deal with them.” Reaching into her waistpouch, she took out a long and sharp pair of scissors. ”But before, here cut the cord–I’ve heard it’s good luck.”

”But what about–”

”The fluids?” Lifting her head, Linkle pressed her lips together for a moment. ”Believe me, whatever nutrition the child can get from the cord isn’t worth keeping the mother attached at the moment. We’ll see what can be done later, but for now, I need the two separated. I’m sure June would agree.”

Glancing over to the drowsy mother, the two heard her mumble with waning strength.

”Take... her a-away... please.”

”There you have it,” forcing the scissor into Aradin’s hand, Linkle quickly snapped a bundle of her hair and tied it around one end of the cord. ”Do it now!”

The quiver in his hand almost had him doubting himself, but as soon as he heard Linkle scream, the father swallowed his hesitation and snipped the cord. Severing the connection between mother and child, he let the scissor fall and got up from his knees. Surveying their surroundings, he could finally see the king’s men around the entrance with their bodies clad in dark.

”The child goes with us,” stepping forward, the leader of the battalion–a man with a dark visor-motioned his soldiers to move in. ”You can either hand her over and come with us or die here, and then we take her.”

Swiping his dagger out of his waistbelt, Aradin lowered himself with his hands ready to slice anyone who dared to step closer.

”I have an offer too. Fuck off or fuck off, you creeps!”

”I thought you’d be more reasonable than the candidate.” Flipping the daggers in his hands, the leader caught them mid-air and held them in a crossed position. ”A candidate or a candidate’s father, I guess, there’s little difference. At least now I won’t have to feel bad about killing you, soldier!”

Leaping towards Aradin, the leader was first to attempt a blow. Throwing a few knives at his opponent as a distraction, he moves in with both of the daggers still clenched in his hand. Striking the thrown knives out of mid air, however, Aradin stood firm, and before the king’s man could strike, he enlarged his leg with the corrupted power and kicked him in an arc that slammed into each and every one from his battalion.

”I SAID FUCK OFF!!”

As his voice rang in the ears of the king’s guards, they dusted their outfits and got up as if nothing had happened to them at all. Setting their gaze back on the cornered father, they zapped like lightning and descended on him from above and every single direction. Through the sheer height of his fear, Aradin watched the blades inching closer to his flesh. A few stabbed him before he could respond, but the ones that did, he used them as a conduit to force the corruption onto the weapon holder.

”What?!” Like a living slime, the corruption quickly devoured the assassins and connected their minds to that of their host, Aradin. ”AGUHHH!”

Throwing themselves to protect the host’s body, they acted as a shield in what was but a fraction of a second. Dying from the barrage of blades, the corruption quickly retreated from their flesh and spread onto those who’d stabbed them instead.

”STAB YOURSELVES!” Aradin screamed while going down on his knees from the sheer pressure of controlling so many vessels at once. ”KILL YOURSELVES YOU BASTARDS!”

”GRUHH! WH-WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Struggling against the control of another, the leader looked into the father’s eyes. ”NOBODY TOLD ME.... NOBODY TOLD ME THAT WE HAD A THIRD ONE! DAMN YOU! YOU SERVANT OF THAT ROTTEN GODD–AGHHHH! AUG-GHHH...”

As the blade stabbed through the man’s heart, his body fell to the ground, and yet his eyes refused to look away from Aradin. Reaching out with his hand with the dying strength, he cursed.

”N-Nerva won’t save you or your daughter, re-remember that... scum.” As his hand hit the floor, Aradin’s body flopped to the ground. Losing consciousness from his fight against the corruption, he fell asleep in almost an instant.

Surveying what had remained of the surroundings, Linkle breathed a sigh of relief as she felt her magic returning to her. Whatever item the guards were using to suppress magic was either gone or had lost its vigor after their deaths.

”Hmm,” bringing her attention to Aradin, she gave his slumbering body a respectful nod. ”A father for no more than a few minutes and already protecting his daughter...”

As she muttered that thought, she almost felt jealous of the infant. Looking at her with a smile, however, she jested and wiped the young girl’s tears.

”You should thank him when you’re older. My father figures kicked me out of home when I was around your age–comparatively speaking, that is.”

Right as she was done talking, the door to the room flung right open. Pouring in through the door was Raven and his party.

”A little late, but we can use a healer!” Beckoning Erika, Linkle returned to work, that is to say, saving the lives of the daughter and the weakened mother.

In the meantime, the others stood around, baffled by the sight before them. Many questions arose in their heads, but right now, they can wait, as trouble has not passed them just yet.