Broken Tower Saga: The First Swordsman

"Have you boned any one of them?" Ben asked, looking at Wrik with utmost seriousness. It appeared as if his life depends on it. 

Wrik's eyes narrowed, and he squinted his nose the moment he heard the question. He looked in the corner of his eyes to see Tanya was scowling and Dairyl was not so comfortable with it. In comparison, Lily showed the expression of slight anger, more like an annoyance, raising one of her brows.

"I'm asking this seriously," Ben added, seeing their expression. "Do you think I will waste such an opportunity to ask silly questions?"

Wrik's lips twitched, but he answered quietly. "No, I have not."

"That's a relief then," Ben said, sighing. The crazy fellow again gazed at the ladies as if could not decide which one he liked the most. The three ladies glared at him and he only grunted. Mental illness or not, he was definitely a pervert, and a blunt one.

Wrik chose to continue with the questioning. If he left this guy alone, he did not know what he will ask next. 

"Tell me," he asked in a cold tone. "Do you know that this game is biased towards you and Scythe? Or are you cheating from the beginning, knowing all this?"

The crazy fellow who was examining the three ladies turned stern the moment he heard Wrik. "I know," he said, smilingly. His eyes showed no embarrassment, guilt or anything as Wrik looked. This guy did not seem to care about anything. 

"Wrik, what are you talking about?" Tanya asked. Wrik did not answer her; it was not a time to discuss the things here. But even without the answer, Tanya could comprehend some of it. It was not that hard actually with her intelligence. She just needed to think through everything properly to understand.

While Dairy looked a little lost. She gazed at Lily to find she was not like her. Seemed to know it before. Lily gave her a slow nod of apology.

"Don't think this is wrong," Ben continued confidently. "Even without all the privilege, we could win. Scythe could win. But we do not want just a simple win, but an earth-shattering one whose tales would be told for centuries in the tower." 

Wrik snorted. "Oh, there will be a tale, but it won't be about your glory or Scythe's. It would only be a tale of some cheaters who tried everything to win a test, but still failed." 

"That works too," Ben added nonchalantly, with no expression of anger. Wrik saw mocking in his eyes.

"My turn now." Ben, who was serious a moment ago, turned into the crazy guy again. He looked at the three ladies again and asked, "Are they all virgins?" 

Wrik had the urge to beat the fellow black and blue, but he calmed the urge down. This guy was already pitiful enough.

"Don't mind me wrong, even if they were not, I would not mind," Ben added, giving another head to toe gaze. 

Lily's self-restraint was not as strong as Wrik. The tall woman said nothing, walked before Wrik and stood in front of Ben, who was shackled on the chair. Without saying a word, she punched him viciously in the face. The broken nose, which had healed considerately in the couple of days, burst into blood again. 

Ben cried in pain, though it looked comedic and artificial. Lily did not like that as well, and punched him a couple of times more. His eyes turned swollen with purple marks.

"This one is beautiful, but too violent," Ben said, spatting out the blood from his mouth and nostrils. He looked at Lily and continued. "But I like it. How about this? I will ask Scythe to let go of you guys if only you agreed to go on a date with me?"

"Say one more word and the only place you will go after that will be the grave," Lily said coldly.

"She's so funny. I like her even more," Ben said, laughing in glee. "I did not know Borgemen could be funny as well." 

"Lily, don't give him any attention. It would only make your mood sour." Wrik added.

"No?" Ben frowned. "It's only a date. It is not like I asked for bedding you. As far as I know, Borgemen are not so conservative. They even allow polygamy. Is my knowledge wrong? How about the other two? Does anyone want to go to a lovely dinner with this handsome man?"

Tanya, Dairyl, did not answer, turned their head away from the crazy fellow. 

"Breakfast or lunch works too," Ben added, seeing no response.

"Shut up," Wrik said with a stern and cold tone. "I think you gave enough proof of your insanity."

"Sorry. Sorry. Pardon this poor man," Ben apologised as if genuinely to the girls. "I can not control myself if I see a beautiful maiden, and here are three. And more, I have not eaten anything in two days. My mind does not work properly if I have nothing to eat." 

"I'm going out," Tanya said as she left the room. Following her, the other two girls left the room, too.

"I don't know why women dislike me," Ben said. "It is not as if I'm ugly."

"I don't think the face has anything to do with it," Wrik added, rubbing his forehead.

Ben tilted his head sideways and pondered. "You may be right or else how would such pretty ladies flock around you."

Wrik squinted his nose, but did not go into the topic. There was no way he would argue with this crazy guy on an irrelevant topic. 

"Let's not talk about girls," Ben said, regaining his sanity or what's left of it. "I have an offer for you, Wrik Everknight."

.. .

After a few minutes, Wrik brought Ben out of the room, still chuckled with the chains. Even his mana was sealed. But Wrik saw the guy in a new light. This guy was no fool, maybe a little crazy in the head, but rather than a fool, he was quite intelligent. The talk he had with him a moment ago proved that. 

"Beauties, now we can talk for the entire trip," Ben said the moment he saw the three of the ladies outside waiting. "It's so fresh outside. I can finally breathe easily."

Maybe not that smart.

"He's going with us?" Tanya asked. Her voice indicated the protest, that she wants nothing to do with this foul-mouthed guy. 

"We can leave him here," Wrik said. "He is a piece for negotiations now and more." 

Tanya did not complain more, and walked ahead of him. The two other maidens were sides of her. Wrik glared at Ben, before following her as well. 

On reaching the ground floor, Wrik found Theiron and his underlings gone. They did not have many belongings here and after the talk, the noble son had with Wrik, he left without saying a word. Among the men left, Wrik found a familiar one still awaiting. 

Fraser, the most loyal of the men. This fellow was so loyal that even Wrik questioned its authenticity. 

Sighing, Wrik called the man. "Fraser."

The fellow came running in, not so quiet on the steps. He stopped a couple of steps away from Wrik, scrutinising the fellow scaled beside him. "Yes, My lord."

Wrik clicked his tongue, but did not bother to stop Fraser. He could not stop in two weeks. It was time to let it go. Moreover, he had more important things to do. 

"Hey, I'm not going with the ladies?" Ben protested the moment he saw the girls walking away. "Let me go. I'll go with them.. . ."

Wrik could not handle anymore, and close ben's mouth with clothes. Now the crazy guy could only make noise that started with um. 

Wrik focused on Fraser again, who seemed to have many questions about the fellow in chains.

"I have a question for you." He eyed the man square in the eyes. "Fraser, Can I trust you?"

"With my life," Fraser said with genuine expression. "My lord." 

Wrik frowned at him, but nodded gradually. "Good, I have a task for you."

.. .

By the time Wrik reached the mountain, it was about afternoon. Still a couple of hours before the duel. Fortunately, there were no blizzards today, though it was as cold as he remembered. Snow and ice everywhere, even on the tall trees, the chilly wind was ever-present. Slow or strong, it always made him uncomfortable.

All his men had hidden themselves in the mountain. All over the surroundings, making a circle. Wrik left only Theiron's men without bothering and the maidens were here in the open as well. 

Wrik looked around to see only Dairyl, who he was rather close with, present. Lily went to check out other places and Tanya was some place else with Davin and few others. As for Byul, he did not know where that girl went. He had not seen her since the morning; probably departed in the dawn. She had been quite proactive during these few days; doing more than she could handle. 

"Is there something bothering you?" he asked Dairyl, who looked rather pensive.

"I am worried." The gentle-looking maiden looked at him and admitted.

"About the duel?" 

Dairyl nodded, biting her lips. "I don't like him, you know," she said quietly. "Adam. We used to be friends in childhood, but now.. . ."

Wrik said nothing, just looked at her.

"He was so stupid then, and earnest." Dairyl sighed.

"We all are like that in childhood," Wrik added as the gentle wind swayed his hair and cloak. "In the end, all that matters is what path you have chosen." 

_______________________

I really like writing Ben—and his craziness. Anyone else likes it too?