I reincarnated as the Duke from the North.

Kellen

 

My brother’s head rolled on the Kirgfeild castle courtyard. It stopped, staring at me with dead ocean-blue eyes. I crawled on my knees and hands, drained of all energy.

Dead?

“Lord Kellen.” With tears running down, I glare at Thorn's murderer. “A second brother falls to my hand and-” the duke smiled with beastly canines and a tongue wagging.

“This time we are both to blame.”

I howled. Mana exploded from every pore. Mana converted to lightning, hitting anything around. My mind goes blank with the only thought left: revenge.

 

Tarion.

 

Plonk.

Ah. Experience is literal. A single strike could have ended my life in an instant but the rewards are worth it.

I wiped the sweat from my brow and caught my breath. But the day is not over. I can squeeze a bit more experience.

The handsome lad discharged his electricity like a blown fuse. Unable to control where his lightning struck, soldiers of Osberg and Vioden ran with their shields broken by branches of yellow lightning.

Impressive. Will Joshua be able to reach these heights? It will be tough. But I can handle him. If I fight smart.

I threw up my greatsword. A Qi-strengthened kick, propelling it at the angry Pikachu. Kellen gripped his sword, batting away my speeding weapon with ease. The Wolfburn became electricity, running at me with ferocity. Every stomp in his run tore the ground. Sixty metres past less than half a second and he reached me with sword high. My left foot slid backwards as I eluded a strike from above, letting the wolf's sword cut the air an inch from my nose. I felt a buzz on my chest and a moment later my arms waved in the air as I flew backwards into the castle walls. My back rebounded off the wall with my mana armour saving my spine, I felt stinging where Kellen's lighting branched and zapped me. My pale chest was red and raw, the several chest hairs now obliterated from existence.

A lightning-clad blade soared at my face. I weaved to the left, bringing my right fist over his sword for a wide overhead hook. I felt nothing and backhanded. Knuckles find their target on kid Flash’s nose. Kellen swung down through a broken nose with no grunt or exertion. I snapped back my right arm and with both hands by my chin in a peekaboo stance, I weaved right past death. I throw a low left hook, pulverising Kellen’s chainmail. I felt the buzz and I flew into the wall once again while my opponent landing with a flip across the yard.

No anger or grief shows on his face. Cold eyes. How much has he trained?

The world drained of colour; I saw lightning spark to traces of mana in the air.

Ahh.Thank the lands above I was bored on YouTube.

Wind coated my body snuggly as I took thirty points from senses and sent twenty points to speed and ten to intelligence. Feet wide and bouncing and take a Philly stance. I bent back away from the fast sword, testing whether my theory worked. Lightning struck the ground and escaped untouched. Unperturbed that his electricity had not worked, Kellen’s slash turned into a jab and a low slice at my leg. Another smooth step back and parry with my left. Then the same hand turned into a Qi-infused fist, unleashing three jabs to the head in a wink. As calm as death, Kellen dodged all and struck with abandon, cutting from his left at my body. Right palm shielded by mana stopping Kellen's sword. I took a short flash step close and threw a fourth punch.

Kellen's head flew back, and his clouded eyes finally turned back to life. The bastard's feet dragged across the field and with a new pep in his step and fuelled by vengeance, the bastard roared as he sprang for me again. I weaved through and parried Kelken's mad barrage. As if on inexhaustible energy, his momentum increased. Slashes screamed and rumbled through the air, almost rupturing the ears of anyone near. A slash moved to fast dodge and my left forearm blocked Kellen's attack. Blue mana churned like waves on Kellen's sword and my mana shield was broken. The mana saw cut into my skin. Wincing, I squeezed my fist, rushing qi through my tensed arm. Gold-skin stopped the saw from slicing muscle.

*AH!!* I shouted, squeezing my fist hard to capture Kellen's blade.

With a right foot sliding to a southpaw stance, a right fist infused with Gold-skin and strengthened by qi met its mark again on Kellen's face. Blue mana cracked. The wolfburn’s face was protected by a small plate shield.

Smart bastard.

I twisted on the toes of my right foot, knee bent. My waist followed, driving power from my back, shoulder, and to my arm. Mana followed the direction of kinetic force to my knuckles, destroying the shield with mana repulsion.

Kellen’s nose crumpled. The power of my punch pulled him off his blade stuck in my arm. The illegitimate noble flipped with waving, limp limbs, banging his body along the stone. Flicking the discarded weapon aside, I slowed my awareness, searching my basin for energy.

Should I take another pill? No… Too much reliance is not good in the long run and I have used my daily recommended on long flights. I have to make my counterattack matter.

*HUFF!* I gulp in the air like a vacuum, extracting as much sparse mana from the air. My six circles vibrated in my burnt chest. I crouched down, grabbing the cobbles like abreast, flaring my mana. I smashed the sound barrier with repulsion on my back wind and I jetted through the air as Kellen rolled back to standing. The weaponless warrior roared, letting his lightning fly at me. Feeling the wind carrying me, I stretch my hands forward. Lighting aimed at me divided, hiding the stones beside me. Consumed by anger, Kellen threw more bolts and i continued flying to him, unaffected by the charge. Kellen finally noticed my mana tether.

“Too late.”

A burst of wind knocked him off his feet and the counterattack began. I land, with a punch digging deep into Kellen's liver. Another to his lower ribs on his left. I felt glee hearing a crack and my left hit his ribs on the right. Another punch turned to four, eight didn't satisfy me. Twelve was not enough. Fists blurred as I kept Kellen's feet from touching the ground. A breeze blew from my left. I leaned back, evading a lighting punch. I reclined even more, bringing my right leg up to kick the Wolfburn’s face. Kellen rolled on the ground, spurting blood from cracked teeth and bruised organs. A bloody spit-take and Kellen sprinted for me with electrified hands.

I sighed. Your brother just doesn't know when to quit, Thorn. Although it works for me.

I coated my palm in a glove of mana, swatting away a weak left hook and right jab. I reply with the same combo to the Wolfburn’s face. Kellen stumbled towards me still, swinging wide. Barely reaching a punch each time, shaping his once handsome face. His blood wet my gloves as I gave him a strong right straight. The anger that filled his eyes dropped, and he finalised his situation.

Come on, what are you waiting for? Use it.

Kellen looked around for help. Soldiers that his dear half-brother had raised dare not come to his aid nor attack for revenge. Only shame and faces turned away.

“Pitiful,” I said, with hands on my chest. “Hold the head up,” I whispered to a friend in the breeze.

Kellen turned back to me. Clutching his fist, blood trickled out between his fingers.

“He gave me his neck for you. Do not disappoint him.” I used my craziest smile and pointed to Jimmy holding a noble’s head.

The stupid man picked in his pocket under his chainmail, bringing out a ball of churning mist. From a flash of blue light, a Jian sword materialised in my right hand. I sliced. Crescent blue energy shot out with intensity and cut cleanly through Kellen’s wrist and shoulder.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!”

An arm and wrist flopped to the floor, squirting red. I ignored the bastard holding his leaking knob of an arm and pick up the hand with the tip of my Jian. I pulled fingers apart, taking away the mist sphere from a death grip. Jian transported back into my inventory, I dropped the appendage, raising the mist to the sky.

“THIS IS IT. WHAT OUR MEN DIED TO STOP. FOUGHT TO STOP.” the screaming continued. But my speech doesn't stop. “I HAD HOPED PIRN WOULD BE THE LAST TIME I WOULD SEE THIS. I HOPE THE WOLFBURN WOULD HAVE LEARNED.” I waved the mist-sphere and walked to the wailing boy who had seared his stump closed with lightning.

“HOW MANY DID YOU SACRIFICE?!” I asked, spittle hit the panting wolfburn in the face as I yelled for all to hear.

”HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU STEAL FROM THEIR FAMILY? HOW MANY WOMEN SODOMISED?! CHILDREN LOST!? HUNDREDS? THOUSANDS?!! WHICH TOWN DID YOU ERADICATE FROM THE MAP TO MAKE THIS SINGLE BALL!?”

I ground the mist sphere in my fingers and souls of malice burst out screeching with the newfound freedom.

Several mana tethers pull up the kneeling Wolfburn. My thumb and index pulled open his mouth and I took a special pill from my inventory. Through struggle, I force him to swallow the strange medicine and leave him coughing.

“What *cough* did you give me!? What is *cough*. It hurts! ARGH! *COUGH COUGH COUGH* WHAT DID YOU GIVE ME!!”

“Like it?” I said, grinning. I gladly watched him spasm in agony, vomiting flem and blood, and rolling in his piss. “Your half-sister used the same poison on me when I was just a boy. My butler learnt to recreate it and had the ingenious idea of using it on particularly strong prisoners. Thorn's head rolls and your circles break. What a terrible day for you.”

In a sorry state, he crawled up to me, pulling on my breeches. “Heal me!! *Cough, cough* Heal me!! You can't leave me like this!!”

“I promised your brother. I left you alive. Anything else…is up to my discretion.”

I squatted down and ruffled Kellen’s blonde, wiping his blood off my gloves.

“Your brother had forgotten my true reputation.”

“I won't rest until *cough* A SWORD IS THROUGH YOUR HEART!!” cursed Kellen, flopping on the ground like a fish out of water.

“Haha, okay, mate. Think about how you will manage that on the transport to Osberg.” I swiftly flicked my wrist and my right fist knocked the wolfburn out cold. “Can’t wait to interrogate you.”

I stood, projecting my voice. “VIODENS. I CAME TO YOU AS AN ENEMY. A TYRANT. A CONQUEROR. BUT WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE? YOUR LORD PROTECTED A MAN WHO USES THE INNOCENT TO FUEL THEIR VAIN NEED FOR POWER. AND NOT JUST THIS MAN BUT A FAMILY FULL OF DEPRAVITY. THEY SEE YOU, PEOPLE OF FRIEDLAND, AS FUEL. AS TOOLS. AS SHIELDS.”

I looked around at the crowd, extending my arms wide. I had caught their full attention. “WILL YOU STAND BY THAT WRETCHED FAMILY’S SIDE, HOPING A FAMILY MEMBER HAS NOT BEEN SNATCHED AWAY? OR…WILL YOU BE PROUD FRIEDMEN, FIGHTING AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL WHO THE PREY ON OUR PEOPLE!?” I slammed my chest proudly.

“MAKE YOUR CHOICE CLEAR!”

Silence. They stare forward, weighing the options. A red-surcoated fourth circle was the first to kneel, surprising the rest.

“I will follow orders, Your Grace.”

A fifth circle kneeled, “I will follow orders, Your Grace!!”

A second circle bent and belted with a young voice, “I WILL FOLLOW ORDERS, YOUR GRACE!!!”

Red surcoats kneeled in waves around me. My stalwart men of Ceta joined them, yelling until their throats were raw and the fool Jimmy's voice rose above them all.

“GREYSTONE!! GREYSTONE!! GREYSTONE!! GREYSTONE!!”

“Good Show.” I heard a prick speak in the breeze. “Serk Forest. Night.”

Hands on my waist, I glanced up, watching the powerful presence leave with a sonic boom. I winced, forgetting my injured arm and sore back.

About fifty died on Vioden's side and twenty on mine. I smiled.

A good day.

Plonk.