the great corruption system

Chapter 92: patrolling.

Every person lined up at random points in the palace looking on eyes wide. As they watched her point to a servant and order him to dispose of the head, everyone was quickly reminded that crossing Amanda was a quick route to an early grave.

More importantly, they were fighting something capable of making Logan the mauler run away. Just what were they up against?

More importantly, they followed her because she would lead them to glory. After all, they just partied in a noble palace. Most of these people were from less than average birth, not having anything to their name.

They still believed in her, but never had she been hit with an upset like this before without some sort of explanation.

"Some of you may be shocked that someone as respected as he was executed in such a manner. The life of a group such as us follows one main rule. Win or die.

The world is too cruel for second chances.

The mauler wanted to escape this, to branch out knowing he was both a wanted man and that he knew all about us. Give it a few months, maybe a year and he’d be caught, blabbering and mouthing about like a rat

Just to get a slightly less harsh sentence."

Amanda was visibly getting angrier by the second. She knew she wouldn’t be able to create anything meaningful in this band of thieves, but she thought that after so long she would have made it clear to some people that she was both a leader and someone with sense.

If she didn’t project this image of complete insanity, they would grow soft and weak and everything, all the effort gathering a bunch of nobodies with potential would be pointless.

"If any of you are thinking about retreating, know that you can. Desertion will have you found and killed."

Vexa quickly intertwined her hand with Amanda’s. "We should go for a walk."

She whispered into her ear.

Everyone took notice of the touch nature those two have with one another, but what good would prying into that go?

As they left the outside of the palace, Multiple guards walked a good distance away, but kept pace, ready for a fight.

"Are you alright?" Vexa wasted no time, essentially leaning onto her as they walked.

"Please don’t worry about me. I’m fine, and I’ll be better once we have things sorted out."

Vexa squeezed her hands harder as they got into a carriage near the gate. As the gates opened, they rode into the main town area of Hawkthorne.

"Don’t brush me off like this. I know you don’t mean it, but you know it hurts me. We won and you’re not happy."

Amanda shook her head. "I’m scared. I’ve done so much already yet it seems like no matter what we do, how grand we do it, there’s always something wrong.

I’ve spent most of my life fixing the cracks and writing the wrongs, and now it’s all I think about. What if we lose?"

Vexa fully embraces her, refusing to hear anything else. "Doesn’t matter. If bad comes to worse, I’ll drag you away and we’ll start over again if you want."

If there was one thing Amanda couldn’t

Say however, it was that she was not loved. She had found someone, and she was eternally grateful.

Amanda quickly returned the hug. Just then she asked a dumb question. "How do the scars look?"

"You’re still looking very pretty, the scars build character. I just wish you’d go out with me."

Amanda was quickly trying to focus on the outside window instead, seeing that they were near the edge of town.

"Where are we going?"

Vexa was a bit annoyed, but managed to pull away. "We’re here because the same people who made Logan retreat, killed a few other captains as well."

Amanda was already missing the mood she had five seconds ago. "I knew there would be a fighting force trying to resist occupation, I just didn’t think it’d happen this quickly."

"Some of our captains hadn’t reported back to us, so I knew something was up. It’s time to see what our enemies are capable of."

Getting outside the town, to the side, they got

Into the countryside to see a massive battlefield, men dead, layed in terrible positions, and her captains in positions that were no better.

As Amanda stepped over the bodies, she was quickly examining things. Burns, signs of poison, excessive water and...Blood?

"Our enemies are numerous and powerful but that’s always been the case. We’ll drag them from where they hide and crush them out in the open."

Vexa nodded. "Do you have any plans for how this will be done or are you gonna bring "her" out?"

"It seems you’ve already figured it out."

After requesting one of her men to go and fetch Veronica, she showed up minutes later, riding a stallion as black as midnight. As she jumped off of her steed, one could take note of her soft face. It was easy to look at and would make anyone comfortable.

Jumping off, she walked close to her before kneeling. "Is there anything that I can do to get revenge for the fallen?"

She spoke with reverence, and if Amanda didn’t know what she was like, she’d believe it.

"We need you to rough up some of our own ranks if possible. Beat up a few and maybe kill some, but we need a hero. Hopefully you’ll even kill the resistance."

"I will see it done, though it does pain me to do such terrible things to our own."

"No it doesn’t." Amanda said with a blank expression. And just for a moment a small smirk formed on Veronica’s face.

"You’re will be done." She stood up and bowed and the moment she turned to ride her steed, her expression showed nothing.

Amanda had one use for her. Make her a hero in the hearts of the people and hopefully, this group organized to defeat her would reveal themselves.

"I don’t like her, but she can be effective when she feels like it. But I have actually good news, we have witnesses speaking of a fight that happened before all this. We might just be able to get a rough guess of who these boys look like."

Amanda looked at Vexa in confusion and truly had to ask herself "what would I do without you?"

Vexa shrugged her shoulders. "If all goes well you’ll never have to worry about that in your life."