Freelance Heroics Read Free Page B

the crowd, and the crowd nearest Mazik edged away. Several of the guild leaders looked like they wanted to jump down and tear Mazik’s head off.
    Mazik ignored them. His attention was focused entirely on Warmaster Evii, who hadn’t moved a muscle. Mazik grinned and continued.
    “Of course, I’m talking about the kidnapper quest you so badly bungled last month. Because you were unable to find the kidnappers for so long, and because you sent so few people to help when they were finally cornered, innocent people are now dead who didn’t need to die. You didn’t cut them down, but you helped ensure their deaths, and that makes you partially responsible.”
    “You’re not innocent in this,” said Warmaster Evii. “If you hadn’t botched the handoff we—”
    “Or we could still be saddled with the cult today,” snapped Mazik. “We don’t know what could have happened. What I do know is that you let the kidnappers terrorize the city for three months , and when it came time to put an end to them, you sent so little help we were barely able to finish off their god before it got loose. We made mistakes, but at least we acted, and brought every ounce of our power to bear on the problem. You didn’t. You offered a pittance of your power, and it almost led to a god ruling from the Tyrant’s Palace.”
    “Their deaths are regrettable, but I disagree with your version of events. We used all available information to decide who to send, and though we underestimated their numbers we—”
    Mazik waggled his fingers, pantomiming a flapping mouth. “Blah, blah, blah. What about all of you?” he asked, turning to the crowd. “How do you feel? Just those nine up there would have been enough to put that god down with ease. How do you feel about the Big Six? Do you like how they walk around acting like they know everything and are better than everyone else?”
    The crowd grumbled. Most citizens tried to stay out of the guilds’ ways, but the Big Six’s reputation was rocky at the best of times. People don’t like bullies, even if they won’t say it to their faces.
    “And they act like that even though they couldn’t find those kidnappers for three months . Makes you wonder if they’re really that good, doesn’t it?” said Mazik. The crowd laughed.
    “Regardless of your version of events, you’re leveling accusations, not discussing anything,” said Warmaster Evii. “Do you have anything to discuss or not?”
    “You know what I think your problem is?” Mazik went on. “I think you’re not used to losing. That’s why you can stand up there, looking down on us like a bunch of kings, and refuse to look reality in the eye. I think you’ve become too complacent.”
    Warmaster Evii said nothing.
    “I’d like to fix that!” said Mazik. He pointed at the guild leaders, a well-timed burst of mana ensuring his robes billowed dramatically.
    “We challenge the Big Six to a duel! The three of us versus the best duelist in each of the Big Six. Six duels against six opponents, and we’ll do it with only three people. If you win, you’ll prove that you’re worthy of protecting Houk, and we won’t bother you anymore. But if we win, we want the Guildmaster’s Council to endorse our charter for a new adventuring guild, one dedicated to the defense of this city and its fine people!”
     
     
    Gavi had to give it to Mazik—his plan had put the council in a tough position. Though public opinion mattered little to the guilds, it mattered a great deal to the Tyrant, which was why she was still in power (and alive). If public opinion turned too sharply against the guilds, she could decide to take action, and then anything could happen. That meant the council needed to take care of this quietly, but Mazik had just made that impossible. Between the agitating crowd and the Times reporter, they couldn’t shush this up, and if they turned down the challenge when the numbers were so clearly weighted in the guilds’ favor, they