Corvos: June 4th: Kargos Capital, High Temple.
The High Temples' progress in removing the rat presence from the peasant districts has been a complete success.
As I sit here now in my study, sipping some tea, and opening letters. I am well satisfied with my own hand in this bout, and my success in taking Felton's right hand away from him hahaha.
I believe the budget payment from the Pontiff was well deserved, for my efforts in the city, resultingly I have divested ten of the twenty gold given to arm the twenty holy knights sworn to me, and the other half.
Well, the intelligence network in the slums, which I had instructed Geldar to set the foundation for, has already accumulated quite a few gutter rats to its ranks. We would never accept half elves, but the human ones, I suppose, will do; and a five gold payment to Geldar will do leaps and bounds for my next planning.
Secrets, noble houses' secrets, especially the ones who provided these donations, the zealous ones, the craven ones. All of them will be an effective weapon for me to wield back at Felton, and the pontiff's evergrowing reach. I want to own it, for angel's glory, the man has sat in that white chair for so long even I dont remember it, I have heard that felton and him joined the clergy at around the same time, but it is quite interesting that the man seems to have the exact same name as his predecessors?
The Pontiff's attention is a dual edged sword; on one hand, I enjoy his ear in the council, and he can see my worth for what it is as the most capable High Priest in his council. On the other hand, he scares even me, and although his fifty knight force is not a thing to be messed with, most of them are outside of the temple constantly on pilgrimages to kill dark beasts, or spread our religion to the human kingdoms. And he is preoccupied enough not to see the thing that I am so careful to avoid his finding, my intelligence project.
As it stands now, my position is firm, I will become pontiff before age catches me, God I'm two hundred years old soon, and a few years in the future I wish to have something to show my children in the clergy.
That half elf, however, I will be sure to note her. Killing Bilal the Scourged is a respectful acquisition for such filth. And now she has already been ascended to Squire. I would hope not to have to see her face again before the tourney. And I cannot touch her publicly, as the Pontiff clearly seems to have his eye on that one.
Times like this, Felton's daughter inspires me to ensure my own doesn't fall down the trap of trusting a mongrel; they are all vermin.
Sariel: June 5th: Kargos Capital, High Temple.
The embrace of my new quarters is quite daunting for me, leaping from my bed to my curtains, and tracing fingers across the clean glass overlooking the Temple Gates, invigoration fills my body.
A breath escapes me, falling backwards into the cloth sheets and feathered pillows.
The Pontiff appointed me a Holy Squire now.
With an Angel's Grace medal to belt. It arrived yesterday, and I found out from Lexi that even Holy Knights hope to get them for deeds of great faith. I still do not like that wrinkled man, but I suppose I can bear him, especially if I'm in his good graces.
A week has passed since my life and mind were challenged by the Temple exile Bilal the scourged. If I'm honest, I cannot in good conscience say that I do not miss Sardon, his muscular physique, his voice, his eyes. Truly, his death was a waste. Although, more of an afterthought for me now.
Stroking my silver badge atop my studded leather chestplate, the sensation of cold, and the grooves of the star shaped piece make me think of what else I can do before the tournament.
And then it comes to me.
Rushing over to the drawer in the corner, I pull out a heavy sack of coin. A gold for my heretic cleansing, nine silver pay for my first week as a squire and the two weeks as an initiate. If im going to get paid five silver a week for this, then in a month I will have another gold again.
But the tournament is a week from now, and I think I have another idea to make myself even more wealthy, and even stronger to boot.
Firstly, before the money, I must check on Lexita, she has been taking Sardon's death far harsher than I, I worry for her.
As well as that, reading through the holy priest's volume of'Darkness spells and how they can be used piously.
I came across a Summoning spell, one that can be used at a heavy price to the user.
The vermin queen, to summon her, you must create a holy star in blood and chant a short passage of prayer to the fallen angel, whilst visualising the creature's form.
The depiction on the page would be useful for that.
And one clause, an anointed priest must be present in order to tame the beast with a type of on the spot bloodening ritual, to connect it to the Temple and the summoner.
My hands push away the wooden shape of the door from its curved hinges, and I take a brisk walk downstairs.
Passing a few initiates, they hold their heads low,
Moving even further through the cold and aged passages, their white bricks illuminate the Temple's dining hall with torches, and beautiful creed paintings litter the walls.
Pushing through the main entrance and stepping down the clean staircase, I took a relaxed stroll towards the heat of the amazing food being plattered at the bridge between the scullery and the elves and humans dining in the hall behind me.
Some still looked less than pleased with my presence, but at this point, caring is a waste.
So I just stopped at the kitchen counter and waited to be served.
An elven girl popped out from behind some pans. With her hair tied into a bun and bubbles clouding her hands.
-"Hello, miss, what can I get you? Bread and water are free for any member of the clergy, but the fruits, meats, and potatoes will cost you a copper for each serving."
I replied.
-"Yes, I would like two plates of lamb and apples, please"
Hand held out, I placed two coppers into her grasp, and watched her place two very stacked plates on the counter in front of me. They were still steaming, and looked so good.
-"Thank you."
She gave me a smile before replying.
-"No problem."
Looking down at my medal, she said.
-"I've never had a problem with half breeds in the ranks anyway, and youre certainly a capable one, I've heard. Enjoy!"
As I was walking back in the direction of Lexi's room, all I could think about was past her unintentional slip of the tongue; I just never realised that this medal and my actions had been talked of. Wow.
The narrow stairs neared their end, and past the illuminated cavern of doors, Lexita's room was coming into sight. I ran to it. I hope she's okay.
After a soft knock on the door, I heard her voice trail out.
-"Come in, Sari."
Opening the door, the scene in front of me was dire. Her plant was clearly in need of water, and looking at her wall a new drawing was painted next to the one of Lexi… It looked like sardon.
After passing the dust caked mirror, and sitting onto the bed next to my closest friend.
Her green eyes bored into me; they still looked lively, but they were dimmer than usual.
-"Are you okay? I haven't seen you around the Temple in days, Lexi."
She gave me the last effort of a smile before pulling the blankets over herself. And saying
-"Yeah, Thank you for coming to see me"
After passing her the plate, she almost devoured my hand with it, and her face seemed to recover its usual joy as she crunched down whole apples like they were going to wander off if she didn't.
-"I'm never going to lie to you sari, but the way you've been acting recently is scary, you didn't even care about what happened at the villiage and I know you dont want to talk about it, but… your family arent here anymore, and neither is mine. At least talk to me about it, instead of just reading books and leaving me here."
Oh shit, okay okay, uhh im really not good with feelings sometimes. Okay so she's upset because Sardon died, that makes sense. And she's been here the whole time in the room, so obviously she's probably going a teensy bit mad.
I reached over and my arms wrapped her body, moving her towards me.
-"Lexi, im really sorry I didn't check on you sooner. I love your drawing, and I know Im not the best at talking about things. But I love you best friend alright."
After staring off for a bit, and looking at the drawings on the wall.
She burrowed into my chest, and just rested there.
I looked like an armoured mother, letting a small blanket wrapped cat huddle up to me.
I plaited her hair, and after it had already come to midday, I asked her.
-"Lexi"
-"Yeahhhh?"
-"So I read in that book your father gave me, that I can actually summon something called the vermin queen because of my blood affinity."
-"Sari… what even is that?"
-"honestly I dont even know, but I think it might help me in the tournament in some way, and it says I need someone who is a Priestess there to blood it on the spot? Would you be willing to help?"
Lexi looked up at me from her blanket cloak, and a sparkle in her eye told me that she needed this.
-"fallen angel's grace, of course! I can help"
She pulled herself up, with a determined look on her face.
My sleeves fell, and the new star tattoos that High Priest Felton had given me shone through whilst I removed the ritual dagger from its sheath.
Slash!
A small pouring of blood came gushing onto the wooden floor, Lexi winced slightly, although it was my own hand that received the wound.
I felt the warmth and wetness of the crimson puddle, a pattern drew by my fingers, reflecting the one on my hands.
Silence filled the space.
Then my chanting crept through the air, in whispers.
-"By the fallen angels' grace, the vermin queen shall rise, xaltor exarbes luna"
The room darkened, as the tattoos slid up my arms, and even the freckles on my body reacted to the black shroud enveloping them.
Lexita looked excited, I dont think she's seen my magic apart from what happened at Sarca, which was a distance away from where she was now.
The wooden boards of the floor began to shift, shadow poured out in a thick steam, releasing an invigorated presence through the room.
A shape formed in the smoke.
Twisting and growing from the boards.
And then it bit down on me,
Scratching my arm with its claws,
Draining me.
A rat like creature, the size of a wolf.
With its vicious claws and teeth making me turn pale.
I let out a yelp, and lexita seemed to scramble to open her own hand for the bloodening.
It hurt, it hurt like I were being actively drained litre by litre until I would be a dusted speck on the floorboards.
Panic rushed through my body, and I pushed it off of me.
Some of my flesh came off with it, tearing itself from the bone of my arm.
My consciousness went elsewhere with a thud, until the vague conception of Lexita's form moved to the creature, and started drawing a bloodied star on its head, as it was distracted from trying to nibble past my boots.
I shot up, my arm would take longer to fully heal even with elven blood, but with my unharmed appendage I pinned it down, its chattering and scratching turned more vigorous and intense, audibly getting louder within and filling the small space. The clicks were so unsettling.
Then It went calm,
And bowed its fucking head to me.
-" I do apologise, Lexi, I did not realise it would be so big."
-"i…its fine, that was just unexpected, why did you summon this thing anyway? What does it do?"
-"well… It eats people for one, and also the page says it can control other rats as well."
-"hmmm, lets call her, Scarlett"
Sariel: June 5th: Kargos Capital, High Temple.
After leaving Lexi's room with the wolf sized rat following my very feet, the people of the temple seemed to give me a wide eyed stare as I walked past. I wonder why? Scarlet is so friendly. You shouldn't judge a flesh eating rat by its cover, guys.
Passing through the passages towards Felton's study, I saw a glimpse of High Priest Corvos displeased face, at myself and the creature beside me.
It's really not a surprise considering the darkness aptitude is viewed as unholy by him and those like him. At least Felton and the pontiff see reason, although I was a bit faster after seeing the man, and entered Felton's study promptly with a short knock.
Moving into the place, I could see the midday shine of the yellow sun spreading across the bookcases and fresh candles of Felton's domain.
-"High Priest Felton."
He looked back at me from the ledger his face was buried in.
-"Ahh yes Sariel, what is it?"
He seemed genuinely happy to see me. I might have sparked something in him with our last meeting. As he was already back on top of his clergy work. And was juggling eye contact with me and the ledger he had in his left hand.
-"I know that it's less than standard, considering the Holy Tournament is but a week away. But I would like to conduct some business in the slums for a short while, no more than two days."
He put down the ledger fully, and looked up at me from his wax stained desk, an ink cup moved with the ledger and the quill fell to the floor.
-" Well, that is quite bold. And what business would you have there? You have already climbed the ranks, I would've thought youd came back to announce your pick of those initiates that befit your station as Holy Squire, two you need but I see none as we speak.
And just whatever is that creature beside you?
Wait… Oh its a summon from the book, alright Ill let you off."
-"Yes sorry your holiness, I will be sure to find two initiates when I reach the slums later today."
He looked at me for a second; the suggestion of the placement was already pushing it, but that comment was a bit far for even me.
It went on for an uncomfortably long period of time, before the form of a grin was barely visible on his unchanging face.
-"Fine then, I suppose whatever business you have in there can be your own business as long as you conduct a few sermons whilst you're down there.
And Sariel… be sure you're ready by the time the tourny is upon us. You have exceeded my hopes truly."
He accepted my curt nod and friendly gaze, before I rushed down the stairs, scarlett in tow, and breached through the gates of the temple. Leaving the white bricked monolith behind for a smaller wooden one, but a short walk to the slums away.
Sariel: June 5th: Kargos Capital, slums.
The green scenery of the well built houses of the peasant district fell apart, the smell of baked bread and the guard presence became a barren slope of despair, and the scent was foul, as my feet trudged into the all too familiar hopeless wastes of the slums.
Dirt and beggars lined the streets, the brothels and taverns decorated the space.
I glanced at nothingness when people's eyes met mine, true despair settled over me when glancing at cooks barren stall in the marketplace.
And moving past the empty warehouses, and into the denser parts of the slums, even scarlet was squeaking at the flood of rats, in every direction.
Just how I remember it, if not slightly worse.
Floods of horrible memories came back to me, and neither my leather armour, white cloak, nor my expensive sword could wash off the twisted expression forcing its way onto my face.
Straining through the alleys and the heaps of horse dung lining the gutters, a star was sketched with worn paint on a quite small but better built church of the High Temple. It was like a slightly better beacon in a sea of miserable shacks.
I sauntered in, my expression softening at the priest of the slum, who was dressed with only a few stars lining his robe shoulder.
The wooden interior was well lit, and the incense soothed my nostrils as I made my way to the priest who sat above in the pulpit.
-"your holiness."
He looked at me, a human man in his fifties, with worn features and a strained brow plastered onto his forehead.
Above his white robed body.
Now smiling, he said
-"Good day squire, I have heard of you, made quite a ripple as of recent, even High Priest Corvos is having to admit a half elf is capable when in the right hands. I am Priest Malik, a friend of your teacher, The anointed one Felton."
I shook his hand,
-"Very nice to meet you sir, I was planning on staying here for a day or two to… tie up some loose ends.
And take on some of your initiates, under my own guidance."
If I were being brutally honest, I would have just asked him If Regnald still lived here, but I dont really need an answer on whether that gutter rat still sank here. I could smell him the moment I saw the men stood outisde that old Warehouse as I was walking here.
-"Very well, I will have a room prepared for you now, and you may take your pick of the ones in this room. Form up please!"
He clapped to the slothfully working vestiges that were dutifully attending to the church's benches, carefully stacking small pages of the fallen angels' scripture.
Close to ten people moved into a wonkily formed line in front of me,
Half of them were old and withered, two of them looked as though they were sick with plague, coughing their lungs up onto the stone floor. And then I realised it was between the one elven man, a few years older than me, who gave me a distasteful look. And two dark haired, identical human twins, around my age, dressed in rags, and malnourished.
Scarlett made the decision for me as the girl began playing with her fur, whilst she nuzzled into the boy's legs. With her chittering.
-" You two, I will have you as my Initiates."
They looked shocked, and stared as if to get the Priests approval, before the rest of the line began returning to their cleaning and stacking, and Malik gave them an inattentive nod, before walking out of the pulpit and entering a door next to it, sipping a hot drink as though everything were in order.
I can't believe I lived here,
And now Im heading to see the man of my past whom I wished to kill the most.
Scarlet led, as we walked from the church towards the market.
-"What are your names then?"
I said. Keeping it short, no use getting attached to them, but I can at least remember this much.
The girl with her black eyes staring through me, responded first, she got on her knees, and looked up at me as though I had given her the first hope she had in years.
we're the same age, for angels grace, have some respect for yourself.
-"This ones name is Lenni"
I nodded, then she stood back up. As a old fat man walked down the street next to us, glancing at her.
The boy then spoke
He was muscular, yet his ribs were exposed through the rags clinging to him.
-"Dan"
Short and sweet, we might just get along.
I took them towards some of the run down stalls, and used two silver coins to buy them some serviceable clothes, which drew glances from a few shady figures around us. Then the rest of my copper change from the meal earlier was exchanged for two long daggers, which now rested on their belts, beneath their fray leather coats, and fabric clothing.
They looked slightly happier, as much as one could in their state.
We passed through the market to a run-down tavern.
They opened the door for me, and I absorbed the scent of the green soup on the stove, and the ale stuck to the tables. Decorations were scarce, with only a few torches and a barrel in the corner, surrounding around ten stained tables, occupied by dirty workmen, and shady hooded figures.
Lenni and Scarlett sat over at a spare table, and I watched some dried ale stick to her sleeve before she passed out from exhaustion on the splintered chair she had fallen into. The wolf sized rat, crawled onto the table much to the tavern owner's dismay, and rested her body on Lennis's arms.
I was convinced he was going to shout something before his eyes lay on my medal, and attire, and he slowly realised that I had some standing with the High Temple.
-"What can I do you for."
-" four soups, and some bread, please. apple juice aswell."
He nodded, and moved to make the order, before plonking it on the table, which woke sleeping beauty and her dove awake. Dan and I sat down, and we all enjoyed the meal. I savoured the nostalgia of the foul tasting soup, and reminisced over the better days of apple juice, when Plainview was more than a memory.
Scarletf wasnt the only one gulping down the soup, I watched life breath back into the twins, as they were close to eating the bowl when they finished, and remembered the bread remained.
A man walked over to our table. He was dressed in rags and had a desperate look in his eyes.
-"any change love"
Oh no, after spending on clothes and spending on food, I have about a gold and six silver left, I could give him it, but was this really the place to pull a silver out like its nothing?
-"Sorry, but Im all out"
He looked as though I spat at him.
-"Ive been following you all day girl, I saw you pay for them clothes and that food, you have some change in there I bet? Come on just a coin."
He was fucking creepy, like really disturbingly weird,
Im actually horrified.
Curling away from him, I saw that he was about to try to reach into my pocket, before scarlett shot across the table and pounced on him, her chattering was becoming more violent, and blood reached my nose before my eyes cought onto the scene, and she was ripping out the mans eyeballs with her teeth as though the soup no longer interested her.
The twins were laughing, I was not.
I picked scarlett up and pulled her back into my lap, as the theif was rolling on the floor, and the tavern went silent.
-"Bad scarlett!
sir, you should probably get to a doctor of some sort i suppose"
He was already out the door.
Finishing up the meal, we began the walk, my final destination and aim with this visit.
Regnald.
-" We're going to finish some business now, you are not permitted to mention any of it to anyone"
The twins nodded.
Pulling through the dilapidated streets, and upturned stones of the alley leading up to the warehouse. My body tensed as Regnald's men at the door gave me a stare of hostile recognition.
The twins were on either side of me, Scarlet had accrued a rodent entourage of her own behind us, which added to the tension in their eyes.
-"Do you have a reason to be back here, mongrel? I remember you. You're not allowed in here now Fuck off!"
I slapped the thug right across the face. And the other one was about to unsheathe his weapon before the twins returned in kind with their own up to his throat before he could even get a word out.
My sword was nearing the thug's leg before he stepped aside, and I pushed open the door.
He was there, the elven man in his dimly lit counting house, his tall frame and mismatched eyes stared at me with something I couldn't recognise.
-"I presumed you were dead girl…."
-"Quiet, Regnald."
I threw the chair in front of his desk across the room.
He analysed my features, without saying a word, never moving a muscle.
-" You have come here to kill me, then. You should know that it was Cook who had dealt with you so barbarically. And not myself who sanctioned the regrettable slaughter of the half elves."
I stared at him for a second,
He wasn't lying, I could see it in his eyes.
I was going to kill him and then go to meet Lepron.
But maybe killing him was the wrong idea; someone worse might replace him. And with Cook gone…
I stepped towards him, the glint of my sword reflecting in his eyes.
-"You were an accessory to the murder and slaughter of my siblings, Katarina, Selwyn, Lexi, Dom, Lev, and most likely many more. You're a perverted waste of space, that if there was any god, would more than likely have been gutted and your remains scattered in the mud on the streets… But there is something I need."
I pushed over the documents, and coin off his desk onto his lap, and sat there. Locking eyes with him.
-"You will work for me, you will pay me five silver a week, and you will place this money and bet it all on Sariel in the holy tournament to win next week. If you try to betray me in any way, take my money and flee. I will tell the pontiff himself that it was you who took Lexita and me hostage, not Cook, to drain and sell our blood to the demons.
And then I will tell the world."
The forming of emotions I have never seen a man make contorted on his face, before he lowered his head in Indignation, for this it seems was a worse fate in death to Regnald.
-"Yes, it seems I have no choice."
As I placed my gold coin onto the desk, leaving me with six silver, and 30 to 1 odds. we walked out of the place, I thought I saw a shadow dart across the top of a slum house, before we returned to the church.
The man who once held my life in the balance, reduced to becoming the one giving me offerings, this felt better than killing him.
Making our way back to the church in the dead of night, I felt a sense that we were still being watched before we entered. My eyes darted across the place, and the twins looked at me with confusion, before we entered, and I made my way to the quarters Priest Malik had made for me. The place was silent, apart from the occasional cough, and sleep was my greatest solace.
Sariel: June 6th: Kargos Capital, slums.
Six days until the tournament.
Sariel awoke to her large rat pet, licking her face mercilessly.
_________________________________________________________
-"Scarlettt"
I pulled her off me, and rolled over from the bed onto the floor.
The room isn't too bad, just quite dusty, and the walls are a bit chipped, which explains the draft.
Stretching, I returned to find the twins, still asleep in the servants' quarters.
I let Scarlett wake them up as well, before we groggily made our way back over to the tavern we had eaten in the day before.
-"So, Dan, Lenni. This is going to be our final day in the slums. You can kiss this place goodbye because I'm taking you back to the High Temple with me after breakfast."
They looked at each other for a second, before giving me a wide grin.
Both of them were looking a great deal healthier after yesterday's meal. So I hoped to thicken the skin on their ribs when we entered the tavern. Which was quite a buzz today.
With five weird hooded figures in the corner, a very large one looking at us as we entered, and many more drunken thugs, and vagrants asking for change, populating the place, bothering the workmen in their usual spot.
I dont think they wanted to go near us after seeing Scarlett again.
I paid for meat and bread this time.
Generous, I know, considering it cost me half a silver for the three of us.
I now had 5 silver 10 copper, to note in my steadily dwindling coffers.
I do think that this tournament will go well for me.
In fact, I intend to win it.
The hooded figures were drawing even scarletts attention as we scoffed down our food, every bite taken was heavenly, I love lamb.
This time I decided to order some ale as well, my mother used to say drinking before you turn twenty is bad for your health… but she's dead now, so some would say I have the last laugh.
Taking the first sip, It was bitter but sweet, better than what I found on the kingsroad the last time. The twins looked as though they were about to cry if I didn't let them have a sip, but they were a bit more than generous when they left me with half a tankard. I downed it.
Feeling a bit dizzy afterwards. Whatever, I can still function, and it's not like i'm slurring, still fit enough to ride a horse, so leave me alone.
Dan finished his food with a burp.
And Lenni looked a bit silly after her apple juice spilt on Scarlett's tail, which Scarlett returned with a nip.
-"hahahahahaha"
-"Stop laughing, master its not funny."
I dont think I will actually.
We moved out of the tavern shortly after that.
And so did the hooded figures…
-"Stop moving mongrel!"
I turned around to see the muscular stature of the man known as Geldar moving down the stairs of the tavern, four cloaked figures behind him, lifting up daggers from the side of their cloaks.
I immediately withdrew my sword and shot to the side of the alley, into a defensive position. Scarlett started calling nearby rats to our position, and the twins unsheathed their blades. As I started chanting my shadow limb spell.
It was almost too little too late, as Geldar and the figures started rushing at us. He knocked the twins to the floor with a spell I had never seen before. And was rushing to take my head before the rats scarlett had taken command of, started ragging at his feet. Knocking him to the floor.
And biting and scratching at his Holy Knight Armour.
I tried to shout for my allies, but no response, he must have used some other type of lightness ability to force them into the brick road.
They looked bloody and battered after just one attack. Holy Knights are on a different level.
His forces were about to flank us, the Twins were out for the count,
They were roaring cries of death, their blades glinting in the light.
They were just crossing the road towards us, death ever impending,
when even more cloaked figures came out from the left flank and started attacking them.
It was completely out of nowhere, far faster than any of the slum rats as the hooded figures charge hit them, slicing into their ranks.
It made no sense, and distracted me fully, before Geldar's sword, almost taking off my head, brought me back.
I blocked it at the last second, at great cost to my shoulder, as the blow still carved into me whilst I stepped back to dodge.
-"You've been training to kill me, haven't you?"
He had taken active steps to prepare for this, it seems, even remembering my immediate dodge to the last punch he threw at me in the peasant market.
-"Ha ha ha ha, you think I'd let half elf filth continue to wear that medal and sully our holy order?"
My stance hardened, and I moved to the side of him, before putting up my guard.
He looked about ready to start again as well.
My chant had finished, and from my tattooed hands came this time a thick shadowed limb that shot out of my spine like a dark infection.
His eyes widened.
And I shot off the wall and launched a heavy blow at his face.
He pulled his sword up at just the right time to feel my boot hit him in the stomach, and the small blow aimed for his sword to bounce off like a feather.
He really is as stupid as he looks.
He reeled backwards, taking up a shaky stance.
Before attempting his blinding spell, which was quite a bit more fierce than the last time I had gone up against it. And the amount of blood he had taken from his hand was far too much.
I felt a blade slide across my shoulder again, deeper this time.
A deep pain shot across my left side, and I barely managed to move out of the way he wouldve taken my arm off. And now both shoulders were bleeding.
He took a heafty breath, and my sight came back slightly to see his blurred figure coming towards me. Feet hitting the rough cobbled road.
Then Scarlet did something truly heroic. And rushed behind him, with her rats, scurrying up his leg, I could hear his flesh being chewed off before he cast the vestiges of his first spell, crushing the small ones and causing Scarlett to flee, her legs wounded.
That's it then, he's going to have to die.
As he approached me limping, he probably thought that I was as good as dead without full use of my arms.
Which really wouldve been the case.
Without….
Slice.
Blood spilled from his other leg, the hole was more than apparent as I saw his flesh hit the other side of the street, at a ridiculous speed.
My shadow spell, It could last a very long time now, after practice, and Not only that but It could quite literally sink into my shadow, and if you were as imperceptive as this man In front of you. Then you most likely wouldnt notice that the clergy star tattoos on my hands had not stopped their ascent above my arms.
Blood spilt onto the floor. And so did he,
The men around him were still locked into battle with the unknown force, but most of them were losing and fleeing, and the last ones hope dimmed from his face, seeing his leader be so brutally dismantled.
Then his neck was slit.
Geldar probably thought he could limp away from this, without his heavy plate armour, his whole leg would have come off and not just some.
But that wasn't his issue at the moment.
His real issue was the fact that as he was moving towards a more public alley, he had still forgotten my extra talent.
And the limb wrapped around his neck, reeling him back slowly as he almost successfully pulled it apart.
Before My blade slid from the back of his neck forward.
Puncturing through his neck.
And leaving a bloody spray of beauty along the road.
-"What are we to do ser?"
I mocked him, in his dying gasp for air, all I could do was stare at this man who preached superiority, lying at my feet, coughing blood onto my white cloak.
I wiped away the stain and turned.
Why had these hooded figures helped us,
Who were they?
Then the one closest to me, removed their hood.
…
…
-"Katarina"
I almost broke down in sobs. I ran to her,
And she stopped me.
Hissing in whispered breaths.
-"Sister."
What?
Why did she stop me.
-"you wear that white cloak, the same one that man wore, and the same one your disgusting leader of the filthy religion that despises our half elf race wears."
I was fully in tears now, clinging to the ground, and crawling towards, the twins, and scarlett. Before vomiting onto the floor.
I turned around my vision blurred with tears.
-"The pontiff, Felton, They gave me a place to live, I thought you were dead?"
I cried into my own cloak.
-"Well I'm not, and as much as I dont want to see you die, big sis. That man was the one who took our blood, that pontiff you worship was the one who regnald gave our siblings corpses to. Why? What possible reason could he have for blood, and for corpses?"
She stopped and moved to my level.
Then she looked at me again, with a stare that could reach a thousand miles away.
-"To eat them… Sariel"
I cant handle all of this,
What does it mean
The pontiff ate my siblings?
He took our blood.
It cant be true
It cant be true
It just cant be true
-"no… no… that cant be.."
Her stare was unchanging
-"It is sariel, I took over for the leper now. Come meet me if you ever want to know the truth. As I see it now theres no hope for you"
With that her and the hooded figures shot up the walls, with speed I had never seen before. As though they had never been there, they were gone.
And I was left alone with my thoughts.
Barron: June 6th: Kargos Capital, slums.
It was late day, and the fruit had sold well when we were proposing it to our clients in the Royal Spire. Elven nobles always love fruit. I laughed to my heavily armoured companion, a human mercenary named Landor, whom I had sought out exactly for my type of business.
I had learned a lot in my line of work, mostly from the rats in the city.
As a demon, my dark magic allows me full control over them, and what they see is mine as well.
Elves love apples, Humans love meat,
And half breeds love blood.
A trait most dont know about.
Half demons, Half elves, they're all cut from the same cloth.
Something I learned from the scholars of moltigar before they sent me here for reconnaissance.
The last elven city, a bastard to what the elves once were.
They were happy when we ruled, happy as our inferiors, happy taking the scraps of the Fallen Angels power when they were given it.
But the true reason I was sent here, Is the man In front of me
Pontiff Svaland, of the high church, here with his half demon knight, and whomever that other one was, he looked quite subdued maybe a little mad.
This was my first attempt at spying on the man, Narita, It failed once she learned what he truly was. His age spanning the last thousand years.
The good part was that he approved of maltigars methods.
And now the better part is today.
Meeting in a dark alley of the slums, Landor hauled a heavy crate over towards the three shrouded figures.
-"We have the blood ready for you, all elven, no half breed stuff."
The clergyman replied
-"very good, I have made sure that our temple does not interfere in matters of the slums, bar the occasional sermon. And the information on the king I provided should be quite serviceable to your one."
-"yes, yes it will be."
I approached him, moving closer through the deserted alley.
He pulled forward as well, meeting in the shallow moonlight, I could see that he was wearing common clothes, not the usual robes that dressed him down from his neck upward.
It was at that point that I saw them, the small grooves of his crystal blood horns, and the subdued hint of red in his eyes.
A half demon that man was, and the only way to reach greater transformation is to consume elven or demonic blood.
Half beings desire full transformation. Their nature does not allow them to stay stagnant with half of the blood they were owed, and thats what makes this man here.
I shook his hand
-"Next month shall be even more prosperous, I hope, Svaland"
-"Even more so, yes Barron"
Soon he would have to start dying his hair blond, to remove the purple tint, that demon hair is known for just as I have.
This was The Demon Kingdom's greatest asset.
Pontiff Svaland, what a man.