Elden Ring is the property of FromSoftware and Monster Girl Encyclopedia is the Property of Kenkou Cross. I do not own any of these properties.
Chapter 13: Raid
A lone girl stared across from her window. Her blue eyes scanned the empty fields as she turned her head to the sky. The clouds were dark, and the wind blew the flowers violently around the garden. She heard the booming cracks of thunder in the distance, the flashing light of the lightning illuminating the skies with its fury. She turned her head to the gates, where guards scrambled in and out and used whatever they could find as a way to barricade the place.
Soon, the door to her room opened, revealing a black-haired man with green eyes. He turned to the girl before, looking at her with difficulty. It seemed as though he had wanted to say something to her, but he couldn't get the words out. Seeing this, the girl spoke out on her own.
"...It's him, isn't it?" She spoke up, her voice soft and sad. Seeing this, the man said nothing. He simply nodded in response before he spoke up once more.
"We don't have time, Edith… pack your things; you need to leave soon." He spoke up. His tone laced with desperation,
"I want to see him, Hathaway." She stated, her brows furrowing before Hathaway crossed his arms. He gave out a long and somewhat painful sigh before he spoke up.
"Edith… he's not the man you thought he was; you need to leave." He stated.
"And what about you?" She asked, her tone somewhat filled with worry. Hathaway just sighed before he looked down.
"I am heir to the house of Morrigan… I won't betray my family; if we're to die, we'll die standing." He muttered.
"That's stupid, Hath; I don't think your father wants you to die," Edith stated, causing Hathaway to chuckle before he spoke up dryly.
"You're right… but the choice here is mine to make. Besides, I want to see our friend for one last time before I go…" He muttered sadly, his eyes turning to where the gates were before he heard the thunderous sound of lightning cackling where the entrance was.
"So it's begun… let's go, Edith… let's get you out of here," Hathaway muttered before he turned. Edith looked out the window, eyes scanning the garden one last time before she left.
Her young inhuman body moved, and shivers ran down her spine as the ominous hum of electricity pierced through the walls.
Elt looked on at the sight before him. If the situation he found himself in was any different, he might've been in awe of what was about to occur. But currently, all he could feel was nervousness, fear, and determination. Hundreds of men gathered in a single place, each armed with weapons such as swords, spears, hammers, and many more. Hundreds more were probably scattered around the estate to prevent escape.
All this effort and manpower wasn't even being used against the monsters. Just another political ploy and a heinous act by those in Lescatie's upper class.
Turning to the gate, he found his temporary handler standing across the gate with a staff in his hands. His blonde hair flowed through the wind as the silent thrumming of electricity sparked on his staff. Around him were two men in armor, masks covered their faces, and both wielded two different weapons.
'That must be the two heroes…' Elt thought to himself before he narrowed his eyes at the green-eyed man.
His eyes narrowed at the scene; what could a man like Albain Rejulia think about now? He was about to arrest and potentially kill off an entire noble household; a lot must be going on in his mind now. Looking around, his sister was nowhere to be seen.
He breathed a sigh of relief; he didn't want Aria to see this out of everyone in the Inquisition.
Turning around, Albain turned to Elt before gesturing for him to come forward. Taking a deep breath, Elt moved towards the Inquisitor.
"Walk more dignified, Elt. You're an Inquisitor, and junior you may be, you still need to command respect." Albain muttered before he turned to the two heroes.
"In any case, you are technically the second in command here. And as such, you would enter second to me." He explained, causing Elt to nod.
This means that he had a head start, and as such, he would try his best to find and take the witch. Looking around, he found the two heroes silently standing there with their weapons at the ready. They didn't speak, they didn't move, and they wasted no movements. It was a far cry from how he usually saw heroes move, and there was not a single sense of grace in their bodies.
Albain turned to the soldiers at the ready, walking towards the soldiers before he spoke up.
"Men and women of the Holy Order. I've gathered you all here today for a simple purpose. Beyond that gate lies a Traitor and a Heretic, a family who thought themselves superior to the will of the Chief God." He began, causing the soldiers to silence themselves as Albain made his speech.
His eyes furrowed, his staff hummed, and he readied himself for what was to come.
"Tonight, we gather here to be the blade of the Inquisition. The personification of her holiness' righteous fury." He continued, tone cold and absolute. There was a certain charisma to it, a zealous cry that could turn any of the feeble-minded into a fanatic.
Turning to Elt, he then whispered to the man.
"Tonight, you will understand why you do not belong here." He whispered before he turned to the gate. He positioned his staff forward; the energy within hummed and moved as he prepared himself for the assault. He localized an electrical circuit within his own body, and a magnetic force formed within his body. With one simple blast, he blew the hinges off the metal gate, sending it flying before it crashed meters away from himself.
Slamming his stave upon the cobblestone ground, he commanded his soldiers with the same cold fury he had always shown.
"Arrest everyone not wearing our emblem. If you see the witch, bring her to me." He commanded.
And so the soldiers moved; they poured into the mansion with blades held aloft. Elt marched forward, readying himself for the coming raid. He moved as he pulled out the blade on his hips. But before he could march any more forward…
"Junior Inquisitor, follow me. There's something that I would need help with." Albain stated before he marched off in a different direction. Elt paused before he followed suit. He couldn't precisely say no; he grits his teeth as he moves through the estate.
"You five, follow me as well," Albain stated, calling out to 5 different soldiers who looked at one another before they marched with him.
"Identify yourselves," Albain commanded as he marched; this caused the five soldiers to look on at the inquisitor before they gave out their names.
"Uh- Sir Ferdinand Geist, sir."
"Lawrence Fabien, my lord."
"Reina Chevalier,"
"Basille Harald, Lord Inquisitor."
"Tristan Guille, a pleasure to serve."
They all answered, but from the looks of it, Albain just gave them a single glance before he turned to Elt. Elt's eyes widened 'wait… does he want me to introduce myself?' He thought before he shook his head. Better safe than sorry then.
"Uh… Junior Inquisitor Elt, sir." He stated before Albain turned to the rest.
"Good, all of you are to be placed under his command," Albain stated, which caused some of the more noble members of the group to raise their brows. Eventually, one of them found the courage within himself to talk back to the Inquisitor.
"W-With all due respect, Lord Inquisitor. I'm not sure that leaving us in the hands of a common-born man is such a-" The man began, Ferdinand Geist if Elt could remember his name.
"Are you questioning my authority here, Sir Geist?" Albain asked incredulously, causing the man to stand down and get back into position.
"If I remember correctly, your family's head is but a mere viscount. Remember that the house we're currently raiding belongs to that of a count. So unless you want your house to suffer the same fate, then I suggest you shut up and listen to this common-born rat, understood?" Albain harshly stated,
"...Yes, sir…" The man relented before they made their way through the estate. Eventually, they made their way through the garden and eventually to the side of the manor. Listening in closely, Albain waited before he turned to the group.
"Prepare your arms; we have rats to dispose of." He stated, causing the group to pull out all sorts of weapons. Elt pulled his blade out, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself for combat.
Reaching out onto a stone statue on the side, he pulled it to reveal a hidden entrance that led to the side of the mansion. This caused many within the group to widen their eyes; Elt prepared himself as the group walked in. It was dark, but looking around, Elt could at least make up the general structure of the place.
With stone walls, and cobwebs lining the corners, it was clear that this hall wasn't used for generations. Unlit torches lined the sides; the only light source was the door opened behind them.
Footsteps could be heard coming from deep within the halls. Soon the torches on the side lit up, revealing an old man walking through the halls accompanied by a retinue of guards.
Seeing this, the group readied their arms as Albain took a step forward; staring the man straight into the eye, Albain spoke again.
"Count Harrison of House Morrigan, you and your family have been charged with a heresy most vile!" He yelled out, stave raising as he pointed it towards the count.
"It would be wise for you to surrender, count. That way we may be more lenient with your punishment." Albain yelled out.
The guards drew their weapons in response, and the old man pulled out his saber. Albain sighed at the scene, "Fools… all of this and for what?" He whispered to himself. Looking on at Elt, he spoke up once more.
"Take out the guards; you and your men should be enough for that. In the meantime, I will take care of the count." Albain stated, charging forward and knocking the count into another room with a large crash. Sparks of electricity followed in his wake as Elt and his men prepared for combat.
"Aye, sir," Elt muttered before the guards charged forward. Elt grit his teeth as he thinks up a general strategy.
"Stay in line, and don't break formation. They outnumber us, so we have to do everything in our power to-" Elt started.
The group looked at one another before their eyes trained on the guards in front of them. They were completely content with acting like good little soldiers in front of Albain, but here's the thing… Albain isn't here, so none of them felt obligated to listen to Elt at all. And so they charged forward, breaking formation to go off and follow their little glories.
"Wait, Guys! Dammit-" Elt yelled as he deflected a blade from one of the guards. This entire interaction made him thankful to Merse. She was strict, but she instilled discipline and camaraderie in her soldiers. It made Elt miss them all, to be honest; they were all perfectly content to listen to him, unlike these guys.
He shook his head, now was not the time to compare. Gritting his teeth, he charged forward with his unruly men and did his best to minimize casualties on his side and keep as many of the guards present alive. As expected, with a disorganized battle, some of his men managed to injure themselves as they fought.
Elt knocked a guard away before moving his blade to intercept another blade. Kicking the guard, he knocked him down before he used the butt of his sword to knock him out. Looking around, he cringed at the sight of the bleeding guards that some of his men left in their wake. Some of them probably won't make it till this end, and the sight managed to cause some of his visions to resurface before he pushed them down.
'No… not now. I can't let them surface right now.' He thought to himself.
He needed to try and minimize the amount of bloodshed, both because it could cause him to have visions and because he just didn't want to see bloodshed this early. He didn't need to use the strength he received; even before his sudden boost, he was already a well-trained soldier above his peers. Using that skill, he moved through the room, blade in hand. Knocking guard after guard out until most of them were knocked out.
Seeing this, however, the group began to fight more erratically. Spurred by their glories, they became more reckless and fought with relentless fury.
"...Oh, come on," Elt whispered to himself before he moved forward.
…
Albain and the Count crashed into the stone walls. This leads them to one of the rooms; the count raises his hand, casting a fireball before throwing it toward Albain. Albain sidestepped the flames, looking on at the man. He narrowed his eyes before he used his stave to shoot a bolt of lightning toward the man.
The man dodged, the lightning grazing his shoulder as he took a few steps back.
"What happened to you, Albain? You used to be so much kinder… and here I thought to gift you a piano when you were younger." The man muttered, causing Albain's brows to furrow.
"Focus on fighting me, Count. Don't waste your breath on such senile words." Albain harshly admonished, launching another torrent of electricity toward the man who then bore the brunt of the attack. It scorched his clothes, hands, and even parts of his face before he breathed heavily.
The Count looked down solemnly before he sighed. "Your father did a good job destroying your compassion and love… all I see now is nothing more than a heap of blind faith." The count muttered, getting up before he raised his blade. Charging forward, he swung his blade in rapid succession before Albain dodged, parried, or countered every strike.
The man was old and knew that the longer the fight went on, the worse his chances were. No, he never had a chance, to begin with. He was going to lose either way; all this battle would decide was whether or not Albain died with him.
He would at least try to achieve the latter, after all, at least this way it would preserve both of their honors. And so The Count charged into the fray once more, his blade held aloft he prepared to strike Albain down.
But Albain didn't move; on the contrary, he let Count Harrison step forward until he was right in front of him. At that moment, Albain played his card. Calling upon the powers within his body, he created a magnetic field once more. With one simple move, a metal knife flew out of his pocket and pierced itself into the Count's forehead.
The man collapsed without a single word, and soon his life was drained. Albain gave a solemn look, one he never thought he'd give to anyone before he shook it off. Sentiments had no place here, the Count had been dealt with rather anticlimactically, but Albain didn't care. What happened to him was a mercy compared to what would've occurred should he have stayed alive.
Walking back to the site where he left Elt and the rest, what he was met with left him a little… unamused, putting it lightly.
All of Elt's men were out fighting their battles, while Elt was scrambling to get them all to listen. It was a laughable sight, but Albain found no such amusement in the unprofessional conduct of his subordinates. Had he not made it clear that Elt was in charge? Or perhaps it was simply a mistake to assume that Elt could handle such a task? Either way, he would not stand by and let this continue any longer.
Marching towards the red-haired Junior Inquisitor, he spoke up harshly.
"Inquisitor Elt, Report." He demanded, causing Elt to turn to the voice with wide eyes. Looking around, Elt saw that his peers continued on with their relentless assault. Mindlessly slaughtering the guards without a single thought.
"L-Lord Inquisitor, I- Forgive me…" Elt stated with a small bow.
"I was unable to rein them in, and as such the blame lies solely on myself. I promise you that it won't happen again." Elt stated.
Regardless of the mission, he didn't want to see the people around him die. He was somewhat stupid like that, especially since it would've been their fault that they did. Was it kindness or foolishness? That was a debate that would ring through generations, but in Albain's mind it was definitely the latter.
"Then get leading, Inquisitor. You may still salvage your unit if you act quickly. Remember, it is an Inquisitor's duty to lead and punish those serving them how they see fit." Albain stated, accentuating the word punish.
The message was quite clear; he was to punish the people who served under him. He took a deep breath before he nodded. Being their leader, he had the authority to do as he pleased with these men.
He turned to one of the men, Tristan Guille if he could remember. He had his blade held aloft as he prepared to strike down a guard who was already injured and basically unable to fight. Quickly, Elt acted and threw his sword at Tristan's blade causing it to sound a heavy clang and making it fly out of his hand and stab itself into the wall.
This also had the added benefit of having all of his men to stop and look at Elt who just let out a deep breath.
"H-Hey what gives!?" The man asked, eyes wide and stance much the same. He was obviously upset, to him this might've been a moment of glory but to Elt this was nothing more than a disappointing act of disorder.
"I ordered you to stay in position, but all of you brazenly charged forward like a bunch of idiots." Elt began. He was somewhat harsh, but he channeled everything he learned from being in Merse's unit to its maximum potential. In other words, he copied what Merse did to whip him and his unit into shape.
Say what you want about her; you can't deny her effectiveness when it comes to discipline.
"Because of that, look around you. Most of you are injured, and most of the guards are in critical condition when we could've spared most of them so that they may stand trial." Elt continued before one of his men snorted.
"How would you have known that? You're just a commoner, so-" "Say that to my face." Elt stated harshly, causing the noble to pause before he turned to Elt. Unamused by the act, Elt decided to step right in front of the man.
"Come on, where's your bravado? Say it to my face; call me every name you've been thinking of under that noble facade." Elt stated before he inwardly cringed. He didn't exactly like playing as Merse, but right now, the alternative was to play as Albain, and at least with Merse, no one has to lose an arm… at least not permanently, he supposed.
"I-uh…" the man said nervously before Elt shook his head and he took a few steps back.
"Pathetic; when faced with the guy you keep ridiculing, you can't even speak." Elt started with a sigh before he spoke up once more.
"All of you have disappointed me, and as such, you will all drop and give me 50," Elt stated out loud, causing the group to give one other sidelong glances and for Albain to raise his brow.
"We uh- we don't have the money right now sir, so-" "I don't want your money; I want you to give me 50 push-ups," Elt explained,
"...Uh… push-ups, sir?" One of the men asked before Elt continued on.
"Yes, are you deaf? Would you rather I make you all deaf as punishment? Drop and give me 50!" He yelled out that time. That seemed to do the trick; with a hasty nod, all of the soldiers did as they were told and do push-ups on the spot. Elt nodded with a satisfied look on his face before he turned to Albain.
Albain probably expected something more in line with how he does things, but in his words: 'It is an Inquisitor's duty to lead and punish those serving them how they see fit.' And in Elt's mind, there was no need for anything too extreme.
"After this, they'll be ready to take your next orders, sir." Elt started with a small smile, which caused Albain's brows to furrow before he coughed in his hands.
"You're a bit too lenient with them, Inquisitor, But to each their own. Remember this. However, the lives of your subordinates and the success of this mission are tantamount to your willingness to punish. You must learn the appropriate action, and when you do you must strike it while the iron is still red." Albain explained, which Elt responded to with a small nod.
"Regardless, once your men are done, you are to sweep the area and take care of any stragglers. Once you are done with that, you are to rejoin with the rest of your comrades." Albain stated as he took a few paces forward and pulled out a piece of paper before he handed it over to Elt. Elt then picked it up before he looked down at the paper given to him.
"I will be putting you in charge of rounding up everyone on this list. They are all persons of interest and it is of great importance that they are brought to me, understood?" Albain continued, causing Elt to narrow his eyes at the people on the paper slightly. It also contained pictures, some drawn and others magically imprinted.
Almost all of the people here were members of House Morrigan, from young to old, bastard to legitimate. Elt's eyes narrowed at that; there were children on this list, and from what he knew, there were only two places they could end up, neither of which would be ideal for children like them.
It was cruel and unnecessarily brutal, but he couldn't do anything about it. He scanned through the people within before his eyes caught the one member who didn't have a surname.
Merridith, just Merridith. A commoner, much like the rumored story.
Looking at the picture, Elt also saw that she had childlike features. Along with that, there was something inhuman about her gaze. There she was; he now knew the witch; all he had to do now was find her before anyone else did. Luckily, he was given the authority to take the prisoners before turning them to Albain. Unfortunately, this meant that if any of them were found missing, he was the one who would be blamed.
It was a double-edged sword, but Elt had no choice. He'd go with Mimil's original plan and deal with whatever punishment Albain might give him later on. He took a deep breath before he gazed at his fellow soldiers. Unruly they may be, they didn't deserve to take the hit because of his actions, but he knew he didn't really have much choice.
He just hoped that whatever punishment came, it was on him and him alone.
"I won't let you down, sir." Elt ultimately answered.
"See to it that you don't," Albain replied.
Taking a deep breath, Elt looked on at his unit before he moved once more.
"Charge forward! The left side is their weak point!" Elt yelled out to the soldiers, who nodded before they charged in with an unmatched fury. Elt had been looking around for the witch for a while, but so far, he found no real sign of her.
That was until this moment when he spotted a young child being escorted by another man around his age. She bore the same features in the photo, and her gaze had something inhuman. He wouldn't know who she was if she weren't the witch. His men charged forth, breaking through the stalwart formation of shields. Once more, the group descended into their little battles, but this time it worked in Elt's favor.
The young man was knocked to the ground as he desperately tried to fight off the flurry of soldiers. Seeing no other option, he turned to the girl before he yelled.
"Edith! Run!" There was desperation in his voice, one that made Elt feel horrible about the situation he was putting them through. The girl hesitated, her eyes widening in horror before quickly taking off with a speed that a normal little girl like her shouldn't have.
That confirmed it; he found the witch.
He shook his head, reminding himself of what was at stake before charging past the guards to chase after the girl. As he ran did, he turn to his guards before he yelled out:
"Keep him down, and make sure nobody comes for him! Once you're done, give him to Albain!" Elt yelled as he ran past.
"I'm taking the kid!" He continued before he turned the corner to chase after the witch.
With that out of the way, he continued. He narrowed his eyes as he thought of what he had just done. He condemned that man to die, either by Albain or by letting him rot in a cell. He felt horrible, but he knew that if he tried anything else, he and his unit would suffer instead. He shook his head; he needed to get his mind off that fact. He purposely slowed himself to ensure his power didn't get exposed and to lengthen the chase until they were a fair distance away from the rest of his comrades.
Once they were at a comfortable distance, Elt decided to yell out:
"Wait! Please! Stop… I'm not here to hurt you!"
Edith ran as fast as she could, which wasn't all that fast considering her childlike build. That said, she was at least managing to keep her distance from the Inquisitor chasing her, and she knew this mansion more than any other. She slightly slowed, however when she heard the Inquisitor yell. Everything was happening too fast; her jumbled mind couldn't process everything. And in this moment of confusion, she found herself cornered by the Inquisitor.
Eyes wide and without escape, she turned to Elt with fear laced within her eyes. After a few breaths, she narrowed her eyes and spoke up, venom clear in her voice.
"Liar! Not here to hurt me!? Did you forget what you and your men did to Lady Eliza!?" Merridith retorted, causing Elt to step back.
Lady Eliza was Count Harrison's wife and Hathaway's mother. She tried to protect them both when the raid happened and had shielded Merridith from the prying arms of The Inquisition, and what did she get for it? A body covered in blades and arrows. She could vividly remember what happened; she could still taste the metallic iron within Lady Eliza's blood.
"I-" Elt paused. He didn't know what to say, and there was little chance of him gaining her trust. He felt guilty because of his situation; he technically now had a hand in her misery. Her grandfather was most likely dead, and he had just sent her previous guardian to die.
With no other choice, he took a deep breath before he bowed to her. This caused Merridith's brow to rise as she looked at his actions.
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened and what I did… but… please, I am trying to help you." He spoke out, causing Merridith to widen her eyes.
Merridith was a witch, a monster in human form. As such, she had an empathic sense within her that allowed her to sense one's feelings. Another use for such an ability was that she could discern whether or not a person was lying, and from what the senses kept telling her, Elt was being completely genuine.
Looking around, she realized she had no choice in the matter. She either had to trust him or risk getting captured by someone else.
"...Alright, I'll go with you. But if you try anything, I'll curse you!" She yelled out.
Elt sighed at that, one that caused Merridith to raise her brow before he spoke up. "I promise you, no harm will come your way." He added, which caused Edith to nod.
"Okay, so… do you know of any escape routes you could use?" Elt asked, turning to the corridors to check if anyone was nearby. Luckily, it seemed that the two were relatively alone.
"There's one I know, but it's located out in the garden…" She trailed off.
'That's not good.' Elt thought to himself as he furrowed his brow. From what he saw, the garden was crawling with soldiers. Sneaking her past would've been a difficult endeavor.
"Can you cloak yourself or use magic?" Elt asked, which caused Merridith to have a sheepish look on her face as she looked away.
"That's the thing… I can't do normal magic for some reason," She muttered.
This just caused Elt to sigh before he shook his head. This was to he expected and something that Mimil warned him of. Monsters needed more mana than humans; the natural way of getting it was by simply eating food and absorbing the mana within that food. While that was enough to keep the monster alive, it wasn't enough to feed their powers. The only way to get the mana they needed was through… fluids… for lack of a better term.
And so, Elt had to get her out of here without using magic. Easier said than done, but Elt had to try.
"Alright, in that case, let's go." Elt began as he walked a few paces, only to stop when he turned to see that Merridith wasn't moving.
"H-Hold on, before we go… there's something I want to grab." Merridith started, turning to Elt before she spoke up.
"A-And I don't even know your name yet! What kind of guardian are you, I should at least know your name." She continued before Elt sighed. Even if she wasn't technically a child, she acted like one.
"Alright, Elt." He answered, giving a small bow as a form of courtesy.
"Merridith, but my friends call me Edith." She stated before she shook her head.
"Anyways, we need to get to Hath's room. There's something there that he's keeping, and I want to ensure that no one else gets it." Merridith continued before she made her way through the Manor. Elt looked around before placing a hand on his blade, just in case anyone discovered him.
He followed close behind, looking around just in case anyone was coming. This little detour might've complicated things, but it should be fine as long as they weren't seen.
Hathaway Morrigan, the heir to the house of Morrigan, was being dragged across the floor. His face was bloodied and beaten, yet he didn't turn away from what was coming. Was it pride or stubbornness? Perhaps both, but the moment he learned that his family was marked for death was when he knew he was to die. It all happened so fast; his father had suspected that something was amiss and made plans to send him out of the country. But alas, he was too late. The moment the Inquisition came knocking was the moment that any chance of escape for him was dashed.
He was to die here, and he knew it. The Nobles had their pride, and Hathaway was much the same. He was the Morrigan heir, a proud son of Lescatie; who was he to turn away from their enemies?
Still, out of everyone… he was the last person he wanted to see.
His feet were dragged through the dirt, and eventually, he was faced with the man he once thought of as his brother.
"...Didn't think we'd be meeting like this again, Al. Are you still playing the piano like you used to?" Hathaway stated, a dry laugh forcing its way out of his lungs as he stared up into the eyes of his old best friend.
Standing before him was Albain Rejulia, his Inquisitorial garb slightly wrinkled and dirty, which Hathaway had noticed immediately. Looking to his side, he also saw the secret tunnel exposed for all to see.
'So… father's gone…' he thought solemnly, a fact that he was all too willing to accept. Mostly because he, too, was prepared for what was to come.
"You have no right to call me as such, Hathaway. Whatever happened long ago no longer matters to me, and it will not save you now." Albain stated, his eyes narrowing as he looked on at the man. Hathaway's eyes narrowed, and he breathed a deep sigh before speaking up again.
"So it's true then, I heard rumors in formal gatherings, but I never once believed it… you've become like every other high-class asshole, a fool who rides on a high horse." Hathaway muttered, causing Albain's brow to raise. Walking towards Hathaway, he gestured for the men to move away.
Once they did as they were told, Albain stepped forward.
"A high-class fool, riding on a high horse… or so you say." He repeated out loud before he suddenly pulled his fist back and struck Hathaway straight into his cheek with as much force as he could muster.
Hathaway staggered back, spitting out blood and a single tooth before he glared back at Albain. In response, Albain wiped away the blood on his fist with a handkerchief before grabbing Hathaway by the chin and roughly pulling him in.
"I know what I am, Hathaway. I am a Nobleman, a vile creature whose only purpose is to exploit and destroy anything pure and truly noble." Albain stated, venom dripping from every syllable as he pushed Hathaway away.
"The difference is that I do not see the point in hiding what I am. We are Nobles, vile creatures; our only purpose is to take." He stated harshly, eyes narrowing before turning to the manor Hathaway owned.
"You call me such names, but you cannot claim that you or your family are different from me." He continued as he walked towards a desk in the garden, pulling out a few documents as he looked at the man. Narrowing his eyes, he read the contents out loud for Hathaway to hear.
"Harrison Morrigan, only a few weeks ago, had embezzled funds meant for the restructuring of the west gate to fund his nephew's birthday party…" he began to read, causing Hathaway's eyes to widen before he began to speak.
"H-Hey… that's… the west gate was already well defended; his family was more important to him than-" Hathaway began before Albain cut him off.
"Than what, Hathaway? Are you going to justify what he did there? Have you not realized the funds to go there were also meant to feed the soldiers?" Albain continued with a harsh glare.
"A few years ago, Lady Eliza Morrigan had unceremoniously discharged a group of servants without referring them to another household. For what reason? She had believed them to have stolen an imported jewel from Zipangu, and when it turned out that said jewel was simply misplaced, she had simply shrugged and let go of the matter without much thought." Albain continued, causing Hathaway's eyes to furrow as he looked away.
"L-Lies… Mother would never have done that!" Hathaway denied, trying his best to ignore Albain's words as his eyes looked coldly down at his old friend.
"Hathaway, you and I were there… you saw it happen with your own eyes, yet you still deny it?" Albain asked rhetorically with a brow raised before he looked down at the paper.
"She felt guilty about it after! She talked to me about it, and she never did anything so rash again!" Once more did Hathaway try to justify, and once more, Albain furrowed his brows before he spoke up.
"I'm sure the servants she discharged are all happy that she felt guilty about what she had done, all while wearing expensive clothing and living in this mansion. Would you like to hear about what happened to each of the servants after they were discharged?" Albain continued causing Hathaway to glare at Albain. If looks could kill, Albain would've died right then and there.
"Shut up! You don't know anything about us!" Hathaway started with a glare.
"Oh, but I do; I understand them all well. You and I are nobles; even those who are 'kind' aren't free of sin. By our nature, we must fight, exploit and kill. Greed consumes the human psyche, and neither you nor I are free from its grip. The difference between the rest of you and me is that I recognize and accept that fact, while most of you are content to deny it and claim innocence." Albain continued, causing Hathaway to lash out and charge Albain.
Albain sidestepped the man, using his leg to trip him before turning to face him. Albain's eyes narrowed, contempt clear in his eyes as he leaned forward and regarded his old friend.
"Is this how you react to the truth, Hathaway? And here I thought that you would be different…" Albain muttered, disappointment clear in his voice. Hathaway turned, anger in his eyes as Albain's own turned to the mansion.
He supposed that it was only natural for Hathaway to deny what Albain was saying. Considering what Albain was doing and the long history Hathaway must've had with his parents, it wouldn't make sense for him to trust the words of a murderer. Albain was acting rash, and he knew it; this was just a way to lash out at his family and former best friend.
The history the two shared no longer mattered to Albain; all he cared about now was tearing it down before it found a way to claw itself back up.
"Pathetic, honestly pathetic… in a battle of words, you are pathetic." Albain felt that need to say that thrice.
"Why do you hate us so much... what happened to you!?" Hathaway asked, voice raised as he turned to Albain.
Albain simply looked on at Hathaway with a neutral expression, his eyes turned down as if he was thinking of something before he spoke up.
"I don't hate you, Hathaway... I'm just doing my part in my parent's schemes... as I did before..." He answered, his tone becoming soft by the end of the statement.
Albain then turned around before he moved towards his stave. Picking it up, he charged it with a volt of electricity. Turning to Hathaway, Albain pointed it towards him before speaking up again.
"Enough talk, you know why I'm here, Hathaway…" Albain muttered before his eyes shifted into a glare; the violent hum of electricity sounded around the air as Hathaway looked upon the stave with fear.
"...Where is Merridith?"
"Over there, just around the corner," Merridith spoke up, Elt following closely behind her. The two had moved through the manor, weaving through the halls and rooms, avoiding the guards for as much as possible. So far, they had done so swimmingly, there were a few close calls, but luckily, no one seemed to have noticed her. Being a Junior Inquisitor also had its perks; no one was courageous enough to approach him for fear of repercussion.
They were nearing Hathaway's bedroom; all they needed to do now was to turn the corner. Only, there was one slight problem that Elt and Edith had encountered on their way there.
"You think we could steal this painting? From the looks of it, it's probably worth around… uh… a few pouches of gold coins." A voice called out from around the corner.
"Okay, first off… can't you count? A few pouches of gold coins doesn't mean jack, especially since it could hold as little as one coin. Secondly, are you insane!? Do you want to get your brain fried by Inquisitor Albain's lightning!?" Another voice called out.
"Alright, alright, hmm… I could've sworn I saw a ring nearby. That could be worth around a few hundred gold coins, and it's small enough that Inquisitor Albain wouldn't notice." The first voice called out.
Taking a deep breath, Elt peered around the corner and spotted two of the soldiers standing across a painting. They looked on at it and pondered their next move, obviously using this raid as a way to make a quick buck. Worse, footsteps could be heard from behind them, meaning another group of guards were coming up and would make their way soon. They'd probably stop to check the rooms on their way here, so they have a few minutes but have to act fast lest both be caught and have their brains fried with a bolt of lightning.
Elt took a deep breath; they needed a solution quickly. Turning to Merridith, he spoke in a whisper. "Find a place to hide, curtains, a small desk, anything to stay out of sight," Elt stated.
With a swift nod, Merridith moved. She found a small desk for her to hide under. It would do for now, but she was still too exposed for real comfort. In any case, this just meant that Elt had to try and keep their attention away from her and for him to try and get them to move away from the area.
Elt then moved forward, trying his best to look like an Inquisitor looking for his target. Peering around before turning to the two. He then made his way over in and tried to get their attention. Luckily, it seemed as though he managed to get their attention quickly. Though, from the looks of it, it wasn't anything he had expected.
"Well, well, well… if it isn't our little Junior Inquisitor." The man spoke up with a jovial look, causing the man next to him to widen his eyes in horror.
"Oi, Idiot! He's an Inquisitor! What do you think you're doing!?" The other spoke in a hushed but loud tone.
"Relax, from what I've seen he doesn't seem to he the type to kill. Hey, I heard from the rest that you lost the kid. Such a shame; maybe you just aren't cut out to be a Inquisitor." The man mocked with a shrug, which caused Elt to raise his brow.
Now Elt wasn't one to judge, but either this man was just incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Either way, he could use this to his advantage. He doubted he could sway them with fear; he could threaten them by telling them he'd report what they were planning to do to Albain. Of course, it was their word against his, but his word should theoretically hold more weight since he was a Junior Inquisitor.
Even still, he did have a surefire way to get them out. These two were motivated by greed, and from the sound of things, the best thing he'd do was to give them what they wanted.
"Well, you're right on that front… I've looked all over this mansion for her but couldn't find anything. All I found was this valuable pearl necklace laced with diamonds, just lazily placed out in the open. It made me realize how careless these nobles are and how rich they must be." Elt muttered with an exasperated sigh.
"Although, I couldn't help but overhear you two talking about funds… and I will say that you might want to avoid 'snooping' around that room over there. After all, it's one of the suspect's rooms and should have evidence that Lord Albain would want." Elt continued, causing the two to look on at one another before one of them spoke up.
"Well, Inquisitor… we'd be happy to investigate the rooms you searched. After all, it's possible that you missed a few things here and there…" The man with the first voice called out, greed poorly hidden in his voice as Elt looked on at the two before giving a small awkward, seemingly naive smile.
"Really, wow… thanks a lot; I'd be happy if you did. It's just down the hall, third room from the left." He stated, which caused the two to look on at one another before they gave they bowed and walked off. It looks like it works; technically speaking, Elt didn't lie when he said that. He did see a necklace hanging inside that room as they passed by. He felt a bitter taste in his mouth; maybe there was a better way to do this, but what's done is done.
He shook his head, now was not the time. Hathaway's room was just up ahead, and the coast was clear. Turning to Merridith, he nodded to signal that the coast was clear, causing her to get up before following him into the room. Once inside, Elt closed the door behind him before he turned to the said room.
It was just as lavish and expensive as any other nobleman's room. This bed probably cost more than an entire year's worth of his savings. Over 30 books lined the shelves, each in pristine condition. The windows were covered by a translucent blind, possibly one way allowing one to peer out without the fear of the same happening to themselves. Meredith frowned at the sight; such a thing would've been useful in her room; if Count Harrison wasn't so stingy with the money, then this entire thing could've been avoided.
"Alright, we're here… where's the thing you wanted to grab?" Elt asked, causing Merridith to turn to him before she spoke up. "Hold on, be patient. it should be up there." She stated, referring to a shelf sitting atop the walls. It was high up and by the window, to the point where Merridith pulled a chair into position for her to step on so that she could reach it. She moved the few books around to the point where they dangerously hung to the ledge, but she managed to ensure that none of them fell.
"Are you sure? Don't you want me just to grab whatever you're looking for?" Elt asked to which Merridith just shrugged.
"Don't worry about it, I've got it… just a little more and… Aha! Here it is." She muttered, pulling down a piece of paper without much incident. Peering in, Elt tried to see what it was, only for Merridith to move it away.
"No, this is for my eyes only." She stated with a pout, to which Elt shrugged as he backed off.
With that, they should be able to leave… only, there was a slight problem. The window she was facing led directly into the garden where Albain was. And because of that, she had front-row seats to what was about to happen.
"Al…? Hath?" She muttered, eyes widening at the sight.
What she saw would haunt her for the rest of her life. Albain stood, reading aloud something from a piece of paper. She couldn't hear exactly what he was saying, but she could make up the words 'heretic' and 'will of the Chief God.' And then, it happened… a man in a mask wielding an axe came forward and positioned Hathaway down. Hathaway wasn't alone either, he was joined by over a dozen servants all of whom had horror written all over their faces.
Behind them stood the same number of soldiers, each with their blades out and each behind the servants.
Merridith's eyes widened; she knew exactly what was about to happen. And from the sounds of it, Elt did as well. Quickly he moved to try and shield Merridith's eyes, but it was too late. The axe came down, and the noble heir's head rolled along with his retinue of guards and servants.
She suppressed a scream and did a good job of it too. No sound came out of her mouth as tears threatened to flow out of her eyes. However, she couldn't suppress the knee-jerk reaction of her moving back unconsciously, causing her to fall off the chair with a loud thud. This also had the added effect of causing the rest of the books to fall onto the ground. It resulted in a loud thud that could've been heard from out in the garden, and from the looks of it… Albain had heard it as well.
He turned his green eyes to the window, his eyes narrowing before he sent the masked hero off with a few men to investigate.
"...Shit…" Elt muttered as he processed the sight. They only had a few minutes at best, maybe even a few seconds. He needed to think of a solution and fast.
"Edith-" He yelled, only to stop when he saw Edith's eyes. She was holding back her tears, and from the looks of it, she won't be able to listen. Elt grit his teeth as he thinks of what to say and do. He wasn't good with words, but if he wanted to save her life and complete his mission, he had to try.
Elt moved, gently kneeling in front of her before he looked straight at her with melancholic eyes. "Edith… I'm sorry… please, turn away from the window and look at me, alright?" He muttered.
"T-That was… That was Hath… he was my best friend, and now he's dead…." She muttered, saying it repeatedly on a loop as Elt made a difficult expression on his face.
"Grandma Eliza's dead… Hathaway's dead… is grandpa dead too?... And… and Al, how could he do this? What did we ever do to him…? No… No, it's my fault, isn't it? I- I shouldn't have taken that deal; that way, none of this would've happened." She muttered, her pupils shrinking as she began to shake.
Elt bit his lip; he hated himself at the moment. He wanted to find a way to comfort this girl, but what could he say? If he were of any clearer mind, he would've realized that he was feeling bad for a monster, a monster that chose to become a witch. But all Elt saw right now was a scared girl with nowhere to go.
"Edith, it's not your fault… please don't ever blame yourself for what happened… and your grandfather is still alive, don't worry." He stated. He was lying through his teeth; the Morrigan patriarch was dead, he already knew this, and from the look on Merridith's eyes, she saw right through him.
Even still, his attempt to comfort her had cleared her mind somewhat. With that out of the way, Elt spoke up.
"Edith… I know this is hard, but they're coming here right now. I need you to stay hidden under that bed; try not to make any noises. I'll try to keep them away." Elt explained. Wiping away her tears, Meredith gave a swift nod before she moved. Once she was under, Elt tried to enact his plan as fast as he could. He could faintly hear their footsteps, but he knew that it would at least take them another minute to get here.
Taking the blankets from the bed, he tied them together to form a long rope that could lead down to the ground. Moving to the opposite side of the room and looking out the window, he checked to see if anyone was there. When he found the coast clear, he opened the window and threw the rope down to make it look like someone had climbed down from the window.
This ensured that nobody stayed to investigate the room and that the guards would swarm that side of the manor instead.
Soon he too got into position, making it look like he was peering out of the window before the guards suddenly burst in with the hero in tow. They all looked around, footsteps resounding in the room as Elt turned to regard them all.
Looking around, the masked hero tried to look for any sign of the witch. Seeing nothing, he turned to Elt before he spoke up. His voice was somewhat high-pitched, but it was clear that it came from a man.
"Inquisitor Elt, I see that you're here. We heard a noise coming from this place, report." He ordered, causing Elt to stiffen before he spoke up.
"I've also heard a noise from this place and I came here to investigate. The first thing I managed to notice was this, sir." Elt stated, turning his head towards the window, which caused the hero's eyes to follow. Moving towards it, he peered down and saw the blanket rope reach down onto the ground.
What happened here was obvious… if not too obvious for the Hero. However, he said nothing on the matter. Turning to Elt, he spoke up once more.
"I see… Good Work then. I will loan you some of my men for the investigation here. In the meantime, the rest of my company will come and investigate below. If it is recent, then they couldn't have gone far." The hero started with a salute before he marched off with his men. He then left two soldiers here to help Elt investigate the room.
The two soldiers were garbed in the usual armor. Dark blue gambeson with a metal helm, both wielding blades but one of them had their helmet completely cover their face.
"...Uh... what's our next move, Inquisitor Elt?" The one on the left started somewhat nervously; unlike the others, he was young. He was most likely a newbie, someone no older than 16, and his companion was possibly the same.
These two just overcomplicated things for him, but from the looks of it, they were both inexperienced. They were most likely new to the role of a soldier and were too reliant on their leaders for the time being. He still remembered his first time joining Merse's unit, how he unaware he was of their customs and tactics. He followed Merse around like a puppy during his early days, a fact that she still teases him on to this day.
"We need to cover more ground; you and your companion should look in the neighboring rooms." Elt suggested, causing the young man to salute with a stuttered 'Aye, Sir!' before he walked off to investigate. Before the soldier left, his companion followed suit; their eyes peered onto the bed, or more accurately, what lay beneath it.
They said nothing, merely pausing slightly before they moved off. Elt let out a small sigh before he turned to Edith. "The coast is clear, Edith. You can come out now." Elt stated, causing the girl to leave her position before turning to Elt.
"So what now…?" She muttered, her voice dry and without emotion. It caused Elt's eyes to soften before he patted her head. "Now, we get you out of here." He reassured, which just caused Edith to give a small nod.
Taking a deep breath, the two moved once more. Once again, they dodged and weaved through the halls, making sure that none would spot them before they finally made it to the garden, and across it would be Merridith's way out.
There was just one more obstacle in their way…
"Lord Inquisitor, we've managed to round up the rest of the noble house." One of the masked heroes said. He was the same one who had barged into the room earlier.
"Excellent… but… what of the witch?" Albain asked, causing the hero to bow apologetically.
"Forgive me, Lord Inquisitor… it appears as though she escaped our grasp." The man muttered apologetically before Albain simply nodded. His eyes were neutral once more; turning to his files, he spoke up again.
"Then get looking; you have until midnight to look for her," Albain muttered; with one more nod, the man turned to leave.
With him gone, Albain turned to his files once more.
Elt took a deep breath, just one last hurdle… why did it have to be him? Does the universe just one to keep fucking with him? Regardless, we just need to get him out of the way and then have Merridith sneak away.
"Edith… this is it, the last stretch." Elt began, causing Edith to turn to him with a head tilt.
"I'm going to distract Albain, and while doing that, you will sneak your way into the garden. If I don't come back in 5 minutes after you made your way there, or if it gets too dangerous, then I want you to take the secret route out. Got it?" He asked her. Turning her head towards Elt, she nodded before Elt responded in kind.
"Good luck out there, Edith…" he stated. "You too, Elt…" She muttered dryly, but there was a sense of gratitude within.
Taking a deep breath, Elt walked towards Albain. He placed his hands behind his back to hide the nervousness in his voice. He cleared his throat to make sure he didn't stutter. He closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath before he opened them. With that out of the way, he moved towards Albain.
"Lord Inquisitor," He began, getting the man's attention. Albain rose his brow before he turned to Elt, eyes scanning the temporary junior Inquisitor before he spoke up.
"What is it, Inquisitor Elt? Have you found the witch?" Albain asked, turning his head to Elt before speaking up again.
"I'm afraid not, sir; we did find a rope made of blankets hanging over the window. One of the members, possibly the witch, likely made her way through. However, it's also likely that the blankets were a distraction, so I had my men sweep the area just in case." Elt began before he slowly moved to the side to try and get Albain to turn his head away from where Edith would have to move.
"I see; Reese has already told me of such a possibility, and I've sent more men to investigate the area. I've opted to stay behind to manage the confiscated documents." Albain stated as he turned to the pile of papers his men had gathered from the manor.
"Inquisitor, it's rude to move while speaking with someone." Albain suddenly admonished, causing Elt to pause before he turned to Albain.
"I-Forgive me, Lord Inquisitor, I thought I saw someone in the distance," Elt stated with a bow before he looked back at Albain, who turned his head to check if anyone was there. Seeing no one, Albain turned his back to Elt.
Seeing his gaze move away, Edith thought it safe to move a few steps. She moved closer to the garden through the bushes without getting Albain's attention. That being said, she met another roadblock, Albain won't turn his gaze further, and Elt needed to do something to distract him.
"You might've been seeing things, Elt. In any case… is there anything else you need? I'm quite busy at the moment." Albain muttered, causing Elt to turn his head before he spoke up. There was one other way he could think of, one that could probably risk his position here. But… when it came to topics like these, he at least knew that Albain was passionate about it.
"Sir! Permission to speak freely?" Elt asked, turning to Albain, who rose his brow. "...Granted." He muttered, causing Elt to look on at him before he began to speak. Choosing his words carefully, he thought of something that would focus Albain's attention on him and him alone.
"I see that you have condemned the members of this noble house to death… understandable, given what they've done. But was it truly necessary to kill the servants too?" Elt asked, brow raising as Albain looked on at him.
"Are you questioning the authority of the Chief God, Elt?" Albain asked, causing Elt to raise his hand defensively before he spoke up.
"N-No, No… I was… merely curious." He added, causing Albain's brows to furrow. 'Always with that flimsy excuse.' he thought to himself before he decided to answer.
"The deaths of the servants are a necessary sacrifice; the taint of a witch would be too risky to let even a single one go," Albain explained as Elt narrowed his eyes slightly.
As he did, Edith took a few paces forward, testing how far she could go without incurring Albain's sight. Once she felt comfortable, she moved a few paces forward until she stood at the final stretch.
"But, we don't know that…" Elt began; it just didn't seem fair. These servants probably had no choice in the matter, and knowing his experience, it was likely that they didn't even know that Edith existed. Seeing Edith for himself, the girl couldn't even cast magic, so there was little chance she had corrupted anyone.
"And I am not willing to risk it. A monster's corruption is a difficult thing to contain." Albain retorted; in Albain's case, he felt his decision was justified. A few dead servants mattered little in the grand scheme; he looked out for Lescatie as a whole, not the individual, and so in his mind, those lives had little worth.
"Right… forgive me for asking then, Lord Inquisitor." Elt began.
"If that is all, you may take your leave; you still have a mission to accomplish, after all." Albain continued before he waited for the man to leave.
Elt nodded before he turned to leave. As he did, he saw that Edith was just a few paces away. Now, he needed one more distraction, and she would be home free. Quickly he moved to his blade before he used his newfound strength to damage the straps just enough for it to snap off. As he took his first step, the blade on his hip fell onto the ground with a loud clang causing Albain's eyes to turn to the fallen object.
It was just what Edith needed; she ran off into the garden. Safe from any prying eyes… mission accomplished, all he needed to do now was to let the raid take its course.
"Dammit, Elt! I expect you to take better care of your arms! Get that thing fixed as soon as this mission is completed!" Albain yelled out, tone irritated and somewhat exasperated.
"Forgive me, Lord Inquisitor. I'll fix it as soon as we return." Elt muttered before he quickly moved back. As he did, though, another man came forward… the other hero Elt had not seen throughout the raid.
He leaned into Albain's ear, whispering something incomprehensible before he widened his eyes. His eyes snapped towards Elt's retreating form before it narrowed somewhat; whatever it could mean, it was only Albain's to know. With that, he left… moving towards another part of the manor.
With the coast seemingly clear, Elt ran off back into the garden. He looked around to see if Edith was anywhere nearby.
"Elt, over here." He heard a voice before he turned to its source; Edith was hiding in the bushes.
"Come on; we need to get out of here." She started before she walked off into the deeper parts of the garden. Once there, she turned to a small statue on the ground before she pressed it. It revealed a hidden door covered in leaves and vines. Moving into it, the two eventually made their way to a small wooden boat with a tattered cloak.
Getting on it, Edith checked to see if everything was on her before she gave out a sigh of relief. Turning to Elt, she looked on at him before she spoke up.
"...Thank you for this… I don't know how to repay you…" She muttered before Elt shook his head.
"Don't thank me yet, you still need to get out of here. Hey, listen… I need you to trust me on this." Elt began, causing Edith's eyes to turn to him. Looking straight into his eyes, Elt continued.
"At the river's end, you might be met with four different people. Either you'd meet with the hero Primera, Mimil Milite, a little boy with black hair and blue eyes, or another Inquisitor." Elt explained, causing Edith's eyes to widen.
"So all of this was for nothing, then?" She asked, eyes raised before Elt shook his head.
"No, there's no time to explain, but they're here to help you. They'll take you somewhere safe, away from Albain." Elt explained, causing Edith's eyes to widen once more before they turned and looked downcast.
"...You want something from me, don't you?" Edith asked, causing Elt's eyes to widen before he sighed. She was right; he needed information from her.
"...Yeah… sorry, I should've told you sooner," Elt stated, guilt in his eyes as he turned away.
"No, it's… it's only natural… there's no way anyone would've helped me otherwise." She muttered, causing Elt to shake his head before he spoke.
This girl had given up, understandable considering what happened. If her story was anything to believe, then it was clear that she blamed herself for what happened. If she didn't become a witch, the House Morrigan would've remained to stand. He wouldn't say that she didn't deserve punishment for what she did, but in his mind, she had already paid that toll in full.
"Stop thinking like that, Edith. No matter what, you're still someone worth saving." He muttered with a small reassuring smile, which caused Edith to smile slightly.
"You have a way with words, Elt…" She stated before she shook her head.
"In any case, let's get you out of here. I promise you that no harm would come your way." Elt muttered before Edith nodded. Pushing the boat into the water, Elt waved at her before she responded in kind.
"I'll see you later then, Elt… try not to die, alright!" She yelled out.
"I won't… I think…" He muttered dryly with a small laugh before he turned to the door. Walking out of it, he pulled the statue up, closing the door before he took a deep breath and turned to the mansion.
He could see the smoke and embers; the mansion was burnt to the ground. He narrowed his eyes at the sight, signaling that the raid had ended. All he needed to do now was to see it in its conclusion.
When the clock struck midnight, the Raid had officially ended. The mood was somber, and the air could feel tension. All the soldiers, who survived the raid at least, had all gathered in the courtyard. They all stood at attention, hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers lined up before Lord Inquisitor Albain Rejulia; behind him was the smoldering form of what used to be House Morrigan's mansion.
Elt stood close by, his arms behind his back as he stood at attention. He took a deep breath as he prepared for what was coming.
From Albain's face alone, one could discern that he was less than simply displeased. He took a step forward, his form methodical and without hesitation. He scanned the knights in the room, eyes wandering before he cleared his throat.
He had something to announce, after all.
"Knights of the Holy Order. Today should've been a successful raid, Almost all of the members and targets were caught, and the will of Chief God was finally fulfilled. But, we have lost one of the most vital targets, The Witch." He began, his voice cold and neutral. It was enough to convey to them the gravity of this failure.
"Merridith, the so-called witch of the window. She was the reason for this operation and somehow, the target escaped our grasp. Even after hours and hours of searching, she was nowhere to be found." Albain began, his tone conveying disappointment… and something else.
The soldiers murmured and gossiped among themselves, asking each other questions or giving their comments to their comrades. Albain's eyes looked upon the squabbling knights before he spoke out in a loud and commanding tone.
"Quiet! I am not done with my report. Unless you want to become another statistic, I suggest you all be silent." The soldiers quickly shut themselves up, not wanting to get punished.
Elt's eyes scanned the various soldiers, gulping his saliva to calm himself. One of the soldiers had snarled as if their unquenchable thirst had been left unsated. Another one had his head down in regret. Another one of them was staring at him. That one caused him to widen his eyes slightly. As Albain continued his speech, that soldier moved their eyes towards Albain instead.
Had he been found out? If he was, he needed to plan how to get out of it. That much was a possibility… crap.
Walking back and forth, Albain stayed silent while observing the small army of knights. He cleared his throat as he looked on once more; he raised his staff as lightning poured through it before bursting out from his back in a thunderous fury, causing the metals surrounding the people to thrum and vibrate, signaling his discontent.
"This was not incompetence, nay... this was an act of treachery. One of you aided the girl's escape; witnesses have reported an unknown figure wearing our emblem, moving the girl around, and keeping her hidden from their comrades. Tonight… you must all understand what it means to betray Lescatie."
The skies blackened as his filtered rage was made manifest. The soldiers stood in fear, unable to move and unable to speak. They were well and truly terrified as every one of them simply waited for Albain to announce it, knowing very well what it meant to defy the admiral.
After a few minutes of silence, Albain spoke up again.
"Inquisitor Elt and all those who served under him, step forward," Albain muttered, causing Elt's eyes to widen before he took a step forward. He silently grits his teeth as he prepares for what is to come. The rest hesitated, but they knew staying still would only worsen their situation.
As such, most of them moved to the front. They were lining up before the Lord Inquisitor, fear and horror in their eyes before Albain spoke again.
"Do you realize what it means to betray The Inquisition?" Albain asked, tone harsh. The soldiers remained silent, not wanting to speak up, which only drew Albain's ire.
"Did your mouths get sewn shut during the mission? Speak up!" He yelled out, a flash of lightning moving across the sky as the group suddenly began murmuring their answers.
"Treachery here means death, one of you betrayed The Inquisition, but it is not I who will deliver the punishment," Albain muttered, turning to Elt, who looked on at him with slightly widened eyes.
"You were their acting commander, and while your punishment before was lenient, I expect you to abide by the code you all sworn an oath to. One of your men did not, and the leader must determine who among them was responsible." Albain explained, grabbing an ax from Reese before he placed it in Elt's hand.
"And so you will choose who among them is the traitor, and as Inquisitor, you would act as Judge, Jury, and… Executioner," Albain explained, causing Elt's eyes to widen.
"I… what?" He muttered before he turned to all of those who served under him. They were all nervous, each of them sweating like bullets. A few were crying, and from the looks of it none of them were willing to accept their fate.
He turned to the axe, his eyes staring in horror as he realized what he was being asked to do.
'I-... I have to kill someone? No... No, that's...' He thought to himself. His mind began to numb; his vision began to blur as he began having his visions again. He tried his best to push them away, but he remained conscious, a fact that had rarely happened before.
He opened his eyes as he realized what this meant. This wasn't the first time he's killed someone, and now he was being asked to do so again. His vision played different scenes, most of which made him want to throw up.
"Blaidd... Please, don't make me do this!"
"Alexander… you don't have to force yourself to do this… I don't want to kill you."
"I need to keep moving, I can't stop now."
His eyes turned to the group. He had to choose one, just one of them… he grit his teeth; he didn't want to do this… but if he didn't, everything he did here would've been pointless.
He steeled himself, blue eyes staring at the group before he clutched his axe. Someone was going to die… and Elt needed to decide who.
His psyche would barely be able to handle it.
Author's Notes:
Alright, I was wrapping up the raid. I was originally going to split this chapter into two, but I decided to do the raid in one chapter and do the conclusion in the next. Here's a fun fact, This entire chapter is based on a scene I did with a friend during a fantasy RP. It follows the general flow, and I got his permission to allow me to use it.
Anyways, onto the chapter proper. First off, Merridith. I'm not going to lie; she might not fit into proper MGE lore, considering that she doesn't exactly act like how witches were described but there's a reason for that. That being said, I do have plans for her, and she'll have a prominent role in the current arc and the next one.
This chapter came up pretty soon after the last one, but I'll be busy in the coming days, so I might not be able to post one in the timespan I usually do. So just take this one as an apology, since I still have work to do.
As always, if you have any reviews, criticisms, reactions, etc. just leave them in the Review Section. My PMs are open too if you want to use that instead.
In any case, Whamo Out!
