Ch11: The Presence at the Abbey
After our group had traveled through Peregrin Quay all but unscathed (and finding out that, once past the port area, the people in the inn gave Trode 'the look'), we were soon on our way down the winding roads that would lead to the third heir's hiding place: Maella Abbey. "I do say, it seems that the people here aren't really all too accepting of my appearance," Trode frowned when we got out of earshot from the inn. "Maybe the word just hasn't reached this far out yet," I sighed.
"Either way, it don't look like we'll be gettin' you in a pub unless we enter town and just explain ourselves again and again until every place knows what the flap happened... and that isn't really somefink on me bucket list, hon," Stella frowned as she flew by my sensitive ears, the breeze from her wings actually making me feel relaxed somewhat. "And I think we may have found another place that we won't be able to get you accepted at either," I frowned as we saw Maella Abbey appear right from in front of us.
"Ah, Maella Abbey... Right around a thousand years ago, this place used to be called Alltrades Abbey. How strange that it went from a place where you could change occupations into a chapel for templars," Stella smiled. "Well, the past is in the past and the here and now is what's important," Trode frowned as we tried to proceed into the place... and I happened to find a ring on the ground... what ring was it? A Templar's ring of course!
"Huh... whoever dropped this ring must be someone important," I frowned as I looked at Trode with a frown. "It'd be wise if you stayed here, Trode. I don't think that goddess worshiping nuthouses like these guys would be accepting of someone even remotely inhuman, even if they heard my story," I sighed. "I second that notion. You go ahead and head in there. I'm sure that you probably want to return the ring, so I'll let you do your good deed before we shove off again," Trode spoke.
"Chin up, grandad. 'ow 'bout youse and I go to that nearby pub up ahead? I'll get youse out if youse can't take the 'eat," Yangus smiled. "Very well. The deal is done. We'll meet back with you three later," Trode smirked as Medea pulled the cart away from the bridge and toward Simpleton. "We ready to go in?" Jessica asked me. "Is that even a question?" I smiled as Stella hopped in my cleavage and the three of us entered the Abbey.
When we got to the guards at the door, we could see that they were very on edge and on alert, especially after they saw me with my elf ears. "You! Halt! Elves have no place in the Templar rooms," the one on the right spoke as he drew his sword. "Oh? So just because I look human except for my ears I'm not allowed to even return a single ring that may belong to one of you?" I asked them. "You what? What ring are you talking about?!" the one on the right asked.
It was then that I revealed the Templar ring I found on the ground, wondering who it would belong to, if not Angelo. "That's a Templar's ring! Bah! Angelo must've put it up at the pub as payment again... very well, you may return his ring. But that is the only thing you may do in these quarters," the guards spoke as they moved away from the door and let me and Jessica in without any further issues.
When we got into the Templar complex, the first person we were to see was none other than the suave cheater himself, Angelo. "Hm? Visitors allowed into the Templar houses? That's a very rare thing to see," Angelo chuckled at us. "Actually, we came to return a ring belonging to a guy named Angelo," Jessica frowned at him. "A-A ring? That's it! I can still play that card," Angelo smiled at us.
"What are you getting on about?" Jessica leered him. "Can't you feel it? This sinister presence within the Abbey?" Angelo asked us as his face went uber-tier serious. It was then that I suddenly felt exactly what he felt... a dark aura... emanating from the Abbot's residence. There was no doubt in my mind as to who could be up there. "I can sense it too... it's a jester, isn't it?" I asked him, surprising all three of the others in one go. "Um... how did you come to that conclusion?" Angelo asked.
"Because I could sense his form as well... and it's a pretty ugly form if you ask me... so what do you need us to do?" I asked him. "W-Well... I need you to go to the Abbot's residence and make sure he's safe," Angelo frowned. "I think we can handle that... Jessica, grab onto my arm real quick," I smiled, about to do something I never thought I'd be given the chance to try out. It was a little trick I discovered while we were going through the fields to get here.
"Watch and be amazed..." I smiled as I activated the secret spell and did the impossible: I turned Jessica and I invisible. "W-Whoa! W-Where'd you go?" Angelo asked. "Shh... don't give us away..." I smiled as I motioned Jessica past Angelo and we exited the door without barely a sound. "How are we gonna get past those guards?" Jess asked me with a whisper. "By doing this..." I smirked as I then activated another spell: the ability to walk over water.
When Jess's feet and mine touched the water and neither of us sunk down, I knew it was a foolproof plan. I walked us past the guards without them ever being the wiser. Whenever we opened the door however, that was when the guards looked our way. Thank Celestria that I still had our invisibility up, otherwise we'd have been dead meat. We cautiously entered the Abbot's residence and, once the guards were looking away, I closed the door.
And that was when I felt the presence get darker... Dhoulmagus was definitely in here. That much was assured. Jessica and Stella knew to keep their yappers shut as I slowly floated us up the stairs and I saw Dhoulmagus looking at Abbot Francisco with eyes of evil intent. I kept us invisible still as I moved directly in front of Dhoulmagus and made myself visible.
"W-What?!" Dhoulmagus exclaimed when he saw us, jolting the Abbot awake. "Dhoulmagus, if I'm not mistaken?" I asked, glaring the mad man directly in the eyes. I knew he wasn't in control anymore, but I knew I had to keep the trick up. "Hah! If it isn't the time traveler herself! Such a pity that you came here from your time when I used this scepter's power," Dhoulmagus glared at me. Abbot Francisco glared at Dhoulmagus himself, sensing his evil powers just as we had. "You're not going to do anything to the Abbot. Make one move, and it'll be the last one you ever make," I glared at him.
Just as I finished saying those words, however, three things happened: Firstly, King Trode, Yangus, Marcello, and Angelo appeared out of the blue. Second, Dhoulmagus tried to use the same spell on us that he used on the people of Trodain (and failing as I put up protective shields around every person in the Abbey beforehand). And when that failed him, Dhoulmagus did the final blow. He grabbed Francisco by the neck and plunged the scepter into his body, blood pouring out of it as I just stood there in shock and horror... and now I felt a new power in me... anger.
"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" I exclaimed as I slashed at Dhoulmagus's face before he could flee, leaving blood on my copper sword in the process. "GAHHHHH!" Dhoulmagus exclaimed in agony as he disappeared into the night sky. "W-What exactly is going on here?!" Marcello asked. I wasn't able to talk right now, however... I felt very drained after slashing through Dhoulmagus's face with one stroke... I collapsed on the ground just as Jessica said the words, "We failed... we failed to protect the Abbot..."