Post by Temanin on Oct 30, 2006 21:11:17 GMT -5
The sky was a drab grey, threatening rain yet never delivering. The rains had fallen hard the previous day and the ground was soft underfoot. The road leading into the nearby town was paved with large granite slabs, speaking of a more prosperous time for the region. However, those times were long gone. Most buildings were boarded up and it appeared as though no one had opened them in some time. There were no vendors or merchants in the streets, no one yelling for business. It appeared that even the local cats and dogs had abandoned their post, for the occasional rat could be seen scurrying across the road. With a sigh, Otho Van signaled to his company and proceeded to ride into the town of Mardecin.
Otho desired to be in and out of the town as quickly as possible. The Children has received a repost stating that the mayor of the town had fallen to the Shadow and was in need of enlightenment. Unfortunately, Otho’s company had been nearest at the time. He mentally kicked himself for stopping at the nearby garrison, which he had done simply because he was tired of the rain. With another sigh, he glanced up to the sky. He was disappointed that the sun was not out; for he fancied the shine it created upon his well-polished armor. He knew that he and his men were a sight to behold in the noonday gleam.
With a mild shake of his head, he turned his attention to the meager inhabitants who had come out to welcome his men. He had to remind himself that he was once more close to Amador. The closer to Amador one got, he had noticed, the more fervently the common folk seemed to address them; but this was as it should be. They understood the power and righteousness of the Children of the Light and were, he had found, a rather pious people. It was the vile individuals who did not live under the strict hand of the Children that seemed to fall from the Light. That’s why those within Amadicia who fell were always dealt with quickly; to stem the flow of Darkness.
He glanced back to his men. They were a well-trained bunch and as hand-picked as he could hope for. All of them were bloodied and well-versed in the teachings of the Children. They rod through the town with no more than casual glances at the people about them for they were ever conscious of the reason for their presence there. Otho had to smile slightly to himself in pride, for he had contributed greatly to these men’s learning. He had been tutoring some since they first arrived to take the white and were as much his as they were the Lord Captain Commander’s.
They came upon the mayor’s home – noted by its waist-high stone wall – and dismounted as the fat man waddled down to the gate. “Welcome to you, blessed of the Light. Please allow me the honor of providing you rooms for your stay.” He bowed deeply, his curly brown hair bouncing upon his head.
Otho looked the man over before responding. “Return to your home and await me and my men. We will be in momentarily.” Without waiting to see if the man followed his orders, he turned to the other Children. “Form a perimeter and don’t allow anyone to exit the estate. Aeny, Reed, Ivon, come with me. Let’s settle this thing quickly.” He turned as his men spread themselves about the estate and started up the main walk to the front door.
With a push, the double doors swung into the hall, where the fat mayor waited nervously. He waited for his men to enter and close the doors before he continued. He pointed a finger at the mayor, “You are to gather everyone within this home into this room here,” he said, redirecting his finger to the dining hall off to his left. “Now.” He turned, once more assuming the man would do as he was told, and walked into the dining hall, his three men right behind him. Upon the large oaken table was a modest lunch of cheese, bread, some sort of broth, a few cut apples and a jug of mead. With a curious glance about the room, he grabbed a hunk of bread and started eating. He gestured to the others to do the same as he grabbed up a nearby cup.
Otho was swallowing a last bite of apple and sipping on his mead when the mayor and his household crew entered en masse. He made no move to hide the fact that he was eating their food and instead grabbed another piece of bed as Reed ordered them to line up against the far wall. Otho casually ate his bread as he looked each over. He wouldn’t have initially guessed that the mayor was a Darkfriend, though his eagerness to please could be taken as an indication. He wasn’t sure about the others, but he was certain that were there was one there would be others. He didn’t have a Questioner with him and didn’t have the time to send for one, so he decided to play that part, as well.
Without signal or warning, Aeny, Reed and Ivon drew their swords and stood before the group. A few women screamed and Otho made note of which. After all, what did a person who walked in the Light have to fear from one of the Children? “Let’s not waste any more time. You,” he said, nodding toward the portly mayor, “have been charged with being in league with the Dark and have been found guilty. The reason for this little meeting is to discover who has been in league with you.” The mayor began to protest loudly, screaming and gesturing, but never moving from his position against the wall. He let his eyes run over the crowd, trying to see anything upon their faces. A few fidgeted and a few looked at their feet, but a few looked strong and defiant. With a smile, he looked back to the mayor. “I’d rather not ruin this lovely rug with your blood, Darkfriend. Would you mind stepping outside?”
With a shrill cry, the man bolted, moving surprisingly fast for a man of his size. Ready though he was, Aeny was unable to stop him as he sped past. Where Aeny failed, however, Otho’s longsword did not. A slash across the groin had brought the man to his knees, who somehow managed to scream louder than before. With a sigh, Otho circled around in front of the man. Blood was running freely from the man’s groin area and they both knew that the man would be dead soon from blood loss. However, Otho didn’t have time for that. He buried the point of his sword deep into the man’s chest, plunging through his heart and tearing out his back. A woman and a man then attempted to flee. Aeny and Reed brought them both down and quickly delivered killing thrusts to the heart. Otho pulled his blade free and walked back to the others. “Now this can go as painlessly as you allow it.”
A few hours later, Otho and his men emerged from the mayor’s house, the fringes of their white cloaks stained with blood. He snapped his fingers and signaled to his men as he saw to his horse. His men gathered around and silently mounted up, none even slightly curious as to how the day’s work had gone. With yet another sigh, Otho realized he would have to return to the garrison to have his cloak either cleaned or replaced. This irritated him greatly, as he didn’t wish to be away from Amador any longer than necessary.
As he turned and led his horse down the street, he occasionally looked to the curious townsfolk and said such things as “Walk in the Light” and “The Creator bless you.” They had left nine dead within the manor, excluding the mayor and the two who had tried to escape. As he rode out of town he added the number to those whom he had personally killed in order to spread the Light.
Otho desired to be in and out of the town as quickly as possible. The Children has received a repost stating that the mayor of the town had fallen to the Shadow and was in need of enlightenment. Unfortunately, Otho’s company had been nearest at the time. He mentally kicked himself for stopping at the nearby garrison, which he had done simply because he was tired of the rain. With another sigh, he glanced up to the sky. He was disappointed that the sun was not out; for he fancied the shine it created upon his well-polished armor. He knew that he and his men were a sight to behold in the noonday gleam.
With a mild shake of his head, he turned his attention to the meager inhabitants who had come out to welcome his men. He had to remind himself that he was once more close to Amador. The closer to Amador one got, he had noticed, the more fervently the common folk seemed to address them; but this was as it should be. They understood the power and righteousness of the Children of the Light and were, he had found, a rather pious people. It was the vile individuals who did not live under the strict hand of the Children that seemed to fall from the Light. That’s why those within Amadicia who fell were always dealt with quickly; to stem the flow of Darkness.
He glanced back to his men. They were a well-trained bunch and as hand-picked as he could hope for. All of them were bloodied and well-versed in the teachings of the Children. They rod through the town with no more than casual glances at the people about them for they were ever conscious of the reason for their presence there. Otho had to smile slightly to himself in pride, for he had contributed greatly to these men’s learning. He had been tutoring some since they first arrived to take the white and were as much his as they were the Lord Captain Commander’s.
They came upon the mayor’s home – noted by its waist-high stone wall – and dismounted as the fat man waddled down to the gate. “Welcome to you, blessed of the Light. Please allow me the honor of providing you rooms for your stay.” He bowed deeply, his curly brown hair bouncing upon his head.
Otho looked the man over before responding. “Return to your home and await me and my men. We will be in momentarily.” Without waiting to see if the man followed his orders, he turned to the other Children. “Form a perimeter and don’t allow anyone to exit the estate. Aeny, Reed, Ivon, come with me. Let’s settle this thing quickly.” He turned as his men spread themselves about the estate and started up the main walk to the front door.
With a push, the double doors swung into the hall, where the fat mayor waited nervously. He waited for his men to enter and close the doors before he continued. He pointed a finger at the mayor, “You are to gather everyone within this home into this room here,” he said, redirecting his finger to the dining hall off to his left. “Now.” He turned, once more assuming the man would do as he was told, and walked into the dining hall, his three men right behind him. Upon the large oaken table was a modest lunch of cheese, bread, some sort of broth, a few cut apples and a jug of mead. With a curious glance about the room, he grabbed a hunk of bread and started eating. He gestured to the others to do the same as he grabbed up a nearby cup.
Otho was swallowing a last bite of apple and sipping on his mead when the mayor and his household crew entered en masse. He made no move to hide the fact that he was eating their food and instead grabbed another piece of bed as Reed ordered them to line up against the far wall. Otho casually ate his bread as he looked each over. He wouldn’t have initially guessed that the mayor was a Darkfriend, though his eagerness to please could be taken as an indication. He wasn’t sure about the others, but he was certain that were there was one there would be others. He didn’t have a Questioner with him and didn’t have the time to send for one, so he decided to play that part, as well.
Without signal or warning, Aeny, Reed and Ivon drew their swords and stood before the group. A few women screamed and Otho made note of which. After all, what did a person who walked in the Light have to fear from one of the Children? “Let’s not waste any more time. You,” he said, nodding toward the portly mayor, “have been charged with being in league with the Dark and have been found guilty. The reason for this little meeting is to discover who has been in league with you.” The mayor began to protest loudly, screaming and gesturing, but never moving from his position against the wall. He let his eyes run over the crowd, trying to see anything upon their faces. A few fidgeted and a few looked at their feet, but a few looked strong and defiant. With a smile, he looked back to the mayor. “I’d rather not ruin this lovely rug with your blood, Darkfriend. Would you mind stepping outside?”
With a shrill cry, the man bolted, moving surprisingly fast for a man of his size. Ready though he was, Aeny was unable to stop him as he sped past. Where Aeny failed, however, Otho’s longsword did not. A slash across the groin had brought the man to his knees, who somehow managed to scream louder than before. With a sigh, Otho circled around in front of the man. Blood was running freely from the man’s groin area and they both knew that the man would be dead soon from blood loss. However, Otho didn’t have time for that. He buried the point of his sword deep into the man’s chest, plunging through his heart and tearing out his back. A woman and a man then attempted to flee. Aeny and Reed brought them both down and quickly delivered killing thrusts to the heart. Otho pulled his blade free and walked back to the others. “Now this can go as painlessly as you allow it.”
* * *
A few hours later, Otho and his men emerged from the mayor’s house, the fringes of their white cloaks stained with blood. He snapped his fingers and signaled to his men as he saw to his horse. His men gathered around and silently mounted up, none even slightly curious as to how the day’s work had gone. With yet another sigh, Otho realized he would have to return to the garrison to have his cloak either cleaned or replaced. This irritated him greatly, as he didn’t wish to be away from Amador any longer than necessary.
As he turned and led his horse down the street, he occasionally looked to the curious townsfolk and said such things as “Walk in the Light” and “The Creator bless you.” They had left nine dead within the manor, excluding the mayor and the two who had tried to escape. As he rode out of town he added the number to those whom he had personally killed in order to spread the Light.