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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Funeris" data-source="post: 2595431" data-attributes="member: 22792">Chapter 2: Journey into Darkness ConcludedCassock watched the blades coming in for their final blows.  Across a vast perceptional distance, he saw a tiny blade hacking at the backs of the giant monsters; the rogue’s futile attempts.  The monsters, war tanks, were bringing death toward the priest like a meal on a platter of gleaming, sharp steel.  Quiet, peace, and darkness sat calmly beside Death.  Each stared longingly at the priest.  The priest stared longingly at each.But death is the realm of your God.  Where is your faith?  The words were whispered by the wind in a reproachful tone.  Darkness is also your God’s realm.  Have you forgotten your faith, priest?The harsh words struck Cassock in the face; opening the sealed chest within his body, unleashing his rage.  Cassock of Cael stood, feeling divine energy surge through his physical shell along with his angst-filled bellow.  A shadow of pitch stretched outward, engulfing the attackers, engulfing Aramil [2].  Perfect, absolute darkness swirled around the priest and he watched the wicked blades falter.  By mere millimeters, the blades missed. Cassock’s vision was clear as the Inquisitors stumbled and flailed aimlessly.  The warmace lifted and snapped out, shattering one of the Inquisitor’s masks; shattering the skull behind.  The body plummeted to the earth with a clank.  The war tank to the left leapt at the noise, missing the priest, and slammed into its companion.  Aramil also flailed about wildly, blind in the darkness.The Inquisitor from the stream watched the shadow expand.  Thankfully, he was on the edges and just outside its purview.  His courage faltered for a moment.  His eyes fell to the halfling bleeding to death upon the ground.  “If my life is for naught, at least I’ll take one with me.”  The war tank knelt over Gabrielle and drew his blade carefully.  He rested it against the halfling’s neck.  “If I die before I wake; I’ll pray the lord my soul to take.”  With surgical precision, the Inquisitor removed the halfling’s head [3].  He stood and threw the detached skull into the stream to rot.  Steeling his courage, he leapt into the shadows.Ana stumbled backward, gripping her blood life like a pile sand.  And like sand, it flowed eagerly through her hands.  Then, the orb of darkness filled her view.  Her mouth hung agape wondering if her mind was hallucinating.  The Inquisitor prepared to finish her off as Spinum plowed into the war tank.  The spellcaster’s halberd sliced between the chinks of armor and forced the Inquisitor away from his victim. [4]  Cassock smashed the larynx of one of the fallen Inquisitors within the shadow of darkness.  He stepped easily away, allowing the other to pummel his fallen foe.  Once the attacks stopped and the beast was standing, Cassock swung his war-mace in a low-to-high arc smashing the bastard’s chin upward.  A sickening crack and the war tank’s skull snapped backward, consciousness fleeing into eternal darkness.  The priest stepped back, noting the new Inquisitor.  While blinded, the soldier made his way toward the sound of Aramil cleaving at empty air.  Cassock stepped behind the soldier and waited for its sword to lash out.  With a shattering blow, the Inquisitor’s plate maille caved in along with his spine.Cassock turned his attention to the last of the Inquisitors, the one outside his shadow of darkness.  He charged at his full speed, war-mace positioned ahead like a battering ram.  The priest exited the area of shadow but the Inquisitor was distracted by the mage and his halberd.  Cassock’s war-mace leapt up and bit down.  The last of the dark-clad foes fell upon the field.With a thought, Cassock dismissed the shadowy area, returning sight to the half-elf rogue.  Aramil stared at wonder amongst the fallen bodies, each dead from bashes.  He realized nothing he had done had helped.  Turning to his long, if somewhat annoying, friend he noted her headless body.  The rogue slumped to the ground, sobbing.Cassock withdrew the wand acquired from the Goblins.  Carefully, he used a few charges to heal the rest.  He moved to offer the half-elf a few words of condolence.  The priest found none.  He could not lie.  And just as with all the prior deaths Cassock had recently observed, the black souls of the fallen twisted upward, begging help, before being snapped upward into the sky.  Instead the priest stated, “There was nothing you could do.  Get up.  Move on.”  With that, he quickly buried the halfling in a shallow grave.Then, the ‘heroes’ robbed the bodies of all their gear.  Unable to carry it all, they crafted a make-shift sled to drag the haul.  Cassock used Leiban’s sword to carve the Inquisitor carcasses into bloody pieces.  Without a word, he reassembled them into the holy symbol for Cael.  Without a further word, the party moved into the dark shadows of the forest.  Above, the sky tore open with a cacophonous boom; a maelstrom pounded against the earth as if Ara’kull’s displeasure had manifested in reality.[5]--oo—oo—“Our Lord frowned upon you today, Tobus.  You have wasted the lives of six of my personal soldiers.  You now owe me a debt.”  The chains retracted returning the priest his freedom.  Before they disappeared completely into the demon, the chains snapped off Tobus’ finger along with the ring of invisibility.  Priest Matlick could only whimper in pain as he was doubled over, spitting up a large amount of blood.“Your first task is to gather the body parts of the fallen.  Then, you are to drag them back to the town.  You will find me there.”“You are just going to let them escape!”  Tobus finally found his voice, his courage.“It is not your place to question me, failure.” End-bringer ordered.  “There is nowhere for them to head.  South is the King and our Lord.  East is the King’s great-great-great-great grand-nephew.”“What of north to Legend?  They could flee to Aedil.  I’m sure that would please our Lord, greatly.”  Sarcasm dripped from the words.  A chain lashed out of the now-visible High Inquisitor.  The metallic barbs tore and bruised the priest’s face.“They cannot head north, fool.  My Inquisitors and I destroyed the Bridge of Legends before we traveled to your pathetic village.  To cross the great chasm between Nordaa Saam and Legend would require ability they do not possess.  It would also require that they not be caught before that point.  They will head for the bridge.  Then they will be forced to backtrack and head west across this territory.  And then, north through Goblin country.  No, only death awaits them…in good time.  For now though, you have your tasks, SLAVE.”  End-bringer vanished in a flourish, leaving the priest to his task.Tobus grumbled as sheets of rain weighed down his robes and the corpses, making his task that much more impossible.  Ara’Kull definitely did not smile on Tobus that day.--oo—oo—End-bringer stood amongst the throng of people.  Around him was every surviving member of the village.  He had shifted his robes and mask with but a thought.  The livery, usually black as shadow, were a deep crimson.  The obsidian mask had lightened to a dull gray hue, its lips curled in a maliciously sweet grin, and its eyes, now open, a clear blue color.  Lying at his feet, the remains of Leiban, Thorne, and his six personal soldiers rested in pieces[6].  Behind him and against the keep crouched the priest Tobus.“I have a few words to speak.  First and foremost, all of the events that have led us to this day were set in motion by your priest, Tobus Matlick.”  Tobus glared dully at End-bringer, his fury and will already nearly broken.  “If you have any grievances, take them up with him.  But now, to more important matters.“First and foremost, this town is now officially under the purview of the Royal Inquisitors.  For the moment, I am your ruler and my word is Law.  You will obey me.“Next, as you can see, I have lost some Inquisitors.  I seek to replace them.  I need volunteers.”  The demon paused for some moments but no one offered.  In rage, his robes and mask shifted to their true appearance.  “VOLUNTEERS.  NOW”  Again, naught but silence was his answer.“Very well, have it your way.”  The chains snaked out from the robes, dashing madly through the crowd.  Before anyone could react, the chains grasped four infants and brought them to the forefront of the crowd.  “No one?  What a shame.”  The metallic chains swirled around the babes, shredding their bodies to nothing.  In a puff, the flesh became a pale crimson mist laced with fading infant screams.  The crowd shouted and cried, an upset monster in its own right.  Mothers sobbed along with children, men stood dejectedly, aware of their own cowardly natures.  End-bringer, meanwhile, inwardly smiled wickedly at the faint, miniscule, black shadows that wrenched upward into the heavens.  More fuel for the fire, he thought.“Still no volunteers?  Fine.  KILL THEM ALL.”  He turned his back on the crowd, stalking toward the dungeons when ten men leapt from the crowd.  In unison they shouted, “WAIT!”“Volunteers?” The demon queried.  Each man nodded sadly.  “Good.”  The chains whipped out yet again, impaling each man upon the barbed tips.  The slowly dying bodies twitched in agony as the demon dragged them toward the dungeon.“What are you doing?” Tobus questioned.  “I thought you needed fresh soldiers?!”Without pausing End-bringer replied, “I think its time I upgraded.  Bring the other corpses.  And before you do, pour this into the well.  Oh and don’t you ever question me again, Slave, or it will be the last time.”Tobus glanced at the vial, recognizing the tell-tale signs of poison.  He watched the End-bringer stop at the western well, probably to foul that water as well.  No rest for the wicked, the priest thought.  He sullenly walked toward the other well.</blockquote>

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