Darkness, Flames and Hopes Ch. 07

Tailroad

Temple of The Kingdom

The blazing sun streaming through the windows that look down to the temple's garden and poor neighborhoods wasn't why the investigator pulled the collar of the thick sun armor with two fingers. While all eyes watching his sweaty face with great seriousness, the only sound in the room was belonged to the wings of the flies chasing each other above the large table, except for the disgusting snarls of the man with the red beard. Apart from him, everyone was able to make sense of the deputy's words. Nine warriors were dead, and another warrior was responsible. Before he could open his mouth, Olven pointed his finger in his direction.

"Another of our comrades supposed to sit where you were sitting. A sorceress. Her blessed name was Minerva."

Bernard frowned and looked at the each hateful faces around the table, Olven lowered his finger and continued.

"Although she was only 28, none of us raised an objection when the commander, Azavan, reported that he wanted to leave his place to her. Why would we? She was one of the most powerful mages of the temple. Her future was very bright. If these unpleasant incidents hadn't occur, and she'd continued her duties, she would soon be able to wear the red robe and follow Silverland's road."

He sighed and relaxed in his seat. While Bernard tried to gather and understand the all data with all his attention, he continued.

"Four months ago, the night he took off her golden pendant and gave it to her, he disappeared. Unfortunately, we confirmed the news of his murder before realizing she had escaped from the army. All the eyewitnesses confirmed that he had left the temple with Minerva. When we found his body, he was lying naked in his bedroom. His neck and his... Genital were brutally cut off. I'm sure you can paint an image in your mind now."

Bernard took a deep breath, nodded his head. Finally, someone who doesn't really open his damn mouth unnecessarily. Although what he heard was become more and more horrible. Before Olven continued, he took out his journal from his inner pocket and showed it to Tim. As Olven smiled weakly, Tim moved his eyes around the room, walked to the desk in the far corner, picked up the inkwell and white feather on it and returned, leaving it in front of the investigator gently. Bernard thanked to him with a quick nod and wet the feather with ink, while everyone was waiting for him with impatient expressions, except Olven and Tim, he put a title with his shaky hand on the blank paper: Minerva The Sorceress. And her first victim. Olven cleared his throat and continued.

"Now, they were not married, but they had an...informal and inappropriate relationship. They were a very good team together. So... It's not logical that the poor commander is likely to try to be with her by force. Still, she martyred him. And cut his member as a likely clear message. A message we don't understand yet."

He paused and gave the guest a questioning look, but Bernard just nodded to him to continue. He was determined not to think about the woman without listening to the whole story. No more surprises.

"And then, deaths began to increase every week as we searched for her. All were hit and run and all were important names. Commander Sovhas. Found in the garden of his house with his throat, right foot, tongue, left eye, right hand cut. His wife informed us. Lieutenant Farieh. Lost for days. Unfortunately, the fishermen found his body on the Greatbell River. His death was worse. His body was cut in half from the neck to the legs. Our two sorcerer were killed while having fun at the spring festival. Again, their tongue and left eyes and right foot were cut off. Lieutenant Carsel. We don't know if he's actually alive, but we found one left hand— "

"Whore arse!"

Everyone turned their eyes to the man with a long red beard next to Olven. His face became so ugly as he grimaced that the scouts could rain down arrows on him without any hesitation in a dark forest. The man turned his unaffected red face to Olven, ignoring the other eyes, and muttered an apology. As Olven sighed and bent his lips, Bernard noted this blasphemy as well as the names he wrote.

"Anyway... Three other warriors killed together. Yara, Gillard and Sonia. On the Blackhorn road. Unfortunately, they were found by a merchant. So you can understand, all sorrow news quickly overflowed from the temple. And we are still looking for her. I think you feel more serene now, brother Bernard."

There was an overly tense atmosphere to be comfortable or to ponder over what he heard. And an overwhelming case. A series of fatalities that could only be encountered somewhere like Tailroad. No matter how powerful she was, it did not make sense for a warrior to kill her nine comrades in a short time alone. Did similar patterns of death have any meaning? There were so many answers in the story that he had not heard yet, and every detail he had met had already destroyed all the scenarios he had designed in his mind.

"That teacher... What is the cause for her killing him?"

Olven nodded quickly and answered with a flat voice as if he was reading a text he memorized.

"There is an old relation between them. She believed that Samson was a member of Seven Will. She believed he had kidnapped the missing children. Although it wasn't her duty, she acted without any permission from the temple. Tortured him like a interrogator. And in his own house. We could forgive her if she could provide real evidence. Apart from the unreasonable argument, she returned empty-handed. Her punishment must have been heavy, but we realized that she was being manipulated by a witch months later. So we released her and... It was a big mistake. "

When all faces turned back to him, Bernard bowed his head and took notes. A suspicious teacher. A witch. Another case. Minerva's case was directly related to the story of the dead teacher, and the answer to most questions was hidden in this old case. Of course, there should have been a separate file for the teacher at the temple. He nodded to the deputy and asked.

"What about the witch? Is she still alive?"

The sorceress must have gotten into Seven Will. The deputy shook his head and continued.

"Neutralized. We find out that she left Seven Will after the Sun's Storm operations eight years ago, hiding her identity in Llevannar. Marievel was her name. She was married to a young trader. At least that's what our investigators told us. Also, she met Minerva and persuaded her."

But how? How did a really powerful sorceress become a toy in her hand without noticing her dark sorcery, and why did they target the teacher? How was Samson so central to everything, even if he wasn't really guilty? Why did someone who concealed her identity suddenly go so far? Surely the damn teacher had a longer backstory, but Olven was disrupting the flow of information for the first time.

"Can I take a look at Samson's file? I shall catch a—"

Olven answered quickly before he could finish his question.

"We will help you, of course, but the investigation you need to deal with belongs to Minerva. This sorceress is definitely proven guilty. There is no use in investigating her motivations or her criminal report."

Bernard quietly waffled. He was surprised to hear such an absurd argument from a deputy. Worse still, Olven was also aware of this nonsense. No, every criminal has a story, and it was vital to find them and punish them. Tailroad Temple, on the other hand, was waiting for him to find the woman as if she was a lost sheep. He clenched his teeth and closed the journal. There was no point to take notes anymore. Olven grabbed the earring on the table and knocked it hard against the wooden surface before Bernard put the feather in the inkwell.

"There's a logical answer for her crime partner too, brother Bernard. I am sure its story will attract your attention."

Bernard gave a silly gaze for a few seconds. He had completely forgotten the other. The story of Minerva was ending here for now, but the story of the other murderer could fill the gaps. He immediately opened a blank page, caught the feather again, and nodded his head to the grinning man to continue. With every word of Olven, his eyes got bigger.

"Your claim that there was a inhuman being is absolutely impressive and definitely true. It was a demon, more specifically. The day you set foot in Tailroad, we received another bitter news from the town of Visery. Fourteen loyal templars were brutally martyred. We suspected the destitute peasants. Until now."

He stared at the moon on the earring with one eye, frowned, and turned his face to Bernard and asked with an excited voice.

"Do you remember Rise of Life Project? Both of our ages appropriate."

Bernard didn't think too long. While the project was being implemented, he was a young warrior and it was seen as the idea to end the dark magic plague. Miraed thoughtfully caressed his bushy mustache.

"Yes, I remember very well. It was unsuccessful-"

"But it was a good idea! At least in theory. The magic architects of Silverland thought it would be a good idea to transform the dark wizards... Instead of killing them. The first results were absolutely impressive. I even watched a witch's treatment very closely. After days of interesting spells, their brains were completely reset. Nor traces of dark magic nor their background. Like newborns! They also thought they could easily turn them into warriors as their magic abilities stay improved. But... the end was pretty horrible. Years later, even months later, dark magic and their memories were returning. In a way, they were witches invited by Light Warriors to Light Warriors temples. That was the reason for the Longhold massacre, if you remember... May God of Light rest their souls."

As Bernard narrowed his lips, everyone at the table muttered the same prayer. What did the damned project have to do with the investigation? As the deputy sighed and slowly rose from his seat, the woman next to her jumped up, but Olven pointed to her to sit down with her hand. After caressing his sun armor and taking a look at Tim, he put his hands on his waist and turned to the investigator who is still waiting for an answer.

"Back to those times, one of our commander left the land of some unnamed dark wizards with their hell investigations. According to the notes, the bond of a succubus summoned from hell could easily be given to anyone. He also tried this method and succeeded. Before killing a witch, he asked her to call a succubus and tested the method. And yes, it was successful. But he wasn't content with that. He also believed that he could make the demon completely harmless and... decent, with our project."

His shoulders shook with a joyful laugh.

"I remember his letter very well. We can even conquer hell if we transform the succubuses and send them back to hell. I laughed. But Miremir and the Blackhorn Temple leader didn't. Conquering hell... Sounds so luminous. They accepted his offer. They provided plenty of finance. They even called some architects from Silverland. The first succubus died before the process ended. The second one died a few months later. And three. And four... They did not succeed, but their lifespan was increasing more long. Our knowledge and experience about them is also. Fifth... It survived. Reacted well to treatment. At least according to the architect's report. The succubus was often able to act like a normal human. They kept it out of sight. As you guessed, at the Visery Temple."

He smiled, tapped the woman's shoulder with his finger knots, and began to wander around the wide table. Bernard thought about the succubus before note down the information. He had no knowledge of the demons, but if Olven was right, it explained the scars on the window very well. A succubus could leave these marks with its claws. Especially a succubus who knows what to do. Still, it didn't explain why they had broken the door. Maybe the succubus has never been so controllable for the sorceress.

As Olven passed behind him, he grabbed his shoulder gently.

"It makes sense, if we think. I don't know how Minerva knew about that devil, but she might have asked some questions to the teacher again. Think about it. Both Samson and her girlfriend were naked. Succubuses can seduce people and steal their souls. Why not ask questions?"

Bernard nodded sharply to the weak smile of the deputy. It made pretty sense. It was the closest answer to what happened. At least it was a possibility that cannot be ignored.

"But she must have killed the demon after the job finished. And this earring. Enchanted, for sure. It must have been the devil. I bet it's a reflection spell. After all... You can't trust a devil, can you?"

Bernard shook his head and opened his mouth for the first time in a long time.

"Perhaps the succubus is still alive. They were two, according to eyewitnesses. Before she left the house, she could destroy it. Why should she take it with her when she escapes, increasing the risk of being caught?"

Bernard tried not to smile as Olven stopped wandering, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, twisting his lips. That was a trap question and had only one logical answer. Minerva very likely wanted to use the devil again. On someone else. And the succubus should have definitely used well. Whoever the other target was, Bernard want to talk with it before it got killed, but who? The damn deputy could give a helpful hint. Olven sat down again and folded his arms.

"Maybe succubus is more dangerous than we think. Assuming that Minerva has captured her bond, it shouldn't pose much danger to her. And the devil is also a magical creature. It has its own magic. Powerful beings, even if couldn't use anything other than flame. Also... This succubus is definitely more than just a devil. Minerva may have discovered it. And may want to use it again. If you ask on who, I don't think anyone knows the answer except the sorceress herself."

Another question remained unanswered, but the succubus could easily be a cure. Treatment reports and notes should still have been in the temple's hands. The lost bond could be reestablished, but Bernard was too ignorant to say anything about it. No, a strong wizard was needed. Someone who knows the dark magic, knows demons and can use this knowledge wisely. One of the faces that looked at him might have had these features, but it would be a mistake to raise the interest at only one single point just by expressing the theory at the beginning of the investigate. Olven raised the volume as if he remembered something.

"Another of our concerns is the possibility of Minerva to cooperate with enemy groups. There may be important information in her hand that could damage the temple and she may want to share it with dark wizards. Seven Will is always a possibility. Or traitor bandits, like Doom of Swords. Financial problems of the kingdom and of course of the people caused recently to these groups have grown stronger. Nevertheless, their unconditional spellcaster hatreds may prevent such an absurd coexistence, but Sevens will not want to miss this opportunity. No matter how awful they are. There are still intelligence information and allegations to worry about. Apparently they're getting stronger again. Much more vindictive and furious."

She might have already decided to become a witch. Warriors who leave the light and join the darkness were not unseen in history. Aside from all the baseless possibilities, the sorceress could still be in the city. The most effective way to catch her without any more damage was a comprehensive investigation process, but neither the deputy who ended the court process by declaring the investigation as 'a hunt', nor the kingdom's terrible discipline were certainly helping. It was impossible to get promising information or at least a hint of the woman's steps to be taken in this room, and Bernard saw no solution other than returning to his son as soon as possible to draw a logical roadmap. Fortunately, the sorceress was constantly moving. Nine deaths in just four months. A great performance, no doubt. Even tonight, they could get the news of another warrior's death. At least it could be an answer to many more questions.

"I will need Minerva's file, brother deputy. And the succubus'. Also with your permission, Samson's, witch's and Azavan's."

Olven smiled broadly, nodded, raised his hand and gave a sign to his assistant behind him. When Tim bent over his shoulder, he whispered something in his ear. After a brief glance, Tim quickly left the room.

"All your needs will be met at full speed, brother Bernard. You will be able to move freely without any obstacles. You just need to inform Tim. We have already reserved chambers for you and your assistants in our guesthouse. Meanwhile, apologizes for our all odd behaviors. Unfortunately it was necessary to select the right person for this job and keep the operation as confidential as we can. Let's meet shall we?"

Bernard nodded, turning his blue eyes to the man with red, long beard. He had the opportunity to examine a little more carefully when the gray armored man turned his stone face. Still disgusting. Not much was visible except for the wide cheekbones. His eyes were so narrow that even his eye color was not clear. It was unclear exactly where his curly red hair, which hiding his wide nape, merged with the long beard. His personal care was a good summary of the Tailroad discipline.

"I'm Ogral, brother. I'm the only commander of the fifth unit. Welcome."

Bernard nodded calmly as a thank. There was no enmity in his voice, although he did not illuminate about his duty area or rank. Olven spoke before giving the others a chance to meet.

"You owe Bernard an apology, brother Ogral."

Ogral growled without objection and turned his head again, speaking in the same flat and throaty voice. What could such a cumbersome warrior do against a powerful sorceress?

"Sorry, Bernard. I couldn't control myself. Carsel... My nephew. May the light bless his soul."

That explained his curse. Bernard muttered a condolence with the others, nodded again. After Ogral, the young woman nodded, replacing the tickling expression on her face with a small smile. The longest strands of her slightly curly black hair were touching the shoulders of her black armor, equipped with fine silver ribbons that stretched from the neck to her toes and fingers. Her big black eyes on her corpse-like pale face gave her a different kind of beauty despite her stone, angular facial features. There were two silver wings engravings on her breasts.

"My name is Iris, brother Bernard. I am a lieutenant of the first union. I will help you as a Marchtell. Nice to meet you."

Bernard looked at her in surprise for seconds before nodding. He never expected that he could meet a marcher in a place like Tailroad. They were the most exclusive troops of all Light Warriors. The most elite warriors. They would move freely and alone in operations. They were both masters in sword and magic, and would perfectly combine these two powers. And their silver long daggers called Newale were special weapons. Did such a young warrior really deserve this title? Even if she deserves, what was she doing in this shitty kingdom? Still, she was worth talking to. Maybe the situation wasn't that bad. Finally when he smiled weakly and nodded, Olven added a comment again, destroying the woman's smile.

"Iris, also the traitor's unity friend. Maybe there's something you want to ask?"

Bernard raised his hand and shook it with his head. He wanted to question all the damn troops, but now was a very wrong time for it, and the possible answers from the marchtell would have done nothing under these tense conditions.

"No need, brother Olven. But I'm sure we'll have time to talk."