Chapter 11 – Private War
“I will not go back on my promise, Allisa. Our friend Berry The Goat won her wish fair and square,” Belfar said.
“But Master-”
“But nothing,” He continued, staring the elf down.
We arrived at the Inn in no time. The cat-girls seemed to be ready to go on command. The clanking of metal soon became loud as we marched. Those big poleaxes, they were good weapons inside the dungeon, but were they effective outside?
“Are you sure that this girl that you speak about is the apostle of light?” Belfar asked. His tone was not of doubt, but instead, it was a tone of curiosity.
I nodded. It was only a hunch. But something about Joanne, this town and the inquisitors that did not feel right.
“If is not her, we can always go back, right?” I asked.
Belfar did not respond. Instead, the silence was filled by hissing. The alarm or signal which no doubt the demi-humans have been taught to use in order to warn their masters or friends that danger is nearby.
Infront of the abbey, three horses laid unguarded, their mantles had the insignia of the inquisition, or so I thought. The white symbol imprinted in their red cloth reminded me of the inquisition of my world.
The presence of the horses meant that Regilia had not yet departed.
Before we got any closer, the abbey’s door opened. Inquisitor Regilia seemed surprised to see a small army of demi-humans gathered outside.
“What is the meaning of this, Belfar?” She asked. She sounded offended.
Her two goons soon emerged. The tallest of them was pulling a chained Joanne. My hunch was right. But it still remained to be seen if she was the apostle of light.
Joanne kept her head down, as if she was ashamed.
Belfar’s violet eyes looked straight at me.
“It that her?” He asked.
“Yes,” I responded.
“Are sure?” He insisted.
“Yes!”
My yelling startled Joanne, who at last glanced at the two armed parties and dread builded in her eyes.
Even if she was not the apostle of light, I would feel guilty if I just allowed this opportunity to rescue her - pass.
“Belfar!?” Regila asked, as her expression filled with bloodlust. She took a single step forward and exposed her blade to sunlight. Her goons soon followed.
“Hand over the girl,” Belfar said.
We outnumbered nineteen to three. This did not seem like a fight they could win. If they refused, I am sure Belfar would use violence.
“You better don’t,” Regilia said. But her men were not as fanatical as her. They pushed Joanne to our side.
The poor girl shyly limped towards me.
Regilia could do nothing but bite her lips bitterly as she saw her prisoner escape.
“Please, spare them,” Joanne said, as she looked at me, Belfar and Allisa. Joanne seemed unsure of whom to beg.
“We should go now,” I said. But Belfar’s smile told me he had other plans.
“It seems the dogs of the church are nothing but bark.”
The murderous intent in the air intensified.
“Please, please, please, no one has to die,” Joanne begged.
With a single gesture, the entire army of demi-humans descended upon the inquisitors, mauling one of them to death.
“No!” Joanne cried. But her cries reached deaf ears. “Stop!”
“There can be no loose ends,” Belfar said, as a decapitated head of a cat-girl got plunged into the floor
Leah began guarding Belfar as sparks of blood began to flow freely in the air.
Regilia plowed through three demi-humans like paper, before getting overrun.
What happened next was so abrupt I only caught a glimpse of it before I was blinded my a white light.