09-23-2015, 09:30 AM
“Yuri.”
The young Keeper gave no response, his gaze fixated on the other pairs of holy warriors moving briskly from one residence to another – speaking to the citizens, checking through books, searching houses…
“Yuri!”
“Ah! Yes sir!” Yuri snapped out of his daydream and acknowledged his senior officer. This was his first raid in eastern Lycia – specifically, Santaruz – and the intensity of the Keepers’ search thus far had been kept to a surprising low. “Where are we to go next, Inquisitor Faulkner?”
“The homes on the south side have all been cleared,” Faulkner replied. “So we’re going to check through these houses along the northwest corner.”
“What about backup?” asked Yuri. “If they fight with their magic-“
“We are the Keepers of Sanctity,” the Inquisitor interjected. “It is Elimine’s wish to protect us, and it is our duty to accept that protection and purge the darkness from this world.” He took up his spear with both hands. “Ready?”
“By Her will,” Yuri replied. The two of them jogged across the road and headed towards a pair of lightless cottages. As they passed by a pair of fellow Keepers, Yuri could overhear their conversation:
“Looks like it was Elimine’s wish to give us a little raise, eh mate?”
“Too right! Let’s double back and count our loot!”
“Inquisitor…” Yuri said quietly as the two of them arrived at the first house. “Is it really necessary for us to… to take money from these people?”
“Yuri, you know as well as I do that His Grace has mandated heavy fines for anyone found to be studying the dark arts.” Inquisitor Faulkner rolled his eyes and knocked on the door of the cottage. Yuri waited and heard nothing. His grip tightened on his blade.
The Inquisitor pounded on the door. “Keepers! Open up!”
Yuri could hear a muffled gasp coming from within the darkened house.
“Inside!” he cried. Hastily, he and Faulkner readied themselves a couple steps from the door and lowered their shoulders. *WHAM!* The door flew open, snapping the rickety lock off the frame. It was too dark to see inside, but Yuri could make out the shape of two figures fumbling about, scrambling away from himself.
“Reveal yourselves, in the name of Saint Elimine!” yelled Faulkner. He extended his lance, and a light began to pulse from the tip. It illuminated the room, and finally, Yuri could see their prey – a naked man trying desperately to help his equally unclothed female companion cover herself up with a blanket.
Yuri bit his lip and stole a look at Faulkner. “Sir?”
“Don’t just stand there, Yuri! Search them!” Faulkner began making threatening jabs with his weapon, carrying the light with it. The townsfolk shied from the Inquisitor’s magic, fearing for their lives.
Yuri paused for a brief moment, then lowered his weapon. He hurried over to the couple and snatched at the blanket. The woman resisted. Yuri threatened with his spear and tugged back.
“Hrrrg… let… go!” Yuri struggled. “Heretic wench, let go!” Finally he was able to yank it free, tripping backwards over his feet and landing on his rear. The woman, now exposed, gasped in embarrassment, and her lover hurried to reach in front of her to obscure the Keepers’ view.
“Under order of the Keepers of Sanctity, you are under arrest for resisting men of the cloth,” said Faulkner. He walked past the couple and reached for a book that lay on the bed. Yuri watched his face contort in disgust, and he slammed it on the floor, eliciting another gasp from the lovemaking couple.
“Tie them up, Yuri,” said Faulkner. The Inquisitor headed for the door. “Mikhail and Erik will pick them up.”
Yuri watched his officer leave, then reached for the silk rope in his rear belt pouch. I twinge of regret pulled at him as he reached toward the man with the rope. The man swatted his hands away.
“Church dogs! Get away from my wife!” he snarled.
Yuri’s conscience vanished in that instant, and he punched the man square in the face.
“Please no!” cried the woman. “Leave him alone!” The man staggered and reached for his nose, which was now bleeding.
“Both of you, be silent.” Yuri bound the pair with contempt in his voice. “If you witches had just cooperated, none of this would have happened.” Leaving the two of them in the dark, he exited the cottage.
May She have mercy on them.
The young Keeper gave no response, his gaze fixated on the other pairs of holy warriors moving briskly from one residence to another – speaking to the citizens, checking through books, searching houses…
“Yuri!”
“Ah! Yes sir!” Yuri snapped out of his daydream and acknowledged his senior officer. This was his first raid in eastern Lycia – specifically, Santaruz – and the intensity of the Keepers’ search thus far had been kept to a surprising low. “Where are we to go next, Inquisitor Faulkner?”
“The homes on the south side have all been cleared,” Faulkner replied. “So we’re going to check through these houses along the northwest corner.”
“What about backup?” asked Yuri. “If they fight with their magic-“
“We are the Keepers of Sanctity,” the Inquisitor interjected. “It is Elimine’s wish to protect us, and it is our duty to accept that protection and purge the darkness from this world.” He took up his spear with both hands. “Ready?”
“By Her will,” Yuri replied. The two of them jogged across the road and headed towards a pair of lightless cottages. As they passed by a pair of fellow Keepers, Yuri could overhear their conversation:
“Looks like it was Elimine’s wish to give us a little raise, eh mate?”
“Too right! Let’s double back and count our loot!”
“Inquisitor…” Yuri said quietly as the two of them arrived at the first house. “Is it really necessary for us to… to take money from these people?”
“Yuri, you know as well as I do that His Grace has mandated heavy fines for anyone found to be studying the dark arts.” Inquisitor Faulkner rolled his eyes and knocked on the door of the cottage. Yuri waited and heard nothing. His grip tightened on his blade.
The Inquisitor pounded on the door. “Keepers! Open up!”
Yuri could hear a muffled gasp coming from within the darkened house.
“Inside!” he cried. Hastily, he and Faulkner readied themselves a couple steps from the door and lowered their shoulders. *WHAM!* The door flew open, snapping the rickety lock off the frame. It was too dark to see inside, but Yuri could make out the shape of two figures fumbling about, scrambling away from himself.
“Reveal yourselves, in the name of Saint Elimine!” yelled Faulkner. He extended his lance, and a light began to pulse from the tip. It illuminated the room, and finally, Yuri could see their prey – a naked man trying desperately to help his equally unclothed female companion cover herself up with a blanket.
Yuri bit his lip and stole a look at Faulkner. “Sir?”
“Don’t just stand there, Yuri! Search them!” Faulkner began making threatening jabs with his weapon, carrying the light with it. The townsfolk shied from the Inquisitor’s magic, fearing for their lives.
Yuri paused for a brief moment, then lowered his weapon. He hurried over to the couple and snatched at the blanket. The woman resisted. Yuri threatened with his spear and tugged back.
“Hrrrg… let… go!” Yuri struggled. “Heretic wench, let go!” Finally he was able to yank it free, tripping backwards over his feet and landing on his rear. The woman, now exposed, gasped in embarrassment, and her lover hurried to reach in front of her to obscure the Keepers’ view.
“Under order of the Keepers of Sanctity, you are under arrest for resisting men of the cloth,” said Faulkner. He walked past the couple and reached for a book that lay on the bed. Yuri watched his face contort in disgust, and he slammed it on the floor, eliciting another gasp from the lovemaking couple.
“Tie them up, Yuri,” said Faulkner. The Inquisitor headed for the door. “Mikhail and Erik will pick them up.”
Yuri watched his officer leave, then reached for the silk rope in his rear belt pouch. I twinge of regret pulled at him as he reached toward the man with the rope. The man swatted his hands away.
“Church dogs! Get away from my wife!” he snarled.
Yuri’s conscience vanished in that instant, and he punched the man square in the face.
“Please no!” cried the woman. “Leave him alone!” The man staggered and reached for his nose, which was now bleeding.
“Both of you, be silent.” Yuri bound the pair with contempt in his voice. “If you witches had just cooperated, none of this would have happened.” Leaving the two of them in the dark, he exited the cottage.
May She have mercy on them.
![[Image: Yukari_Sig.png]](https://image.ibb.co/g9VAaF/Yukari_Sig.png)