[IRP] Dread Star's Zenith

[WyvernSlayer]

Yuri's attention turned to the close-approaching footsteps behind him.  A man clad in black armor, with dark red hair, had stepped forward from the group of onlookers.  Yuri had half-expected the man to lay a hand on his shoulder and express condolences or something similar; instead, he knelt beside him and pointed to the fallen Keeper's wounds.

"Dark magic for sure. Look at how his flesh is corroded. I do hope something is done about the dark mages."

Yuri looked again at the dead man in his arms.  Nasty burns, almost like acid had etched away at the skin, bore through the tattered robes.  This man was right.  Yuri felt a pang of shock well up in his throat.

"Indeed..." he replied.  "Someone should stop these... mages..."

The armored man stood up.  "Should you need my bow arm, I'm ready and willing to hunt these killers down."

Yuri laid his fallen comrade on the ground gently, picked up his spear, and got to his feet.  He looked the stranger up and down.  This one isn't like the rest, he thought.  Not like the ones I met in Santaruz.  He looked back at the crowd.  They had started to rumble and gossip amongst themselves.  He saw a mix of fear, anxiety, and sadness... for this man of the church, who Yuri had recently come to understand was not as righteous as believed.  If he didn't at least volunteer to investigate, it would cause even more dissent.

Yuri heaved a sigh.  He had no way of knowing what, if anything, this dead Keeper and his fellow lightbringers had done to provoke a black magician to commit such an atrocity.  But for the sake of these villagers, he felt compelled to help.  He addressed the armored stranger once more.

"In light of this recent.... incident..." he started.  "...any able bodies able to stand in place of fallen men of the cloth are.... appreciated."  Yuri extended his hand to the red-haired man.  "I am Inquisitor Yuri," he said.  "You have my thanks.  May Elimine bless your bow."