Mas Bagus

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

"You there, peasant. Explain who those soldiers are, and who they're fighting so desperately."

In front of Barking Mirielle, Dromele looked like a dried twig ready to be blown away by a strong gust.

"Re-revolutionist!" He stammered, and the next that came from his mouth was pretty much standard knowledge. "From the capital, sent here many years ago, been clashin' with the rebels for years also, and--."

Before he could finish, another question came. This time from the young blondie gal who had been easily quiet since they left the village outskirts. The way she looked at him further exacerbated the tension he felt.

"Tell me more about the witch from the mountain, Mister."

And then more came, this time from that lady earlier.
"While we are at it, sir, perhaps you can tell us about whom exactly the soldiers meant when they say traitors."

Dromele did not like it, not at all. The way they looked at him reminded him of the way the soldiers questioned him before they dragged him away to be hanged. He was a simple hunter with a simple wish to feed his family, he only knew how to live his ordinary life and survive. And the thing about surviving made something inside him click.

"How I supposed to know?! I ain't omniscience! This witch and this traitor, don't know it all! might be something the soldiers accuse us, ordinary folks just a fun of it? Who knows!?"

The outburst surprised Dromele to his core, and he was quick to apologize. Eyes were downcast, but his resolution to not divulge more remained unchanged.

"Please ask no more of those matters, good sir, lady. I wish no harm to me or me family. Both the rebels and the soldiers are vicious they wouldn't hesitate to burn the houses and fellow who tells words to the wrong kind of folks."

He looked at Carmen with hope. "Pardon sire, but I have fulfilled the end of me bargain. May I go back to Olbei? Me wife and son must be worried sick right now."

Captain Friston stood up. For a painful moment, he had endured listening to Carnathia's long-winded speech, urging the rest of the group to not seek retribution. For the record, he actually agreed with her about the importance of understanding the clear picture, but when he recalled her speech about not seeking justice and the mission parameter, something inside him started to boil. The last straw was when she reminded them that they were obliged to report to the 'Case officer'.

"No! No! We report to The Order!" he refuted abruptly eyes gazed sharply at Carnathia, and for that brief moment, it looked like Carmen was in terrible psychological pain. "Not some elven woman who thinks she knows it all. It is absurd! If only this damned Case officer did not stall our mission with unnecessary precautions, those... they could still be saved. What is the merit of following order if it impedes us from preventing unnecessary death?"

It was the first time Captain Carmen Friston showed his stern side before he retreated back to a melancholic man the party knew too well, sad, troubled, but reasonable.

"But you are right. We must not act rashly before we know what is happening to the fellowship, and the way I see it our investigation is far from finished."

He detached the lantern from his belt and then turned to the peasant.

"You can go now, Dromele." Carmen said wearily. "May your path be safe and we shall meet again in better circumstances."

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

"I am sorry for your loss..."

said Amaris, and Carmen, in his silence, expressed his grief in return.

"Are we sure our paladin and his companions are among the bodies? Even if they are not, I think this changes how we will deal with Ealdorman and his forces, do you agree? They are the only ones who would be capable of such, judging by the previous methods of execution they used and the power they seem to hold at the moment."

Asked Amaris after a moment. Carmen shooked his head but did not answer with words, for he was unsure what to answer. At this point, the bodies have been too damaged to identify.
If there was a question in his mind, that would be the whereabouts of the three others. Only five met their demise in this place, could that mean three others made it to the border? Or hiding somewhere? Or captured but alive?

One question developed into multiple conjectures, yet one critical question remained; were Paladin Thomas and Madam Ursula among the five who perished?

His thoughts were distracted by Mirille's outburst. That rapidly shifted from prayer to the promise of vengeance. Vengence, Carmen thought, wondering to who they shall direct their wrath. Amaris proposed that the culprits were the soldiers, and Mirielle did not find the idea implausible.

Revenge. Someone finally said that in his support of Mirielle's intention. A nod to a carnage they should have committed earlier this morning.

But what about him? What was Carmen intent on doing after witnessing this... undeserved cruelty?

He was still cutting the rope of the second victim when he glanced at Rezello. "Master Rezello, do you have something we can use to dig?"

With Mirielle's help, they almost released every corpse from their bindings. Insects and other tinny corpse eaters crawled out as the bodies hit the ground. The sight and smell were so horrible Carmen tried his hardest to not vomit.

@Valkon

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

"Ideally, we should make camp where you and Lady Mirielle could use your ah...expertise...to question Dromele. I understand that ascertaining people's claims is a core skill of people in your line of work. However, I will say that considering our lack of information regarding the current state of Sielse, wandering off without a guide hoping to find a good spot to camp seems equally foolish. I say we should let Dromele lead us to where the corpses are."

Dromle was understandably disturbed when Carnathia spoke about 'expertise'. He eyed the Captain's back, face contorted with fear, and he appeared like someone who prepared to jump off and rush toward the forest. But moments passed and he didn't make a run for it yet. He had seen a glimpse of what this party was capable of, and he wondered what was his chance of escaping them if a trained soldier could easily be intercepted?

Thankfully the man in charge was patient. And the lady who suggested interrogating him thoroughly couldn't seem to make up her mind, and so, once again Dromle finally found himself spared from a difficult predicament.

***

After giving an affirmative nod to the lady, the Captain asked him.

"How far we are from the victim?"

"Not too far sire, just two leagues more."

"Right." Camen said, now looking back at his parties. "Keep your eyes open, and look for movements in the trees."

Thankfully their vigilance was for naught. After twenty minutes of uneventful ride, Dromele asked to dismount from the hose and guide them by walking. He looked strangely enthusiastic when his thin fingers pointed at a plot of blackened land.

The site was a clearing located on the right side of the road. On there five poles stood sturdily but seemed to be placed irregularly. From this distance, Carmen thought they were scarecrows, but as they rode closer the smell became more nauseating, the Captain finally forced himself to confront with the grim reality.

Camen had thought that Dromele's description was hyperbolic, but this... this was worse. Five bodies, tied to wooden logs with faces mangled beyond recognition either by rot or injuries. Their bodies were blackened, not by the natural decomposition, but rather by soot and charrings.

They were tied on those logs, likely with wetted rope, with legs suspended a few spans above the ground. Some of the limbs and body parts had been skeletonized or went missing, probably picked off by wild animals. Hairs had been burned away, leaving only leathery-black skin beneath. Some were naked, while some were still robed with tattered blue clothing with patterns both Carmen and Mirielle knew all too well.

Their partially skeletonized faces told the same tale about the cruelty of their latest moment. All had their jaws wide open, and there seemed to be a handful of strange soot in their mouth. Some of the soot could be found in their eye sockets, noses, and cuts in their bodies.

The soot was still emitting a faint trail of smoke when Carmen dared himself to inspect them closer. There was a moment of silence before the captain took a step back.

"Who did this? Why them? They were good people, they don't deserve this..." he wailed, taking off his hat and placing it in his chest, asking nobody in particular. But Dromele the peasant, did not waste a moment to clear himself of potential blaming.

"I--I don't know sire. I found them three days ago and---"

Carmen tried to gather his courage and drew his sabre to cut the rope, releasing the priest's body from their restless bindings. Meanwhile, his mind wandered back to Helvetia, to the soldiers they spared, and to the hellish glade he was in right now.

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

"Captain, are we sure trusting Dromele to lead us is for the best? While it is true that we have to gain some distance from the garrison, perhaps it's wiser not to go where Dromele attempt to lead us until we can verify the veracity of his claim."

Carmen slowed his horse.

The crossroad had already been behind them since a moment ago, and now they are riding toward a path of uncertainty. Although his hunch told him that this Dromele fellow was trustworthy, the skepticism has its merit.

"Lady Carnathia has a point there, Dromele." Carmen did not look back when he said that, his voice was calm and patient, that kind of patience that deep down hinted leniency you shouldn't cross.

"You have nothing to fear from us. And God is my witness, there will be no harm to those who speak the truth."

And under that charismatic gesture, the peasant finally wavered.

"It's... bodies s-sire. Five of em, tied on poles. Been rotted badly when I found them sir, but them--- I mean some of them wore same colors and priest clothing like you and Master Thomas wore. Pardon me words sir, but they've been broken like pit-roasted piglets, me thought they'd been dead for weeks."

There was a profound silence for a while. The horse remained trotting, but Carmen looked like he was sitting still. Until he inquired monotonely:

"Are you sure the corpses were them? You said you saw Paladin's entourage before in Katwiz, is there any of the bodies that matched with the priest and priestess you saw earlier?"

"Entrouge, sire?"

"Entourage, his friends."

"That I can't say for sure, sire, for crows've pecked their faces, or-or their faces were burned badly."

Carmen was silent again. Inside his head, a mixture of dejection and anger started to swirl. The first party he blamed was that damn elf from the council. If only she hadn't stalled the mission, maybe, just maybe, those priests could be saved.

"And you will lead us to them?"

"Ye-yes sire." still stammering, the peasant continued. "I am sorry for your loss sire. Again, I didn't mean to lie to you, but folks here including meself had seen the soldiers beatin' and killin' fellows who found their dead friends on many occasions, blaming us for siding with the rebels in mad anger. Sire, you wont be hittin me, aren't you?"

"No," Answered Carmen, still not looking back. There was another silence until he turned to Carnathia.

"What do you think, Baronesa Carnathia?"

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

The peasant gazed at the circus man in disbelief before looking down, refusing to shake his hands. His general mien was still nervous, but his voice sounded like that of an offended man.

Even after Ludvig exclaimed that he believed him.

"Pardon sir. Me name's Dromele. I'snt me intention to be suspicious with words, but I wish no harm, sir, nor the harm for meself. Guiding you and yous to a trap's never crossed me mind. Please hit me not for that, I just want to repay your kindness. Cuff me hands if you like, or put me down, and tell me to begone, and I shant trouble you no more."

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

"You said you only saw them once and did not see them again after. But earlier, you also said that you know where, in your words, 'our folks' are."

The peasant glanced at her and then to the road behind and answered nervously. "I said I knew where they went, milady, and 'twas Katwiz they were headed, also the last time I see them."

"What exactly did people say happened to them and what is this 'not-so-cheery-thing' you plan to show us?"

"Many things. Words from next-door wenches said they went to the crone in the forest and never came back. Some said the General's men captured them. Others said they tried to go back but wolves got them all. Many things, milady, but I know certainly what happened to a few of Clerics man. Terrible things, but fraid I shant speak about it here. Not as long as mebody's with you. You will see for yourself, that won't be too far."

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

"They know who we are now. If they report us to their superiors, whoever they might be, or their forces, it would make it quite hard for us to move around and investigate the paladin's whereabouts, wouldn't it?"

"The righteous path is seldom an easy one." "Misguided and blind as they may be, they had their order as we had ours. We could either constantly butt heads at every turn or let the matter rest, the latter being much easier when they're alive."

"True, I would prefer something more diplomatic," Carmen said, glancing at Mirielle and Ludvig. "Even if they refuse to talk, we can always take another route; God willing, the path will reveal itself." pausing, he pursed his lips. "But that would mean we forsake our fellow men, and that didn't sit right with me. Besides all said and done, I believe this is all a fated counter, and all we can do is to make the most of it."

"Hmm, no.
As far as matters resting, killing them might be the best thing to do right now."

"But I too believe it would be better if you don't jump on someone ever so often, Master Ludvig. As for your question, such a drastic measure is unjustified for now. If the concern is us being fugitives, I say the ramifications would be a lot worse if we outright slaughter them. Now let us put this behind us. The gunshots could be heard from miles away, and would be no surprise if some of their friends were already on the move."

Carmen had started to trot away from the scene, followed by Ludvig who now lay down on the beast's back like it was a couch. Been almost 40 days on the road with him, and nothing surprises Carmen anymore, but sometimes he couldn't help but grin when seeing his antics.

The peasant guided them toward the crossroad they passed earlier and they would take the one leading southward.

"You there, you say you know where the group we are looking for went? From what you said, it seemed that you saw them yourself. What about the paladin leading them? What can you tell us of him?"

The peasant managed. "I only saw the Paladin once, milady. In Katwiz. But twas months ago, I lived in Olbey and had things to tend to. Looked like honorable man, strong but he ain't flaunting it, he helped the sick in fact. He had a lady following him, similarly decorated, looks only slightly younger than him. She heals peasantries too if me mind serves me right. Never saw both again since."

He shook his head gloomily. "Sad to hear what happened to them. Folks said a lot of things, none of em pretty. But sorry, sire, milady, but what I will show you ain't gonna be something cheery."

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

As Ludvig grabbed the musketeer's bloody hands and channeled his magic to heal him, a terrible shrill could be heard, even with a handkerchief in the mouth, it sounded like someone was being tortured by dipping their hands on a molten bronze.

The sergeant scowled at Carnathia in a mix of anger and resolution. He could not look at what had been done to his men, but he could hear, and he could picture what his assailants were up to. The icy contraption still bound him to the ground, and at that moment he looked like he was ready to accept his fate.

"Wench got nothing else to ask but to repeat your questions?" He glared at Carmen and Carnathia, before spatting. "Go to hell, suka! Ptoy! You will not get anything from me. Do your worst! Come on!"

He howled, as loud as he could. And then he laughed when Amanita walked closer and started to expose him with her spores.

"What? Putting a hex on me now?! Hahahaha! Why are you playing dumb?" he jolted himself and struggled harder, this time he looked terrified for real before finally, the spores did their things. The man snorted and finally stopped howling like a wounded animal. But he spoke no word, only his gaze looked deep into his opponent's eyes as if mentally remembering every shape and contour of their faces.

"There is no salvation in this land," he muttered calmly, but definitely in delirium. "Let them steal and more will come and do the same. Give them small punishment and they will spit on your face. Vodka, I need vodka. Miss vodka! Been months since our last supply... know nothing about your fancy god-lover."

----

When the Sergeant bantered with the rest of the team, the peasant approached Carmen with trembling legs.
"Thousands of pardons, sire. This poor fellow will forever be grateful of your rescue, but methinks we should leave this place. I know where your folks are..." he looked at the road ahead, and with a shivering voice, continued. "We's close to the red stripes camp, and 'fraid them soldiers will come anytime to check on their friends."

Nodding, Carmen asked. "How many are they in their camps?"

"Aint no sure, sire, but no less than a hundred red stripes. Could be wrong, for I isn't from here."

Carmen reassuringly tapped the peasant's shoulder and clapped his hands to quickly gather everyone's attention.

"We need to move now," he announced. "Quickly, before this place turns into another Vesnaggrad. Amaris, Mirielle, Ludvig, por favor! let us leave this place and leave those soldiers be! Peasant, you will ride with me, show us the way."

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

The last musketeer's attempt to escape was abruptly foiled when Ludvig suddenly teleported ahead of him. with his executioner friend no less. The impact made some nasty thud that you can hear if you were standing close but seemed like a comical, laugh-inducing smash-up when viewed from the distance.

The soldiers lost consciousness almost immediately, at least they would only suffer heavy concussions and not certain death, right?

In the aftermath of that messy but exhilarating chaos, Carmen went to the peasant and removed the sack from his head.

"Can you stand? Can you walk? Look at me! Breath, amigos! You are safe now. Focus!" The peasant only nodded, but to make sure, Carmen slapped his temple to make him gather his wit faster, even so, it would take some time for him to catch his breath and regain his sense.

__

“Well, that was exciting.” said Osric. “Perhaps we can stop this farce, and figure out where we go from here? Hmm… Judging by your expression, that’s probably not going to happen.”

The sergeant looked up, completely subdued, now the only thing he could do was to entertain those bastards. He smiled bitterly. Let them think they had the upper hand, the reinforcement would come soon anyway.

"You are a funny guy, let me tell you where we go from here." He spat before shouting like he was in delirium. "You will be dead, BLYATS! Don't you know who we are?! Oh, I think you do! Who sent you, hah? Those damn traitors? Or could be That witch in the mountain? Crone got some new lackeys I see."

"We don't know who they are, good sir." Said Carmen, after helping the peasant stand up. "But we would like to know who they are, and my question earlier about people we seek. Seems you were not telling the whole truth."

"Poshol na khuy, Spies! I have no authority or obligation to answer to you! I see that you are rescuing that scumbag! Kha-ha! Ty smotri, criminals are quick to recognize each other."