Chapter 42: The Evil Within
977 8 9
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

Anna was flummoxed.

Yeah… that is the right word for this situation right now. What could this pope wannabe want with Lilian? She questioned within her mind.

His thin smile and slanted eyes with blue clear irises freaked out Anna’s sensibilities.

He doesn’t even look older than her majesty, or at least, bot much older; if she was in her forties, he must be in his late forties, early fifties.

Anna realized she was staring as he cocked his head sideways at her.

“*AHEM* Sorry!” Anna apologized to him. “You didn’t see her in the hall?”

“No! Is she out there?” He said with a glance back towards the hallway.

Anna felt a shiver go down her spine at his melodic sweet tone of voice.

“Guess not then… She just left to go find an attendant to escort us towards the dining hall. If you didn’t see her, I guess you came from a different direction.” Anna said as an answer.

“Pity that then.” The Archbishop replied with disappointment evident in his voice. “I was really hoping to talk with her.” He turned back to stare at Anna’s eyes, all while smiling thinly. “I guess you will have to do for now instead.”

His words along with his gaze sent the fine hairs on the back of Anna’s neck standing on edge.

What the fuck is going on?!

Anna was getting weird sensations from the Archbishop every time he spoke. His direct eye contact also made Anna extremely uncomfortable.

I have been on the wrong end of sexual predators before; even actual predators up in the mountains with Lilian: and not a single thing I have ever experienced has given me chills like this man was doing to me.

As Anna was thinking this, the Archbishop spoke to her again.

“Move back and let me inside child.” He told her. “You wish to let me inside the room.”

Anna hackles were once again raised, and this time they felt like they were as high as they could stand up straight.

Who the fuck does this guy think he is?! Does he think that his position just gives him the right to—

But Anna clamped it down.

You know what? Fine, let’s see how this plays out. What is the worst that can happen? I can take this old man if I have too; plus Lilian will be on her way back eventually.

She gave him a thin smile of her own.

“Of course!” She told him with a cheer she didn’t have. “Make yourself comfortable.” She stepped back as she said this.

The man, rather than stepping in right away, looked at Anna quizzically. But he closed his eyes and made a huffing noise of dismissal.

“Thank you.” He told her. “Your hospitality is most appreciated.” He then walked over and sat on one of the chair at the table in the room.

He then made a waving dismissive gesture with his hand.

“Some wine please if you will.” He said out loud.

“Pardon?” Anna asked in disbelief.

He looked at Anna quizzically again.

“Some wine girl, please. There should be some in the bottom cupboard; pour me a glass before I begin my interrogation of you.” He told her.

Anna was getting upset the more he talked and demanded.

Seriously getting pissed here! His fucking entitled attitude reminds me of a certain someone…

But it was this same person whom she had previously interacted with that allowed her to say nothing as he talked down to her and ordered her around.

She knew that it was better to just stay quiet and let these kinds of people talk and think of themselves as if they were in-charge of the situation.

She smiled thinly once again.

“Coming right up!” She told him through gritted teeth.

She saw his quizzical look yet again as she turned around to head to the cupboard.

She opened both the top and bottom, finding the barrel inside along with a pair of tankards.

Cool! They come in pints?! Anna giggled at her silly thoughts.

“Something amusing child?” The Archbishop called to her.

             

Again, more shivers were sent down her spine: none of which were pleasant feeling. Anna felt revolted at hearing his words or demands.

Seriously, what is up with this guy? Are they just that similar in personalities or what? I don’t even want to think what kinda implications this means for a guy in his position.

She turned and put on her best stewardess smile.

“Oh nothing!” She told him playfully. “thinking about a play I had seen back in my home once upon a time.”  She waved a dismissive hand at the Archbishop after saying this. “It would take too long to explain, and you still wouldn’t understand: it is an in-joke sort of thing, you understand.”

                              

He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Indeed.” He replied to her as she laid the cup in-front of him. He made a gesture to the seat on the other side of the table.

“Why don’t you have a seat my dear.” He offered Anna.

But she could tell it was said in such a way that brokered no arguments: it was a direct order.

He is watching me for something… for what?

Anna then followed what he told her to do and sat in the chair.

The Archbishop reached for the tankard in-front of him, bring it to his lips, taking a long swig of his drink.

                                   

*PHUAA*

                      

He sighed in satisfaction with a couple smacks of his lips.

“I do so enjoy the taste of humanities greats invention.” He turned his gaze towards Anna with a look of great satisfaction.

Anna nodded her head.

“Yes, alcohol is one of the great pleasures of man.” Anna said with certainty, making sure she didn’t disagree with the Archbishop.

The Archbishop chuckled to himself before setting his drink back down.

“Indeed it is.” He agreed, his sleazy smile never leaving his face.

He steepled his fingers together before placing them on the table in-front of him, then leaned forward  laying his head in his hands which were supported by his elbows on the table.

“Now,” He addressed Anna to get her attention. “Tell me the current state of things in regards of the Mokra’Torc tribes; you are acquainted with the tribes?”

Anna tilted her head in confusion at his question, but decided to play along.

“The current state is that there is about a million and a half orcs currently within Clan Dracogusse. The other half of the orc clans have already gone back to their original territories.” Anna told him misleadingly.

“*TSK* Pity, that does set the plan back by a few months.”

             

Okay…. I am not the shiniest cookie in grandma’s cookie jar, but I hate all that what he just said implies.

But thankfully, do to her interactions with a certain person, she was extremely practiced with controlling her facial expressions: so she made sure just to keep a smile on her face while talking with the man across from her.

“Hmm…” The Archbishop pondered in thought before he asked his next question. “What is the Warchief like? What is her temperament.”

Anna took a deep breath at this question, because she knew it might come eventually.

“She is very hot-blooded, single-minded in her goals and ambitions. She is very immature in her leadership, as she has never lead people before; she is unsure of making decisions on her own and needs validation from others, and is easily influenced by the elders of the Clans.” Anna exaggerated.

“Ah! Wonderful then! Hopefully she proves easier to manipulate than any of the the last Warchiefs.” He said gleefully.

And what the fuck is that supposed to mean? Does he mean he has some sort of connection with those guys from the Fel’Agrian Clan? That he was behind Krak’Nathal?!

Anna was starting to feel a raising panic inside of her.

“Next question then: is there a shaman within your group?”

Now there is an interesting question! Anna thought to herself. He is fishing for something, time to do some fishing of my own.

“None of the Mokra’Torcs we’re traveling with are shamans.” Anna tells him in a almost trance like state.

“Excellent. Would be a pity if they used their shamanism to uncover my identity.”

So a shaman can do such a thing huh? Who are you?

Anna concentrated. She didn’t see any sort of spirits of people around this person.

In fact, if I look at him closely………

              

            

Anna took in a sharp breath to keep from gasping.

              

What the fuck is he?!

             

She stared at the shadowy figure of some sort of spirit that was engulfing the man in-front of her. It stood behind the man slightly, almost three times his size.

What the fuck kinda spirit is that?!

Anna knew instinctually that this wasn’t an elemental or even just some sort of ghost of a person.

             

“Alright! Last question, who are you Anna Gardener? What is your relationship with the Warchief?”

Because if the horrific malicious visage of the spirit attached to the Archbishop, Anna was not ready for this kind of question.

What do I say that will be convincing?! He is obviously fishing for information. But what can I say that won’t sound like I am crazy or just not unbelievable?!

“I am… Uhh…” She hesitated.

This produced a scowl on the mans face as she hesitated.

“So, you are someone who can resist mind suggesting influence, interesting… I suppose I should have realized this sooner, your answers and responses have been bizarre: I bet everything you’ve said up to this point has been completely worthless as well.” The Archbishop said with annoyed demeanor. He then stood up from his chair, walking towards Anna’s side.

Anna panicked as she tried to stand from her chair.

I have to grab Lazrator!— then she realized as she looked around the room.

        

Fuck! I left them in the other room when Lilian and I left for to have incredible make up sex!

Then a second later, something coiled around her throat.

            

“UGH!”

                  

*BANG* *CLACK*

          

The chair she was sitting on fell to the floor behind Anna, as she was lifted into the air.

Black smoky tendrils came billowing out from the form behind the Archbishop; and also from beneath his robe.

“You did well catching on to pretend to be under my influence; but your lack of experience with answering questions is very evident.”

The tendrils moved and threw Anna to the floor.

                      

“ACK!”

                        

Anna grunted in pain as she landed on her back.

“Aaaakkkkaaaccckkk!”

But even as she landed, Anna started choking again as she was lifted up to her knees by the black inky tendrils holding her throat. 

                           

“Now? What are you? How are you able to resist my mental suggestions? Are you some sort of witch or warlock?” The Archbishop questioned Anna.

           

“Now why don’t you start telling me the truth, before I decide to kill you off—”

                    

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

                                   

The knocking on the door came as a distraction for both the Archbishop and of Anna, as neither of them had expected it.

Now’s my chance! Anna thought.

She desperately swirled the wind in her left hand, then feed it as much energy as she could into it.

                      

                  

*WHOOSH*

                     

An incredible amount of wind blew out from around Anna, severing the bounds of the creeping tendrils that surrounded her.

The Archbishop covered his face with his arms to protect himself from the sudden strong breeze that spawned from nowhere.

“What of the Abyss?!”

           

“*COUGH* *COUGH* HELP ME! *COUGH*” Anna shouted as hard as she could.

                     

*BANG* *CRACK*

Anna turned from her coughing spree to look at the door with excitment.

But her face fell slightly as she saw it wasn’t Lilian like she had expected.

                                

                      

There, standing in the door way, sword drawn and at the ready. Was the paladin Anna had met yesterday afternoon.

“……Loren?……” Anna croaked out in surprise at the sight of the female paladin.

“Ah! Dame Truthbringer, what a pleasant surprise.” The Archbishop said while straightening his ruffled clothes. “You are just in time.”

Loren looked with a scowl back and forth between both Anna, who was on the floor, and the Archbishop Zurich standing just a couple steps behind her.

“Indeed, it does seem I am in time.” Loren replied dryly.

“I need you to help me escort this woman to the dungeon—“

“Are you hurt Miss Gardener?”

                 

Both Anna and Archbishop Zurich stared in shock at the blatant disregard for the Archbishop’s orders.

After blinking at her in surprise, Anna reached out her hand.

“Yes, *COUGH* *COUGH* I’m fine.” Then reached out a hand towards Loren.

The Archbishop watched as he stood up straighter and face the Paladin.

“Dame Truthbringer, this woman has been disrespectful and not cooperated with me for the good of the Light itself for the assurance of humanity: thus she must be brought to a holding cell.” He informed her piously.

Loren looked from Anna to Archbishop Zurich; her eyes glaring with disdain.

“Lord Archbishop, I do not know what it is you were trying to achieve here. But, this is highly irregular and inappropriate.”

The Archbishop glared at the paladin.

“And how, pray tell? does a mere paladin initiate, dare to think she can suggest to an Archbishop about propriety?” Zurich said with a barely concealed venom.

Loren squared her shoulders.

“I am no mere Paladin: I am Loren “Truthbringer” Wellfield; whose family is been a Nobles linage of knights that has been serving the Kingdom of Falaris for eight generations; I was reared as a noble lady first, a knight second, and swore to forsake all that, when I took my paladin’s oath to serve and protect the people of Falaris, no matter what their station in life is. So I do believe I know a thing or two about propriety: and you sir, are breaking many codes of conduct by just being in this room.” She said firmly to the Archbishop. “So what is it you are doing here alone with the mate of the Warchief of the Mokra’Torc here on a delegation mission of peace?”

The Archbishop held up his hands in surrender.

“Easy there dame Truthbringer, those are some very easily construed things you are implying.” He smirked at Loren. “You wouldn’t want to besmirch my good name or this lady’s honor, over a mere conversation that we had about their reasons for being here, would you?” He threw back at her.

“That is entirely up to the lady.” Loren countered.

She took pleasure in seeing the Archbishop’s smile faltering a bit at her words.

She looked towards Anna, asking first with her eyes in concern.

“Has the Archbishop done anything untoward you?” She asked in concern.

Anna looked from Loren, towards the Archbishop.

                 

She shivered at the sight of him; trembling slightly in fear of his overwhelming presence.

“I…” But just as she was about to speak.

Many black tendrils came over towards the two of them. They formed into deadly looking spear like shapes and curved blades. Some of which were now wrapping around Loren’s neck.

“NO!”

Anna shouted by reflex.

             

Loren was taken aback by Anna’s abrupt shout as she looked back and forth between her and the Archbishop.

“No?”

             

Anna looked back towards Loren.

“Umm… I mean, no; we were just talking…” She lied.

Loren knew she was lying and decided to press Anna on it.

“Are you sure?”

Anna watched at the dangerous looking tendrils, which were seemingly invisible to the paladin in-front of her, as the inched ever closer in on Loren herself.

“Yes! I am sure!” She said aloud, more for the Archbishop to hear than anything else.

           

“There! You see? Miss Gardener here has admitted as such, so you have no reason to think anything less of me now dame Truthbringer.” The Archbishop Announced with a cheerful expression. “Because, as you can see, even miss Gardener has agreed.”

Loren looked from Anna towards the Archbishop. Her scowl deeply set as she looked at the older man.

“Then I guess by your own admission, since you both were just talking, there is no need for miss Gardener to go to a cell. Since you were just talking, as you say.” Loren pointed out. “We wouldn’t want to start an investigation of the both of you: to save your twos honor, as it were.”

The Archbishop stood up straight as he picked off some lint off of his sleeve, seeming bored with the conversation.

“Indeed, it is as you say.” He then walked towards the door that was on the other side of the two woman huddled together.

He smiled thinly as he past Anna.

“It has been a pleasure to meet you miss Gardener.” His eyes flashing a golden hue that was almost neon in brightness as he stared at Anna. “You have perked my interests greatly: we will meet again.” Then they turned back to his usual sky-blue eye color.

He then sauntered out of the room, past the broken door that was hanging by a single hinge.

           

A minute after he left and the last of his black inky colored wisps had gone. Anna fell back down to her knees.

“MISS GARDENER!” Loren shouted as Anna’s legs gave out from beneath her.

She caught Anna by her elbow and gently lowered her to the floor, then got down on one kneel to inspect Anna’s face.

“Are you alright?! And I am asking for the truth this time. Not just what the Archbishop wanted you to say: remember, I can tell you lied.”

Anna nodded her head robotically as she heard Loren’s question. But even as her mind responded automatically to Loren’s question. Anna’s spirit was weak after the conflict.

“He! *HIC* He! *HIC* HE!— *HIC*

                   

She then broke down from the stress of what happened and fell into Loren’s arms as she wept.

Loren held the weeping woman to her chest with one arms as she cried.

“It’s alright now, you are safe and sound now. He can’t hurt you again.” She assured the mate of the Warchief.

Anna shook her head in denial before she lifted it to stare at Loren’s eyes.

“You don’t understand! He isn’t human! He is a monster!”

Loren glared at Anna’s words.

“That is pretty harsh thing to say. Do you have some sort of proof that can back up your claim? Did he harm you in some way?” Loren questioned Anna.

But she shook her head again.

“You don’t understand! He is not what he appears to be! He is not what he seems!”

“I understand, I get it. Sometimes, men can be monsters. Even the highest of those in authority can sometimes forget themselves to commit great acts of evil: but whatever he did to you, he will be brought to justi—“

“YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!” Anna shouted. “I mean he is truly a demon in human flesh!”

                                  

This finally got Loren’s attention.

             

“Do you think that because of what he did? Or do you actually think?…” Loren trailed off, not even sure what it was that this woman was implying, or if she even wanted to be apart of it if it was true.

This is way to high for an initiate too handle if it is. Loren thought to herself.

Anna huffed as she pushed back away from Loren with her arms.

“Then look for yourself!” Anna lifted her head to expose more of her neck. “He was strangling me with some sort of powers!”

                                                          

Loren leaned in to look at Anna’s neck, mostly because she had heard no falsehood from her statements.

“I don’t see any sort of markings miss Gardener.” Loren told her.

“What?! Are you sure?!” Anna asked her in disbelief.

“It’s true, there is nothing to see or any sort of marks on you.”

                                         

“I do not know about marks on my fiancée, but I think there is plenty to see here at the moment.” Came a gruff and slightly miffed sounding familiar voice.

Anna closed her eyes, as she didn’t even need to turn to see the look on Lilian’s face.

Why do I keep finding myself in these situations?!

9