The task of capture, for his majesty, fell on my shoulders. I wish that these demonic affinity users would come peacefully. But it was always a hassle. One such failure happened right under my nose. I looked at that bloody mess at a little bakery down from the barrack district.
"Looks like number 468 killed his father, then turned on his mother. At that moment, our three inquisitors showed up but were no match for 468's powers. He then turned himself over to the city guards out of grief," said the voice of Mouse, my de facto assistant. Mouse was a short but plump man with little combat prowess, which left him doing admin work even as an inquisitor.
"Are those the facts or your assumptions, Mouse?" I growled at him.
"Maam?"
"So, that was your best guess at what happened here. I swear if father had not sent me here to prove some stupid masculine agenda." I let out a large sigh. "I would not have to deal with you, imbeciles."
I didn't see why any current inquisitor soldiers I had met were even allowed to serve. Most of them had no formal education or any actual combat abilities. But, I had to do what I was told, and that was to serve the inquisitors.
"Um, do you want me to rewrite my report?" Mouse stuttered out.
"No," I let out a sigh regaining my composure, "Put what you told me in your report."
I knew what had happened here. If Mouse had any sense, he would have also figured it out. Why would 468 use his powers to kill the three inquisitors but a sword to kill his father and wound his mother? Then when it was all said and done, walk down the street to turn himself over. No, my men killed his father and attacked his mother, provoking 468 into killing them. It angered me that not only had these men failed at their jobs in every sense of the word. They also had the nerve to be overconfident in their ability to control the situation. The King wanted these demonic affinity users to be weapons of mass destruction. So he could use them to fling against his enemies. Many of these enemies still refuse to resort to using their population of demonic affinity users in this way.
"Mouse, get that report ready and formalized. We will need to report this to the general. He will want to know that our forces have dwindled once again." I said, turning back to Mouse.
Before we left the crime scene, Arnold, the captain of the capital's guard, stopped us. "Strange, isn't it that the boy used fire to kill your three inquisitors? But he did not do the same to his father and mother," Arnold mocked us. "If I were a demonic affinity user and killed my father, I would use his soul as a spell component. After all, that's where they derive all their power. So, why let the soul go out into the ether. Surely if he had what it takes to kill his father, he would not think twice about taking the soul as well?"
"You will receive a copy of our report. If you would like to submit a formal inquiry, please do so. If you disagree with this crime report, you may bring it to the King's guard. It is their place to handle grievances between the military branches," I said, trying to move past Arnold. Arnold, however, stretched out his arm, impeding my way.
"I think I will take you up on that. My cousin is already on his way over. Do you want to wait around and hand him a copy of your report yourself, or would you like me to?" Arnold grinned at me, trying to get underneath my skin. I would not break not to this man or any other. I only had a few more years of this punishment until I could escape under my father's thumb. If Arnold and his cousin wanted to make it their life's work to take down the inquisitors, I would let them. What did I care? I hated my colleagues more than anyone. With the only exceptions being 468 and the other demonic affinity users. Who hated us more than anything.
"Do what you want, Arnold. But if you think you and your cousin can come for me along with the inquisitors," I said. Trying my best to stare down at Arnold. "Well, let's say you are not the only one with a big family behind you."
"That's new! Most of you inquisitors don't have family ties. What is it that they call you again? Regie, you were telling it to me on the way over. What was it again?" Arnold turned to his second in command.
"The Tiger Princess, sir," Regie replied with the formality of a well-trained servant.
"That's right, the Tiger Princess. I don't know this family you always flaunt around. But, I guarantee you fit right in with the den of thieves that the inquisitors have become. However, let me be the first to warn you now. My family would like to see the inquisitor's authority transferred back into the hands of the King's guard. You would not be part of this when we deal the fatal blow."
"Oh yes, I forgot you Locknamores like to shove your grimy fingers into things. But, let me warn you now, this honey pot has a bear trap within," I told Arnold.
"Now you look here. No one gets to talk to me like this! My father will..."
"Oh yes, go run and tell daddy for me. And, remind him how, even with all that family pressure, you have only risen to the rank of captain. Wasn't your elder brother already a general at your age? Well, there can only be one talented one among the fallen fruit."
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Arnold went to grip his sword hilt, but Reggie moved in front of him to prevent the withdrawal of his blade.
"You dare reach for your blade? Even if we aren't a part of the same military branch, I still outrank you. Mouse, what's the punishment for threatening to attack your better?"
"Umm, 20 lashes, vice commander," Mouse squeaked back, seemingly horrified by the situation unfolding around him.
"That's right, 20 lashes. So drop to your knees and beg for my forgiveness, and I might forgive you."
"You wench, I am nobility!" Arnold started. But with a gesture was silenced by Reggie, who dropped to a knee. "Reggie, no."
"Pardon my master vice commander. He is still an immature boy. Please fulfill this servant's request and forget this happened. And, in return, we won't raise a fuss over this incident."
"Verry well. I agree with your proposal. Try and keep that master of yours on a shorter leash," I said as I shoved through the two guards. I needed to return to the headquarters and report to the general. He might not have been expecting us, but rules dictated that I informed him.
"We will have to play again, Arnold," I called back to him, "Next time, do try and be a better opponent."
I sauntered off the crime scene with Mouse in toe. That may not have been my most incredible move, especially in times like these. But I hated that kind of man more than anything.
"Tiger, should we worry about what happened?" came the voice of Mouse. We had just made it back into the inner walls of the barracks district.
"Mouse, let the general handle them," I replied.
We headed down the darkest alleyway in all of the barracks district. It stank of urine and leftover boos from the night before. Two of the more veteran Inquisitors were huddled in a doorway, passed out drunk.
I began to pour my water flask out onto both of them and said, "What you two choose to do in your private time is of no concern to me. But, please do whatever this is inside."
Maverick, the taller of the two, was the first to rub his eyes open and looked around in shock. "Tiger, did you see two girls by chance? They would have worn floral dresses and had their hair pinned up."
"Shut it. I can't feel my mouth," said the stalkier of the two, Rhino.
"Both of you clean yourselves up and report to me at the tower. Three more of our comrades have fallen. And you no longer have the day off," I said.
"Come on, Tiger, can we at least have until after high noon?" Maverick pleaded.
"Fine, but I expect you both to be ready to patrol by then."
Mouse and I continued through the maze of military-issued housing and to the tower we called a headquarters. Our accommodations were meager compared to most of the other branches of the military. But, to obtain more and better accommodations, we would need to prove ourselves and the demon affinity users a resource to the King. For now, though, we made ourselves worthwhile, patroling the portion of the walls that the tower overlooked. Our small section of the capital's defense only entitled us to any property within its walls.
"Maam, I am still worried," said Mouse.
"I said to drop it, Mouse," I scolded.
"I know, but I got nowhere else to go. So, if we get disbanded, I will end up on the streets." Mouse said.
"Well, then find a way to survive, Mouse! I honestly don't care!" I yelled at him, which was awkward since we arrived at the headquarters. I turned my back to him and began storming up the tower. Why did the general pick the highest floor of this stupid tower to be his office?
Mouse and I entered the office of the general. His office was lacking in extravagance. All it contained were simple leather couches and worn-down tables. The most expensive thing in the office was his bourbon cabinet. Sometimes I thought it was the only thing the man had left to care about. The general liked having too many drinks, even at this time of day. He was like all the other members of the inquisitors and myself. This position as general was a punishment for him. The sentencing the King enacted after the general had suffered a significant defeat as a commander in the army. He also got divorced from his wife soon after. I imagine it was because he was insufferable to be around, especially after suffering such immense humiliation.
"Sir," I said upon entering the general offices, giving him a quick salute. "Mouse and I are here to deliver the report regarding 468 and the death of three inquisitors."
"Tiger, do you know why you have risen to the top so with such ferocity?" the general stuttered out. If the empty glass was anything to go by on his desk, he was already a few drinks into the day.
"Sir?" I questioned.
"It's because people like you keep the armed forces going. I made a career of surrounding myself with people like you. People who can handle the day-to-day operations. People who only bring me problems by bringing me a solution. So what is your solution to the situation?"
"Um, sir, I guess I would better train our men on interacting with demonic affinity users. We should extract them with speed and force so they can not resist."
"Very good," the general said. He seemed to sober up, although he took another drink. "I have assigned you with Rhino and Maverick to do a pickup in Hillcrest. I expect you to train them in your new tactics. Also, I will send you a long-term field assignment soon. Expect it to be a challenging assignment with some real danger." The general drank some more in his stupor. He must have thought he was clever for coming up with that all on the spot.
"Sir, I would be better for you here than on a road assignment. Besides, the Locknamores are still plotting behind your back."
"Hahaha, those buffoons always think they know the best military practices. I will have another talk with the head of the household. I told him last time that I would never accept another Locknamore near my command. After that, the idiot of a successor retreated instead of leading the cavalry as I instructed." The general's eyes glowed with an everlasting fire. I knew that if the Locknamores continued to annoy the man, he might decide to kill them. As the general alluded to, he was not in his position because of his prowess as a military mind. His true power was as a weapon. He was even more ferocious and deadly in battle than the most robust demonic affinity user.
"Yes, sir," I handed the general the report and left him to spend his day drinking. With any luck, the meeting with the Locknamores would go wrong, and the general would have his way with them. I would not mind seeing their family in tatters and would not miss working under a drunk.