Special: Deroch

“Indra, have the trainee paladins returned from the Labyrinth?” The Inquisitor scanned over the daily intelligence reports while calling out to his longtime aide.

“No my lord, they should have returned this morning at the earliest. However some delay is within the margin of error.” The sharp Priestess who had served Deroch for the past ten years promptly responded.

Lower level delves were multi-day affairs due to the characteristics of the Labyrinth. Time… had a tendency to flow strangely down there. This combined with various obstacles and challenges served as excellent training for those who were destined to face Aberrations.

“Hmm…” Deroch wordlessly expressed his opinion on such inefficiency and tardiness. The men and women who had delved into the expanse of the Labyrinth were trainees, and could be awarded some slack. That did not mean he excused their lax behaviour in what was arguably the most prestigious assignment of their careers.

The Inquisitor was a busy man, in charge of investigating heresy and aberrations in several of Ark’s district. This was on top of organizing the Oracle’s protection detail. Five long years had been spent lobbying for a squad of paladins to augment the seven already under his command. Perhaps that was why he pinned so much hope on the tardy trainees - when the safety of so many lives were on the line.

Heaving a weary sigh, he stood up and stepped out into the paved colonnades circling the Inner Sanctum, leaning against a stone pillar to observe the Oracle from afar. The blindfolded woman was seated on the wrought iron bench, listening to the songbirds that occasionally sought solace on the glowing boughs of the Eld Tree.

He had watched her inauguration three years ago, shortly after the previous Oracle passed away, and was responsible for her protection as well as instructing her on the various duties of the role. In spite of this, he had been severely shaken after the abrupt canonisation of the Witchdoctor. After painstaking months of investigation, he had lured the suspected Aberration into this holiest of chambers where its powers would be sealed, and its corruption laid bare. All she had to do was confirm its nature, but had betrayed him at the last moment.

‘How… and when was she corrupted?’

The speculation that their Oracle was compromised bordered on Heresy, but Deroch was an old hand and could smell the stench of wrongness from a mile away. He approached the woman of unworldly beauty with a disapproving frown on his face.

“I greet your Eminence this fine morning.”

“Hello Inquisitor. You do not have to worry about your trainees. They will return before dusk.” Alya softly replied with her face turned to the Eld Tree.

“… That is good to know.” Deroch paused for a moment, taken off guard by the sudden declaration. He countered by scrutinizing her features while divulging some information.

“I met the Witchdoctor yesterday, here, at the main hall of the Cathedral...” He began, and saw the hint of surprise from her raised eyebrows. “He sat on the pews, praying for half an hour until I eventually approached him. He told me… the most interesting thing.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“…What did he say?” Alya’s expression was strangely serious when Deroch didn’t immediately continue.

“He informed me, in not so many words… that a Wraith was encountered housing the soul of his departed friend.” Deroch’s voice took a steely edge, “Your old mentor failed to mention in his report that the Infested Edifice held such power.”

“Father Jonas failed to report it because he didn’t know. It was Exill that faced the Aberration in its sepulchre.” The edges of her lips twitched upwards in quiet satisfaction.

“Did you know it wielded such power?” Deroch was afraid to know the truth, and his heart fell further when the Oracle didn’t reply. He stood still for a minute, and with some reluctance, used the last remaining card in his arsenal, pushing the envelope further.

“He wanted to know what will happen to his companions when his lie is exposed.”

“He wouldn’t ask such a…” Alya trailed off as she sensed the truth in his words. She hesitated, knowing the deceit and limitations of her power had been unwittingly exposed. The Inquisitor was beyond satisfied at what the interrogation had revealed, and performed a small mercy by disclosing the rest of the conversation.

“I told him that provided they haven’t harmed the World Spirit, or its citizens, they will not be harmed; as long as they willingly cooperate with the Church.”

“For our sakes… I hope you keep your word.” The Oracle’s tone was accusingly glacial, and the Inquisitor felt his breath frost briefly in the air.

“I always keep my word.” Deroch’s chillingly blue eyes lit up in affront. As soon as their discussion was over, he turned to find Indra, his aide who rushed over and began talking in hushed tones.

“My lord, we just received reports of ghouls in the western slum district…”

“Tell me something I don’t know. Let the city guard deal with it.” Deroch dismissed her easily while stepping into his office. The appearance of corpse eating ghouls in the slum area was a common occurrence, and hardly warranted his attention. More important was preparing for the arrival of the Paladin trainees this evening, as the Oracle had predicted.

“My apologies, I meant to say the guards discovered the desiccated corpses of three ghouls, and early investigations revealed they were dry husks, on the verge of disintegrating.” Indra hurriedly corrected herself, smoothing her red priest robe in embarrassment.

The Inquisitor stood frozen near the entryway to his office in quiet contemplation. The appearance of ghouls was quite commonplace, but he had never heard of a monster that preyed on the corpse eaters in such a fashion.

“Assemble my team, and prepare to lock the Inner Sanctum down while I’m gone.” He ordered, then stepped out to gaze once more at the Oracle, seated at her bench. “Leave four paladins behind to guard this place.” He quietly added, then hurried to the armoury.

It was a small room only accessible from the Inner Sanctum, and Deroch withdrew an adamantium key and channelled mana into its twin enchantments to unseal the locking mechanism. A series of clacks indicated the door could be opened, and he stepped eagerly inside to inspect the arsenal of holy artefacts.

Chief among them was the ‘Eye of Behelit’, a grotesque lidded eye affixed on top of veiny wooden staff. It could only be wielded by the Oracle and could immediately detect any aberration within the vicinity despite the Labyrinth’s gravitational pull.

Deroch pursed his lips. He had often ventured forth with Alya’s predecessor on hunts within the maze like warrens of Ark, and back then, the grotesque artefact had made rooting out evil a trivial affair. Perhaps old age was beginning to affect him, but he was reluctant to risk the Oracle’s safety on such ventures, not with only a squad of paladins for support.

‘This will have to do…’

He withdrew three gently glowing vials of blessed water, and a single vial that emitted a pale golden light. This last one was the most valuable, and had been personally blessed by the Archbishop some months ago. It never hurt to be too careful.

“My lord, I have sent messengers to have your team meet you at the site.” Indra hurriedly reported the facts while he resealed the armoury.

“Good. Now, take me to where the ghouls were found.” Deroch’s gaunt face lit up in quiet determination.