“After the death of his holiness the founder, we the order of the holy inquisition were established by his holiness Greender the incorrupt, seventh to be the sacred voice of light, heir to the incorruptible blood of the founder, and by his order we have served under the light of the voice for his supreme grace” – excerpt from the sacred mandate of the order – Initiation speech page 6
Chapter 4: The Monster Unleashed
POV: Dominus
The sound of constant running, and the rumble of the hooves were the music that reached my ears when I woke up, perhaps that was the only good thing I could hear all day. Dominus got up from the car he was in, cleaned himself up and made sure that his uniform was impeccable, the red and white should be as pristine as his most holy majesty.
As you leave, you are greeted by an expected, yet unwanted sight. The forest surrounded the brigade, the best 3000 soldiers in the entire holy order having been transferred from their old units to this new elite brigade. And yet we had spent 2 years and 3 months trying to fulfill our first mission.
The bitter taste of defeat and the memory of the multiple veiled and direct insinuations of incompetence had risen in my throat, forcing me to spit. Looking up, he saw the group of explorers approaching him.
" Colonel , we are two hours from the village. According to scouts, a much stronger trail has been confirmed. Additionally, they report that the village appears to be conspicuously close to a destroyed portal, which could explain the increased mana flow that They asked us to investigate," the explorer reported with some fear in his voice.
Dominus frowned, annoyed at the delay in completing his mission and the lack of results. His patience had run out long ago, the court had made it clear in the last letter he received that this foray to search for them would be the last under his command if there were no results, and now he found an opportunity to vent his anger and frustration on the inept insects. that they had given him, what a mockery of elites, if they could not find two people in two years.
"You incompetent assholes! Instead of all coming to me with the report, didn't you guys go after the trail and explore the area further? You just come telling me that now you've found a solid trail!" Dominus exclaimed , leaving escape his killing intent with a cruel laugh. "Do you think that I am going to bear with your incompetence in front of the court? Is that what they expect, I see, that they change their colonel"
The scouts fell back in fear as Dominus strode toward them. The entire convoy stopped dead, not just the scouts, or the soldiers, even the officers, every living thing for miles remained silent, not wanting to give an excuse to the being that emitted such a terrifying aura. Without warning, hundreds of birds in the trees , deer, wild boars, and every creature in the forest within a 10 km radius fell to the ground with foam at their mouths, the soldiers around Dominus they fell to their knees under his pressure, he grabbed the first by the neck and violently pushed him against a nearby tree.
"You despicable worm," Dominus said , his voice full of contempt. "Your incompetence stains the name of the holy order. You and your scouts are sinners, you will receive a punishment commensurate with your unworthiness."
With a swift movement, Dominus launched the man into the air, and flicking his wrist downwards, a spear of light manifested above the man's head, gravity doing the work as the man fell the spear pierced his skull and out the man's head. middle of his legs in the lower part of his body , .
"You can stay here and reflect on your worthlessness. Perhaps then your brothers will learn a lesson and redeem themselves," Dominus said , glaring mercilessly at the scout's corpse.
Showing no mercy, he turned to the other scouts, whose faces reflected palpable fear.
"Is not our lord of light merciful?" Dominus asked rhetorically, making the scouts tremble. "There will be no more incompetence, I want explorers in the gem, if you can recover it, bring it back, if not, destroy it, the rest of us will advance to that town at a forced march and we will put it under martial law, I want every corner and every soul of that town under our control before nightfall".
Dominus ordered his soldiers, turning his body to get back into his chariot.
"In this raid we either find you or none of you will return to the capital"
With his last words Dominus disappeared from the sight of his men.
Inside his car, Dominus dropped his face full of anger, underneath that was a face of terror, he did not want to die, he knew perfectly well what his actions would cause, but to choose between low morale and fear, or his own death, he knew he would choose at any moment, his men were replaceable he was not.
He stretched out his hand to the book on the small table inside the car, with the symbols of the order.
"Sacred Mandate of the Order"
Turning the pages to the end Dominus couldn't laugh bitterly at the seventh king's hypocrisy.
"Corruption is the biggest hit, and therefore unforgivable, there can be no commoners or corrupt nobles in our kingdom, only those who are saints like me are free from such evils"
“Only saints like me”, Dominus thought to himself , or in other words “only I can be corrupt”.
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POV: Richard
Richard's heart was pounding as he watched the macabre scene unfold before his eyes in the distance. He had witnessed Dominus , the order's cruel Colonel , murder one of his companions with inhuman brutality. Fear enveloped him completely, Dominus had been cruel, he had been a hypocrite preaching holiness and being a heretic, he had even witnessed more than once the atrocities committed by the order on the villagers, but the order had never allowed a murder in this way, and never on one of the order itself.
His legs trembled while his mind struggled with reality, he, like many others, had not entered this macabre organization for taste or pleasure, he had been a victim like most of the order's cruelty, his decision had been to allow his wife to be raped. sister or agree to break their oaths to be sworn to the order. Back then his decision had been a simple one.
He knew too well the price he would pay, and there were already witnesses of what would happen to those who did not accept the "benevolence of the order". Richard wasn't a brave man, never had been, probably actually the most cowardly of the order members, but he did know one thing, and it was that no matter how many times he thought about it, there was no way this group was going to find someone. Eleanor and Lían the cursed couple.
He had no idea and to be honest he didn't care how the hell two people of such a low level could escape the augurs, druids and priests, but without any of them he could find them neither would a brigade designed for fighting. Although she had been able to keep track of them at first, the track soon cooled down, the priests and augurs said that she was pregnant and therefore it would now be impossible to track her until she gave birth and her mana returned to normal. What that would mean.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The fact that they could be traced to this place was merely because Eleanor was long overdue to give birth and the magic or whatever they had done to escape had weakened enough that a priest could briefly find them. a month ago, and that was how long it had taken them to find them despite that brief glimpse, it had taken them a year following the cold trail to the present to find them again.
Richard knew he had a decision to make: return to camp and probably die searching for the cursed couple or try to run, desert.
His mind conflicted with the decision he was about to make. He knew that if he stayed, his fate would be the same as his partner's. Dominus would not stop until he removed any trace of his supposed incompetence. The explorer understood that risking persecution as a deserter was preferable to facing the cruel fate that awaited him.
With a determination forged in fear, Richard called to his companion, the Hawk that had allowed him to see and hear what was happening in the camp, this was the most opportune moment to flee, Leaping into the branches of the trees he began a reckless run. towards the forest surrounding the town and in the direction of the mountains of blood.
Quickly glancing at his partner who was flying just above him, he felt somewhat relieved, as he got deeper into the forest, the feeling of relief mixed with uncertainty. Would he be able to escape Dominus 's relentless pursuit ? Would he find a safe place to hide? Richard had no answers, but his instincts told him he had to move on.
The sun was beginning to sink over the horizon when Richard stopped to catch his breath. Her lungs burned with the exertion, and her mind filled with images of Dominus ' merciless punishment . His body despite all his levels and having specialized in his abilities for long swings, showed signs of being at its limit, Richard returned his attention to his condition.
LV : 45 Experience : 27 500/43 7625
Health : 1349/1349 Stamina : 115/805 Mana : 312/373
[ Attributes ]
Strength : 108
Dexterity : 153
Constitution : 134
Mind : 28
Senses : 98
Attribute Points : 105
[ Skills ]
Prodigious Dash ( Lv : 30)
Archery ( Lv : 30)
Companion Connection ( Lv : 30)
Watchtower Eyes ( Lv : 28)
Sword Arts ( Lv : 25)
Shield Usage ( Lv : 8)
Poison Resistance ( Lv : 12)
Leap ( Lv : 18)
March ( Lv : 24)
Stealth ( Lv : 30)
“14% dammit!” Seeing his resistance practically exhausted, Richard had no choice but to slow down completely and start looking for a shelter for tonight, of course he could not fire, and he was beginning to understand that his escape trip would not be easy at all. Something I feared.
As he moved further and further away from the brigade, Richard promised himself that he would find a new path. One where he didn't have to live in constant fear of being caught and subjected to the merciless yoke of the order. He would do whatever it took to find a place where justice and empathy weren't just illusions.
Richard knew that his life had been changed forever. His loyalty to the holy order and its ideals had never existed, but at least he had taken refuge under its dark shadow. Now, he must seek his own redemption and find a new purpose in a world that seemed ruled by oppression and injustice.
With determined steps and determined eyes, Richard disappeared into the night, ready to face the dangers that awaited him in his quest for freedom and redemption.
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In the middle of the dark night, the once quiet and monotonous town was now in hellish chaos. The glow of the flames rose on the horizon, staining the evening sky one of an ominous red. The roar of the fire consuming buildings and homes was mixed with the piercing screams of those who were fighting for their lives.
Dominus , full of unleashed rage, advanced mercilessly through the burning streets. In his wake, he sowed destruction and death, not caring about the innocence or guilt of those he found in his path.
Dismembered, impaled or even cremated bodies were scattered in a circle around them, under their feet blood, urine and who knows what other liquids flowed through the streets. The doors of the houses were wide open or destroyed, torn from their frames.
The members of the holy order followed him in silence, submitted to his will and infected by the ferocity of their leader. Some among them followed him with unbridled joy into chaos and destruction, happy to have been freed to do whatever their hearts desired without any consequences for their actions.
The roar of explosions echoed through the air, as the walls of the buildings collapsed and choking smoke engulfed everything around them. People, desperate to escape the unleashed violence, ran in all directions, tripping over each other and seeking refuge in vain, those left on the ground being crushed by the crowd or consumed in the wrath of the colonel and his men. The night was filled with laments, with pleas that fell on deaf ears and with anguish that found no comfort.
The voices of the innocent joined in a heartrending chorus as Dominus relentlessly advanced. His eyes glowed with a fire of their own, fueled by a thirst for revenge and a desire to bend everyone to his will. Each step he took left a trail of destruction and despair, as if his mere presence ignited the fury that enveloped the town.
"WHERE IS ELEANOR AND LÍAN THE MADITA COUPLE, GIVE THEM UP TO SAVE THEIR LIVES!"
In the midst of that apocalyptic scenario, the colonel's cry crossed the town leaving a resounding echo between the walls of the buildings, the terrified faces of the citizens reflected horror and impotence. They had witnessed the unimaginable cruelty unleashed in front of them, and they understood that their fate was sealed. The town, once a home for all of them and a refuge for those who wished for peace, had become a hell that devoured everything in its path, the monotony that many of the inhabitants had wished for, the peace that most sought. inside, it was now ash and smoke blowing in the wind.
The crying of children, the heartbreaking cry of mothers, the groans of the wounded... everything was mixed in a cacophony of suffering. The hearts were filled with a deep pain, impregnated in their memories forever. The night became witness to an act of ruthless barbarism, in which life itself seemed to vanish in every corner of the city.
Dominus ' footsteps , cloaked in ominous silence. The night, impregnated with violence and chaos, became a gruesome scene that only left traces of pain and desolation.
In the middle of that desolate scene, a group of men dressed in broken and worn leather armor, badly repaired, wielded their swords, axes and spears. Despite trembling with fear and terror on their faces, these brave fighters stood up against the group of the order and against Dominus .
Their voices, full of determination and courage, rose in a cry of resistance. Though outnumbered and faced with an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, they did not back down. They charged forward bravely, ready to give their lives in one last act of defiance.
Dominus , allowed these men to come closer, as if mocking their heroism. He regarded them with contempt, a cruel smile dancing on his lips. The men's scream reached a crescendo when they were only 5 meters from Dominus , that's when with a simple wave of his hand, a thousand spears of light manifested from behind Dominus .
They shone with blinding intensity, ready to serve their sinister purpose. In an instant, the spears were hurtling towards the brave warriors, piercing their bodies with deadly precision.
Screams of agony filled the air as spears of light impaled men mercilessly. Their bodies fell one after another, bathing the ground in a sea of blood. His heroic gestures were cut short by the inhuman anger of Dominus , who left no room for mercy in his heart.
The scene became even more macabre when the bodies of the brave warriors remained impaled, suspended in the air like grotesque trophies. Dominus , satisfied with his brutal display of power, sneered at the fallen, as if their resistance was no more than a petty mockery.
Silence gripped the night once more, broken only by the crackling of flames and the echo of dying moans. The city, now engulfed in unspeakable terror, became a mute witness to the unleashed cruelty and relentless power of Dominus and his holy order.
As the order and its leader watched the most recent massacre, the other villagers had not stood still, the men had charged bravely, not expecting a victory, not even hoping to kill any of those monsters that had survived them, they just they had charged for an opportunity, the opportunity for their families to escape this hell.
When Dominus turned his gaze to where the villagers had been, he discovered empty streets, and open doors. Not a single soul remained in the village.
"Find them!"
Dominus 's scream of frustration was lost in the night, mixed with the crackling of the flames and the wailing of those who had fallen under his relentless wrath. Now, in the dead of night, the town was thrown into even greater chaos.
The flames danced in the streets, devouring the houses and everything in their path. Smoke billowed into the sky, obscuring the stars and shrouding the landscape in a haze of destruction. The screams of the wounded who were still convalescing from death were intermingled with the crackling of burning wood, creating a macabre symphony that echoed through the air.
Dominus , standing in the midst of the devastation he had caused, contemplated his handiwork. His eyes gleamed with a mixture of madness and wicked delight as he watched the town burn to the ground. But in his rampage of power and sadism, he didn't notice the villagers who managed to escape and were now hiding in the shadows, far into the forest where they would be hard to find.
Darkness enveloped the town, covering it with a cloak of despair and desolation. The silence of the night was broken only by the crackling of the consuming fire and the sobs of those who had lost everything. Tormented souls cried out in vain for a glimmer of hope as the town went up in flames.
Thus, with the town in flames and the darkness as a silent witness, the scene came to its tragic close, leaving behind a trail of cruelty and suffering.
However, the reason for all the destruction, the reason the monster was unleashed on the town, they had long since left, on their way to a new home, unaware of the consequences of their actions, and of the monster that had decided. untie their chains in order to persecute them.