Chapter 7 - The disastrous wedding

William awoke, the sun outside had just yet begun to rise. He made himself ready for the day and left the manor.

To start the morning and get his brain and body working he decided to take a walk. He left the noble district and was greeted by the passing guards.

Entering the merchant's districts he was met by the smell of alcohol and sweat. Man and woman alike lay around the deserted battlefield. The bravest warriors currently tried to awaken from their death. The alcohol having burned holes in their stomachs. The dead of the enemy, the hangover was wreaking havoc.

The busy merchants drove off the drunkards. Some of the old men were enjoying their wives' lovely words, stinking about their nightly adventures, into the young neighbor's bed.

Though all in all everyone walked around with a small grin adorning their dirty faces. Kids could be heard playing in the mud and young ladies gossiped about the “manly” boys of yesterday.

He made his round through the village. Stopping by the military area, he called for elder Albert and the guild master.

The old man made his way towards the lord, not much later. The mistress, lucy, following shortly.

With them, William discussed yesterday's attack. Asked after the wounded guards' wellbeing and got a report of the damage caused. The question of the hour though was, from where did these beasts come from.

Sir Albert swore to look into the origin of the rising mana levels. And lucy would station quests for killing mana-filled beasts and call for more monster slayers. They were sure to come, even without the mistress’s call. Monsters always lured in these kind of men, especially the more powerful ones.

Finally assured that the matter would be handled, if not solved outright. William made his way to the church in the merchant's district.

There, work was already at its climax. Servants were running around, preparing everything for the elder’s marriage. The lucky wife was there with her bridesmaids looking after the festival's decorations.

Banelias himself was nowhere to be found, probably couldn’t await his marriage, and was too nervous to arrive this early. William stayed with the nobles observing the ongoings.

Meanwhile discussing business or gossiping with the noblewomen. Their information network was not to be underestimated, and the power these women held was truly scary.

Towards midday, everything was prepared. The bride walked towards the altar. Her dress a dark red and violet, the color of her god, Kuronoth.

Her soon-to-be husband didn’t let her wait. Dressed in a majestic black gold suit. His look was the only thing William needed to know that he was true in his assumptions.

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When he took to the altar and the priest began his prayer, William sat there. His eyes relaxed and his mouth split in a friendly smile. He looked just as every other guest attending the, though to be, glorious wedding.

Priest: “Do you Banelias, swear to the lord Kuronoth, to stand by your wife's side until her last day.” “To you swear to honor the lord's commands and stay loyal to your wife until her last day”

The next words, leaving Banelias’s mouth, would be his hardest but last.

The command of a god was no trivial thing. It may be true that he won’t strike a husband or kill a wife for being unloyal to his/her partner. But one better follows the lord's commands when he swears upon his name.

Banelias: “I, Banelias Murony, swear upon my life and my lord's name to follow his commands. And, will stay loyal to my wife until death may separate us.”

With his last lie spoken. The fat noble fell onto his knees. The visitors expecting a poem of love were wide-eyed when the man began to spit blood.

The attending children screamed and the mothers covered their eyes. The lord's wrath was perceptible. Men went pale under its power and the dogs whined in fear.

Words left the priest's mouth, clearly not his. Proclaiming the future husband a heretic. Who defiled the lord's holy commands.

Gay men were not part of the dark lords following. And would be punished by death if part of his people.

William, his assumption proven right and a problem solved cleanly couldn’t hide his smile widening.

This day would be one remembered by the more intelligent ones. Some of the nobles, more proficient in politics, remembered the mayor's words at the grand meeting. William was the mastermind behind the scheme. Expertly crafted so that even his enemies would honor the talent behind it.

Following the disastrous wedding, a new Elder had to be assigned. William already having had his eyes on a promising merchant was quick to elevate the lucky man into his new position.

Things again calmed down after the action-packed two days. The night's attack and the disastrous wedding would be written down in books. Telling of the talented lord first trick of his beginning reign.

The increased number of monster slayers and scouts were able to get more information on the increasing mana levels. They reported the higher number of monsters, especially in the latter parts of the forest.

A party of adventurers with a boy talented in sensing mana brought the key clue. The boy sensed a steady flow of man coming from the haunted mines.

With this new information, William went around the village to get to know more about the haunted mine shaft.

Tales he got from many old hags and drunken geezers. Though in every fable a core of truth could be found.

One day, a year and a half ago, a foolish boy made his way deep into the mine. He was in search of a ring, to give to his love. Told he was of this treasure by his love herself.

She wanted the creepy man gone, loving someone else. The night he sends the dense boy into the mines was a rainy one.

Water made its way down the shafts deep in the earth. The boy, too deep in to escape the flood, drowned in the depths.

Come the day the mines were finally dry. The miners wanted to again start their business, hunting for gold deep down in the earth. What they found though was more than they could take.

Ghosts wandered the deepest of the layers of the mine. The only man that could escape the horror house even reported having seen a wraith.

A powerful ghost seeking revenge under the living. For unspeakable things done to them during their times alive.

William having heard of the numerous tales found the truth to the tale. The wanderer seeking the treasure always was a young boy seeking the treasure for love. And the miner who could flee the depth always told of a wraith down in the shafts.

He sends for a large party of adventurers who would again wander the depths. And bring him a reason for why the mine spewed out so much of the life-giving energy.