Servant of the Lord

Another Hooded figure took hold of Liel, forcing her forward as she walked alongside Ciaphas. He had a proud look about him, a smile that spoke of his confidence, an aura like he couldn’t be felled, even by the sharpest blade.

“You’re an interesting one, young Miss. I wonder why a Paladin would strike one of their own? At least, to that extent, it’s quite uncommon…”

“Not a Paladin. A Crusader.” Liel retorted, keeping an unwavering expression. “I never took the sort of vows that speak of things like brotherhood.”

“Hah, no wonder… you do give off that ‘lone wolf’ demeanor. What Deity do you serve?”

“That’s not a very pleasant question to ask. Where are your manners?”

“I’m not bound by the pleasantries of an honourable man. I’m prone to asking you all sorts of personal questions, and you’re prone to answering me, seeing as how you’re a prisoner.”

“Whatever…” Liel murmured, her gaze glancing away from the Roamer’s Leader, surveying the rest of the camp she had been unable to see from where they were being kept. All Roamers wore that common black-hooded cloak, although some had removed it despite the snowfall. Some prepared rations for travel, others sharpening blades or mending clothes. If she weren’t aware of the terrifying creatures that lurked underneath their robes, she might have thought them a normal mercenary group.

Soon, they came to the longtent at the head of the encampment, entering. Liel’s skin suddenly become imbibed by colour, warmth flooding her body. There was a fire in the center of the longtent, smoke funneled through a pipe above, bathing the room in a calm, inviting atmosphere.

At the right end of the tent, there were several wooden barrels that let off a bitter, sweet scent- alcohol perhaps.

Ciaphas gestured towards two chairs in the center of the tent, right next to the fire. “Sit. I’d like to know about you, young Miss. You can refuse to answer my questions, but if you decide to take that route, I’ll just stick you back out there in the cold with your comrades.”

“I wouldn’t call them comrades…”

“Oh?” Ciaphas suddenly became intrigued. Of course, this had been Liel’s ploy from the start. She thought she shouldn’t waste Torres’s bloodshed, using this opportunity to act to the fullest.

They both sat across from each other, the Hooded figure dismissed by Ciaphas, leaving them alone together. Her hands were bound, but she could definitely kill him from this distance. The scythe he had used when dueling against Torres sat at the edge of the tent, wrapped in cloth. He would be left bleeding and twitching before he could reach his weapon, but that would alarm the Roamers, and they would all be killed.

After all, Torres and Graham had only been taken due to Ciaphas’s whims, having a past connection with them. If the Roamers hadn’t been led by him, they might have killed them already.

“My name is Ciaphas. Ciaphas Liebrandt. Might I trouble you for your name, young Miss?”

‘He has more social prowess than that Chieftain, offering his name first… how hilarious.’

“Liel. Liel de Astalette.”

“An Astalette?” Ciaphas’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me… you’re…”

“Her daughter.”

He let out an ecstatic guffaw. “A daughter of Eulalie Astalette, in my presence? You know, I knew your mother… well, I knew of her. She was a couple of years above me. I remember her graduation ceremony. She was quite brazen, declaring that she would become the greatest Paladin to ever take up arms…”

The rune on the side of his face was pitch-black, and would twitch at times, causing the flesh of his cheek to wriggle.

“Your mother is considered a hero in so many worlds… on par with Lady Lenaria… in my world, she’s considered a great enemy.”

“Why do you refer to her as ‘Lady’, as if you still hold respect for her?” This was truly intriguing to Liel. Lenaria was the Deity responsible for relieving the False Lord of Horror, Eurussil, of one of his arms. She was formerly a human who had first fought against Horror, nearly at the cost of her life, ascending to Godhood near the moment of her death. It was said that she became part of the Tree in order to renew herself, and that all Deities guard the Tree until she returns.

She was the first Paladin, the reason for the assembling of the Templar and the Seminary.

So why would the Leader of the Roamers, someone that they called a ‘General’ refer to someone like Lenaria with respect?

Ciaphas shrugged, chuckling. “It’s a lifetime of habit. It’s hard to shake. Our Lord doesn’t care about such insignificant things, they are beneath a Deity.”

“What is everyone’s obsession with treating Gods above men? Aren’t they just soldiers with significant power?” Liel sighed as she leaned back in her seat.

“Now who’s the one who seems unfit for their position?”

“I was never obsessed with the idea of fighting nobly in a war. I just wanted to live a peaceful life…” While she had been trying to portray herself in a sympathetic light, this much was the truth. “I was only supposed to bless a harvest in a small town. I didn’t mean to get caught up in any of this, much less end up here…”

“So why fight with your comrade? Why make it harder for yourself than it already is?”

“That man… Graham, he insulted me. I’m not usually one to take offense to things, but even I have my insecurities. His Captain, Torres, seems kind enough, but even he was prone to defend his comrade, even if he was being rude… we ended up fighting, and I hit him. I don’t really care about this honourable farce, anymore…”

She still had Torres’s blood on her hands. It was ironic. She had harmed more friends than foes since she had come to Hel.

“That sounds like Torres…” Ciaphas gave off a sympathetic smile as he leaned on his hand.

‘Perfect. The reason I made up the story about Graham was because I thought Ciaphas wouldn’t believe that kind Mr. Torres wouldn’t say such things, but he would certainly come to the defense of his comrade over someone perceived as a stranger in a confrontation.’

The second condition of her plan had been fulfilled.

“Torres is a tragic man… forced to fight just because he chose to love. If an entity tasked with defending the people can’t allow its soldiers small pleasures, then what good is it? Will I really be able to find peace if I continue to be a Crusader?” She had been staring at the fire, watching it dance and wave.

“That’s how I once felt. I thought there was no true freedom in the way that everyone lives… Deities, what good are they if people still live menial lives?”

‘An irony… what good of a life can you live working for the enemy who causes such menial life to flourish?’

Ciaphas smirked, reaching his hand down to his pant leg, procuring a knife that had been tucked in his boot. He leaned forward grasping Liel’s wrist as he cut through the ropes around her hands, freeing her. She looked up at him with surprise.

‘Ah, if I had attacked him, he would have had a weapon anyway… I would have died. Did I unintentionally pass a test?’

“Miss Astalette, how would you like to join us? The weather is a bit warmer at the tower, and the rations are probably a bit nicer than whatever Torres had. Of course, it might not compare to a meal in Eddhet, but freedom is a condition you’ll gain in full, something you might not have living anywhere else.”

‘He mentioned the tower again… does he mean the Blackspire tower? One of the four towers in each of the quadrants of Hel’s labyrinth… a General… is he one of the four Generals under the Lord of Horror?’ Liel’s gaze shook, finally having connected the pieces. In actuality, she wasn’t just plotting against some mercenary who chose to betray his comrades, but a seasoned soldier serving under the Lord of Horror, Eurussil.

“I’m not sure… it’s just the complete opposite end of the spectrum of life in comparison to the way I’ve been living…”

Ciaphas chuckled. “I understand, it was like that for me, too. You wouldn’t have to declare yourself to our Lord. There are many people who live at the tower who aren’t servants of Lord Eurussil. They are farmers, shepherds, seamstresses… it is a normal life, a peaceful life. It is what you seek, only under a different dominion, a less restrictive one…”

“Can I ponder it?”

“I wouldn’t have trusted you if you had accepted it straight away.” Ciaphas smiled. “I’ll allow you the freedom to walk around the camp while you think about it. Even if you don’t accept my offer, I’ll let you go. The way to the Templar’s encampment is around a hundred kilometers west of here. If you want to go back there, I’ll give you enough rations to last around half the journey. The food past the fifty-kilometer range should be somewhat edible.”

“Why do so much for me?”

“Because you remind me of how I used to be. It’s a bit… nostalgic.”

“Ah, I don’t know if I can go back to them… I hit Torres pretty hard. He might not hold a grudge, but Graham does seem like that type of person…”

“There’s an empty building to the right of this tent. It’s been repaired fairly sufficiently, and I think there’s a firepit in the center underneath the floorboards. You can use it until we adjourn for the tower in three days. Try and finalise a decision before then.”

Liel nodded her head, slowly standing up from her seat. The skin around her wrists ached, but she felt as if her general state had improved by sitting near the fire. Now, even if he had a weapon, she might be able to take him down…

“If anyone tries to touch you, no… if they even look at you, send them my way. You’re my guest now, Ms. Astalette.” Ciaphas smiled genially.

“Would they really do such a thing?” A genuine shiver ran down Liel’s spine.

“They’ve accepted the Lord more than a Vassal usually would. They’re very aggressive towards what they want to take, and they usually share it all between them. If they decide that they want you… well, if that happens, tell them you’re not to be taken. If they can’t accept that, I’ll talk to them myself.”

‘No, let’s stick with the plan… there’s no point in doing it now. I’ll only get Torres and Graham killed…’

“Thank you, Sir.” She bowed her head slightly to the man.

“You can call me Ciaphas. Only my subordinates call me sir.”

As she began to exit the tent, she unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt, revealing her collarbones slightly. She also undid the strap of her cloak, and ruffled the furs around her shoulders, giving off the appearance of having been unclothed just moments before.

Then, she waltzed back out into the cold, unshackled and ready to start the next phase of her plan.

She would make the Roamers dance.