HOME | DD

Description
Groups of armoured men marched through the streets, disorganized and overzealous. Growing cacophonies of sound emerged and faded as groups sped up to an unnecessarily fast pace or slowed down from a speed borne of excessive enthusiasm.

But it was an unpleasant din, reflective of its uncivil nature. While it began in a humble manner, going door to door to ask casually if anyone had seen the blond-haired escapee, it soon became chaotic and harsh.

The catalyst to the event was the mixed population of the city-states; many who lived there were grey-coloured victims, fleeing too late from the deadlands' corruption to escape unscathed. To the overzealous, naive crusaders, this was anathema to all they stood for: human manifestations of the darkness they fought, living in their midst. Now given the right to fulfill their duty to their best ability, how could they stand for it?

Yet in turn, how could the entirety of a new race of people stand for such oppression where there was none before?

Even if they could, they wouldn't. Riots and fights began to break out on the streets and in houses.

Among the chaos, having failed at his hopeless attempt to withhold peace, a lone soldier, possessing the rank of corporal, fled the battle to inform his superiors.

***

"So, where are we headed?" Asked Reina, looking around as she followed William.

"Well, there're some accommodations we can make at least some use of at the peacekeepers' headquarters." He replied, sounding slightly concerned. "Peacekeepers're going to be called into action if the church goes as far as I think it might." He paused, and scoffed slightly. "We just have to wait-oh."

Rapid footsteps were heard off in the distance, approaching the three. "Right on cue." Said William, looking back to see who approached. It was Thomas, clearly injured and exhausted. "Oh, capt." He said; it would have been an exclamation, but it lacked energy. "It's pretty bad back there."

"How bad?" Asked William grimly.

"We're definitely going to have to stop them, but that's not the worst of it," Said Thomas, "they've practically started a crusade."

"And how does it get even worse?" Asked William casually, to the corporal's surprise.

"How did you know... uh, nevermind." Said Thomas, shaking his head. "Well, you know what the church thinks of corrupted citizens." He said, gesturing with one hand. "And you know what people think of spontaneous oppression." He gestured with his other hand, and then clapped them together. "Violent riots, massive brawls, general lack of civility all around."

"And we're going to have to break it all up," muttered William. "Without excessive violence." He added, almost mournfully. "You're reporting back?" He asked.

"Nothing official looking, but it's definitely news." Replied the corporal. "You going to come with me?"

"Sure."

***

The peacekeepers' headquarters sat within the same city-state as the church, a significant distance away. The two contrasted in looks, just as they did in function: while one served to make an impression – just as the cathedral stood tall above the city with its ornate designs – the other was there to perform a simple function without any unnecessary extravagance.

"Well, I guess we're staying here for the next while," Said William, looking at the various shared accommodations. "The beds are down the hallway to the left; there's a map if you need it."

"Well, thanks again, Will." Said Reina, sighing. "Hopefully we'll be able to return to our original homes when this gets cleared up."

"Yeah," William said, frowning. "I can't be a part of this solution, though."

"Right." Affirmed Reina. She knew better than he did – William was never a particularly diplomatic person – what consequences would come if one of the people sheltering the wanted child was an active agent in quelling the church's uprising. "Um..." She said, her tone suddenly changing to a slightly uneasy one.

She didn't finish the sentence. "No, I don't." Answered William. "We'd better get him before-"

"Attention all personnel! We have a B-class security breach! Unknown agents of unknown numbers are currently in the vicinity of this building and on the loose; capture them by any means possible."

"Too late." Said Reina. William brought a hand to his forehead with an audible whap, closing his eyes. "Let's split up and see if we can find him." She said, already heading off. "Or see if he finds us." She added as she left.

William broke into a run down the other hallways, cursing Caliandros. "When I get that obnox-" He stopped, letting out a small yelp as he lost his balance to a sudden weight on his shoulders. He tumbled and fell, his swords causing a loud clatter as he landed.

Looking up, he could hear a childish giggling. He turned his head, and saw Caliandros, who, while his giggling was quiet, was doubled over in laughter.

"...please don't tell me I just missed you that whole time." Mumbled William as he stood, regaining his composure.

"Oh no, don't worry, Uncle Will." Said the child in his ever-cheerful tones. "I was invisible!"

"You had the whole base on B-alert, you little brat!" Exclaimed William, reaching around and lifting Caliandros up by the back of his shirt. "And it's up to me to explain the situation."

"That's not a nice thing to call people, Uncle Will." Scolded the child in an imperious tone that no adult could manage.

"I'm not nice." William replied, heading to the communications room. Reaching his destination, he opened the door, walking in and tracing a symbol labelled "announcements". It flared to life, and he waited a moment before speaking him.

"Attention, all personnel." He announced calmly, "This is Captain William Skycall of Toril's peacekeeping force. The security breach has been identified and is not a threat." He stopped, and continued in the same tone; nobody could see the grin that crept across his face. "Oh, and it was an eight year old kid. Have a nice day!" And with that, he wiped at the shape of the rune, extinguishing its glow and ending the announcement.

As he walked out of the room, Caliandros still in hand, other soldiers had already begun to approach him.

"Is that the culprit?" Asked one of them, pointing at the dangling child.

"As emasculating as I'm sure it is, yes." Replied William, smiling thinly.

"Oh c'mon, capt, he's a kid, he couldn't-"

"Hey, Cal, care to try that trick again?" William asked, breaking into a grin. Caliandros giggled without word as he was let down, tracing symbol after symbol...

And never hit the ground, instead floating and vanishing shortly thereafter.

"Security breach is all yours, sarge." He said to the man in front of him, whose expression was frozen in a portrait of shocked disbelief. "Don't play around too long, though; you're gonna get deployment orders soon."

"...did he-"

"Yes."

***

William sat waiting in the common area of the peacekeepers' headquarters, sighing. The others had already moved out, but he had received specific orders to stay behind, due to his personal involvement in the issue that the church was in uproar over. In short, he was bored out of his mind.

"Hey, Will, come help us unload this, will ya?" Came Reina's voice from down the hallway.

"Us?" Asked William in reply, standing up.

"Adrian just brought in a shipment, and I don't think we need him on the streets right now, all things considered."

"Ah, got it." Said William, heading down the hallway. He met with Reina and the other man known as Adrian. They were carrying a large crate down the hallway, and they shifted the balance of its weight as he came to help, letting him take one end. They carried it to the armoury, placing it down inside.

"So, are we the only ones manning this place?" Asked Reina, looking around at the numerous weapons in the room.

"Pretty much, except Adrian's not part of the peacekeepers." Said William, his tone fairly relaxed. It went without word that Adrian would stay in the headquarters for the duration of the church's ordered rampage.

There was a reason that William had so chosen, without word, to disobey military protocol and keep Adrian in the base: That he was corrupted. It wasn't, however, simply that he was corrupted, but he was a prime example of stereotypical, visual corruption. His skin was painted in shades of grey, and his hair had likewise greyed out. One of his eyes was normal, but another was partially clouded over by an inky black shade.

He had done nothing wrong; he ran a near-essential business with the magical skills he possessed, and broken no legal protocol. Yet this new order of the church sent out not religious citizens but crusaders, uncaring for the law or civility. All they would see is grey skin and dark colours, and he would be condemned simply by those visual aspects.

A series of knocks echoed throughout the base, amplified magically. Somebody was at the main door. "I'll get it." Said William, heading down the hallway to the entrance. He stopped in front of the main door, placing his hand on a rune beside it. "I'm going to need your identification and individual passcode." He stated, barely keeping stark cynicism out of his tone.

"We are from the church-"

"Yeah, no." Said William, cutting them off and de-activating the sound-amplifying rune. He had had enough foolishness from the church to last him a lifetime.

As he walked away, the main door exploded.

"And we do not take kindly to being denied." Said the man at the front of the group who was now entering. He, unlike the others, was dressed in formal clothes, not made for combat. Small trails of smoke seemed to originate from his hand, indicating that the door's explosion was his fault.

"Captain Skycall!" He declared, in a tone dripping with smooth yet social malice. "I was wondering where you were; I hadn't seen you outside."

"Well, now you've got me." Replied William, stopping in his tracks. "You're in blatant violation of the law; what do you want?"

"I'm merely acting on the orders of my superior," Said the leading priest smugly. "I know this doesn't legally excuse my actions, but I'm sure that I can get some legal advantage."

"And you're here for?"

"The same thing as everything else, captain. Don't be stupid." He sighed, and the smile dropped off his face. "I'm not so intelligent, unlike you might first believe. I came here because I knew you'd be here, thanks to your direct involvement in the earlier issues." He paused for a moment, smiling again. "And where you are, the child will also be."

"You're not getting him." Stated William, staring at the men in front of him coldly.

"Now, captain, I'm not overzealous, but I see... quite the monetary opportunity in that child." He was still smiling, but when he spoke again there was no pleasantly social vibe in his voice. "And that is why, on my orders, there are fourteen of us. Even if you can stop us all, one will escape to alert us all to your location."

Footsteps were heard from down the hallway, shortly followed by Reina and Adrian rounding the corner. Adrian came first; it was likely she hadn't stopped him in time. Or was unable to, choosing not to resort to force, it occurred to William – he was never able to escape her when he tried.

"He's corrupted!" Exclaimed one of the armoured men behind the leading priest. "We have to-"

"Now, now, don't be too hasty." Said the leader, cutting him off. "I'm sure we'll-" He, in turn, was cut off by Caliandros, who now flew around the corner, stopping to observe the new visitors.

"Hey, who are they?" Asked the child, tilting his head slightly.

"They've got the child!" Shouted another.

"He's the one!"

"Get him!" The chaos among the group grew, and then fell silent as the quiet echo of William drawing his swords resonated across the hallway.

"You're not leaving with the child. You are leaving Adrian alone, and you are leaving alone. Now. " His voice was quiet, almost a whisper, but the disgust and rage made it seem louder than a scream to those who heard it. "If you attempt anything, I will be acting in self-defense," He continued, pointing one sword at the leader of the group. "And I will not hesitate to kill any of you."

"Brave." Said the priest, frowning. He traced a simple magic symbol in the air, creating a semitransparent shield of force as William attacked in reponse. "But I know your kind. You're smart; you won't hesitate." He smirked, tracing the symbols of another spell. "But neither will I."

He finished tracing the symbols, and portals opened, spewing flames down the hallway. William withdrew, narrowly dodging to the side; Reina grabbed Caliandros and did likewise, as did Adrian.

"Kill him first!" Shouted the priest, pointing to William. "He'll kill you all if you try to get past him!" For one of them, it was already too late; William cut him down, and attacked another. The second, however, was not as slow, and he blocked William's blow. Soon, several more attacked, forcing William into a gradual retreat to avoid being surrounded.

The unarmoured priest smiled, and followed the other path, where Reina and Caliandros had gone. He turned the corner, and was promptly struck several times; he couldn't even tell the number of blows.

He was not, however, subdued, and he desperately conjured up another shield against whoever his attacker was, orienting himself. The only one who stood on the other side was a woman, unassuming but apparently lethal. None of the others were with her; they had presumably retreated.

He said nothing, and began to cast another spell. This time, the symbol glowed for a brief moment, and then flashed with lightning, striking instantly. And he took another two blows before he conjured another forcefield, panting heavily. The spells he cast were draining him, at the speed he cast him. Yet this woman had anticipated the spell's path well enough to attack him even as he cast it.

Leaving the forcefield intact, the priest turned and ran. He caught up to the group fighting with William, and ordered the man at the back to retreat and call for backup. Meanwhile, he concluded, he would have to deal with the captain, even if it required ruthless means. Standing back, he slowly began to trace a powerful destructive spell. William noticed him, but there was little he could do – he was now cornered by his attackers.

And again, the spell was disrupted by blows. But this time, it would be the last he saw.

The priest hit the ground with a thud in front of Reina. "Sorry about about that, Will," She shouted over the din of combat. "He's got a pretty strong shield."

"No problem, but-" William paused as he parried two blows while narrowly avoiding a third. "Will you give me a hand, here?" Reina didn't respond, but she moved quickly into the midst of William's attackers from behind.
Seeing an unarmed woman, they hesitated to defend themselves. Seeing aggressive enemies, Reina did not hesitate in attacking. In a moment, she had struck two of William's attackers down. Using this as a distraction, William cut a third man down.

In theory, the armoured members of the clergy held the advantage; eight of them still stood, against two.

In practice, Reina and William, on opposite sides of the hallway, had them surrounded. And William, angry, offended, and still in the heat of battle, held true to his words: he didn't hesitate to kill any of them. He immediately lunged forward and cut down two, and began to strike down more as they lost their co-ordination and will.

Seconds later, they were all dead. William was breathing heavily through clenched teeth, his fists white with pressure around his bloodied swords. This, to Reina, was worrying; although William seemed to be composed, this was the equivalent of a blind fury to him. He had lost it, if only for a moment.

He sheathed his swords with unnecessary pressure, making a loud noise as he did so. His breathing began to relax, and he slouched slightly. He was also aware that he had lost it for a moment, just by the feeling of combat.

To him, killing was a visceral and brutal task, for all he performed the act. He still felt his blows, and he knew what he did. In the moment that he had cut down the remainder of the priests, he hadn't felt it so noticeably – it simply felt natural.

"Will..."

He sighed, looking down for a moment before straightening his posture and speaking normally. "You missed one, right?" He asked, but it was hardly a question. "We've got to get out of here. Adrian too, considering him."

"I know." Said Reina, looking sadly at William. He looked back at her, and the two stared at each other for a time, giving way to silence.

William broke off, looking away, and walked off without word to get the others.

Description
Groups of armoured men marched through the streets, disorganized and overzealous. Growing cacophonies of sound emerged and faded as groups sped up to an unnecessarily fast pace or slowed down from a speed borne of excessive enthusiasm.

But it was an unpleasant din, reflective of its uncivil nature. While it began in a humble manner, going door to door to ask casually if anyone had seen the blond-haired escapee, it soon became chaotic and harsh.

The catalyst to the event was the mixed population of the city-states; many who lived there were grey-coloured victims, fleeing too late from the deadlands' corruption to escape unscathed. To the overzealous, naive crusaders, this was anathema to all they stood for: human manifestations of the darkness they fought, living in their midst. Now given the right to fulfill their duty to their best ability, how could they stand for it?

Yet in turn, how could the entirety of a new race of people stand for such oppression where there was none before?

Even if they could, they wouldn't. Riots and fights began to break out on the streets and in houses.

Among the chaos, having failed at his hopeless attempt to withhold peace, a lone soldier, possessing the rank of corporal, fled the battle to inform his superiors.

***

"So, where are we headed?" Asked Reina, looking around as she followed William.

"Well, there're some accommodations we can make at least some use of at the peacekeepers' headquarters." He replied, sounding slightly concerned. "Peacekeepers're going to be called into action if the church goes as far as I think it might." He paused, and scoffed slightly. "We just have to wait-oh."

Rapid footsteps were heard off in the distance, approaching the three. "Right on cue." Said William, looking back to see who approached. It was Thomas, clearly injured and exhausted. "Oh, capt." He said; it would have been an exclamation, but it lacked energy. "It's pretty bad back there."

"How bad?" Asked William grimly.

"We're definitely going to have to stop them, but that's not the worst of it," Said Thomas, "they've practically started a crusade."

"And how does it get even worse?" Asked William casually, to the corporal's surprise.

"How did you know... uh, nevermind." Said Thomas, shaking his head. "Well, you know what the church thinks of corrupted citizens." He said, gesturing with one hand. "And you know what people think of spontaneous oppression." He gestured with his other hand, and then clapped them together. "Violent riots, massive brawls, general lack of civility all around."

"And we're going to have to break it all up," muttered William. "Without excessive violence." He added, almost mournfully. "You're reporting back?" He asked.

"Nothing official looking, but it's definitely news." Replied the corporal. "You going to come with me?"

"Sure."

***

The peacekeepers' headquarters sat within the same city-state as the church, a significant distance away. The two contrasted in looks, just as they did in function: while one served to make an impression – just as the cathedral stood tall above the city with its ornate designs – the other was there to perform a simple function without any unnecessary extravagance.

"Well, I guess we're staying here for the next while," Said William, looking at the various shared accommodations. "The beds are down the hallway to the left; there's a map if you need it."

"Well, thanks again, Will." Said Reina, sighing. "Hopefully we'll be able to return to our original homes when this gets cleared up."

"Yeah," William said, frowning. "I can't be a part of this solution, though."

"Right." Affirmed Reina. She knew better than he did – William was never a particularly diplomatic person – what consequences would come if one of the people sheltering the wanted child was an active agent in quelling the church's uprising. "Um..." She said, her tone suddenly changing to a slightly uneasy one.

She didn't finish the sentence. "No, I don't." Answered William. "We'd better get him before-"

"Attention all personnel! We have a B-class security breach! Unknown agents of unknown numbers are currently in the vicinity of this building and on the loose; capture them by any means possible."

"Too late." Said Reina. William brought a hand to his forehead with an audible whap, closing his eyes. "Let's split up and see if we can find him." She said, already heading off. "Or see if he finds us." She added as she left.

William broke into a run down the other hallways, cursing Caliandros. "When I get that obnox-" He stopped, letting out a small yelp as he lost his balance to a sudden weight on his shoulders. He tumbled and fell, his swords causing a loud clatter as he landed.

Looking up, he could hear a childish giggling. He turned his head, and saw Caliandros, who, while his giggling was quiet, was doubled over in laughter.

"...please don't tell me I just missed you that whole time." Mumbled William as he stood, regaining his composure.

"Oh no, don't worry, Uncle Will." Said the child in his ever-cheerful tones. "I was invisible!"

"You had the whole base on B-alert, you little brat!" Exclaimed William, reaching around and lifting Caliandros up by the back of his shirt. "And it's up to me to explain the situation."

"That's not a nice thing to call people, Uncle Will." Scolded the child in an imperious tone that no adult could manage.

"I'm not nice." William replied, heading to the communications room. Reaching his destination, he opened the door, walking in and tracing a symbol labelled "announcements". It flared to life, and he waited a moment before speaking him.

"Attention, all personnel." He announced calmly, "This is Captain William Skycall of Toril's peacekeeping force. The security breach has been identified and is not a threat." He stopped, and continued in the same tone; nobody could see the grin that crept across his face. "Oh, and it was an eight year old kid. Have a nice day!" And with that, he wiped at the shape of the rune, extinguishing its glow and ending the announcement.

As he walked out of the room, Caliandros still in hand, other soldiers had already begun to approach him.

"Is that the culprit?" Asked one of them, pointing at the dangling child.

"As emasculating as I'm sure it is, yes." Replied William, smiling thinly.

"Oh c'mon, capt, he's a kid, he couldn't-"

"Hey, Cal, care to try that trick again?" William asked, breaking into a grin. Caliandros giggled without word as he was let down, tracing symbol after symbol...

And never hit the ground, instead floating and vanishing shortly thereafter.

"Security breach is all yours, sarge." He said to the man in front of him, whose expression was frozen in a portrait of shocked disbelief. "Don't play around too long, though; you're gonna get deployment orders soon."

"...did he-"

"Yes."

***

William sat waiting in the common area of the peacekeepers' headquarters, sighing. The others had already moved out, but he had received specific orders to stay behind, due to his personal involvement in the issue that the church was in uproar over. In short, he was bored out of his mind.

"Hey, Will, come help us unload this, will ya?" Came Reina's voice from down the hallway.

"Us?" Asked William in reply, standing up.

"Adrian just brought in a shipment, and I don't think we need him on the streets right now, all things considered."

"Ah, got it." Said William, heading down the hallway. He met with Reina and the other man known as Adrian. They were carrying a large crate down the hallway, and they shifted the balance of its weight as he came to help, letting him take one end. They carried it to the armoury, placing it down inside.

"So, are we the only ones manning this place?" Asked Reina, looking around at the numerous weapons in the room.

"Pretty much, except Adrian's not part of the peacekeepers." Said William, his tone fairly relaxed. It went without word that Adrian would stay in the headquarters for the duration of the church's ordered rampage.

There was a reason that William had so chosen, without word, to disobey military protocol and keep Adrian in the base: That he was corrupted. It wasn't, however, simply that he was corrupted, but he was a prime example of stereotypical, visual corruption. His skin was painted in shades of grey, and his hair had likewise greyed out. One of his eyes was normal, but another was partially clouded over by an inky black shade.

He had done nothing wrong; he ran a near-essential business with the magical skills he possessed, and broken no legal protocol. Yet this new order of the church sent out not religious citizens but crusaders, uncaring for the law or civility. All they would see is grey skin and dark colours, and he would be condemned simply by those visual aspects.

A series of knocks echoed throughout the base, amplified magically. Somebody was at the main door. "I'll get it." Said William, heading down the hallway to the entrance. He stopped in front of the main door, placing his hand on a rune beside it. "I'm going to need your identification and individual passcode." He stated, barely keeping stark cynicism out of his tone.

"We are from the church-"

"Yeah, no." Said William, cutting them off and de-activating the sound-amplifying rune. He had had enough foolishness from the church to last him a lifetime.

As he walked away, the main door exploded.

"And we do not take kindly to being denied." Said the man at the front of the group who was now entering. He, unlike the others, was dressed in formal clothes, not made for combat. Small trails of smoke seemed to originate from his hand, indicating that the door's explosion was his fault.

"Captain Skycall!" He declared, in a tone dripping with smooth yet social malice. "I was wondering where you were; I hadn't seen you outside."

"Well, now you've got me." Replied William, stopping in his tracks. "You're in blatant violation of the law; what do you want?"

"I'm merely acting on the orders of my superior," Said the leading priest smugly. "I know this doesn't legally excuse my actions, but I'm sure that I can get some legal advantage."

"And you're here for?"

"The same thing as everything else, captain. Don't be stupid." He sighed, and the smile dropped off his face. "I'm not so intelligent, unlike you might first believe. I came here because I knew you'd be here, thanks to your direct involvement in the earlier issues." He paused for a moment, smiling again. "And where you are, the child will also be."

"You're not getting him." Stated William, staring at the men in front of him coldly.

"Now, captain, I'm not overzealous, but I see... quite the monetary opportunity in that child." He was still smiling, but when he spoke again there was no pleasantly social vibe in his voice. "And that is why, on my orders, there are fourteen of us. Even if you can stop us all, one will escape to alert us all to your location."

Footsteps were heard from down the hallway, shortly followed by Reina and Adrian rounding the corner. Adrian came first; it was likely she hadn't stopped him in time. Or was unable to, choosing not to resort to force, it occurred to William – he was never able to escape her when he tried.

"He's corrupted!" Exclaimed one of the armoured men behind the leading priest. "We have to-"

"Now, now, don't be too hasty." Said the leader, cutting him off. "I'm sure we'll-" He, in turn, was cut off by Caliandros, who now flew around the corner, stopping to observe the new visitors.

"Hey, who are they?" Asked the child, tilting his head slightly.

"They've got the child!" Shouted another.

"He's the one!"

"Get him!" The chaos among the group grew, and then fell silent as the quiet echo of William drawing his swords resonated across the hallway.

"You're not leaving with the child. You are leaving Adrian alone, and you are leaving alone. Now. " His voice was quiet, almost a whisper, but the disgust and rage made it seem louder than a scream to those who heard it. "If you attempt anything, I will be acting in self-defense," He continued, pointing one sword at the leader of the group. "And I will not hesitate to kill any of you."

"Brave." Said the priest, frowning. He traced a simple magic symbol in the air, creating a semitransparent shield of force as William attacked in reponse. "But I know your kind. You're smart; you won't hesitate." He smirked, tracing the symbols of another spell. "But neither will I."

He finished tracing the symbols, and portals opened, spewing flames down the hallway. William withdrew, narrowly dodging to the side; Reina grabbed Caliandros and did likewise, as did Adrian.

"Kill him first!" Shouted the priest, pointing to William. "He'll kill you all if you try to get past him!" For one of them, it was already too late; William cut him down, and attacked another. The second, however, was not as slow, and he blocked William's blow. Soon, several more attacked, forcing William into a gradual retreat to avoid being surrounded.

The unarmoured priest smiled, and followed the other path, where Reina and Caliandros had gone. He turned the corner, and was promptly struck several times; he couldn't even tell the number of blows.

He was not, however, subdued, and he desperately conjured up another shield against whoever his attacker was, orienting himself. The only one who stood on the other side was a woman, unassuming but apparently lethal. None of the others were with her; they had presumably retreated.

He said nothing, and began to cast another spell. This time, the symbol glowed for a brief moment, and then flashed with lightning, striking instantly. And he took another two blows before he conjured another forcefield, panting heavily. The spells he cast were draining him, at the speed he cast him. Yet this woman had anticipated the spell's path well enough to attack him even as he cast it.

Leaving the forcefield intact, the priest turned and ran. He caught up to the group fighting with William, and ordered the man at the back to retreat and call for backup. Meanwhile, he concluded, he would have to deal with the captain, even if it required ruthless means. Standing back, he slowly began to trace a powerful destructive spell. William noticed him, but there was little he could do – he was now cornered by his attackers.

And again, the spell was disrupted by blows. But this time, it would be the last he saw.

The priest hit the ground with a thud in front of Reina. "Sorry about about that, Will," She shouted over the din of combat. "He's got a pretty strong shield."

"No problem, but-" William paused as he parried two blows while narrowly avoiding a third. "Will you give me a hand, here?" Reina didn't respond, but she moved quickly into the midst of William's attackers from behind.
Seeing an unarmed woman, they hesitated to defend themselves. Seeing aggressive enemies, Reina did not hesitate in attacking. In a moment, she had struck two of William's attackers down. Using this as a distraction, William cut a third man down.

In theory, the armoured members of the clergy held the advantage; eight of them still stood, against two.

In practice, Reina and William, on opposite sides of the hallway, had them surrounded. And William, angry, offended, and still in the heat of battle, held true to his words: he didn't hesitate to kill any of them. He immediately lunged forward and cut down two, and began to strike down more as they lost their co-ordination and will.

Seconds later, they were all dead. William was breathing heavily through clenched teeth, his fists white with pressure around his bloodied swords. This, to Reina, was worrying; although William seemed to be composed, this was the equivalent of a blind fury to him. He had lost it, if only for a moment.

He sheathed his swords with unnecessary pressure, making a loud noise as he did so. His breathing began to relax, and he slouched slightly. He was also aware that he had lost it for a moment, just by the feeling of combat.

To him, killing was a visceral and brutal task, for all he performed the act. He still felt his blows, and he knew what he did. In the moment that he had cut down the remainder of the priests, he hadn't felt it so noticeably – it simply felt natural.

"Will..."

He sighed, looking down for a moment before straightening his posture and speaking normally. "You missed one, right?" He asked, but it was hardly a question. "We've got to get out of here. Adrian too, considering him."

"I know." Said Reina, looking sadly at William. He looked back at her, and the two stared at each other for a time, giving way to silence.

William broke off, looking away, and walked off without word to get the others.