1. “My Liege?” The old paladin asked “you wanted to see me?” The self-professed “King” noticed the paladin did not kneel, but he let the transgression pass. “I am not one for kings and rebellions and the struggles of younger men... I am not the man I once was...” He gestured with the stump of his arm, to punctuate his point “ All I am good for now, is training the young ones.” “its not your skills I need, its your knowledge. I need to know more of Gilles De Ras...” A storm of emotions flew across the paladins face. “why? What...why must we visit the past?” A raised eyebrow, and lengthy, if somewhat tense pause forced him to continue “ Gilles was a good man....Once. A paladin, one of the best. A master with a sword, a WIZARD, pardon the irony, with a hammer, and no small talent with spells... his connection to the Divine was stronger than anyone else’s I’ve seen. Well liked by most, LOVED by his men, he was seen as the perfect example of the Order. Then it happened.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot, absent-mindedly rubbing the stump of his missing arm. “ He was sent to a village, that was having...problems. The village was under attack by a witch. Using a mix of be-spelled bandits, conjured monsters and dark curses, the witch was seeking revenge against the village. It was a simple thing for him, and he dealt with it easily. He found something else, a young maiden he rescued from an attack. Romance bloomed, as it was want to do, and she returned with him. They were as in love as any two people I have ever seen. But, as things have a habit of doing, things went wrong. A bishop, a pious, but unlike-able man, accused the girl of being a witch. Of trafficking with dark forces. She was tried, and despite a rousing defence from Gilles, sentenced to die by fire. Gilles, ever the student of the law, resisted the urge to free her by the sword, and instead used his skills as an investigator, discovering the so-called holy man had been forcing local girls to feed his depraved appetites for years. Sadly, he was moments too late, only managing to cut her free as the life left her burnt body. Witnesses swear he climbed through the fire, cut her down, and carried her clear of the flames, all without suffering as much as a singed hair. He was never the same. The Bishop he butchered, I still shudder to think of the carnage, but no one blamed him. We would have considered justice served, if he had not continued the slaughter, targeting each and every member of the jury. In one night, 12 jurors, the judge, and the Bishops whole household were butchered. I led a squad of guards to apprehend him that morning, when we discovered what had happened. I still thought it would end with him returning to the fold, his momentary madness past. But it was not to be. He took my arm that day, and I consider myself lucky. You see, Despite his abhorrent desires for young flesh, the Bishop was partially right about something...She WAS a witch, a rival of the one terrorising the village, and she used her powers to STAY with Gilles. Not in our world, no, but in the shadow realm. She loved him so much, she could not, WOULD not part from him. And he loved her so much, he swore he would sweep this world for her, sweep it clean and clear....” The Would-be king looked puzzled “sweep it of what?” “The living” The Paladin replied. “All of the living....”
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 11:54:12 +0000
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