Knights and Ladies

Brewing Crisis

When the Rending began, humanity was at loss at what to do. The time when the Hearth cracked open, revealing the gates of hell to all of mankind was deeply unsettling.

But when Humanity were capable of harnessing it's powers, they started to learn it's secrets, evolving to become some thing greater.

An apex creation.

However, as glamorous as that may sound, quirks still lie with the system. One of such is why, why humans would lovingly submit themselves to be used by the devil all for Mana.

The Same Devil who had willingly unleashed his minions on Hearth happily to destroy all of humanity.

Yet, humans still wanted more of them. How sickening.

We have recorded times of beasts as huge as the Kilimanjaron mountain in the Hafrican continent. Beasts that only needed to open wide their maws and watch destruction unleash.

Bearing their destructive capabilities, then, why would any human decide to run a campaign to favor the extraction of Mana from these evil creatures?

It is irrational and should not be accepted, not now, not ever.

Which is why, The Church will not in a thousand years, be willing to cut off any of it's campaigns in wiping the evil worshippers for good.

We might not know where they are as at now, but every intel we get, we build on and finally come up with a strategic precise decision to extinguish their flame.

And so, in the meantime, I am releasing an open order to everyone, Knight and Mage of the Holiest Order of the Church of Will.

Find them, destroy them.

Bash their heads mercilessly so that all may see and cringe in fears of what lies for them should ever they decide to worship the devil's path.

________________________

Culled From: Pope Arogan II's speech; Declaration of the Devil's Manhunt, a practical approach to sealing the gates.

_________________________

And just then, I hear a distant chant and then, calming energy seeps into me, energizing all of me, like I never felt sick.

Wow!

What is this energy? I ask myself, my pupils beginning to focus in front of me as a figure stands before me.

A strange unknown person.

I feel myself being righted up and strangely, I am strong enough to do so. Must be the effect of that calming energy in me.

My vision clears out, and I open my eyes, staring into the face of a strange man that I have never seen before.

Must be the Chaplain Musgan, I assume.

"Lady Samantha." He says, smiling softly in my face as he removes his hand from my shoulder.

I don't know if this man is the Musgan because he is yet to introduce himself but how do I describe me now?

His face is somewhat outlined by these black-brown wolf like jaw furs as beards, black eyes that hardly focus, darting about like some maniac and taking my eyes down…

He's not so great below.

He wears a robe… Aha! I know what he wears.

It's called a tunic and overcoat. The tunic, you know, those long jackets clothing reaching to the thighs or even knees, worn in medieval times.

Wait, the early British army wore tunics too.

I don't know about now tho but I remember reading this huge encyclopedia books in secondary school library about the war of American independence and stuff.

I think British Army were called the Red Guards.

I sigh mentally because I'm not sure I'm correct on that.

It'll be disappointing if anyone takes my word for it and then ends up getting face smacked when he or she finally discovers it was the Russian army that got the name Red Guard.

What?

I'm not so great in foreign history so, don't go ballistic on me, okay?

*Sigh*

But, back to what I was saying earlier, I don't think tunic is right if it reaches the knees. I think I read somewhere that it's called a frock coat if it reaches long

How did I even know this? Probably Samantha's memory kicking in because I am blank as hell.

Gosh! Anyways, he wears a brown tunic with a leather black half shoulder patch on the right and then has this long coat that flows down to his feet, brown as well but of a darker hue.

The coat looks fancy in a twisted medieval kind of but with Musgan's eyebaggy face, he looks like an ancient being.

Yeah, especially with the slightly protruding stomach from the fastened tunic.

Even his trousers are kind of baggy, ending up into black boots with few laces undone properly.

Damn…

"You need to rest! I heard of your expertise in the battle. It was very courageous, especially at a time when everything looked bad already." The guy says again.

I really should stop referring to him as guy. Old man should suffice.

"A-and who are you?"

He frowns, looking to his side. From there, I hear a clearing of throat and turn to see David there.

"My Lady, this is Chaplain Musgan. He's the Holy Mage sent to us by the Pope and has been of crucial importance to all of us here in Titledom. Pardon, Saint Musgan, Our Lady…"

"I know!" Musgan chirps with the flat of his palm to David's face, shutting him up.

Right… he seems bossy.

"Samantha, return to your chambers now, will you?"

Samantha?

Oh Smokes… he called me Samantha? Where the morra forging forge did he keep 'Lady'?

"Beg your pardon?" I ask, straightening myself up to eye him squarely.

"My Lady we should go." Claire tugs at my hand but I force myself free.

"I said…" Musgan's eyes narrow. "Return to…"

"Saint Musgan…" David interrupts. "Stand Back!"

"Quiet now!" Musgan yells at David and he cringes a little.

"My Lady, we should go inside, now." Claire attempts again.

But now, now I am pissed.

"Claire keep your mouth sealed." I erupt my frustration on her.

"What is going on here? Because since I got here, you all been acting strange. Is there something I am not aware of?" I counter towards Musgan now.

"Got here?" George whispers a question but loud enough that I can hear as he just gets to us.

No really, you want to start messing up with my choice of words?

What if I said Got Here? For me it means that I just got here, into this game. Even though they say I slept for two game days but, you know what I mean, right?

So when I said 'got here.' That was exactly what I meant.

And secondly, that should also mean, since I got out of bed… you know, the 48hr sleep?

Basically, you get the drift? If you don't, maybe you should get your head drilled because I'm tired of trying to explain this to myself.

But who am I even speaking to?

Hehe… I'm psycho like that!

Let's just pretend like I never said that by the way.

But, why would he actually want to put that in focus?

I don't like this George, never did since I saw him.

He's eyes are too sharp and that's sinister enough.

Wait… Something just crossed my mind.

Is George paying special attention to everything I say?

Like, it feels like he's observing me to know what exactly is not normal about me, right?

Hmm…

"Yah? Shut Up, George!" I tilt my head and as result some of my blonde stray hair cover my vision.

"No, you keep shut, Samantha." Musgan erupts and David slaps his shoulder with force that he shifts back.

"Last warning, Chaplain. Stand Back! I would not have you talk to our lady as a mere commoner."

Musgan coughed, his face red with rage as he held his shoulder with a hand.

"How… dare you, Squire?" Musgan straightens up and bears down on David.

And, I'm getting the vibes that something is about to go wrong here.

Oh God! What do I do?

"How dare you touch me, a Saint, with your vile hands?" Musgan yells.

Immediately, his hands explode with violent shimmering of light blue energy. The energy sparkles, then condescends unpin itself to form circle containing inscriptions and stuff.

Magical circles on each hands.

So, because this guy is a Saint, he feels what? He feels that he's God?

I mean, the amount of pride oozing from him is astronomical.

Gosh!

I kinda don't like proud people.

They make me sick!

But David…

I give him credit. The dude's no even moved as Musgan holds his circles in a martial pose to his face.

"What now? Chaplain?" He asks.

"Saint!" Musgan yells.

"Okay, what now Saint, Chaplain Musgan? You don't think the Church will endorse you for Lordship of Titledom if you are like this, do you?"

At that those words, Musgan straightens up and his magical circles vanish into thin air.

But wait oh!

Endorse him for Lordship?

What happens to me then?

"Endorse him? How do you mean, David?" I ask sterning my face as much as possible.

David gulps, before clearing his throat but…

"Oh, did the Lady think Titledom is hers to Lord? You must be as sick as your body is, then." Musgan says maniacally.

"What?" If it's not mine, then who's then?

I don't understand…

Why would the game tell me my objective is to become the sole, unchallenged lady of Titledom when I am not intended to rule?

Or, I swear, I am lost.

Did that stupid system con me?

Or… these guys have something they are playing with?

Something like a coup?

I gasp softly as my eyes widen in realization.

A coup? But why?

"Chaplain…" David grits his teeth while muffled laughter ripples from George the steward.

Yea, Go on, laugh.

I'll rip your head after this. Then, we'll know who's gonna laugh best.

"What?" Chaplain Musgan resounds with open hands and begins to walk away.

He stops after some steps and says without turning back.

"Next time you call for me, be sure it's to see her cold body into the afterlife."

George chuckles and shuts up when I glare at him.

"Exactly what is funny?"

"My Lady…" Claire whispers.

"I'm sorry, My Lady." David sighs, turning his back to us. "But Xerxes does not exactly support women in power."

"What?" I explode with venom laced in my word.

"In precise terms, what the Marshal means is, the woman's only place is to be found in the kitchen and in bed, for childbearing, cooking and pleasure purposes." George adds.

Oh Great!

I'm stuck in place with jerks who believe women are nothing more than tools!