After removing the bodies from the statue, the priest and scribes had come and quickly taken down all the images that were on the women's back and painted in blood.
The priest and nuns were praying in front of each of the women's bodies. But they were not allowed to remove the bodies to prepare them for either burial or cremation. Instead they were left in their place until the situation was figured out.
I found myself sitting a little way away from the corpse and the praying nuns. The sound of their prayers and the clanking of the soldiers that were preventing the citizens from getting close. Created an interesting crescendo of sound.
But that was at the back of my mind. I was sitting at a table with some important looking individuals. A tent had been erected a table set up that had a couple guards standing outside of the tent to make sure prying ears could not overhear the conversation.
Odd was sitting at the head of the table. While I sat to the right of him. Across from me was sitting the Commander of the Army. Next to him was the female blonde-haired guard. Turns out that she was the Commander of the Guard.
She had taken off her helmet and a delicate face lay beneath it. Her eyes are a bright amber color and she has two black lines that run from each of her eye to the top of her forehead.
Finally, next to me sat the Bishop.
It felt like all the eyes were focused on me. I felt like the odd woman out in this situation.
"Guild Master," the Bishop says.
He was an older looking gentleman that had salt and pepper colored hair that was peeking out from his hat. On his hat was embroidered a crown and angel wings. That must be the symbol for the White Goddess.
It was the same symbol as the Black God. Minus that fact that the wings on his symbol were spiny and reminded me of bat wings. He was completely clothed and white and, on his nose, rested round spectacles.
His eyes were partially closed, and I wondered what those glasses even did for him.
"What Bishop?" Odd asks rather coldly.
He had turned into almost a completely different person. I had seen a few different sides to him. At first the carefree drunk, a moment ago and playful joker and then a mournful man. But now he was imposing like a leader.
The tone did not discourage the Bishop at all.
"Who might this child be?" He asks looking at me. I tried to control my expression and stay calm. But I was the furthest thing from calm.
The moment that this Bishop had shown up he had not taken his eyes off of me. It was as if he knew that I was something was up with me.
Was it possible that he could see the mark of the Black God? Wouldn't those that served the Goddess be able to tell the differences between believer and non-believers when they were at the bishop level?
My thinking had slowly been warped into the thinking of someone living in a fantasy like world!
"Bishop that is the Guild Master's daughter. Although, I would like to voice my concerns for showing a child these atrocities," the Commander of the Army says.
Looking towards him, I give him a small smile. It was nice that he was worrying about me like that, but it was also a little unnecessary. But I am sure from his viewpoint that it was a relevant worry.
The Bishop looks down at me.
But decided not to comment any further.
"Shall we continue?" Odd asks slightly perturbed.
His eyes are sharp and cold as they sweep across the table.
No one answers. He leans back in the chair and lets out a small sigh.
"Did your priest and scribes come up with anything on the images that are burned into the women's back?" Odd asks.
The Bishop clears his throat and speaks. An attendant appears from behind him and hands him a small tablet that a milky white color. The attendant's presence is light air. She had light brown hair that was draped over her shoulders and she was dressed in white similar to the bishop.
"We have complied all the images and have link the story back to the creation of the God's. The is the story of how to Profane God ate his counterpart. The Goddess of Good. The depiction has been shown a total of ten recorded time. It appears that this is a ritual to call down the presences of the Profane God.
To either imbue his followers with his power or to spread his might and seal the Goddess of White," he explains as the table begins to glow.
He pushes it to the center of the table and the tablet lights up and images of women displayed in the same ritual appear.
"Do we have any way to combat this?" The Commander asks.
"At present none of the cities that have had this ritual happen have survived the destructive might of the Profane God. If we are to survive it looks like we would need a Champion of the White Goddess," the Bishop elaborates.
The feeling of defeat was like a heavy weight just pressing down onto everyone shoulders.
"We have our the [Four Guardians]," the head of the guard retorts.
"Even if we don't have a Champion of the Goddess. We should still be able to survive this with the help of the [Four Guardians]!" She presses.
Her hand curls into a fist. Her eyes are burning with adoration.
[Adoration Swelling Captain of the Guards Yara has raised the moral!]
Wow. She would be a good person to nurture in the short amount of time that I had to train the Guard. It looks like she had the makings of a great leader.
"The [Four Guardians] they will be occupied with the Goblin Hoard that is descending upon us," Odd says.
"The army is taking precautions. With Lady Lowell's help we managed to fortify our defense. We should manage to hold out against the hoard long enough for the Guardians to locate the servant of the Profane God," the Commander says.
The Yara, Captain of the Guard, nods in agreement and smirks as she looks towards the Bishop. He just looks towards the Odd as if to say, 'back me up'.
"Even so the number of Goblins that are heading towards the city will overwhelm the defense. Not to mention if there are goblins that are mutated and are of a higher species," Odd says in defense of the Bishop.
"Guild Master, even with just your help you wouldn't be able to repel the goblins?" Yara asks. Her face had fallen.
He doesn't answer her question right away.
Plus, before he can respond the loud sound of horses and shouting enters the air. Twisting in my seat I look towards the front of the tent and find that about ten people have arrived on horses.
"Where is he?" A woman shouts as she dismounts her horse.
She's wearing a completely black dress and a wide brimmed black hat. Long green hair slides down around her dress covered shoulders. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.
"Lady Lowell," Yara says as she quickly stands up from her chair. Odd stands as well and look towards her.
She quickly heads towards us and her orange eyes are burning with hate. She still just as beautiful as earlier, however, instead of a low-cut dress. She's wearing a dress that cover all of her flesh up to her neck.
It was all black and her witches' hat was all black, as well. Behind her were a couple other people that are all dressed in black too. They all also had wide brimmed hat that are reminiscent of witches.
There were four women and seven men that were trailing behind Lowell. They were similarly all dressed in black to match Lowell. They each respectively looked like scholars, and at their waist were books that were held by leather straps.
These must be the mages!
Examining them closer. I find that they all seem to have a soft glow to them.
Hm.
I summon my glasses and slide the bone frames over my face. The world around me turns into a bright lite color show.
The lenses bend the light and show the unseen.
「Activation Cost 500 MP」
「Yes or No? 」
'Yes.'
[-500Mp]
[625/1115 MP]
[Weakness and Magical signatures will be displayed. Due to the skill [Appraisal], information will be displayed along with weakness and magical signatures. Peaking at stats of others will draw less attention and has a higher chance to see detailed information.]
[Duration 2 minutes!]
Now let's take a look at them!
"What the hell happened!" Lowell yells as she gets closer to Odd.
At the same time a blinding light erupts from her fingertip. That she's pointing at Odd.
A brilliant white flame was a hairs breath away from his throat.
"Answer me! You Bastard!" She screams.