Sara
Amelia Gold, or Mia as she preferred to be called, had been unsurprisingly cagey since her capture. Sara had lured Mia into a closed alley behind the restaurant and tried unsuccessfully for over an hour to form a dialogue that could reasonably end in her telling Mia the truth. There were just so many gaps that Mia was making no effort to fill in; her motivations and her knowledge of the gods among others. Although Mia was perfectly willing to engage in pointless banter, nothing she said made coming around to the topic at hand easy. Both women were beginning to feel frustrated and were showing it in different ways. Mia had adopted an expression of sadistic longing that could have ended in blood, while Sara’s wary tension made her warning spells even more frequent.
“Give it up, lady,” Mia begged. “At this point, I’m sure your magic can’t actually hurt me, so you’re just wasting time that I don’t have!”
“Whose fault is that? I brought you here because I think it’s necessary that we talk,” Sara retorted, her voice wavering with impatience. “This conversation could end much more quickly if you participated in it!”
“Just tell me what you want!” Mia raged. “You don’t need to know a damned thing about me to get to the point!”
For the sixth time, Sara encased Mia up to the neck in stone. She took another deep breath and sighed. “It doesn’t work that way. I need to know if I can trust you. Answering my questions would go a long way toward that.”
“You CAN’T trust me! Gods damn! I can’t even hide it anymore! I want to cut you so badly! Give me one little chance, I beg you!”
Sara rolled her eyes. “I’ve been tolerant of your foul language so far, but I’ll not suffer you to dishonor the gods as you have again!”
“What are you going to do, bitch?”
Sara turned her back on Mia and responded, “I’m sure the Royal Inquisitor would love to have a chat with you. I may not have any solid evidence of your crimes, but I can prove you were near the queen when she disappeared into the mist.”
“Bullshit!”
“If you are who I think you are, I can easily prove that you were the one who created the mist. That won’t tie you to any wrongdoing, but oh, won’t the Lord Inquisitor find that interesting?”
“What the fuck do you mean I created the mist? I don’t have magic!”
The poor thing has no idea.
Sara turned toward Mia and shook her head. “We ALL have magic. Harvesting its power is a skill that is teachable to anyone. The only difference in your case is that you have used your magic instinctively.”
“And how do you even know that was me?”
“I didn’t. I only suspected you when you decided to flee from me.”
Mia scoffed and shook her head dejectedly. “So… I messed up, then.”
“Yes, you did. From the moment I saw you back there, I could tell that you were distracted. It would have been smarter to just stay out of sight completely.
Mia rolled her eyes. “You’re telling me?”
Sara nodded. “Yes, I am. Frankly, you’re not the same girl I met in Palon. That girl was cold and clever. I like to think of myself as a decent judge of character, but there was something enigmatic to your aura that I couldn’t make out. Now, one needn’t be an empath to read you like a book. You’re not thinking straight. There is literally evidence of that all over the eastern district.”
Mia’s rage was suddenly misplaced as she looked at Sara in disbelief. “Are you saying that fog happened because I was confused?”
Sara nodded and began to lean against the wall. “It’s very well possible. But from my point of view, it’s just as possible that your connection to the fog was a coincidence and all I’m looking at is a monster. That’s why I’d appreciate your cooperation.”
At the word monster, Mia seemed to flinch. She said nothing, however, so Sara continued in earnest. Please, talk to me!
“IF that fog was created by you, then you will have cast one of the rarest forms of magic in the Salican tradition. To do so instinctually would be a sign that you’re the ally I seek here.”
Mia scoffed once again, halfheartedly this time. “You must be outta your mind.”
“Did you kill the queen?”
“I dunno.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“I mean, the fog was already there when I lunged. I got her, but I have no idea if she’s dead or not.”
“Did you kill Prince John and Princess Esther?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Why?”
Mia hesitated before finally responding. “I dunno.”
“Is there nothing I can do to get an honest answer out of you?”
“Not unless you’d consider the answer I just gave you an honest one.”
“I think you‘re telling the truth, but not the whole truth.”
“Well, it depends. I have no idea why I killed my confirmed victims at the time. I knew when I got here to kill my third, and now I don’t know anymore.”
“Well, what was the reason you came here with?”
“I dunno.”
“Seriously?”
“I don’t know if I want to tell you.”
“Fair enough. I wouldn’t suppose you’re religious?”
“No, but I had a pretty religious experience recently. I’m thinking of joining the faith.”
Sara scowled as she responded, “That’s not something I expected to hear from someone who’s threatened to kill me several times.”
Mia smirked. This is becoming fun for her. “I said I was thinking about it. But if this is the initiation I can expect, I might just pass.”
“It would take unimaginable penitence to free yourself of the sin of treason.”
Sara could tell from Mia’s scowl that she had just hit another sore spot. “You don’t like it when I call you a monster or a traitor. Those are refreshing reactions to see.”
“Yeah? How about I take out your eyes so you can get a closer look?”
“I can see your shame just fine,” Sara responded coolly. “The fact that you’re so uncomfortable with these negative labels tells me that there is some good in you. If you don’t consider yourself a traitor or a monster, then perhaps you aren’t, deep down.”
“Hello! I killed three royals! I cut one’s heart out and enjoyed it! I doubt what I think of myself is relevant.”
“Of course it is!” Sara said, almost soothingly. “You’ve made some terrible choices, and you will have to live with them for the rest of your life. But I think you were just following orders. I prefer to save my disgust for whoever gave you those orders.”
“I wanted to do it!”
“You’re lying.”
“I liked it!”
“Then why are you telling me? Why try so hard to convince me that you’re evil?”
Mia roared in frustration. “What other choice do I have? I know when I’m caught!”
“You have a choice to do good things!” Sara insisted. “You could join me as Salica’s Champion and restore peace to this land!”
“Are you for real?” the young assassin shrieked. “I’m not a champion of anything! I wanted to bring justice to the meek, but that doesn’t matter anymore! When we finish Operation Lighthouse, the meek will cease to exist and we will all face the dark truth of this world as equals!”
“There is no dark truth!” Sara retorted angrily. “Love, hate, joy, suffering, life and death! It is ALL the will of the Gods and therefore beautiful!”
“All of it? From the scummiest thief to the most sadistic killer? Limp-dicked assholes who’d mug and kill a couple in front of their child? BEAUTIFUL?!”
“Yes!” Sara exclaimed. “Adversity is a source of strength! Tranquility is a source of comfort! Most of us have all felt a little of both! Your actions have brought fear to many, while I choose to bring comfort instead! You have that same choice!”
Mia raged at her earthen bonds as she screamed. “You naïve bitch! You don’t know the first fucking thing about fear!”
Sara instinctively leaped back from the girl as a bolt of lightning crashed into them, shattering her stone prison. Sara crumpled to the ground where she looked up at the escaping assassin. With her vision blurring and the smell of burned skin assailing her nostrils, the champion blacked out.
When Sara came to, she was being resuscitated by a chapel healer adorned in the familiar green and white of the Serene Temple. Sara attempted to sit up, but was held down by her brother acolyte.
“You mustn’t move yet, Miss Marle! You‘ll be okay, but you need to rest!”
Sara tried to extricate herself from the healer’s firm grasp. “I need to… find…”
Try as she might, however, she could not seem to find the strength to get up. With little else to do, she rolled her head back and let the healer do his work. Looking up, she was finally able to see two other forms standing over her. One bore the unmistakable gold trench coat of the Royal Inquisitor. The other, an older woman, was adorned with ruffled robes similar to her own. She knelt beside Sara and waved the healer away. He backed up sheepishly as the older priestess took over his healing magic.
“Do you know where you are, my child?” She asked kindly.
“Resta City.”
“I’m glad to hear that your mind is mostly unimpaired. What is the last thing I remember?”
“I was with the Champion of Salica… I think. Then I got struck by lightning.”
The elder priestess sighed. “Champion, you say? So, the rumors are correct. It is a dark day for our faith when it takes followers of Ragos and Crane to convince us to stop ignoring our own deity.”
“I tried to warn…”
“Hush now, Sara. I am convinced of your truthfulness now. In time, the rest will come around. But for now, we must get you to the temple so you can rest.”
“But we’re on the other side of town!” the male healer complained. “Won’t they welcome her at the Temple of Crane?”
The elder turned toward the man with a sharp glare. “Show some respect, boy! Like it or not, Serenity herself has declared this woman the exemplar of our faith! You will carry her all the way to our temple--on foot if necessary--and feel honored for the opportunity!”
The man yelped. “Yes, Madam Celeste!”
“I hate to interrupt, but I have some questions for Miss Marle before you move her,” the Inquisitor whispered.
“Any questions you have can be answered at the temple!” Celeste snapped. “She’s in no state for one of your ham-fisted interrogations.”
“Miss Marle is a cooperative witness in an ongoing investigation!” the Inquisitor replied sharply.
“It’s alright,” Sara moaned. “I can answer a few questions if you can just… lower your voice a little.”
The Inquisitor knelt beside the priestesses and spoke urgently. “That lightning bolt that hit you wasn’t natural. Can we assume that this is the work the magic you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes. It’s a sign of anger.”
“Can you give me a description?”
Sara winced. “The details are blurry. She was young. A teenager, probably. She was dressed in a royal clerk‘s uniform.”
The Inquisitor looked disappointed as he scribbled the scant details on a piece of paper. “Name?”
“She never told me her name,” Sara said weakly.
“Is there anything at all you can tell me that will help me identify her?” The Inquisitor asked a little hotly.
“That’s enough questions!” Celeste snapped, cutting off the Inquisitor before he could speak again.
“Rest now, my child. If the Inquisitor has any more questions, he can talk to you again tomorrow.”
“Of course. My apologies,” the Inquisitor said dejectedly. “I shall call on you when you’re feeling up to it. Recover quickly, Miss Marle. Assassin or no, anyone who can do something this is too dangerous to be allowed free reign of my city and you‘re the only lead I have!”
The Inquisitor took his leave after a murmur of assent from Sara. When he was out of earshot, Celeste whispered. “I know you have your reasons for lying to the Inquisitor, but I hope you understand that we can’t allow this girl to harm you again. If she is the Champion of Salica as you say, you should leave it up to the Salicans to steer her toward her destiny.”
“It has to be me,” Sara said in a voice that was more firm than she felt. “Please find her.”
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