Lindie’s eyes were watering, the grinding of tooth on metal made her whimper and relax her grip. Desperately she clung onto the steel mouthpiece. Her neck hurt, her teeth hurt, and she wanted to cry. The censer started slipping from her grasp again. Then she gasped as a waft of cold air, smelling of mildew, hit her.
***
Saul was now holding the charged and activated sender ring over the moat. It was peculiar; Elden and Saul peered down into the ring, yet through the ring they were looking up through a web of dry kindling at Lindie. She wore the white gown of innocence and was gripping the burning censer, tears running down her cheeks. Saul glared at Elden. ‘She is about to drop it! Paddle water in!’
Elden, kneeling at the water’s edge started cupping water in his hands and dropping it from a height to give the liquid momentum.
***
Lindie desperately clung on to the heavy censer; the once silent crowd were now booing and jeering, urging her to drop the censer. The truth was, she had done well to hold it for as long as she had. She sagged, falling limply into her chains as the censer fell from her grasp, landing in the dry kindling, splashing burning oil around. The fire, seemed to smoulder, sections lit quickly, but other areas gave off thick white smoke - but no flames. At the moat of course, Elden was frantically splashing water into the sender ring from every angle. The endeavour appeared to be working. Brael and Votrex were watching events from within the crowd with interest. Lindie herself was shaking, clearly in shock and confused as to why her bonfire was not setting alight. Once it was clear the kindling was not catching, Brael put his hands to his mouth and cried out. ‘Mercy! Ishar demands mercy!’
A short distance away, Votrex heard the call and cupped his hands to his mouth. ‘A miracle! Ishar demands mercy!’
Others took up the cry; soon many voices about the square were echoing their cry. Lindie dared to hope. The stinging, acrid smoke of smouldering lamp oil, mixed with stagnant moat-water invaded her nostrils and made her wince. It was better than being engulfed in flame though. Melchiot, raised his hands for silence. He raised his face to the heavens and closed his eyes as if in deep contemplation. Moments later he opened his eyes and addressed the crowd, using his preaching voice, filled with gravitas and authority. ‘I have sought guidance from Ishar and Orion! He is testing our resolve! Avanti is reaching out and grasping at this fair spirit. She has been corrupted! Her soul will be forfeit if we cannot purify her with the flames! More lamp oil!’
The cries for mercy died down as priests came forth and began splashing more and more lamp oil on the dry twigs of the bonfire and up onto the folds of her white dress. She shook with fear, as the smell of lamp oil grew stronger when it landed on her legs, all the way up to her hips. She started crying again as flames started to flicker from the mass of the bonfire.
***
‘More water!’ Saul gasped at Elden. Elden whipped off his hat and started using it to scoop up larger quantities of water, pouring it into the ring from height. It would appear quite suspicious at this point, the quisitors had ladled on an unprecedented quantity of lamp oil. Under normal circumstances, the bonfire would be a blazing inferno by now, the flames lapping around the victim and engulfing them. Instead, no amount of coaxing would get the fire going.
***
Votrex took the initiative this time crying out. ‘Ishar demands mercy!’
Brael heard and smiled to himself, calling out in response. ‘Mercy! She must be released, lest we incur Orion’s wrath!’
Melchiot was looking more and more annoyed that his purification by fire was being compromised. His composure broken, he screamed at the priests near the bonfire. ‘More lamp oil! Re-light the fire! Throw torches on, she must burn!’
***
Saul at this point had ended up in the water, along with Elden. He held out the sender ring while Elden frantically poured water in as fast as he could. Through the ring, all they saw was white smoke. Flapping and flailing in the moat, Saul and Elden sensed eyes upon them. They glanced towards the distant, scaffolding-covered bridge to the citadel. Masses of matted, black fur rose from the water, framing glowing red eyes. Saul gasped and dropped the ring; they were verkreath. Once the ring had sank beneath the murky water, the surface swirled violently as the moat-water ran through the sender ring like a giant, inter-dimensional plughole. Elden looked quickly from Saul to the verkreath, then the ring. Saul was already shaping a spell, throwing as much energy into it as he could muster. He threw his arms out towards the verkreath, uttering. ‘Fir§a mamirxic §osh!’
Saul sagged as his magic missile slammed into the emerging verkreath, while Elden drew his sword. The level of the moat had dropped significantly, but when Saul reached into the water grasping for the ring, it had fizzled out. The massive volume of water, which had rushed through the portal, had burned the runes out. Saul threw the now useless ring aside and scrambled out of the water, while Elden did the same. When Saul’s magic missile had struck, it had thrown verkreath and water into the air, to land on the rodent troops behind. Saul grabbed Elden’s elbow. ‘Get to the square! Warn everyone you meet on the way! The city is being invaded!’
Elden pressed the handle of his sword into Saul’s open palm and darted up the slippery steps. Saul watched Elden disappear, shouting to anyone that would listen as he ran, while more verkreath rose from the water. Saul wasn’t used to wielding a blade, but he’d poured so much energy into his first spell, a sword would be his only defence. A verkreath clambered onto the stone flags of the moat side, Saul stepped forwards and swung Elden’s sword clumsily at its neck, carving a gushing wound, sending it sliding limply into the moat. More verkreath were leaving the water, forcing Saul to back up the steps. As he did a small hail of arrows flew through the air, causing him to look up. A handful of city guards alerted by Elden had fired bows. He backed up the steps, sword at the ready. The big question of course - what was happening in the square?
***
Lindie, still chained to the stone monolith, now splattered with lamp oil, was starting to feel confused. The quisitors had taken more and more desperate measures to light her fire. Lindie’s execution was beginning to look embarrassing. White smoke rising around Lindie made her cough and struggle for breath, but the fire would not light. The crowd began booing, jeering and laughing at the now pathetic looking attempts to burn Lindie. Brael pushed through the crowd, eventually arriving at the bonfire. He grabbed the shoulder of the frustrated priest splashing on lamp oil. ‘Cease this folly! Ishar demands mercy!’
The priest glared at him. ‘Who are you to declare Ishar’s will? Only the Praxium speaks for Ishar!’
Votrex had seen the commotion and joined Brael at the bonfire. He’d just heard the priest’s response. ‘If the fire will not light, surely that’s a sign? Release her!’
Melchiot had seen the commotion from his vantage point. He raised his arms for all to see and the square fell silent. He addressed Brael in his authoritarian voice. ‘What is this?’
Brael turned to the Praxium. ‘Ishar demands mercy! There is no other explanation for this farce!’
Melchiot’s eyes narrowed. ‘You doubt the word of the Praxium? Ishar himself, said those guilty of abomination could only be purified by fire and flame!’
He was quoting scripture. Brael smiled to himself and replied. ‘Did not Ishar also say in the book of reports, “I shall never allow an innocent to suffer”? ‘
Melchiot frowned. ‘Ishar has revealed her guilt to me! She must burn!’
Brael thought for a moment, then shouted back. ‘Are you sure you are serving Ishar’s will? In the final chapter of prophecies, did not Ishar say: “When the words of a man, deny Orion’s works, beware - for Lucian the deceiver has the ear of any who will listen. None but Orion himself has the power to defy the laws of nature. When the laws of men fail you - trust in the truth and justice of Orion,”’
The crowd were murmuring agreement. Melchiot scowled for a moment, then smiled. ‘Yet Ishar also said i
n morals, “The words, of a man of god are king, when a representative of Orion speaks, all should listen.”’
Brael raised his hands. ‘But in the book of truths did not Ishar say, “When Orion presents his greatness and his mercy in the form of miracles, open your heart, open your mind and believe your eyes - for to deny Orion’s works is to deny Orion.” Release her! Orion has spoken by his actions!’
As he spoke, a fountain of water sprayed forth from the bonfire, soaking the kindling, Lindie and the priests. Water ran over the stone flags of the square, making the crowd gasp. Melchiot’s face went red and he pointed at Brael. ‘Sorcery! Grab this infidel! If we cannot commit their souls to the flames then they shall be beheaded instead!’
Brael was about to reach for his duelling blades and Votrex had manoeuvred his new rune-axe into his hands. Before the guards had time to grab Brael, Elden Roth charged into the square screaming at the top of his voice. ‘Verkreath! They’re invading the city! Every able man - grab a weapon and make your way to the citadel! Everybody else, return to your home and bar your doors!’
This brought cries of confusion and panic, guards grabbing weapons and priests retiring hurriedly to the headquarters of the Quisition. While the crowd scurried about shouting and jostling each other, Votrex scaled the soggy bonfire. By the time he was at the top Melchiot and the priests had vanished. The Quisition guards had divided, some following the clergy, some charging towards the citadel. Votrex swung his great rune-axe hard at the stone monolith. The chains separated in a flash of sparks and the axe buried itself in the stone. Two more strikes and Lindie was free. Bewildered she was helped down from the bonfire into the waiting arms of Brael while Votrex re-wrapped his axe. Elden spotted the distinctive blue-grey skin of Brael Truthseeker and darted towards him. Brael grabbed Lindie and thrust the dazed girl into his arms. ‘Take her to Sordia’s! Hide her! We’ll join you later. Where is Saul?’
Elden took the bewildered girl and pointed towards the citadel. ‘He’s at the moat; they must have broken through in the moat! They emerged from the water. There are so many, I could not count them!’
‘Get her out of here! We’ll meet you at Sordia’s once we have Saul. Tell Korhan and Vashni to be ready to leave! I believe we have outstayed our welcome in Cormaroth.’
Ofelia (The Book of Davoth 1) Page 29