33 Were-Hun (1/2)

To the horror of the gathered crowd, Ebenthal changed his physical form.His human body widened, dark, coarse hair grew and covered his skin, his head became elongated until it resembled a rat's head, and he grew a long tail.As cries of ”Wererat!” filled the air, Ebenthal grabbed the steel bars and started pulling them apart with his brute strength alone.

Two more wererats jumped onto the platform and pulled on the bars too.In a few seconds, the opening was wide enough to free Ebenthal.

Cthung!I felt movement in the space in front of my chest.When I looked down, I saw an arrow held just inches away from my heart!I looked at the hand holding the arrow and turned to discover the identity of my protector; it was Maisen!

My bodyguard sniffed at the arrow head and blanched.”It's poisoned!” she announced.

Kalistra hissed.As she stared at the trio of wererats up on the platform, she snapped the arrow in her hand in half.The cat girl held up her right paw and motioned for them to attack her.

The wererats hissed back defiantly but refused the challenge.The pack would undoubtedly overwhelm her if they attack in unison, but the precious time wasted in doing so would allow the Watch reinforcements to arrive.

Ebenthal squeaked out a command; the trio leaped off the platform and into the line of approaching Watch guards, knocking them to the ground.The wererats then started running north, past the church but not stepping onto holy ground.Panic and pandemonium followed wherever they went.

I looked around the Public Square and saw that the commoners were all fleeing.I noticed that Rijana, her two elven friends, and several other adventurers were bravely holding off another group of wererats at the western end of the square, while the common folks ran past the fighters to escape.

I noticed there was a body on the ground on the east side of the square; the body had an arrow stuck in the chest.Seeing no wererats in that area, I walked over and knelt before the body.With growing dread, I turned the head toward me; I saw Panklene as I had feared.The wererats apparently targeted all three witnesses, including myself, who spoke out against Ebenthal along with the Town Judge.Suddenly, I felt someone standing next to me.I looked up and saw the angry eyes of Captain Peng Li of the Watch.

The Captain peered at the face of the fallen man and then looked back at me.”Before the trial began, you said you saw something strange on the platform.What did you see?I can't use the truth stone and force you to tell the truth, as the deceased Judge was one of the Blessed able to activate it.But it is important that you tell me what you saw,” he implored as his face softened.The man held the precious truth stone tightly in his hand.

”Please do as the Captain requests,” Maisen joined in as she pulled me back on my feet.She had already seen my pop-ups and she had some suspicions as to what the Watch and the Church will request of me shortly.

I nodded and said, ”When Kalistra pulled me closer to the platform, I saw a bright, red flash and then I saw Ebenthal in his were form.My vision lasted just a split second and then he reverted back to his human form.I didn't understand what I saw at the time.”I shook my head and shrugged helplessly while the officer stared at me.

Seeing the Captain lost in thought, I quickly reviewed my pop-ups; I was very concerned about what I would find in my messages.The first one was ”-2 Health” from Kalistra's poke at my shoulder.The second message read, ”Innate Ability ACQUIRED: Spirit Sense, Level 1.+100 XP.”Well, this ability explained why I was able to see Ebenthal's true form.The final pop-up read, ”+500 Reputation.+1,000 XP.”The reputation increase was from my public testimony during the trial.

Captain Li frowned at my answer.If only I had shared my vision earlier.The Watch would have been warned of the dangerous nature of Ebenthal.The escape attempt would have been foreseen and the captain would have pushed his superiors for more guards and better equipment.Then, the Judge would not have died.Therefore, I will have to make amends to Tregome.”Lawrence Eugene Mulligan, I hereby ORDER you to accompany me as I make my report to the Church.We will depart immediately.”

My left arm was grabbed by the Captain before I could reply.

”We'll accompany him,” Kalistra replied as she grabbed my right arm.

Captain Li's eyes burned again.”Only pure humans are allowed on the holy ground,” he reminded her.

”I won't step inside the church,” the cat girl retorted defiantly.The ground of the Church of Britannia was enchanted with holy magic that repelled non-humans.Kalistra couldn't enter even if she tried to (and she did a few times).Since the Church was the de facto authority on the continent of Britannia, its refusal to permit non-humans from entering its properties was bitterly divisive to the non-humans because the Church was implicitly treating the animal people, elves, gnomes, dwarves, and other races as second class citizens compared to humans.

”I'll accompany our pupil,” Maisen said.

The captain's eyes glowered at her.Peng Li's personal preference was to have me come alone.However, given Maisen's status as my personal bodyguard, the Captain could not reasonably deny her accompaniment.”Do as you wish,” he said gruffly and started pulling me along as he stomped north toward the church building.The officer finally released my arm when we stepped out of the Public Square and back onto the street.He approached a side door at the back of the church building; the entrance was guarded by three heavily armored and magically equipped guards on each side of the door.

When the guards saw Captain Li approach, the six men snapped their heels together and saluted in unison.

The stern officer nodded as one of the guards quickly opened the door to allow his entry into the church.

I followed the captain as Maisen walked to my right.Glancing back, I saw Kalistra standing outside the building with a bitter expression on her feline face.

A young man in white robe accosted Captain Li.

”I must deliver an urgent report to Bishop Canterbury regarding the events of the public trial just now,” the officer said.

The page quickly turned around and ran down the hallway.He turned left at the end of the hall and disappeared from view.

Captain Li continued walking but now moved at a much slower pace to give the page time to locate the bishop and inform him of the officer's approach.

I looked down the hallway and saw that the hallway forked at the end toward the left and right.

The young man reappeared a few minutes later and ran up to us.”The Bishop will receive you in his private study.I will take you to him,” he said as he bowed slightly.

As we followed the page I looked up at the caption above his head and it read, ”Name: Klidsec, Level: ?, Disposition: Nervous.”I didn't know if the young man was nervous because he heard about what happened outside, or because of the fact that we were seeking an audience with the bishop.I suspected the latter because, in a small town like Tregome, the bishop was probably the highest church authority within the area.Furthermore, unscheduled visits to high-level officials would rarely be granted except for extreme circumstances.And yes, the appearance of wererats and the murder of a town judge would qualify as such.

Klidsec took us past several doors along the west hall and finally stood in front of a simple wooden door.He knocked once and waited.

The door was opened by another youthful looking man.He stood taller but was thinner than Klidsec and had dark brown hair, in contrast to Klidsec's own golden hair.This second man stepped aside to let us enter.

As Captain Li stepped into the small study, he turned around.”Please wait outside, Maisen,” he ordered.

My bodyguard nodded.She looked at me and offered a reassuring smile before the page shut the door in her face.

*Bam*

I looked around the room and saw that the study was sparsely furnished, with a simple desk against the left wall and a chair in front of the desk; a bookcase was on the right wall.There was a second desk near the shelves with another chair.A parchment, quill, and inkwell were on the desk.A small, open window blew a cool breeze into the study.