Post by mcian on Feb 6, 2024 23:35:00 GMT -5
Heading back to the Empath Abbey, Kerrigan ruminated about the meeting he just concluded with Governor Idril at her office. His mood was low; his brother... far from being honest in his testimony about the situation at the Abbey... had clearly lied to him. It was not the first time. His fraternal twin, Kerridan by name, had a habit of that since childhood, and all the pious training in the world could not restrain his deceptive and treacherous ways. Once Kerrigan had heard the full explanation of events at the Abbey, he was convinced his brother was in the wrong and was fleeing justice. He had told her he would turn his brother in to Captain Warden Itannar if she promised him security and that included not being confined to a cell at the Yew prison; having been told of the murder of the Abbot therein. He also got her to vow for a fair trial for him. Now he was going to meet with Itannar to go with him to his home to permit the arrest to take place.
His mind distracted by these unpleasant thoughts, he did not promptly observe that he was being followed until it was too late. As he turned around to see who it was, from behind cover, four men appeared, not including the two that followed him. He stopped quickly and reached for the mace at his side, but they were faster. Swarming him from all sides, they disarmed him and one felled him with a club.
When he awoke, he was lying on a cot in one of the prison cells within his own keep. Half dazed and smarting from the head wound, he roused himself and stood up. In the dim light filtering through the bars of his cell, he saw his brother, the Grand Inquisitor, Kerridan, looking on at him - his face an impassive and unsympathetic mask.
"Dear, dear brother! You have hurt me and disappointed me beyond words. Did you really think I would not have had you followed? Did you not think I had spies listening in? This has crushed me, broken my heart."
Kerrigan scowled. "You did this to me?! My own house?!!"
"My house, brother. You see, for more than a year I have been filling it with people loyal to me. Yes, they pretended to obey and fulfill their duties as good and pious men, your brethren, but one by one I subverted or eliminated the faithful to you. Did you not notice how several simply vanished? Now this place is mine."
"You're mad... completely mad!!"
Kerridan chuckled. "Hardly. Madmen do not plan anything well and this has gone better than expected."
"Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?"
The mirth leaving his face, Kerridan scowled. "Such words pain me even more, brother. I could never do that. I will have to encourage you to accept your new place, at my side."
"I would rather die."
"It will not come to that. I have methods which can make even elves come to heel for me."
"So you DID beat the elf and others!"
"Beat them? No, a gentle kiss of the scepter garnered their wits to see the truth... the Light! In time, you shall also."
"The scepter... mace... of yours?"
"Yes. It is enchanted. I need it back. Your first task is to help me recover it."
"Never! The Captain-Warden has it safely locked away I'm sure."
"No doubt, but I am sure you can assist in the process."
Kerrigan shook his head but winced in pain as he did. "No!"
"There will be a penalty for your stubborn refusal, brother... one I am sure you cannot afford to pay."
Kerrigan's eyes widened. "Leave her alone!"
Laughing, Kerridan nodded. "Yes, you know of whom I speak. All I have to do is give the word."
Kerrigan lunged at him through the bars, but faltered and fell, groaning as he did.
"I shall bring parchment, quill, and ink. You shall compose a letter to the Captain. If it suits me, I shall forego the treatment I had planned for you and for her. If not, who knows what might happen." He stepped away from the bars and receded into the shadows of the expansive chamber.
His mind distracted by these unpleasant thoughts, he did not promptly observe that he was being followed until it was too late. As he turned around to see who it was, from behind cover, four men appeared, not including the two that followed him. He stopped quickly and reached for the mace at his side, but they were faster. Swarming him from all sides, they disarmed him and one felled him with a club.
When he awoke, he was lying on a cot in one of the prison cells within his own keep. Half dazed and smarting from the head wound, he roused himself and stood up. In the dim light filtering through the bars of his cell, he saw his brother, the Grand Inquisitor, Kerridan, looking on at him - his face an impassive and unsympathetic mask.
"Dear, dear brother! You have hurt me and disappointed me beyond words. Did you really think I would not have had you followed? Did you not think I had spies listening in? This has crushed me, broken my heart."
Kerrigan scowled. "You did this to me?! My own house?!!"
"My house, brother. You see, for more than a year I have been filling it with people loyal to me. Yes, they pretended to obey and fulfill their duties as good and pious men, your brethren, but one by one I subverted or eliminated the faithful to you. Did you not notice how several simply vanished? Now this place is mine."
"You're mad... completely mad!!"
Kerridan chuckled. "Hardly. Madmen do not plan anything well and this has gone better than expected."
"Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?"
The mirth leaving his face, Kerridan scowled. "Such words pain me even more, brother. I could never do that. I will have to encourage you to accept your new place, at my side."
"I would rather die."
"It will not come to that. I have methods which can make even elves come to heel for me."
"So you DID beat the elf and others!"
"Beat them? No, a gentle kiss of the scepter garnered their wits to see the truth... the Light! In time, you shall also."
"The scepter... mace... of yours?"
"Yes. It is enchanted. I need it back. Your first task is to help me recover it."
"Never! The Captain-Warden has it safely locked away I'm sure."
"No doubt, but I am sure you can assist in the process."
Kerrigan shook his head but winced in pain as he did. "No!"
"There will be a penalty for your stubborn refusal, brother... one I am sure you cannot afford to pay."
Kerrigan's eyes widened. "Leave her alone!"
Laughing, Kerridan nodded. "Yes, you know of whom I speak. All I have to do is give the word."
Kerrigan lunged at him through the bars, but faltered and fell, groaning as he did.
"I shall bring parchment, quill, and ink. You shall compose a letter to the Captain. If it suits me, I shall forego the treatment I had planned for you and for her. If not, who knows what might happen." He stepped away from the bars and receded into the shadows of the expansive chamber.