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With the city soldiers’ morale utterly destroyed, it didn’t take long for the sipahis and Janissaries to capture the administrator. He didn’t even put up a fight, begging Suleiman to not feed him to the cat-witch creature. Suleiman wanted to reassure the man, but after taking one glance at Alice, he found the words shrinking back into his throat. “Major General Lowenherz,” he said in a slow manner. “You don’t eat people, right?”
“Burc,” Alice said to the majestic white cat on her shoulders. “Did he just ask me if I ate people?”
Burc blinked at Alice. “Well,” he said. “Do you?”
“I don’t.” Alice rolled her eyes. “I might know a few people who do though.” Her thoughts drifted to the black dragon, Grimmy, and a shiver ran down her spine. She shook her head. “Anyway,” she said and nodded at Suleiman. She smirked at the formation leader who was standing behind the Padishah. “How’d this little girl, as you call me, do? Hmm?”
The formation leader swallowed and took a step back as if he were being stared at by a lion. “I apologize for my previously disrespectful behavior, Major General Lowenherz.” He dropped to his knees and lowered his head to the ground. “I didn’t fulfill your orders to my fullest ability. I had no idea your combat prowess was equivalent to a cannon squad’s, and I made the decision to slow the sipahis’ charge. If you’re displeased, place all the blame on me.”
Alice’s smirk disappeared, and her face turned expressionless. She was used to being worshipped as a seasoned adventurer and guild master. However, facing such a fearful expression mixed with awe, it made her stomach a bit uncomfortable. Or maybe it was the leftover stench of cat vomit that was unsettling her. She wasn’t an unreasonable person. Giving out orders like that, it was expected they wouldn’t be fulfilled to their fullest, and she was going to lightheartedly tease the sipahi a bit to build some camaraderie between them, but now, it was just … awkward. Alice sighed and scratched her head. “I’m not going to punish you, and I’m not mad you didn’t follow my orders. Stand up.”
The formation leader shot to his feet. “Yes, Major General!”
Alice pursed her lips and turned away. “I’ll be resting at the camp,” she said and left the room. Suleiman raised his arm to stop her, but he lowered it as she walked away.
***
“Keep bringing them over,” Mr. Skelly said. He was sitting in a relatively wide room. In it, there were dozens of tunnels extending in all directions. Skeletons bustled to-and-fro, bringing coffins and urns to Mr. Skelly. He’s open them up, raise the dead inside of them, and have the skeletons take the coffins and urns back to their original resting places. The urns were filled with ashes, but Mr. Skelly didn’t have to raise them as skeletons. He brought them back as ghosts. “Nice and orderly now, nice and orderly.”
The skeletons were like ants, shuffling along the tunnels of the catacombs, retrieving and returning coffins and urns in an endless stream. Meanwhile, the ghosts drifted through the walls, ceilings, and floors, mapping out the immense area. Mr. Skelly had a particularly smart skeleton behind him interpreting and recording the ghosts’ information while drawing a very crude map on the walls with a jagged piece of bone.
Mr. Skelly raised a skeleton out of a coffin and exhaled as he leaned back, resting against the room’s wall. Even though there was a lot of mana within the catacombs, with the large amount of undead he had to raise, it was still a massive drain on him. Despite the fact he had exhausted himself for such a long time, the ghosts still hadn’t caught sight of the ritualists who had set up the whole thing. While drifting through the walls, they did discover a completely unconnected tomb that was just as large as this one, and there were already a small group of skeletons digging through the earth to reach it. Above the catacombs, there seemed to be living people, completely unaware of the apocalyptic danger beneath them. Mr. Skelly shook his head and sighed. If the ritual went off, and all the skeletons became murderous beings, the residents living above didn’t stand a chance. Sometimes, it was hard being a hero.
***
“Well, this is new,” Tafel said. She was standing in front of a church. Its doors were wide open, and the clergymen inside were kneeling at the entrance. Usually, the clergymen would be shocked upon seeing her, attempt to banish her with so-called holy water, and then try to beseech their lord to smite her. Upon failing, she’d kick them out and let the peasants have their way with them. The reaction of these clergymen, however, was completely unexpected.
“I, Thomas Müntzer, am just a lowly preacher, but I have predicted your arrival, Herald of the Apocalypse.”
Tafel raised an eyebrow and stared at an inconspicuous kneeling priest. “Herald of the what now?”
Thomas’ eyes lit up as he raised his head, his gaze lingering on Tafel’s horns. He didn’t even seem to notice the mob of peasants behind her. “Herald of the Apocalypse!” he said. “Everything you have said during your travels is true: The church is corrupt; the elite are corrupt; the ones who should be delivering God’s grace are distorting his wishes, sapping the common populace of their lifeblood and energy. God has recognized this, and in a dream, he told me so! The apocalypse shall soon come, and the rotten shall be swept away by the true believers!”
Tafel stared at the frenzied priest who had a few flecks of spit on his chin. She turned behind herself and whispered to one of the peasants, “Is this man alright?”
The peasant furrowed his brow and took a step forward. “You believe the ones in charge of the church are corrupt?” he asked, pointing a pitchfork at Thomas.
“Yes. Yes, I do! The time of reformation is now! With the Herald of the Apocalypse, we’ll sweep them all away. We’ll get rid of the sales of indulgences. The church has abused and profited off their authority for far too long!”
The peasant scratched his head and glanced at Tafel before turning his gaze back onto the priest. “And what about the ruling elite? Are they not corrupt too?”
“Yes!” Thomas said, practically shouting. “God has graced all men with the world. The plants, animals, and lands were meant for all to use, but the elite have seized the woods for themselves, not sharing, forcing the common man to buy what they need or face punishment for trespassing and robbery. The Herald of the Apocalypse shall oust them out of their positions too!”
The peasant nodded at the priest and turned towards Tafel. “This man seems alright to me.”
Tafel raised an eyebrow before shrugging. It felt nice having someone from the church winding up on her side. Perhaps he could be useful—even if he did seem to be a bit … crazy.