At long last, Adenius entered the Military camp.
Rows of tents as large as a small city. Thousands of soldiers awaiting to be used for Harras' Great Design. But to have them under the control of von Freudenhaus, a merchant, broke Adenius' heart. As a proud Inquisitor, he had little love for Military, but they shared the same grounding goal. Merchants, though, knew only greed. They all disguised themselves as something better than they were, using their wealth to adorn them in whatever was necessary to fool an untrained eye.
Even the Flying Islands were nothing but a beautiful facade, hiding the true intent. They would trade with Xenrus if it promised greater profit. Utterly soulless, but this foul profession trained its practitioner in efficiency. Adenius had seen his fair share of Military troops. None rivaled the iron discipline von Freudenhaus' army had. These men were more akin to a Machina. Each forged out of steel, their humanity lost in the process. To replace it, they needed this army and the companionship of one another. Von Freudenhaus had eliminated their individuality.
Adenius could appreciate this. As much as a painter could appreciate a well-written song, recognizing the shared passion both artists have despite their different pursuits. He strolled through the people, earning glares. He had waited outside the camp for over a day, but his patience had finally come to bear fruit.
Tobées hurried towards him, stumbling over his own feet. The boy was in rough shape. He had seen little rest since his departure from the husk of Kupferrang. He had lost weight, his haunting features protruding out of his face. His eyes carried large bags, reliving the horrors they had witnessed. Tobées recoiled when meeting Adenius again, but duty moved him forward, making him salute.
"M… master," he managed. "It… it's good to see you."
"A pleasure, my dear Tobées," Adenius said, laying a hand on his student's shoulder. He twitched at being touched by him. "I hope the journey was not too tiresome. How is my dear Sintara? She didn't cause you any trouble?"
Tobées licked his lips, his eyes darting around. "She… she is full of passion. But no, the road was… fine. I…"
Adenius guided Tobées towards two empty chairs near a tent, giving him a bottle of water. His students drank it in three gulps.
"Please," Adenius said, "speak. Something is on your mind. As your teacher, it is my duty and honor to guide and aid you."
Tobées paused at that, frowning. "I… I don't understand why I couldn't use the Lorraine transport. It would have been faster. I could have been here days ago."
Adenius shook his head. "Ah, my dear Tobées," he said. His mask's condition had worsened, his voice a metal rasp scratching against one's sanity. "They would have questioned you. Military would have used all they had to extract the truth from you. We cannot allow them to know of Kupferrang's fate before we have successfully executed the Ravenspawn. Speaking of you, dear Tobées, you traveled alongside our Fides."
Tobées grimaced at the mention of it. "Your Fides, master. And yes… I have."
"Well, say, my good man. How is it faring?"
"Good… it… it is very fast. It should be here in a day or two. But master… was it really right? What you did to create it? I know, you act in the name of Harras, but…"
"Do not worry, Tobées," Adenius said, standing up. "It will be right. Once we have finished our hunt. But it is good to have you here. With you by my side, things may continue."
"What do you mean?"
Adenius clapped him on the shoulder. "Just sit here and wait. You will know once you are needed. I promise you."
…
Adenius hated waiting.
Nothing but a waste of time when he has better things to create or prepare. Fortunately, the guards in front of the warpriest's tent had the shrewdness to let him pass. He thanked him, startling these hardened men as if they were boys again.
Without announcement, Adenius entered the command tent. Warpriest Sancmonius looked up from his map, staring hard at the Inquisitor. As expected, no greater accommodation. A large working table, a chair, and a bed. Fitting for someone von Freudenhaus entrusted with one of his armies.
"Greetings," Adenius said, making Sancmonius grimace. "My name is Adenius Klang. I work for the Inquisition, and my mission has led me to your army. I hope we can be dear friends."
"Klang," Sancmonius said, leaning back in his chair. Nothing but hard lines in his face. No joy would ever take root in his features. "I have wondered when you would stop stalking my army like some starved dog. What's your purpose?"
Adenius loved speaking Lanin. The language of faith and nobility. Such royal words broken through his mask. Sancmonius despised how he insulted his language with each word he uttered. Interesting.
"I have come to request your aid in my mission. I demand your full cooperation. Whatever purpose you have served before will be put on hold. From now on, I require you, your army, and the Fides you have. It is of the utmost importance that you relinquish control over to me."
As hoped, Sancmonius burst out laughing. Men like him were a delight to handle. Forged by a brutal life, most deceits shattered against their iron hide. One needed to become creative to penetrate it. Every reaction out of them, a victory to hold dear. Exactly the kind of man von Freudenhaus preferred. Adenius could admire the merchant's wit, but he knew him to be a real threat to the Inquisition. It was high time that Adenius challenged one of von Freudenhaus' trusted pawns.
"You have my gratitude, Klang," Sancmonius said, wiping a tear away. "I needed a decent laugh. But what do you truly want? Speak honestly or be gone."
"I have stated my purpose. Hand over the control over your army."
Sancmonius scratched his eyebrows, his eyes boring into Adenius. "I was hoping you were jesting, but apparently you have lost your senses. I shan't do such a thing. You belong to the Inquisition. You have no right to claim a Military asset. Furthermore, I am sworn to von Freudenhaus, and I will not give away my allegiance to someone like you."
"The only one you are sworn to is Harras. His will measures higher than anyone else's. I act in his name…"
"As do we all. I am of the same profession as you, Klang. But I do not hide behind lies and deceit. No, I challenge the Taint personally. My calling is the battlefield. I will not be insulted by taking orders from your kin. I stand with von Freudenhaus."
Nothing. There was no angle for Adenius to take. His words, his strongest weapon, fell on deaf ears. Sancmonius' offered no insecurity or weakness. For such things, he needed a human heart, and this army had expelled any such notions from his chest. Adenius would have loved to hunt the warpriest, but he didn't have the time. He would entertain this a little longer before bringing an end to it.
His real prey waited, after all.
"Before you leave," Sancmonius said, "I have a few questions for you, and I demand your honesty. Your safe departure will depend on it."
"You mean whether I am allowed to depart at all. Or did you address the righteous departure of my soul to our Heavenly Father? I hope you will give me my last rites either way. No matter what you decide to do with my mortal body."
Sancmoniue remained unmoved like a rock. "What happened in Kupferrang?"
"Ah, so this is where this is going. Do you intend to gather intel for Military before ridding yourself of me? Do you want to improve your standing? No, your aim is to aid your master."
"Answer the question, Klang. What happened in Kupferrang? What did you do?"
"My duty. Frankly speaking, I fought with all I had against Drom's spawn. There were some… drastic measures, I admit, but nothing a true servant of Harras would not implement to fulfill His will."
Sancmonius hammered his fist on the table, standing up. "You rat! Don't think the Inquisition can shield you from justice. You destroyed the city in your sick game. I have read the reports on your… monstrosity. Did you sacrifice the entirety of Kupferrang to create it?"
"Like I said, there were certain drastic measures. I will not confirm nor deny any of your specific accusations. If you have a complaint against me and my work, you can contact Inquisition, and my colleagues will initiate an investigation once my mission has concluded."
"There will be justice, Klang. This was not Harras' will but your sick desire to destroy. You have been using your position for too long to satisfy this wicked urge of yours. On my name, you will not leave this tent before you have not spoken the truth."
"Inquisition will…"
"Let them come. I would like to see with which army they will come knocking at my door. We are in Sannara, where the righteous bleed and die to cleanse Ekon of the Taint. No, I will have my answers from you, no matter the cost."
Fascinating. He had heard rumors that von Freudenhaus' men were more dogmatic than most, but this surpassed his expectations. One or two pushes, and the Warpriest had declared an assault on an Inquisitor and his entire Institution. No other would have dared.
Adenius smiled. If only he had more time. Could he talk himself out of this situation? What words would he need to say to save himself? What reasoning would penetrate the conviction of such a man? What tools would it require to break his will and allegiance to von Freudenhaus? Adenius had yet to meet a man that would endure his questioning and remain unbroken.
Alas, this was not meant to be.
"I enjoyed our time together," Adenius said, opening his robe. "If only we had more."
He detached the belt from his hip, activating the grenades hanging on it. Adenius threw the belt at Sancmonius. The Warpriest caught them, staring at bombs in his hand. As his shock faded, the first roar erupting from his lungs, the grenades exploded, tearing the tent apart.
Adenius smiled as the flames and force slammed into him.