From Death, A New Beginning

Joshua's house was a small residence in the inner city. Eerily quiet given the bustle of the outer city. There were two city guards in front of the house. They were dressed in the orange uniform of the duchy with crossbows strapped to their backs.

James motioned for the others to hang back. He approached the guards, “I am military commissioner James. I need to inspect the house of former military commissioner Joshua.”

The two men looked at each other and then stepped aside without a word. James opened the door.

At one point it was a cozy house, it had a somber feeling now. There was in the main room with a desk, a few bookshelves. The sparse furniture was wooden and aged.

James started to walk around and check the bookshelves.

“Is there anything we are looking for in particular?” Chris asked as he also started walking around the room looking at various books and papers. Alex leaned against the wall.

“Joshua was investigating into the cult of Fear and Hunger. As the commissioner stationed in Svarostadt, he certain knowledge of the city that people would rather keep hidden. But I fear anything obvious has been found.”

“What makes you say that?”

James pointed at a couple of books, “whoever was before us tried their best to hide being here but, the books here are upside down. The books have been scattered.” James walked over to Joshua’s desk and after a brief check, “his papers on his desk has also been scattered.”

James knocked on the bottom of the desk. And there the faint hollow echo.

James smirked, “but none of them were part of the royal army commission.”

He then gripped a hidden handle on the bottom of the desk. He reached in and grabbed a box with a four number combination lock.

Chris went over to James, “is that box with a lock? With four numbers like that there are ten thousand different combinations. What are you going to do? Brute force it that will take forever!”

“What? How the hell did you do know that?” Alex asked.

“I took math studies while at the university. Haven’t you been educated in math as a noble?”

“I mean I have but that shit is boring. A knight shouldn’t be stuck doing math.”

James rolled his eyes as he started to rotate the lock and the lock clicked opened.

“How in the Underworld did you know the combination of the lock without really knowing the guy? Are you a wizard?” Chris asked shocked.

“It’s the same combination for every military commissioner. The birth month and birth year of King Augustus.” James replied.

“That’s some really poor security practices.” Chris commented

“Well Chris if you can kill a military commissioner, get into his residence find where he hides his papers and lock his secret box. You can unlock it now.”

“Point taken.”

James opened the box, and he found a journal.

He read flipped to towards the end of the journal and began to read.

“The cult of Fear and Hunger is spreading out of Svarostadt, they have infiltrated the Duchy of Augustein. I been tracking their movements within this city. They have been kidnapping war orphans from the underbelly of the city. For what purpose? I cannot tell, they seem to be taking them to be an abandoned storehouse on the western side of the city.”

He flipped through the next page and saw a diagram of the location mentioned.

“There has no more movement from the storehouse anymore. Something has happened. It’s eerie.”

James shook his head, the children Paul mentioned earlier. He noted it in his notebook earlier, something was wrong. Very wrong.

James checked the last entry.

“I stopped going to Father Gideon. I used to believe with confessing, I could be saved. I don’t believe in that anymore, one day I get what’s coming to me. I sometimes wonder if there is a special place in the fiery pits of the Underworld for me. But I must press on for now. To save the children are being taken away by the cult of Fear and Hunger.”

“So have you learned anything?” Alex asked

James shook his head and put Joshua’s journal into his pocket, “It was true the cult has been abducting children. It just raises more questions. Why are they taking children and to where? I could understand why they would murder Joshua but why the duke?”

“Well, I’m a bit more worried about how we can help a bunch of children. Also, we can get some revenge for trying to kill us at the Blackreach Marsh that’s all the better.” Alex said

James frowned, “There is something important I’m missing here or perhaps something I’m not willing to consider. I can’t put my finger on it.”

Chris and Alex looked at each other.

“The storehouse is near the west side of the city, near the outskirts. Described by Joshua’s journal.” James said.

I can go back to my university. See if there is anything about the orphans of the city in our logs. Perhaps there is some clue there.” Chris said.

James nodded in agreement, “let’s go.”

James asked as he was exiting the building, “Guards, have you seen or noticed anything strange in the area?”

But there was no one there.

The guards were gone.

“Fuck!” James cursed. He did not even consider the possibility that they would be with the cult.

“They been tipped off. The guards here were likely with the cult. We need to move!” James began to move west.

Alex slapped Chris on the back as he passed him, “stay safe Chris. We will meet you back at the university.”

“Thanks. Don’t die either you two.” Chris said and ran off.

***

Chris made it back to the University of Saintess Enya he went to knock on the door.

“Who is it?” A cheerful voice called out.

“It’s Chris.”

“Why come on in silly goose! We have a lot to talk about.”

Chris opened the door into the office of Master Adeline.

The office was cluttered with bookshelves, her desk was covered in books and scrolls, and her desk had a few inkpots and quills.

“How are you?” Chris asked as he walked in and shut the door behind him.

“I am well, and you?”

“I’m alive somehow.”

“That’s what I want to hear. Now sit down and tell me everything!” She smiled at Chris as she sat at the desk.

“I’m still not sure. I have a bad feeling about this.” Chris said as he sat down across from Adeline.

Adeline stared into Chris. Her steely grey eyes were focused just on Chris like a hawk.

“Remember the first thing I told you when you joined the university?”

“Don’t forget to wash your hands?”

“No. I told you, the Hospitallers of the Goddess Herta serve the people. We don’t serve any no ruler nor king. The Goddess Herta has charged us with the prosperity of the people by any means necessary.”

“I just think James is different than the rest. You can trust him.”

“Perhaps. But I prefer to do things my own way. Already this issue has driven Doctor Viktor into exile and got that poor boy George killed as you told me previously. The Order like it or not is tied to this story.”

Chris sighed and explained Joshua was investigating into missing children in the city and he handed over a few papers from Joshua’s residence out of his satchel.

Adeline shook her head, “the cult of Fear and Hunger, huh? They are a dangerous cult and very good at hiding from us. It’s their nature to fear the Goddess Herta.”

She then stood up and went to one of her bookshelves. She pulled out a map from one of her books, she put it front of Chris. It showed the entire city of Svarostadt and surrounding villages with circles dotting it.

“These are some recorded missing children that we know about in the duchy. We would have members of our orders report in seemingly random kidnappings. Until recently, when suddenly the kidnapping stopped. We didn’t understand why it was happening. Now it seems likely they have been taken by the cult of Fear and Hunger.” Adeline said and pointed to the circles.

“That’s right! If they ever had a medical examination done by the order, they would of been registered with us. How many do you think have been taken?”

“A dozen.”

“Then our records have to have some clues!” Chris said as he stood up.

“One moment please.” Adeline said. She walked over to Chris and handed him a silver coin with an engraved profile of the Goddess Herta.

“You might be getting yourself into over your head. Keep this on you. Concentrate a little bit of magic on it and I will come.”

Chris nodded as he held the coin in his hand, “thank you Adeline.”

Adeline walked back behind her desk and sat down. “Don’t mention it dear, just take care of yourself. Take the map as well.”

Chris left the office with map and coin. He nearly sprinted to the library.

Meira was alarmed when she saw Chris burst into the library, “you scared me half to death! What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry to disturb you. Can I have you bring up recent medical records of the children? Specifically, newly registered orphans, they should be records of any new child being treated put on the books.”

Meira nodded and started looking at different bookshelves.

“How many children?” Meira asked as she walked over to a bookcase.

She weaved through the library gracefully. She was intimate familiar with the library and its layout.

“A dozen or so.”

Meira paused, “That is a lot of missing children.”

She pulled out a book, she skimmed through it and then handed it over to Chris. “I think this is what you are wanting. Can I ask what you are looking for?”

“It’s probably better if you don’t know.”

“I see. Well, stay safe out there. And don’t be a hero.”

“I have Alex for playing hero.”

She giggled and smiled, “I see, that cute man from earlier.”

“I’ll let him know that you said that.”

Meira blushed and hid behind a book, “please don’t.”

Chris chuckled as he walked ahead, “I’ll be using the treating room by the library.”

He entered the room and poured over the book.

Record upon record.

All children are brought into the hospital of the Goddess Herta for one of a few reasons.

Medical exams children.

The medical exam was to register the child and make sure that they are in good health before adoption.

He wasn’t even sure what he was looking for but there had to be something.

Some sort of clue.

Chris sighed and stretched. He wasn’t getting anywhere.

He leaned back down and checked the logbook again.

He saw a familiar name, George Vasa.

He sighed at the thought of George being gone. It was hard to believe that he was really gone. Torn apart by direwolves, what a way to go.

Huh.

He checked the page and flipped over the page George Vasa had registered over twelve children within a single day.

Chris referenced the map from earlier, the children he registered into the log. The birthplaces mostly matched.

Where was George registering orphans? To the Saintess Kjera Orphanage. The orphanage run by Father Gideon.

He slammed the book shut and ran out back to Meira.

She looked shocked by Chris. “What is wrong?”

“You been here for longer than I have been. Do you remember George registering some children for the Saintess Kjera Orphanage?”

“George Vasa? Oh yeah, I remember he was with Father Gideon. Nice children, I remember giving them cookies when they visited.”

“Didn’t you find it odd that a bunch of children was being registered on the same day?”

She frowned, “No, why would I? Father Gideon is a respected member of our Order.”

Words started to swirl around in Chris’s head.

Father Gideon is a respected member of our Order.

We would have members of our orders report in seemingly random kidnappings.

I know every name that didn’t get a chance to sign…their names are forever etched into my heart. Every child I couldn’t save.

It was after the war their son Samuel got caught up in the rebels fighting outside of Gdanskig.

Shit.

“Thanks, Meira. I have to go now!” Chris said as he hurried out of the library.

“Oh, ok bye. Tell Alex I said hi.” Meira called out from behind.

***

James and Alex couldn’t find anything of note at abandoned storehouse.

No trace of anyone has been there recently. The building was mostly empty, no one around seen anyone enter or leave the building.

They thought they found something when they uncovered a trapdoor. But they when below inside and found nothing except an empty dirt floor and a pile of stones.

Alex sighed as they exited the storehouse, “Well, what now? We are in the middle of the fucking city. Where are we supposed to go now? To the University?”

“No, not the University. We need to check something else with Commander Paul. Something has been bothering me. Commander Paul must have some idea on the kidnapping and the Cult of Fear and Hunger. There has to be a reason why he’s been having such a hard time tracking them down.”

Before they could get anywhere Chris ran up to them.

“James, you need to see this.”

“Did you run straight from the university from here?” Alex asked

“Something like that.” Chris said as he pulled out a book and a map from his satchel and handed it to James.

Chris then plopped down on the grass, “I’m tired. But look at this.”

James stared at the map.

“Those are missing children that was reported by healers around Svarostadt. In the circles. Now check the medical logbook, page twenty.”

James flipped open to that page.

He read the entries and felt like chills on the back of his spine.

All the registrations were done by George for Saintess Kjera Orphanage. The locations for the origin of the children mirrored the map.

He looked back and forth between the map and the medical logbook.

It was as if the children were taken and transported there.

James felt the sinking feeling of realizing something terrible.

Something that he desperately did not want to consider.

There was a reason why it was difficult to track the cultists. They were operating in plain sight in the city as the respected Order of the Goddess Herta.

Who would ever suspect a healer helping children or a priest running an orphanage?

Who would know about the Yolanda? Someone taking confessions from Viktor and Joshua.

The Order had a perfect cover.

But one thing that bothered him was why were the children taken there in the first place? Why would Gideon want both the duke and Joshua dead?

James shook his head, there must be something else. Something he wasn’t seeing.

It didn’t matter now as he slammed the book shut.

“Gods be damned! There’s no time to waste, we need to get to the orphanage. We can get some answers there.”

Chris nodded and stood back up.

Alex was confused, “the orphanage. Why?”

“The Cult of Fear and Hunger has infiltrated the Order of Herta. That’s why it was difficult to track them down. They have a cover. And it has been Father Gideon who has been helping the cult.” James explained.

“Gideon is with the cult? I can’t believe this.” Alex exclaimed.

James frowned and his eyes hardened, “Believe it. He likely killed Joshua to prevent him from finding out more. There are a few loose ends I don’t understand and confronting him is the only way of getting answers.”

Chris looked worried, “there are innocent children who are at the orphanage as well. Should we contact the city guard for help.”

James shook his head, “The cult has had to infiltrate the city guard as well. They had assassins tipped off to try and kill us discreetly when we were in the Blackreach Marsh. They can’t be trusted. We are on our own here.”

Alex punched his palm, “then, I say we kick some ass and save the day!”

“You know what it is going to have to happen?” James asked. Knowing full well they may have to kill Gideon.

“Tsk. Yeah, we are going to have to knock Gideon on his ass and drag him back with us for some proper answers.”

James shook his head. Alex and his unwavering will to be the hero of the story.

“Let’s just do what we need to.” Chris said steadily.

The three men moved towards an inevitable ending.