From Death, A New Beginning

James, Alex and Chris arrived at a quaint house near the outskirts of the city. On route Chris let Alex and James know Chris was there to check up on the priest for the Church of Saintess Kjera.

Chris knocked on the door and turned back to look at James and Alex.

“You should probably let me do the talking. Gideon will have a heart attack or try to beat you up with his staff. Or both.”

“I thought you said he was a priest?” Alex asked

“He likes to, hmm. How did he put it? Ah be a shepherd tending to his flock and keep the wolves at bay and uh aggressively. Knowing him, he will think of you two as wolves.”

“Old man shouldn’t be fucked with, got it.” Alex replied.

James shrugged. A turbulent priest has so been the most reasonable thing they had to deal with in this city.

The door popped open and there was a teenaged girl answering the door, “Hey! Oh, it’s just you Chris. Here to check up on Gideon again?” She had a perky smile on her face. Her bright chestnut ponytail bounced behind while she talked animatedly.

She looked pass Chris at Alex and James, “woah, a Knight of Lyris and a military commissioner? What did you do Chris? Did you cheat on Claudia? Because this is definitely something I can see her doing.”

“What. No! I been recruited to being part of a military commission.”

“Woah, I already knew that the royal army was a bunch of assholes. I’m almost impressed, forcibly impressing a dorky healer with a family into their horse shit is a new low.”

“Yikes.” Alex responded reflexively

James just sighed.

The girl said all that to the two of them with no fear.

“What’s your name kid?” James asked.

“Hanna. That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”

“Let our guests in, Hanna.” A deep voice called out from the house. Hanna shrugged and opened the door wide letting the three passes through. She did bump Alex as he passed by, “fancy armor you got there.” She teased

A greying man in a priest robe walking with a staff greeted Chris. He might have been aging but James could tell there was a strength to him. A quiet dignity in his eyes, a strength and confidence of his build.

“Who are these unwanted guests?” The priest asked as he and Chris sat down across from each other.

“Oh, don’t be like that these two gentlemen are Alex of House Spiers and military commissioner James. This is Father Gideon.” Chris replied as he went through his satchel pulling out a cloth patch and medicine bottles.

“A pleasure to meet you.” Alex said as he bowed.

“You are the priest for the Church of Saintess Kjera. I saw your church earlier in town.” James said checking his notes.

“A well-informed military commissioner who is straight to the point? Humph, I suppose that’s just the reality that we live in these days after the war. Yes, I am.”

“Did you ever speak with the former military commissioner Joshua?”

“Many times, I have yes actually.” Gideon groaned in pain as Chris applied a cloth patch to his back.

“What for?”

Gideon gave James a small smile, “why? For the simplest reason of all. Salvation.”

“Joshua didn’t seem the type to waste his time like that. Everyone I talked to so far has described him of a man who liked his solitude.”

“Haha, I think you might be projecting. There is no type to go to church. With the years building up and the number of regrets mounting, it’s only human to look for some sort of peace. To make peace with yourself as time grind you down. Searching desperately for forgiveness and a meaning to all the suffering in life. You might Joshua pathetic for talking to some old priest to gain peace. But we both have lived through the civil war and know how cruel mankind can truly act. Life finds a way of breaking everybody. I’m here to listen and offer a hand when that day comes.”

“Humph, I suppose. It sounds like you speak from experience.”

Gideon drank some medicine prepared by Chris. He shook his head slightly, “medicine is not getting any less bitter, Chris.”

Father Gideon then pointed at the wall behind him, “see that behind me?”

James looked at the wall. Gideon was pointing above a fireplace and at a faded paper in a frame. The paper was covered in handwritten thank yous with signatures.

“I run the Saintess Kjera Orphanage here in the city. Every year I get this a paper with the signature of every child who are discharged over the years. That paper is special, it was the year the civil war started. 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. Those who died during the cataclysm of war hurts my old soul. I must make peace with my own mortality too, commissioner. I want to be able to say I lived a good and fulfilling life, I have many eyes watching over me from the afterlife. And when my time comes, I want to have many stories to tell them.”

“Look at that silly old man getting teary eyed yet again. Knock it off you’ll live another like fifty years!” Hanna said as she was sitting on the kitchen counter.

“Still these men are interesting. James storming in here asking questions like an inquisitor. And Alex, is this a girlfriend or something?” Hanna asked with a picture in her hand.

Alex patted himself down and looked bewildered at Hanna, “Hey! Illusionary magic portraits are expensive. Give it back.” Alex grabbed Hanna hand.

For lack of a better description, James watched as Alex popped Hanna’s hand off with the picture. The hand fell on to the counter what felt like an impact of a boulder.

“Ahhh!” Hanna yelped.

Alex went pale.

“Alex, what the fuck did you do? Did you really rip a girl’s hand off?” James shouted.

“Bitch! You really think I can just rip a hand off? Who do you think I am some sort of human ogre!?” Alex yelled back at him.

Chris just sighed at the sight, “Hanna, what did I tell you about pulling that prank?”

Hanna laughed, “ah come on I was just trying to lighten the mood.” The hand then floated in the air. It then patted Alex on the head and returned to Hanna and was back on her arm like nothing even happened.

“Remember when I said the royal army were a bunch of assholes? Caught me red handed once. Luckily was able to convince them I was left-handed.” Hanna explained as she adjusted her prosthetic hand.

“Doesn’t that seem a bit harsh?” Alex asked still somewhat bewildered at what just happened.

“No, they did what they needed to do like what I needed to do. Also, it’s a considerable improvement from butchering women and children in the streets.”

“That’s a very low bar.” Alex replied

“Yeah, well. Everyone in the north remembers Kristiansburg.”

“I wasn’t even old enough to even be in the war.” Alex grumbled.

“Sorry, I’m just telling you that’s how it is in the north.”

“You would think having your hand cut off would teach you to stop stealing. Yet, you still have sticky fingers. Somehow you always have some candy for Hilda and Sophie.” Chris said as he packed away his medicine.

“No, I was taught not to get caught! Besides having a magic hand isn’t all bad and I wouldn’t want to disappoint those two as the big sis.”

“Girl, how many times I have to tell you to not sit on the counter.” A woman voice called out at the entrance. James looked over to see an older woman come up behind Hanna and smack her on the back of the head, “also what did I say about detaching your hand? You’ll get it dirty, remember when you got jam all over it?”

“Yeah, when I was still learning!” Hanna sighed and hopped off, “you are no fun, momma Brigette.”

“Complain at me all you want, girl. Here start chopping up these vegetables for dinner.” The woman said as she handed over a bag to Hanna.

Brigette seemed to then notice the extra guests in the house, “The military? Chris what did you do?”

“Why do you also think I did something wrong!?”

Brigette rolled her eyes, “come now. What do you think my husband is capable of these days?”

“Just about anything. By the Goddess Herta the man wrestled an owlbear in his youth.”

Gideon barked out a boisterous laugh, “I haven’t heard about that one in awhile. Back when I was still your age, I was a real rabblerouser.”

“Oh, stop you.” Brigette said irritably. She turned her ire at James, “would you kindly leave. We don’t need the likes of you in our house. Or our country to be frank.”

“I just had some questions. Besides, Chris is part of my commission from the Lord Protector.” James replied evenly.

“More like separating Chris from his family.”

“I don’t like your tone, ma’am.”

“Tsk.” She angrily noised her displeasure.

Gideon put his hand on his wife shoulder and gently rubbed, “it’s quite alright. I apologize for the both of us. The military puts us both on edge.”

Alex tilted his head at that, “The royal army basically has no presence in Svarostadt except for the occasional commissioner since Duke Frederick sided with the Loyalists. What makes you guys hate the royal army so much?”

Bridgette scowled at the question, “They threw Hanna into a ditch after cutting off her hand. She was dirty, bloody, and barely clinging to life. It was only a miracle from the Goddess Herta that we were at Gdanskig when we found her. You vile monsters also-”

“Mom! It’s fine really.”

Brigette looked at Hanna with a disappointed look.

“Ah come on, mom. We talked about this. There is nothing you can do about the past. It’s been set, can’t be changed.” Hanna then paused from cutting the carrots and looked out the window. She was looking out in the distance and had put a pleased smile on her face like remembering a good memory,

“But you can always move one step forward. To a better future that can always be changed.”

Bridgette sighed, “that boy.”

James looked around the house and noted there was no family portrait.

Gideon caught his gaze and just smiled sadly.

James stood up, “I understand. We will be waiting for you outside, Chris.”

“Huh? Just like that. Ok I guess.” Alex said as he followed James out.

“Don’t be a stranger, boy knight.” Hanna commented as she kept cutting carrots.

Alex and James stood outside of Gideon’s house watching the people come and go.

“What was that all about?” Alex asked.

“Us being there was being there was bringing up some bitter memories out their family. Better for everyone this way.”

“Hmm. Well, I suppose your colleagues in the military did chop off Hanna’s hand off.”

James sighed, “it’s complicated. The time after the war was a confusing and tough time. The fires of the war had ravaged the kingdom. Order had to be restored.”

“What a glorious victory.”

James then saw Chris exit.

“Sorry about that.” Chris said as he emerged out of the house. “Hope you weren’t bothered by that too much.”

“When did they loss their son?” James asked.

Chris tiled his head, “how did you? Ah, right. You are an investigator. It was after the war their son Samuel got caught up in the rebels fighting outside of Gdanskig. Terrible affair that was, I heard he wasn’t even with the rebels, but he was simply in the wrong place, wrong time.”

“Humph.” Alex reflexed. Angrily shooting a glance at James.

“What do you want from me? It’s not like I personally was involved with the northern occupation and suppression. I was at a desk back at the capital. It was the hope of Marshal Lehwaldt at the time was if the suppression was ruthless and thorough enough there would be no threat of a continuation of conflict.”

“Well that clearly failed. Now even more northerners want us dead than before.”

“I’m just stating what the mindset was. I don’t condone what they done but to understand why.”

“Yeah, understand the Grand Military Council sucks.”

“Bold of you to make that statement right to the face of a military commissioner.”

“I’m just saying if I was a knight back then I would have never followed those orders, it’s harsh and disgusting what happened.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You weren’t there.”

Chris just looked at both of them confused, “aren’t you both part of the royal army? I don’t really understand.”

James turned to look at Chris, “that’s right you are from Sachsen. I’m part of the royal army often referred to as the military since we represent the Grand Military Council. The royal army is only beholden to the people of the Kingdom and the Lord Protector Manstein. A step to a new direction for our kingdom.”

“But a step in the wrong direction. The Knights of Lyris the same as it has always been, ever faithful and loyal to the king. Shining beacons of a glorious past and a guiding light of the present.” Alex said

“More like a relic of a bygone era, desperately clinging to an imagined, idealized past.” James retorted

“Rather be dreaming of the past than butchering women and children in the present.” Alex shot back

“Are you guy, ok? Like is this even going to work?” Chris asked seemingly even more bewildered than before.

“Ah don’t worry about it, Chris. We been like this ever since we left the capital. That’s why we are the dream team.” Alex replied as he stretched

“Where are we going boss man anyways?” Alex asked James, seemingly have brushed off the argument already.

“There is a lead I want to follow. We need to get horses from commander Paul. We ride to Misni.” James replied.

“Care to tell us, why?”

“It will be a surprise.”

“I hate your surprises.”

“I know.”

Chris shook his head seemingly in disbelief in what he’s watching.

James ignored Chris’s and Alex’s looks and took the lead, they need to keep moving.