The Fate of Thieves | The Dump

[SacredSource 397]

 

The Fate of Thieves

Darkness lingered. The first sensation was not sight, but of scent. It was rot-decay-waste. The stench of impoverished brought itself with the air like a curse that permeated through the world. Lorinthia’s breath caught the new reality, hands clenching tightly in readiness until opening her eyes. She witnessed the sight of refuse piled upon itself through the alley.

Richard stood to her rear, at first silently watching the scavengers before them reap the piles of trash with their claws. A harvest in the making before their eyes. 

“Welcome to Prosperion. A land that never had the embrace of the Sunlit Lord.”

This alley for now seemed to be a refuge for the chaos outside was palpable where the screams, jeers, and cheers that bustled the streets radiate their call of fury. Though this backwater itself posed a quick challenge for the three scavengers then brought their gaze towards Lorithina.

“Why are they looking at me like that?” she asked with a concern clearly shrieking through her voice. 

Richard’s voice was cold, the mentor only replied, “They haven’t had food in days. They see opportunity.”

And so pleas were given, and those pleas were fulfilled as if by divine. Praise echoed, and greed raised. For hunger continued to usher forth exploitation when opportunity was given. Lorinthia’s hand hesitated, a clear understanding that perhaps lies were echoed for sympathy for their starving kin. Despite it all, the truth was clear: these people were desperate, hungry. Further ration was provided, and the praises continued to echo. The last scavenger whispered as he fled, “Take care of yourself, you have a kind heart. Those around here do not.”

Richard’s voice rose in accusatory scolding to Lorinthia, “Why did you do such a thing?” 

Her answer was calm, “Because it was the right thing to do.”

With words exchanged silence befell the two as they left the alley.

 

---

Passing the sanctuary, the city was finally revealed to be bustling. Poverty remained visible though there was still a vestige of the elite that afforded the luxury of some of the respites that even the poorest on Eos could afford.

“Last time I was here, society seemed to collapse; yet, it seems like some order was restored.”

Upon spotting the relatively wealthy foreigners, a merchant quickly beckoned them to explore his wares. Luxuries such as steel, flowers, and other trinkets fostered upon his general stand. As Lorinthia approached, what greenery upon the stand dissipated into blackened, wilted, waste - befitting of the alley they arrived from. Terror filled the eyes of this poor merchant.

“I-… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Lorinthia stammered. 

Richard’s reply was grim: “I suspect it is because… we are from Eos.”

The merchant fled, shouting: “The rest of you are at the Church. Leave us commonfolk alone!”

The arrival to the Church was swift by the two bannermen of the Sunlit Covenant. The building remained intact, but the locals seemed to consider such a place taboo. As if the place itself spawned the woes of their world. Alas it was time for duty, the two pushed the door open to reveal the unsightly image within. A desecrated altar lay splattered in blood that drowned an eight-pointed star. Where pews once laid now populated corpses burning with ethereal flame.

“Malflame.”

From the darkness emerged the foes that inhabited this once proud house - Inferi. A devil hound leapt upon Lorinthia bringing the elfess in peril; whilst, its master continued to bring forth a fire from the voidal depths. Xannic steel of the Warden met against that of another Inferi bringing the resound of boomsteel to ring through the room. Pain followed, but through steel was resolution met and pain.

“Let us leave,” Richard muttered. “I fear they may send more after us.”

That door they pushed upon to enter was then once more pushed upon to leave.

 

---

The outside world seemed reclaimed by the denizens of the plane. Was this Order restored? For a crowd in good manner gathered at a podium. A captain cried: “COME ALL, COME ALL! WATCH THE FATE OF THIEVES.”

The two approached finding the condemned was familiar. It was that scavenger that had spoken the kind words of advice. He now held upon a pendant tightly that bore a crude picture of family. His pleas rang out like repeating echo, “I did not steal! Have mercy!”

Lorinthia whispered urgently, “Surely we can’t let this happen.” 

Richard’s reply was heavy, “Do we have a choice?”

Lorinthia plotted, deliberated, desperately grasping for the answer to fulfill this duty of Guardianship. To be the salvation that the people of this world would pray to receive. 

SNAP - The execution was complete. The crowd dissipated, the two approaching the body of the man they seeked to help.

Richard’s words lingered, “He was given an alm he did not truly earn. Miraculous success breeds jealousy. One action cascades into effects we never see.”

Lorinthia crouched beside the body laying a hand to close the eyes of the man, whispering softly, “I am sorry.”

A lesson was taught:

Order without guardianship collapses into cruelty.  

Guardianship without order dissolves into folly.  

In Prosperion, both are devoured.

 

 

“Liturgy is Our Salvation”

 

[Johann 2498]

Soundly asleep on the "Covenant CouchTM" and clutching his dormant katana, Gael wonders why the Sunlit Bastion has been unusually quiet as of late...