Chapter 59, Epiloge 2.

(Kellar)

A heavily built, dark wooden carriage rolled down the cobbled road towards the capitol of Laurentia. Unlike most carriages, this one didn't have any windows with only double doors at the rear. If someone were to knock on the wood of the carriage, they would notice a distinct heavy resonance only present when there was steel involved. The carriage creaked on heavy springs, usually only seen on prison wagons.

Two drivers sat casually in the driver's seat, but their odd dress and hard expressions deterred civilians from approaching. Four heavy Clydesdales pulled the carriage, revealing that the owner was extremely wealthy, and that the carriage was very heavy..

One of the two figures clutched his disfigured right hand tenderly under his red robes while scanning his surroundings. The other, a gristle'd man in his forties, used a cloak to cover his deep black doublet and silk pants.

They approached the open gate to the city. Steel clad hooves clatter on stone, telling everyone to get out of the way. With the amount of effort it had taken to capture this particular prisoner, both Kellar and Noah were not taking any chances. Hundreds of people moved aside as the carriage slowed as to not run over anyone. The guards at the gates, upon noticing the high priest of the church and a mage in army colours, didn't get in their way.

Kellar didn't think Noah would have stopped. Kellar growled to himself. That creature in the carriage was responsible for thousands of deaths. Maybe not directly but indirectly. The carriage rolled down the city streets using the major streets to help avoid getting caught up in the bustle of noonday traffic.

Nearly an hour of slow progress later and a few insults to random commoners later, they pulled into the courtyard in front of the cathedral. Kellar rose, groaning, and dismounted from the carriage. One guard at the front gate, a Sergent approached.

" Greeting lord Noah, may we take the carriage around back?" asked the guard.

" No, thanks, we will. But thank you for offering Sergent Harry." said Noah.

" That big?" asked Harry, letting out a light whistle.

" Yeah."said Lord Noah.

" Who is this?" asked Harry, gesturing to Kellar.

" This is Kellar flame caller, master mage of the king's army." said lord Noah.

" We may need a few more men if he acts out." said Hairy, eying the four men behind him at the gate.

" Even double that, wouldn't be enough. Instead of finding more men, send one man for coffee and there will be no problems." said Kellar, giving Harry a grin. At the demanding pace, he hadn't had the chance for a calming brew. Harry laughed, straightening his polished steel helm.

"Hey Laurence, go get two tall mugs of coffee. And none of that watered down swill you make for the rest of us." yelled Harry.

Kellar lead the horses around the walled cathedral. Unlike the front, they did not man the back on the outside. It was a towering steel barrier that could only be opened from the inside. The door slid open with a groan of steel grinding over stone. Kellar moved aside and followed the heavy carriage inside. The garden in the rear of the Cathedral came alive with the buzz of insects as the carriage followed the cobbled trail through the garden to a small roundabout. The carriage paused in front of the Cathedral and both Kellar and Noah moved to the rear of the Carriage.

Noah used a key and unlocked the door. Inside the steel box was a wooden box the size of a human, with holes for air to get in. Like a palankeen, two poles threaded through the top of the box. Kellar shoulder one side while Noah shouldered the other. Kellar heaved, glad that the creature inside was not as heavy as a human was. They had etched runes of red blood along metal bands clamping the box closed, making sure the demon would stay asleep.

Noah held the front poles, leading the way through spiraling corridors and up winding stairs. All the while, they passed guards that watched the box with a burning intensity. Kellar could swear that at the slightest movement inside the box, they would attack.

Kellar had the distinct impression the guards were examining more than his mana signature.

"Noah, what is with the creepy guards?" asked Kellar as they ascended the stairs.

" Those are the Bishop's guard." said Noah.

" Ya, well, they are creepy. Why are they standing so still? That's just not natural. Does she force them to do that?" asked Kellar.

" No. It actually drives the Bishop crazy. She doesn't know who started it, but they won't move in her presence unless she orders them to." said Lord Noah chuckling.

" It was you, wasn't it?" asked Kellar, grinning.

" No idea what you are talking about." said Noah chuckling.

They enter an open room with a table in the center. Kellar squinted at the change in light, eying the crystal chandelier. Several chairs lined the hardwood table and standing in front of a smooth stone wall ornamented with a single painting. Kellar's first thought when he laid eyes on the Bishop was not for her silky smooth black hair or her sharp features, but the distressingly complex aura surrounding her. Noah gestured with his head to the table where they placed the box housing the demon.

Kellar unconsciously tensed as the Bishops will assessed him. He felt like his he was naked being looked at by a being far stronger than he was. Kellar knew all too well that if a mage was quick on their feet, they could overcome a gap in power, but the Bishop felt like a mountain and Kellar was a hill.

The feeling passed, leaving Kellar drained in a way he hadn't felt in years. He used a chair to hide his shaking hands. Kellar needed to remember. He was still just a master mage. He hadn't even reached the summit of power, much less the peak.

" Will Kellar be staying with us for the next part? He will need to sign a rune contract for what he sees." said the Bishop.

" I will vouch for him." said Noah.

" No, thank you. I have no desire to be bound by any rune contracts. My work here is done. I'm going to have a coffee. See you some other time, Noah. A pleasure to meet you, your ladyship." said Kellar waving over his shoulder, turning on his heel and striding towards the door. He left Noah and the Bishop, leaving before they could say anything. Kellar had no desire to be drawn back into the politics of the Bishop any more than he already was.

Whatever happened to that demon now was none of his business. Kellar would sleep better knowing it was stuck in the church's prison. Now, as to Carley. Kellar wondered if she was in the city yet? She had said something about visiting an old friend that was living in the city. He smiled. Maybe he could ask her to join him at a fancy restaurant? How should he do that? His last attempt at courting her hadn't ended so well. Kellar left the church grounds with a giant mug of steaming coffee in hand, contemplating the various ways he could convince Carley to go on a date with him. Maybe he could buy her flowers? The kind with the barbs. He could say he got them because she was stubborn and prickly like the rose? Kellar nodded to himself. That sounded good.

Kellar roamed the streets. He wandered towards the western edge of the city. This particular area was filled with seedy people who would normally either avoid a clearly rich man alone or try to rob him. That would normally happen, but Kellar's mage robes with the denotation of army rank kept that from happening.

Kellar did his best to avoid the refuse on the sidewalk as he strode along the busy street. Kellar found the run down building he had been searching for. Its paint was peeling, and the boards were cracking, but at least the building was standing. Kellar pushed opened the door and checked the corners before entering.

He shut the door as he took in the two figures in the well lit room. Carley sat in a wooden chair leaning against the wall while a bruised and bloodied man lay in the other corner. The mans short blond hair stuck to the side of his head, as the man slumped in the corner, his bloodied mouth swollen to a purple and blue mess.

" Who is that? He looks like shit." asked Kellar. Carley glanced up at him from where she was sitting.

" Oh, you came." said Carley, shaking her split knuckles.

Carley furrowed her brow at the figure in the corner, anger crossing her face. The figure in the corner groaned, coughing out one of his teeth on the floor. Kellar kept his hands behind his back and tucked the rose he had purchased into his pocket. Yep, this was not the time to ask..

" Yes, I came. Do you want me to help this guy? Or to help you kill him?" asked Kellar. Carley cocked her head curiously at Kellar but then looked away, her face dropping to a large satchel on the wooden table.

"He deserves to die. Dusty is a piece of shit." said Carley, pulling out swatches of fabric to wrap her bleeding knuckles.

" Why don't you kill him then?" asked Kellar, furrowing his brow.

"Arent you going to ask me why I want to kill him?" asked Carley, cocking her head.

" No, I honestly don't care. If he was one of my solider, I might say something. But he is not." said Kellar.

" If I kill him, the guard might come calling. Even in this part of the city they don't appreciate murder." said Carley.

" Did Dusty desert from the army?" asked Kellar curiously.

" Yea, he betrayed us and deserted the war." said Carley, scowling at Dusty as the man moved.

"Dont listen to her, I did what I needed to survive." said Dusty, groaning through split lips.

" So he is one of those kinds of soldiers. Do you know the penalty for desertion?" asked Kellar.

" I did what I needed to do to survive." said Dusty spittle flying from his mouth.

Law required Kellar, who was an officer of the king's army, to be the judge of deserters.

" Oh, so you admit it? Did you betray your team and desert the army?" asked Kellar forcefully.

" Yes, sir." mumbled Dusty, shrinking back at Kellar's forceful tone..

Kellar drew his sword, and without looking back to Carley, he thrust the weapon offhanded into Dusty's throat. The man struggle and thrashed, but Kellar held the sword in place until the body stopped moving. Blood gushed in a fountain over Kellar's sword and down Dusty's expensive silken shirt, pooling around the embroidered high quality pants.

" I was going to leave him alive." said Carley quietly from behind Kellar. Kellar straightened his robes and wiped his sword on the dead man's clothes. He grumbled, noticing the blood that spatter his pants.

" Well, there is nothing I can do about that now. Besides, if you left him alive, the army police would find him and kill him later." said Kellar.

" How did you catch him so fast, anyway?" asked Kellar, sheathing his sword and sitting across from Carley at the table.

" We were a part of the same squad for years. Whenever we got leave the three of us, me Dusty and Brad would come visit the capitol to spend our pay. Dusty and Brad would always come to this district and visit the same whore houses and taverns. It turns out he never thought I would survive because I found his home after only a couple of hours of looking. " Said Carley.

" Is that is what is in the satchel?" asked Kellar.

Carley hefted the satchel, which clanked, heavy with gold.

" Yes, he sold out our squad for this bag of gold." said Carley, spitting toward Dusty's corpse.

" Well, now you can use the gold to gear up your next squad." said Kellar, smiling at her.