Chapter 10: The Testament of the lovely Sister Marionette, Chapter Three

A day after the train incident, I was once more called on by minister Bosk, he sat alone in his study filling out paperwork, while Delun stood watch outside the door. He grumbled and groaned as he flipped from page to page, signing and initialing where needed, all the while I stood there tapping my foot for several minutes before he finally took notice of me.

“Ah sorry Sister Marionette, I did not mean any offense, sometimes it is easy to get lost in this dreadful monotony,” he spoke up, his gaze still fixed on the papers before him.

“I presume there must be an important matter, for you to feel the need to disturb me?” I glowered, eyeing the mountain of documents that were sprawled about his desk.

“Can you believe it, reports say another witch was spotted on that train? Passengers claimed she killed some of the robbers, then made off with their belongings. Just like a witch, selfish and wicked to the core,” he said, still scrawling his name on dotted lines. “Present company excluded of course.”

“Is that all Minister Bosk?” I asked, my tone sharp and my patience thinning.

“No, no, I have a request for you. In two months, a train will be leaving from the first circle on an express route to the Inner Sanctum, “He explained, “I need you to be aboard that train to act as an additional source of security,”

“There is no express line from the first circle, what is so special that they would disrupt the normal train services?” My curiosity was piqued.

“You’ll be protecting a ‘package’ of sorts, one that is very important to the church.” He cleared his throat as he spoke, “it should go without saying that we must keep the package out of the hands of thieves.” The minister leaned in closely and whispered, “there is reason to believe that a certain Pirate they call ‘Deadman Jack’, has spies within the church.”

“We nun’s fight the Malefic, not pirates, bandits, nor witches,” I turned, ready to leave the room.

“You misunderstand, the request comes from the high priestess herself.” I stopped, and he added, “at the recommendation of the Grand Inquisitor of all people. Of course, I also recommend you.”

Turning back towards the minister, his eyes now met mine, “Just what is this mysterious package, and why bring it all the way to the Sanctum?”

“I shouldn’t say, but from my understanding it is a weapon of sorts, something being studied at the facility in Patmos. Now they wish to destroy it, fearing what may happen if it were to fall in the wrong hands no doubt.”

“Then dispose of it in the wastes with the rest of the trash,” I dismissed him.

“Whatever it is, it seems they must do so in the Inner Sanctum. This is an order from the High Priestess, and might I remind you Sister Marionette, it is not your place to question her authority.” His eyes grew dark and he spoke in a low solemn voice, “I believe that she has just placed the fate of the church in our hands.”

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His words bore into me, though it may have been hyperbole, the weight of what I had been told pressed me like a blanket of lead. I left his study, seeing Delun with his ear to the door, a wide grin sprawled across his face, which turned to shock.

“Ah sister, forgive me, I was just leaning here to rest myself. I know I should be more resolute, but standing for long periods can really wear on the body,” he laughed nervously, but I paid him no mind.

Walking the halls of the abbey, I replayed the conversation in my mind, trying to see if there was anything I was missing. “Rafa,” I said silently to my familiar, “did you see any information in the documents on his desk?”

“No, my love, I was unable to glean anything useful. It all seemed to be expenses from the train incident, as well as information on the slain Inquisitors family,” she answered, “if there was something about this mission, then he had hidden those papers quite well.”

“That is unfortunate, I do not like walking blindly into a job, even one handed down by the high priestess herself.”

Though I had been a Nun for many years, this was the first time I had been assigned a mission by the High Priestess. Normally Minister Bosk was in command, my missions were simple and straightforward with him. Though that’s not all that bothered me, there was the matter of the Grand Inquisitor recommending me. As far as I could recall, I have never worked with her before, I knew her on reputation alone. A fierce and dedicated witch hunter, she ascended the ranks in only a few years, before becoming the head of the Inquisitorial Order. So why would this woman, whom I never met, recommend me?     

I would have no more time to consider these things, as I passed my garden, and made way into the nun’s quarters.Where I had expected to find our peaceful resting place, instead I found a battlefield. Sounds of magic blasts and ricocheting bullets were accompanied by raucous shouting echoing throughout the abbey. Instinctively, I took cover behind a pillar, where I saw another nun cowering.

“Sister Maya, what has happened?” I yelled to her over the chaos.

“Oh Marionette, it is terrible,” the terrified nun cried, “Sister Agast was caught performing filthy acts with her familiar, when the Inquisitors came to arrest her, she resisted!”

“Those bastards!” Rafa cursed. “Will you help her?” She asked me, her voice soft and sorrowful.

“Silence Rafa, you are forbidden to speak on hallowed grounds,” I demanded coldly, “Sister Agast has violated the tenets of nun hood, she is to be executed as the Goddess’ word dictates.”

Rafa was silent, though I could feel the anger and sorrow well up inside her. All we could do was hide there, hunkered down behind the pillar, and wait for the Inquisitors to finish their job. Those minutes passed like hours, till at last the fighting ceased with one final scream. Four inquisitors marched out into the courtyard, carrying the headless corpse of Sister Agast, a fifth carrying a sack over their shoulder. Sister Maya wailed as they carried off the body of our fallen sister. All I could do was watch and fight back the tears that tried to pour from my eyes. That night we would not sleep, we would lie awake and silently mourn the young nun, knowing we would not be allowed to lay her to rest.

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