Ripples

Coronation of the Rat King

The escape from the basement was coming to a close, and the two young women were nearing the door to the end of the hall that led back up to the Cathedral. They passed a few more rooms that were interconnected along the main hall of the basement. They didn't risk the main hall in case anyone had been left to stand guard.

As they were walking through a scribe room, Melie finally spoke up after several quiet minutes. Not even looking at Amicia, she asked, "Promise to help me kill him?"

Amicia didn't need to guess who she was referring to. "Only if you promise to join the line already formed..."

Melie snorted and glanced back at her. "Deal. Just promise me one more thing."

"What?"

"Don't die."

Amicia smiled, remembering their banter from many years ago. "I won't if you won't. The world needs Melie the Fury."

Shaking her head, Amicia could swear she saw just the bit of a smile on Melie's face. "And the world needs more of Amicia the Amazon."

The pair had made it to the last room connected to the massive basement hall but were held back by a sea of rats before them, blocking the exit. Melie watched through the keyhole of the door to the entryway of the basement, not willing to open the door to all those rats. Amicia didn't argue.

"What now?" Melie grumbled, watching the sea of rats with great distaste.

"If it were just black rats, we could use a torch..."

"But that won't work with the white ones..."

"Correct... I just wish I had enough alchemical ingredients to create a large projectile of luminose...." Amicia muttered, adjusting the heavy book on her back as she thought.

"There's still too many." Melie pointed out.

Amicia tried not to pound the wall in frustration. She wanted to get upstairs. Let Lucas know she was alright, for she knew he was risking his life for her right now. That was just the kind of man he was...

Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and Amicia and Melie looked at each other in apprehension. Melie surveyed outside the peephole, and she exclaimed, "They're leaving!"

Amicia pushed Melie over and looked into the keyhole, shocked to see the rats all running upstairs and into holes in the walls, which she assumed also led upstairs. "What are they doing??"

"Don't question it! Let's go!"

The two ran for it, running up the stone spiraling staircase, careful to still keep an eye out for the little demons. Finding the door open at the top of the staircase, Amicia stopped Melie before they ran right into a pool of black rats. The light coming from the windows above kept them at bay from the rest of the Cathedral, sticking to the shadows of the balconies and columns.

"Shit, this isn't good..."

It was then Amicia noted Bishop Bonifas was speaking to Grand Inquisitor Gauthier. The Inquisitor should run! There was no chance he would survive the rats even with guards! But he hadn't experienced the true power of the rats before and would try to fight back like any normal man would.

"You! You will pay for this, Bonifas! The Pope will not bear this!" Gauthier shouted.

"Funny, I will be making my way to Rome as soon as possible! The Pope will see my great works and bow at my feet!" Bonifas cried, holding out his hands like the savior himself.

"I will die before that happens!" the Inquisitor blew, holding his hand staff up, absolutely livid now.

Bonifas' mouth quirked up to one side. "That can be arranged."