War of Emperium

Interlude: The Return

His name was Adulis. He had always been the object of ridicule and slander. In his earlier years he had been one of Pronteras most celebrated Priests, his fame once rivaled that of Isidore Cranes or even Wealthow Eyres. But he got involved in an illicit love affair with a young Archer.

The Church forbade its Priests from having love affairs. Priesthood was a solemn oath, where one would forsake everything in the world, especially the deep kind of love. Acolytes could still change mind when they wanted to raise families. But once they decided to marry they could never attain Priesthood.

When the Church learned of his love affair, they condemned the Archer to heresy and had her burned at the stake right before his eyes. After too much grief he went insane. He wandered around Rune-Midgard, known to all as the Blessing-Giver. He kept mumbling her name as he cried. Sometimes he would just laugh very loud, talking to people who weren't there.

Some people still had pity on him though, especially the Knights. They would give him some clothes and food. Otherwise they would take him to a trip around cities and tried to explain things to him. He understood them and Healed them for free. Sometimes he would just bless anyone who comes across him with an Impositio Manus or a Gloria. He never hurt children and people.

But, of course, there would always be evil people

Today he was sitting in a corner in Izlude, watching as the people passed him by. Earlier this day a group of kind Hunters gave him a bulging bag of newly baked bread. They sat with him and sang him songs. When they were about to leave him he cried like a child, but they said they'd return to him the next day to sing more songs. He blessed them with a powerful Kyrie Eleison.

"There, over there sits pretty Lily" He sang softly as twirled a lock of his long, blue hair. 

"She was very pretty Lily but she loved me, I loved her but she was killed, burned Lily, Lily"

Then he laughed really loud. Then he grew somber and started to sing again.

"Oh look, so you're here in Izlude, aren't you?"

He looked up, blinking innocently. Three thuggish Archers stood before him, looking on at his pitiful figure with disgust.

"Hello" he smiled bleakly at them.  "Have you seen Lily?"

The Archers exchanged dark looks and started to cackle evilly.

"Get up, freak!" said the biggest Archer, grabbing the Priest by the arm violently.  "Get up, freak! Lets play!"

Adulis tried to pull his arm, fright in his eyes.  "No! You're bad! Bad!"

The second Archer hit him. "Freak, freak, freak! You're a freak!"

"Let me go!" He said, panicking.  "Let me go! Youre bad!"

He snatched back his arm and started to run. The Archers were fast at his heels. They started to fire arrows at him as he ran, shielding his head with his arms. If he was just in his right mind, he could have taught these punks a lesson. But his period of greatness was over. He couldn't even remember how to use his maxxed Lex Divina.

The sky started to darken, and lightning flashed. Thunder rolled among the dark and low clouds, and the rain started to pour in torrents. People vanished from the streets quickly, packing their things and opening umbrellas.

Their chase had taken them far into the deserted coastlines of Izlude. The poor Priest was soaked and tried to run away, but the Archers wanted to punish him. They caught up with him some 30 meters from the port, and started to beat him up by the shore.

"Take that, freak!"

"Yeah, he's right! FREAK!"

"FREAK! YOU'RE A FREAK!"

He could do nothing but whimper as they beat him again and again. Then, when he was so bloody, the biggest Archer picked him up by the collar, his feet dangling a few inches from the ground.

"I didn't do anything to you. I only loved Lily, was that bad?" he squeaked.

"Shut up, FREAK!" the Archer shouted. Somewhere, lightning flashed and thunder rolled.  "You'll go with us!"

Adulis was protesting like a little boy when the Archers hauled him to an island a few meters from the Izludian mainland. The island was relatively small, and reared a circle of palms around an elevated hill. The Archers climbed the hill dragging the poor Priest with them, and when they reached the top dropped him on the ground as if he were a common toy.

"If you're a Priest, revive him!" the third Archer shouted, kicking Adulis in the stomach.  "If you don't revive him well feed you to the sharks! NOW!"

Adulis coiled on the muddy ground, whimpering. A beautifully wrought Silver Cross that weighed about fifty pounds was staked deep into the ground. There was a bronze plaque embedded alongside the blades of grass that read:

NERVA AL'THOR

RUNE-MIDGARDS HERO

Died at the young age of 28, 78th year of Heimdall

Lost, but not forgotten.