The Phantom Man

V - The Creature of Evil

"Humankind, although not allowed to learn magic because of the risk of using it for evil, must learn the inquisitors' true intentions as well, namely the massive execution of witches and wizards for the purpose of putting their hands on their wealth and properties." With these words, old King Agathor opened the meeting.

"We have to defend ourselves against the inquisitors. They plan to cause us great damage. They're spreading fake stories about us, and teaching people ways to identify us. They even have written a book, Malleus Maleficarum, also known as The Hammer of Witches, that provides arguments to convince people to denounce us. They're offering a reward and blame us for poverty, arguing that we're able to cause the Black Death, a disease that has caused the deaths of millions all over Europe," the sorceress Elheonora completed.

A woman as fearless as her husband, she assisted Agathor in leading the Bergues clan. As she was speaking, her newborn baby began to cry again, incessantly, as if announcing that something bad was going to happen.

Up in the mountains, Juan walked toward the cave's entrance, trying to find out where the child was; their weeping was penetrating deep in his soul. Unexpectedly, a cold wind blew on his face and he felt a strong scent of fresh blood. The old man decided to make use of his magical powers to understand what was about to happen. He started to observe the meeting through the eyes of one of the owls.

Far away from him, at the conclave of magic, Tyrone said:

"There are wizards drifting away from the path of light. They are giving a bad name to the world of magic. I have reasons to believe that they're passing on information to the inquisitors about us. I believe there are betrayers among us."

Everyone at the meeting was disturbed by that affirmation, except for Enzo, who already suspected that. For some minutes, there was a buzz, and all the wizards started to talk at the same time.

"Silence, please!" Agathor cut off the murmurs energetically. "We need to make serious decisions tonight."

The place calmed down again, and the Chief of the Wizards continued:

"How did you come to this conclusion, Tyrone?"

"I feel sorry to admit that these witches and wizards have strayed from my own clan. Some members were found dead, even though there's no apparent reason for that. I have been informed that the inquisitors have been offering lands and power to the dissidents in exchange of high treason."

"Bastards! They betray us, say lies, receive part of our wealth as bonus, and then watch us being burned down alive under accusations of witchcraft." Joseph Boyne, an Irish mage, said out loud.

"The Inquisition is a tool for death, paranoia and fear," the Wizard King added. "We must discover who the betrayers are and kick them out of our clans once and for all."

"We are already conducting an investigation within our clan to unmask them," Tyrone said.

"If only we could plant one of ours among the inquisitors, maybe we would be able to get inside information about their next steps, as well as information about who the treacherous witches are," Enzo suggested. "Naturally, they belong to the Basnet clan," he said to Tyrone, "considering that you speak the inquisitors' language and, apparently, some of your members are being recruited by them."

"Sounds like a good idea, Enzo," Agathor agreed. "It's somewhat risky, nevertheless it's necessary to make use of the enemy's own poison in order to achieve success and save our people."

"The inquisitors will annihilate everything that goes against their will. Those in disagreement with their faith will be considered heretics. Governments from all Europe are responsible for having allowed the overflow of their power. The Protestant Reformation, which began here in the German Empire, infuriated even more the Church's authorities, for they are now losing their control over humankind. We need to find out a way to stop the slaughter from spreading. People need not only to learn that we have families that we love, but also that our religion is for the good," Evelyn Hollyn, who was also a Bergue, said. She continued, "They are accusing protestants of witchery because they refuse to comply with the catholic ideas, and they're making money with that, mainly with the selling of indulgences to reduce one's sins. That's a total nonsense!"