The War of the Roil: The Knight and the Warlock

Chapter 5: To War!

Sudebron was one of many thousands of islands, sandbars and islets that dotted the Ansami archipelago. It was one of the larger ones and considered, for as long as history has been recorded, as a holy site since the days that predated the Ansam Empire.

During the last few years of the Ansami Golden Age, Sudebron had a temple built upon it dedicated to Bronduk and would house the forge in which the Titan-slaying sword Shadowbane would be made.

However in recent years, it has become a place of judgement. Where criminals go to perish under the blinding light of Bronduk's justice.

Lara didn't have an inkling of an idea of what to do the next day as they arrived. Because of Edmund's fight, all prisoners were watched by Enforcers around the clock, not giving them the opportunity to escape when they landed.

Even if there hadn't been an increase in vigilance on the ship, they were met on the island by a small army of Enforcers. No matter how many God Shards they had, three people wouldn't be able to defeat this many.

She didn't see Edmund as they disembarked in a long line of shackles. A cast iron ring was locked around her waist and connected to prisoners in a similar situation in front and behind her.

They were forced off the airship and down a stone brick path leading to the temple of Sudebron.

Lara would've stopped to admire the island's natural beauty, were she not here as a prisoner on trial. The Atrellian homeland of the was tropical and warm year round, giving birth to many colorful species of plants and animals.

The stone path soon became a beaten dirt road as the Enforcers shoved the line of prisoners on at the tip of their blades. Her feet pulsed against the soil, echoing her own increasing heart beat.

The tin of God Shards was still in the folds of her rags. If she was caught with them, she'd be put to death on the spot.

Still, a small part of her hoped that the Kairolists would be merciful and hear her out.

Finally, the prisoners arrived at the foot of the temple. A sizable crowd from the port town on the other side of the island had gathered before the marble house of Bronduk.

The temple itself towered over Lara, supported by giant columns of stone and intricately carved with depictions of Hybald the Knight, the first of Bronduk's chosen Champions.

Lara, along with the other prisoners, were forced into the temple's entrance. The interior was also lined in marble columns, behind which more members of the crowd hid. At the back of the temple, stood a solid golden statue of Hybald, ten feet tall, depicting the chiseled and idealized hero of ages past.

At the base of the statue, sat members of the Kairolists, the priest caste that passed judgement upon the people of Atrell. Each of them were clothed in linen togas and adorned in gold and jewels. Their eyes were covered by blindfolds, each with the green eye of Bronduk painted on. There sat three of them, one man and two women, all with their heads shaved.

Once the prisoners came to a stop before them, the crowd's murmurs died down.

"Ye, who have betrayed Bronduk," the male Kairolist announced, slowly and loudly, "Who have broken his trust and maimed his love, today we shall decide what fate you shall suffer for abandoning our savior."

Lara was freed from the waistband that chained her to the other prisoners, but not her shackles. One by one, each of the prisoners made their case to the Kairolists. With each that went by, Lara started to believe Edmund more and more. These weren't trials. They were just spectacles, meant to portray themselves as fair.