FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter Twelve

The first view Adlis got of the church was through the window of the carriage as they raced across the desert. She almost had to lean her head out the window to see it, but her curiosity managed to overpower her fear. Churches of Embin were by no means rare in Tassendile, there was even one in the city she'd grown up in, but the priests and their followers prided themselves in making each one different. Sometimes they fit a theme the town had, other times they were constructed according the architect's whim. The only thing they all had in common was that they were all a sight to behold. Adlis sucked in her breath in awe as the church became visible on the horizon. She had known it would be extravagant, but she was unprepared for the massive structure that loomed above her now. Three stories tall, it stretched long and thin, wrapping around the town in a half-circle. The steeple, located at the center of the curve, at least doubled the building's height. It wasn't the shape or the size off the church that impressed her, though- it was what it was made out of. The walls were almost blindingly white in the bright desert sun, reflecting the light enough to be seen from over a mile away. Marble, Adlis thought in amazement. The walls are made entirely of marble! The priest, she noticed, was regarding her awe with smug a smug expression, quickly reminding the young zik that she was still very much in danger. Za sat by her side, still quivering with terror. Kilo was sat at the far end of the seat, glowering wordlessly at the priest and his acolytes. The kashni did not seem to mind- he was focused entirely on Adlis. "When we stop," he said at last, "you will be the first one out of the carriage. Do not try to run, I will have my gun trained on you at all times." His eyes narrowed dangerously, "You will find that my aim is deadly accurate." "Yes, sir," Adlis agreed with a quick bob of her head. If she wanted to get through this, she had to convince the priest that she was not his enemy, which meant that getting him angry was the last thing she should do. "You will be taken to the altar," he continued. "I will summon my brothers, and you will be put on trial." "It's not her fault!" Za blurted out, leaning towards the priest in desperation. "She was cursed!" "Whether or not that is true will be decided therein," the priest concluded. "As for you two," he motioned towards Za and Kilo, "should you behave peacefully, no harm will come to you. You will be escorted to rooms with beds, and you will remain there until the hearing is over. Afterwards, you will be free to leave, with or without the zik." "But..." Za argued, but Adlis cut him off. "No, Za," she said, trying to sound as brave as she could. "Don't argue with him. Just do as he says." "But it's not your fault!" the simmk said again. "I know," she agreed. "And these are intelligent men," she shot the priest a quick glance, hoping her compliment would not be brushed off. "I believe they'll understand the truth once I've told it to them." Before anymore could be said, the carriage came to a halt and the door was opened from the outside by yet another acolyte, a toola this time. "After you," the priest said, motioning towards the door with his gun. Nodding solemnly, Adlis stood and exited the carriage. The moment she set foot on the ground, she heard a cacophony of voices break out. The area around the church was filled with priests and acolytes, and, she quickly realized, her ears were still white with fear. She tried desperately to get her emotions under control, but failed. She instinctively shrank back, almost able to feel the hard glares all around her. Even as she stood there, her ears darkened to an embarrassed shade of red, eliciting even more mutters. "Move," the kashni commanded her from behind, and she forced herself to begin walking. She had no idea where she was supposed to go, but she hoped that the priest wouldn't see her wandering as an attempt to escape. "This way," he corrected her, and she turned to see him pointing towards a door. It wasn't the main door, which stood large and impressive at the front of the church, but a small, out of the way door in the far wall. She nodded quickly and went through it. The hallway was narrow and had a low ceiling, but it was just as ornately decorated as the outside of the building. The walls were a dark, bloody red, and the floor was made of polished wood. Candles had been placed at regular intervals down the hallway to make up for the lack of windows, and paintings of famous priests and prophets long past lined the walls. Suddenly, as the door slammed shut behind her, Adlis felt alone. Completely and utterly alone. Za, the one constant companion she'd had over this entire journey, had been left outside. He may not have been the most useful friend to have, but at least he was a friend. Now that she was inside the church with only this angry priest for company, she found herself longing for anything else. Even Kilo's coldhearted hostility would have been welcome. As they moved down the hallway, another acolyte came running to them from the other side. "Father Richard!" he said quickly. "What is it, Brother Curla?" the priest demanded. "I'm busy." "I just wanted to tell you that a zik was found in the desert last night, injured and close to death. A passerby found him and brought him here." Father Richard arched the scales above his eye, "And is he in good condition?" "He is recovering, Father," the acolyte said. "Good. Then care for his needs until he is ready to depart," he said, turning to leave. "Do not disturb me again, I have very pressing issues to address." Bowing in respect, the acolyte hurried away. Before Father Richard could lead Adlis away, though, a door further down the hallway opened, and a zik stepped out. He was wearing a long black coat that matched the shade of his fur, and his spurs jangled with every step. He eyed Adlis and the priest coldly as he approached them, and Adlis could not help but notice the rifle slung over his back. "Are you the zik that was brought here last night?" Father Richard asked. "No," the zik answered. "I'm the one who brought him here." Father Richard bobbed his head, "My thanks to you, friend. But it is customary for one to remove their hat in the house of Embin." The zik's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Adlis was shocked to see the kashni take a step backwards. Her ears blanched even further. Something about this zik was naturally frightening, but she couldn't tell what. Finally, he began to walk again, leaving Adlis and Father Richard alone, his hat still placed firmly on his head. Clearing his throat nervously, Father Richard moved a couple of steps ahead of Adlis, still aiming his gun at her, and opened another door. This door led to a room large enough to hold at least fifty people. Benches had been set up for that exact purpose, and at the far end of the room was an elevated platform. Adlis allowed herself to be ushered inside, and the kashni sat her down on one of the pews at the front of the room. "Remain here," he ordered her, heading towards a side door. "If you try to escape, you'll only make things worse for yourself." Before she could respond, he went through the door, slamming it behind him. He needn't have worried about Adlis trying to run. Fear rooted her feet to the floor and her backside to the bench. She squirmed anxiously in her seat, wishing the priest would hurry up. He'd only been gone a couple of minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Finally, the door swung open again, and the priest returned, followed by three more priests, all wearing the same dark blue robes. In total, there were two kashnis, a zik, and a fuaro. Behind them scuttled a toola, holding a stack of parchment and a pen. The priests ascended to the platform and stood in a row, all staring at Adlis while the toola sat down at a small desk, ready to take notes. "You now stand trial in the Court of the Lord Embin," Father Richard declared, his voice swelling with self-importance. "State your name." "My name is Adlis," the young zik answered, her voice small and weak with fear. "Adlis, you have been charged with the crime of magic," the zik priest said. "Father Richard has accused you of enchanting your ears to change color according to your emotions." "The evidence," the second kashni spoke up, "can be clearly seen." Adlis felt her ears flush red with embarrassment. "Adlis," Father Richard said, "are you aware of what the Touchless Law states?" "That magic must never touch a living body," Adlis recited. "It must only be used through lifeless, inanimate objects." The zik eyed her severely, "The church of Embin does not approve the use of any magic, yet we begrudgingly allow the lawful use of it. You have broken the law, which places you at our mercy. It is obvious that magic has touched you. Your ears give it away. Have you anything to say in your defense?" "Yes!" Adlis said, trying to keep her voice calm. "I didn't do this to myself. It was a Cursecaster!" Father Richard glanced at his fellow priests, and then turned back to face her, "Very well, explain how this happened." And so, for the third time in three days, Adlis found herself telling her story. She left out the details about her fiancé and seeking out Kulgan, but made sure to emphasize the part about being struck with the cursed bead. However, when she finished, Father Richard let out a derisive grunt. "Child," he growled, "do you take us for fools?" "I..." Adlis stuttered, taken aback by his reaction. "Did you actually expect us to believe such a tale?" the zik added. "There is as much truth to be found in that story as there is water in a rock!" "I believe her," the fuaro spoke up for the first time. All eyes turned on him. Adlis felt a small measure of relief when she saw him wearing a kindly smile. The zik sneered at his fellow priest, "Brother Dunma, you would believe a fuaro if they told you they were a kashni!" Brother Dunma shrugged indifferently, "Regardless, Brother Kekata, I believe she is telling the truth." It was a small victory, but Adlis could feel her ears turn a dark, rich brown as relief poured through her. She knew it was foolish to allow herself to feel as such now, as only one of the four priests had taken her side, but she couldn't help it. Perhaps Brother Dunma would be able to change the others' minds. Father Richard's eyes narrowed at the fuaro, "I think you are stalling, Brother Dunma, and I do not appreciate it. I wish to end this trial quickly!" Again, Brother Dunma shrugged, "It does not matter what you want, Father Richard. I have spoken my view on the matter, and I refuse to back down on it. Unless you want to resign your own accusations, a short trial is simply not possible." Father Richard bared his teeth angrily, "I will not back down!" "Then we will meet in private and discuss the matter away from prying ears." Brother Dunma said coolly. He shot an encouraging glance at Adlis, "And until we have done so, no sentence may be passed upon this young lady." Father Richard and the other priests glowered at Brother Dunma, but did not argue. "Take her away!" the second kashni ordered. "We will send for her when we are ready to pass judgment!" Wordlessly, a pair of acolytes rushed in. These ones were burlier than the others, she noticed as they each took one of her shoulders and led her back into the hallway. They were surprisingly gentle with her as they went, guiding her past door after door, causing her to wonder if most of the residents took after Father Richard and Brother Kekata, or Brother Dunma. She desperately hoped it was the latter. "LET ME OUT!" a voice thundered from up ahead, startling Adlis out of her thoughts. She could hear one of the doors being beaten hard enough to rattle its hinges, but it did not give way. "I WANT MY PENDANT!" The voice sounded pitifully desperate and needy- and somewhat familiar. "He's been doing that all morning," one of the acolytes said. "He's in pretty bad shape," said the other. "He'll hurt himself even more if he keeps it up. "I'm sorry," Adlis said, hoping they wouldn't take offense to her speaking to them, "but who's in there?" "A zik someone found out in the desert," the first acolyte answered. "If you ask me, he's probably a Twister." "That would explain why he's crying for his pendant," the second one agreed. "If he is, then he'll be the next one on trial." A Twister, Adlis thought? Could it Kulgan? What were the odds that the bounty hunter had been taken to the exact same church she had? "PLEASE!" Whoever was on the other side of the door screamed, sounding very unlike Kulgan. "I'LL DO ANYTHING!" The door they were walking past gave a loud bang, making Adlis jump, but it remained closed. "Don't worry," one of the acolytes said. "He's not getting out of there any time soon." They selected a room further down the hallway, where the other resident's shouts were barely audible. "You'll stay in here," her escort told her, opening the door. "One of us will be out here, so just knock if you need anything." Adlis hesitated before going in, "Do you usually treat your captives like guests?" The acolyte avoided her gaze. "Not all of us are like Richard and Kekata," he said sheepishly. "Even though they tell us we should be." Adlis nodded, "Thank you. I appreciate it." She went into her room, and the door was closed behind her. The room was surprisingly homely, with a bed, a washbasin, and even a mirror. She went up to the mirror, and was startled by what she saw looking back at her. Her fur was filthy and matted together, and her dress was a far cry from the beautiful garment she had left her home in. Now it was in tatters, and had several stains in it. Adlis looked, she concluded, very unladylike. She considered filling the washbasin with water and cleaning herself off, but thought better of it. There was no telling when one of the priests would come barging through the door. If the thought of Kulgan looking for her tail was embarrassing, it would be nothing compared to being caught bathing. Besides, the bed looked far more inviting at the moment. Crossing the room swiftly, she collapsed into it, dress and all, and was soon asleep.

<><><><><>

Adlis had no idea how long she'd been asleep when a sharp rapping came at her door. She sat upright, heart pounding. If she were being disturbed, that surely meant the priests were done discussing her fate. She stood up slowly, her legs feeling like they would collapse underneath her out of fear, and she crossed the room to the door. "Yes?" she asked tentatively. "Madame, are you decent?" a voice on the other end asked. "Yes," she answered, though she wasn't quite sure she would really be decent until she had a good wash. The door swung open, and Brother Dunma stood on the other end, flanked by the two kind acolytes from earlier. His gentle smile was gone, replaced with worry lines. "I take it you and the others have decided what will happen to me?" she asked, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice. "They have," Brother Dunma said. "They will be down shortly to take you away." Adlis' heart sank into her stomach. So, they had ordered her to be executed after all... "We must make haste if we want to get you away before they show up," Brother Dunma said. "Come with me." With that, he turned and bustled away. Adlis stared at him, watching him go, unable to comprehend this new turn of events. After a few steps, he realized she was not behind him and returned to the door. "Madame," he said again, "we do not have much time. Please, hurry!" "You're letting me go?" she asked, stunned. Dunma nodded, "I may love my brothers, but I fear they have become too... enthusiastic about their duties of eliminating magic users. I do not believe you cast that spell on your ears yourself, and I think it would be wrong to allow you to be executed because of it." "But..." Adlis stuttered, "Won't you get in trouble?" Brother Dunma pointed to the two acolytes behind him, "Differ and Liew will continue to stand guard outside your door. When Richard and the others come to retrieve you, they will pretend to have no idea where you've gone. It will be as if you've magicked yourself away!" Adlis slowly nodded. The plan made sense, but... "What about my friends?" she asked. "The simmk and the fuaro?" Dunma hesitated, and then nodded, "I will let them know what has happened after you've left. I'll tell them where to find you." Adlis nodded again, and this time she followed when Dunma turned to lead her away. He led her back up the hallway she'd come through before, walking as fast as he could. Adlis jumped at every noise, convinced it was Richard or Kekata coming to get her. She was so frightened that she'd completely forgotten about the zik down the hallway. "LET ME OUT! PLEASE!" the voice screamed at them, beating on the doorway with renewed vigor. "I NEED MY PENDANT!" Adlis froze where she stood. Dunma turned and urgently motioned for her to continue following him. She hesitated, and then leaned in closer to the door. "Kulgan?" she asked softly, hoping her voice would carry through the wood. "Is that you?" For a few moments, there was silence. Then, a voice crept through the door, much quieter than it had been before. "Who's that?" it asked weakly. "You know me?" "It's me, Adlis!" she answered. "I tried to hire you back in Everdry!" "Everdry?" the voice echoed, as if trying to recall what such a word might mean. "You mean the pretty girl without a tail?" Adlis gasped and stood up straight in indignation. Even now, he was thinking about her tail? "No, wait," he said, correcting himself. "That was your friend." Adlis felt herself relax a bit at this. "What are you doing here?" he asked, finally. "The priests caught me out in the desert," she answered. "They brought me here to put me on trial." Again, there was silence for a few moments, and then Kulgan spoke again, desperately hopeful, "Do you have my pendant?" "No," she answered, "I'm sorry." "GIVE ME MY PENDANT!" the zik roared in fury, making Adlis stumble backwards in fright. He began beating on the door once again, though it still showed no signs of giving in. "GIVE IT TO ME! I WANT IT! I NEED IT!" "We have to go!" Brother Dunma hissed, grabbing Adlis by her arm. "Now!" "But he's my friend!" she protested. "I can't just leave him here." "I'm afraid it's more than my life is worth to help a Twister escape," he argued. "Now come, he's going to attract too much attention." Reluctantly, Adlis allowed the old Fuaro to lead her away. All the way down the hall, Kulgan's pitiful cries echoed in her ears. Whatever had happened to him while they were apart, he was obviously no longer the cool, coldhearted bounty hunter she'd met in Everdry. Brother Dunma took Adlis down a hallway she hadn't been in before, which led them to a door. He opened it, pushing her out of the church and into the desert night once again. "Everyone else is busy inside the church," he explained in a hurry, "so nobody should see you leave. Get out of town as quickly as you can without attracting unwanted attention. Do you see that bluff in the distance?" She turned and noted its location. It looked like it was roughly a mile out of town. "I have a friend who lives in a cabin at its base," the fuaro continued. "Go there, and tell him I sent you. He'll let you hide there until your friends come to find you." Adlis nodded her understanding, and then turned to face the old priest again. "Thank you," she said. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for doing this for me. I wish I could repay you." A hint of the smile he'd worn earlier reappeared on his face, "No thanks are needed, Madame. I am only doing what I believe Embin would want." "Thank you," she said again as she turned to leave, wondering just how she could possibly express the gratitude she felt. And then she ran, leaving Brother Dunma and the church of Embin behind.