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<i><span>The Masque of anesh has been ousted</i>
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<span style="font-weight:400">Finally a notification. And it seems like there will be no respawning for the Masque. Seeing that she is mauled directly by the God of nature and beast himself.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You okay?” I turned to the still shocked nun
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lin is a daemon?” She asked. Still shocked and in disbelief
<span style="font-weight:400">“Apparently yes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I-I, but I,” She stumbles for words. No doubt this will be imprinted forever to her memory. This might even make her question her faith and trust to other people if a daemon could easily disguise as members of clergy.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let me take care of her Gehrman.” Kostner suddenly said
<span style="font-weight:400">“I assume you have no experience in consoling someone who has been tricked by dark cultists?”
<span style="font-weight:400">I want to ask if he has. But that seems redundant. So I just gently push the nun to Kostner and nod to her. Letting Kostner do the talking.
<span style="font-weight:400">On the other hand, Taal is already back in his human form. Wiping out the blood from his body. Whatever is left from the Masque body disintegrates soon. I went to sit on the nearby bench near the chapel entrance. Seeing Rhya’s relieved face and the others visibly rxing form, I get the feeling that they thought this debacle is over. How do I tell them that it is not over yet? Involving myself into uncovering the Changeling’s scheme also seems tedious. Technically I can just leave and not involve myself any further. Leaving the city and all its inhabitants to their fates. On the other hand, perhaps helping foil the Changeling’s scheme might ease my talk with Rhya and Taal? What to do?
<span style="font-weight:400">Some guards finally arrive. And of course Howard was there too. Again Kostner took the lead in exining things. As the witch hunter speaks, Howard breaks away from the group and walks towards me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Looks like you won’t be returning to the cell again.” He said with a smile
<span style="font-weight:400">“Big improvement right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure did.” He then sat beside me
<span style="font-weight:400">“So what now?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, if the inquisitor kept her promise, I should be getting a letter of rmendation for joining Graf Boris’ army.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah, nepotism. My favorite.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Does a letter of rmendation count as one?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Technically no. But it’s from the Inquisition, so the other party can’t really refuse and will put you in some nice position instantly to appease them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I chuckle. He chuckled too.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Guess you’re right.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey, want to be a prison guard like me instead?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why would I want to do that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ey, we get paid to do nothing. Nothing I tell you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“But here you are.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“There are some special circumstances But they are few and far inbetween.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will consider it.” Pity that this is practically impossible for me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Looks like that’s my que.” He points with his chin before standing up. Kostner have finished talking with the guards.
<span style="font-weight:400">I stood up too. It''s time to make some decisions. As Howard leaves with the guards, I go to Kostner, Rhya, and Taal.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well then gentlemen anddy, I formally extend gratitude from the inquisition. Rest assured that the summer festival will be held as promised.” Rhya and Taal nod at that.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And you will be given the letter of rmendation to Graf Boris'' army.” He then said to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am pleased to say that this case is finally over.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. Not yet.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sorry?” Kostner asked in annoyed tone
<span style="font-weight:400">“And how do you know this?” Rhya asked in concerned tone
<span style="font-weight:400">“First, you know a private ce to discuss? Not one of the Inquisition safehouses likest time. I need this to be just the four of us.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Kostner think for a while before finally nodding.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Follow me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">____
<span style="font-weight:400">Kostner leads us into Middenheim sewers where he opens a hidden doorway on one of the walls. We get in and he closes the door behind us. Seems like he knows this ce from someone. But that is not important for now.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This is the most private ce I know of.” Kostner start
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now tell us how you know.” All eyes are now on me
<span style="font-weight:400">“Only if you promise that you will not instantly attack me when I reveal my own secret.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Taal visibly frowns. He does not like where this is going. Kostner hums as usual when he thinks. Then he frowns at the possibility that he just made a mistake in allowing me here. As for Rhya, her expression is unreadable as she thinks. The silence stretches for a while before she is the first one to break the silence.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I suppose you have earned this one, daemon.”
<span style="font-weight:400">She epts my condition and finally connects the dots on what I really am. Kostner’s hand is already on his pistol but Rhya’s re stops him. As for Taal, he is barely keeping his anger in control.
<span style="font-weight:400">I take a deep breath and undo my mimicry. I grow back the three sets of horns and my wing. Grow even taller that my horns touched the ceiling. The clothes I wear are absorbed back to my golden metallic skin. While Rhya and Taal are unperturbed from seeing my true form, Kostner is taken aback. His gaze darts around my body to take in its entirety before breaking from his daze.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you for the chance.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Be quick.” Taal growls
<span style="font-weight:400">“The Changeling is here.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Rhya and Taal took breath from this revtion. While Kostner only raises his eyebrow
<span style="font-weight:400">“And how do you know this?” Kostner asks not knowing who the Changeling and the enormity of the Changeling’s threat.
<span style="font-weight:400">“She yed their game and wagered with them.” Rhya knows
<span style="font-weight:400">“Them?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Chaos gods.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“At first I was here just to test my new disguise.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Horse shit.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then I thought of making an alliance with the gods here.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“More shit.” Taal growls again not believing my words. His body starts morphing to his beast form again in anger. I guess this is the normal response from the gods towards daemons.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And why should we trust you?” Rhya is still leading the question in apparent calmness it''s quite scary
<span style="font-weight:400">“I…” Then I think. Saying I want to survive will only further dash my credibility so I pick the other truth.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am not aligned with any of the four.”
<span style="font-weight:400">All is left on Rhya’s hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">Whether she will believe my words. Telling me to leave and never to return here. Or whether Taal loses his patience first.