Hungry Necromancer

Everything was moving smoothly so I should have known a horrible mess was about to come up, and I should have looked out for it. The people of Aste are more of a headache than I ever thought they would be.

Frankly I had no idea these people could mobilize like this. Not a clue in the world told me that there was something they wouldn't stand for even in a city under guarded rule. But it seems there is.

Looking out the window I can't see past the walls of the Mansion from where I stand, but I know beyond the beauty of my property there's the ugliness that threatens it.

"This isn't something the guards can solve, Kaylin." Hastra says, flipping through folders and documents listing our men on guard, "There are several who hold sympathetic views to what's going on, some might even choose not to check in and protest instead."

Protest. The word sends a shiver through my body and I scowl, "I don't want to hear of anyone from here joining these noisemakers. Tell them to guard the gates, another night out there, starving in the cold should do the trick."

The papers flutter and splat against the floor as Hastra sighs, "Kaylin, I don't think they're going anywhere, they're very well organized, it's like they exchange the protestors every few hours so they don't get cold."

"Then send the guards into the places working with them, if they're switching out their noisemakers then just sack their rest stops."

"Kaylin, you of all should know that will make things worse, harder to clean. This is a very sensitive matter...your first crisis."

I chortle at the thought, "My first crisis is a bunch of idiots that can't tell when a new Deity is in charge, even with the snow and undead roaming around? Ridiculous, they deserve a beheading."

"You wouldn't be saying any of this if it was Vuius getting deposed."

I shake my head and turn away from the window, meeting her furrowed brows and sharp eyes, "In the first place you can't depose a god. If they're truly faithful then they should let Anera challenge Frozia for this city, they should render their prayers to her so she smites us with her undeniable might."

Hastra lets out a choking laugh, "Well, if you listened to them you'll know that's exactly the kind of prayers they're chanting outside."

"And yet here I stand. Anera doesn't care in the least about these people or their worship, if she did well, she'd have done something. But as Asher promised, to Anera this is a slight, but not one she cares enough about to show face at us lowly humans. If anyone's getting in trouble it'll be Frozia."

Hastra nods, waving her hand, "Yeah, and then next up is us isn't it?"

At this I can only heave a sigh, my headaching, veins throbbing with pain, "Let me tell you something about myself Hastra, come, give me your hands."

She's reluctant, stubborn about it but still comes up and sits with me on the long large couch, we've been here together more than a few times but not today. Her hands are slender, smooth but her tips are rough, a bit calloused even.

With them in mine and her eyes held with mine I start, "When Asher first showed up at the underground all he came for was a little illegal registrations, something my mother, Maylin was running at the time. He was wealthy, not nearly as wealthy as he is not but still...you could tell he was a powerful man, he could easily have settled and built a nobility with what he had, he could have even gotten the Marquess and the Duke's attention without any of this war fuss. 

"But he had other plans. Plans that Maylin had taken her time to tell me would end up fruitless, plans for a better nation, a better life and one built by our very own hands. As I travelled with him I prayed quite often to Vuius, the mother of Elves, I prayed that she'll prove this crude man wrong, that she would throw ruin in his attempts at defaming her, undercutting her glory.

"But no such thing happened and I stepped foot in Carbina, spoke to the wandering souls of my people, and what they told me is the same thing I want to these noisemakers to hear."

Blinking, Hastra presses, "What did they tell you?"

"Simple. They told me the truth. Vuius may be a goddess, one that loves us elves so much, but the fact is...we can't wait for her to save us. She didn't save us when we were getting branded and enslaved, she won't do so now. Whatever reasons she has for skipping over our plight...well, I can't say it matters now, because I am the one answering the prayers now and those prayers aren't to the right Deity."

She nods, letting out an exasperarted sigh, "Fine, I can understand what you mean but the problem still remains and I think we should give in to their demands, the Div-"

There's a knock at the door and a guard stomps in, standing with his cap off he announces, "Lord Mayor, the Diviner is here to see you."

"Speak of the devil." Hastra curses.

"Let him in, we ought to at least acknowledge him as part of the problem and the solution." The guard nods and steps out.

In a moment the Diviner strolls in, with his new attire. Deep purple robes with a gold sachel hanging over his neck, in his hand he wields a wooden staff topped by a skull. His nails are the same black and red Asher's are and he wears a wide, proud grin on his face.

"Greetings, Lord Mayor." He starts, "I had to take a back door to get in here, troublesome times. What are you doing to end it?"

"What?" I sneer, "You're the reason this is happening. Why the fuck would you go around taking over temples dedicated to Anera and offering them up to someone who isn't really a frickin deity anyway!"

He reels, looking slighted, "Why else? To spread his worship of course. I'm proud to report a healthy following already, by the way if you have contact with our Lord I'll love to have it. There are matters of faith to discuss."

"You mean like this one? The one where we've got the beginnings of a protest that could blow out of proportion?"

"And why not send the guards, round them up, execute them all and have their heads rolling in the streets! Or better yet, at it to the...cooler for future undead."

The cooler...a pit of snow and ice Asher dug to preserve bodies for the coming war.

"That wouldn't solve anything, we can't kill the entire city, we need workers. This is a matter of faith, shouldn't you convert them or something?"

At this he pauses, "If this is the problem then you should contact our Lord. He will know what to do, though I suspect it may involves some...examples." He chuckles to himself at this, the man is far off into this craziness Asher has spun.

But if it's effective…

"Fine, I'll call."