Mage And Wolf
Chapter 113

Chapter 113: Chapter 113

We’re certainly attracting attention at breakfast. If we keep causing a scene it might be better to move out of the Adventurer’s Guild hotel at some point. I don’t want a party member getting robbed or worse.

I thought there were very few people around when we came back, but word spread fast.

"I hear the other group fled to Arcana City this morning, on vacation they said" Paul laughs.

"Don’t blame them, I’m feeling violated by all these hungry looks. At this rate I should apologize to every woman I’ve ever checked out" Vinnie jokes back.

"Want to go out again? Get some fresh air, kill some monsters?" I ask.

"Once the rebuilt barrels arrive from Arcana. The merchant should be back in an hour or two, according to Karl" Hui’Jin adds. "These ones are enchanted for durability and heat dissipation, they should last a lot longer. Just in case"

"Excellent" Vinnie cheers, drawing attention from all over the room "More efficient killing. Not as many slow downs"

Laughter fills the building, but I think I can see the Guild Master crying.

"How about we go North today? See what has made it inland?" I suggest.

The plan is set and we’re just waiting for the merchant to return with our parts now. A few more missions go up, all with a category 3 leader and category 2 followers. All close to town, one even freshly arrived on the coast minutes from city limits.

"Hey, you know how we get dungeons up north around the cities?" Only Hui’Jin nods understanding.

"Alright, so every city up north has portals around it that can’t be easily closed and their contents reset every day. The same monsters every time. The locals call them dungeons. I don’t see a notice of anything like that for Houston and I’m wondering if they just haven’t noticed because of the volume of monsters?"

"Should we go to the cathedral after the merchant arrives?" Kel’Mira asks. "If anyone would know, they would."

Good plan. "As soon as the merchant arrives we’re off" I start to say, just as he walks in, a long, cloth wrapped bundle in his hands.

"Perfect timing. Thank you for your prompt service"

"You’re welcome Highness. Feel free to call on me anytime."

Traffic here is a nightmare. Everyone drives like their life depends upon making it where they’re going on time. But we do eventually make it to the cathedral, parking the the back clergy only lot and drawing angry glares until I step out in High Priestess Robes.

"Greetings Highness, how might we help you today? The Bronze junior Priest manning the door asks, giving my companions a questioning glance.

"I require someone who knows about the current situation with the local portals" I inform him. "If you would be so kind as to bring me to them?"

"Yes Highness" he bows, turning to lead us inside.

"This is Reseda, Priestess of the Blue and our highest ranking clergy present." He introduces us then immediately leaves.

"Is he always so abrupt?" I ask her by way of greeting.

"That’s good treatment for a Priestess from this lot. Their Bronze High Priestess fled when the dungeons appeared and the Priests decided that females are weak and flighty."

"So it’s usually worse? I can apply corrective beatings until morale improves."

I hear a snort from outside the door and immediately punch through, grabbing whoever is on the other side.

"Tell me acolyte, what is the punishment for spying on a High Priestess?"

"I um, I" The Bronze acolyte stutters.

"Now I am giving you a direct order. Every member of the clergy is to assemble in the courtyard within fifteen minutes. Anyone not there will be deemed to have disobeyed a direct order from a High Priestess and abandoned their post."

That should have put enough fear into him to get everyone rounded up. We will get this dungeon situation solved right quickly.

The Young Dragonkin takes off running, shouting my directions to anyone who will listen.

"Would you really do that Highness? Each of those penalties is a minimum of being stripped of their rank to become a penitent, to a maximum of Death."

"Yes, now you’ve got about ten minutes to tell me about the dungeons and why the city didn’t know"

"The High Priestess didn’t want to panic the residents, but when the category 3 beasts started showing up she disappeared without a word."

"Where are they?" I ask, annoyed at the displayed incompetence in this cathedral. Even after she disappeared someone should have informed the Guild.

Reseda brings out a map with three locations circled and I take a collection of photos of it before handing it back.

"That is confirmed to be all of them?"

"As of a week ago, yes your Highness"

City Council hosting the grand opening ceremony makes more sense now. The church here is not capable of doing the job, so the army and city government pick up the slack.

I drag Reseda to the courtyard, finding 5 men, milling about. It’s only been 12 minutes though, I’ll give them time. None of these is a full Priest, just two blue acolytes, plus a white acolyte and two junior Priests of the Bronze. The one who greeted me is not here either.

"Priestess Reseda, what is the full staff of this compound?"

"19 total Your Highness. 20 if you count the missing High Priestess."

"6 out of 20 can obey a simple order? Hui’Jin, kindly make me a fresh flog, repentance pattern" I smile down at the black robed Junior Priestess.

The repentance pattern flogger is what Earth long referred to as a cat of nine tails. A short whip with small steel blades on the ends.

"Surely you can’t be serious woman" one of the Blue acolytes sneers.

"Kel’Mira, as a kind soul of the white, what is the punishment for publicly disrespectful behaviors towards a High Priestess?" I’m getting seriously sick of these fools and their attitude. If you want to be arrogant you need to be able to back it up. But why am I so mad about it today? I’m usually good at letting things slide.

"The White issues 20 lashes Your Highness. The Black gives 100." the man looks pale in the face, I think he’s realized what’s going on.

"As he may still have a punishment for derilection of duty coming, it will be 20 lashes. Acolyte, stand holding the whipping pole or I will add a punishment for insubordination."

He’s just taken a few shaky steps towards the pole when a voice rings out.

"You have no right to punish him" it decries my action and a small group of Junior Priests in varied robes enter the courtyard.

"Hui’Jin, time?"

"18 minutes 7 seconds your Highness"

"So insubordinate and disobedient to direct orders, every single one of them. Tell me Junior Priest, what gives you the impression a High Priestess cannot dole out punishment?"

"He has done nothing wrong. You can’t just march in here and command us like your underlings."

Reseda laughs "The High Priestess can do as she wants in this situation. If she declares this city her territory, none of us have the right to question her. Your lives are in her hands."

"I demand a hearing with the council! No woman may judge us." He declares firmly and his allies begin backing away.

That’s a great idea, it’s been 7 days, their vacation should be over.

’Holiness Black, if we might trouble the Council for their presence. The city of Houston Cathedral has abandoned their duties and declared themselves independent of the church hierarchy.’

That should get his attention.

Seconds later he steps through a portal with all 11 other members of the Council in tow.

"Explain" he commands with a booming voice.

"On my Arrival, the Junior Priests were openly insubordinate, going as far as declaring a High Priestess has no right to command or punish them. Not all even responded to an order to assemble, only 6 managed it in fifteen minutes as I requested."

None of the Council members look happy with the staff here.

"The assigned High Priestess fled, or fell to harm within these walls and went missing, I have not yet begun to investigate, seeing the immediate problem of a rogue clergy as a more imminent threat. The rest have refused to follow the next in command, the Blue Priestess Reseda."

"Did you get what you came for?" The Bronze Avatar asks me.

"Yes Holiness, locations of 3 dungeons that had not been relayed to the Adventurer’s Guild" I bow deeply.

"You may go, we will deal with this issue harshly" the White Avatar assures me before smiling at Kel’Mira in a fatherly way.

I gladly lead my party out, it’s time to go dungeon hunting anyhow.

"You really called the Council" Hui’Jin and Kel’Mira breathe at the same time.

"He specifically demanded it. View it as a favor to him, as he might survive their judgements"

Nobody really relaxes until we’re back on the highway, headed for the closest dungeon. But I feel my anger drop away the second I’m away from that cathedral. Maybe the anger wasn’t my own?