Chocolate Destiny ARC 2: A detour to Dorou

Divergence from: https://churchofproz.forumotion.net/t1355p400-chocolate-destiny-arc-2#27293

Daliu Ayime walks down the short dirt path.

[Takes place before previous post.]

Daliu looks behind him only once as he leaves Belle's Cross for the village of Dorou. He sees behind him that Shadow - no - he sees Lee Gray, smug in his ability to flaunt the laws of man and God. But for what? To revel in your sins is to invite disaster. Daliu exhaled angrily. He warned Lee about dem sins. He warned him. But Lee Gray would not accept purification! Lee Gray's soul is still steeped in the darkness of the Shadow - no - Lee Gray IS the Shadow. He is the Shadow made flesh. Lee Gray should just-

Disappear.
This Lee is an eyesore.


This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee. This Lee!

This Lee.

As Daliu leaves through the town entrance, he feels Lee Gray strangling him, even though he has left that monster far behind him. Daliu grips his Tricorv for strength, but the strangling will not stop. Lee Gray's skinny hands continue to twist around Daliu's neck, as his treacherous voice laughs and denies his sins.

Daliu maintains his composure as he passes by other people, but when no one is watching he grips at his neck, desperate to throw that monster off his neck. The monster holds on.
He is a threat. This Lee is a threat.

A Threat. A Threat. A Threat.
A Threat.

Daliu breathes heavily, but still maintains his composure around other travelers. As he is walking, and when no one is watching, he shadow boxes against the spirit of Lee Gray, employing various strikes and grapples. He walks faster in between sessions to keep pace and reach Dorou as soon as he would if traveling normally.
[Daliu will be training his Unarmed skill at all available times]

As Daliu travels to his destination, Lee Gray's sallow, sinister, taunting face fills the landscape. Daliu picks up rocks and throws them through the flowers, trees, and forest animals that bear Lee's gruesome visage, while making sure not to antagonize any fellow travelers.
[Daliu will also be training his Throwing skill at all available times. He will focus more on Throwing after he feels that his Unarmed can no longer be improved.]

And thus..Daliu Ayime walks down the short dirt path.
[Start previous post]

At the end of the dirt path is Dorou, more of a hamlet than a village. It is built on the highest hill for miles around. Large clouds of dust sift downwards. The sounds of woodcutting and smithing are ever present, though he can not yet see the source.
Daliu begins to scale the hill. The climb is arduous and time consuming, but his resolve is more than up to the challenge.
At the top he meets a holy brother. "If you have affairs elsewhere, I suggest you turn back now," he warns. "If you proceed further, you will not be permitted to leave for some time."

"Greetings, brother. What is going on in this village? Why would I not be allowed to leave?"

"It is the will of God's messenger that we keep certain holy knowledge secret until the time is right. If you enter Dorou now you will be privy to them, and at risk to revealing them to the forces of darkness or other prying eyes."
He notices the silver Tricorv. "Ah, forgive me for not recognizing you as a Quinate. You will be permitted to leave, but first you must swear a vow of secrecy not to tell of anything you see or hear in this town for the next fortnight."

Holy secret knowledge, forces of darkness, vow of secrecy... Daliu's eyes widen. He knows the binding power of the Three Pointed Vow. The situation must be grave indeed. However, Daliu came here to investigate the dragon, and find out what happened to the holy brothers, and he intended to do just that.

"Very well, brother. I accept your conditions. Will our vow prevent me from telling other brothers and sisters of the Faith?"

"No, but I would recommend not speaking to any below full priest unless it is absolutely necessary."

"Understood. Please, brother, tell me what has been going on in this town?"

"Come. It will help to see it for yourself." The lay brother puts an arm around Daliu and escorts him into Dorou proper. The smell and sight of sawdust thickens.
Dorou's residences have the same orange stucco roofs as Torean, though in varying states of wear.
Once past the first row of buildings Daliu is amazed to see all the people out in the streets at once. They are carrying boxes, sawing wood, forging metals, but there is no yelling, and their chatter is kept to a minimum. They are all focused on their duties with almost military efficiency.

In the village square and along the main street lie wooden slats ringed with supply crates and lumber planks. Upon each slat rests a towering framework of scaffolding, some almost taller than the nearby three story buildings. Workers and tools swarm over them like ants on discarded food, hurrying along the construction of complicated devices.
"God's messenger warned us of an impending invasion by great and powerful enemy, and gave us the ways and means to defend ourselves. We toil day and night in shifts, building these, preparing for the day the Acid-spitters come."

Farther down the street is Dorou's Church of Equinince, around which stand several finished products of the village's labors: fearsome war machines of heartwood and steel. The simplest of them appears to be a giant four-limbed crossbow on a pivot stand. The rest are such a bizarre mesh of winded ropes and pronged implements that Daliu cannot even begin to fathom their function.
"I see you are very confused. Worry not, for God and His messenger will guide you as they have guided these people to build."

Daliu is amazed at the efficiency, work-ethic, and pure RESOLVE of the Dorou townspeople. He looks in every direction, marveling at everyone and everything in sight while walking with the lay brother, and will continue to do so until further notice. Daliu has truly found an inspiration for his own RESOLVE. Trace on.

"Brother...I am at a loss for words! What are these Acid-spitters, and what have they done to inspire such a rousing call to arms among the people of this quiet town? More importantly, who is the messenger of God that is leading these townsfolk? The commander of this effort must be a man with no equal!"

The holy brother chuckles as they continue walking.
"Oh, our leader is no man, but the holiest of creatures. The Acid-spitters are his dread kindred, turned against God's chosen."

Daliu hears it first. The sound of large feet slapping against the cobblestones.
Heavy rumbling breaths with a hint of reptilian growl. The air feels hotter than normal. They round the corner, and Daliu beholds God's messenger in all his majesty:

The red dragon fills up the street, scales glinting in the afternoon sun. Horns protrude from the back of its head, and vast wings rest folded by the shoulders of its forelegs.
Twin embers focus their chatoyant gaze on Daliu's small form. Nostrils flare. The dragon rears up and roars.

Dalius tiny jaw drops as the dragon comes into view. He averts his eyes for one split second, fearing that the sight of this much raw power in one place will overwhelm him. But the fervent pounding of his heart tells him that he must look upon God's Messenger. Bump-pump. He must look. Searing heat and thunderous noise. Bump-pump. He must look. Obsidian claws and sun-soaked scales. Bump-pump. HE MUST LOOK.

Daliu breaks out of his trance and looks up at the dragon-

TRACE ON. TRACE ON. TRACE ON. TRACE ON. TRACE ON. TRACE ON. TRACE ON. TRACE ON. TRACE ON.

Daliu's eyes take in the majesty of God's holiest creature, scanning every inch of its body with a burning fervor. Truly the dragon is a creature beyond compare. If the Goddess that swept Ali away was power given form, then the Dragon was power made flesh. It stands before him, as solid as the mightiest mountain.

Daliu's gaze locks onto the dragon's eyes. A numbness moves across his body, depriving him of all weight and sensation, and bringing him to his knees. Daliu's arms lie helpless by his side, and he flinches when the dragon roars, but he cannot look away. The boy is already held spell-bound by the dragon's twin ember eyes. Tears stream down his face.

Such beauty. Is this the one? This is the one. This is the one. This is the one. This is the one.

When he finally comes to his senses, Daliu lets out a cry of rapture and prostrates himself before the dragon. His mind is a jumble, but he manages to stammer out a greeting.

"Y-y-your MAJESTY, peerless light of God's creation! Your h-h-humble servant presents himself." Sweat beads on his forehead and rolls into his eyes as he awaits the Messenger's judgement.

The dragon slams its forelegs down, roaring again. Daliu's prostrate form is blasted by gales of hot wind. A crimson glow begins to underline it's neck.
Two holy brothers run before it, waving their arms and shouting what sounds like guttural gibberish. The dragon growls back, a puff of smoke exiting the nostrils.
The shouting continues until finally the glow subsides. A shaken, charred looking holy brother turns to you. "He- he wants to know who you are, and what your purpose is in coming here. S-speak only the truth."

'Amazing. These brothers must know the holy tongue of God's Messenger,' thinks Daliu, as he trembles on the ground. 'How honored I would be to learn it.'

"My n-name is Daliu Ayime, a Quinate from Enarou. I came to Belle's Cross in my travels, where I met the Priestess who resides there. She had heard rumors of hardship in Dorou and had sent holy brothers to investigate, but they did not return. I took it upon myself to search for them, and learn of the evil that plagues this village. One of the holy brothers just told me of the dreaded acid-spitters that seek to oppose you."

The dragon lurches forward as the priests communicate to it.
"He bids you to stand."
As Daliu gets up, the dragon extends two huge claws and grasps the Tricorv that hangs from his neck. It lets go, and growls somewhat less threateningly.
"He recognizes your respect of the faith. The Acid-spitters could strike at any day in the next fortnight. He asks for you to stay and help us build for the entire duration."

Daliu shivers as the claws touch his Tricorv. It is as if the hand of God himself has enveloped Daliu's spirit. He feels an immeasurable bond form between him and the dragon.

Upon hearing their proposition, he looks from the priests to the dragon. These acid-spitters must be the Great Evil that Father Mayhew told him about. Daliu nods his head, eager to finally fulfill his purpose. But...something is not right.

"I would be honored to help you prepare for the fight. But why not send for help? The lord of Belle's Cross might be able to provide reinforcements, and other siege machines, if he heard of the threat these acid-spitters pose. Surely, every extra hand could be used."

Upon hearing his affirmation, the dragon nods and leaves to supervise the construction.
"Not every one," a holy brother admits. "The Acid-spitters are cunning and clever, having corrupted human eyes and ears across the country. Speaking of this in a public area risks them finding out, and targeting a different village for their first strike. We cannot equip every possible village with these...yet. But worry not, Lord Gilberm has been notified and is taking action under plausible cover."

Now it all makes sense. Faced with limited manpower, the small village of Dorou had to work with military efficiency to achieve the firepower necessary to stop an acid-spitter invasion. Only through constant vigilance could they prevent infiltration. Daliu had planned to return to Belle's Cross to report his findings to the Priestess and warn his companions of possible danger, but now the situation seemed different.

Daliu thinks of his companions back in Belle's Cross. Touka seemed clean of the taint. Amos was morally dubious, but didn't seem to be possessed. Jorah could not be read either way; his behavior was too strange. But Lee Gray...
Is a Threat. A Threat. A Threat.
A Threat.

Daliu shakes his head to clear his mind. No, he cannot go back to Belle's Cross and risk bringing together two Great Evils. He must fight them one at a time.

Daliu walks with the holy brother that brought him here, carefully observing all who pass by. Trace on.

"Tell me more about these acid-spitters, my brother. It's clear that they are treacherous snakes. but what else do we know about them? What do they look like? How strong are they? Why do they target Dorou, of all places?"

"All we know of them comes from the record and legends from the first time they came, centuries ago. Their skin is pale white like bones. They can fly long distances, and swat grown men aside like flies. Their breath can melt iron and dissolve the body."
The brother waves his arm outwards. "Dorou stands on high ground. The holy messenger tells us that once their scouts wipe us out, they will use the town as a launching point for more attacks."

Daliu nods. His young face is grave. A deadly, mysterious enemy lies in wait. Many years worth of scary bedtime stories resurface: The Sinister Doctor Flix and his six-fingered goons, Enarou Cemetary's haunted tombstones, the Demon Bull that haunted Old Man Medina's fields. All these paled in comparison to the shadowy description of the acid-spitters.

Daliu supposes that this is only fair. If Daliu is lucky enough to meet a Messenger of God that he had only dreamed of meeting in his childhood, it stands to reason that a host of troubles would follow.

Daliu turns to the holy brother. A million thoughts fly through his mind, but there is one question that burns the brightest. "I apologize for not asking earlier, but what is your name, elder brother? And how did you learn the Messenger's Holy Tongue? I have never heard of any schools or wise men who taught it. And the paladins in our fairy-tales could somehow speak to their destined Flame Dragon without any practice. I am in awe of your skill, brother."

"I am called Gareth. Sadly the Holy Tongue has been forgotten or neglected by most churches over the many centuries, as the dragons dwindled and faded into legend. I hail from one of the select few that still teach it."

Daliu grunts as a villager hands him a stack of planks. Daliu sticks out like a sore thumb in the sea of worksman that are making Dorou into a fortress.

"Well met, Gareth. Would you please teach me some of the Holy Tongue when we have time?" Daliu asks of the holy brother as he hefts his load. "I would be honored to learn from one like you, who stays true to the traditions."

"Of course, young Daliu. I'll ask the others to help you as well."

With that, Daliu thanks Garesh and throws himself into his work. Lifting, stacking, sawing, hammering, winding, winching, tying, cutting. He does the work of a grown man, burning away his muscle fibers to accomplish the task. Luckily for Daliu, his RESOLVE grows them back even stronger, and he gets an amazing full-body workout that strengthens every part of his body.

Daliu works alongside the disciplined villagers, all the while watching the horizon for a sign of the danger to come.

The sun sets, and Daliu is provided with a small cot to sleep in for the night, in order to adjust to the new working schedule.

It's a new day, and Daliu is up with all the Dorou day shift folk bright and early to continue construction. Buckets of a strange, silvery metallic paint are being passed around, and brushes are used to apply it to the surfaces of the completed war machines.
On Daliu's routes through the town, he sees a boarded up building from which he can hear the sounds of weak shouting and banging on the walls.

"In there are the villagers and travelers who refused to help and tried to leave," Gareth explains. "It's a sad state to put them in but the risks of letting them go are too great."

As Daliu and Gareth pass by the silvery metallic paint, Daliu's eyes widen.

"What is that silvery substance, brother? I have never seen it before. Is it useful for war?" The sheen of the slick paint reflects the morning suns ray's off the war machines.

"Ah, yes. This paint contains noble platinum, the only metal that can withstand the breath of the acid-spitters. It is too rare and expensive to build things completely out of them, so we gild a watered-down protective coat instead."

Daliu is impressed with this specific knowledge of acid-spitter weaknesses.

"Did God's messenger give you this knowledge? Or was it part of the legends passed down about acid-spitters?"

"The legends tell of this already, but without the messenger we could not have obtained this much."

"Ahh..." says Daliu, still marveling in the thought that the Dragons of old continue to protect mankind. "I would like to hear more of these legends sometime, brother-"

Just then, Daliu is cut off by Gareth's explanation of the boarded up building. The screams and banging, although weak, pierce his ears and drive directly into his brain. Daliu's head pulses and, he leaves reality for a split second of real time...


A sharp intake of breath as Daliu returns to reality. He gazes at the boarded up building with horror.

"Brother Gareth!" breathes Daliu, afraid to even speak. "The people in that building: they are suffering. Have they been given food or water? How long have they been in there?"

"Only 2 days now. We've given them more food and water than they deserve, trying to break out and sullying God's name."

Daliu's hand trembles near his Tricorv. Imprisonment in the face of doom is a fate worse than death. Ali, the desert prince who rescued Daliu from the rubble of his childhood, and The Cook, who nurtured him like a real father would, were both trapped in the Goddess' concocted hell. Daliu's real parents suffocated under a layer of flame and ash until they drew their last breaths. Daliu was barely spared that fate, but he relived his near-death every night.

Lee Gray hovers near Daliu's shoulder and flashes a crooked smile. 'What a shame. Seeing as these poor, tortured souls have decided to disobey the flawless wisdom of your Church, it seems they must suffer. What else can you do, but watch them flail in agony?' The specter wags its finger. 'You are a puppet to these 'brothers' of yours. If my countrymen had not taught me otherwise, I would spit upon your God. He is worth less than the phlegm in my throat if he cannot prevent this suffering.' It pretends to think for a moment. 'But what do I care? Their lives are meaningless to me. I would trade them all for a pair of coppers.' The specter cackles, its soppy hair flopping up and down as the crazed tones of his laughter bounce through Daliu's brain.

Daliu grits his teeth and shuts out the noise. It has been harder lately. He opens his eyes to find a confused Gareth staring back at him.

"But...we cannot leave them there," Daliu insists, shaking his head to clear his mind. "They will be sitting ducks for the acid-spitters when they attack! Will you leave them to their deaths? Even worse, they may be controlled by the dread beasts, and strike at us when our guard is down. They are loose ends as it stands, brother Gareth."

"You bring up good points young Daliu," Gareth says. "We did not have much time to get things under control. What would you suggest as an alternative?"

Daliu is silent for a moment, and then makes the first major decision of his own. He looks Gareth straight in the eye. He chokes at first, but continues with a trembling voice.

"Our time is tight and the stakes are high, brother Gareth, so I will say it straight. Give me a morning and an hour past noon, and I will ensure obedience or death for all in that boarded up building. Right now, they pose a danger and they are suffering. I will end the danger and the suffering. All who resist will...be sent to a better place."

Daliu gulps and licks his dry lips, terrified at the dire circumstances. It was the circumstances, wasn't it?

Justice.




"I will need 9 spears, an executioner's axe, and the use of two of our strongmen for an hour of their time. By the end of today, there will be no more loose ends. What say you?"

Gareth stops working, in deep thought. "Yes, we can spare two men. But are you sure you can keep them contained? Are you sure none our work will be affected? If even one of them escapes, it could all be for nothing."

The decision has been made. Daliu's voice grows stronger as his RESOLVE takes over. "Yes, brother Gareth. I guarantee it on my life. Give them neither food nor water this morning. The hunger will make them more receptive to salvation."

Gareth nods. "The arrangements will be made."
Daliu gets the use of two taciturn men named Barlden and Samwell, seven spears, two pitchforks, and an axe that is not quite executioner-worthy, but was the best the village had on hand.

"Thank you brother Gareth. How many men, woman, and children are contained within that building right now?"

After he receives his answer, Daliu gets to work with the strongmen, striking 8 spears deep into the ground in a circular array in front of the boarded up building's door (where the food is usually introduced and additional planks can be opened to allow people to exit the building). He strikes them until they are solidly embedded and the tips point towards adult chest height towards the door, allowing no room to escape. He and the strongmen also pile up unneeded planks or debris below the spear tips, so that people cannot crawl under them. There is only one opening, in the middle of the spear semicircle, through which an adult can crawl through very slowly.

The task is arduous, but Daliu's RESOLVE is more than up to the challenge.

The axe and last remaining spear (pitchfork) are laid outside the circle. The spear will be wielded by one of the strongmen to control the prisoners coming out of the building. The axe will be held by a strongman for a similar purpose, until he hands it to Daliu.

[I will post again when Daliu and the strongmen have finished their work.]

"Fifteen men, thirteen women, three children."

The preparations are complete.

A middle aged holy brother rushes over. "Daliu! There's a man and a horned woman outside the village asking to see you. Touka and Amos, I think their names are?"

Daliu has finished loading his pistol, and has the two strongmen on standby. He has graciously thanked them for their help so far, and instructs them to hold while he talks to the middle aged holy brother.

"Greetings, brother. How are you?"

Daliu's face lights up in recognition when the holy brother mentions Amos' and Touka's names.

"I have traveled with these two in the past; they are very different. Neither is from Jacquim, and both are strange to our ways. They do not understand the weight of this situation. I am attending to these prisoners on brother Gareth's behalf. If they are willing to wait an hour, I will see them then."

"I see, I shall inform them." The holy brother leaves to do so.

Barlden yawns. "Hey, we're all finished up here, what now?"

Daliu tells Barlden to hold the spear and point it at the opening, preparing to hold back any runners. He tells Samwell to get inside the barrier and get ready to pry open enough planks for one adult to crawl out of the building, leaving his axe outside the barrier for now.

Daliu aims his pistol at the opening, preparing to enforce order if the prisoners become unruly. He calls out to the prisoners in the boarded up building, who have quieted down by now.

"Hear me: men, women, and children; residents of Dorou, and passing travelers. You have all been imprisoned for refusing to aid the effort against the vile acid-spitters, or attempting to leave Dorou and aiding the enemy by spreading our secrets. Our brothers and sisters are preparing to fight a mighty enemy, so we will not be loose with you."

"But," says Daliu, pausing for emphasis, "we have realized that imprisonment in the face of doom is cruel and unjust. You languish day and night in that crooked shack, smothered in darkness, and hidden from our beautiful world. While our brave volunteers fight tooth and nail against evil, you would be slaughtered like lambs by the acid-spitters: chewed and shredded to scraps, or caught and melted by their toxic breath. This is not right. You now have a chance to make the right choice."

"My name is Daliu Ayime, brother of the faith, and I have come to free you from this living hell. Those who wish to fight for the last hope of our world, form a line in the building and crawl out of the hole one at a time. You will be purified and made to swear an oath before being put to work. There will be danger and hardship, but you will live like a man, and die as a hero of justice. Your sacrifice will be truly remembered. Women and children will work, and move to a shelter to be supervised when the acid-spitters attack."

"And, if you will not see reason..." Daliu's mouth tightens, "I will deal with you later. The plank will be opened on the count of three."

Daliu motions to Samwell to get ready to open the plank on Daliu's signal, and then immediately move out of the barrier and grab his axe.

A chorus of confused voices rise from within. "What? Is that a kid?"
"Hey, stop pushing!"
Samwell pries away the planks, and immediately a woman squeezes out, spewing gibberish from her mouth.
"No fair, Mad Mary!"
Her clothes, hair, expression, everything about her is ragged. She tries to stand up and move forward but a spear tip jabs her chest. She cries in pain and drops to the ground, frenetically trying to clear the debris away to no avail.

As this occurs, another person crawls out, a man in a torn silken suit with light brown hair that was once well groomed. He brushes dust and wood pieces off himself, stepping carefully in the extremely limited space.
"I say, this is no way to treat a citizen of the Republic!" he declares haughtily. "Who's in charge here? I demand compensation for my troubles, and safe passage home at once!"

Daliu's stomach sinks a bit, as it had often done when the crows got onto his parents' crop fields. This unkempt group is wild and unpredictable. Daliu knows how panicked they are; he knows the fear that is in their hearts. He wants to help them, to take the pain away, but there is no time for risk and disorder. Daliu holds a finger up to get the suited man's attention, takes careful aim, making sure Samwell has exited the barrier and no other targets are in the way, and shoots the man in the torn silken suit.

"May Rhea forgive you," mutters Daliu, as the suited man falls dead to the ground. Daliu suppresses his remorse and immediately fills his lungs with RESOLVE.

"ONE. AT. A. TIME," he yells, each word a testament to how much he fucking means it. "OBEY MY INSTRUCTIONS, OR DIE." He takes Samwell's axe and tells Samwell to reload his pistol.

"MAD MARY. DO YOU SWEAR TO AID OUR STRUGGLE AGAINST THE ACID-SPITTERS AND KEEP OUR SECRETS?"

"What? What are you-" *BANG* Suited man is kill
Several screams come from behind the boards, but no one else comes out.
Mad Mary continues babbling, apparently unaware of Daliu's presence.

Daliu gulps. Her mind is lost. Her mind is lost. Lost in the smothering darkness of that room. Squeezed, ever so slowly, out of her head by that suffocating building.

Daliu takes the reloaded pistol and shoots Mad Mary as well, sending her broken mind to the afterlife.

"May Rhea forgive you."

He hands the pistol back to Samwell for reloading. There is no time to waste. The acid-spitters could be here any moment. He yells out towards the hole in the building.

"NEXT. PRISONER. Two have died for failing to comply. You have the chance to make the right choice. Come forth, or all in the building will die."

[Cameo appearance since brobby really likes to borrow my character for Daliu's development.]

At the very moment that Daliu's second shot rings out a dark shadow grips Daliu's neck from behind with its icy cold grip. The sensation sends several electrifying jolts down Daliu's spine. Although nobody else could see what it was that loomed over Daliu, Daliu himself knew that it was Lee Gray yet again.

The shadow stoops over, its ethereal lips almost touching Daliu's ear. Daliu attempts to shake off the evil that bound him, but it was to no avail, for it was like a man attempting to outrun his own shadow.

"Heh, you have truly sent that man and woman straight to salvation haven't you? I suppose they should THANK YOU for allowing them to be released of their mortal coil, and into the embrace of your God."

Although the shadow loomed behind him, Daliu could tell that on its face was a sneer of ridicule, its eyes seething the hell fire of lies and treachery.

"I suppose that a TRUE HERO does need to sacrifice the FEW to save the MANY, just like how YOUR PARENTS were SACRIFICED. He he he, I'm starting to like you kid."

The shadow's slimy, profane hands gripped Daliu's own, shifting the target of Daliu's pistol to one of the three children.

"In fact, why don't you stop wasting time, and SACRIFICE THEM ALL? You COULD be using that time to be SAVING YOURSELF. YOU KNOW that these HEATHEN SCUM do not deserve GOD's GRACE, its just a WASTE OF TIME to be asking these questions. Questions that YOU KNOW IN YOUR HEART will not be answered the way you wish."

The demon's laughter pierces Daliu's eardrums as it slowly ebbs out of existence once again, leaving Daliu's back frosted with sweat.

[Cameo approved]

Daliu grinds his teeth, as he fights the shivers that move down his back. No, Lee Gray is wrong! HE IS WRONG! What GOOD were his parents sacrificed for? What GOOD were they burned for, trapped under the flaming wreckage of the home that they so proudly shaped and furnished? No GOOD had ever come of Lee Gray's schemes. That TREACHEROUS SNAKE. His serpent tongue seeks to confuse Daliu: to undermine his RESOLVE. That will not be allowed. Lee Gray is a THREAT to mankind.

A THREAT. A THREAT. A THREAT.

Even so, the fear strikes into Daliu's heart. Beyond the small hole were twenty-nine more people, huddling in silence. Might all of them be as uncooperative as the first two? Daliu glances at his pistol. The hand that grips it is stained with gunpowder. He prays to Rhea, that one, AT LEAST ONE, of these poor souls will SEE THE LIGHT.

A washerwoman crawls out next. She does not get up, remaining prostrate before Daliu.
"Please, I swear I'll do what you say! Don't kill me!"