"Was this man a real priest...and how many more are in here?"
Chironas tils her head. Surveying the corpse with distracted iinterest.
"He was a Priest when it suited him, and the Order I suppose. I guess he must have picked up enough in his years to believe he had a chance for a few moments there...what things a panicked mind latches onto, I wonder."She motioned them onward. There's not many more left here-only a half dozen or so. To their credit, they put up much more of a fight then the false priest.
They all die.
In time, there is no living Order members left but the single young boy, trussed up neatly and sleeping like a babe, despite the carnage around him.
The poor boy won't play a part in things to come-in this story at least-but he will have a story all his own, assuming he survives the night. As things are now, the memory of Williams Face and the carnage he witnessed will be irrevocably burned into his young mind for his entire life, and in fact, will torment him as he sleeps-and when he is older, during waking hours. To avert this horror, he will seek first debauchery-then war, then massacre of innocents, becoming a feared and hated warrior with a reputation for razing villages and tormenting captives...each sin only adding to his despair, encouraging him to even fouler lows. He will be worse monster than anyone in this room ever will be.
But right now, he's just a scared boy, who if he were conscious, would be praying for the Shining One to protect him much like the Priest did, though in his case, his meager faith is more authentic.
Chironas had meant to take the boy out of the room before he could wake...perhaps before his eyes could take in the slaughter, and by doing so averting his fate....but she would just be a moment too late. Oddly, he wouldn't scream.
She spoke to him in a quiet voice.
"Boy. I need you to take a message...back to the Docks. To Nox. To the Order. Can you do this for me?"The boy nods dumbly. Imagining already what he would do to Chironas beautiful, hateful face is was just a bit stronger...a bit crueler.
"Tell them Chironas has retired. Tell them I live for William now. Tell them that anyone who comes after me brings further reprisals. Tell them we won't hold back next time...and, for your sake, my child-quit the Order while you have the chance."...
Chironas and William walk out of the desecrated Church side by side. She turns to him, running a hand through his hair, and says...
"Thank you for this, William."