Chapter 47: Inquisitor

"I was once a royal knight of the Draconis Kingdom," the old man said again. "I served the royal family for most of my life."

Nobody spoke.

Tez stared at him. He knew what the royal knights were, at least from everything he had read before starting the game.

They were not normal knights. Draconis had thousands of them, hundreds of thousands, and out of all those people, only a select few were ever chosen. They were the ones who had mastered their arts and grown their strength past everyone else’s. They were the elites, and they served directly under the royal family.

’A royal knight. Running an inn.’ He thought about how absurd that seemed completely.

It explained the aura, at least.

"That’s why you could use that light," Tez said. "But I want to know more. What is it exactly?" He wanted to hear the details from the old man.

The old man shifted against the wall and winced.

"Mages use mana," he said. "Swordsmen use aura. Most knights call it sword aura."

"And it’s hard to get?" Tex asked, he mostly could already tell it was hard to get.

"It’s extremely hard. You need complete mastery over your weapon and over your own body. Most people spend their whole lives and never reach it." He gave a small, tired smile. "I was one of the lucky ones. I got there when I was young."

"Then why are you here?" Mira asked.

"I retired many years ago." He glanced around at the broken room. "I left the royal family and the kingdom’s work behind. I just ran my inn here in Sky Palace City and stayed out of it."

"And that’s it?"

"That’s it." The old man said.

Tez frowned. Something was bothering him, and then he remembered.

The counter. The paper that was rolled up tight, with a small corner open. A crest on it.

"The scroll," he said.

The old man’s face did not change, but his wife’s hand tightened on his shoulder.

"The one on your counter, the night I came back with the girls," Tez went on. "It had the kingdoms crest. You pushed it aside when I looked at it. Does it have something to do with the kingdom?"

The old man looked away, as if answering that was wrong.

He did not answer right away. His eyes moved to Tez, then to the others, and then to his wife. She gave him a small nod.

He let out a long breath.

"You saved my life tonight," he said. "I suppose you have earned it."

Nobody moved.

"It is from the royal family. Well, someone I know in the royal family." He rubbed his good hand across his face. "They told me a movement is happening in Draconis right now."

"What kind of movement?" Tez asked.

"The nobles have split against each other. Some of them appreciate the other races that have mixed with humanity. They accept them as part of the kingdom." He paused. "And the rest do not want them at all, they belive they are lesser than humans and should not be allowed to roam free however they wanted whenever they wanted"

"Let me guess," Tez said. "The second group is bigger."

"Much bigger, they have most of the nobles and their resources on their side and they are willing to use it"

"So that’s why they wrote to you." Tez said,

"Yes. They need people. The side that wants to protect the other races lacks numbers badly." He looked down at his bandaged shoulder. "The person asked me to come back, and help."

"And you didn’t answer? Why not " Tez asked.

"I haven’t decided." He said and groaned a bit.

His wife looked at the floor. Tez understood that this was something they had talked about before, probably more than once.

"So when those two walked in tonight and asked for an elf," the old man said, "I knew right away. It might be connected to what the letter was talking about."

"Who were they?" Tez asked.

"Inquisitors."

The word hung in the room.

"They are a special force," the old man said. "Similar to the royal knights, but more hidden. Most people have never heard of them. They stay out of the public eye on purpose, they are the shadow that lurks and does hen devils work for him. ."

"Like a secret force?" Tez muttered.

"Something like that. When they appear, it means they came to carry out an order. And they don’t stop until it’s done." He explained a bit more

Tez crossed her arms. "Then why did they leave?"

"I don’t know." The old man shook his head slowly. "I wish I did. Maybe she decided it wasn’t worth it tonight. Maybe she wanted to avoid a bigger scene." He lifted his eyes. "But I am certain of one thing. They are not going to stop."

Tez glanced at Mira. She was already looking at him.

The room was quiet. The only sound was the old man’s slow breathing and a loose board creaking somewhere in the broken wall.

Then the old man turned his head.

He was looking at the elf.

She had been standing by the stairs the whole time, one hand resting on the rail. She had not said a word. She did not move now, but Tez saw her fingers tighten.

"There are many races walking around this town," the old man said. "Beastfolk in the market, dwarves at the smithy, half-bloods all along the east road. And those two walked past all of them."

His voice was quiet but steady.

"They came for you."

The elf did not answer.

"There has to be something that ties you to them," he said. "Something that made them want you and nobody else."

Tez turned.

Mira turned.

Lia and Leah turned, and the old man’s wife looked up.

Every eye in the room was on her, they needed to know why they had come for her specifically