Phantasia

Phantasia had resigned herself for the time being. The ethereal shackles that bound her to the spot drained her energy if she tried to escape and their enchantment made it impossible for her to breathe and recuperate. For the most part, she had been left alone in the chamber as Wotan moved back and forth around the manor, preparing the final pieces of his master plan and keeping her ignorant of it. Whatever his motives and goals, Phantasia was only concerned with one thing: the safety of her friends. When they were brought into the chamber to suffer the Bishop’s judgement, she wished more than anything that she could reach out and touch them, or at even just see their auras.

Kaori, Shelley and Katrina looked sluggish as they were escorted towards the throne. They shuffled forward with small steps, the Inquisitors behind always prodding them to move faster, and it looked as if they’d just woken from a long, disturbed sleep. At the base of Wotan’s dais, the red-robed Inquisitors bowed in adoration of their master, while the three girls stood like shackled slaves.

“These are the heretics you requested,” said the lead Inquisitor.

Wotan stared them down, his thin lips curling into a smile. Phantasia tried to shout out, but her restraints pulled her back. Wotan didn’t even acknowledge her weak cries, but the girls glanced across at her with tear-stained eyes. More pain swept through Phantasia’s body as she struggled to escape and she fell to her knees.

“Ignore her,” ordered Wotan as an Inquisitor began to move, “These three girls demand our attention at present,”

The Bishop hiked his robes up and marched down the stairs to come within inches of his victims, none of whom dared make eye contact. With a rough hand, Wotan lifted Kaori’s face up and stared her into trembling submission.

“Kaori Shimomura.” he began, “Daughter of Yuki Shimomura, a teacher at that heretic school, and Li Shimomura, a vagrant suspected of multiple felonies against dogma. Suspected of involvement with demonic activities surrounding the ‘Raven’ tribe.

“Your mother is quite the talented musician,” he continued, “I would even say she was enchanting. Perhaps a little too enchanting. Unfortunately I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting your father, but our records of his activity make for interesting reading,

“These ‘Ravens’, too, are rather interesting. We’ve been observing them for some time now, but their base of operations is quite the little fortress, so I’ve heard.”

He dropped Kaori face, looked at his subordinates and threw Phantasia a smug grin. This was all for her sake, she thought; a show to prove his ‘superior ideology’. This man, scheming like a demon, standing before her friends who had suffered and endured darkness, and helped Phantasia find herself in the process – her perception of humanity had never been so conflicted.

One of the Inquisitors moved before Kaori and spoke with a gruff voice, “Should we have her family arrested and tried for heresy?”

“I think rehabilitation is a better prospect for Ms Shimomura here,” said Wotan, head held high, “She could be an effective agent against those Ravens, and we still lack credible evidence to support her family’s heresy. On the other hand…”

He moved in front of Shelley and once again forced submission. “Shelley Edwards. Daughter of suspected witch and terrorist Endora Edwards. Father unknown, presumed deceased. She has been known to associate with the ‘Raven’ tribe, but in recent months has apparently defected to the ‘Hawks’, an arrogant bunch, though they at least refrain from involvement with anything heretical.”

He let Shelley’s face down with more care than he had Kaori’s, and then tried to brush the hair out of her eyes. Shelley attempted to resist and growled, but Wotan was unfazed.

“Really, I approve of your change of heart when it comes to your social circles, however…” he paused for a moment and frowned, “Your mother is a different matter, and one I’m afraid even I can’t ignore.”

“Execution?” asked an Inquisitor. Phantasia cried out, only to be silenced by pain, while the other girls mouthed denial. Shelley tried to move, but the Inquisitor’s heavy grip kept her under control.

“No,” said Wotan, “Ms Edwards will be convinced to testify against her mother. They will not be executed; I think deporting them would be a more effective punishment. Throw them out into the wastelands of Hell and see how long their heretic ways keep them alive,”

Shelley struggled again and managed to say, in a hoarse whisper. “I’ll drag you down to Hell with me…”

Chapter 16
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