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Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 8.5, A Dozen Tails Told

While the first part of the trip beneath the Church has been accompanied by muted discussions of philosophy and debate the talking was done. Any lingering sense of calm had abandoned the group as Sada led them past the break in the retaining wall. Yes, she had heard firsthand accounts from those who had traveled the tunnels but she had never before seen it herself; it was somehow impossibly worse than the stories suggested.

Sada continued looking for the different landmarks identified for her by those who had come before but she had to fight with her mind to keep her focus; drawing closer to the great evil masquerading as a holy institution had destroyed her brothers and sisters of faith meant that she was starting to question more than how good an idea the forray was. Thankfully, before that question grew too large in her mind, the Sada halted.

Aodhan was right behind her, whispering softly. "Why'd we stop?"

The Otter motioned ahead to an old, rusted metal ladder leading up the left stone wall. "We're here. This is it."

Sister Aurelie slid by her. The cat rested a dainty paw on the metal and gave an experimental tug. "It feels solid enough... this leads up to the dungeons?"

Sada nodded. "Yes... but stay quiet. Sounds carry."

Sir Umberto made his way carefully through the group, mindfully placing each step before transferring his weight to avoid slipping on the damp stone. "The Inquisitors and Bishops here have much to account for."

Friar Arlowe moved to the Wolverine, resting a paw on the Templar's arm. "Peace, Sir Umberto. First we must understand what we have seen. To rush headlong asking the wrong questions could pose a great risk at this point."

The Wolverine pulled his arm away from the Raccoon Dog's touch. "We cannot turn a blind eye to this. If members of the Church did THAT then they must be held accountable!"

Sada almost slipped on the cobblestones as she hustled over to the conversation. "What part of 'sound carries' didn't you two get?"

Sir Umberto nodded with a sense of finality. "Very well... but I still want answers."

Aodhan gave a succinct nod in response before he started up the latter after Sister Aurelie. "We WILL get them to safety."

Cruff stepped up to join his father in front of Sir Umberto. "I spent years here and never heard anything about a charnel pit... you bet I want answers too... but like the Friar said: we need to be smart about it."

Sister Aurelie, already half way up the ladder, spoke down to the group in a whisper. "But first, we need to save the Sisters. I will NOT stand for them being harmed."

Brody stood next to the Wolverine and his smirk was visible in the faint light of the dim tunnel. "Yea... heaven forbid they aren't given a decent burial."

The Doberman was silenced by several dirty looks; Sada also flicked his ear for good measure as she followed Aodhan up the ladder. As the Cat neared the bronze plate covering the ladder the Otter called quietly upward. "There should be a ledge you can balance on while the rest of us climb. Wait for more of us before--"

The request was lost to deaf ears as Sister Aurelie pushed against the cover with one shoulder before giving it a powerful heave. The plate made a loud scraping sound against the stone as it was lifted from its place and shoved aside. Sada grit her teeth when she heard the echo of voices from above. "What was that? Did you hear something?"

It only got worse when a second voice confirmed the suspicion. "It sounded like it came from the Cell Tunnel."

Aodhan aided Sister Aurelie with climbing up and out. "Go. Quickly."

The guards arrived before Sada could join the first two members of their party in the tunnel but the quick engagement was over before she had even been able to move aside to let Sir Umberto climb out. The two guards, a pair of Bull Dogs had been cleanly dispatched and lay unconscious against the wall. The Otter shot a scathing gaze at Sister Aurelie. "We didn't come all this way in secrecy to have you ruin everything by rushing in headlong."

The Cat was not repentant. "The Sisters are in Danger, Ms. de'Ahm... we don't have time to question the path before us... we MUST help them."

Tobias, having been silent since seeing the bodies finally seemed to find his voice as Cruff helped him out of the tunnel. "We won't be any good to them dead, Sister Aurelie."

Bristling slightly, the impatient Cat ultimately let out a breath and, once Aodhan took one of the Sister's paws in his own, Aurelie finally seemed calmed. "Fine. Alright... but we're here. What's done is done. They're here somewhere and we need to find them."

Aodhan took charge. "Agreed. You and I can check to the left... Sir Umberto? You, Cruff, and Friar Arlowe check to the right."

Tobias spoke up. "I can watch the stairwell for guards."

The Wolf nodded and slowly let go of Sister Aurelie's paw. "Good. Brody... join him and keep an eye out... give us a warning if anyone is coming."

Sada didn't mind not being included in the plans; as it was she felt less than comfortable standing in the middle of an institution that would just as soon see her counted among the plethora of corpses hidden in its depths. Lingering at the exit she spoke simply. "I will wait here and keep our escape route open."

Nobody paid her any mind as the group spread out and went about its business. Aodhan and Sister Aurelie headed to the left peeking into the cells, occasionally calling out into the rooms that were hidden behind stout wooden doors with only the smallest of barred windows at head height. The two Raccoon Dogs and the Templar Wolverine each grabbed torches, using them to bring light to the cells as they passed by. Far too long a time passed as all the cells were inspected and both teams met back at the opening down into the catacombs. Sister Aurelie was distraught. "They're not here!"

Brody and Tobias came racing down the hall; the scholar had a hand up, waiving it to get everyone's attention. He shouted in a hushed tone. "We've got trouble!"

Sada had just started to descend the ladder when Sister Aurelie objected. "We can't leave! Not now! Not when we came all this way! The Sisters are here somewhere! We have to find them! We MUST help them before the--"

The Otter silenced the Cat with a quick slap. "THINK! We can't help them if we're captured too."

Sister Aurelie's bared claws came up, punctuated with a threatening hiss but nothing came of the action; nobody missed the sound of movement beneath them in the tunnel. Aodhan was the first to come up with a course of action. "End of the tunnel there's an open cell door... everyone take cover. Quickly!"

Following after the Wolf the entire group ran to the last holding room and slipped into the shadows where no torchlight reached. Sada hid near the entrance to the cell as she peered out of the darkness at the large group of men approaching from the stairway and felt her heart leap into her throat when several more of the Church's soldiers climbed up the very ladder they'd used themselves. Sister Aurelie was immediately accusatory. "You said the Church didn't know about the tunnels."

The Otter hissed back. "They DON'T-- didn't..."

The hallway was quickly clogged with warriors but they didn't bother spreading out. One by one they took formation standing shoulder to shoulder, small shields in front of them and spear points almost scraping the ceiling. Then, once the sound of moving armor finally started to silence the dozens of men parted in unison, providing room for a singularly unarmored individual to stroll through their ranks. The Dragon was enormous by any standards, black scales seeming all the blacker in the torchlight. The thin silver headband on his brow told Sada all she needed to know: they were facing an Inquisitor.

The Dragon stood at the forefront of the Church's vanguard, adjusting a black silk glove on one talon. "You are cowering before Inquisitor Ingus. Now that my introductions are over, I bid you, come out into the light and make your own."

Sada immediately heard Sister Aurelie tense up behind her. From further within the group Tobias spoke up. "If anyone has any secondary plans now is the time to unveil them."