BwA: Chapter 6 - The Merciless

 Breckinridge had been under siege by the risen dead for several days, harvests were rotting in the fields as no one dared to venture beyond the safety of the town's walls. I worried that we would die of starvation before the dead came to feast upon us. Our prayers were answered by an enemy of Heaven. – From the journal of Severah ajal Binoch.

Upon Xandria and Zazael's return to Breckenridge they were thanked, appreciated, cheered and toasted. Zazael had found himself more cloth to cover his glowing armor from several scarecrows in the fields with their rotting harvests. Since the undead simply fell over dead, again, at Ghaemo's death, Xandria realized that the entire time they had been there it had been dismal and dark. Now the sun shone through and blue skies covered the town. In the dead's return to death, the town now had life renewed.

Xandria was a woman of her word and after the festivities of their success had died down, she sat at a table in the inn with Severah, recounting what had happened at the old monastery. There were of course a few changes to the actual story. There was no mention of Zazael being an angel, in everyone's eyes he was a holy paladin, and Xandria would not betray him. There was no mention that Ghaemo was also an angel. Xandria described him as a demon of hell the moment she mentioned him to Severah. Xandria also omitted that she had run into Ghaemo before and what he'd done to her. Severah wrote quickly upon pieces of parchment. Her notes would be transcribed later into the book she'd shown to Xandria.

"Xandria?" Severah asked, the warrior woman had downed several tankards of ale. More than most of them who'd drank themselves silly in the inn while waiting on someone to save them from the undead.

"Hrm?" She was staring into the fire. Xandria had no idea where Zazael was, since the feast of their return, he'd been absent.

"Why do they call you 'the Merciless?" There was a long pause and Severah wasn't sure if Xandria had heard her, was ignoring her or was choosing not to answer.

"The Holy Order calls me that," she said at last.

"Yes, but why?"

"Did your grandmother not tell you stories?"

"She did, but she always had good things to say about you. She gave me the WANTED poster and said not to believe everything I heard."

"I've fought with the Holy Order since I was in my twenties," Xandria began.

"Why the Holy Order? Are they not good people who protect the innocent?" Xandria scoffed at Severah's reverence.

"My foe is Heaven, Severah. They wronged me, and I sought my revenge. I cannot challenge Heaven directly so I made my war with the Holy Order. The ones who claim to be the hands of the Light. I showed them no mercy, just as I had been." Severah opened her mouth as if to ask more questions but closed it. She looked over Xandria to the towering form of Zazael. Curiously she could still not make out a face under the darkness of his hood. Severah wondered how terrible his face must be to never show it. Xandria turned, lowered her leg from the table where she'd been reclining in the chair.

"We are ready to head east," he said with a sense of urgency.

"I'm coming with you," Severah stated with the most conviction she'd put into her voice. Xandria shrugged.

"The only dangers out there now are human ones," she said and waved the bartender over for another mug of ale.