Chapter 101

Chapter 101 The Inquisition

The bus ride to the hockey game was lively.  The team was excited as the opponent was the worst in the league, and we had already soundly defeated them this season.  It was supposed to be a relatively easy win.

During the pre-game skate, I noticed the opposing team players appeared unusual in my aether sight.  They skated powerfully on the ice and looked a lot quicker than I remembered from our first game against them.  I had told no one to come to the game; even though Artica thought she needed to do her bodyguard duties.  My parents were traveling to Atlanta for a convention for homeowners.  My mother wanted to have the kitchen redone.

When I noticed Aurora in the stands, I was slightly surprised.  She was actually in a formal suit now, and the cross pendant on her necklace was prominently displayed.  She was wearing a nun’s coif and guimpe under her jacket.  Even more noticeable to me were the two men standing behind her, wearing simple suits and wearing priest collars.  Those must be the other members of her team back from Vancouver.  I should have read her diary again instead of just spying on her from the balcony at night.  I was slightly ashamed of myself for looking forward to her coming back from her nightly swim.

I had not expected Aurora’s team to all seek me out.  As I did a loop on the ice, I studied both of the priests.  They were both upper-tier one humans, fairly close in strength to Aurora’s 0.9 core.  I would need to get closer to get a more accurate reading with my abyssal sight.

It looked like they were going to stay and watch the game.  During the first period of the game, the other team seemed juiced.  From the intensity that the three Inquisitors studied the game, I was sure they had something to do with the other team’s increased ability.  They were trying to force me to show them something.  We were up 2-1 as we hit the locker room between periods.  Our coach was upset the game was close and tried calling all of us for our effort.  I did not care.  I was not going to go into the superhuman mode for this game—especially since I thought that was what the trio of spectators from the Vatican wanted.

The second period had the game tied 3-3.  I had two assists during the game, both to James so far, and had no goals myself.  The third period turned into a slugfest.   Penalties started being called non-stop, and most of the time, it was the other team with a man advantage.  We were down 6-5 with three minutes on the clock.  We were also skating a man down as James was in the box for a questionable slashing call.  I did not want to let my team down, so I powered up enough to intercept a pass, allowing me to skate straight down the ice on a breakaway.

I slowed slightly to juke the goalie and was crashed in from behind, forcing me into the goalie.  The referee called a penalty on me for goalie interference.  The entire rink was silent.  Another ref talked to the one calling the penalty, and they got into a heated argument, but eventually, the penalty stood.  The ref said that I had faked getting taken to the ice and purposefully crashed into the goalie.  It was a bullshit call.  With a two-man advantage, the other team scored to make it 7-5.  There were only 53 seconds left when I exited the penalty box.  I made a quick break and set up James for a nifty cross-ice pass.  The goalie blocked it, but I was at the net and easily put away the rebound.

It was now 7-6 with 21 seconds on the clock.  We got possession and entered the zone.  I passed to James and went to the net, but the ref blew the whistle before James even got a shot off.  I was confused since there were 7 seconds on the clock.  The ref had called a high sticking penalty away from the play on one of our defensemen.  We didn’t score in the final seconds and lost the game.

I checked the stands, and Aurora and the priests were gone.  I was fairly certain they had manipulated the game.  Increasing the player’s abilities and controlling the refs with some magical influence.  I was guessing they wanted to see me use magic.  The team was downcast from the game, and the coach was mellow, having lost his intensity.  The loss wasn’t the end of the world.  With two losses, we still had a good chance of being one of the top two teams in our conference to make the playoffs.  We showered and boarded the bus.  I noticed the priests in a white Ford Explorer.  As the bus started to drive home, the Explorer was following us.

I called Artica, “Did you win?  How many goals did you get?”  She asked, answering the call.

“I scored once, and we lost.  I want you and Bedelia to wait for me at the rink when the bus returns.  I have three members of the Vatican Inquisition following me, and I think they rigged the hockey game,” I said gravely.

Artica quickly replied, “I will get Kiri, Jade, Frost, and Monsoon too.  Those bastards won’t know what hit them.”  I chuckled at her enthusiasm.

“No, I think they just want to talk to me.  I think they are still trying to recruit me.  But if Kiri is free, she can come,” I added.  The more backup, the better if something came from this.

When the bus emptied in the parking lot, Artica’s Ford Raptor was idling.  It looked like Bedelia and Kiri were with Artica.  I gave a hand signal for them to remain in the truck.  I brought my gear into the locker and then walked out to my car.  As expected, the two priests and Aurora were waiting for me.  The older priest stepped forward, “Caleb Silversmith, I am Grand Inquisitor Delgado.  I wish to talk with you over a meal.   I am sorry about your loss on the ice this afternoon.  It was a very entertaining game, though.”

“It would have been a better game if there was no outside interference,” I said calmly.  Delgado’s eyes twitched, betraying him even though his face remained impassive.  The middle-aged priest standing behind Delgado completely failed to hide the shock on his face at my comment.  Aurora just had a confused look on her face.  Being this close to Aurora’s cross on her neck, now exposed, showed me something unexpected.  I could see faint aetheric lines weaving out from the cross around and into Aurora.

It could have been a defensive or protective enchantment on the crucifix—doubtful.  Now that I could see the weave…it felt similar to my charm ability but not exactly the same.  The thing that surprised me the most were wisps of aether leading to none other than Grand Inquisitor Delgado.  I would have never seen these threads without upgrading my aether sight.  I made the intuitive leap that Delgado specialized in some type of mind control.  He had used it on the referees and players during the game.  I could have been wrong, but my deduction felt right.

His aether core was easy to read this close.  His core was weaker than Aurora’s—maybe 0.8 was a good estimate from my experience.  I scanned the other priest in my sight, and he was on that same scale, about 0.7 for his aether core, and the cross under his shirt didn’t have a weave on it at all.  It was definitely enchanted, but I could not figure out what it did.  He also had the same concealed firearm that Aurora carried.

I returned to focus on Delgado.  “I don’t think I want to spend any time with you.  Have a good day, Inquisitor Delgado,” I said while walking around them to my driver’s door.

The priest was stunned for a moment and turned to face me again, “Aurora said you were a reasonable person, Caleb.  A meal would not be an inconvenience.  I will treat you at any restaurant you wish.”  If I did not know better, I would think he had some type of plans for me during the meal.  I thought maybe I could find some way to save Aurora and play the hero—could demons be heroes?

“Fine, I will meet you at Vincent’s.”  I addressed Aurora, “Aurora, do you want to ride with me?”  I asked, catching all three of them off guard.  Aurora just looked to Delgado for direction.

The Grand Inquisitor looked at Aurora.  Her face was still beautiful, and her hair was tied back into a braided ponytail.  A small smirk on Delgado’s face told me that he thought I was lusting after the woman, “Yes, you and Aurora didn’t have much time to get acquainted.  If you joined the Inquisition, you two would spend a lot of time together.  Spend some time together now.  We will meet you at Vincent’s.  The other priest had out a phone and found the pizza place.

Aurora sat in my car and had a mostly blank expression.  I drove away and noted that Artica was following us.  As we got on the main road, I asked, “Aurora, I love your necklace.  Can I see it?”

She reached for it and was about to remove it to hand to me but stopped, “I am not allowed to remove it.  It shows my commitment to serving the church and Inquisition.”  She was holding the cross in her hand and seemed to be zoning out—or maybe wavering.

At a stop light, I reached over and held the cross in my hand, and she did not make an effort to stop me from touching it.  I sent my aether manipulation skills into the necklace.  The complex enchantment on the cross extended through the necklace’s chain.  I released the cross as the light turned green.

What should I do with my knowledge?  Should I remove the necklace by force?  If I was wrong about my assumptions, things could go poorly.  Aurora was quiet as I drove, as it appeared I needed to initiate the conversation with her.  She was much more conservative than when we had a meal at Panera.  It was like she had been reset.  I parked and went into Vincent’s.  The priests arrived smiling and entered as well.  We all got a table near a window, and I ordered a half-and-half.  Artica, Kiri, and Bedelia sat at the table next to us.  The priests seemed completely unaware they were with me.

We exchanged pleasantries about my choice of restaurants and the menu.  Finally, Delgado smiled, “Caleb, we can offer you the opportunity to learn secrets and see things you can not even imagine.  You will do more good with your powers in the church than anywhere else.  We will help you foster your magic to heights you can not yet fathom.  The Magus Arcanum will make you pay to learn.  At the church, we will cover everything.”

I was completely unswayed and had expected to be resisting a charm effect from the Grand Inquisitor.  So far, he had not tried anything on me.  “What type of magic do you have?  Some type of truth evaluation?”  I asked to continue the conversation.

He smiled with teeth that were too white, “I do, as a matter of fact, have a truth weave.  In our work, you need to be certain people are telling you the truth.  Do not worry.  I am not using it on you.”

“Will I get one of those fancy crosses hanging around Aurora’s neck?”  I asked the Grand Inquisitor as I was tired of this foreplay.

He looked at Aurora strangely, and I saw a slight twitch in his neck as he stalled, “We can discuss your baptism into the order, and then you can get something—similar if you wish.”

The pizza arrived, and I folded a slice of cheese and ate it.  Aurora made no motion to grab a slice even though I motioned for her to do so.  Based on her love of food, I was pretty certain now that she was being controlled.  Maybe when they went to Vancouver and Aurora came here, his hold on her diminished some.  I put the half-eaten slice down, “No thanks.  I do not wish to become a vegetable.”

The other Inquisitor looked shocked, but Delgago’s eyes hardened some, “I can tell you are not some newly awakened mage.”  His teeth ground slightly, “You do not understand what it takes to maintain order and keep the flock safe.”  He stood slowly with disappointment on his face, “We are leaving.”  I did observe something new in the priest.  I was able to see how much aether was in his core—like looking at a glass and seeing how much water was in it.  His core had very little aether, so I guessed he used most of his reserves at the hockey game.

“No, I think Aurora deserves the chance to make a decision while not being under your influence.  Have her remove the necklace,” I said with my best bravado voice.

Delgado smiled ruefully and held out his hand to his side, palm up, “Your necklace High Inquisitor Aurora.”  She obeyed and removed it, and placed it in his hand.  The aetheric threads still extended to her even though Delgado held the necklace.  I had lost my gamble.

Delgado asked, “Aurora, do you wish to leave with us right now?”

There was a long pause, and everyone was shocked when she said, “No.”  The priest’s head whipped to face her.  But then she said, “I want to try the pizza first.”

I grasped at the straw, “She said no.  Aurora, you can have the rest of the pizza.  Sit.”  I smiled at the priest.

She sat and started eating with a speed a ten-year-old would be proud of, savoring the best pizza in fifty miles.  Delgado wasn’t going to let his prize go, though, and just waited patiently for her to finish.  I reached out with my aether manipulation and tried to destroy the threads attaching the crucifix to her.

Since this was not my magic, I could not cut them like I could my charm spell.  Instead, I used my aether stores to overwhelm the threads, drowning them.  The first one evaporated, and then a second.  Soon, I was searching for hidden threads.  Aurora, the speed eater, was already on her last slice, and I was not certain I had gotten all the links severed.

Before Delgado could speak, I asked, “Aurora, do you want another pizza?  Maybe, stay here and maybe eat it a little more slowly?”

She rubbed her stomach, “No, but I would like to try that.  She pointed at a couple sharing a large bowl of Alfredo noodles.”

Delgado’s face was turning red with anger.  I ordered the Alfredo sauce with roasted zucchini and chicken on fettucine.  Bedelia and Artica watched the exchange and smirked as they were close enough to hear everything.  Kiri had her back to me.

Delgado finally said, “We will wait in the car for you, High Inquisitor Aurora.  When you are full, come to the car.”  He spun and half-stomped out of the restaurant.  I almost stopped him because he said he would pay for the meal.

As soon as they left the restaurant Artica, Kiri, and Bedelia joined us.  It was Bedelia who spoke first, “It is not unusual for the Inquisition to use such methods to indoctrinate people.  I never heard them using such things on an adult, though.”  She was studying Aurora like a curiosity.

Kiri studied the woman as well, who seemed to have wandering eyes.  She was focused on all the different plates of food.  Kiri said, “She seems fried.  She can not process things like a normal person, so she just focuses on one thing at a time.”  That was true.

Bedelia said, “If she has been wearing that amulet for such a long time, Caleb, I don’t think you can fix her.  Maybe Rincewind could.”  I had figured as much as my charm effect lingered for weeks after I released it and made somewhat permanent changes to a person.  Bedelia asked, “How strong is she?”

“Her aether core is upper tier 1.  About zero point nine.  She specializes in restraining magic,” I said, looking at Aurora happily eating.

Bedelia shrugged, “Strong for a human, but nothing special.  I don’t think you can help her without angering the Inquisition.  The church is only a small player in the supernatural world, but you still do not want to anger them.  They do answer to Magus Arcanum in a manner.”  She thought for a moment, “I can talk to my father.  He knows people—Maybe?” I shrugged, not knowing if that was the correct thing to do.

I almost wanted to use my seductive gaze ability to charm Aurora, but if I did, it would set off her demonic detection earring.  I did not think the outcome from that would go over well.  “Do it, Bedelia.  I cannot help her without causing more harm than good.  I do not want to expose myself anyway.  See if the Magus Arcanum will interfere.”

She took out her phone and showed me a chart for the Inquisition, “The exact numbers of the Inquisition are not known, but my father has talked with Archbishop Esposito before.”

Inquisition Ranks

Primus Inquisitor (Archbishop)

Arbitor

Grand Inquisitor (High Priest)

Judicator

High Inquistor (Priest)

Specialist

Inquisitor (Acoyltye)

Soldier

I looked at the ranks and remembered that Esposito was the man who adopted Aurora.  At least, that was what Aurora told me was her last name.  The whole matter was probably more intricate than it looked on the surface.

We watched, amused, as Aurora ate portions of four dishes and kept the Grand Inquisitor waiting two hours before she joined him.  The other priest came in every thirty minutes to check on her but never interfered.  When she got into the white Explorer, I felt I had failed.

“Are you coming to the cabin with us?”  Aritica asked in the parking lot.

“No, I am going home,” I said while thinking.

Bedelia stepped forward, “There is a party tomorrow at the cabin.  It was going to be a surprise, but I just want to make sure you came.  Mary does not have rowing practice, and Abigail wants to show off the magic she learned.  Iris planned the party,” she said, knowing that would get me to come.  “We are also celebrating Vida’s birthday since we don’t know when she was born.”

“Sounds good.  I will definitely be there.”  As I was driving home, I could see from both sides—why the Inquisition took children and trained them to fight supernatural creatures.  The adage from Star Trek, the needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few.  But still, you had to be given the right to choose.  That is what stuck with me and bothered me.  Aurora was not given a choice; she was just pretzeled to fit what the Inquisition needed.  No, I definitely had to help her.  It would be something a good human being would do.

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