an understatement. What they hadn’t known was the creature had the blood of the Beast flowing through its veins.
That revelation changed everything. The Church knew there were others with the blood and perhaps the half-breed could tell him where they were. The Holy Father had declared God wanted the children of the Beast found and destroyed. Any having the cursed blood had to die. If he could get more names from the half-breed, it would be very beneficial for him when he returned to Asqutania and met with the Pope. He missed the capital city of Tyro, he was never much for travel and the food was deplorable on the road but these pagans were dangerous and needed to be cleansed from the world.
The only name the Church had was Endra Korlest and her three evil spawn. She had been a prisoner of the Church at one time, but she had murdered the priest who captured her and escaped. This warrior woman had eluded capture so far. Last reports said she was somewhere in Warmark. The hand would find her sooner or later. Of that he had no doubt, and when they did she would burn in the holy flames of God along with her devil children.
The Church knew others existed in hiding throughout the world, and this creature might know some of their locations. If he did, Milara would compel him to confess their whereabouts. Then he would dispatch the monster in the name of God.
The destruction of the Beast’s children was the Pope’s passion. All the agents of the Church had been ordered to search for information on these fiends. Milara was not sure why the Pope felt these accursed people were so in need of destroying, but he followed the Pope’s orders without question, the Pope spoke for God after all. He would do his best to eradicate them all. It was what God wanted.
The scourging had been brutal, in many places strips of flesh hung from the half-breed, the wounds were black with its evil. The face of the monstrosity was almost unrecognizable now. Commander Deverall’s knights had beaten it with their gauntleted fists after they had seen its true nature.
Milara reach out and pulled the half-breed’s head up by his long black hair. “Wake up, child of the dark. I want you to answer my questions, if you do your death will be quick and merciful, if not...” Milara grabbed a hot brand from the brazier and laid the hot iron to the half-breed’s chest, leaving it there until the skin crackled from the heat.
The monster didn’t cry out, but Milara could see the tears streaming from the corners of his eyes and the black blood seep from its mouth as the creature bit its lip to keep from crying out. He could see scars all over the things body, perhaps it had been tortured before. Getting the information from it may be more difficult than he thought.
“Do you understand what I want now, monster? Give me what I need and I will end this.”
It didn’t answer. Milara tried again, this time burning its back, still the half-breed would not speak or cry out.
“You will answer me, you vile wretch. My questions are God’s questions, now tell me if you know of others that have the black blood, tell me their names and where they are and your pain will end.”
The half-breed slowly raised his head, looking as if he wished to speak. Milara smiled and said a quick prayer thanking God for his success. “Come now tell me about the others like you.” The Lord Justice said gently.
Lord Justice Milara squatted down so he was eye to eye with the creature. It was broken and there was no need to fear it now. “Tell me what you know and I will show you mercy.”
The monster pushed with its feet swinging, its body forward, Milara had no time to move as the half-breed’s fangs sank into the Lord Justice’s shoulder. Milara screamed as the beast twisted its head and tore out a large chunk of his flesh.
Guards ran into the pavilion upon hearing the Lord Justice’s scream. They beat the monster until it did not move. “You shall pay for that dearly,” Milara howled with rage.
He grabbed a hot brand from the brazier and slapped it between the half-breed’s legs, this time it wailed in pain. “You will suffer a thousand times more than that before you die, you loathsome fiend.” He turned to the