The Bird and the Garden 3: The Final Adventure

Chapter 17: The Ripper Stalks

Disclaimer: Music not mine, obviously. Play it when Yin reaches the sewers for that dramatic effect.

...

Yin sat in the Church's head cathedral, his head bowed in prayer. Pope Iris was conducting a meeting in his office, one that Yin was not yet at the level to participate in. He had asked the Pope when his time would come, but he would always be turned down with the answer 'patience is a virtue'. Which meant he hadn't been branded yet, which he didn't know about.

Eight long years had passed since he had come to the Royal Capital, eight years since his days of adventuring ended. He had seen Salem a few times in those years, but they didn't talk much. Or at all. In fact, she rarely seemed to leave the Royal Palace anymore. Last he heard, Sasha was in Aldia, her homeland. And most worrying were the last three of his now disbanded party. The whereabouts of Ozpin, Vao, and Verde were still unknown. Ozpin had vanished without a trace, disappearing as if he had never existed at all. And given that they were wanted dead for heresy, Vao and Verde were in hiding, cutting off all contacts they had with the outside world. If they were ever found, Verde would be burned alive for witchcraft, and Vao would be hung in the gallows for protecting her. Tim and Chuck faced the same punishment as the thief. And now, Yin was twenty-six years old.

Eight years of studying for Yin, and nothing more. Raised to the official rank of deacon, he faced the responsibility of preaching to the common people of God of Light and administering blessings to the people of the Royal Capital through healing wounds and sickness. He knew he should have found it amazing, but instead it was very dull.

The most severe thing he would ever cure was a splinter, or perhaps a stomach bug. And when it didn't work immediately, the patient would yell at him and throw insults. The people of the Royal Capital were snobs, through and through.

Among the men and women in the Church, Yin was the only one who didn't own a slave. He couldn't see himself doing it - he still remembered the friends he had made in the nonhuman city. Part of that was why he was praying; so that one day the slaves of the Capital could escape and find their peace in that same city.

"... Bonjour, mon ami."

He lifted his head to meet the yellow eyes and unnaturally permanent smile of Jack. Yin never grew fond of him. No matter how much time passed, the man still made him uneasy. With a sigh he stood up, running his fingers along the small blonde hairs that had grown on his chin. "Yes, Jack? Did you need something?"

"Non, non... I am just curious..."

Sometimes Jack would say this, and watch Yin for a while. As weird as it was, Jack never tried to attack him like Yin would sometimes believe through paranoia. With another sigh, the deacon moved past the smiling man, moving down the halls in silence. The Pope's meeting should be reaching its conclusion soon. Jack followed silently, periodically asking questions such as how Yin's day was going, whether he was happy or sad, things like that.

He wished Jack would go away. But the smiling man seemed keen on following him, trying to talk to him. Yin felt like Jack was only trying to learn more about him, but it made him uncomfortable. It wasn't just Yin that Jack would do this to, it was everyone. In fact, Jack was the only other person aside from himself who talked to the slaves without a hint of hatred. It was as if... No, Yin thought. But that same thought kept eating away at the back of his mind.

It was as if Jack was trying to learn about people as a whole. He didn't understand why. He never met someone so obsessed with human nature.

"Jack!" Ruby called from down the hall. The doll-like girl was standing at the very end, near the stairs. "His Holiness wishes to speak with you."