No More

Chapter 39: Crime

Aiden was still at his table in the Inn, calmly drinking a hot beverage and reading a book. It's almost midnight, and most of the people he saw here have already gone to bed.

He still had that pink bow the delivery girl dropped, who knew she wears glasses? And he had to admit, she looks pretty.

She doesn't have any tattoos on her arm, or any other markings on her body, just a really nice smile, and very kind heart.

He took another sip of his drink, and turned another page as it was finally midnight. But then he heard footsteps; a lot of them.

CRASH!

"What the-?!" he said, looking up from his book to see dozens Templars jumping through the windows, crashing through the doors, and pulled out their weapons.

"No one move!" shouted a Templar. Immediately everyone who heard put their hands in the air, not willing to anger them.

All of them are wearing grey and white armor that covers all features of their body, the chestplate has an upside-down sword symbols representing that the sword is releasing energy.

They have a red sash tied around their waists, that hangs down with their dark blue cloaks, with yellow symbols stitched on, that covers the outside of their lower bodies that reach down to their ankles.

In shorter words: intimidating. Which is true enough, but it's terrifying when Aiden saw one of them looked directly at him.

"Target sighted!" the Templar shouted, a female. "Engage, I repeat, engage!"

They all charged after him, grabbing him, and confiscating everything he has on him. Stripping him of his weapons and armor, and down to his basic cloths and Ocelots jacket.

"What's going on?!" asked Aiden as the Templars dragged him out of the building. They continued to surround, inspected, investigated, and interrogated the Inn and it's inhabitants.

When someone violates a law in the City, the Templars take it really seriously. But their anger, for being eccentric, or motivation, can be justified by one summary of despair, and an obvious question.

"We're all here to shelter from the horrors of the Triple Devastation. This war has torn families' apart, shattered lives, and broke so many hearts. This place is a sanctuary for those who suffered, will suffer, and for those trying to recover... So why would you break the law, commit theft, assault, and make things harder for everyone?!"

They roughly threw him onto the ground at the stairs in front of the Inn, as eight Templars surrounded him, pulling out their standard weapons; consisting of a broadsword and a shield.

"This is your one warning criminal: don't move!" A Templar said. "Do so and it will be considered hostile, and we will respond in kind."

Each and every one of them is pointing their blades at Aiden, ready to cut him the second he tries anything threatening.

Just being within the presence of the Templars made Aiden feel weak. For it is the natural energy that emanates from a Templar, one that makes them immune to all hostile magic, even cancelling out Mana.

He glanced back at the Inn to see a dome of energy erected, covering the entire building as Templars surrounded the perimeter, their shields pressed into the ground; focusing.

"What did I do?" asked a scared Aiden. "I didn't break any laws!"

"Not according to our commander, criminal!" shouted a Templar, making Aiden flinch. Not because of their harsh tone, it's because he remembered who's the commander of the Templars.