Masque of the Inquisition

Chapter 2

As night fell on the outskirts of Toledo, we emerged from our hiding places in the trees, abandoning the small camp we'd set up to cover all of the bases. It was now or never, as we all had lives and wives to return to. We crept closer as quickly and quietly as we could, cursing the moonlight under our breath for its spotlight on our locations.

Still we made it unnoticed, pinning our bodies against the side of the castle, cool stone hitting our backs as I whispered orders to each of the men. There were men we needed to get out first, before we set loose the rest of the prisoners to wreak havoc on the Inquisition.

I knew one of the prisoners better than the rest. She had mysteriously arrived in my life a few months before the Inquisition came about full force. Arriving in a strange carriage that didn't have horses to pull it, introducing herself as if that was nothing. She was accused of Witchcraft, someone having reported her to authorities after seeing her tricks with the carriage and a quill that didn't need ink. She was fascinating and I wished to know more about her practices.

You see, I was never one to believe that Witchcraft be frowned upon and witches burned at the stake for their practice. It was a power that needed harnessing, something that could be used to the Army's power, the king would be able to do such incredible things if only he harnessed it. I thought it would take quite a lot of convincing and put my life in danger however, so I had settled on rescuing the mysterious woman and questioning her until I had the answers I needed to prove how useful this could be.

As one of the troops began scaling the wall, I peered around the corner, looking to make an advance toward the back for a second way in, the more ways the better. The coast seemed clear, and something felt off about the lack of watchmen and guards. It was too eerie, as if something had already happened.

Making our way up and in, as the back showed no hope for entry, things only got more silent. It was unnerving, the entire lack of sound. It felt as if our feet didn't even make noise and we crossed the halls, looking for where the prisoners were kept. I kept reminding myself that the tales about this castle were false. There was no way the events actually occurred, it was highly improbable and made little sense as to where the bodies all disappeared to after the Red Death had taken Prospero and his party guest's lives.

Still, even as I mumbled about how it was impossible, I couldn't help but think about the creature slipping through the halls as we walked, watching our every move. Waiting to strike like a cat on a mouse. That 'What if?' continued as a clash, a troop crashing into an armor stand, rang loud for a moment or two, alerting anyone nearby of our presence.

After that moment or two however, the noise was gone, as if it had never existed. How peculiar, a noise like that would usually ring for nearly a minute, especially as the helm was still rolling about on the floor.

Something about this castle was off, and we all could sense it, even more so now with the silence weighing heavy on us. With my knowledge of the Witch imprisoned here, it only solidified that fear of roaming the halls. We needed to be more strategic with our approach from here on out.

I signaled for my men to stay in groups of two, each taking a different section of the castle to search. I was left with a newbie, Adrien, who had no idea what he was doing. I was also fairly certain he was the one who had knocked over the armor. We took the cellar area, as I was most confident that would be where the Witch would be, along with a few more of the prisoners who had actually committed a crime.

When I pushed open the cellar door however, the stench rose, filling my nostrils with a sense I had never wished to feel again. Death. A lot of death. I would never forget that smell for the rest of my days, decaying bodies, dried blood, and the musk of unbathed bodies. It was an aroma I wouldn't wish on my worst enemies. The dark hid any body parts that might be causing the smell in the immediate area, so, I sent Adrien off to fetch a torch from the hall we'd just been in, not wishing to go into the abyss alone or in the dark. However, after hearing a noise down below before the man returned, I began to creep down the stone staircase. The smell only seemed to grow more potent, unbearable as I gagged and continued moving in the dark. I saw a flicker of light, assuming it was Adrien with the torch, so I continued to push on, knowing I had my partner back with me. The flicker only lasted to light the way to the bottom of the stairs before disappearing however, causing me to turn.

"Adrien?" I called, my brow furrowing as I peered into the pitch black stairwell, not seeing another shape in the darkness. The torch might have just burned out from him running back to the stairwell.

Silence filled the air around me, nothing to be heard as my echo died off and I was left alone once more. Turning back carefully as to not trip and crack my head on the stairs, I continued my descent into the cellar. It wasn't until I reached the bottom any sound pierced the silence. A slight dripping noise from one area, and the sound of air, as if an object was cutting through.

It was a literal fork in the road as to which I wished to follow first, or at all as I wasn't too sure I could find my way to the other sound without a light. My senses had been stolen from me. Leaving me simply with the smell of bodies, wet and decaying, and the soft sounds that pierced the night. This far down, there was no hope for daylight to come either, as there were no windows to be found.

For the first time, fear crept into my soul, starting to eat away. I was alone in this cellar with no hope for my troops to hear me. I had made the foolish mistake of letting curiosity get to me, and now everything surrounding me was death, madness, and even more curiosity as to what was causing the noises I heard. But which should I follow?

IR