Absolution

[Gorwe]

Here is a quick and short story for you. I'll try to make it enjoyable! Have fun!

///

Katzenburg was just one of those small towns you could hope to find within the Great Forest alongside the Old Road. It was a small town with a central square that was obviously used to hold various festivities, mostly for the common folk. On the hill overlooking it, amongst age old oaks rose towers of Schloss von Mindorff, a local noble family. Its towers jutted like ominous needles in the sky and surpassed even the highest and oldest of oaks.

But nothing of this even flinched Witch Hunter Eisenlog. He came so deep hunting corruption. Eisenlog smelled and took a deep breath in. A typical smell of oaks, pines and fresh air came in. But something else as well. The smell that reminded him of an age old carcass by the road. He spat.

"**** corruption. These villagers don't know even half of it whom they harbour. I am afraid that a severe judgment is called for."

With that said, Eisenlog prepared his matchlock and refurbished it with the finest Silver bullets granted by the Temple of Sigmar in Altdorf. He flexed and rose from a stone he sat upon to take a good look of Katzenburg. He noticed movements in the town. The people worshipping pagan commoner deities. Eisenlog sighed.

"Godless hypocrites. They offer lip service to our God Emperor Sigmar himself and when nobody is looking they worship Taal and such nonsense. We offer them protection and purity and they wantonly embrace wilderness and impurity...they should all be cleansed"

///

Viktor von Mindorff was a local count. As he prepared for a diner with his family he looked himself in a mirror and thought:

"I made all of this with my own two hands. I gave people tranquility, protection and a new life." He sighed. "So, what if I had to overlook a certain "dignitary" and allow him to reside here? It was a small price to pay for this...paradise" Count Viktor took his robes and began descent down the spiralling stairs. As the painting of his ancestors went by him he realised just how grateful he has got to be.

As he came into foyer, a servant came and whispered a note into Count's ear. His brow furrowed greatly upon the name he heard-it even sent the chills down his spine.

"His Holy Inquisition you say? Are you certain that it is one of his Scarlet Knights?"
"Yes, my lord!"
Viktor took this heavily and put an arm on his hip
"Please, do allow our most honoured guest the finest lodging in Schloss von Mindorff"

///

"The Dancing Rat" said the worn shingle creeking upon the cold wind. Eisenlog looked around himself and focused upon the filthy tavern.

"This town is no good. I don't know what it is, but I feel corruption in every stone, in every metre of this forsaken place. And look at that tavern, the domicile of vileness it is" Spit "Maybe they even serve drinkable water in there..."

As Eisenlog entered, the sights of a common coaching inn disgusted him. There were even pigs in the far corner of the tavern. He came towards the overused bar and sat between a commoner, most likely a farmer and a blacksmith. Eisenlog pulled the brim of his hat down and ordered a drink and started to listen in on the conversation.

"...and we tought tha i could nat get any wurse. Tha winds are chilling and me crops are dying. Wha will I feed me family with?"
"Stop crying, you wuss!
"And wha d ya mean wuss?"
"What I just said. If you want to there is a wealth to be found not far from here. Within mountains.
"I ain not daring tha wilds. It's..."
"a **** coward"
"Thas it!" The farmer punched a blacksmith and so did a brawl start.

Eisenlog dodged a few of flying chairs because the riot broke out. It was a typical start of chaos: it begins with two and just spreads like a wildfire. As Eisenlog went towards the exit he thought:

"Just as I thought. Baseless cowards, peasants and godless bastards." A mugger jumped in front of him.
"Yer money or yer life!"
"You are mistaken. Turn away NOW!"
"I is doing this for me family. We are starved and..." Eisenlog cut the throat of a mugger.
"And you are a filthy bastard harbouring a dangerous man. Your whole family should be purified if you ask me."

The riots took to the streets as the night set upon Katzenburg. A full moon rose.

///

"Count Viktor! Count Viktor!"
"Yes? WHAT is it NOW that is SO IMPORTANT to interrupt my family's meal?"
"Scuse me my lord! But it's the Witch Hunter! He somehow brought battle and hate with him!"
Count Viktor rose and looked out the tall window of the dining room. He saw...commotion in the streets and heard shouts and obscenities. He knew what was to transpire.
"Captain!"
"Yes, my lord!"
"Prepare your men and BRING me the Witch Hunter!"
"It will be done as you ask!"
Count turned to his family. "Go up, my most beloved. I will find the way to keep our heritage. It..."
"But husband, don't risk yourse..."
"AS I WAS SAYING, it will be safe! Now go up, everything will be all right"

///

"Damn these pigs. These godless pigs" said Eisenlog as he parried yet another stab from an angry villager as he proficiently turned and cut the villager's hand off. "Harbouring corruption both within and without! Resisting Sigmar's decree hah"

Eisenlog kicked a local drunkard who threatened him with a broken bottle and then shot him. "A waste of bullets", he thought as he began ascent towards the Schloss von Mindorff. "Maybe the counts around these parts aren't as vile, but if these jutting fangs are something to judge them by...may Sigmar help them!". A punch and a flourish from his longsword cut a rag tag militia's arm off as he heard soldiers arriving, their steel armours draped with yellow and black tunics shining in the distance. "Good. Let's see what this entails." Eisenlog sat upon the rotten log and watched as the soldiers cut their way through the mob towards him.
"WITCH HUNTER! OUR MOST..." yell of a cut down villager "...MOST BENEVOLENT COUNT WANTS TO SPEAK WITH YOU!"
Eisenlog fired a hollow shot in the air. "I am here."
Soldiers eventually cleaved their way through the mob towards him. A few of young soldiers were cut and bruised, but nothing bad happened to them.
"Have you started these riots? Answer, NOW!"
"I don't answer to your gutless, godless self. Their own immorality and impurity started it." Eisenlog stretched his arm and rubbed his neck.
"Don't give me that, you zealot! Anyhow, I am to take you to our Count, NOW!"
"I haven't got anything better to do anyhow, lead the way!"
And so the ascent began.

///

As they arrived in the Schloss, the juxtaposition of the town and of the Schloss amused Eisenlog. "As always, counts live in the golden cage while the peasants live in the wooden cage." Eisenlog noticed a tall figure coming in a hurry towards him, his honey yellow cloak flying behind him.

"I take it that you are..."
"Call me Eisenlog"
"Ok, Eisenlog. Explain what is it you are doing here and why are you ruining these people's lives!"
"First of all, don't yell at me" said Eisenlog as he put a hand over Count's lips. "Secnd, I am here by Sigmar's decree. I feel it in your heart. I know he is here. Now about the question..." Eisenlog put his hand on his longsword "...where?"
"I can't do that! He finances our lives, he allows us to live!"
"..."
"He is a most magnificient financier of this humble town. Must you do this, Witch Hunter?"
"..." spit
"DON'T DO THAT IN MY PRESENCE!"
Eisenlog slapped Count "I will do whatever I like because..." he unfurled a parchment "...I am here on a decree. Cease and cooperate or you will meet the most severe of punishments!" Eisenlog pulled out his longsword and so did the guards. "They won't be able to save you. And then I will purify their godless husks as well and finish it all with your family only to end up with my target. So..."
Count Viktor looked angsty and coughed.
"So...what will it be Count?"
"Go ahead, it's not worth it!" Count waved his hands off "You will find him in the town's armoury he is..."
"Your armourer. Sigmar bless me!"

///

Krent was his name. And he was observing Eisenlog ever since he arrived in Katzenburg. The very first thing he set out to do was to rile up the mob so as to serve his cover screen while escaping.

"**** Witch Hunter! Not even with Tzeentch's blessing can I evade those. They are like bloodhounds, once they are smell your blood, they will hunt you down no matter what. Now, I need that portal! Where's that scroll..." Krent rummaged through his things and threw them around wildly "...no it isn't there, maybe in my chest?" He tore through his whole house until he found it. "Ah yes! The gift from the Lord himself! Those zealots won't be able to find me anymore. HAHAHAHAHA" He laughed hysterically as he put the scroll in his pocket, took a vicious looking axe and went outside.

"PEOPLE OF KATZENBURG! YOUR VERY OWN LORD HAS BETRAYED YOU EVEN AS I SPEAK THIS! HW IS CONSPIRING WITH THAT ZEALOT THAT CUT SEVERAL OF YOU! DON'T ALLOW THEM TO GET WITH THIS! PROTECT YOUR HOMES!" bellowed Krent with inhumane strength of voice and steered the goaded mob towards the Schloss

///

"By Sigmar!" shouted guard captain
"What is IT NOW?" shouted count back.
"My lord!" gulp "The mob is coming for you!"
Eisenlog smiled
"AND WHAT ARE YOU SMILING AT?"
"...see, it is poetic. You gave them that miserable life and you harboured the fugitive-a very dangerous fugitive at that. Now he has turned them and all you created upon you. Today you woke as a count of a misbegoten town and tomorrow you will, hopefully, wake up as a count of nothing. Heh."
"NOT IF I CAN HELP IT! MEN, BATTLE POSITIONS OUTSIDE OUR GATES, HOLD THEM AT ALL COST!"
"...and meanwhile, I'll get my target. Dead preferably."

The massive doors swung open and wild cries poured in as soldiers marched out to meet their citizens. Eisenlog used the moment of mayhem and decided to sneak past the bloodshed and fire. "Oh, the bloodmoon indeed rose this night!" thought he as he sprinted towards Krent.

"SO COME AT ME, YOU PATHETIC FOOL! STRIKE ME AND FALL INTO CLUTCHES OF LORD KHORNE!"
"..."
"OUR WILL SHALL BE DONE. ME..." Eisenlog punched Krent in the middle of a savage howl he believed was a warcry. "OH YOU WANT ME? FINE!" Krent kicked Eisenlog away as he unfurled his scroll and read it in hurry. "...AND WITH THESE WORDS, MY LORD TZEENTCH, I BESEECH YOU TO BESTOW ONE OF YOUR MOST HUMBLE GIFTS UPON ME!" Eisenloged rushed towards Krent but a violent shockwave knocked him and a good part of mob down as a pillar of random lights shone upon the heretic. "Sigmar bless me!" shouted Eisenlog as he pulled his brim down so as to not see the heresy. Heretic's whole body begun to transform and most of the force focused upon his unarmed arm which started to mutate into a ghoulish spike of bone and marrow. Krent cried and laughed maniacally at the same time "YES! YESSSS! THANKY YOU MY LORD! WITH YOUR MOST BENEFICIENT BLESSING I SHALL CLEANSE THESE FOOLS!"
*boom* "No you shall not heretic!"
"That bullet? HAHAHA! That's PATHETIC!"
Krent began flailing crazily with both the apendage and an axe towards Eisenlog. Eisenlog parried both and kicked Krent only to get pummeled by a hilt of an axe. The whole world became a fog as the apendage cut wildly through his scale mail. Only did the discipline of a rigorous training in Altdorf parry the next, most likely deathblow from heretic's axe.
*cling*
Eisenlog stood upon Krent's foot and knocked the axe out of his hand with his elbow. He had a beast cornered, but still as chaotic and wild as ever.
"MAN COME TO YOUR REAL LORD'S AIDE! KILL THE ZEALOT!!!!"
The ring of a mad crowd begun to tighten upon Eisenlog and he still had to worry about the bony appendage. The warcries of a mob and the commands of soldiers became a distand echo. The only thing that mattered was krent's utter destruction, even if it meant the destruction of the wole town. He focused. Dodged a punch, spun and dodged an arrow only to cut one angry villager down. A piruette and few slashes took care of another two.
"...I didn't think they were THIS godless!" Eisenlog thought
And then all of a sudden he felt a slash that cut his hat in twain. He only survived because he ducked to dodge a knife from one of assailants.
"NEXT ONE AND YOU'RE MINE!"
Eisenlog quickly turned on his heel and struck Krent few times. A stab from Krent, a slash from Eisenlog, such was a tempo of this dance of death. Suddenly an angry mobster assaulted Eisenlog only to fall down. Eisenlog used this opening well and managed to use a hapless wretch as a living shield. The force of impact of a big man knocked Krent down. "Now, in the name of Sigmar!" said Eisenlog quickly as he pulled one of the blessed bullets into his matchlock. He quickly put some dry grass into it as well as gunpowder.
Krent came even more wildly than ever, flailing and slashing madly. Eisenlog took a long breath and let Krent cut him across the arm. "Unghh!" He pulled the trigger as the fbullet acompanied by a raging inferno came out. "BURN HERETIC!" Krent burst into flames and begun howling savagely "Calling your lord are you? Well, he won't save you, filthy dreg!" Said Eisenlog as he cut Krent's head off, only to follow it by a stab with a blessed stake and a shot from a matchlock. "The last two will teach to NEVER TOUCH THE WITCH HUNTER'S HAT!" said Eisenlog as he spat and breathed heavily.
Eventually he came upon a tree with Ravens upon it. "Shoo you pests of Tzeentch!" said Eisenlog as he sat down to scribe down something. He eventually bolted the note on an old oak and slipped from the town as the cries of battle began to diminish, supposedly because one side was winning.

///

The cold morning rose, filled with mist. Count Viktor looked upon his town. Everything was...purified. Even though the sights of the bodies of his fellow townsmen and of burned houses irked him, there was a sense of relief. A sense of freedom he hasn't felt in a long time. A guardsman brought him a dirty parchment upon which it said:

"You're welcome."

///

"Ah, yes, Witch Hunter. Lesson learned, is it? Never trust a heretic no matter how good his intentions are. Sigmar protect you, no matter where you may be!" thought Count as he returned to his badly burned schloss and began the long and ardous work of restoring Katzenburg, Schloss and von Mindorff legacy.

"Come on men! In the name of Sigmar, we'll do it!"

[Gorwe]

So, how did you like my short story? Why not? Why yes? Every and any criticism is welcome.

[doombane]

Your story was great! I really like how you played on the viewpoints of the holy inquisition not just fighting the swarm of Destruction, but internal affairs concerning heresy in the Empire. The struggle that Witch Hunters face in purifying the spread of Chaos in their realm was presented here in a very interesting way!

The only negatives I see are formatting and grammar, but even then it was very well written!

Bravo to you, good sir!

[Gorwe]

Your story was great! I really like how you played on the viewpoints of the holy inquisition not just fighting the swarm of Destruction, but internal affairs concerning heresy in the Empire. The struggle that Witch Hunters face in purifying the spread of Chaos in their realm was presented here in a very interesting way!

The only negatives I see are formatting and grammar, but even then it was very well written!

Bravo to you, good sir!

Thank you very much, it means a GREAT deal to me! Anyone else?

edit: did you get how greatly the title and the theme fit each other? Especially the end.

edit edit: about descriptions, did I describe that place well enough? Did you actually see it?

[doombane]

edit: did you get how greatly the title and the theme fit each other? Especially the end.

edit edit: about descriptions, did I describe that place well enough? Did you actually see it?

I think the term absolution accurately fits the Empire's tyrannical religion. It results in the deaths of many, but also the salvation of many. It is a give and take. It is absolute. I think it fits rather well.

The beauty of the Warhammer universe is it's vivid images of what each race does to build their architecture. I think everyone who read the fact that Eisenlog walked into an Imperial town led by a Count already paints a very vivid imagination of a sea of dark brown structures. Buildings and farms with signs hanging above the doors. Stone walk ways with a rabble of people and animals making their way through the city. As you described where Eisenlog went, your wording was accompanied by the stereotype Imperial city archetype we see in our minds. It was a very good image the whole way though!

[NectaneboII]

Excellent !