Echoes of Broken Vows

Chapter 13

Rowan crept through the temple’s side entrance, the chill of dawn clung to his face. He went through a narrow passage, hidden behind an ancient statue of a forgotten deity, that only a handful of selected members knew about.

The musty scent of damp stone filled his nose, a stark contrast to the acrid smell of explosives and blood that still lingered in his memory.

As he reached the main corridor, dimly lit by torches, his nerves were already on edge. He was pushing himself too hard recently, and knew the consequences of his actions will soon unfold.

As he kept walking he heard a faint sound of footsteps, coming in his direction. He pressed himself against the cool stone wall, feeling his shoulder throbbing with each heartbeat. The two initiates rushed past, their faces etched with worry.

“...Destroyed completely,”

one whispered, his voice trembling. “They say it was an attack by rebel assassins.”

“Impossible,”

the other replied. “No one could pass through all the guards...”

Their voices faded as they turned a corner, leaving Rowan alone. He allowed himself a moment to steady his breathing, acutely aware of the delicate balance between success and discovery.

A hand grasped his unwounded shoulder. Rowan spun, his hand instinctively reaching for his concealed dagger, only to find himself facing Sam. His friend’s eyes were wide with importance, his usually immaculate robes messy from the night’s events, with the faint smell of sweat.

“We need to talk,”

Sam whispered. “Now.”

Without waiting for a reply, Sam pulled Rowan into a nearby room. “Rowan,”

he started, making sure that no one was inside. “Things are going to be harder than we expected. The Eidolon isn’t just angry, they’re desperate. And desperate men have nothing to lose.”

Sam’s face was drawn with worry, his eyes darted nervously as he spoke. “The Eidolon is planning a full-scale inquisition within the temple,”

he whispered. “They somehow know the attack was an inside job, and they’re determined to find the traitor.”

Rowan shivered. “Interrogations?”

He asked, already knowing the answer.

Sam nodded grimly. “Not just ordinary questioning. They’re bringing in Sailas.”

He leaned against the wall, feeling desperate.

The name made Rowan feel helpless. Sailas was infamous within the Eidolon, a master of both physical and psychological interrogation techniques. His methods were said to break even the strongest wills.

No one even knew what he looked like, which made it even more terrifying.

“They’re starting with the lower ranks,”

Sam continued, his words barely disturbing the silence. “But it won’t be long before they work their way up. We need to be prepared for anything.”

Rowan’s mind was a mess, he started to consider their options. The throbbing in his shoulder seemed to intensify with his anxiety. “What about your position?”

He asked. “Can you influence the process at all?”

Sam shook his head. “I’ll be audited too. My presence during the attack has raised some eyebrows. We’re walking on thin ice, Rowan.”

Loud conversation and the sound of running feet echoed off the stone walls.

“They’re gathering everyone in the Grand Hall,”

Sam said, his expression grim. “We need to go, or our absence will be obviously noted.”

Rowan and Sam reached the gathering, immediately struck by the transformation of the place. The usual elegant paintings had been replaced by stark, black banners bearing the Eidolon’s symbol - a silver chalice encircled by a serpent, its scales glinting with an otherworldly purple sheen. The warm glow of too many torches and candles had given way to harsh, bright light that left no shadows for secrets to hide.

Hundreds of robed figures stood in rigid formation, their faces a mixture of dread and barely concealed confusion. At the far end of the hall, upon a raised podium, stood Garron, his face a mask of cold fury. Beside him, the imposing figure of who Rowan assumed was Sailas, his dark eyes scanning the crowd with predatory intensity.

Garron raised his hand, everyone got quiet instantly. “Brothers and sisters,”

he began, his voice magically amplified to reach every corner of the vast chamber, “we have been betrayed. Our sacred mission has been threatened by traitors that live among us.”

Murmurs of disbelief and anger rippled through the crowd. Rowan saw Sam clenching his fist, both of them acutely aware of the precarious position they were in.

Garron’s voice cut through the noise like a knife. “But fear not. We will root out this corruption, no matter the cost.”

He gestured to his left, and a side door opened with an ominous creak.

Rowan’s heart sank as he saw two guards dragging a figure between them. Even from a distance, he recognized the slumped form of Einar. As they brought him into the harsh light, gasps of shock echoed through the hall.

Einar, once vibrant and full of life, was a shell of his former self. His face was gaunt, dark circles under his sunken eyes speaking of sleepless nights and relentless questioning. His robes hung loosely on his frame, and angry red marks on his wrists showed where he had been bound.

“Behold,”

Garron’s voice boomed, “the result of defiance and deceit.”

Einar’s eyes, once bright with curiosity and kindness, now darted around the room in panic. When his gaze fell upon Rowan and Sam, there was a flicker of recognition, quickly replaced by fear and confusion.

Sailas stepped forward, his voice a low, menacing growl that somehow carried to every ear in the hall. “This is but a taste of what awaits those who would betray us. In the coming days, each of you will be thoroughly questioned. Those who cooperate will be shown mercy. Those who resist...”

He let his gaze linger on Einar’s broken form, allowing the implication to sink in.

Rowan felt a surge of guilt threatening to overwhelm him. He had to fight every instinct not to rush to his friend’s aid. Beside him, Sam’s face remained impassive, but Rowan could see the tension in his clenched jaw.

As the assembly watched in horrified silence, Garron continued, “The interrogations will begin immediately. Sailas will conduct them privately, ensuring that no detail is overlooked. Remember, your loyalty to the Eidolon will be thoroughly tested.”