Chapter 222: In The Name of Alfred Lindonfall: End of Arc Four- The God Queen

Esmond stood at the window of the Mayoral building looking out to the distant South port. His eyes were narrow slits as he waited for the report he wanted. The door behind opened and Esmond turned seeing a tired Alfred walking in with sunken eyes. Esmond gave a quick bow with Alfred waving it off and taking a seat.

"What is the progress Esmond?" Esmond looked at him and gave a thin smile.

"I got tip early in the morning. It matches the information I received last night aswell." Esmond said happily as he took a seat aswell.

"And the church."

"Locked themselves up in their temples. We can’t move yet, in such a time." Esmond’s words were like a bucket of cold water dumped on Alfred’s head as he grabbed his face and rubbed it. "I understand what has to be done, Your Majesty, but I need time. To find this man, I can’t yet split my resources. Unless you order me to do so."

Alfred’s foot bounced as he interlocked his fingers and leaned on them. "No. I want this man before anything else." Alfred said with hate as he looked out the window from his seat.

"We can’t keep the lockdown for long."

"I don’t care." Alfred dismissed as he continued to look out the window. "Everyone knows an attempt on my life happened. They will comply." Esmond nodded hearing his cold voice as he leaned back in his chair.

"And William?"

"I sent him to Brookhaven. I needed him to prepare."

"You’re serious about this?" Alfred shot a cold glare at Esmond in response and he nodded in understanding. "I can prepare things on my end to deal with those we need, but it will take time."

"How long?"

"Half a year. If we want things perfect, I need to strike within days of each one. Takes time to be able to do that." Esmond gave a rough estimation as he created an image in his mind of the location of everyone he needed to be gone.

"And if I don’t need such hidden ways."

Esmond looked at his fingernails, cleaning small bits of dirt in them. "Three. Depending if I get support from Charles and William, less."

"No, three is fine. It can’t be too quick. We need time to spread the message."

"That’ll take longer than half a year," Esmond said confused but looking at Alfred’s smirk he realized something. "William did send many of his best crafters to the palace. Soon after copies of The Ammary Future spread across the Empire."

Alfred nodded not saying anything more as Esmond put his hands up. "Then we’re fine. I’ll make the preparation when I return." A knocking on the door took the two’s attention as a soldier walked in. He looked at Esmond and gave a nod.

"We have him Your Majesty." Alfred practically jumped out of his seat hearing those words as followed quickly behind. Each step held deep anxiety in them as he followed the soldier out on the street to a nearby prison. People watched from their windows anxiously.

Numerous doors opened as the city guard all bowed to Alfred walking past. The steps went underground and taking a deep breath he opened final heavy iron door. Inside lay the Iron Company Leader crouched hiding from the light.

"We found these in his belongings." A soldier said to Alfred, his words falling on deaf ears as Alfred’s mind went blank. A deep murderous rage flooded him. Moving forward the man tried to crawl back.

"I’ll tell you everyt...." His words were cut short by a kick thrown into his chin by Alfred. A tooth flew loose and hit the wall as blood poured out his mouth. A small groan left his mouth as he crouched down grabbing his mouth in pain. Before Alfred could move again, Esmond bony hand landed on his shoulder.

"A church pardon." Esmond held it up with Alfred taking it. His hands shook from the extreme anger he was feeling as he looked at it.

"Esmond," Alfred spoke in a low tone as he looked at the prisoner. "Round up the church officials. Bring them to the mayoral building. Call off the lockdown but let no-one leave the city. I want a spectacle." Esmond bowed as he left Alfred alone with the soldiers and prisoners.

Crouching down he tried his hardest to contain his anger and through gritted teeth, he finally spoke. "Who gave you the order?" The prisoner tried to back up once more, the cold stone wall stopping him from doing so.

"A bishop. The one who gave the speech." He practically cried saying those words as he looked into Alfred’s bloodshot, sunken eyes. "It wasn’t meant to go like this. It was meant to hit the Inquisition guard. I’m sorry."

Alfred breathed deeply over and over as he looked into the man’s eyes. With each breath, he remembered Chris on the operating table and the slim chances he had to live. He remembered the years he had spent with the man, the one who helped him live his first months in the new world. The one, who despite the sudden changes in the one he protected, followed him unquestioningly.

Alfred got up and walked out. He raised his finger stopping the soldiers from closing the door behind him as he walked down the prison cells to the end of the hall. Opening the door at the end a different sight was before him as numerous pieces of equipment and tools lay around. Alfre didn’t hesitate and picked up a long metal club.

Going back to the prisoner’s cell he walked in and closed the door behind him.

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The prisoner looked at Alfred in terror, the young Emporer feeling like the grim reaper himself. "Please. I’m sorry. I was following orders." He cried out in protest as Alfred inched closer.

"Pleas.....!" His words were cut short as Alfred slammed the club into the man’s face, breaking his nose. "ahhhhhh!" His cry of pain was followed quickly by another hit to the chest. All the air left his body as he was unable to even scream.

Memoires flooded Alfred’s mind, of the time he and Chris had spent. How Chirs had played with his son, helped his wife, and jokingly flirted with the servants when Charles egged him on. Every good memory he could think of took over as he brought down the iron club once more.

The jaw broke with the next hit as he tried to crawl away from Alfred. It was a desperate and meaningless attempt as Alfred kicked him in the stomach, flipping him on his back. "Stop. Please." He was crying by this point as Alfred looked at him with pure hate.

Bringing the club down over and over on his chest, his ribs soon began to break as the cracking of bone mixed with agonizing screams. They didn’t even enter Alfred’s mind which was clouded as he continued to bring the club down.

Pulling the club back the man covered his face not even talking or pleading anymore, only whimpering like an abused puppy. Alfred looked at the scene around him. It was strikingly similar to when he first took a life in the world. The disgusting smell, the horrid feeling, yet he remembered the warmth Chis had shown him when he was forced to. How he helped him cope with the first sin he ever committed.

He bitterly smiled at how different he was now. How he could do something like this and not flinch anymore? Looking at the prisoner in front, he didn’t hesitate and smiled. With a swing from the side, he hit him squarely in the cheek, blood flying and covering the walls. He repeated this over and over the walls staining in blood as the club bent out of shape.

Looking at it he stopped and put it down. Crouching down over the prisoner he raised his hand and didn’t stop.

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The two soldiers outside looked at one another with blank eyes, their flinching having long stopped after twenty minutes of continuous beating inside the cell. The cries of the prisoner had long stopped and all that remained was the sound of flesh being destroyed as Alfred’s grunts rang out.

Another minute passed before they stopped and a knocking on the cell door awoke them from their daze as one with shaken hands opened it. Alfred walked out, the rod already having bent out of shape and his body covered in blood. His eyes held a deep chill and his fists were covered in deep cuts. He looked at the two for a second before dropping the rod and walking out.

The two looked at one another before walking into the cell, fighting the urge to look away. To call the lump of flesh in the cell a body was a hard task as pieces lay spread out across the floor. The walls had blood spattered all over the place as pieces of flesh were lumped on the floor.

"We tell no one." One soldier said cautiously getting a nod from the other as they left closing the door behind them.

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Byles knelt before the crowd in front of the Mayoral building. His eyes were cold looking at everyone but he put up no resistance. There was no point. He couldn’t leave the city. Despite that, he looked down the line at the important officials of the church in the city and smirked. Blackwood hadn’t been caught which meant that there was still a chance.

Even though it was his mistake, if he could warn the Holy Seat then it would all be worth it. The door behind opened and looking at it he saw Alfred along with seven other Unyeilding Soldiers. Each one took a place behind Byles and the rest and Byles frowned in displeasure but did nothing, unlike the others.

Their screaming and begging were only silenced as the executioners behind them forcibly gagged their mouths. Alfred took to the front, clean of the blood he had been covered in before.

Before the crowd, he held up a small almost insignificant piece of paper, but Byles realized what it was in an instant. ’Blackwood. You idiot.’ He could only feel anger at the bishop’s mistakes but didn’t press it as he closed his eyes ready. He would die a martyr’s death and with it, the weight of the Church would fall on Alfred.

"The Church." Alfred started, his voice slathered in contempt. "The Holy Seat of Sol." Looking down at the clergymen he scoffed. "They claim to represent you, protect you. They called me Blessed One, Sol’s Champion. And yet here I stand. A religious pardon in my hand for the man who attempted to take my life."

"We have all been lied to. We are nothing to them, my people. They only care about the money and power we bring them." Alfred looked at the crowd who spoke to one another confused, wondering. He raised his hand to quiet them, his eyes going softer as he looked at them. "But no more. I had promised the day I proclaimed the Empire I would usher a new Age to this world. But I didn’t want it to come like this."

His voice was sad saying that as he looked down. "They betrayed us. All of us. And with a heavy heart, I do what must be done now." The Unyielding soldiers moved in sync as they placed the tips of their swords over the hearts of the clergymen. "I promise you. I will keep us all safe."

Alfred paused as she looked out at the fearful full gazes and nodded gently. ’Is it time yet?’ Those eyes that had looked with hope and reverence before now could only speak of untold worry. Taking a deep breath he weighed up the odds but eventually nodded to himself.

"Today we no longer are the dogs of the Holy Seat. Today we are free to rule ourselves. In the name of Alfred Lindonfall, the second of the name, Emporer of the Ammary people, The Blessed One, Champion of Sol, Founder of the Empire, I sentence the seven before me to death."

The clergy in a desperate attempt tried to run as their muffled cries begged for help. Byles scoffed internally as he felt the cold steel enter his back. It was futile to escape the death sentence they had been given and would only prolong it.

The swords fell as people looked away in horror. Some were terrified of what happened before them whilst others felt a new era coming for them and felt a strange excitment. Alfred took one last look at them and nodded as he turned his back and walked into the Mayoral building.