"We need to finish this, now!" Betha hisses as she charges forward with her blade to attack the being's unguarded flank.
Jordanna gores the angel as it flies past her. She rushes at it in pursuit, but fails to follow up.
Sometimes a simple reposition is all it takes. Alyssa side-steps the angel as it charges her, getting back into a flanking position with her sister as she swipes at the thing with her shortsword.
Once more, she lets her Goddess' hate flow through her, making her strong, and making her hated foes weaker.
Caught in a hail of blows from the coven the tiny angel weakens until Alyssa channels Gyronna's hatred and it falls to the ground, shattering like porcelain across the unconscious figures it tried so hard to protect.
Jordanna helps drag the brothers into a jail cell before they awaken.
Alyssa does the same, although she loots the bodies as she does so. "Well, it looks like the Archbaron is getting three executions for the price of one, dearies. That's good news. Always give the client more than they wanted."
Securing the boys is easy enough and the rest of the night passes uneventfully. The next morning Ingoe and his 'witnesses' reappear bright and early as planned. Upon finding the priestess's sons already in a cell Ingoe lets out a low whistle and claps.
"My Ladies, no-one can doubt your efficiency! I am awed, truly."
Hot on his heels the smell of brimstone announces Razelago. The small devil hovers in the room and peeks into the cells, reacting with every appearance of delight.
"How marvelous, the Allamar boys! Do tell how they came to be here. Lawfully I hope?"
Alyssa shrugs at the question.
"Depends on what you mean by lawful, dearie. Terribly naughty boys they were, trying to break in here last night to do goodness knows what mischief. Dearie me, and what is the world coming to? They had a little angelic friend with them, but he tried to resist arrest and he didn't survive it when we cautioned him." She shakes her head. "So sad."
"Well that sounds thoroughly above board!" Razelago says, his chubby body practically wriggling with glee. "I assume there will be two more nooses needed this afternoon?"
"Well, I was always brought up to believe that misery loves company, so it would be rude not to, dearie."
"Let's make a day of it. A picnic and a hanging. I'll bring the snacks," Jordanna says with a savage grin.
Shortly after midday the newly expanded scaffold is ready and a large crowd of curious bystanders has gathered to watch justice being carried out. Prominent amongst the crowd is Sword Knight Allamar, who looks much paler than usual. There is also a large gaggle of children running through the crowds and Jordanna easily picks out Pheobe, who seems to be directing a number of the other children.
As the prisoners are led from the jail there is a sudden silence, followed by weeping as the Sword Knight catches sight of her sons. Her composure breaks and she falls to her knees on the square, staining her white surplice with the filth of the cobbles.
Dent makes no comment as he is led up to the scaffold, his eyes are dull and lifeless - the face of a man who is dead inside and simples waits for his body to catch up. Lorcan and Lacall however struggle violently against their bonds.
"This isn't right!" Lorcan cries out as he's pushed up the stairs. "People of Longacre, this isn't right! Don't stand by and" He is cut off by a violent blow to the mouth from one of the Archbaron's soldiers, who have been deployed in case of trouble.
Just as the boys are finally wrestled into position, there is a great clattering noise and a figure, in shining armour and a full face helm moulded with the beautiful visage of an angel, comes riding into the square!
“People of Longacre!” the knight shouts over the sounds of the confused crowd. “Will you let another of your neighbours be murdered by tyrants? The goddess Iomedae and the knights of the Glorious Reclamation are with you! Rise up! Save your friends, your town, and yourselves!”
The crowd responds to his call, surging forward to grapple with the soldiers and a few break through the lines and clamber onto the scaffold in an attempt to free the prisoners!
Alyssa doesn't hesitate, drawing her shortsword and striding forward to the nearest citizen to deal with the threat in the way she knows best.
Alyssa skewers the first townsman, a thickset fellow with a club, and he falls back off the platform, covered in blood! The sight is the trigger for general panic and the crowd begins to scatter in all directions!
The remaining townsfolk descend on Alyssa, striking her from all directions. Only one blow lands, but it strikes the witch a nasty blow as the Angel Knight continues to exhort the townsfolk!
Behind the melee the executioner kicks the first stool free and Dent drops with a sickening crack.
Jordanna sighs and casts a spell, sending a spray of swirling colors over the mob.
Alyssa winces in pain. "Shame on you, hitting a helpless old woman!" She stabs at her attacker. "That's not respectful, Dearie."
"Cut off the head and the body falls," Betha intones as she draws her blade and attempts to move through the crowd to get closer to the mounted figure.
Two of the townsfolk are overcome by Jordanna's spell and collapse. Alyssa engages the last one, who cudgelled her so effectively and repays his blow with interest, although he's still standing and swings again in retaliation, cracking Alyssa on her already wounded arm!
Betha meanwhile leaps down from the platform and begins pushing through the crowd, who are too scared to attack her. It's slow going but she closes to within 20 feet of the Angel Knight.
The executioner kicks another stool and Lacall falls with a strangled gasp, his feet kicking as he strangles.
Alyssa 2/20
Jordanna 18/20
Betha 15/15
Seeing her eldest sister in trouble, Jordanna casts a spell and causes her to disappear.
Once she gets closer to the armored figure, Betha attempts to make out who's wearing the guise.
She then attempts to unseat the figure by the most convenient means possible - she casts a spell targeted directly on them.
Alyssa takes advantage of the sudden respite to heal herself and get a better look at the foolish citizen attacking her.
With his target gone the man moves over to the executioner and strikes with his club! The executioner ducks, but loses his footing and falls from the stage, leaving Lorcan balancing precariously on his rickety stool.
The Angel Knight throws off the spell but his horses head droops. He frantically spurs the horse, waking the creature up with a start and wheels around, summoning a strange illusion to surround Betha.
Betha shakes off the enchantment and steps forward to slash at the figure with her katana.
She then draws up reserves from within herself to slash at him again.
Seizing the opportunity to revel in cruelty, Jordanna kicks the stool out from under Lacall with a laugh!
The second boy falls, the rope bringing his drop to a sudden halt. Spittle flies from his mouth, covering Jordanna but that is the extent of the injury he can do.
Seizing the opportunity to revel in cruelty, Jordanna kicks the stool out from under Lacall with a laugh!
Alyssa uses the cover of invisibility to get closer to the knight, and studies him as she does so.
Betha lands two blows on the angel knight, although his armour protects him quite effectively.
Seeing all the boys dead and the crowd dispersing, the knight recognises defeat and gallops off, soon disappearing into the streets. The coven are left in possession of the field, their three executed bodies twisting in the breeze. The Archbaron's power has been demonstrated in a most visceral way...
Betha seems quite annoyed at how ineffective she was against the mounted figure.
"So who in the hell was that!?" she shouts out to the others as the figure rides away. "They just made us look like incompetent tavern maids!"
In frustration, she walks over to the two unconscious townsfolk. "Open rebellion? The penalty is death," she says in a cold voice as she sinks her blade into each one in turn. She wipes the weapon clean on one of the bodies and then slams it back into its scabbard.
"This is going to get really ugly before it gets better."
"He'll be back, Dearie." Alyssa is utterly calm as she surveys the chaotic aftermath of their little party. "Interfering do gooders like that never stay away for long. We'll take him next time. It's always good to have something to look forward to. And let's stay focused on the achievements we've made, shall we?" She points at the corpses. "Nobody will be trying a jailbreak any time soon, heh!"
"I say we celebrate. Tea, anyone?" Jordanna asks.
"No, they probably won't try a jailbreak," she snaps back at Alyssa. "They'll just burn down the jail - with us in it." She shakes her head. "Sorry. I'm frustrated because it feels like we're losing control of the situation and there's only three of us. If it comes down to it, I have no doubt the powers here will gladly let us take the brunt of the rebels need for blood."
The tall woman looks across to the three bodies dangling in the wind.
"We need to find out who that man was and finish him quietly before he inspires more like these." She gestures towards the corpses cooling on the ground.
"I say we celebrate. Tea, anyone?" Jordanna asks.
"Ooh, lovely. It's like you read my mind... Now where did I put that cake I brung?"
She gives Betha an indulgent smile as the kettle boils. "Never apologize, dearie. It's a sign of weakness. And you're not wrong, it's frustrating that he got away from us. But a horse like that will leave tracks. And we can see in the dark. Now, let's all have a nice hot cup of tea, and then wait for nightfall, shall we?"
And so, in the aftermath of the riot, and amid a backdrop of three hanged corpses still swinging gently in the breeze, the twisted sisters sit down for high tea.
"Well isn't this nice? We should do this more often."
As the witches celebrate tea the town gradually regains its peace - the tense peace of an indrawn breath before a scream...
Later, mid-afternoon by the time they're done, the coven sets out, following the horse tracks. These lead out of town and Alyssa can tell that the horse was being spurred at high speed. There is no obvious effort to hide the tracks and it is easy to follow them towards the Whisperwood until a ruined tower and dilapidated walls show through the gloom.
As the coven approaches only the open wooden gates and a few narrow windows suggest that the heap of rocks ahead was once something more. A small gatehouse to one side still stands intact, though it seems in danger of collapse beneath the light covering of moss on its stones.
"Let's wait until it gets dark," Betha says quietly. "The night is always more comforting." She smiles showing her straight white teeth.
"The night is the domain of the monsters," Jordanna agrees, a powerful kick causing her bloated belly to shudder.
Indeed the night is the domain of monsters! As darkness falls there is a bloodcurdling roar and a dark shape with a lion-like body and spiked tail comes flying out of the forest, circles the keep twices and descends out of sight behind the walls.
Jordanna stares at the great beast in wonder as it circles above the keep. "Praise to the Mother! A manticore! Such a majestic creature--vicious, bloodthirsty, cruel. A shame we'll probably have to kill it."
"I don't think we'll be killing it tonight," Betha says with a frown. "We'll need much more powerful magic, or at least reinforcements. That creature is more than a match for all three of us."
She looks over the ruins.
"We know where the culprit is hold up and they probably aren't moving their base anytime soon. We should head back to town."
The woman gives Jordanna a knowing look. "Perhaps we should pay a visit to Ingoe. He might have some leads on festering boils of sedition that need to be ... put down."
By the time the coven returns to Longacre it is full dark and so it takes a little time for the coven to realise the major change in the town square. Their fruit tree is empty...
"Bah!" Jordanna scowls, seeing the bodies missing from the scaffold. "I bet I can guess who has taken them. Do you think Allemar might try to resurrect her sons? We should have chopped them up and fed them to the hogs."
"It's already established that they're traitors," Betha says with a smirk. "The law's on our side. We'll just hang them again. Hope they enjoy it as much this time."
She surveys the dark, empty square.
"Let's find Ingoe."
Alyssa clucks her tongue in annoyance at the new happening. "Well, dearies. It seems someone has taken a dislike to our decorating schemes. Shall we go and find out who saw what?"
The streets of Longacre are dark and quiet, the town still seems to be waiting for something. Shutters are all closed, doors too and there aren't even any animals out in the streets.
The coven heads to the river and finds even the docks quiet. No late night delivery work is being done or anything at all. It's almost too quiet.
As the coven emerges onto the dockside lights suddenly flare up and people start stepping out from behind crates, off the ship moored at the dock side, and out of the harbour master's office. There must be thirty or more people, led by four figures you recognises - the deputies you fired when you took over from Rhonda Staelish.
The sheriff herself appears on a stack of crates, bow in hand.
"Your crimes against Longacre have grown too great witches! We are here to take back our town. Now - will you leave quietly or do we have to force you?" The crowd roars, clearly in favour of the second option. Some have started erecting stakes and piling firewood around their bases. It appears that this is meant to be a good old fashioned witch burning...
Jordanna quickly drinks her extract of shield, anticipating things to go poorly very quickly...
"How nice it must be to obey or disobey the law at your whim, Rhonda. How convenient to be able to enforce it or ignore it whenever you choose. Take a good look at your leader, people. She doesn't care about the law. She doesn't care about you. She only cares for the power that being at the tip of a mob creates."
"We were appointed by the lawful authorities. You are just a mob. Mob rule is worse than even anarchy. Just look at Galt. As soon as someone is under suspicion or a little bit different, the force of the mob is turned against them."
She indicates one of the torch holders who possesses a distinct beard. "So when the mob turns on you because they don't like the cut of your beard, who will you turn to? Are you ready to discard the law so quickly? To dismiss it when it's inconvenient? Or you?" She points to another man holding a makeshift club. "When they start eyeing your son because he doesn't walk the same as the others? Because he's different? You'll want to turn to the refuge of the law, but once you've dismissed it by something like ... like this ..." She gestures to the stakes and firewood. "It's quite slippery to regain. Don't cross that line."
Alyssa looks calmly back at the Sheriff. "Oh, I've never been one to do things quietly, dearie. But I don't think you can control that mob. Doing that takes practice."
Betha's lecture seems to do little more than enrage the crowd and they howl for blood as the deputies charge forwards. Alyssa's magic is unable to take hold against their righteous fury and the four come charging in at the coven!
Two of them go for Alyssa, suggesting that someone has been observing the coven and their methods closely. It is noticeable that they have not yet drawn blades - only saps... and none of their blows are hard enough to cause major harm. Yet.