Gaius hated his work.
The Inquisition had become a hectic surge, overwhelming everybody trying to fix it. For two weeks now, they had to extinguish the flames spread all throughout the Empire. The culprits, the Resistance, always escaped their grasps. Only a handful have been caught.
Gaius pressed his way through his colleagues. Unlike the bureau spread throughout the Empire, the heart of the Inquisition was tiny compared to them. It had only five levels, each a hall filled with dozens of little offices for the workers, separated from one another by moveable walls. As they coordinated all bureaus here, they needed to communicate with each other on a constant basis. Thus, a strict structure for their offices would impede them.
The white marble walls' only decoration was paintings of the previous Grand Inquisitors, former heads of the institution, as well as several depicting Harras. Without the stress, the head bureau was a depressing place, wearing you down. A weight was cast onto them as soon as they entered it. The lack of all color or human touch in its architecture laid one's psyche bare. Gaius stopped counting the many colleagues he had lost, as they couldn't endure it anymore, feeling trapped as the prisoners they tortured. The Inquisition was grander than them all, its eye watching even those that kept it alive.
The chaos had begun dying down, but Adenius had managed to fuel it once again. The head bureau's entire focus had shifted to dealing with Kupferrang. Gaius belonged to the force that had to ensure the city's fate remained dubious for now. Military, the Sacred Houses, and the Emperor himself. They all demanded answers. While neither had the right to force answers out of them, as they were beholden to Harras alone, their performance dictated the amount of funding they received from the Emperor. Once the truth reached their ears, the Inquisition would suffer greatly for it. Adenius needed to succeed.
Gaius had no idea what the rest of his colleagues were doing. Everyone was kept in their section of the Inquisition, unaware of what the others were doing. The doctrine forbade workers from speaking with each other about their duties. The Inquisition separated them on each floor, ensuring there would be minimal interaction between the different sections. Once broken, they would become criminals on the level of a Resistance member.
Before Gaius had climbed the career ladder, he had wondered what the big picture looked like. Ignorance was bliss, as he was high enough to know what had happened to Kupferrang in all its horrifying detail. Several of his colleagues below him had started to ask questions, knowing that he knew. He had to hold them in an iron grip, ensuring they wouldn't sing to any institution about the little they could fathom. Only the foolish would betray the Inquisition. Traitors in an institution weren't unheard of. The Inquisition had lured several members of Military to them, gaining intel on their inner structure. But to break with the ones that hunted the vermin would end in only one way. Demanding times like these could silence rational thought, so Gaius had to stay vigilant.
That, he did gladly. None of his responsibilities burdened him. The first year had taken its toll on him, but he had adjusted, growing resilient to it. There was one part about his new position he hated beyond all, though.
Gaius shoved his way through the dozen people hurrying around. They made space for him, recognizing where he was heading. At the other end of the hall, the gates to their dungeons stood. The head bureau concentrated on organizing the bureaus in the Empire. They themselves didn't specialize in questioning prisoners or keeping them. Their cells were few, only meant for the heretics of special interest.
And only one man was allowed to interrogate them.
The Wrathlings standing guard opened the great iron door. Out of the darkness, a scrawny figure walked out. In his late sixties, age spots marked the man's face. Wrinkles furrowed his skin. He wore loose black garments. Unlike other Inquisitors, he wore no mask, showing his face to the ones unlucky enough to meet him. No, the Grand Inquisitor had no need for it. His voice required no alteration, a blade honed through decades of experience.
Excruciatingly slow, Hyal Euse strolled towards Gaius. The Sleeping Snake had his hands in front of him, hidden underneath the long sleeve of his garments. He had a slight humpback, years behind a desk scaring him. No wasted motions to anything he did. Highborn claimed pride in their demeanor, showing minimal physical and emotional motion. All paled compared to Hyal. The Grand Inquisitor resembled a statue more than a man. Rumors had it he was a Fides, his faith for Harras transforming him into something that was human only in appearance. But Gaius knew the truth. The Sleeping Snake was a man. A dreadful thought.
"Ah, Gaius," Hyal said. "A pleasure." Even his speech was a crawl. He emphasized each word, granting them a meaning born through the libraries the Grand Inquisitor had read. One sentence, and Hyal had proven his intellect. But Harras' mercy, it was draining to listen to him.
"Grand Inquisitor," Gaius greeted him, bowing.
Hyal waved away Gaius's sign of respect, his fingers moving with the least amount of energy necessary. "Walk with me."
Hyal strolled alongside the hall, aiming for his private office at the other side. It would take Gaius a minute at most to reach it at a slower pace. With Hyal leading, they would finish their conversation long before getting there.
"Was the interrogation successful, Grand Inquisitor?" Gaius asked.
"Yes, yes," Hyal said. "The boy was stubborn, but time taught him reason. There is no greater teacher than waiting, Gaius. Did I ever tell you this?"
"Yes, Grand Inquisitor. Many times."
"Good, good. It is a lesson your youth resists learning. I shall repeat it again in the future. But you will have to wait for it."
Gaius struggled to keep his face blank. He fidgeted with his fingers, wishing the Grand Inquisitor would walk a step faster. But the Sleeping Snake had all the time in the world.
"Did he have intel on the Resistance as you hoped he would have, Grand Inquisitor?"
"Yes, yes, he had. The boy did have the information I was hoping for. Elisabeth and Wran Ashburn are planning to end this war and reclaim the Empire. Unfortunately, the boy had little else to share. He had no greater insight on the Resistance's inner mechanics. He was nothing but an errand boy, fulfilling the task he was given. But whatever loyalty he had for the heretics, I shall undo with a little more time."
Gaius frowned. "They think they will end this? Their ancestors have failed for three centuries. Why should they succeed now?"
Hyal shook his head. "They were not failing, Gaius. They were preparing. They knew the virtue of waiting. For generations, they have prepared for the perfect opportunity to strike. And the Ravenspawn is the catalyst they have been searching for. But you have not come to me for this. What is it, Gaius? Speak freely."
Gaius scratched his chin. Hyal had given Gaius and his colleagues the responsibility to oversee Kupferrang while he worked on the prisoner. He had yet to hear. "It is… bad, Grand Inquisitor. Adenius… he has turned the entire population of Kupferrang into a Raven Hunt and fused them together into a Fides."
Hyal examined Gaius, his relaxed eyes shifting. "Fascinating. What kind of Fides?"
"No one in particular, as Adenius's apprentice described it. He forced all Hunters to… expand. Apparently… it's a gruesome sight."
Hyal nodded. "And the Ravenspawn? Is he dead?"
"N… no. He and the rebels that helped him escaped onto the Flying Islands. Adenius managed to secure passage, too, so he's flying with them to Sannara."
"Mhm. Has Adenius reported to us? What is he intending to do now?"
"Yes, he contacted us. He said that his… Fides will travel to Sannara, and with its help, he will eradicate the Ravenspawn and as many rebels as he can. He has not given us any clear plan, as, so he claims, there are too many unknowns to formulate a clear plan."
Hyal chuckled. "With him, there is never a clear plan. What is to happen with his Fides after the mission has concluded? It's a rather impressive creation for someone who doesn't belong to the Michon family. An entire city was sacrificed to birth it."
"He already confirmed to us that he will leave his Fides in Sannara, resigning it to a Divine General, so they can use it against the Qilesh."
"Mhm. It might offer a significant value, but a being of such immensity might also provide nothing but fertile soil for the Xenrus."
Gaius waited for anything else, but the Sleeping Snake lived up to his name, strolling forward, appearing as if in a deep slumber. "Grand Inquisitor… do you have any orders for Adenius? Or a punishment?"
Hyal smiled, shaking his head. "There is no need for such things, Gaius. Our Adenius is a stranger to my way of things. He will find his own path. But I find myself curious. What is he intending to do once in Sannara? Has he planned something, or does he react to the ever-changing circumstances Harras provides him with? I can't tell. But what I do know, Gaius, is that our Adenius is one of our greatest agents."
Gaius stared at Hyal, wondering if his age had caught up to him. "H… how? He destroyed an entire city, Grand Inquisitor. Thousands of people are gone because of him."
"Yes, yes, but you have to think about the bigger picture. The sacrifice of Kupferrang will prove itself a necessary one. View it from this perspective. No matter how this mission ends, it will be to our benefit."
"How?"
"Easy. Should Adenius fail, we will proclaim the Ravenspawn to be at fault. The Defiler of Kupferrang. The Empire will believe it. They might doubt parts of it, but no one will question it. The Ravenspawn will become Drom's Scion and our Adenius a martyr, strengthening our cause for decades to come.
"But should he succeed, then he will become the Avenger of Kupferrang. He will have brought justice to the thousands that perished because of the Ravenspawn. And yes, Gaius, I know that the Emperor will cut our funding for this failure. But like I said, the crusade against sin isn't won through one battle alone. No, our Adenius has worked wonders in Kupferrang. I am truly impressed. I hope he accomplishes his mission. The heights he could achieve. He is a radical voice, but one the Inquisition needs. I dare to believe that I have found my successor in him."
Gaius shrugged, his head killing him. This would be a hustle. The other institutions would never stop harassing them, but there was reason in what Hyal had said. Gaius had to think long-term. The Inquisition would benefit either way. Now he had to do his part to ensure it would reap the rewards it was owed.
Thinking the conversation was over, Gaius was about to bow, but Hyal stopped him. "Ah, and before I forget. Gaius, please contact Adenius again and tell him that he will be executed should he fail to kill the Ravenspawn."
Gaius blinked. "What?"
"Yes, yes. The loss of Kupferrang is a great one. It needs an end that justifies this sacrifice. Adenius is not allowed to step one foot into the Empire without having claimed the Ravenspawn's life. Should he, he will be put to the blade without anyone noticing."
Gaius still failed to understand. "The bigger picture, Gaius. Harras' Grand Design. Should the Ravenspawn survive, we will need a martyr. And if Adenius refuses to become one, we will make him one. But I think this will not be necessary. Our Adenius is a great agent to the Empire and Harras Himself. He has set up this situation in which we will win either way. He knows the roles available to him. But there is no shame in reminding him of it."