Postknight: The Cult of the Eastern Temple

Hey everyone! It's been a while. This story is a little different from the usual. It's based on a wonderful game called Postknight, which I highly recommend if you like adventures and want something fun and lighthearted to play! Ironically, this story isn't very lighthearted, but it was certainly fun to write. I may add more stories on Postknight in the future, but until then, I hope you enjoy the story!

Being a Postknight isn't an easy job. I have to fight my way through swarms of evil globs of water, devil rabbits, and angry pumas every day just to deliver my mail. There aren't really very many of us, and it's easy enough to guess why. The workday is exhausting by itself, not to mention the fact that I always end up being dragged into whatever evil schemes the local villains are planning. Not fun. But rain or shine, hot or cold, I've always delivered. Simple and sweet, fast and friendly. That's the way postknights do things.

Today was no different. I gasped for air as I slapped away another Puffort, a giant kangaroo-rabbit creature. My sweaty, tight armor made it hard to move, and I grit my teeth, wishing I had bought a larger size. The puffort, unfortunately still standing, shrieked with rage at my lazy swatting, more angered than hurt. The sun beat down on my back, cooking me like a crab in a pot. Irritatedly, I lifted my sword again as the puffort advanced.

Normally, pufforts were quite tame, content to chew on their karoots in their underground burrows. It didn't make much sense for them to suddenly become aggressive like this, but they'd been this way for the last few days. The puffort screamed again, looking quite intimidating for an overgrown rabbit. Foam dripped from its jaws, and it bared two buckteeth that were far too sharp for my comfort level.

"What in Hermes' name is wrong with you?" I panted, delivering a quick slash to its furry belly. The puffort shrieked, clawing at itself before curling up into a pitiful ball. I frowned, a pang of guilt striking me. "Sorry," I called over my shoulder, already sprinting away to search for the person I had to deliver to. I had been on my way to deliver a package to the Eastern Temple, but the puffort had jumped out at me from nowhere. Unfortunately, the furry guys just didn't give up, so I didn't have many options in how to handle them.

Squinting in the bright light, I held a leather-gloved hand to the visor of my helmet, blocking the sun to see the road ahead. It was mercifully clear of angered animals, and I could see a humanoid form down the road, wavering in the heat. I sighed in relief, trudging the rest of the way there.

There he stood, a broad-shouldered, bearded man with thick, curly hair plastered to his head with sweat. Though he was in the correct place for pickup, the robes he was wearing gave me pause. The traditional colors of the Eastern Temple has always been blue and white, but the man before me was dressed in rich red and black robes, with oddly colored food stains spilled down his front. He turned to glare at me with dark, beady eyes sunk deep into his head, and before I could say anything, he stormed over, pulling out a knife that had previously been hidden. "What do ye think yer doing here?!" He barked in a rumbling voice. "Yer trespassin' on private property! Get out, boy, before I call the guards and make an example of ye!"

"B-but sir," I sputtered, startled. "I'm here to deliver a package! I'm the postknight, sir!" The big man paused, taking a closer look.

"A postknight, eh?"

"Y-yes sir."

He huffed at me as he pulled his belt up over his portly belly, and I blinked at him in half alarm, half bewilderment. "Sir, you're.. you arethe high priest of the Eastern Temple?" I checked, reading the title off the battered package I carried under one arm. He frowned at me, harrumphing in displeasure as he tucked away the knife. "Of course I am, boy, who did ye expect? The butcher?"

That's what you look like, I thought to myself. Uncertainly, I held out the package and a slip of parchment. "H-here's the package you ordered. Please sign here, sir."

He patted himself in bemusement, and I sighed, handing over a very used pen. "Oh. A handy little fellow, aren't ya?" The priest snatched the pen up with grubby, stained fingers, scribbling something on the parchment with a forced smile. He glanced up at me, noting my obvious confusion towards the color of his robes. "Wonderin' about the robes? We're just changing out the robe colors of the Temple. Thought 'twas high time we did it. We've been wearin' the same thing for far too long, dontcha think?" He chortled. Once he finished signing the paper, he reached out a meaty hand and patted my cheek. "Yer pretty young for a postknight, aren't ye?"

"I'm nineteen, sir. A year over the age requirement," I mumbled, my face reddening. The priest chuckled unpleasantly, and stale breath washed over me like a foul wave. "Well, you'll die young, I suppose. Have a safe trip back home, laddie, and try not to get inter any trouble, alrigh'? Though I'm sure yer mum could give you a kiss better if you trip and hurt yer knee, eh?"

He waddled off, snorting at his own joke. I rolled my eyes. "Some priest." I trudged back to headquarters, griping to myself. "Sure, I'm on the young side. So what? At least I'm not fat and I don't just attack random people with a knife," I mocked angrily. My boots kicked up dust as I stomped down the path, and I ignored the bodies littering the sides of the road from earlier today. "Get a kiss better," I grumbled. "You can kiss my moldy feet."

From a long way off, trumpets rang through the air, and I glanced up from the road as the proud towers of Caldemount came into view. I quickened my stride, eager to return to its familiar streets and protective walls. My current charge was to both protect and deliver mail for the city of Caldemount, and that was no small task. Merchants and traders constantly needed my services, and it was always a bit of a relief when the sun went down and I could return to my room at the inn where I stayed.

As I approached the gates, I shook my head violently to shake the drowsiness from my mind, wiping a sheet of sweat from my face. Upon reaching the gates, I grabbed the bars, rattling them vigorously to draw attention. "Who goes there?" The watchman cried.

"It's me, Micah," I called up at him.

"Who in the flamin' blazes is that? If you weren't invited, you aren't welcome!" He bellowed, not bothering to glance down.

"We do this every day, Ben! It's me! Your postknight! The one who delivered your wedding invitations!"

"Oh! Well, in that case, come in, come in! You're always welcome here, Micah!"

I gave a tired chuckle as I slipped through the gates, despite my exasperation. He did this every time I wanted to enter. If I said I was the postknight in the first place, he'd claim he knew nothing of the likes of me in his own homeland. Then he would gasp in recognition when I announced my name, and quickly invite me in. I knew he did this for his own amusement, but I didn't mind so much.

The clatter and chatter of people hurrying through the paved cobblestone streets surrounded me, and I weaved my way around carts and horses until I reached the local trade shop. Old and a little stooped, an elderly gentleman stood near the shop, garbed in fine magenta robes. A young, beautiful girl stood by the elderly man's side, smiling sweetly at passing folks in hopes of bringing over new customers. "Hey, Camellia," I greeted, producing a bag of coins. The girl glanced at me in delighted surprise. "Hello," she said, a sincere grin spreading over her face. I grinned back, then turned to the merchant. "Hi, Cyrus!"

"Greetings, Micah," he welcomed warmly, eyeing my bag from under bushy eyebrows. "What is it you want to buy? Make sure every coin is worth the purchase."

"I was hoping to buy one of those nice silky handkerchiefs. Do you have any?"

"Of course." He smiled warmly, producing some patches of white cloth, neatly sewn and embroidered with leaves.

"Two of these fine handkerchiefs for ten silver, if you will."

"No way! That's worth five silver at most!" I cried, acting flabbergasted.

"Half price? We're starting especially low today, aren't we? Fine. Eight silver."

"Six," I countered.

"No, eight. Final offer, Micah. It's been a slow day."

I sighed and accepted the handkerchiefs, and Camellia laughed a little. "Father is stubborn today, is he not?" I shrugged at the comment, turning towards the general direction of the town's biggest inn— my current residence. "See you later, Mike," Camellia waved. Cyrus chuckled, tucking his new coins into a leather wallet. "Have a nice day, boy!"

The next place I visited was the place where I was staying, the Rosington Inn. The innkeeper, Devin, sat on the inn's steps, reading the newspaper. He hardly spared a glance at me before jerking his thumb towards the door.

"Dahlia's in the kitchen."

"Thanks!"

Inside the inn, where it was nice and cool, I slipped off my sweaty helmet, my shaggy brown hair sticking to my forehead. The inn was full of patrons eating their meals, and a few lounged on chairs, couches, and even the floor as they read books or talked with one another. In the kitchen, a girl my age, with light, auburn hair and a white dress that reached her knees stood fixing a curry dish for a customer.

"Heyo, 'Lia," I panted tiredly. The girl looked up, her eyes lighting up as she saw me. "Thank goodness you're alright! I was worried when I heard you were delivering to the Eastern Temple again!" She gushed. I blinked, confused. "Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Haven't you heard the rumors of the Eastern Temple?"

Dahlia was one to know all the local rumors and gossip, however false they might be. I snorted. "What rumors?"

Dahlia leaned forward, a gleam in her eye.

"They say the priests there turned really aggressive towards the citizens, and they've been doing weird things late at night when they think no one's there."

I cocked my head. "The Eastern Temple is supposed to be peaceful though, isn't it?"

"Exactly! They were harassing an old lady the other day, and they ended up injuring her. Then they just ran off!"

"Wait, what?!" I lifted my palms, my eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Are you serious? Injuring somebody?! Is she alright?!"

"Yeah, I think she was just a little roughed up. Had to take it easy for a while because her knees are all achy and stuff."

I gulped, remembering the high Priest from earlier. He'd pulled a knife on me, even though the Eastern priests were supposedly pacifists. "Weird," I muttered. She nodded emphatically. "They also apparently dug up the puffort colonies' karoot supply! That's why they've been so aggressive!"

"...Really? Why?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe they needed it for something? I don't know much more about it, sorry, Micah," she apologized. I shrugged. "That was.. all helpful anyway, thanks." I sat there in silence for a moment, with Dahlia watching me anxiously. "...Could I, uh, get some of that beetroot soup?" I asked, changing the subject. She bobbed her head, and soon, I was digging into a hearty, earthy soup whose broth was an exciting purple color.

Some time passed, Dhalia left to tend to other duties, and I rested, thinking over what I had learned. Suddenly, a small clock hanging from the wall chirped, and I glanced up, only to gasp as I saw the time. "Hermes! I'm late!" I cried, leaping from my seat. Snatching the still-warm helmet and jamming it on my head, I flew out the door with a bag of mail, already groaning to myself. l I was about to deal with some very angry customers, I knew.

§ § § Ꮘ § § §

A week passed peacefully enough, despite the rise of more aggressive, dangerous animals appearing all over the roads of Caldemount, and I continued to deliver packages and make friends with the locals.

One morning, I awoke to the first rays of sunlight peeping through my window. Grumbling under my breath, I got dressed to the sound of birds singing to the already bright morning. Then I began my deliveries, starting with the newspapers before delivering the more specific packages.

I was surprised to find another package meant for the Eastern Temple amongst the others. They'd been ordering deliveries much more frequently now, and the packages were always so heavy. I wondered what was inside, but the Code of Postknights prevented me from opening or looking in any package that wasn't mine. Off I went to the Eastern Temple, fighting and hacking my way through pufforts, mykes, and angry tufflers. When I arrived, I was greeted by the High Priest again, but this time, he gazed at me coldly as I approached.

"That my package, boy?"

"Yes, sir."

"Give it here."

I handed it over, glancing up into the burly man's eyes. There was harsh edge to his voice, and there was no hint of amusement or humor in his ruddy face.

"After this, your services will no longer be required here. There will be no need to return to the Eastern Temple any time soon."

I blinked in surprise. "But.. but sir—"

"Didyer hear me? You aren't welcome here anymore! Now scram!" He aimed a kick at me, and I darted away, angry and confused. Didn't need me? Not welcome? After I was told I would be always welcomed in all of Caldemount? After all the packages I had delivered to this smelly, obnoxious guy?! Why?!

I turned away, scanning the road for any threats before heading home. On the side of the road, I saw Camellia standing with a collection of plucked flowers in her hands. She looked worried, and her eyes roved the area as if searching for something. Startled to see her here, I jogged over. "What are you doing out here? You know it isn't safe anymore," I scolded lightly, studying her face. She bit her lip. "Have you seen Tedric?" She whispered. I blinked. "Not for a while, actually. Why?"

"A scout brought word that he disappeared near the Eastern Temple."

My heart froze for a moment. The Temple full of strange, angry people with knives? The one where no one had anything good to say about it, and the resident "pacifists" roughed up old women for no reason?! A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I had a row with Dhalia about the rumors, but.. I don't think these are just rumors anymore. Oh, I'm just so frightened for him, Mike."

I knew she fancied Tedric, and my heart ached at the idea that something had happened to the funny, blue haired postknight that had been my first friend. "I'm sure he's fine, Cam. Here, I'll escort you home."

"Thank you, Micah."

§ § § Ꮘ § § §

When I went back to the inn, I told Dahlia all that had happened today. "—And they say Tedric vanished near the Temple! What do you think they're doing over there? What's going on?"

Dahlia shrugged, her long hair swinging in her face as worry wrinkled her brow. "I'm not sure, but the rumors are getting worse. You know karoots are poisonous to humans, right? They say they've been... testingthem on animals. Heard it from a scout who was out doing his rounds and took a peek inside the temple. That stuff makes most animals go mad with rage before losing all their willpower. ..Or so they say, but I'm scared it's all true. Micah, I don't.. I don't really think those people are priests. I don't know what they are now, but something else is going on."

"The poison of the karoots... do you think it could do something like that to humans?"

"I don't know. People avoid them for a reason."

It felt like a cold pit had formed in my stomach. "...I think I'm going to go to my room for a bit. That's.. a lot to think about." I told her, fidgeting with a cloth napkin.

She exhaled slowly, glancing at me with worried eyes. "I understand. This is some scary stuff going on. I'm stressed out of my mind, and we're losing business, too. The visitors are vanishing, thanks to the roads."

I climbed the stairs up to my room, absorbed in my thoughts. Something needed to be done. Tedric was missing, something dark was happening at the temple, and the city's economy was in trouble, which meant my friends were in trouble.

To make things worse, I hadn't seen Sir Kale in ages, and no one seemed to be doing anything to help. I stomped my foot in frustration. "I should just go there and check things out for myself," I decided aloud. But when? In a week? A month? No, sooner. Tedric's life may be at stake, if he was really there. Tomorrow. I would go tomorrow. I need to prepare, I panicked.

I spent the next hour slinging supplies into my mailbag and sharpening my sword. I didn't tell anyone what I was planning. I couldn't. I knew they'd try to stop me, but there was no time to argue about whether I was to go or not. As soon as I ate my dinner, I headed to bed, though I received a few funny looks from Devin and Dahlia.

Despite my exhaustion and the urgency to sleep, I found it hard to lie still, my thoughts keeping me up for hours. Near ten o'clock, I heard the door creak open as Dahlia poked her head in to check on me. I lay still, slowing my breathing and relaxing myself. After a moment, the door shut, and I rolled over on my back. My eyelids were so heavy. So tired. But I needed to stay alert! Tedric was missing— no. That was coming tomorrow. I was going there tomorrow. Maybe it would all be alright, I convinced myself weakly. I would arrive and he wouldn't be there after all, and the priests would turn out to just be insecure about their messy eating habits. Either way, I needed to rest. My body complied, albeit slowly, and my sore muscles sagged as my eyelids drooped. Then I blinked once, twice, and suddenly, it was morning.

The sun was already high in the sky, and my eyes flew open in alarm. "I'm late!" I yelled. I hurried out of bed and grabbed my bag, speeding down the stairs. I was supposed to be there by dawn,I despaired. I didn't even stop to eat, zooming instead outside and down the path. I could hear Dahlia calling my name, but I ignored it, pushing my feet to go as fast as they could.

None too soon, the Eastern Temple rose in the distance, and I shivered. Silence fell as I gradually drew closer to the structure, and my spine tingled. Then someone let out a cry, and there was a flash of metal and a pained grunt. I flinched, then stared in surprise at the black-robed priest staggering away, dazed. He had lunged at me with a serrated knife drawn, but had flung himself, face-first, right into my iron shield. I stared in alarm as he slid to the earth, eyes dazed. "Oh Hermes, I'm so sorry!" I gasped, though he had attacked first. He fell over, and I bent to inspect his body. He had a large red lump on his noggin, and he'd apparently knocked himself out. I blinked, them crammed his limp body under a nearby thorn bush before speeding away, sweat dripping down into my eyes. Should I take to the bushes?I wondered, anxiously looking around for more knife-bearing "priests."

I began sneaking through the underbrush as quickly as I could, fully aware someone could find the priest I left behind at any moment and raise the alarm. This was the closest I'd ever been to the Temple, as people had always come out to meet me before I entered until now. Nothing stopped me as I hurried up the marble steps, and I tried to keep my breathing even and quiet as I entered the Temple.

It was completely silent, except for the gurgling of a nearby fountain set in the center of three hallways. The surprisingly chilly air quickly cooled off my armor, and I began to explore one of the halls, searching for some sign of life. They were here. They had to be. Otherwise, where would that first priest have come from?

After a few minutes, I could hear voices quickly growing in volume, accompanied by footsteps clacking on the marble. I scrambled for a hiding place, flinging myself behind a large, engraved pillar near another fountain. The voices were close enough that I could make out what they were saying. It sounded like there were two of them, and they were in the middle of a conversation.

"—tonight. But the next meeting is tomorrow, so don't forget."

"Aye, I'll remember well enough. The villagers, have they started interfering with it yet?"

"No, of course not, what did you expect? They're too frightened, like chickens in a fox hole."

There was some ugly laughter, and one asked, "And the blue pest? How's he doing? Did he quiet down yet?"

Blue one? That must be Tedric!

"Not yet. As soon as he does, we'll feed him the mash."

The what?! What mash? What were they doing to him?!

"That one's a lot more trouble than 'e's worth, I'll tell ya that."

"Yeah. I'm supposed to check on him in an hour's time."

"He's in the west wing with the others, right?"

"Yep. Makes it easier to keep 'em all in one place."

My heart raced. Tedric was in the west wing. I had to go get him! Before something happene—

"What's that?"

"Looks like.. a shoe? Who's that listening in on us?"

There were angry cries, and I whipped out my sword, bringing the flat of the blade down as hard as I could on the first person to round the pillar. He promptly crumpled, and the other shrieked in surprise, turning to sprint away. "Intruder in the Temple! Intruder in the—"

Thunk.

The noisy priest tumbled to the floor, and I stripped his cloak from his limp body, pulling it over my armor and yanking the smelly black hood up to obscure my face. Then I kicked them both into the fountain, where the bodies were less likely to be discovered. As I turned to search for some sort of directional guide, a glittering on the floor caught my eye, and I strode back over to the pillar. A little knife lay on the ground, and upon picking it up, I found it to be engraved with grinning skulls, and a bronze snake wrapped sinisterly around its hilt. "What in Grimsworth..."

Some sort of liquid dripped from the tip of the blade, sizzling as it hit the floor. Poison. Who in the world were these people? I tucked the knife into the sheath attached to the robe, and after some careful searching, I found a sign on the wall that stated, "North Wing." West must be left, I decided, heading down the left leading hall. A foul smell permeated the air, getting stronger the deeper I went.

Soon, faint cries and shrieks began to fill the air, sending chills down my spine. They sounded angry. Animalistic. What are they doing to him?! I sprinted towards an arched doorway, my new robe flying out behind me. The screeching was deafening now, and I burst into the room, sword raised in fury. What met my eyes inside the room beyond the doorway, however, stopped me cold.

Every surface of the room was filled with filthy cages, and they all contained animals, roaring and screeching and chewing on the bars. The animals' mouths dripped with foam, and teeth gleamed at me from everywhere I looked. Many of the cages contained huge animals such as Pufforts or Tufflers, and their eyes glinted in fury as they pressed against the thick metal bars holding them back. A few animals, however, stared blankly ahead of them, not moving at all. This... this was no Temple. Not anymore. I shakily crept into the room, my skin prickling with fear. In the far corner, away from the animals, was another cage, but this held no creature. A man but a few years older than me shivered inside, hugging his knees as he lay curled up in the corner. "Tedric," I whispered in horror. He looked up, the bags under his eyes revealing the little sleep he'd been getting. At first, he cringed in fear at the sight of the robes. Then he recognized me. "Who did this to you?" I gasped.

"Micah?"

"Sh, sh, I'm here, but someone could come in any minute."

I rushed over to the cage. "We're gonna get you out of here, buddy. Do you know where the keys are?"

"N-no, you don't understand..." his voice was weak, and I paused. "It's a cult, Micah. They're experimenting on these animals by controlling them through their emotions. No one was there to receive my package, so I went up the steps and wandered around to try and give it to somebody. I found this room, and they wouldn't let me leave. They're up to something really horrible. We need to escape and tell someone before it's too late."

The haunted look in Tedric's eyes made my chest ache, and I nodded. "I'll get you out." Unfortunately, I couldn't see keys anywhere, and all I had for lock-picking was the knife I'd found. I quickly pulled it out, thrusting it into the lock. The cage wouldn't give, and I became anxious. We were going to get caught if I didn't hurry. "I'll go look for some keys," I whispered. "Hold on tight." Then I rushed away, beelining for the doorway again.

I'd just rounded the last cage when I smashed into something big and solid. I tumbled to the ground, my ears ringing as voices erupted around me. I rolled off whatever it was, groaning in pain as I did so. Then I fell silent, staring in horror at the priests— no, cultists, surrounding me. A few of them helped the cult leader to his feet as he rubbed at his jaw, and my heart stopped. He would recognize me.

"Who are you?" One of them asked. "I've never seen you before."

"I- I-"

"That little brat's the snooping postknight! He's the blue haired one's friend!" The leader cried. The cultists muttered in anger, surrounding me. "N-no, I was just—"

"He saw the cages! He knows what we're up to!"

"He was gonna rat on us!"

Just then, a guard burst in, carrying with him the limp body of the first cultist. The lump on his head was more prominent than ever, and his mouth hung open, drool trickling from the corner. "Somebody killed the patrol!"

The leader's eyes hardened, and I trembled under his furious stare. "I- He can't be dead, he's just— I—" I trailed off, frightened. The cultists began to close in, and I brandished my sword threateningly. It did no good. There were too many. The leader barked a command, and my weapon was quickly jerked away from me, and I was soon captured and carried back into the room.

"Get another cage," the big man snarled. A few cultists grabbed a cage similar to Tedric's, and I panicked, struggling with all my strength against the men holding me. "Let me go!" I cried, kicking one in the stomach and wrenching my arm away from another.

"He's breaking free! Hold him!"

More cultists swarmed me, and I was roughly tied up and flung into the cage. I grunted as I hit the cold, dirty floor, still struggling wildly. The cage door was slammed shut, and the cultists surrounded it. The leader continued to glare at me, a vein in his forehead throbbing as he paced around the cage.

"Ye know, we had some plans fer the blue one, but I think we'll be using you instead, since ye think ye can get away with threatenin' the likes of us. Let's see how ye fare against the horrors of the Eastwood Cult!" The leader's harsh words were accompanied by cheers and cruel laughter, and I shuddered, straining against the ropes that restrained my body.

The cultists paraded away, all except one, who watched Tedric and I as we lay in our cages. How are we going to get out now?! I fretted miserably. It wasn't supposed to go like this. How could we ever escape? Wouldwe ever escape? Uncertainty and fear filled my mind, and I shivered again, the howls and roars of the angered animals filling the air. What were they going to do to me? I risked a glance at Tedric. He turned away when he saw me look at him, but the despair in his eyes said enough.

After some time, I heard the sound of the cultists returning, and they exploded into the room, the leader carrying some sort of little wooden bowl. "First," he cried gleefully, "a little welcoming gift!"

They set the bowl inside the cage, and I stared into it, wrinkling my nose. There was some sort of purplish, foul-smelling paste inside. The color reminded me of a very dirty, overcooked beetroot soup. "What is that?" I choked. One of the cultists let out a cackle. "It's yer first meal," The leader chuckled. I had a horrible feeling about the stuff in the bowl, so I turned away as well as I could. "I'm not hungry."

Suddenly, the laughing manner of the cultists was gone, replaced by only cold fury. "Yer going ter eat it, and you'll eat it now," The leader commanded. This only solidified my decision not to eat it, but I remained silent, ignoring him. Then he roared in anger and flung the cage open, and I bucked my body to roll out of the way of his heavy boots. He grabbed the front of my shirt, lifting me off the ground. "Do ye think it's wise ter defy me?!" He screamed, spittle landing on my face. His horrible breath made me want to gag, and I met his gaze with wide eyes. He threw me to the ground and rounded on the cultists.

"You! Feed him the karoot mash and then get outta there! Make sure the cage is locked well or I'll have yer head fer it."

The chosen cultists strode into the cage, grabbing my face and forcing my mouth open. "NOOO!" Tedric screamed, but it was too late. Disgusting purple goop was crammed into my mouth, but I refused to swallow until I couldn't breath anymore. Then down it went, sliding down my throat like filmy mucus. Bite after horrible bite went down this way, and I felt nauseated. Once the whole bowl was finished, they exited the cage, locking it behind them. The leader stood at the front of the watching cultists, smirking at me. "Let's see what happens when humans ingest a mixture of karoot, milk, and fireblossoms, shall we?"

I gasped for air, my lungs choking for the oxygen they'd been deprived of during the force feeding. My stomach gurgled, and I held back the urge to vomit. None of those things were meant to be consumed by humans without distilling them. Was I going to die? Instead of being afraid, I felt a sudden surge of anger. How dare they? They were trying to kill me! To poison me! For what? Nothing?! But no, it wasn't just that. How dare they lock up me and my friend?! Hurt the Pufflorts and harm my city?! Roiling anger rose up inside of me, almost smothering me, and I glared at them, fire in my eyes. A few cultists glanced at the leader, who seemed unconcerned.

But he should be. He should be cowering. He thinks he rules everything. He thinks he can poison animals and people left and right and get away with it? Not anymore! I'll make him pay! I began to shake, not from fear, but from uncontrollable fury that was quickly getting stronger. Twisting my wrists so my fingers could reach the rope, I began to yank and shred at the fibers, pouring every bit of my sudden hatred for the cultists into my task. After a moment, the frayed ropes fell apart, and I leapt to my feet. The cultists stood just outside the cage, and I bared my teeth, furious. "I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS," I roared, lunging and grabbing the bars. A few cultists lurched back, alarm in their eyes. They should be afraid.

I let go of the bars and began to pace, feeling like a caged animal. It was like I was going to suffocate. So much anger. It was becoming hard to think clearly. Everything looked red. One of the cultists coughed, and that was all I needed. I hurled myself at the bars, denting them outwards, to both my and the cultists' surprise.

There was an uproar as I began to repeatedly fling myself at the bars as hard as I could, and they began to give. Whatever the cage was made of was evidently not very sturdy. I roared, my voice hoarse and just as crazed as that of the animals surrounding me. The bars gave in, and I flew out of the cage. "Grab him," The leader screamed, real fear lacing his words.

"I'll tear you apart," I shrieked. I wanted to say more, but any words I'd intended to say kept coming out as an incomprehensible cry. I screamed again, not even recognizing my own voice this time. Then I threw myself towards the leader, determined to rip him apart with my bare hands. Everything felt surreal, as if I were dreaming. I didn't notice any pain as cultists grabbed me and tried to jerk me away from their precious leader, and I easily broke free.

"Get the cure! Get the cure!" Cultists kept yelling. I couldn't understand the words anymore. Everything became blurry and unclear, and I became confused. The next few minutes passed as if I was in a trance. Then, suddenly, it was quiet. The leader lay unconscious, but breathing, on the floor before me. Many cultists also lay scattered across the ground, all knocked out... or worse. My body ached, and I was gasping for air. The animals had all fallen silent, watching the scene from behind the bars of their cages. I turned to Tedric, who looked terrified at the sight of me. I gulped, shakily dusting my hands off on my pants. My mouth tasted metallic, and I looked down at my hands, which were raw and bleeding.

"What- what happened...?" I asked tentatively. Tedric's eyes widened, but he remained silent.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" I yelled hoarsely. Tedric backed up, inhaling sharply. "Y-you don't.. know?" He paled, realizing that was the wrong thing to say. "Y-you went ballistic. You broke out of the cage and attacked everyone who got in your way."

I swallowed nervously. "Did I—"

"Kill anyone? I.. I don't think so. I'm not really sure, but you didn't have any weapons, thank Hermes."

I sighed in relief, stumbling towards Tedric's cage. He looked alarmed, pressing myself against the back of the cage. I stopped advancing, hurt. "T-Ted...?"

Tedric blinked. "You don't realize what you looked like, do you? It was the scariest thing I've ever seen. Especially since it was my own friend."

"I'd never hurt you," I protested anxiously.

"You would have if you could. I- I don't think you even realized what you were even doing. You grabbed my bars and shook them at one point. I was so scared. I thought you were gonna break in, like how you broke the other cage."

I glanced over at the ruined cage. "For the record, that one was pretty flimsy."

Tedric shrugged. "Are you... okay now?" He asked carefully. I grimaced. "I think so... I'm only a little mad, really. I'm mostly just.. um, scared."

"Me too."

I began to search the cultists for a keyring, quickly finding success. Then I unlocked Tedric's cage, and he carefully walked out, moving slowly as if I were an animal that could be easily spooked. I felt a flash of anger at this. I was fine, wasn't I? There was no reason to be nervous! I scowled a bit, and Tedric jumped back like I'd bitten at him. Then I calmed myself, relaxing my face and forcing a friendly smile, which only seemed to frighten him more.

"I'm alright, see? And anyway, we should really probably go before these guys wake up." Tedric nodded quietly, and I grabbed the leader, dragging him with us as we tried to sneak our way out of the Temple. Eventually, we made it back home, and the familiar walls and buildings made me feel weak with relief. Then the cult leader grunted, and I scowled darkly at him, dragging him on his belly across the cobbled road and to the gates. "Let us in," I yelled in a raspy voice, in no mood to play games. The watchman glanced down, then froze, looking between us and the giant man. "Micah? Tedric! You're back! And... what've you done to the Eastern Priest?!"

"Cult leader, more like," I replied. "Let us in and we'll explain. Tedric is starving."

The gates flew open, and in we limped, quickly gathering the attention of the whole city. I still felt nauseous and a little unstable, but I tried my best to look like I was perfectly fine. Then Dahlia and Camellia pushed through the crowd. Camellia gasped. "What the... Tedric! You're here! And you look horrible! What happened? Are you starving? Hurt? Where did you—"

"Alright," Tedric interrupted. "Food first, questions later."

"Get him the best food you have," I told Dahlia. It was supposed to be a strong command, but it came out more as a raspy little croak. Everyone winced, including myself, but Dahlia did as I asked without question. Then, with Tedric gone, everyone turned their attention to me and Mr. Stale Breath. There were gasps and surprised yells as people realized who it was, and I dropped him, feeling smug when his face hit the dirt. "This," I proclaimed in as strong a voice as I could manage, "is no high priest. He's a cult leader, and we found him and his followers in the Eastern Temple experimenting on animals. They're still there, if you need evidence, but be careful if you do, because some of them are still very angry." There was a quiet pause, and then I continued, more irritatedly. "Can we put him in jail for now so I can rest?"

Several guards jogged over to help me, and once Stale Breath was locked away, I flopped to the ground, ignoring staring passersby. Every bit of my body ached like it never had before. There were thick, dark, lined bruises on my shoulders and chest from ramming the cage, along with multiple other wounds from attacking the entire cult by myself. It was a miracle I was all in one piece.

After a minute, I got back up, groaning as I tottered into the Inn. There sat Dahlia, Camellia, and Tedric, and Tedric was hungrily wolfing down a large meal.

"—long were you trapped there?" Dahlia was saying.

"A few days. They gave me water and a piece of stale bread, but that's it. It was hard to walk here."

"You poor knight," Camellia sympathized. Tedric blinked. "I'm alright now, I guess. It might take a few days before I feel ready to get back to work."

"I bet. You sure are tough," she soothed.

I stayed quiet as I approached them, grimacing as my stomach did a flip. I won't throw up, I promised myself. I was still furious at the cultists, but I had already exacted revenge on them as much as I could at the moment. Still, it didn't feel like enough. They needed to— no. That wasn't right. Were the karoots still affecting me? Or was I actually angry? It was hard to tell, and I was feeling dizzier by the minute.

I tapped Dahlia on the shoulder, and she turned to see me, only to let out a little yelp. Then she chuckled in embarrassment. "You startled me, Mike. Wow, you look horrible!"

"Thanks, you too," I deadpanned. She chuckled nervously. "I didn't mean it like that. You look like you died and then came back to life! And you're covered in blood and bruises! What happened?"

I had a feeling she already knew, based on how she was acting. "I got caught and then I broke out," I said curtly, fidgeting with my cotton shirt. Camellia shared a look with Tedric, and I bit my lip. Stop acting like this! I wanted to scream at them. The nausea was getting worse. Dahlia's eyes softened, and she reached out to touch my face. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," I stated firmly, brushing her hand away. Dahlia shrugged, but there was still worry in her eyes. "If you say so."

I need medicine or something,I thought hazily, turning to stagger out of the inn. Near the entrance gates, I could see my division commander, to my immense surprise. "Blaise? This is the last thing I need," I grumbled quietly. I stumbled in the general direction of the nurse, gripping my stomach with my hands.

"Micah!" Blaise called. I ignored him, desperately hoping he wouldn't come over. The sound of footsteps followed behind me, and I stopped, gritting my teeth in anger. I just need some medicine! Can't this wait? I complained to myself. I'd be fine if I could just take a moment to rest! Why didn't they leave me alone?!

"Micah, the news traveled quickly that you found Tedric! Where did you find him?"

"Eastern Temple."

"Really? How did you manage to sneak in and get him out, what with all those priests and rumors? That's really quite a feat!"

I could hear him coming around to take a better look at me, so I stared at the road, allowing my sweaty hair to hang in my face.

"...Micah?"

I remained silent, willing myself not to throw up right in front of my commander.

"Hey, are you alright?"

A hand brushed my shoulder, and I jerked away, glaring up at him through my hair. Blaise backed up, alarm and confusion evident in his eyes. Oh, so you're gonna freak out on me too? "Leave me alone," I snapped harshly. "I'm fine! Even an idiot would be able to tell! Can't you see? Just leave me be! Why don't you go—"

I gagged, bending over as the strongest wave of nausea yet hit me with the force of a sledgehammer.

"Mike?!" Blaise exclaimed, alarmed.

Then I vomited in front of the whole population of Caldemount, falling to my knees as I choked out every bit of food I'd eaten in the last twenty-four hours. Frothing purple foam splattered against the hot cobblestone, and a rancid stench filled the air as I gagged in revulsion. Suddenly, it felt like a weight had been lifted off me, and I gulped in air, still on all fours.

My mind cleared, the haziness disintegrating like fog on a summer day. There was dead silence in the city square as people stared at me, but I suddenly didn't mind so much. I felt like I could finally breathe, as if I'd been holding my breath without realizing it. "Is that.. karoot?" Blaise finally asked. I simple nodded, wiping my mouth clean of the foul stuff.

Whispering broke out in the crowd, but I remained on the ground, still gathering my bearings.

"I knew it," Tedric's voice cried out. Great. "See, this was why he was acting funny!" Dahlia mumbled something from somewhere behind me, and the crowd grew restless. They wanted to know what happened. Question after question was being fired at me, and, though I stayed quiet, I began to feel overwhelmed. "Questions can come later," Blaise suddenly interrupted them. "He needs to get cleaned up." I nodded weakly, grateful he took charge.

His strong, dark hands lifted me off the ground and set me on my feet, and I quickly turned away from the mess on the street, nausea still threatening my gut. "I'm sure Devin can help with any extra things you need, but for now, I think you could use a warm shower and some food. We'll look after Tedric. Now come on."

I happily obeyed, allowing the commander to guide me back to the inn. Devin followed, as he, too, had come out to see what the fuss was about.

They sent me up to my room, where I prepared to bathe myself while they discussed things downstairs.

§ § § Ꮘ § § §

Almost two hours later, I slipped a clean shirt on as I exited the bathroom, feeling considerably better. Though I still ached, the warm water had helped soothe my sore muscles, and the nausea had finally left me. I didn't bother to slip my boots back on, instead treading the wooden floors in only socks.

I made my way downstairs, albeit slowly, and Blaise looked up from where he sat with Tedric, Dahlia, the nurse, and the mayor. "Ah! There you are! I was worried you'd fallen asleep."

"I'm here," I chuckled unsteadily. Blaise brightened up. "You seem to be feeling better."

"Yeah."

Tedric looked relieved, and he smiled happily at me as I approached the table. I gave him a small smile, my cheeks flushing red with shame as I remembered how I'd acted. Then I anxiously returned my attention to Blaise. I'd been extremely rude to a commander; my own, to make it worse, which was something that was definitely not allowed. "Commander Blaise, I'm really sorry about—"

"It's alright," he interrupted, patting my shoulder. "I've been discussing today's events with these four, and you obviously weren't in your right mind. I'm just glad to see you calm and breathing."

I sighed in relief. "Thank you, sir. I really am sorry, though. And you too, guys," I turned to Tedric and Dahlia. Tedric waved one hand, holding a chicken leg in the other. "I'm thankful you came to help! It was looking really grim back there."

Dahlia nodded. "And no offense was taken. Tedric and I were certain there was something still wrong with you, anyway."

"Who else saw it happen?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"...Practically everyone in the whole city."

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. Blaise laughed for a moment, then tried to disguise it as a cough. "Sorry, Micah."

"Too late to do anything about it now," I huffed, defeated.

"By the way, on the matter of the Eastern Cult, I have men rounding up as many cultists as we can find. The temple will be shut down for a bit, but we'll work on finding a new high priest. Luckily, we've already managed to clear out all the animals. They'd all calmed down by the time we arrived. Whatever it was they were eating doesn't affect them too long, so hopefully they can return to their habitats without too much fuss."

That was all good news, and I felt myself smiling despite what happened. "You guys are fast!"

"That's what we do, Micah. Fast and friendly."

I nodded in agreement. "Can I get you something to eat?" Dahlia asked me. I shook my head. "I still feel a little queasy," I explained. She nodded sympathetically, moving away to serve some other costumers.

"So, Micah, we haven't quite decided yet, but we'll probably be transferring you to somewhere else now that aggressions have lowered." Blaise announced. I froze, glancing over at him in surprise.

"You'll still be able to visit and help out here, but your main assignment will probably be a place called the Valley of Gold. Its native inhabitants are all goblins, and I'm afraid few are open to the idea of trade with outsiders. Not many postknights have been willing to stick around, what with the local hostilities and such, but we need to show the goblins that business with outsiders can be beneficial, not harmful."

I nodded slowly, sharing a disappointed look with Dahlia. "No need to be upset, Mike," Commander Blaise comforted. "We may transfer you back if it's not the right place for you, but for now, you'll probably stick around Caldemount until a definite decision is reached."

"For the next three days, however, you're off duty. I think you deserve some time to wind down after all you've been through. And not to mention, you resolved the problem with the Temple and cleared the roads for travelers to return. I think it's probably safe to say you've earned this city's thanks."

The others made noises of agreement, and I blushed, ducking my head as they congratulated me. "Thanks, guys."

"You earned it, Knight. Now go enjoy your day off while we wrap things up, will you?" With that, Blaise stood from his place at the table. "I have more things to do, I'm afraid, otherwise I'd stay longer. Have a good day, Sir Micah, and try not to stir up any more commotion until we move you to the Valley." The commander left the inn, and I glanced at Dahlia, giving a weak grin. "Ready for three whole days of me finding brand new ways to annoy you?"

"Oh, brother."