Chapter 299: Frankly, gentlemen, I'm insulted that you didn't invite me.
Three hours later, Ben and Harmonia were still fighting. At first, she had drilled him in forms, balance, and the proper stance for using the weapon. Somewhere in the first hour, old skills from previous games and fencing in the real world began to come back to him. The sword felt comfortable in his hands, and he moved from one-handed to two-handed stances as needed.
Harmonia began to press him, making him defend himself more and more. He responded by blocking when he could and performing increasingly difficult feats of acrobatics to put distance between them. He was pushing his perks of Acrobat and Dashing as much as he dared. The move that turned things into a real fight was when he let her close and slash across his chest instead of blocking. As blood spurted from the wound, she hesitated, and he punched her hard in the nose, knocking her backward, and dropping her guard momentarily. He lunged forward with his Estoc, puncturing her shoulder and adding the damage from Flaming Brand to the strike. Stepping back, he healed his own wound and recovered his stance.
Mists smelling like the ocean enveloped her, cleaning away the blood and flames, leaving her healed. "Feeling more confident? Good, I was getting bored." She came at him again, careful not to be fooled. Ben could afford to take a small wound if it let him strike back. Twice more, she wounded him, and twice more, he healed the damage immediately with Triage.
After the second time, Charles called a halt. "You've been fighting for almost two hours now with little rest. Do you both have the mana and stamina to continue?"
Harmonia smiled; she was enjoying herself. She rarely got to do this anymore. Despite her scowls at him, she was happy that Ben could actually surprise her and get past her guard now and then. He was using the same style he had on his ship, aware at all times of his balance and where she was at, thinking ahead in the fight and using leaps and acrobatics that a normal fencing partner would never think to try. "I'm a bit winded, Charles, but over half of my mana and stamina remain."
"And you, Benjamin?"
"Oh, I'm good. My healing spell only takes 50 mana to heal 400 health. I still have over 3000 mana and 6000 stamina left. The people watching quieted down. Charles turned to him, astonished. "6000 stamina? How is that possible? You're only Level 10!"
Ben bowed. "Simplicity. I started with nearly 8000 stamina, and we had only been fighting for a couple of hours. This is only a light workout compared to riding for two days straight or my work for the Baron. Think of it as part of my curse; It is difficult for me to master weapons and new skills, but I am hearty as a horse and can work any three men into the ground. Shall we continue?"
Shaking his head, Charles gave the signal to lay on, and rumors began to run around the salon, bringing more spectators. The fight was faster now, teaching was over, and Ben had to fight as hard as he could. He lost most bouts, coming away with an increasing collection of small nicks and cuts, but he managed to give Harmonic some new bruises. She anticipated his use of Burning Brand, summoning the Healing Sea Mist as soon as she knew she'd be hit. On the third time, Ben changed spells. As cool mist enveloped her, Ben's Estoc slammed into her shoulder and released a mild electrical shock as he used the Spark cantrip from the Aspect of Storms. Harmonia's spell was disrupted; she gained a bad bruise on her shoulder. "Ah, what would a junior inventor be without Storm spells? Should have expected that." Ben Laid Hands on the wound, removing it.
"It's not much, but it mixes well with water.
What Harmonia might have thought will never be known. The room's double doors were slammed open, and two Couriers ran inside, heading for Charles. They came to a halt when they saw Harmonia, and both bowed. Ben saw the family resemblance immediately.
"Dame Harmonia, Sir Charles, you are needed immediately in testing halls. The madman, Sir Eustace, is holding a Test of Purity. Someone has to stop him."
Charles grimaced. "Where are the senior Paladins? Sir Reeves, Sir Morton, and Sir Croft? Surely they didn't leave Sir Eustace in charge?"
"Sir Reeves and Sir Morton took the senior squires and new knights hunting to the north. A report came in from Baron PennyPincher that wolf packs are raiding his lands. Sir Croft was summoned to court for an award for his defense of Shetland Shire from the undead. Sir Eustace has timed this well and has six initiates he wishes to test 'for the purity of their souls.' His friends from the Inquisition are there. We need stronger voices to oppose him."
"Right. Lead the way. Harmonia?"
"You're inviting me? Even with all that happened the last time, I crossed swords with the Inquisition?" She grinned. Charles paused for half a step and shrugged. "Interesting times call for interesting solutions. Isn't that what you always taught? As long as we can stop him, I think the ends justify the means."
Ben followed behind Harmonia. "How is a test of Purity bad? And what did you do last time you argued with the Inquisition?"
She shouted back over her shoulder. "Sir Eustace feels that you can only test someone's soul by threatening it. His preferred method is summoning a demon for the initiates to fight. The other is a long story, but suffice it to say; they didn't like waking up naked in a spider-infested forest. I knocked several inquisitors unconscious and left them there after we caught them trying to burn a poor village girl as a hedge witch. I was strongly urged to avoid the Inquisition after that."
"And this Sir Eustace is an Inquisitor?"
"He hopes to be. He's still counted among the Senior Knights of the Order of Paladins. Still, for the past decade, he's worked increasingly with an earnest group of Inquisitors about stamping out evil in the empire. Necromancers, undead, deviant mages, anyone using dark magic, and especially demons. Eustace is obsessed with only letting in those applicants to the order who prove their purity and ability to hunt demons."
They ran up three flights of broad stairs and down a hallway as wide as the street outside. Ben saw statues of saints and pictures of paladins at war with devils or demons everywhere. One picture showed the siege of a burning city that looked familiar. The tall double doors at the end were open but guarded by four paladins. They blocked the way in, but they stepped aside when the oldest looked to Charles and then to Harmonia. Ben heard him whisper, "Have a care; they expect you."
Ben stepped inside the room, looked up, and was awestruck. The room was a hundred feet across and circular, with a full half-dome of white marble covering it. Dozens of pantheons of gods were painted there, all looking down upon the center of the room. The middle fifty feet of the space was a circle made from inlaid gold. Paladins and Inquisitors stood around the circle and inside were four initiates of the Order of Paladins. They all looked very young to Ben.
A knight in shining golden armor walked towards Harmonia. He was handsome with sparkling blue eyes, a trimmed beard, and an angelic face. Sparkling white teeth showed as he welcomed them. "Dame Franklin, how good of you to come and witness today's test. It is always good to see your house working to remove evil from the empire, especially since you let so much of it in."
"This needs to stop now, Eustace. This test was outlawed. How dare you try to bring it back!"
The smiling man kept smiling. "Outlawed? No. I think the test was challenging, and many of the sheep bleated about it, but in the end, I don't think that paperwork was ever finished. Demon attacks, bandits, undead wolf packs. You know how busy it can get, and wiser heads decided not to push for that change, especially when you weren't coming to argue against it. I guess you were busy as well."
"But please, I would so love to see you interfere with the Inquisition over this test today. Two of their mystics have sensed the presence of demons in the capital, and many people are worried. The number of paladins needed grows larger, especially those who can oppose the infernal agents. What we do here today prepares these four brave young men and women for a glorious future. We will simultaneously test them for the demon's taint and allow them to learn the abilities needed to banish them. I think you see the importance of this. Especially with applicants who have a high chance of being tainted."
Ben looked at the two women and two men. They were all in the range of 16 to 20 years old. One girl was dressed as a courier, one in padded armor with a breastplate and helmet. The two boys had a mix of armor. One wore a wolf pelt on his shoulder and held a glowing great sword.
Charles was also observing them. "And what makes these initiates have such a high chance of disappointing you? Let me guess; they don't come from the better families?"
Sir Eustace nodded at him and smiled like a school teacher with a star pupil. "Very good, Charles, you see it too. No, they are not from good families, just the opposite. A farmer's son with an old sword, a first-year courier who dreams of being a paladin, and two who learned to fight while adventuring. And all from the north where dark magic flows like water, infecting everything. I will test them and make them prove they are worthy of joining the order."
Members of the Inquisition drew a circle on the floor in the center of the room and set up scented candles. They did the same around the fifty-foot circle. A skull was placed in the center of the room. Ben had a really bad feeling and hoped his guess was wrong. He whispered to Charles. "Please don't tell me they're going to summon a demon for those initiates to fight."
Charles nodded his head sadly. "They think this way of testing will show who is meant to be a Paladin, with all the gods watching from above. It's a trap. If Dame Franklin opposes it, they have enough power in this room to denounce her as a heretic. It won't stick forever, but it will make life hell for our house and advance Eustace's faction at court. She's been warned from interfering, but it won't stop her."
Sir Eustace stood silent in front of Harmonia, waiting. She started to speak.
Ben took a step forward and shouted. "I object to these proceedings! You have grievously erred and insulted the House of Franklin, and I won't have it."
Charles looked shocked; Harmonia just paused and kept her silence. Sir Eustace seemed puzzled but happy. "Well then, I'm sure the members of the Inquisition would love to hear your objections."
Ben walked forward and bowed, disdain on his face. "My objection is quite simple. I wasn't invited to take part in this test! It is a blatant move to exclude me from advancing in the ranks, and frankly, I take it as a stain upon my honor."
One of the older Inquisitors looked from Charles to Harmonia to Ben. "You are from House Franklin? Of course, you are, silly me. I'd know by your actions if it wasn't stamped on your face. Then, why do you think you need to be tested?"
"As if you need to ask! I'm sure Diego has mentioned me in his reports. I am Benjamin Franklin the 7th. I was raised in the far north, within sight of Gadobhra, and spent far too much time in that demon-infested city. I come from humble beginnings and remember when I thought ten copper was a fortune. I'm barely trained as a courier and not at all as a paladin. In fact, I'm everything Sir Eustace is worried about, and I know what you are planning to do. You'll prevent me from being tested and then claim I'm somehow tainted and shouldn't be allowed to enter the academy."
"I won't have it! I ask...NO! I demand to stand in that circle and face judgment upon my tarnished soul."
Sir Eustace was without words, but two of the older Inquisitors smiled and nodded to each other. "Well said, young Franklin. It's good when a man knows he isn't good enough and still tries to better himself. Please, take your place in the circle with these other applicants."
One of the boys turned to Ben as he entered. "You're daft for sure, but glad to have you. I'm Doby Finnegan. I killed the old wolf, and now I'm going to be a Paladin."
Ben smiled and pulled out his sword. "What a small world. I think I killed him at least once myself. So, all of you have the Demon Slaying ability or something similar?"
They all looked at him strangely and shook their heads. Ben smiled at them. "Ah, well, do the best that you can then. One advantage of living in Sedgewick is you can get a lot of chances to pick up that ability."
Doby smiled. "I'll come to visit then. My family doesn't live too far away. Well, if we live through this."
Sir Eustace spoke softly to several of the Inquisitors and then turned to Harmonia. "Just for the record, Dame Harmonia, you have no objections to this test or letting a member of your family take part in it?"
She looked at him, and then shrugged. "I really don't. He's telling the truth. He had a terrible upbringing and it shows in his insolence. He barely knows how to use a sword and has caused me considerable pain today while I've tried to deal with his lack of manners. Deal with him how you will, I wash my hands of him."
"Rejoice. Originally we were going to summon the standard horrific entity for this test. But since you are joined by a mighty warrior from House Franklin, a man eager to face the darkness, we will bring in something special."
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