Chapter 8
The Abbot's Affliction
Abbot Kale contacts Bishop, his voice a mixture of exasperation and weary resignation. He relays hushed whispers from the Church hierarchy, urging Bishop to tread carefully. Bishop’s reputation for excessive force and questionable methods precedes him, a constant source of regret for the Abbot. Kale hints at internal politics and the potential for this 'simple' werewolf hunt to become a political quagmire, advising Bishop to wrap things up quickly and cleanly, a directive Bishop finds almost laughable given his nature.
Abbot Kale’s voice, when it crackled through the enchanted communication stone, sounded like a dry leaf skittering across a graveyard. "Bishop. For the love of all that is holy, please tell me you haven't set the entire hamlet ablaze yet."
Bishop Dark grunted, swirling the dregs of cheap wine in his tankard. The tavern’s smoky haze did little to soften the edges of Whisper, a village that smelled perpetually of damp fur and desperation. "Kale. Always a pleasure. And no, the arson is reserved for after the main event. Standard procedure."
A sigh, so profound it seemed to echo from the very foundations of the Church of Radiant Light, vibrated through the stone. "Bishop, the whispers… they reach even the hallowed halls. They speak of your… methods. Of the collateral damage. Of the mess."
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