Quote:
Is there anyone in town who benefited from the destruction of the old church?"
"That is certainly something I intend to find out," said Jagrun. He seemed to consider Raffy's words carefully. "However, it is my unfortunate duty to be familiar with the ways of the enemy - and as such, I'm afraid I am bound to disagree with you."
He sat straighter. "The symbol I showed you is the characteristic rune of one of the four Ruinous Powers. That murder was committed with a sharp knife, but the killer wished us to know where their loyalties lie. The
other murders, for the most part, were committed behind locked doors, under the eyes of multiple witnesses, with no traces of the means of destruction save the sudden screams of the victims. I have visited the scenes of those crimes, and I am satisfied that they could only have been achieved through sorcery."
"Perhaps you may be correct - perhaps whoever is doing this did not set out as a pawn of Chaos. But I assure you, none who dabble in such things remain untainted for long. Sooner or later, it claims their minds, and they become its slaves." He paused. "I have seen it too many times before. Even the noblest of intentions can be subverted by the Enemy into the most grotesque of insanities." There seemed to be a hidden significance weighing on those last words.
"I will not detain you much longer - I believe there is only one more of your friends who I must speak to." He gestured to another door, leading out of the chamber in the other direction from the way Raffy had entered. "If you would wait through there, she will be with you shortly."
Beyond the door he indicated, there was another low-ceilinged stone room - Lothar and Ithelus were sitting there in silence, looking up as he entered. The door was closed behind him, cutting out all sound from the room he had just left - and leaving nothing to do but wait as Illiiya took her turn.