Frost Moon

Frost Moon - Part 3

In a bunker deep under The Town, the hologram of Cardinal Mikkelsen was calmly stroking his well-groomed beard as he scowled at a squirming General Løvholt, who looked more and more uncomfortable by the second. The guards almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

'Let me see if I have the facts straight.' The cardinal was using his most sugary voice. That never boded well. 'You, my dear General, let Elisabeth– the Prodigal Witch of our generation, trained to be a merciless killer by you personally – go off on a trip to the Silent Zone, only accompanied by two Warders? Ignoring my specific orders – to make sure that her Warders were homosexual males? Or are you claiming that you didn't read her file thoroughly, and just happened to miss that part? Hmm?'

'I don't have any gay soldiers,' the General whined. 'We purged them a long time ago!'

'Are you arguing with me, dear General?'

'No, Your Excellency, I beg forgiveness. But in my ignorance, I can't see what I could have done differently!'

'Let me continue. And do not interrupt me again!' Mikkelsen looked impatient. 'You gave her leave to equip herself with our most powerful sacred artifacts from the Vault. Then, when you lost contact with her Warders, you waited two days before reporting her missing? If I wasn't sure of your predisposition towards small boys, I would suspect you of being in cohorts with her.'

The general reddened. 'My apologies Your Holiness, but I thought I was following orders. You have imprinted upon us the importance of making our own decisions and not to bother you with trivialities. I was certain of reestablishing contact quickly!'

'The General has apoint.' The third person by the throne-like holographic projector spoke. General Løvholt relaxed visibly as he got support from Sister Leine, Cardinal Mikkelsen's prophetess – and former mistress, which had lasted until her skin condition made her sickly stench unbearable. 'With all due respect, Your Excellency, you have repeatedly told us to handle things ourselves. There's not much harm done. Out where we lost her, there's only wilderness and the Troll Mountains. None of the artefacts she stole allows her to fly or teleport or anything like that, so she is out there somewhere. Alone. With few supplies. We will find her quickly, Your Excellency, especially since she has no wilderness training.'

'Thank you for your wise words sister. I have a hunting patrol out looking for her as we speak!' The General was clutching at straws, and the Cardinal broke out in mocking laughter.

'Those boys of yours are useless! Let us pray that they do not encounter anything hostile out there.'

'Does Your Excellency wish me to summon some hunter demons to fetch her?' Sister Leine asked eagerly. Though her cowled robes were of excellent quality, it was hard to believe that the creature hiding inside was human. The voice was croaking like a toad's, and her sweet, pungent stench reminded people of the sewers. Still, she was the Bride ofJesus for the Church of Norway – or what remained of it anyway –and very few people were keen on ending up on her bad side.

'No. Remember what happened in... Where was it? Larvik, or some such place? The last time you lost control of a pack.' Cardinal Mikkelsen sighed. 'No ta single being survived! Even the hamsters had been flayed alive. I want her back, preferably alive, and not inside the stomach of a random demon!'