Wholly Undead 19 Soul Discordance

She looked to her right to see that the soul of her clansman Jordan was hovering above Jack's left hand, wrapped in a gold light.

[To take his soul, Can the Holy Light even do that? Should he?] Leslie was thinking and filled with mixed feelings. She knew this was all part of her beloved's plan, but this felt very unlike him. One of the things she liked most about Jack was his gentle side, it seems that was slowly disappearing after he came out of his entombment.

Grand Minister Lucius had seen the entire process. He was speechless, and didn't know that the Holy Light was capable of extracting someone's soul. This was more of an Unholy Curse, than a Holy Hymn!

[Just how powerful has his Grace become. It's one thing to annihilate armies... most king ranks can eliminate at least one army, but this... Forcibly taking someone's soul... This is dark.]

All the Officials had recovered, and were staring unerringly at the soul that hovered in the hand of The Holy Witch King. All they could think of was that they might be next!

[Oh, Wow Jack..! When did he become so... domineering!] War Marshal Verruca was in awe! She had been more than friends, but less than lovers with The Holy Witch King for about two thousand years. She even knew his real name, and It was The Holy Witch King who improved her Clan's Cultivation technique, that allowed her to increase her strength so quickly. The only quality that Jack lacked in her opinion was ruthlessness! If he had been more ruthless a thousand years ago, he would of never of waited for the kingdom to be blind sided by Jakahn and Neolith.

[Holy crap, it worked!] Jack inwardly sighed in relief. He may look like he had everything under control, but he actually had no clue, if this would work.

The Officials in the stands grew restless. For some of them, this was their first time attending court, so they didn't know if this was normal of The Holy Witch King or not.

With Jack's first stage of his plan completed, he began his second set of plans. "Undeath Official Jordan, Can you hear me?"

"...yes..." The glowing orb issued a voice, not only that, but this voice was that of Undeath Official Jordan!

"Tell me Undeath Official Jordan, do you have anything to confess to me?"

"...yes..."

"Go ahead, Undeath Official Jordan."

All the Officials stared at the smoky soul orb in wide disbelief! Not only was this soul speaking, but it was answering questions. If this soul confessed, what did it mean for the rest of the Officials... They shuddered at the thought.

"...yes..."

Jack turned his vision to the soul currently hovering above his hand, [OH NO! Is yes all this f*cker can say?! No no no no no] Jack was chanting in his head. Everything was going great! Jack was checking all the books he had absorbed on souls in his memory, desperately trying to find the reason why he wasn't spilling his sins.

[Ah, he is completely sealed, and can only answer yes and no questions... f*ck] Jack cursed for the second time today, a rare event.

Without missing a beat, Jack spoke up, "Undeath Official Jordan, I will make this easier for you and the court. I will ask you questions, and you will answer yes, or no."

"...yes..."

[This stupid soul...]

Several Officials of Undeath looked at this action oddly. They all had one thought, does he already know what Jordan has done? If he did, then The Holy Witch King was more frightening by knowing their secrets, than his Cultivation!

"Have you committed sins to confess to me and the court?" Jack asked, again.

"...yes..."

"Are you sorry for committing these sins?"

"...no..."

"Did your Clan head forbid you from confessing to me and the court?"

"...yes..."

"Interesting, Undeath Official Jordan. Do tell, do you own any sinful businesses?"

"...yes..."

"Are they Brothels and Gambling Halls?"

"...yes..."

"Any of them located, here in the capital?"

"...no..."

The Undeath Officials were growing nervous... The Holy Witch King was asking questions... That he already knew! It was clear he was leading Undeath Official Jordan in answering these questions. While yes and no questions were hard to pin a sin, but if The Holy Witch King already knew...

"How many Brothels do you have? More than a hundred?"

"...yes..."

"Are some of them located outside of the kingdom?"

"...yes..."

"Do you capture innocent undead of the kingdom to send to your brothels?"

"...yes..."

Clamor rose in the court! This was worse than demons...! but how did he force these women to preform these acts? It was widely know than soul unions required consent from both partners to preform the act.

"Did you capture male and female undead to send to the Brothels?"

"...yes..."

What?! Many Officials were under the impression that only female undead were sent to Jordan's brothels... but men as well? Were they themselves safe? This still didn't answer how they would force them to work there. No self respecting Undead would... unless...

"Did you use trainers who would preform torturing acts on these captured undead to force them to work in the brothels?"

"...yes..."

As expected, the Officials thought knowingly; however, many were beyond outrage. How many Officials didn't have wives, husbands, sons, and daughters? Were they going to go home today, and find that one of them have been snatched up, not knowing where they were?

At this point, many Officials wanted nothing more than to burn Undeath Official Jordan's bones and scatter his ashes into the abyss.

"Last question, Undeath Official Jordan. As the representative of the Grimnight Clan, does your Clan know and condone these businesses?"

"...yes..."

A collective "what" resounded through the minds of all the Officials in the court, even the Undeath Officials didn't know that these weren't just Jordan's businesses, but also ordained by the Grimnight Clan.

Marquis Richard, as the Undeath Official of the Doomcry Clan was furious. This confession was slowly creeping into his Clan's business... [Maybe the Grimnight Clan's usefulness ran its course] he thought. Marquis Richard was a grim, and robust zombie undead. He was as tall as Jack, and very muscular. He was, however, smaller in muscle size than War Marshal Verruca.

Undeath Official Holly, representative of the Achnida Clan, was very happy. Her Clan hailed from Salily, and honestly, was an extension of the Grand Tomb of Neolith stationed in the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. She was a slim skeleton with great fashion sense. She wore a elaborate black dress, on the shoulder of the dress there was a small white rectangle. [Even if his Grace has taken a consort, My Lady could use this as a chance to get closer to his Grace... Maybe his Grace will take a second consort.] Holly laughed inwardly.

Leslie grimaced. Her Clan's name was just smeared in the mud, how could she be happy? She knew this had to happen, but she hated the process. She just couldn't think of a better plan, and left everything to Jack.

Jack looked into the smoky orb wrapped in gold light. He lifted his left hand, and the ball of light danced around his fingers, as if he were flipping a coin between them.

Jack turned his gaze back over to Leslie. Leslie smiled bitterly to Jack.

[Now that this tool has served his purpose... Should I release him, or should I destroy him?] Jack was leisurely deciding the fate of Undeath Official Jordan. He was going over in his head the pros and cons of either option. At first when he seen Jordan, he was still angry from earlier. This was Jack's kingdom for better or for worse, it was the kingdom that housed Leslie. After seeing Jordan walk up to his Throne, Jack knew he was just a pawn used by his Clan, and no longer cared about his life. He only cared how it was going to impact his kingdom to let this guy go or be burned.

[Ah. I'll let the court decide.] Jack thought this was a good plan. If they were hateful, it wasn't all Jacks doing. Having everyone get a lick in made everyone guilty, depending on the choice!

"Before I pass judgment, let me ask the court how it wishes to deal with Undeath Official Jordan?" Jack asked with a stoic voice, as he was playing with the soul of Jordan in his fingers. He was literally playing with Jordan's life.

The court was silent. The Holy Witch King had never asked them before what they thought, before passing judgment... Maybe this was a test? If it was, no one wanted to say the wrong answer.

A period of time passed, and Jack felt slightly aggravated. [Come on! I can't just sit up here all day and play with this fool." Jack rapped his staff on his Throne. Clink... Clink... Clink...

This got all the Official's attention.

Marquis Richard, finally, stood up. "Marquis Richard requesting permission to speak."

Clink...

"We should execute this demon's spit! We all have family! Who knows if he took some of them for his nasty businesses, With the support of the Grimnight Clan! We should exterminate them all right down to the last one of them. We shouldn't even leave pets or livestock to enjoy undeath!" Richard declared.

Jack stopped playing with Jordan's soul, and stared down at this Marquis Richard... [Everyone of them... Then wouldn't I have to bring true death to Leslie... THIS FOOL!] Jack was enraged, but didn't show it on the outside, one of the many perks of not having a face. Thankfully, Jack may not of had a great poker face in his last life, but he had one now! He was also in full RP mode...

"Marquis... Richard. You believe that the entire Grimnight Clan should be eliminated down to the last man, woman, and child?" Jack asked, but his voice now had a spooky vibe.

Leslie's brows were already furrowed, but now she slightly squinched her nose.

Soon after this question, Richard received a telepathic message... [OH SH*T!] The Consort was an exile of the Grimnight Clan! Why wasn't this widely known.

"I..." Richard spoke, but was cut off.

"Undeath Official Holly requesting permission to speak."

Jack looked over to the new speaker. Jack normally would of mentally noted her nice apparel, but wasn't currently in the mood. He just wanted to hear what she wanted to say.

Clink...

"I believe Marquis Richard was just enraged by the upsetting sins of Undeath Official Jordan. I'm sure he didn't really mean full extermination, but your Grace already knows this." Undeath Official Holly said gracefully.

"Yes. I think so, too." Jack's vision looked over Richard, before turning back to Holly. Richard shot an appreciated glance to Holly.

[Is she into me?] Richard thought; however, he was very far from the truth. Holly wanted to keep the kingdom together. What good was a broken kingdom to her Lady Emily?

"I believe that Undeath Official Jordan should be striped of his position, and an investigation on the Grimnight Clan to root out what corruption exists in the Clan. With the corruption routed, appoint a new representative."

Without missing a beat, "This lines up with my judgment, perfectly. I expect great things from you, Undeath Official Holly."

"Thank you, your Grace."

Holly sat back down. If her skeletal face could show her face, she would be smiling from ear to ear.

As Holly sat back down, so did Richard.

Leslie looked over to Jack, as she felt her dearest was still just as gentle as before. Her clansman Jordan had committed serious sin against the kingdom, but spared him, even if only for now.

Jack took the soul into his hand and casted it back at the crumpled body of Jordan. In mid flight, Jack hummed a different Holy Hymn, "Solzuuu."

The light once again engulfed Jordan's body and tendrils appeared to grasp the soul. It then merged it into Jordan's body.

The light subsided, and soon Jordan's body shuddered while knelt over on the floor.

"Grand Minister Lucius."

Lucius, who had been silent for a while, turned to look at his Grace.

"Let it be known, that in light of the sins committed by Jordan Grimnight, he is to be stripped of his Title of Undeath Official. Take him to the Jail Quarters to be further questions. There will be no chance of bail."

Jordan, who was about to stand, feel back down. He didn't feel right in his body, and what was worse... He remembered everything about what happened! The feeling of being separated from his body... The feeling of being played within the hands of his Grace... The feeling of being reattached to his body...

These feelings were terrifying... but what really brought fear into the deepest recesses of his soul was... He liked this feeling. It felt good! Like he was floating, and wrapped in warmth. Undead were indifferent to most temperatures, besides the extremes of heat and cold. One of the reasons undead enjoyed soul unions, so much, was due to the feeling of being warm between two souls.

"Holy Sentinels, heed The Holy Witch King. Escort Jordan Grimnight to the Jail Quarters. May his Grace have mercy on your soul..."

Two Holy Sentinels appeared in a flash of Holy Light. No one seen them enter, not even Jack.

[Wait... give these guys some dreads... and they could be programs missing form the Matrix!] Jack retorted. He was finally in the mood to joke about in his mind.

The Holy Sentinels wore solid white plate armor. On both of their faces, they wore white sheet clothes with black Holy runes lined in gold. These reminded Jack of Zombies from Han.

Each Sentinel picked up Jordan by his under arms, and walked down the white cloth toward the Official entrance. Jordan was oddly silent. Some Officials wondered what The Holy Witch King might of done to Jordan. He did have his soul extracted... This couldn't of been a pleasant sensation.

Soon after, the double doors opened, and the two Holy Sentinels exited with their charge. Only the bang of the double doors resounded in the hall, after their exit.

"Now, Grand Minister. Please bring court to order, and list any new issues, before I resolve the last session."

Chapter end