Wholly Undead 63 The Monument of Shame

Startled Leslie was about to dart out the room, [How did he see me?!]

"Huh?" Jack noticed she was about to leave; He turned to speak, "Wait!" as he clicked his Ferula.

Leslie stopped on the spot, as she floated down to the floor from her high altitude within the room.

"Templar Robert, please step outside for a moment."

Templar Robert had been wondering who The Holy Witch King was talking to, as he saw nothing, but he would follow his Witch King into Hell's Abyss if he needed to...

The Templar saluted, and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him.

"Leslie... Come to me." Jack asked softly.

She felt bound, as she floated over to Jack.

"I thought you were in your room..."

"I... wanted to see what you were doing... You didn't come check on me." Leslie said, still perplexed as to why Jack could see her.

Jack reached out again, and touched Leslie's face, just the same as he had first done so when he first met this form of her. Leslie felt his bony fingers slide across her ethereal face.

"I wanted to give you time to process what Jade told Us. I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that when I seen you leave the room... My heart hurt... Leslie... I don't even have a heart in my chest, and it hurt. I want you to know that."

Leslie put her ghostly hand over Jack's and caressed it. She knew he was telling the truth, but she wanted to ask Jack while she had the chance.

"Jack... Do you love me?" Leslie asked softly, in almost a whisper.

"Yes, I do... Why do you ask?"

Leslie heard the truth... Jack said the truth!

"I Just wanted to reconfirm. I feel like my father-"

"Hush... Girl's with daddy issues are common." Jack brought his finger to place over Leslie's lips. He then brought her ghostly appearance into his embrace. He comforted Leslie the best way he knew.

"I'm sorry... So so sorry that things turned out like this. I am, also, deeply angry with your father... But at the same time... I want to thank him."

"Th-thank him???" Leslie pulled back to study Jack's skeletal face, and flaming eyes.

"Yes, for having a daughter like you." Jack said with satisfaction.

Leslie snuggled up to Jack, forgetting that the form she was currently in was being embraced without her making it corporal.

"Leslie..."

"Jack..."

"I have a question."

"Mmmm?"

"Do you think it's okay to tell white lies?" Jack asked in a solemn tone.

"White lies? To not hurt someone's feelings? Why what's wrong?"" Leslie asked, as she pulled from Jack's embrace.

"I am about to go to the Grand Cathedral, and absolve the Ladies Jade brought back with her. These ladies that use to work in the brothel feel tainted and unworthy of Me and the Holy Palace."

"Absolving?"

"It means I will remove their sin." Jack said flatly.

"You can do that?"

"That's the white lie. I will simply take their sin, but not remove it."

"Is that really proper?" Leslie's intangible brows furrowed.

"If it will mean they will live a better life, then I will take on their sin." Jack said rather profoundly.

"To live a better life?"

"They are weighed down by it, and so I will take it."

Leslie thought for a few moments, "I'll be honest with you." Leslie giggled at her own wording, "Seriously though, I don't like liars, and I don't really like lying, but... I don't think this is a bad thing. If these ladies mom has brought really feel that way, I don't think they are going to let it go. Then do what you want and take their sin."

Jack felt a bit of relief, he wasn't exactly sure if this was a good idea.

"I'm going over now. Do you want to come over and see?"

"Okay. I'll come and watch you."

"When We are done, I wish to talk to you again tonight."

"Okay." Leslie simply said, as Jack watched her float out of the room through the wall she came in.

Jack shook his head. He looked back to his reflection in the mirror. This was who he was... He stared at the flames that illuminated out from his dark hood, and the regal appearance of his robes and massive shoulder pauldrons.

[I guess I shouldn't keep anyone waiting in suspense for me.]

Jack turned and left out the door he came in, as he seen the Templar, "Templar Robert, please lead me to the Grand Cathedral.

With a salute, the Templar turned and began to walk. Jack followed him through the maze-like halls and out a side door passage that led to the left of the Grand Entrance of the Court. Jack marveled at the construction of the Holy Palace. He was no architect, but who ever made the Holy Palace was either a genius or a certified wacko...

Jack made it to the outside of the Holy Palace. This was his third time being outside. His first time when he did his falling trick to Souigak to retrieve Jade, and the second time when he made it back. Now for the third time, he was walking behind Templar Robert, as he was flanked by six other Templars, who were waiting outside the doorway for them.

Jack was rather impressed with this quick arrangement. He wondered where the Templar stayed while they weren't on duty.

As Jack cleared the side door, and to a lesser extent the Grand Entrance, he came into full view of the grim trophy that was the monument of his own creation. The small hill of skulls from the corrupted officials, the people had come to call the Monument of Shame.

[Holy Crap on a pogo stick! What the hell it this!] Jack could only exclaim with in his mind. Sudden realization came to him, and he recognized the hill for what it was... His orders.

[Are you kidding me! Just how many corrupted officials were there?!?!] Jack had estimated that there would be a corruption of about fifty or sixty people. He already thought that was a lot, in his opinion, but this was...

[Oh, my damn! I really screwed this one up... This is most differently a crime against humanity...err... Crime against undeath. Yup yup... The people are going to kill me and put my head up on the top of that pile... I seen that anime already.] Jack was exclaiming in his head. He was aghast at this monument of his design. He was prepared for some bloodshed, but...

[Oh shit! Was that little girl's family in there?!] Jack thought back to a week ago and remember the little girl and her mother... He would feel guilty if they were killed due to the fall out of his orders.

"Wait up, Templar Robert. I wish to observe this monument." Jack pressed his growing concerns of rebellion and guilt into his heart, as he called out.

His troop came to a still right next to the hill. Jack was a tall undead. He was much taller than in his previous life, but even then, this hill was twice as tall as him.

[Lucius...]

[...Yes?] Lucius responded, he was waiting on Jack and the ladies he had mentioned.

[Was Official Brimknot and his family charged and executed during the Court Cleansing?] Jack asked tentatively, he tried to keep his voice clear.

[You're going to have to be a bit more specific, as there are three Official Brimknots in here in Saigunrai. We did, in fact, execute one of them. I believe he embezzled money to entertain a mistress unknown to his wife. While having a mistress isn't a legal issue, that's a moral issue... Embezzlement is what got him executed.]

Jack felt slightly dizzy... Was this... He tried to remember what his wife said that day... Started with a G... Something something Brimknot... !!

[Was it Official Gordon Brimknot?]

[Oh? No. It wasn't him, though it was his cousin. Thankfully the investigation found that Gordon Brimknot had no hand or knowledge of his cousin's embezzlement.]

[That's good then. I'll be over shortly.] Jack replied with relief in his voice.

[Do you know Gordon Brimknot?] Lucius asked, wondering if they had almost done something wrong.

[Remember the little girl I seen when I arrived last week?]

[Oh, yes! I remember that. The people really loved that. Such a curious little girl, at that.] Lucius remembered fondly.

[That was Gordan Brimknot's Daughter. I had told her I wanted to speak with her father later. Would have seemed terrible, if he got executed before I spoke with him.]

[Oh... Quite...] Lucius was happy to have dodged that bullet. Ole' Gordon Brimknot can count his lucky stalagmites he didn't do anything execution worthy.

Jack gazed once more at the hill of skulls. He wasn't bothered about killing people or undead. He had never killed anyone in his past life, or this one, but he had always held the opinion that some people just need a good killing. It didn't mean he was heartless, just slightly indifferent... Just slightly.

Jack noticed something while watching. Undead would come by and spit on the skulls... The skeletal undead that couldn't make spit, made the sound... Jack was slightly taken back by this.

He made note of this, and turned to Templar Robert, "Alright, let's get going."

The Templar saluted, and they again started toward the Grand Cathedral.

Chapter end