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Theodora woke up the next morning an atmosphere that was almost becoming normal: an atmosphere of murder and death. They had gotten lucky yesterday, make no mistake about that; her logic had been sound, but it was still only a bit of guesswork. Things could have ended badly, resulting in the death of another innocent, chosen on a whim by some passerby travelers. She could have been condemned for sentencing a monk to death.

Luckily, she and the others who voted with her had been correct. God had guided her hand correctly. Maybe she could help save people here, when before she had been a victim.

At breakfast, the tension mounted early on. Someone had discovered a new dead body--the other monk, Issac. Theodora cursed under her breath. He had been her next lead, since he seemed closest to Brother Michael, and she had hoped to question him with some of the other monks and travelers. Maybe she could have even gotten some more names out of him, if he knew anything. There was no hope of that now he had left this world. She joined the others in the examination of Brother Issac's room...and found evidence of witchcraft, much like that of Michael's. He had been a warlock as well?! Theodora seemed to have found herself in a dreamworld where the men of God were devils and those with the worst temperaments had the sharper minds.

However, this new development put a twist on things--did Issac commit suicide once Michael had been killed? They had seemed to be close, so it was possible that the two had been bonded in some way...who knew the intricacies of witchcraft?...but, then again, these were beings who dealt with the dark realm. There didn't seem to be a reason for Issac to kill himself, since he held much more power than the rest of the mortals and had nothing to fear from them. No, here it appeared that someone had taken it upon themselves to kill Issac. Did they kill him knowing that he was a warlock, or was it still another killer--the same one who had killed the blacksmith--murdering at random? The questions whirled around Theodora's head as her theories would seem logical at one moment and then flimsy at the next. She decided to investigate the late monk's room to see if she could find anything this time.

Alene felt rather numb the next morning. After so much death in the last couple of days, her mind just went blank. She left her room to see a gathering outside the front of Brother Isaac's room. She could hardly believe her eyes. He too, like Brother Michael were responsible for the deaths in this holy place. So much for holy vows.

Her head perked up hearing Inno speak her name.

"You mean after all this you suspect me...?" she asked the man in a shaky voice, "May I remind you that the man laying before us dead, is the very same man who accused me of doing this, and how he kept going to the aid of that of Michael. It is obvious they were in league together..."

Alene's eyes drifted to Brother William.

"I am not sure about anyone else," she said, "It is obvious that this church is hiding secrets. If this is a church at all..."

"Well then, that settles it." Inno said bluntly. "If Leront was the man that killed Isaac, then that is great. I would like to offer anyone else to come forward if they either protected someone last night or killed the man that lies here..."

Inno looked Leront straight in the eyes. "We wouldn't want someone to pull the sheep's skin over our eyes now, would we? It is not that I do not trust you, kind exorcist, but I am just keeping our options open. If someone does come forward, then one of the two is a liar and probably an assassin."

Theodora threw her hands up, trying to calm the flying accusations and confessions. "Please, let us think through this situation like civilized citizens. We seem to be back at square one with no leads, so let us look at the evidence." She began to count off her fingers with each sentence:

"One: Both Issac and Michael were found to have devices of witchcraft found in their belongings. Two: Issac was killed sometime during the night with no visible wounds. Three: The two had confessed to being with one another, leading to a reasonable conclusion they had been partners. Now we have come upon an intersection: Are we to assume there are any more occult practitioners in the monastery? One might normally say yes since someone killed Issac. But here we have a confession by the exorcist Leront, and hence no further reason to look for a murderer. That is, assuming, that Leront is telling the truth. This is a thread to examine shortly."

The woman paused for breath to gather her thoughts and then continued evenly, "But first, why don't we look at the clues the dead warlocks have given us? Both men accused Connie, so we might reasonably think that she is innocent, despite her odd absence during the traumatic events. Issac also accused Alene initially...and defended Inno. How much are we to value these words of his?"

"Now to Leront's situation. I am not initially inclined to accuse him for a couple of reasons--he was willing to confess as soon as you demanded it, Inno, putting his own life in danger since another sorcerer could be in our midst listening to this conversation. He was also one to cast a stone against Michael." She turned toward Leront, her eyes a little hard. "However, please do not make the mistake of thinking that you are out of suspicion. You did take it upon yourself to kill someone without concrete evidence, or at least confess that you did as such. You could also be a warlock trying to displace guiltiness from yourself, hoping that the one who did kill Issac will keep quiet for the same reason I stated earlier: to keep his or her identity a secret, so as to not be hunted."

Theodora placed her hands behind her back, readying for the final part of her argument. "For me, there are two people as of right now that I find more odd than everyone else: Alene and Inno. Why? both have been exhibiting traits similar to that of the two deceased warlocks: an overabundance of emotion. I have noted Alene's rather extreme distress at the murders, much like Michael's reactions; and Inno has shown to be one of the most vocal of us here, inflaming already tense relations that end in accusations. Both of them have initiated situations of blame. What better way to inspire chaos, hoping to have us eradicate ourselves?" She glanced at a few of the more quiet ones, making sure not to forget them. "Or, that could be the wish of those who have stayed relatively silent all this time...?"

Inno stared at Theodora dead in the eyes. He was not playing around with his accusations as he knew in his own mind, but reasoned to believe that the culturally ignorant Byzantine was simply trying to do her best in getting the right culprit for the murder... for that he could not blame her for.

Before defending himself against Theodora however, Inno spoke forwardly saying, "Alright then. The Byzantine dog has confirmed Leront's place as vigiliante... or however you say that word. I would suggest however that if we do have a protector or bodyguard that would help us during the night, that he or she just keep quiet... HOWEVER, if there is anyone who can challenge Leront in his statement speak now, else we all may be dead come tomorrow..."

Inno addressed the general public during this and then turned sternly to Theodora. He smiled his best fake smile as to appease the Byzantine who ironically held the same name of the Empress of which he loathed. Genuine on the outside, but cold and bitter toward her on the inside because of his own personal hatred toward the Byzantine and all their missionaries.

"Now, I will address accuser number two in front of me... or is it three... I have lost count. No matter, I apologize for-"
Inno's tone took a more stern approach and he spoke even more forward toward the Byzantine, but at the same volume.

"No... I do not apologize for being the most vocal out of all of us here. I have not accused any one person this day of being an assassin and you of all people should realize that, "oh cultural one". You do not know of my people nor my past, and I challenge you to even try and provide yourself a reason for my staying in this monastery. I could have walked out a long time ago as survival for me comes much easier than even you can comprehend."

"There, I said it. Good, now you look here. I have opened up an opportunity for this man to be proven innocent or guilty. If he is guilty, then we have found our man and maybe, just MAYBE all of us can make it out of here alive. If I die tonight from the hands of an assassin then we are all over I admit..."

"Oh shut up will you? If anything, calling me a child isn't getting us anywhere. I apologize that I had to defend myself from being killed off, and I suppose that now trying to save your life is childish. Just save your opinion on my personality for a time where people are not dying left and right your imbocile." he said swiftly to Nell.

"I stay with my initial statement and I will not be swayed by anyone as it seems to me that if I am right then others are trying to hold that back: If there is no one else that is vigiliante then he is innocent, if not then we have another killer on our hands and he or she needs to be silenced quickly and efficiently."

"It is suspicious that the moment I come forward, you asked anyone else who may have saved a life to come out with it," Leront called out, narrowing his eyes at Inno somewhat, though his face was still more torn than angered. "Even if you did say they should stay quiet a few moments later, why would you immediately call for them to come forward in the first place if there was another murderer? And if you have no reason for staying here due to your ability to 'survive' in such harsh conditions..."

{Accused : Inno}

Nell sighed. She didn't want Inno dead. He was just acting childish after all...but there was nothing she could have done about it, sadly. And as such, she would not dwell on it.

Pulling the knife out from between her breasts, she looked at it's clean blade, noting her sad expression in the reflection. She could have used it to save Richard, if she had suspected it was Richard that would die first...at least she was able to protect herself last night with it.

Resheathing the knife and putting it back in it's hiding place, Nell smiled. Most would make it out alive. And she would do what a traveller would do best.

She'd move on, even though she'd never forget what she'd experienced.

Nell - Bodyguard(WIN)