After the hustle and bustle of the day in a small town called Winton, the tired residents began to take a nap and wash away the fatigue of the day on warm and comfortable beds.
The hawker who has been shouting all day can finally drink warm tea to moisten his dry throat and start preparing for tomorrow's goods.
After running all day, the porter sighed and huddled under the quilt, stretched his legs, and asked the old woman next to him to warm his feet.
The guard who had been on guard all day sniffed, shivered, and hid in the hut to warm himself by the stove.
Quietly, people's breathing was even and gentle, and before they knew it, they began to fall into a deep sleep.
Until the first ray of warm light shines on the horizon tomorrow morning, the warmth of light drives away the coldness of the night.
People opened their eyes and started a new day of ordinary and busy life.
However, when night falls, it does not mean silence. On the contrary, monsters and monsters that have never been seen during the day begin to become active.
In the darkness, shadows are invisible, and they can only appear when illuminated by light. Not all "shadows" dare to show their original shape in the light, and there are individuals with indescribable darkness among them.
They may be some ghosts and monsters, they may be unforgivable evil people in the world, they may be deeds that cannot be disclosed to the public, or they may be rotten grass that can only exist in the dark...
Although there are all kinds of strange reasons why they cannot walk during the day, they all have one thing in common - "danger".
Without the protection of light, people are so fragile. With your eyes closed tightly in the dark night and gradually losing consciousness, are you afraid of the darkness?
You are so fragile: the sharp knife is dancing in your throat, the slightly warm blood slowly flows out, adding red plum blossoms to the warm quilt, but you are not aware of it.
In the dark, you are always so weak, giving them opportunities to take advantage of you.
Maybe it's a blessing that you sleep like this, because you no longer need to be afraid of those dangerous "shadows" lurking in the dark.
For things hidden in the "darkness", people will instinctively wrap themselves up. Even if it is just a thin layer of straw mat, adding a little bit of protection against the slightest chill is like being surrounded and protected by the gods.
.
This is an illusion, a lie that humans tell themselves.
The first children were not that smart. As soon as they came into contact with the world, they began to cry for the dangers around them. Their minds still retained the fear of the darkness from their ancestors.
When you change from childhood fear to adult indifference, it means that you have forgotten the "things" that exist in the night.
And is this luck or misfortune?
This... can't be answered.
When was the Heretic Inquisition born?
This has caused endless debate among those scholars - the "Inquisition of the Heretics" was closely connected with the Holy See thousands of years ago, but most scholars believe that the history of the "Inquisition of the Heretics" is older than the history of the Holy See of Light.
Regarding the predecessor of the Heretic Inquisition, a relatively unified term is the "Night Watch".
"Night watchmen" can also be called "vigilants".
People learned to build simple nests on the flat ground using flattened branches and water-proof thatch, instead of hiding in cold and damp caves with rats, ants, snakes and scorpions.
But when night falls, those things that can be avoided during the day turn into invisible shadows and sneak into human settlements quietly at night.
People fell into a deep sleep, now they were lambs to be slaughtered. Fences covered with thorns and flower vines could not stop their sharp claws and fangs.
Ogres love human babies, and certainly don't mind tasting the chewy entrails of adults.
Goblins like to kidnap young children and offer them to orcs and elves as playthings.
Tigers and wolves from the wilderness always like to come here for a late-night snack. The main course is human flesh and the side dish is fishy-sweet blood.
The hostile tribesmen, armed with sharp knives and spears, quietly pushed open the doors, opened the windows, slit the men's necks, tied the women's hands and feet, and suffocated the sleeping children.
…
People are afraid of the dark night, and they are afraid of the arrival of those "things".
Perhaps amidst a woman's mournful cries, the leaders with red and swollen eyes decided to order some people to stay in bed during the day and go out at night.
So the "night watchman" or "vigilant" appeared.
They are "warriors", but they do not participate in tribal conflicts. They are another group of "shadows" in the darkness, dedicated to fighting against the dangers in the darkness.
They did not participate in labor during the day, but they would leave offerings from their neighbors in front of their doors every day. They were full of energy at night, holding torches high and wandering around the territory. Bone whistles were hung around their necks. As long as one person made a sound, all
The "night watchmen" all blow their shrill whistles.
Before the day warriors arrived, these night warriors waved their swords to drive away the uninvited guests.
Their achievements are significant and indelible, and people can finally sleep peacefully in the dark night.
Gradually, they became farther and farther away from the people in the day, and they and the people even began to be unable to remember each other's looks.
People committed a crime during the day, and they did not trust the familiar elders to give a fair judgment, so they woke up a "night watchman" who had been sleeping during the day and asked him to judge right and wrong.
Unconsciously, more and more "night watchmen" began to deal with people's disputes. So over time, "night watchman" became synonymous with judges and notaries.
Later, the increasingly powerful Holy See of Light took over the "Night Watch". The original "Night Watch" also included thugs and hooligans, so it also caused many troubles.
It is obviously much better to let priests, priests, and monks with high moral character serve as "night watchmen" than civilians and soldiers who do not know moral character.
Of course, since the "Night Watch" was renamed the "Inquisition", their responsibilities and tasks are no longer just to let the neighbors sleep peacefully - the rulers of the country have a peaceful sleep because of them.
The Heretic Inquisition has become one of the cornerstones of the empire's stability, and they have eradicated countless "crises" lurking in the darkness one by one.
Although they are no longer "night watchmen" who only operate in the dark, they are always hidden in the dark. The world knows their reputation, but they don't know where they are.
Even if the priests and warriors of the "Heresy Tribunal" believe in the goddess of light, must recite scriptures every day, and know all the canons by heart, they still cannot change their nature as a violent organization.
Wild wolves were domesticated as hunting dogs, but they still had to eat meat.
Back on the cold winter nights in Winton, the late night streets were not buried in darkness.
There was a rare clear sky that night. Perhaps the heavy snowfall in the past few days had washed away the dust in the air, making the air especially cold and pure.
The cold windy street should have been deserted long ago, but a man is still left alone in this empty street.
The man was leaning against a rough gray-blue wall made of sandstone and clay. He was holding a pot of strong liquor in his right hand and waving it in the air with his left hand, humming an unknown tune vaguely in his mouth.
There was a dark red nose on the weather-beaten face, and the red nostrils exhaled the pungent smell of alcohol.
He was wearing leather palm oil soft armor and a pair of cashmere trousers, and his peeling short leather boots made the snow piled up on the street messy.
Even if someone bumped into him, he wouldn't be surprised. They would just think: This is probably another drunk who ran out of money and was kicked out of the pub.
The man raised the wine flask in his hand and drank heavily at the huge full moon in the sky.
The night is sultry at this moment - a full moon hangs high in the azure night, and there are magnificent nebulae. The starry sky here is never monotonous, or the rose red or sapphire green halo in the night sky is like the one on the legendary goddess.
Shayi is soft and charming.
If he were a poet with an elegant taste, he would probably be able to recite a poem, but unfortunately this man was just a drunkard.
There was no image at all, just gulping and gulping, just sipping the strong wine in his hand.
The street next to him was dark, and the high walls and floors of the houses blocked the moonlight that should have been there.
A man walked out of the darkness, stopped next to the drunkard and sighed:
"The moonlight is so beautiful tonight. It seems that the goddess is wishing us all the best."
If he is a grumpy drunkard, he will place the wine bottle in his hand on the head of the guy who suddenly comes out to interrupt him from tasting the hot liquor in the cold wind.
But it seemed that the drunkard was not dissatisfied with the appearance of this man. He put down the bottle in his hand and threw it into the snowdrift.
"The brilliance of the goddess of light will not fade over time, she will point the way for us even in the dark night."
The drunkard said, wiping away two pieces of snot that were already frozen and about to freeze. He drank not only to covet the spicy taste of the wine, but also to use the strong alcohol to wash away the coldness in his body.
"Isn't the chief judge in charge this time here yet?"
This man walked out of the shadows, his figure covered by a wide and thick black robe, with a "Fallen Angel" engraved on his collar button.
He wears a silver mask with angel patterns on his face. Although his true appearance cannot be seen, his old voice can tell that he is an old man who is no less than fifty years old.
"No, Chief Adjudicator."
The drunkard patted the brim of his hat and shook off the snow particles that had fallen from the eaves.
"We couldn't wait any longer. The presiding judge said, 'It's one o'clock,' and the clock just rang at midnight."
The old man nodded and threw him a package. The drunkard untied the belt, and inside was the same black robe and mask as he was wearing.
"Hurry up and put on your clothes. Someone has just reported that they have been spotted. Time is running out. I'm afraid we won't be able to do it. You, the chief executioner, can't be left behind too."
The drunkard has swept away his original drunkenness and fatigue, and the sharpness between his brows is like that of a warrior who has experienced many battles.
A black robe is thrown on, a collar is buttoned, and a mask is put on.
The frustrated drunkard disappeared, and another arrogant judge appeared on the deserted street.
"The target of our mission this time is a damned cult. There is no need for 'three leaders to come together', we also have the right to judge them!"
He snorted coldly. After staying in the cold wind for too long, his knees were a little numb. He bent down and changed his boots with difficulty.
This time, the commander-in-chief who was originally responsible for dispatching, the Chief Judge, failed to arrive before the mission started. But now he can't care so much. The targets of this mission are a group of cultists who are suspected of practicing evil god worship.
They have committed numerous crimes. According to the clues investigated by the local secret guards and the local government, they are inseparable from the disappearance of dozens of residents nearby. This time, they received information that their members are haunting the town.
.They have to capture these villains as much as possible to obtain more information.
"Let's go! We must not let them escape!"
Tonight, the night is charming.
It's a pity that neither the sleeping residents nor the "shadows" running around in the dark have time to appreciate it.
These "Heretical Tribunal" inquisitors, who are fearful even when mentioned in a tavern, may be drinking and eating meat around them, listening to people talking about all kinds of dirty things, or maybe the sweepers on the roadside will also wear
The judge's robe, walking in the cold winter night.
Although they intend to be born in the world, they seek the true meaning of doctrine in the mortal world. They are priests, but they rarely stay in the temple. They are loyal believers, but their hands are stained with blood.
Although thousands of years have passed, the original meaning of "Night Watch" has long been forgotten.
They are no longer just "hiding by day and emerging at night", but exterminating the dangers lurking in the dark is still their mission throughout.
As long as there is a statue of the goddess of light standing, there will be these "shadows of gods". It is these "shadows of gods" that evil and evil cannot escape in the darkness.
"Two Lord Inquisitors, those people are inside the house."
Uniform judgment robes, each robe has fallen angels tattooed on it, and the identical masks make it impossible for anyone except the judge to tell them apart.
The two inquisitors arrived, and the soldiers in charge of surveillance saluted them.
"How long have they been in there?"
The voice was hoarse, and it was impossible to distinguish between male and female. However, these soldiers did not pry into the thoughts of these mysterious priests. Although they were full of curiosity, they also understood that some things could not be touched.