Dark King

Francis shrugged his shoulders: "You can think whatever you want to but you have no right to beat me. I belong to another division and only obey the elders of different divisions. Although you are a deacon of the Monastery but your identity and tasks are not for public knowledge. In short you hold no real power."

"You have to climb to the position of elder to make your dreams come true or ask an elder to get permission to command me."

Dudian was startled: "Do you mean that the other captains of saint teams can expose my identity if they want to? It would be a great blow!"

Francis laughed: "It would be very dangerous if someone exposed your identity... "

"Don't think that you will be exempted if you try to expose my identity." Dudian threatened. "Are you going to keep it secret?"

Francis replied, "All right."

Dudian changed the topic: "Do I have to collude with anyone else after I went to work for the dark church?"

"A proper arrangement will be made." Francis choose a different fork to walk: "The first thing we have to do right now is to brand you."

"Brand?" Dudian frowned.

Both of them came to a spacious prison room. There were many tools for torture on the wall and the place was splattered with the blood.

"Greetings Saint." Two guards were on duty by the door.

Francis nodded as he took a key from the wall and opened a heavy iron gate. He looked at Dudian, "Please..."

Dudian went inside the room.

"It's a room we use to place criminals but its just a cover. We brand people like you in here." Francis closed the gate: "Rarily anyone comes into this room but after they go out they have a different identity. So you will have to lay low too. I will tell the other saints that your interrogation is over and your identity as a suspect is temporarily lifted."

Dudian didn't speak as he looked at various tools on both sides of the room.

Francis continued: "The first thing for the members of the dark church is to be breanded with the Medal of Darkness. Pick a pattern!"

Dudian was aware what Francis meant by a brand. He had used ink tattoo before to join the dark church. However the one Francis was going to make wouldn't be washed away. It meant that the Monastery and the Holy Church could easily push him out in the future.

"Weak, involuntarily ..."

Dudian looked at a tool and said "Like this."

Francis glanced at him, "Location?"

"Spine." Dudian pondered for a moment and answered. He had used to paint his chest but he was able to wash it off. He no longer had such a privilige so he had to choose a concealed position. Some people would engrave the tattoos under their armpit or cracks of their buttocks because it would be hard to find the location of the tattoo.

However he was going to be an elder of the dark church. He would be talking to the Pope so generally he wouldn't go through a search.

Francis nodded, "Alright, take off your clothes."

Dudian put away the thoughts and took off his coat and jacket. The scars were still visible on his young body.

Francis's pupils shrank but he recovered. He understood why Dudian didn't feel intimidated by the tragic tortures and screams that they saw. Even he was scared and had cold sweat the time when he was promoted to a saint and saw the vulgarities.

"You have gone through a lot of experiences." Francis whispered.

Dudian replied: "It seems its not enough." Dudian thought in his mind that if he had gone through enough then he wouldn't be played around by the Monastery today.

Francis naturally wasn't aware of Dudian's thoughts...

...

...

Francis handed a mirror to Dudian after half an hour: "Check it."

Dudian's face remained calm as he felt the pain on his back. He checked his back through the mirror. Dudian said, "Good job."

Francis was surprised as he looked at Dudian with interest. He had branded many people and seen them crying but Dudian was tolerant, "Alright. You can't abandon the brand in the future."

"How would I dare!?"

"Good."

Dudian put on his clothes and took the baggage: "The sun is almost going to come out. Let's go sightsee the place."

"Alright." Francis whipsered: "I'm quite tired as I haven't slept for whole night."

"If you want to..."

"I dare not scruitinize as the elders have given the order."

Both of them left the underground court of the Monastery and returned to the square outside the abbey.

All five saints were waiting in the square.

They were surprised when they saw Francis and Dudian come back. One of them couldn't help but ask, "Captain, why did he come back?"

Francis smiled, "The elders have interrogated him and the suspicions are temporarily brought down. I'll take him back. You guys go and rest."

"Oh damn!" The youth continued: "so boring.."

"I can finally go back and feed my kitten. I'm leaving first." The woman saint laughed as she left.

Another saint added: "I will go with you."

They saluted to Francis and left all together.

Francis turned towards Dudian: "Alright, I'll take you to see the inner wall. But don't be an idiot and offend someone. There are many figures which I can't even do nothing but bow in front."