12 Strum It Down For Me

Ann grinned like a drugged idiot. Brittney sat next to her in the smelly carriage, much more relaxed and confident. They both stank like rancid sewer water.

Finally, the iron bars screeched open.

"Alright, lover girls. Get your sissy *sses out!" said Stan, a greying veteran.

""Yessir!"" they replied simultaneously.

Light blinded their weakened eyes. They stood in front of the Church at the Capital. A hum of activity caught their attention but they were forced to move up the steps.

"Get a move on!" Cindy shouted.

She moved with her troop in formation around the two, leading them to the Inner Sanctums. They knelt in loyalty. Pope Vince sat in an elaborate chair in the center, his Cardinals and Archbishops also seated nearby.

"So these are the girls claiming they hold God's words? They look pitiful," spoke Pope Vince.

"Yes, Your Holiness. They carry a divine book similar to the one Pope Frank used to carry," Cindy said.

She brought them the book for their inspection and then stepped back. The Clergymen took a moment to discuss.

"It's Francis of the Fifth, isn't it?" Ann whispered to Brittney.

"Some of them are traditionalists. They lost all their holy artifacts to the Dark Lord, so their credibility relies on his reputation."

Their talk soon ended.

"We decided Ann and Brittney are Bearers of God's Will! They are innocent! You shall release them. We welcome you ladies with open arms! Forgive their brutish ways, for they are without manners, Apostle Ann," announced Pope Vince.

Cindy sped away, happy to be rid of then.

An Archbishop stepped to deal with their situation.

"Please, follow me."

The group walked down beauteous halls, passing detailed paintings of the past, along with busts, sculptures, and armor stands. Minutes later, they reached a fancy and decoratively engraved bath. Angels soared, saints smiled in blessing, and children played joyfully on the walls.

"I will take my leave," the Archbishop bowed and walked away, closing the door behind him.

Ann and Brittney washed up quickly, knowing the perverted John was watching.

In John's opinion, their wet clothing clinging to their bodies and their suggestive postures were very... stimulating. He quickly quieted a raging flame in his loins and then dedicated this moment to memory.

A Nun came with new clothes for them, leaving the standard priestess wear at the door. Ann and Brittney slipped out of the water, carefully slipping over to the pile. John watched very closely.

They stepped back from each other, studying their new look.

"We don't smell like sh*t now and look much better! Now what? We're like heroes now?" Ann speculated.

"Not exactly? We're more like flowers for display in a royal garden. We look pretty, smile, and do as we're told."

"Really!? That's so boooring. Can't we do anything? I want to keep singing, playing, and dancing! If they take away my lyre, I'll go insane! They can take that little sh*t's book for all I care!"

"If you want to leave, we're going to need to escape. We didn't have a chance before because of Cindy's overprotection but now security will be more lax—"

A boom rang through the building. Ann and Brittney stumbled as the floor shook.

"Wh—what the f*ck?"

"We need to get somewhere safe, Brittney!"

Ann grabbed Brittney, trying to escape.

"Do you remem—"

"Yes! We need to be quiet! Shhh!" Ann hissed.

They ran past familiar pieces of art. More boomed echoed the large halls, shaking the building once more. Ann pulled Brittney as she stumbled.

A troop of 10 Templars thundered down the hall in front of them.

"Run! Demons are invading!" screamed the helmet-less, bearded man in the throng of them all.

A very close explosion burst the wall open, dust and debris spraying them all.

"Kill them all, for the Dark Lords!" screamed a shrill voice.

Imps flooded in the hole. A bestial Minotaur thumped its chest, dragging a great axe behind him.

"Take defensive position!"

The Templars spread loosely, unsheathing their swords.

"One! Two! Three! Holy SLASH!!"

The air hummed and 10 rays lined horizontally flew staggered, decapitating tens of the swarm.

"Stop watching, Brittney! Run!"

Brittney turned away from the slaughter. She ran behind Ann, who went down another hall.

Bangs rang out and coordinated orders hung heavy.

Eventually, they made it to an exit. Still, chaos reigned. They watched.

The Capital burned, smoke clouding the Sun. Civilians ran wildly in the streets away from waves of demons. Imps flooded the streets like an unchecked river.

Grey-haired Behemoths swung their elongated arms in their charges, smashing buildings to a pulp. They flattened people underfoot, sometimes ripping apart their victims.

"Grab a horse!" Ann yelled to Brittney.

They saddled on and fled without a care to any of the dangers. Soon, the rallied out of the eastern gates, completely opposite of the invading armies.

Their lungs still burned from the smoke and their ears filled with the screams of death. Ann and Brittney looked briefly back at the death before setting course to the nearest town of Reincart.

A beam behind them silently expanded, wiping out large swathes of demons. The Church began retaliating with the Wizard's Company and the Journeymen's Association.

And all John could say?

"Heavenly System, why the f*ck does the Dark Lord have children?!"