Order of Termination

Was it even possible to describe what went on in the cabin? Blood and gore plastered on the walls, furniture torn to shreds, and the twisted remains of his daughter and granddaughters discarded in the corner in a grotesque pile. Sean did his best to keep his composure as he gritted his teeth, still tears streamed down his cheeks as he wondered what evil had been summoned here on his household.
Choking back cries, he asked the constable : ‘What happened here, Niall, what sort of beast could do this? And where is this drunk fucker Amroth, where was he when this happened?
Chances are he was the one that done’em, Sean, I’m so sorry. Witnesses saw him leave the house, walking like he was half-mad, howlin’ at the moon ’n stars.
Don’t be daft, said Sean in a rage, look at the marks, look at the blood! No man could do this, this is the doing of the devil, ’tis! Amroth must have come in to find’em this way and couldn’t stomach the sight, he probably ran to a ditch to faint into!
Sean saw a glimpse of pity in Niall’s eyes as he said: ‘Sure thing Sean, sure thing. Listen I’m so sorry about what happened here, we’ll find whoever did it, eh? Have some rest, I’ll have someone fetch the priest to see that everyone is given proper rites.’

The next months were nothing but a haze. Amroth was never found alive or dead, he ran like the coward or the culprit he was. Maybe there was some truth to what the witness saw? Maybe he was the killer, he was pretty large and strong after all, so maybe. Even if he had the strength to do it, how could he find in himself to slaughter his own blood, his own children? Both the duke and the archbishop put out an arrest order on him, he was a wanted man, and an easy to recognise at that, mountain sized as he was. He would not be able to go far.
As months turned to years, Sean lost hope to ever find justice. He went about his daily tasks with a light forever gone. Anger and bile were all that remain in his aging body. Soon he would pass to meet his maker, knowing justice would never have been served.
It was only in his old days, at fifty passed that the Lord answered his plea or help. Father Byrne came to him after mass with a troubled look, holding a letter fastened closed with a heavy red wax seal. ‘An official letter from the Vatican, Sean, first time I ever see one truth be told. And … it’s for you!’ he said with an incredulous look and his voice quacking with awe. He pushed the letter into Sean’s hands before adding: ‘I’ll leave you to it, this is or your eyes only, to be sure.”

Sean look at the letter, the seal was holding a golden ribbon prisoner, onto which the phrase
Divisione 31 della santa inquisizione, sotto la protezione di san Leopoldo was written. He broke the seal and open the letter to read it.

Dear Mister Doyle,
I hope this letter finds you with no trouble, as it will have to travel a formidable distance to reach you. Words of your woes have reached the holy seat of our faith, and I deemed necessary to write to you, as I believe I may be the only man that can help you find solace into the holy revenge of our Lord.
The way your family has been so horribly mutilated and slain leads me to believe that dark and terrible demonic forces were at play, forces so vile that I dare not speak about them in too many details here. Do know though that the holy inquisition knows about this evil, and has successfully hunted it down in the past. All it takes are a few determined men personally devoted to the Lord to destroy this evil. Those few holy warriors I have the honour to lead all have but one thing in common: they witnessed and suffered at the hand of evil themselves, and chose to walk into the light of the Lord.
If you would also choose to walk the path of holy retribution amongst us, to hunt down your treacherous and blood-crazed stepson mister O’Rourke, leave Galway and meet us in the Vatican. I arranged your archbishop to enact an Order of Termination, letting all those of the Faith not to trust this felon ever again.
I can offer you nothing but justice, and only if you truly wish for it.

Father Leopold Van Kvallen