Heresy: The Book of Mammon

Chapter 5

Chapter 5



General Hashim was a rough looking man who stood tall and proud among them. His dark eyes gazed into theirs as he scanned the Expurgators up and down. He looked quite troubled. Being that Lokken had just been attacked by Ecclesia, Valimaar could understand why.

It was strange seeing all of his brethren in the same room as he, for once they arrived they severed almost all interaction with one another. Valimaar knew that they were ever skeptical of his strategies and ideas, but they followed him regardless. Rialev was particularly distrustful of him, though, he scarcely recalled a time that he wasn’t.

He could feel his stare on him. Though he did not look his direction, Rialev’s gaze was a powerful one, and it was rare that he did not feel his watchful eyes when they were looking at him.

“I trust you understand that this was only an advance army. A scout.” The general paced back and forth behind his wood desk as his eyes met theirs.
“If that is the case, I can’t imagine the size of Ecclesia’s entire force,” The Exarch replied. His eyes never met the general’s. His attentions were focused on his weapons.

“I’d have to guess that it is one that we cannot defend alone.” Rialev added.

The general nodded. “I’m aware that our military is limited in size, but we’ve just seen Ecclesia’s capabilities, and I am confident that we could beat them back again.”

Confidence was a weakness that Valimaar knew full well. It traveled hand in hand with pride. It had nearly cost him the life of Lady Elaine, and his own.
“I don’t think we can be sure until we have a better estimate of their numbers General,” he said.

“I agree,” Melchiah added. “They managed to breach the gate with little effort, if it were not for that spinning mechanism, I imagine that we would have lost the city.”

The general sighed as he looked down at the dusty floor. “We will need to rebuild quickly.”
They all nodded in unison.

“Lokken cannot afford to lose this city. There are treasures here that have ever aided our survival.”
“What do you suggest we do general?” The Exarch looked up at him.

“We must defend the clockworks beneath the city. It powers our defenses, and without it, we have no chance of surviving this war. I want two of you to take a detachment to our borderlands. Request the aid of our neighboring city state Al Albarak. We will need as many soldiers as we can muster. Valimaar, I wish for you to return to Ecclesia. I want you to gather as much intelligence on their forces as possible. Captain Abbadin will fly you as far as he can.”

“I request to accompany him.”

Her voice hung in the air and silenced the men. Valimaar turned to see the bright blue eyes of Lady Elaine staring into his. It felt good to see her once again. It had been too long since they had last spoke.

“I cannot allow that,” Valimaar replied.

“You no longer hold authority over my personal safety.”

“My lady, this mission requires stealth and finesse. I am fully confident in your abilities to learn, but we cannot afford Valimaar’s capture.”
“And you, General Hashim, hold no authority over me.” She stood resolute against his doubt.

“This is a military operation, Lady Elaine.”

“I will take full responsibility for her welfare,” Valimaar said. He smirked at her before turning to face the man.

The general shook his head. “Very well. The rest of you shall see to the defenses. I trust you are all aware of Ecclesia’s capabilities now. I leave it in your hands to prepare against their coming attacks.”

The Expurgators nodded in unison before taking their leave.

***************

The streets of the great city were silent with morning sorrow. They were victorious against the attack of Ecclesia, but that sentiment was regarded little as men and women saw to the wounded and the dead. It was a terrible sight. These people did not dwell on the smaller matters as the rest of the world did. Their attentions were ever on one another. They cared for each other as though they were all family. Knowing that perhaps they were but some cause of the attack was nigh on unbearable.

Valimaar felt their disdain fall upon him as he walked between the tall buildings, beneath the shadows that sheltered him from the sweltering sun. The sun baked stone beneath his feet heated his bones as he strode in unison with Lady Elaine.

All about, men lay huddled in small circles around wounded and dead soldiers. Hushed sobs and occasional cries pierced through the silence and startled his thoughts. It was a sorrow he had not felt since witnessing the plague’s destruction in Duraine months ago. This world was far beyond the reach of the terrors that tore through Ecclesia, but it was not without its own troubles, and he was one of those troubles.

He knew that he and his brethren were on of Ecclesia’s goals, but the Black Sacrament was by far their highest priority. Perhaps this crusade was not directed at him at all, but he could not help but be aware of the possibility that this hardship was his cause.

He could see the hate in their eyes as he marched past. The smell of blood and festering wounds hung in the air as he walked in silence. Crows and vultures flew high above in circular flight patterns awaiting the people to depart the dead.
The heat intensified the stench ten-fold. The limited water supply in the city could only mean that most of those who had not died from their wounds, would eventually. Without the ability to properly dress a wound, a man’s fate was almost always sealed. It was a shame to see such an advanced society fall to the same weaknesses that troubled the rest of the world, though he knew that none could escape their fate. He had tried, and he had failed as did those before him.

“This isn’t your fault Valimaar.”

Her voice offered little comfort to him. Perhaps she was right, but he could not shrug off the fact that he was a hunted man.

“They came for the book, not you.”

“That may be so, but I cannot deny the fact that we were the cause of this attack.”

“How would they know that you are here? For all we know, they could think that we are dead.”

Valimaar shook his head. “You know as well as anyone that the Ecclesiarchy has eyes everywhere. They know we are not dead, and they know we are in Lokken. It was only a matter of time before they came looking for us.”

“Valimaar, this is bigger than just us. I understand how you feel, but you have to start thinking beyond what lies directly in front of you.”

Perhaps she was right. He had dwelled on the facts that he already knew. There could be a thousand reasons that Ecclesia attacked, they being none of them. It was difficult to understand the motives behind mad men and often times, one couldn’t. The Arbiter was no longer himself. What once stood for good and mercy, was no more. The Ecclesiarchy had revealed its true self, and its true agenda. They did not care for the world or its inhabitants, nor had they ever.

A single stone building stood tall at the end of the street beneath the towering buildings. It’s long shadow cast a dark, cool haze over them as they walked beneath it. It was the chapel of Azul. Though the denizens of Lokken practiced no faith that he could see, It was comforting to know that at least acknowledged the existence of some higher power, if in fact, Azul was a higher power at all.

He found it strange that Lady Elaine asked him to accompany her with such urgency. Since they had come to Lokken, she had distanced herself from the Expurgators. They were all possessed, but he knew that that was something unknown to her. If she had discovered it, he couldn’t imagine what he would say to comfort her.

The old stone shot through the sunlit streets and into the heavens above. Cracks and pits coursed through the yellow rock and was a testament to the building’s age. A heavy steel door hung beneath an arched entry that had long since held any manner of elegance. The door itself was red with rust. Thought it was quite old, it swung freely on its hinges, and required little effort to open.

Inside, the hushed cries of the wounded filled his ears. All about, men and women lay in makeshift mattresses of straw and sheets. There was little organization to all of it, and even less order. They entered into the mire of anguish and kept their eyes forward as the gazes of the injured fell upon them once more.

Pews that once held I high polish shine were tarnished with age. Streaks of blood trickled off of the old wood and puddled onto the floor below as men and women struggled to lend aid to those that had fallen to their ailments. The long crimson carpet that stretched from the door to the altar was stained with dirt and blood. No manner of elegance remained in this once magnificent place, and it felt like the tangible loss of faith. Valimaar wondered what sort of stories its walls held. He wondered if these people had ever believed in gods or devils.

Lady Elaine led him through a dark doorway behind the altar. Stairs spiraled downward between a narrow, and dark hallway. The old stone offered little traction as he walked, and several times he lost his footing on the slick stone. He kept his hands along the coarse walls as he descended.

When they reached the bottom, she slowly walked around an old table littered with books and texts. Candlelight flickered in the dusty darkness and cast dancing shadows around the round room. Books stood on old shelves that lined the walls, and cobwebs danced in the slight draft that poured through the room. The smell of ancient pages filled his nose as he followed behind.

She placed her finger on an open book that lay upon the table, pointing at a passage. Her eyes turned to meet his as she tapped her fingertip on the paper.

“This entry here is a prophecy that I’ve finished translating.”

Valimaar cocked his head to view it. It was an old book - every bit as old as the ones he’d seen in Ecclesia. He recognized the language. It was the same one they had come across so many months ago in Ecclesia. It was the language that had been carved into the flesh of those that the Daemon had murdered. That time was long ago, and she had advanced much in translation.

“What does it say?”

“It speaks of many things.” She turned the page and pulled a small parchment from the crease of the book. She held it to him.

He gripped it in his fingertips. It was in her writing.

The Devil had recruited the aid of man and Daemon.

On the ninth day of the ninth year, the engines were

Complete, and it was so that he created his world.

As time passed and the world aged, the engines

Were forgotten. They were buried beneath the

Sands of time in the great spires of the world.

They will continue to run until his return.

Upon the awakening, on the ninth day of the ninth

Year, he will destroy them. The world shall collapse.

His betrayal shall cause the destruction of the world.

His betrayal shall go unnoticed. His betrayal shall

Go unchallenged.

“Engines?” Valimaar looked up from the paper. Her blue eyes stared into his.

She nodded. “That is what it says. I don’t know what it is referring to, but I think it’s a very important prophecy. It’s speaking of creation Valimaar. Our creation. I don’t understand it’s meaning but it troubles me.”

“You would no better than I what it means.”

“It is speaking of the return of something. A Daemon I’m guessing. One that was close to Azaal during the ancient times. One that will betray him.”

Valimaar felt his muscles lock. He knew that Ithaca dwelled within him. Azaal’s first born son resided in his spirit. Was it he that would betray Azaal? Perhaps it was he that would betray the entire world.

“You should keep working on it.”

Lady Elaine nodded. She turned the pages once more and placed her fingers on another passage. “I’ve translated another section. I found this one to be quite interesting.”

“What does it say?”

She turned to him and her face held no emotion. “How long have you been possessed?”

He was stunned. He felt words sticking in his throat as she looked at him. How did she know?

“Valimaar… please tell me.”

“Since the murders of Ecclesia.”

She nodded. “That was nearly four months ago. I trust you Valimaar. I trust all of you. Regardless of what has claimed you, I know what lies inside you, and it is not evil.”

His head sunk. “I’ve wrestled with this Daemon for a long time. Father Gordon left me his guidance, and assured me that I would overcome this thing, but I can’t help but fear for myself and those around me.”

“He was confident in your abilities, as am I.”

“I’m not so sure of myself anymore. Things have changed, and perhaps I was the cause one way or another. I’ve always felt that we Expurgators held an unholy power within us, once it was revealed to me, I lost that confidence.”

She shook her head. “Regardless of what it is that powers your soul, you’ve used it for good, not evil. You should not fear yourself.”

“I cannot help it. I’m a Daemon my Lady. I’m not a man… I am a monster. I go to Ecclesia willingly. I don’t expect to return.”

She placed her soft palm on his shoulder. “The world is still a beautiful place Valimaar. Those in it do not want to die. Your brethren don’t want to die. It’s a shame that you’re so eager to, that is why I requested to accompany you. I think I can help.”

“No one can help me.”

“Regardless if someone can or not, I’m still going. I will not sit idly by while you commit suicide!” She stomped away from him.

“I will not allow myself to do something I cannot live with! I’m a killer my lady. Not a man, not even a Daemon. I am a killer. I’ve been doing it since I was created! I grow weary of the guilt on my soul. I no longer wish to see another tomorrow!”

“Dammit Valimaar, don’t you understand what you are saying? You desire death! You would willingly take the gift of life and throw it aside because you’re afraid?” She turned to face him and clenched her fists.

“I’m afraid I’ll bring more harm to those around me. Is that not reason enough?”

“I will not let you do something like this. We need you. I need you.”

“No one needs me.” He turned away from her glare. There was no point in arguing. He’d made up his mind. With or without her approval, he would see to his undoing.

Her finger locked as her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

“I love you.”