Heresy: The Book of Mammon

Chapter 18

Chapter 18



Judaes sat silent at the table in the center of the Barracks. The men and women who manned the walls and great mechanisms were gone, and he was alone. It was difficult to think that Valimaar was no longer with them, but he did what he thought he had to do. He was a noble man, who never put himself in front of others. What he did, was quite the sacrifice.

His knowledge of hell was as deep as the next man, and he could only imagine as to the twisted nightmares he'd encounter along the way. He was a Daemon, and an Expurgator. Such nightmares were little more than a nuisance. It was his guidance and wisdom that led them to Lokken. Though they had once considered them their enemy, they accepted them with open arms.

It had been four months since they found themselves excommunicated and exiled, and much had changed. The desert grew ever hotter on his skin, and though the northern winds were nothing more than a scarce memory, the heat was still close to unbearable. It was an inconvenience, but he would see it through. Because of Valimaar's sacrifice, perhaps they had a few more nights of peace. He knew it would be short lived, for the Ecclesian Crusade would not stop until Lokken was decimated.

Father Papal's news held profound value, and simply thinking of the numbers of men that would fall upon these walls was shocking. He couldn't imagine where they had managed to muster such a force, but he had been a member of its Laity for years. The things he'd seen and done, left little question that Ecclesia was more than capable of doing such things.

Still, Valimaar was gone, and they were one less. He was a skilled fighter, and losing him would prove to be a painful blow. He'd been his friend for nearly seven years - if Expurgators even had friends. They were a different group of men. Their attitudes, and their way of life had left little in the way of being social. He knew that better than anyone, for he was their Exarch. His teachings had brought them to the way they are, but he did have help. Celestine ever pushed them in the direction he desired. Those times were no more, for the bonds of heirarchy no longer held them captive. They were free men and could do as they pleased. He hoped, however, that what they did was serving the right cause.

He trusted Valimaar's judgment, but nothing was certain anymore. Things were spinning out of control, and the world was turning backwards. Ecclesia was going to attack, that much was certain. His allies, however, were ever unknown. He'd thought that the General was on their side, but with Valimaar's assumptions, he'd found himself questioning the thought. It was rare that he was incorrect, for he had a way of finding the truth beneath people's lies. Judaes would no longer have that advantage, for his only known ally was gone.

The door swung open and he felt the cold steel beneath his palm. His hand rested upon the hilt of his sword as he watched the shadow heading for him. His tense muscles relaxed when he saw Rialev step into the glow of the candle light.

He held a blue feather in his hand and up to the light as he sat. "I found this."

What did that have to do with anything? A feather?

"And?"

"Look at it closer. Do you recognize it?"

He took it from his hands. It was soft and elegant. It wasn't a natural color, but dyed, for no bird that he knew in the desert had such vibrant colors. He turned it in his hands. He remembered.

"Hashim."

Rialev nodded. "It's his turban feather."

He recalled it pointing from the cloth on his head. It was as blue as his uniform. He remembered shortly after the attack, it no longer graced his head piece.

"Where did you find it?"

"The gateway."

Valimaar was right as he always was. He had a hard time believing him, for the General had done everything in his power to see to their needs. He was more than willing to recruit them into the military, and they had since been treated well. It was all a cover for the betrayer.

Judaes shook his head as he looked down at the feather in his hand.

"We can't trust anyone," Rialev said.

He was right. Everyone he'd assumed were his allies were turning on them. Hashim had disabled the wards that Papal spoke of. It allowed his attacker to come to Lokken. It allowed Papal to come. There were far too many Ecclesian worms skulking through the shadows of the city, and though the General was most certainly a wytch, he was nothing more than an Ecclesian lapdog.

Heat burned in his limbs as he clenched his fist. He was weary of the betrayal and deciet. He would end this madness.

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

Judaes stood behind the wall. To his left, the door to the General's quarters was open. Conversation between the two of them fell upon his ears, and he was silent as he listened.

"The defenses be almost restored."

He recognized the man's voice. It was Colonel Azim, second in command of the Veruna military.

"That be good news."

"What of the news from the priest? Will you request aid from Xalimfal?"

"That be a waste of time."

He scowled as he listened. He would simply abandon any hope they had? Of course he would, for he did not care if they won or lost. He was an Ecclesian ally.

He stepped through the doorway and the door clicked as it shut behind him. His eyes fell upon the General who sat at his desk. His facial expression was all he needed to know. The man feared him.

"Judaes, we be having a discussion. Please leave, it be almost finished."

He didn't listen. "I'll only be a moment." He held the feather up between his thumb and forefinger. "Recognize this?"

The General looked at the blue thing in his hands, and his eyes rose to meet his. "That be my feather."

Judaes held it out in his hand, and the General took it from him. His eyes never turned away from him. "Thank you."

He stepped around behind his desk and looked out the window. There below, the city rested in the desert's dawn. "Rialev found it and brought it to me. He found it at the gateway." He felt the cold metal in his palm and slid his dagger from its sheath.

"Wherever he found it, I be glad you brought it to me. Will that be all?"

"It's curious that it was there, General. Until only recently, nobody knew that it existed. Those that did were our enemies; Daemons. I've thought about it, and I have calculated that it's the most vulnerable section of the city."

"Why that be?"

"It wouldn't be if you hadn't disabled the wards."

“I don’t know what you be talking about.”

He turned and pounded his fist into his desk. “You know exactly what I’m talking about!”

“You be looking to blame someone for your hardships. I respected your abilities as a leader, but be wrong about you, Judaes. You’re mad.”

“And I was wrong about you,” Judaes said. His hand gripped the General by his brow and pulled his head back. The dagger ripped across his neck and blood poured onto the desk as his head crashed into the wood with a thud.

He was a betrayer, but now he was little more than a corpse. His blood stained the floor at his feet as he stood, and he stepped away from the swelling crimson pool. He would not allow its taint to touch him.

Colonel Azim’s eyes were wide with shock as he looked at the dead General. His hands worked the pistol that hung at his side, but the click of the Exarch’s hammer stopped him.

“You will do as I say, or you’ll suffer the wrath of seven angered Expurgators.”

The colonel nodded and swallowed hard.

Judaes stared down the barrel of his pistol. “Congratulations on your promotion.” He loosed the hammer, and returned the pistol to its banyan. “We’ve been deceived. Call the Avian Captains to council. I’ll explain everything.”