- Joined
- Sep 22, 2007
- Messages
- 5,662
- Awards
- 8
- Age
- 28
Light was slipping out from the ruined house where they had settled, leaving the cracks and the stains and the roaches to places unseen. Cold air was blowing in, and Klist was set about making a fire. The only clean, warm place was the bed where Alcaeus finally stirred. For all the misery and peril about them — for all the terror that surrounded Alcaeus, the Obsidian Soldier — to see his patient wake made Christoph smile.
"What have I missed?" the old warrior asked.
"What have you missed?" Christoph parroted back. His thoughts strayed back to the strange man outside Via Gren, but he said none of that. "We are well on the way to Jaroton. Thus far, we've encountered no problems worthy of mention. A few bandits, desperate and hungry; we drove them away without any bloodshed. Our supplies are well-stocked, thanks to Kivuli our hunter. If things remain as they are, we will outside Jaroton soon enough, I imagine." He shifted in his chair. "From there, I imagine we'll go about ... cleansing the city."
He had a notion that 'cleansing' did not have a positive connotation for Alcaeus, given his distaste for the Goddess. But it did not seem to faze him; on the contrary, he seemed all too willing to clear his mother country of vermin. Those were his exact words — or near enough. With that decided, Christoph urged his patient back to bed. Alcaeus would have nothing of it, so as a compromise they settled for a seat by the fire. And so the pilgrims passed the night.
In the morning, whatever remained of Jaroton would welcome them.
March, my soldier. March to victory.
You shall conquer the fool warlock, the bloody queen.
You shall deliver unto me the stronghold of my enemy, and your rewards shall be great.
Already you have delivered unto me the servant of my enemy. Do as you are bid, and your reward shall be great.
You are mine, and I am yours. I am your mother, your sister, your lover. Illuminated by me, you cannot fail.
I love you dearly, so long as you love me. And serve me.
And teach others to serve.
"What have I missed?" the old warrior asked.
"What have you missed?" Christoph parroted back. His thoughts strayed back to the strange man outside Via Gren, but he said none of that. "We are well on the way to Jaroton. Thus far, we've encountered no problems worthy of mention. A few bandits, desperate and hungry; we drove them away without any bloodshed. Our supplies are well-stocked, thanks to Kivuli our hunter. If things remain as they are, we will outside Jaroton soon enough, I imagine." He shifted in his chair. "From there, I imagine we'll go about ... cleansing the city."
He had a notion that 'cleansing' did not have a positive connotation for Alcaeus, given his distaste for the Goddess. But it did not seem to faze him; on the contrary, he seemed all too willing to clear his mother country of vermin. Those were his exact words — or near enough. With that decided, Christoph urged his patient back to bed. Alcaeus would have nothing of it, so as a compromise they settled for a seat by the fire. And so the pilgrims passed the night.
In the morning, whatever remained of Jaroton would welcome them.
___________________________________________
March, my soldier. March to victory.
You shall conquer the fool warlock, the bloody queen.
You shall deliver unto me the stronghold of my enemy, and your rewards shall be great.
Already you have delivered unto me the servant of my enemy. Do as you are bid, and your reward shall be great.
You are mine, and I am yours. I am your mother, your sister, your lover. Illuminated by me, you cannot fail.
I love you dearly, so long as you love me. And serve me.
And teach others to serve.