Aresan Clan pt 89

Robair galloped upon a fatigued horse through the cramped streets of Waldoon at such a rapid pace that people had to leap out of his way. When he pulled up to the front steps of the palace he immediately dismounted and ran up towards the entrance.

When he entered into the main courtyard of the palace, he found it not sparsely crowded as he usual would, but now packed with troops. The troops were lined up in rigid rows of parade formations and were being marched about. Their discipline and order was admirable: the arms and legs of hundreds of men moved in unison and they maintained the straight perpendicular lines as they moved.

Robair hastily crossed the courtyard to the congregation hall, cutting through the crowds of soldiers. As soon as he entered, he found the pews now crowded with devotees silently praying. He progressed to the door of High Priest Saurek’s office, and the guard opened it up as soon as he saw him approaching. Inside, the High Priest was speaking with a few of his advisors and had his secretaries flanking him on either side. But he came to an abrupt stop as soon as he saw Robair enter.

“You saw Still Creek-forr?” Saurek asked, focusing the intense stare of his wrinkled face upon the recently arrived scout.

“Ashes,” Robair reported, soberly nodding his head as he spoke and lowering his eyes out of respect, “All the buildings: gone.”

“Itinerants? Onutians?” Saurek asked, furrowing his brow in an interrogative countenance.

“Definitely from the Aresans or the Omnians,” Robair replied, “We found the remains of a goat that had been sacrificed in the style of that region. It’s unmistakable.”

Saurek sat back in his chair. He looked like he was trying to present the displeased expression of one disappointed that fate had forced him to take such extreme measures, but a small smile sneaked onto his face. “Close the doors to the temple. We are at war,” he announced, “And I shall have to consult with God. I’ll address the crowds afterwards.”

After Saurek stepped inside the ground-level temple, the great metal doors were pushed closed behind him. The only light remaining in the room was that of the small flames on the pedestals and the natural light that entered through the distant ceiling.

He made the ascent, and during this time crowds began to gather around the citadel. Slowly the soldiers fell out of formation as they were ordered to gather to hear some words from the High Priest. Attracted by these crowds, many others joined, and gradually the crowd around the citadel swelled.

As Saurek made the descent he stopped at a door that was some few dozen steps above the bottom step. The door opened to a small balcony, which overlooked the courtyard and now looked down upon the spontaneously assembled crowd.

“Citizens and adherents of the Order of the Fourth Road to Divinity. It is on this day that I announce to you that the boundaries or our sacred dominion have been violated by foreigners,” Saurek began to speak, sending his capacious voice out over the crowds, “Nay, our borders have not simply been violated, destruction has been perpetrated upon our land. A village has been destroyed. Every building in it burnt to ashes. Every citizen killed mercilessly. And for what? I will tell you. Because the Omnia and the Aresan Clan seek conquest. They seek to conquer this whole land. And they will not stop until they succeed. I know this because God knows all and He communicated it to me.

“Now, what does God ask us to do in response, you might ask. Well, when I was atop this citadel just moments ago and I communed with God, He presented me with a vision. I saw a vision of valleys submerged in the blood of our enemies. I see their blood dripping through the ceiling of Darholl, where, after we slay them, they shall be sentenced for all eternity for their wickedness. They believe in false and foolish teachings: that there are many gods there to protect them. But I and my predecessors have spoken with the one God and know that He does not favor those who reject him. There is no blessedness for them in the afterlife.

“Too long their godless ways have obstructed the path of the righteous. We shall bring God to their lands at the tip of a sword. The tips of the swords of you soldiers here, and the many others we are gathering together to attack. With our strength and with the strength of God behind us, we shall be victorious.”

Applause and shouts of approval spread across the crowds at these words.

<-- Go to Part 88         Go to Part 90 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

Robair galloped upon a fatigued horse through the cramped streets of Waldoon at such a rapid pace that people had to leap out of his way. When he pulled up to the front steps of the palace he immediately dismounted and ran up towards the entrance.

When he entered into the main courtyard of the palace, he found it not sparsely crowded as he usual would, but now packed with troops. The troops were lined up in rigid rows of parade formations and were being marched about. Their discipline and order was admirable: the arms and legs of hundreds of men moved in unison and they maintained the straight perpendicular lines as they moved.

Robair hastily crossed the courtyard to the congregation hall, cutting through the crowds of soldiers. As soon as he entered, he found the pews now crowded with devotees silently praying. He progressed to the door of High Priest Saurek’s office, and the guard opened it up as soon as he saw him approaching. Inside, the High Priest was speaking with a few of his advisors and had his secretaries flanking him on either side. But he came to an abrupt stop as soon as he saw Robair enter.

“You saw Still Creek-forr?” Saurek asked, focusing the intense stare of his wrinkled face upon the recently arrived scout.

“Ashes,” Robair reported, soberly nodding his head as he spoke and lowering his eyes out of respect, “All the buildings: gone.”

“Itinerants? Onutians?” Saurek asked, furrowing his brow in an interrogative countenance.

“Definitely from the Aresans or the Omnians,” Robair replied, “We found the remains of a goat that had been sacrificed in the style of that region. It’s unmistakable.”

Saurek sat back in his chair. He looked like he was trying to present the displeased expression of one disappointed that fate had forced him to take such extreme measures, but a small smile sneaked onto his face. “Close the doors to the temple. We are at war,” he announced, “And I shall have to consult with God. I’ll address the crowds afterwards.”

After Saurek stepped inside the ground-level temple, the great metal doors were pushed closed behind him. The only light remaining in the room was that of the small flames on the pedestals and the natural light that entered through the distant ceiling.

He made the ascent, and during this time crowds began to gather around the citadel. Slowly the soldiers fell out of formation as they were ordered to gather to hear some words from the High Priest. Attracted by these crowds, many others joined, and gradually the crowd around the citadel swelled.

As Saurek made the descent he stopped at a door that was some few dozen steps above the bottom step. The door opened to a small balcony, which overlooked the courtyard and now looked down upon the spontaneously assembled crowd.

“Citizens and adherents of the Order of the Fourth Road to Divinity. It is on this day that I announce to you that the boundaries or our sacred dominion have been violated by foreigners,” Saurek began to speak, sending his capacious voice out over the crowds, “Nay, our borders have not simply been violated, destruction has been perpetrated upon our land. A village has been destroyed. Every building in it burnt to ashes. Every citizen killed mercilessly. And for what? I will tell you. Because the Omnia and the Aresan Clan seek conquest. They seek to conquer this whole land. And they will not stop until they succeed. I know this because God knows all and He communicated it to me.

“Now, what does God ask us to do in response, you might ask. Well, when I was atop this citadel just moments ago and I communed with God, He presented me with a vision. I saw a vision of valleys submerged in the blood of our enemies. I see their blood dripping through the ceiling of Darholl, where, after we slay them, they shall be sentenced for all eternity for their wickedness. They believe in false and foolish teachings: that there are many gods there to protect them. But I and my predecessors have spoken with the one God and know that He does not favor those who reject him. There is no blessedness for them in the afterlife.

“Too long their godless ways have obstructed the path of the righteous. We shall bring God to their lands at the tip of a sword. The tips of the swords of you soldiers here, and the many others we are gathering together to attack. With our strength and with the strength of God behind us, we shall be victorious.”

Applause and shouts of approval spread across the crowds at these words.

<-- Go to Part 88         Go to Part 90 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

Aresan Clan pt 89