XXV.

XXV.

When they stopped at a fortified village, within the walls of which they were spared the predation of nightly stalkers known to frequent the roads, they were but one amongst three-dozen carriages. It seemed that the dirt highway that carved through the land towards Rooskeld, and the border of Lleman beyond, was so heavily-travelled that whole communities had formed along this crucial pathway simply to take care of the caravaners, who ferried people and foodstuffs and raw materials.

Though offered to accompany the driver to some local tavern and stay the night, Jakob curtly declined, preferring to stay outdoors, where he had escape-routes more easily-accessible, should the Crown had caught his scent. They were yet within the reach of the King, and Rooskeld lay another full days travel away, so complacency now would be the ultimate folly.

would youbring mea caravaner asked Guillaume suddenly, after staring into the abyss-black eyes of Sig for hours in silence.

You wish to expand your web?

yes

Only if you show me how you spread your essence and create new puppets. My contract should prevent it, so Im curious how you circumvented the clause I wrote.

of course

Heskel, Jakob started, knowing he did not need to say more. The Wight grunted and left the stow, the whole vehicle lifting from the sudden absence of his enormous mass.

A few minutes later, Jakob looked back at the Daemon, whose puppet was yet again staring at the blank-faced Sig.

You wished to possess her, but you have not transferred your essence and made her truly yours.

there is an emberof the Eternalin so pure an Unliving

Jakob inclined his head slightly, trying to comprehend Guillaumes true meaning.

I could never makesuch untainteda vesselof the Eternal

You believe yourself tainted?

by the formless willof the Eternal SerpentI am becomearbiter of undeath

the Eternal birthed mebut I am no longera part of Its essence

a copy of the Great One is what I remain

in her is a purityan embera tiny fragment you cannot holdand it calls mesings to meit is indescribable beauty

Jakob was unsure whether the Daemon was being truthful, though he certainly seemed to believe his own words. He had many times heard from Grandfather and Raleigh about the melodramatic and self-aggrandising proclivities that Pride Demons possessed, and wondered if that was what the Daemon now expressed. After all, it seemed not only absurd to claim himself born of a Great One, but something bordering on blasphemy. But, Demons were not wont to lie, though they might bend the reality of things, and Daemons were on the whole utterly unknown when compared to their progenitors and the libraries that described Demonkind in microscopic detail. It frightened him that there might be some grain of truth to Guillaumes words.

Have you experienced this before? You must have, I simply used a basic rite to reanimate her corpse. There should be nothing unique about her.

oncewhen last I was summoneddecades past

Doth that not him an enemy make?

I do not believe so, milord.

Octavios eyes narrowed. They were a piercing-and-glowing white, visible through the double slits that ran diagonal over the front of his strange helmet, in a double-layered V from the nose-ridge to his temples. The armour of the Elite Corps of the Church was form-fitting and rounded in the front, but flared outward in sharp jutting spike in the back, making it akin to silver water frozen as it fell down their bodies. In the exposed joints were a fine and intricate mesh of chainmail, beneath which was soft and expensive pure-white cloth. Their backs were an obvious weak-point, as the armour covered only the front of their bodies, and just chainmail covered them from nape to lower-back, but it was iconic of their credo: Turn not thy back to the unholy and profane.

I see. Now, Sirellius, enlighten me about those who have brought such devastation to our most holy place.

Sirellius swallowed and then started to explain the events of two decades prior.

Guillaume looked up from his fixed stare and regarded Jakob, who himself had been letting his thoughts run wild to endure the monotony of the journey.

Sirellius has broughtstrange onesto his city

Strange ones?

they are almostdemonicbut human still

How so?

Heskel was following their exchange intently, seeming to sense trouble.

with humansthe natural aura isfragmented into vicesdemonkind are singularfixed into singular desirethese strange ones are likewise

What desire?

untainted whitepurity incarnate

You know them? Jakob asked his Lifeward.

Heskel nodded gravely. They are powerful. The Swords of Olemn.

Adherents of the Eight Saint?

the Eight is likewisea Saint of Vicehis adherents yet remain ignorantto this truth

Does that make his followers demons?

in a wayor so it seems

Jakob suddenly wondered if perhaps his decimation of Haven had bought him adversaries worse than the Crown itself, but, it hardly mattered, if he could keep out of their sight until he had called forth Nharlla. None could challenge him then.