Galian and Odin looked to each other in agreement, and together they stormed after Usis. However, they quickly halted as they ran into Haren outside the door. Haren was using all her might to hold Usis back, and as Haren cast his irate eyes onto Galian and Odin, the twins retreated immediately.
Usis refused.
“Not now, godammit!” Haren yelled as she restrained Usis. “You have a death wish?”
“They’re dying, Haren!” Usis screamed.
“They are, you’re not!” Haren yelled back. Haren finally pushed Usis back into the room, and after she quickly slammed the door shut behind her, a defeated Usis began to pace in frustration.
“Haren,” he pled, “we can help. Let us help.”
“Not today,” Haren firmly ruled. “Now sit down and shut up.”
Usis’s eyes continued to beg Haren, but it was clear that Haren would not yield. Haren locked the door, and after issuing Usis a threatening look, she stood with Galian and Odin at the window. Usis could barely calm himself, but he knew he needed to witness the beast, and soon he joined Haren and the sons of Animus Letum at the window.
Outside in the courtyard, it seemed that with each monk the giant killed, it grew more powerful. As the moments passed, the death toll was amassing in pace with the monster’s blood lust. The giant continued to slice its enormous chain shackles through a radius of fifteen yards, until, as the blood-fall became torrential, it ceased the violent arcs of its chains. The blood-drenched monks, noting the standstill, rushed the monster, but as they drew close to the giant, the beast brutally lashed the chains into its own back. Confusion reigned over the monks as the monster’s eyes began to burn with a wild, glowing red.
Igallik, who had begun his ascent of the High Temple staircase, halted in panic and began to scream back at his brothers.
“Get back! Get back and cover your ears!” he cried.
The monks who heard obeyed, but the ones who didn’t continued to advance on the Blood Cael. As they arrived within yards of the monster, suddenly the giant’s eyes exploded in flame and it bellowed a wicked roar into the monastery air. The eye sockets of fifty monks within range of the beast’s bloody roar instantly burst into flames. With their screaming voices slicing over the bloody massacre, the Throne’s Eye courtyard looked and sounded like hell. As the fire scorched fatally through the monks’ eyes into their brains, the victims of the monster’s scream suffered their torture for over a minute.
As a merciful Death finally collected them, the giant paraded in the destruction it had dealt, its eyes burning with flames as it readied its chains for the next wave.
Igallik watched in horror. He felt each monk’s death as if was the death of his own son. But knowing his responsibility, he quickly turned from the courtyard and again rushed up the stairs to the High Temple. The head monk knew that there was only one weapon that would kill the giant.
By command, Raine held the remaining monks back, and as the monster lashed his chains, Raine called out his orders.
“Archers! Grab your bows!”
Immediately, twenty monks rushed to the Throne’s Eye armoury.
“Whoever’s left,” Raine screamed, “grab those chains!”
The monks all leapt into action. Raine led the first wave. Nimbly, the old warrior dove successfully between the whips of the two chains, but as the swings of the monster’s attacks slashed behind him, the chains crashed into the rest of the first wave. Excluding Raine, each of the ninety monks within fifteen yards of the beast were dead. As the monster scoured the heap of lifeless bodies below, Raine had no option but to feign his own death. The beast ruthlessly stomped onto the corpses, and it missed Raine’s head by only inches. Raine lay deadly still, holding his breath as the beast passed him by. As the archers emerged from the armoury with their bows, the beast looked up from the heap of bodies, snarling and pounding its chest in boast. The archers drew their arrows back in unison, but the beast was not phased. It again lashed the chains into its own back, and as the metal tore into its white flesh, it prepared for another of its thunderous roars. Like sinister rubies, the monster’s eyes began to burn with a wild red. Another roar was imminent. Urgently, Raine leapt to his feet, and after retrieving the dagger on his belt, he lunged at the beast’s throat. The giant’s eyes again exploded in flame, but just before it could scream, Raine plunged the dagger deep into the monster’s windpipe. The giant’s roar was muted, and as the beast staggered back, Raine began to twist the blade into the monster’s flesh. The archers held their arrows as their leader wrestled with the giant, but after a few staggers the beast recaptured its wits and locked its grip around Raine’s torso. Fearlessly, Raine stared into the blood red gaze of the monster. It needed to die. With a surge of fury, the old warrior stabbed wildly into the monster’s neck, and as his blade cut out slices of white flesh, Raine screamed back to the archers.
“Now!” he bawled. “Don’t worry about me! Fire!”
The archers looked to each other in apprehension, but amid their hesitation, Raine’s unrelenting scream was still calling them to action. Finally, they set their aim on the giant. Raine fought desperately against the beast, madly stabbing and twisting his dagger, but the monster’s powerful grip soon clenched around his neck and legs. As Raine’s body crumpled under the weight of the monster’s grip, the old warrior could feel his life being ripped from him. Still, the warrior was calling the archers to action. With a unified release, the archers fired their bows. The arrows flew through the downpour of blood, and just before they connected with their target, the beast violently hurtled Raine across the courtyard towards Odin and Galian’s room. As each arrow struck the monster with perfect accuracy, Raine’s body barrelled through the air towards certain death. Raine’s eyes stared down his death with ferocity. Death, he decided, would meet him on his terms. However, just before impact, Raine’s body halted in mid-air. Raine glanced around in confusion, twisting and contorting as he floated above the earth. As he finally looked through the window to Galian and Odin’s quarters, he could see Galian’s eyes locked onto his own. Galian’s arms were outstretched as if to catch a large object. Then, as Galian lowered his arms, Raine’s body descended out of the air and back down to the courtyard floor. Galian had managed to catch Raine’s fall – a level of power that he had never before achieved. Haren looked to Galian in astonishment, and Raine too, as he allowed himself to regain his composure, offered Galian a thankful nod. Then, to Raine’s left, the door to Galian and Odin’s living-quarters kicked open, and Usis burst out and sprinted at the monster.
“Godammit!” Haren cursed. “Raine,” she yelled, “stop him!”
Raine looked back to Haren in disagreement.
“Haren,” he returned with regret. “We either all fight, or we all die.”
Haren drew her hand to her forehead in deliberation. As she shook her head and looked back out into the hell storm, she elected the safest strategy.
“If Galian and Odin fight, they stay with the archers.”
“Alright,” Raine approved. “Now let’s go!”
With no hesitation, the old warrior turned and sprinted back into the storm of falling blood.
Haren turned to the sons of Animus Letum, her words not asking, but pleading.
“You both heard Raine,” she said. “You stay with the archers.”
Galian and Odin both nodded, and after a look to each other they too dashed out into the fray.
The archers had riddled the beast with countless strikes of their arrows, but the monster was only slightly slowed by the onslaught. With a spear in hand, Raine rushed in and began a rampage on the beast’s limbs. The giant’s slower movement, as well as Raine’s ability to read the timing of the chain lashes, allowed the warrior to cut methodically into the giant’s flesh, slicing the tendons that were supporting its massive frame. However, the onslaught was barely inflicting damage. As Raine continued to scream and cut, Usis strategically stalked the beast from behind, hurtling his numerous daggers into
the monster’s back. The other monks followed Usis’s lead, and as they began to fire projectile assaults at the beast, Odin and Galian quickly joined the archers. The twins added their strengths to the assault and began to fire arrows at the monster – Odin used a bow, and Galian, using his powers, launched entire quivers of arrows at the giant.
As the monks warred with the Blood Cael, Igallik began his descent from the High Temple. In his left hand he brandished the mighty staff of Serich that had crossed realms with Rhea fourteen years earlier.
Igallik began to yell at the monks below him.
“Brothers!” he screamed, “He won’t die by our blades!”
Few monks heard, but of those who did was Galian. After Galian spotted the weapon in the head monk’s hand, he immediately turned to his brother.
“Get close to the beast,” he signed.
Odin was confused. “But Haren said to stay here.”
Galian had to be clear.
“I will never lead you to failure,” he promised. “Now is no exception. Trust me, we can kill it.”
Odin conceded. And as he nodded his head in agreement, Galian’s eyes lit up.
“Now, go!” he spurred.
With fervent speed, Odin turned on his heel and sprinted directly at the giant.
Raine had continued to dodge the chain lashes, but his repeated spear attacks had accomplished very little in defeating the beast. Then, with bravery but poor judgement, a young Torch who was barely eleven, rushed at the monster. The Torch failed in his anticipation of one of the chain attacks, and as the powerful swing of the monster’s chains swept at his legs, the young monk fell heavily to the courtyard floor. Like a practiced hunter, the monstrous Blood Cael stalked the young monk. With emergency, Raine rushed to his aid. Raine managed to cut off the beast’s path, but as he knelt over the Torch, he had no choice but to expose his back. The old warrior used what power he had left to hurry the Torch to safety, but as the young monk finally evaded the giant’s range, the monster roared once more and violently crashed both its chains down against Raine’s back. Raine crumpled instantly, and as he cried out in extreme pain, the giant crouched over the warrior’s body, and then lifted him high into the air.
As Odin rushed into the human perimeter around the beast, he quickly grabbed Usis’s attention.
“Get ready, we’re about to go in.”
“Go in?”
“Just keep your eyes on Galian. He’ll let us know when it’s time.”
Trusting the sons of Animus Letum as his own brothers, Usis nodded and set his eyes on Galian. Galian was watching closely, hoping that Raine could last just a little longer in the monster’s brutal grip.
After the head monk descended the final steps to the courtyard, Galian furiously motioned his arm to Usis and Odin, who immediately rushed at the beast. As they flanked the giant from the left, Igallik handed the mighty staff to Galian. Galian used his power to suspend the staff in front of him, and then his eyes to survey the battle for the proper timing.
As the monster’s grip began to crush Raine’s ribs, the old warrior’s struggle began to falter. The monks, most of them trained by Raine, continued to fight, but as they fired their assaults at the beast, they could not escape the fear that Raine was about to die. Then, just as the last measure of Raine’s air was being throttled from his lungs, Usis rushed into the giant’s view. Usis whipped more of his daggers at the beast, none succeeding in slowing the giant. But as the monster’s eyes met Usis’s, it suddenly dropped Raine. Galian had found his moment, and he quickly used his power to hurtle Serich’s mighty staff towards the giant. As the staff tore through the air, the monster had ceased the lashes of his chains and had stopped cold in front of Usis.
Usis stalled, but Odin did not.
He had locked his eyes on the staff, and as he dashed towards the monster from the rear, he used the heap of bodies to launch himself into the air. As Odin flew towards the giant’s back, he caught the staff in midair, and then on his descent, he stabbed the bladed end of the staff into the back of the monster’s neck. As the staff pierced effortlessly through the giant’s neck, Odin used all his strength to drive the blade down into the monster’s chest cavity. The monster let out a final scream, and as the bloody rainfall halted, the giant’s body fell lifeless before Usis.
The chaos of the courtyard fell to silence, and as the surviving monks surveyed the aftermath, they, in mourning, held themselves in numbed silence. The Blood Cael had struck – its hands caked in the murder of one hundred and forty-six monks. No monk – not Igallik nor Haren – had words for the survivors. And so silence ensued. A massacre had been dealt, and the music of Death would play on.
14
Three days after the Blood Cael massacre, the monks of the Throne’s Eye paid their final respects to the fallen. To pay the boatman, silver coins were placed over each of the murdered monks’ eyes, and their bodies were ceremoniously burned to ash. The surviving monks struggled in their mourning. Some felt guilty – burdened by the mere fact of their own survival. Others simply shut down, paralyzed by the horror they had witnessed four days prior. However, in spite of the tragedy dealt unto them, the surviving monks of the Throne’s Eye did have each other. Most allowed themselves that solace.
Usis did not.
His focus had been driven far beyond the chaos that had reigned within the walls of the Throne’s Eye. He had promised his vengeance on the Metus Sane cult, and now, motivated by the spilled blood of his fallen brothers, he was intent to exact it. Determined to retaliate, Usis had elected to take a leave of absence from the monastery. To do so, Usis required the blessing of the Throne’s Eye High Order of monks.
On the day of his hearing, Usis ascended the grand staircase to the High Temple. As he reached the summit, he could see Raine, who was standing guard in front the High Temple’s massive bronze doors. As Usis approached, Raine made a pleading nod to his apprentice.
“Not too late to change your mind,” he said.
“I have to do this,” Usis answered.
“I know you do, mate.”
Usis studied his mentor for a moment, reading the old warrior like a book.
“I can feel your fear, Raine,” he said. “You know I’m never wrong about that.”
Raine offered a sheepish smile. “Should have known you’d see that.” For Usis, Raine tried to feign some composure. “It’s nothing to worry about, mate,” he said. “It’s just tough to see you go.”
Usis smiled at his mentor. “Don’t worry, you taught me well.”
The Aeris smiled, and as he began to draw open the Temple doors, he paused just before the doors were completely open. “Remember,” he warned, “these boys can spot bullshit from fifty yards. Be honest.”
“I will,” Usis said.
Raine then drew the doors completely open, and after allowing Usis to enter, he closed the doors shut.
Usis approached the Order slowly, surveying the thrones for only the second time in his life. He had been present for a hearing only once – when the Order had voted to adopt him. As a child, the experience was frightening, but as Usis neared the front of the Temple, and Igallik offered a gentle nod, he realized that he was still in the presence of family.
Usis bowed to the crown of Animus Letum and then knelt in the foremost pew. As he stared quietly up at the thrones, the head monk recited the Order’s pledge.
“Let it be understood,” he said, “the verdict for this hearing will be final unless an exceptional force decrees otherwise. Because the verdict is final, the totems of the Order shall be permitted any length of time to make their verdict. However, if a totem is uncertain about a verdict – even in the least – he will defer his vote to another totem’s speciality.”
After the head monk made the pledge, he drew from his tobacco hookah and cast his eyes down onto Usis.
“And as for your request, Usis, I will reiterate that our verdict is final unless an exceptional force decrees otherwise.”
Usis
affirmed his understanding, and after Igallik motioned his hand, the hearing was opened to Usis’s voice.
Usis rose from his pew to address the senior monks.
“Brothers, elders,” he began, “upon this hearing, I will reserve no element of my intent. This is my vow, this is my word.”
The Order monks nodded in respect, and then invited Usis’s plea.
“My request belongs not entirely to myself,” Usis said, “but also to the justice deserved of both my mother and father, and to the brothers we lost four days ago. As you are aware, all of these lives were stolen by the Metus Sane – the followers of Malum Ludus. Against these misfortunes, I now desire a leave of absence from our monastery to track, isolate, and destroy those affiliated by the Metus Sane.”
“Is revenge your only motive?” Igallik probed. The head monk was well aware that the answer to his question was no.
“It is but one part,” Usis said.
“What are the others?” Igallik asked.
“Answers,” Usis declared. “Each witness to my role with the Blood Cael would no doubt acknowledge the beast’s reaction to me. It stopped cold when it met my eyes. Frankly, I will be neither content nor relieved until I understand why.”
The Order monks, each paying Usis’s appeal due respect, took time to deliberate. After an unusually short moment of deliberation, Igallik opened the floor to the other totems.
Raeman was first.
“Understand Usis,” he said, “revenge is a destructive force. A man will always reap what he has sown. But in your case, I do believe you are entitled to your revenge. I see it as justice. You have my blessing.”
Palis, the Mercy totem, concurred with Raeman.
“Yours was an undeserved fate,” he said. “If you choose to follow your past, I too offer my blessing.”
The Sons of Animus Letum Page 15