The Firmament Saga: Book I: The Rains of Sorrow

Chapter 3: Day of Spirits

Chapter 3: Day of Spirits (Lou)

Stormday, Week 40, Month Quintus, Year of God 487

"You have all gathered here in this house of worship to let the rain cover your soul," the translator shouted. "God shall cleanse you so long as you know our time, and know thyself."

"Sun, this is so damn boring," Lou muttered. Beneath his coat, he wore an honest-to-God necktie that had taken him an astonishingly long time to tie. The rain dripping through the many holes in the ceiling of the cavernous church chamber soaked through his hair and dribbled down his collar and onto his shirt. The vast building in the middle of the common sector of Urbs Sacer was a massive rectangular block. Rows of stone pews were arranged in front of a podium where a Rain Casteman read aloud from the holy books and an Earth Caste translator spoke to the crowd.

"Keep it down, boy," Thyrian, who was sitting next to Lou, growled. "People will stare."

"Okay, okay," Lou responded. "But it is, though. I mean, who the sun speaks like that? The words out of that translator's mouth might as well be rat droppings."

"The Highchant of the Rain Caste doesn't often translate well to our Lowchant language," Thyrian said. "Get used to it, boy."

"Today, I shall read from the Book of Truths. As it has been many weeks since I last recounted the story of creation, I shall thus today recount it today, ahem, sorry for the poor translation, and it today shall today fill your ears with today's word of rain's God." The old bearded man sitting behind the reader stopped speaking and snickered. He was the Rain Caste priest who was doing the actual reading. The short, sweaty Earth Casteman was merely translating for him. The old man said something in Highchant, that was unintended for others to hear, but Lou picked it out anyway.

Lou had no idea what the man was saying, but it sounded like an insult. He caught the world "Rustic," which meant "peasant." His face reddened in frustration and, as he turned his attention to the bearded man, Thyrian grabbed his shoulder.

"Easy, easy, boy," he muttered. "Don't repeat last week's mistake." Last week, Lou had openly began to yell at the priest. He had been pulled away to be punished. Thankfully, the guard on duty had been Robin, and Lou had got away with only a stern talking-to. Still, it wasn't an experience he would like to repeat, especially if the guard was more devout.

The translator continued to translate the priest's words. He began to recite a lengthy sermon, which Lou had heard many times before. He boredly mouthed the words as they reached his ears.

"In the beginning, the world was inhospitable. Nothing lived in her dunes, seas, and fields. The very air was poison, and the water filled with rot. Then, the gods found this planet. Numbering one and a hundred, they took to work modeling it in their own image. They created beasts, birds, plants and even the clean air itself. They shaped rock, sand and water in new patterns. The gods took pride in their work, and when they were done, they created a new creature, humans. The gods were lazy, and lay down to sleep and let their disciples do as they wished. But there was one god who refused such degeneracy. The God of Rain, He was called. He had helped to create the weather."

Lou's eyes flickered on and off. He desperately wanted to sleep, but Thyrian would be enraged if Lou did so. He continued to listen to the sermon.

"First, God slew all the other gods in their sleep. He then changed the weather and banished the sun from sight, for it was a corruption. He let some sun in, as a little is essential for life. Then, He killed all the humans who rose against him. With dangerous powers, the humans almost killed God. But He got the better of them and slaughtered them all. His disciples became the noble castes, while He created new humans out of stone and earth to do his bidding - the lowly, barely-human commoners."