The Son of Light

Chapter 21 The Prophet's Question.

Matthias led Alois to his trunk the next day after another terrible shift at Trukrainja, and pulled out the file for him to see. Alois thumbed through it, saying nothing and read the telegram as well. "Well this certainly takes the biscuit!" He exclaimed. "The proof we've needed! The commander of the triple alliance junta awaits the orders of Treasurer Billy Wandy! There is no doubt in my mind now, and we have it writing!" He turned to Matthias." We don't have much time Matthias. We have to kill Wandy, and try to convince your compatriots to abandoned his false cause. Who do you trust amongst them?" Matthias stared at him in complete astonishment. "I trust all of them with my life, Alois! I won't abandon any of them! They are my brothers. We'll save all of them!" Alois looked concerned but said nothing nonetheless. "All right, I'll get someone to take Takeshi's body. But were first going to have to remove it from here. We can't let anyone know of your little hole. It may yet be of some use for us still. And I'll speak to all of you tonight. I've got to go and gather all my evidence if we're going to convince your compatriots." The two of them then heaved Takeshi's body out into a bit of cloth, and carried him up into the alley way and laid him by a delapted building. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets a proper burial!" With that they both went there separate ways. Matthias started to head back when a voice sounded in his ear. Matthias! It said. Matthias whirled about looking for the speaker but saw no one. Thinking it was a trick of the wind he hurried back to his lodgings and collapsed onto his rough bunk. Despite this Matthias dosed off into a deep slumber.

Later that evening, Alois came to the apartment and knocked boldly. The boys who were all sitting about playing cards jumped up with fear in their eyes when they perceived to be a Wolsh officer. "It's all right, He's a fellow compatriot!" said Matthias to the astonished group. Matthias gulped nervously as he was unsure how to proceed having kept all his actions with the renaissance a secret from his compatriots. Thankfully Alois broke the ice for him. "Matthias speaks the truth. I am a Ghüddsche who has managed to evade capture, due to the falsification of my blood test. I have infiltrated the Allied Mandate's cooperative military junta and have worked tireless since my commission to help facilitate the downfall of these bastards and the rebirth of the Ghüddsche nation state where every Ghüddsche can live freely and with pride!"

The boys who had been on edge slightly now burst out laughing. "You think we haven't heard that shit before?" they yelled.  "Oh yes your one of us simply because your hair is blonde and your eyes are blue. Get out of it, Matthias how could you be taken in by this fool-" "Matthias has not as you say, been taken in. He was just as distrustful as all you are now when we met four months ago. It took some work on my part, and a bit of time to gain his trust. However none of you have very much time and it would benefit you to hear what I have to say." "And why is this that?" responded the boys. "Because Wandy is going to have you all gassed and have me and Tallant relocated!" Said Matthias blunty. There was dreadful silence that followed Matthias's revelation. "W-what?!" was the common response? "Wandy is going to-?" Thereupon Alois spread out the file, the pictures and the documented evidence of Wandy's heritage along with the damning telegram. The reaction was mixed, but all was the same. Some of the boys began to cry. Others simply looked on in stunned silence while the rest said "This whole time . . . we've been fighting and killing . . . for our enemy?" Just then Tallant walked back in. He looked stunned to see an officer there amongst them. His eyes flitted to the file on the desk and his eyes bulged in recognition. "Where did you-?" he began. Matthias quick on the uptake quickly cut him off and began telling him everything. How he had snuck out to the Thieves Kitchen, and met Alois through the correspondence of Cordelia. How he and Alois had established Alliances with those sympathetic to the Ghüddsche struggle. How they had held a council of war at the Maharajah's ball, and what Takeshi had overheard as well as how he planned to return to his country with his countrymen, and stole the file they now saw before them.