Our Little Gods 1: RABATEA, the first World of the Daughters.

Chapter 16.

The news in Sekk had not been good, the old road through the mountains via Cereb was cut not two days on. The snows of the last two winters had been more than abundant on the summits. Spring, when the accumulation had melted, had turned the streams into raging cascades that had washed away the bridges and portions of the road itself. This winter had been no exception and the snows were yet to melt and further the destruction.

Baalbek had taken it in his stride drawing a new route across the map that would take them from Cereb round the Setting shoulder of the Ignaiens to the Lower side and back up in the mountains by the imperial road that use to lead to the summer palace. But Limero was mightily annoyed, that change of plans was going to add at least two if not three days to their trip there and as many back. The news from the archipelago were not good either, one of the three decoys they had sent with great pump to Gutin in the peninsula, a sweet acolyte Limero had know, damn it, he even knew his parents, was dead. Killed, a flower carved on his chest. The other two were heavily protected, he read in the last report to reach him in Sekk, but somehow he had the feeling that they would have been safe even left alone to wander naked in the streets of Grimmik.

Which reminded the monk that he had never asked the boys what they thought of their incursion in the city. He would question Maasil tonight once they had settled in the monastery in Cereb, he thought looking on to the group ahead who was playing the ten question game with the sergeants. On each side Sar Tanel and Sar Melek kept a continuous watch over the countryside around and at the rear the young one was observing the dynamics of the group itself. Limero remembered what Sar Melek had told him as they departed from the city this morning, it had seem odd at the time: 'worry not master monk, we shall protect them from all threats would they come from out there or from within.' Now that he had more time to think on it he begun to comprehend the mindset of the warrior-seer. If the Fallen Rehevîmes could infiltrate the ranks of the monks in the archipelago they could too buy the loyalty of even Baalbek's most trusted captains and sergeants.

Was Oneg really looking back at that girl? Limero smiled to himself, he had noticed Oneg casting glances back from his brothers' side again and again and since he was the last one there but for the Thiriik maid, it could only be for her.

An angry sun was setting over the Manyfold Hills and dyeing the buildings of the monastery shades of red and pink. Situated right outside the city walls, the monastery of Cereb offered mere blind walls to the arriving travelers, only once one had almost past it on the way to the city could it be seen that one door had been designed in the austral wall. The gatekeeper was surprised at such a number arriving at sunset so early in the season but the Triarch wasn't. He welcomed Limero with sobriety and sorted out their accommodation for the night with a rapid efficiency that met with the approval of the Ferollian soldiers. Of course he had news. Not has bad as the ones of the previous day but not the best of news. The mission on the state of the faith had come back reporting dozens of abandoned monasteries in the remote regions. Entire communities seemed to have vanished as if overnight leaving behind themselves bare walls and stocked pantries. There were no bodies, no graves, nothing had been taken of value but for the content of the archives: from the liturgic texts to the accounting volumes, not a single scrap of linen was to be found anywhere. Walking back to the room he had been allotted Limero was deeply concerned. So many unanswered questions, like: how long had they been preying like so on the poor monks of the isolated communities? Who was 'they'? What had they been looking for and had they found it? He pulled the door of his room open and found himself face to face with a beaming Maasil.

"And what could possibly be the cause of your obvious happiness my child?" Limero asked.

"Oh, nothing master." Maasil replied becoming suddenly self conscious. "I have finally found the nature of the fifth and sixth moderating GodWords in the text Oneg took from Eerol's cell."