Blood and Beasts

Chapter 2

***Trigger Warning*** 

***Mention of rape, no details described***

"Brother," someone whispered in Abraham's ear as he meditated. He wanted to cleanse his mind before the ceremony, as was his usual practice. The chanting from the others was already filling the vast chamber. "Brother Abraham, sorry to disturb you, sir." Abraham opened his eyes and stood up off the cold stone floor. He turned to face whichever brother this was. Despite the heavy black cloak and his hood pulled far past the brow, Abraham recognized Brother Kevin immediately from the small scar on his chin.

"Do not address me as sir. We are all servants here," Abraham said. "Speak."

"Misters Marshal and Talbot, as well as Marshal's son are here and wish to speak to you."

"Did you explain to them we are about to perform today's ceremony?"

"I did sir – Brother. But they were very insistent that they speak to you before the ceremony was over." Kevin was newer to the order than most others, hence why he manned the doors and did not join the ceremonies yet, but Abraham knew despite the boy's stupidity, he would get there.

"Very well, lead the way." Kevin turned and led them to one of the northern entrances. The main cavern was built of stone and preserved that way, but once Abraham passed under a carved stone arch, the hallway began to shift. Steel beams and concrete reinforced the tunnel, though the floor was left the same from ancient times, with grooves set deep in the stone, leaving a trail back to the Inner Sanctum. 

After walking in silence for some fifteen minutes they reached the end of the hall where a thick metal wall sat with a heavy door set in it. Another member of their sect stood by the door and it took both he and Kevin to swing it open. The door was like that of a bank vault, only these doors protected something much more valuable.

The room on the other side had a very different feel to it. The floor was expensive black marble; the walls covered in beautiful and horrifying tapestries and paintings depicting scenes of lust and brutality (the scene showing the violent rape of a young woman by an ox drew the most attention), and ornately carved oak pillars held the roof up, painted black to match the aesthetic of the rest of the room. This space was for show and had been specifically designed and built for the "elites". 

The men that cared for the appearance of this room were Brothers in name only, as Abraham saw it. They understood nothing of what the organization truly meant. They saw the work of the Imperial Cult as a means to an end, more power, more money, and longer life. They didn't understand the way that Abraham and the true believers understood.  But this was a distinction he was forced to keep to himself for the time being.

In the centre of the room stood three men in suits. Jonathan Marshal and Benjamin Talbot were both older men now, titans of their industries, pedalling everything from gasoline to soda. The third was Marshal's son, William, his youngest from his third wife, whom Abraham had only seen a few times now. Marshal had not initiated William into the Imperial Cult until he was thirty. Abraham had no age requirements to be part of this good work, but the elites had their own thoughts and rituals.

He felt these men tainted what was trying to be accomplished, yet still it was important to keep them happy and feeling in control. Their influence and resources were what allowed the Imperial Cult to function, and why they were so close to achieving their goal.

Still, Abraham felt the need to unnerve them. There needed to be some punishment for interrupting the ceremony.

"Brothers," Abraham greeted as the door shut behind him.