Chapter 122: The Faithful Gather

"My fellow faithful. Today is a day I wish for you all to remember. The day the reclamation started. This isn’t about restoring a petty title such as Sultan. No this is a far greater thing. A holy thing. A divine job that only we the faithful can carry out." Mother stood atop a platform in front of many of the Korish clergy, faithful commoners, and a very small ’pure nobles’ in her eyes. Surrounding them was armed soldiers, protecting their secret meeting. "The world is slowly consumed by the will of Sol. And I pity everyone who is attached to his strings."

She wiped her eyes as a single tear fell from them morning the believers of Sol. "But no more. I do not wish to see my fellows, us the children of Khors, stay in hiding, waiting for our beloved’s return. We must do our part the way he and his sisters did to protect us. We must unite the faith. We must help him in this eternal war. No matter how many centuries it will take for his return, we must create a road for those to walk on so they can build his Kingdom atop it." Her voice was passionate as she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"I know many of you fear creating a place for us faithful, it would be a lie to say I don’t. But, I can’t sit still anymore. I can’t be held back by the fears of the future. I don’t want you to be held back by the fears of the future. We are not Sol. We are not his puppets. We by the grace and protection of Khors and his sisters have the free will to be something better. We have the ability to choose."

"We can create a nation, free from bloodlines, free from tyranny, free from oppressors. A place where we choose who rules over us. A place where we are all equal, no matter how rich, poor, noble, or evil you are. Under His grace, we are all equal. " Mother crossed her hands over her chest. "I love humanity. Every aspect of it. But I’ll be dammed if I don’t see its faults and not try to do something when I can."

She looked over them all and spread her arms out to them putting a motherly smile on, "I want a world where our children can grow and not know the pain and strife that comes from this horrid system. I offer you a chance. To begin change. To create a truly equal and just world. To make a new system. To make the world our Beloved would be proud of. Please." Her voice turned desperate, "Throw away your fear. Do not worry anymore. We have a chance. To be better. To be liberators." She paused and looked as most hung onto her words. "You have the choice, however. Just don’t make the wrong one and later regret it. I don’t wish for our suffering anymore."

Silence lingered after the passionate plea and many looked at one another. Fear, hope, dread, and feavour were in everyone’s eyes as they pictured the Utopian land that Mother spoke about. It was such a sweet belief they could practically taste it. But they were scared. They only knew their world. Mother could see all these faces.

"Please." Mother spoke once more, this time more softly. "Discard your fear. Embrace his light. Let him guide you. You have the choice to let this happen. See his vision. See his perfect world. I do not summon you for your deaths. I know the fear that you hold. I was once a terrified young girl in this world. And he showed me the way. He showed me love. He showed me the potential for humanity’s beauty. I can see it in all of you. His beautiful children. I will walk alongside you the whole way. Please I ask, just take the first step and you will see its beauty."

Mother saw some looking at her with glares, quickly getting up and leaving. Her head slightly turned to a soldier in the back and she gave a subtle nod. She received one in return as a few soldiers left, unnoticed following behind. She couldn’t let anything slip.

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Abdul walked into his house and gently placed down his book. He stoked its cover with great care before retreating to his room. Inside he walked to his desk and lit and candle but the sudden closing of his door made him jump as he leaned against the wall, terrified.

"Calm down. If I had wished you dead, it would have already happened." Adrian walked out putting his hands up showing he was unarmed. Abdul was skeptical but his vigilance fell slightly recognising the small man. Despite this, it never went away understanding who he was.

"How many are in the building?" He said with a confident tone but Adrian heard the subtle fear in it.

"Three. So don’t bother." Abdul bitterly smiled and took a seat on his bed. "I won’t lie it was hard tracking you."

"Why are you here if it’s not to kill me? You already are the lap dog of the emperor after all." Abdul said defeated.

"A proposal." Adrian reached into his pocket getting Abdul to jump a little, but with raising his free hand trying to calm him, he took out a thick scroll. "His Majesty, despite all the rumours is not a bloodthirsty man. He is also not a religious purest, despite his titles." Throwing the scroll to Abdul the man looked at it with suspicion before unrolling it.

"He knows that the faiths will never truly be united, but he doesn’t want the eradication of it either. His wife after all is a Follower. It is why he wants to create a new law."

Abdul nodded reading the scroll. His eyes squinted and his scrawl grew but he kept his anger contained knowing it would do no good. "A religious tax. On the followers. So they can practice what they hold dear." He scoffed. "And you say he doesn’t wish for the faith’s eradication."

"He is offering peace." Adrian took off his mask showing his disfigured face. With a soft voice, he carried on. "Do you know why this happened to me, Abdul? Did you hear the stories?"

"I heard. A man who became over-ambitious and got what he deserved." Although trying to say it as an insult, Adrian heard the pity in his voice.

"Whilst that may be true, it wasn’t the reason. My faith or lack of it was. The Sultan and I talked once. And we spoke about our beliefs. Now I only have one belief. Power. Only that can safeguard the future. Only that can keep order and prevent societies collapse. It’s why the Safrid’s fell. They lacked it."

Adrian put the mask back on. "I didn’t have that view until I told him I was an atheist. He looked at me with such disgust and hate and called his guard to cut me and ruin my looks. He stripped me of the first thing a man sees in another man and made me hide myself away for the rest of my existence. I looked to God after it happened and I got nothing. It was then that I realized that there is no other truth in the world. It would have never happened if I held more power than him."

"Do you have a point, Adrian?" Abdul asked once more, but the pity was even greater in his tone.

"You don’t have power anymore. I don’t care what the people believe. Most need the gods to get themselves out of bed in the morning. And his majesty understands this. The people can practice all they want in private, for free. But all official worship must respect the true power over them. He offers all the benefits he has created in his land to the Followers, so they feel welcomed and accepted. But it’s a two-way street. He needs someone to ease their worries. Tell them things are okay. He knows that you don’t want to work with believers in Sol, but think not for yourself, or your God, but the people who will suffer if these tensions are not soothed."

Abdul looked to the ground, his eyes held doubt. Not long ago he lectured Mother and he wondered if he was the one being arrogant. He looked at the scroll. It was as fair as the Church could be, perhaps fairer than it should be when dealing with the ones they call heathens.

Was it his pride now that was stopping him from agreeing or was it his faith? He didn’t know. "I wonder, does the Arch-Bishop agree with this?" He thought of Raven, a man he considered much like himself, someone he respected even. Someone who prioritized faith above all. It’s why he didn’t blame him for becoming Alfred’s lapdog, especially after being recognized as a Blessed One.

"The Arch-Bishop doesn’t like your kind, you know this. But he doesn’t want to see his beloved Emporers realm fall into disrepair. Nor does he want the loss of life that will come from it. It was a much more lenient deal before." Adrian said with a chuckle not believing it himself.

Abdul looked at his desk, the symbol of Khors was there. "Will you kill me if I refuse?" It was a cold thought even for himself, but he maneuvered through the court long enough to know how things worked.

Adrian smiled under his mask, "No. Much like the other Followers His Majesty won’t take your life as long as the peace is kept. He sees you as a useful way to ease these tensions." Adiran stopped at looked at the symbol of Khors, "Tell me, Abdul. You are a just man, more than most I have seen, but do you truly think your blind faith and uncompromising ways are truly just to the rest of the people, Followers or not?"

Once more Abdul looked down as his mind went to the pass. He had been in charge of so many things related to faith in the realm under the Safrid’s. He knew he did a good job, he wouldn’t have held it for so long if he hadn’t. But he knew that it wasn’t perfect. How many things had he overlooked, and how many had he condemned, innocent and guilty, because it didn’t align with his beliefs?

Regrets. He had them. But he was sure his faith was right. Adrian’s way of life lacked everything a world needed for a just society. It was wrong. But he also knew that it was what kept things in line. The power he held was what kept the clergy in check in the past.

Adrian saw the man’s dilemma. "I’ll let you think on it, we know where to find you." Turing he left, as three other pairs of footsteps followed him out.