Act 5.4

Lomu and Sarah reach the inner-city plaza, cobblestones fork out toward the sea, one leading to the palace another to the cathedral; they glance at each other as prince heads to the castle while maiden embarks toward the temple. Meanwhile the smoke begins to rise as flames engulf the port, screams that were coming from one direction are now joined by the screams for all others. Lomu races to the palace passing by the disorganized inquisition troops here and there, as they try to muster forces and man the walls. He finally reaches the barred gates of the palace yards and is instantly surrounded by outside garrisoned inquisition forces. These are not like the other inquisition cronies in the city, they know how to fight and more importantly how to fight together. He clashes but to no avail, as good as he is at fighting, fighting an encirclement of fifty is beyond any man. He lunges and jerks at them, but they simply hold tightly and press forward slowly shrinking the circle around Lomu. Before he can be torn apart by spears and blades the barred gates burst open and palatial guards pour out and begin fighting for Lomu, while archers rain down arrows on the inquisition. One of the guards rushes past Lomu and shields Lomu’s back from a thrown spear. Lomu gives thanks and cuts his way to the gates and rushes into the palace.

As he enters, he makes for the stairs to the throne room. He sees nobody, no servants, no dignitaries or local nobility even the entrance to the throne room is unguarded. He pushes the heavy doors in and sees the once packed throne room devoid of anyone save for Vance. The powerfully built man seemed diminished, vulnerable even slumped in his throne, head resting in his hands. Lomu shut the door and started toward his brother who remained motionless.

Lomu- Vance?

The trembling ruler looks up at his brother.

Vance- So it was not delirium. Then the fires are also real.

Lomu- what has happened?

Vance- We are under attack…. or maybe I’m under attack. Are those your ships brother?

Lomu- We need to talk brother.

While brothers walk towards each other Sarah reaches the cathedral gates, she disrobes in the gardens shrouded by the shrubbery and hides her armor in them, she dons a simple white drapery she had taken from one of the launderettes on her way. She takes Lomu’s ring and puts it on, reversing it so that the signet is hidden in her palm, while hiding the letter inside her hair; She leaves her weapons behind and enters as one of many true servants of gods, barefoot and almost naked. She meets no resistance and enters the main hall. As she is walking towards the end of hall, she is overtaken by a patrol of a dozen inquisition soldiers, but they do not recognize her and move along. She enters the main chapel passing worshipers and a vigil over a giant coffin laid over a doused fire pit, where millified cocoon can be glimpsed. At the very back she sees the bishop’s throne and a few people bustling around it, she quickens her pace not to be seen by them and kites around the wall towards the back door. She exits the cathedral and mounts the steps leading to a small field under the cathedral with an olive tree and a pond surrounded by statues. A young flame keeper passes her on her way down.

Sarah- excuse me flame keeper.

Flame keeper- Yes, sister how may I be of aid.

Sarah- I am looking for flame keeper, Vera.

Flame keeper studies Sarah’s face diligently before answering.

Flame keeper- Go right ahead, under the olive tree.

Sarah descends to the field and in the moon light She glimpses someone sitting in the pond next to a doused flame, figures silhouette is concealed from the moon light by the olive tree.

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Sarah – Excuse the intrusion, I am looking for flame keeper Vera.

Figure rises and picks up a dosed torch and lights it a flame.

Only then does Sarah realize that the pond is surrounded not by statues, but by members of her order and the hand holding the torch belongs to Ybagin, the lord high inquisitor.

Meanwhile in the palace throne room brothers pace around the chairs next to the throne.

Vance- You have lost your mind! Not only does none of it make sense, what you are suggesting could literally blow up in our faces.

Lomu- do you have any better suggestions?

Vance- YES! Many! Any! Any suggestion would be better than that!

Lomu- what then?

Vance- Bar the gates! Arrest Dim …

Lomu- Dim has at least five hundred men manning the city walls, our garrison numbers at what?

Vance- two hundred.

Lomu- even if we could arrest him, what then?

Vance- Edna would be next in line as archbishop and with Mikele’s help we could save this city.

Lomu- Edna is in on …..You know what, I need to get to the cathedral, recall your men in and barricade yourself till morning I have to go.

Vance- You waited two years without going there, what is one more day?

Lomu freezes in his tracks, realizing that Vance knows about Vera, Reza had also known, but who else how long? Did father know? None of that mattered. He had done his duty to his country to his father and his brother. No, there was just one more promise to keep. Not a day had passed that he had not thought of Vera, not when he left for the highlands nor when he was waging war. It had been a miserable solitary two and a half years, and he had no intention of prolonging it for even a day.

Lomu- an eternity. I did my duty brother, to father, to kingdom, to you, I have only one life to give, I am not willing to give it over for that chair. I told you what I know, you can do with that whatever you want!

Vance- I see there is no changing your mind, nor will you see reason. What choice do I have?... Guards!

Lomu unsheathes his sword as 20 men burst into the room from all sides, some fresh from the battle some pristine from patrolling the palace.

Vance- Captain! Take half of the garrison and escort my brother to the cathedral and see no harm comes to him. Any zealot that dares to impede your way you put to sword.

Lomu looks up at his brother and with misty eyes gives gratitude.

Lomu- take care brother!

The moment they leave Vance turns on his heel walks up to the large table on the dais, flings the papers off from it and collects his rapier.

Vance- Hello, old friend. Sing for me on this long cold night.

Outside the palace Lomu and his men march towards the cathedral. Lomu feels as if he is back on the war-torn land he just left a few days ago, fighting through the now set up barricades as the inquisition had retreated and prepared for the upcoming sacking, fires engulf parts of the city as people run riot.

Guard- there is no way they would have breached both gates so quickly. Something is going on!

Street after street Lomu and his man fight for every crossroad they pass on their way to the cathedral.

Finally reaching the bastion of faith and a citadel in its own right. A hundred men will never breach it so long as it is guarded from outside. And as if the situation was not dire enough, some of the inquisitions men that were guarding the city inner walls have retreated all the way back to the cathedral, including the inquisitor Vyoda whom Lomu and Sarah encountered at the inner wall gates; Their arrival effectively put Lomu's group under attack from both sides. A pitched battle ensued with Lomu and his man flailing from one side to another, but in the end only he and half a dozen of royal guards remained from the original hundred that left from the palace.

Lomu and captain stood back-to-back and fought as ferociously as possible, while the other guards braced against the walls trying to defend themselves. Steadily inquisition forces began to encircle them. Suddenly Lomus attention was caught by a flying object, before he could make out what it was, an object that looked like a pilum struck inquisitor Vyoda in the head, followed by a rain of javelins. Lomu and Captain took cover under an overturned cart as Mikele's men continued to pepper the area. As the foot soldiers rushed up to the clash with the defenders the javelins ceased. None but Lomu and captain remained from the original host and all the cathedral guards were slain. Lomu and Captain stood shoulder to shoulder with Mikele’s men and that is when the cathedral doors screeched open and more defenders poured out, followed by four inquisitors who promptly shut the doors behind them.

End of 5.4