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Chapter 59 Church and State

“Excellent work men. Execute your orders and I will see you all tomorrow.” Said Francois, exiting his office.

It was a short jaunt across town to the college of magic, especially when he rode in a palanquin of yellow fabric. A single seated vehicle that was loud enough for citizens to move aside, yet not so gaudy as to have women begging him to bless their babies. A ritual better left to local priests and clerics rather than the Lord Bishop. He had more important things to do.

Soon they arrived at the college, reaching its marble gates and greeting the twelve knights stationed there. Who all had the decency to salute for the Lord Bishop, allowing him into the college’s domain with full honours. They had even been courteous enough to send a runner to alert Renosipe. A move that Francois had not expected, and initially welcomed. By all rights, Renosipe was his rival advisor, his competitor for the king’s ear. A certain amount of distance was expected between the men, required even. King Aldric’s spies would know of their meeting and report it to their master. Probably earning some token reward from Aldric’s arcane vaults. Knights and magi moved out of their way, carrying stacks of books or glassware, and there were unusual amounts of wagons present. As if the college were packing up for a brutal winter. An uncommon occurrence in the capital, though not unheard of.

Francois reached the main hall, and was guided to a waiting conference room nearest the headmaster’s office. Tea and refreshments were offered to himself and the paladins who’d accompanied him, a courtesy he politely accepted. Only to pantomime drinking. Cautious of being poisoned, for you never knew who was plotting against you in Taloc’s famed “city of poets.”

The attendant smiled, “Grandmaster Renosipe is currently meeting with our merchant partners. I’ll let him know you’ve arrived but it may be a few moments before he can meet with you.”

Francois waved her concerns away. “Have no fear, bright daughter of Taloc. I’ve arrived unannounced on something of a personal venture, I completely understand.”

With that, Francois was left to wait, lingering in the conference room until all merchants filed out of a nearby building and into their respective wagons, departing with copious amounts of books, furniture, scrolls, and an endless stream of crates. The last were largely filled with straw, indicating something fragile was stored within, and was being shipped a great distance.

An hour later Renosipe opened the conference room door.

“My apologies Francois, but you’ve caught me at a inopportune moment, we’ve just finished contracting a remodel of our college. With so many of our mages away I took the opportunity to rebuild some old construction that would’ve shut us down during normal circumstances. Routine maintenance really.” Said Renosipe, closing the door behind him and casting a ward of silence.

Now it was just the two men facing each other, both holding rods of their station and garbed in simple robes. Clothing they could fight in.

“You’re dressed for travel Renosipe. But you’re right, tis an excellent time for the merchants to provide new covers for the college.” Said Francois, casting his own wards of silence.

“Why are you really here?” Snapped Renosipe.

“Taloc spoke to me last night.”

“I would expect he whispers to you every day and every night.” Answered Renosipe, raising his eyebrow.

“No, not a whisper man. He spoke to me. Not in feelings or thoughts, but in hard words. It was an order, a simple directive that I lack the specialties to obey.”

“And you think I have these specialities you lack?” Asked Renosipe.

“Indeed I do, so I will entrust you with the words Taloc graced me with. ‘Francois, beneath Aldric’s castle is a circle that contains me. Find it, then find a way to dismantle it’. Is what he said.”

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The grandmaster was very quiet for three minutes. Then he found his way into a chair across from Francois, deflating into it. Moments passed before he met the Lord Bishop’s gaze again. Though he did not speak, instead drumming his fingers against the hardwood table, pondering his answer.

“If that were true, it would be the highest form of treason. King Aldric’s rule would forever be opposed by the church. He’d have to be excommunicated.” Said Renosipe.

“He’d have to be killed.” Corrected Francois, making his treasonous intentions clear.

Renosipe leaned back in his chair, clearly uncomfortable with the direction of discussion.

“What are you expecting Francois? Do you think I can just stroll into Aldric’s deepest vaults and eliminate their contents on a whim? If a circle was imprisoning Taloc, it would have to be enormous! What could they even make it out of? Salt wouldn’t do at all, nor would steel, well, if you built each line thicker than a house maybe steel would work. Bah, it’s all a gamble! We magi should have been able to detect something that was containing Taloc’s power, it would be brighter than the noonday sun! What you’re saying is utter nonsense.”

It was Francois' turn to smile, sliding a small pile of letters towards Renosipe.

“When Lightning Lord Liam struck me down, Taloc educated me thoroughly. I am no longer the man that plotted to unleash Pandora’s heart.” He said, leaning back as Renosipe read the letters.

Fire kindled in Renosipe’s eyes, but Francois held his ground, grinning smugly.

“How long have you known? Bah, what’s your price for making this disappear?” Said Renosipe, his eyes flicking towards Francois’ jugular.

“He he. No price at all, master umbraquin. Once upon a time I had conspired with the other bishops to oust you, but they are dead now. Well, most of them. Only Archbishop Judas escaped. Which is for the best. But, I was recently given a problem, one that I’m sure you can resolve with your dark affinity…” Said Francois.

“Kill one person to save myself. Or are you wanting a city erased? My dark affinity only stretches so much. It is far from the demonic power you preach against.”

Francois found himself beaming, for once he had outfoxed Renosipe. “Ha, I need you to take about a hundred eclipsiarchs off my hands. Here are their suspected names, current locations, planned locations, and the orders I’ve sent their keepers, along with the secondary orders I’ve issued.” Said Francois, sliding two more letters across the table.

They were simple sheets of parchment, unassuming, and also the single most tempting object in the universe. Renosipe wanted to burn them. To laugh at the offer, to claim he was human, and pull on the ears that had taken him decades to perfect. But his body refused. Every fiber of his being yearned for the contents of that letter. His fingers moved of their own accord, picking up the letter and opening it. Breath caught in his throat.

Fully expecting some powdered toxin to come tumbling out. Instead he found the summation of his life’s work. The second letter was the same, holding scores of names, many of which he was already aware of. It had taken him decades of service –of scraping and bowing to the traitor king– in order to uncover the first eclipsiarch, and now there were a hundred name. If even half of these were eclipsiarch it would be more than his entire network of spies had uncovered. Centuries of political maneuvering and assassinations had been outdone by a single sentence from Taloc.

Renosipe swallowed, choking down the lump in his throat. “I… ah- I know where the circle is… approximately.”

“Perfect! That’s excellent news! All that is left is for us to destroy it!” Cried Francois, bursting out of his seat.

But the blank stare from Renosipe curbed his enthusiasm. “What’s wrong? You look as though finding it wasn’t the hard part! Cheer up ol’ snippy!” Said Francois.

“Talocandel once had a different name. The God King once called it ‘Taloc’s Anvil’.”

“Yes, I'm familiar with that excerpt from the Teutonic Codex, what of it?” Asked Francois.

“The circle is made of stone, and it’s not under the city… Francois, it is the city. The defensive walls of marble. The summer palace, the five keeps, and the twelve towers. Not to mention the walls that connect everything! Each building is part of the circle. A point or line.” Said Renosipe.

“Oh… Well shit. How are we going to level a city?” Said Francois, raising his eyes to the heavens above.

“Taloc… How can we tear down such grand fortifications?”

There was silence, and then Taloc spoke to him, his voice a whisper, but as present as the two men.

“It’s only stone. Level up or and grind it to dust. I did tell you to figure it out yourselves.” Said Taloc.

For God to speak in one’s dreams was already a rare occasion, but to hear his voice aloud and with a witness?

Francois nearly creamed his pants.

Nearly.

Instead his heart stopped, and the Lord Bishop collapsed for the second time.

“Really Taloc? Did you have to kill him again?!” Grumbled Renosipe, “Paladins! Get in here! I need a healer!”