7. The Fools and the Faithful
“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”
* John’s account of the Apocalypse
Kain awoke with a start, his body covered in a cold sweat. His rapidly beating heart immediately put to rest the question burning at the forefront of his mind. He was alive. His muddled brain was having trouble partitioning dream from memory, but he still felt that to be a shocking revelation. He laid back down, eyes still closed, as he attempted to make since of the jumbled mess of images in his head.
The first memories to clear themselves of the clutter were of demons, blood, and fire. He had been at a party last night. Or was it last night? He honestly had no idea, his sense of time distorted by a flurry of strange dreams. But whether it had been last night or a hundred years ago, he had been at a party. And he was fairly certain that party had ended with his death.
Kain sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes in hopes of clearing the distortion in his mind. He had refused the contract the devil had offered. Afterward, he remembered the knife. He glanced at his wrist. Sure enough, there was now a scar present. It was not in the shape of a line, as he’d expected. Instead, it was round, with tendrils shooting off in a ring. How had it healed so quickly? And why did it look so different from the wound he’d received?
He decided to table those questions for now, finally taking in his surroundings. He was in an individual tent, dressed in clean white linens the likes of which he had never seen before. Judging by the brightness shining through the tent, the sun was high in the sky. It was warm. Almost unbearably so. That was quite a change from the cool Vegas night he’d left.
Kain left the tent and was struck temporarily blind from the sun reflecting off sand and water. When his vision finally cleared, he saw that he was in a small oasis, the beautiful blue water and lush foliage at stark odds against the parched desert sand surrounding it. The oasis was not large, perhaps two city blocks at most, and Kain was able to take it all in at a glance.
He walked up to the clear blue water and knelt, scrubbing his face clean of the night’s sleep. He was not alone in the oasis, with people of the desert coming and going, as well as a smattering of other tents dotting the scenery. No one seemed at all perturbed by the presence of a foreigner in their midst, and Kain was left to his own devices. This suited him, as he still had much to work through.
As he squatted next to the crystal pool, he considered the strange dreams he’d had while unconscious. For that is what they had to be, wasn’t it? He had jumped from scene to scene, always viewing events from his own eyes. First there was the man he’d cursed. Then he’d participated in the plagues of Egypt. He’d been present for the onset of the Black Plague in Europe, as well as a terrible famine in Asia. In each scene, he’d experienced the events as though he were present. The thoughts that ran through his head, however, were alien and strange.
Even now, after waking, the dreams remained clear and present, as though they were not dreams at all, but…
“Memories.”
A voice well-worn with age pulled Kain from his revery. He turned to see an old man seated on a rock near him, watching him quietly. It unnerved Kain that the man had managed to get so close without alerting him, but he was becoming accustomed to such occurrences. He schooled his features as he addressed the old man.
“I’m sorry?”
You were wondering about the stray thoughts in your head,” the man said amiably. “They are memories.”
Kain stood, eyeing the man guardedly. Was he able to read minds, like the Cardinals seemed to do?
“No,” the old man smiled genially. “I cannot read your mind, dear boy. Nor can your…business partners, for that matter. You are just exceptionally poor at concealment, at least when you are caught off guard.”
Kain ignored the slight. Obviously, this man was aware of the Cardinals, and his connection to them. Perhaps he would be able to provide Kain with more information. And, if not, he thought, I can always remove him from the board.
“I am afraid you’ve been misinformed,” Kain decided to throw the man off by filling the gap in his knowledge. “I have no business partners. I declined that contract.”
“Oh ho!” The old man gave a deep, hearty laugh. “I bet that old scribe was furious!”
“Some words may have been exchanged,” Kain acceded.
“I have no doubt!” the man chuckled again, hopping down from his perch on the rock and walking closer to Kain. He was old, true, but he seemed to be in remarkably good health. He was dressed in similar white linens to Kain, with a long heavy robe and hood covering them. In his right hand, he carried a long, well-used staff.
“Imagine that!” the man continued speaking. “I must confess I expected much less of you, Nephiyl or not.”
The man spread his arms, palms facing the sky.
“Alhamdulillah,”
Kain was unsure of the meaning of the phrase, but he took note of the fact that it was echoed by many of the desert people who heard it. A religious statement, perhaps? Kain chose to ignore it. He had enough questions as it was.
“I’m sorry, ah, sir,” Kain emphasized the title pointedly. “You seem to have me at somewhat of a disadvantage.”
“Quite right!” the man agreed. “Although, probably not as much now.”
Kain was beginning to believe the man was being deliberately obtuse, and his ever-lacking patience was reaching its limit. It must have shown on his face, because the man immediately shifted to a more serious demeanor.
“Forgive me,” he apologized. “Learning that you are not under the thumb of the Cardinals has left me rather giddy. My name is Levi.”
“Levi,” Kain repeated. “And you are not here on behalf of the Cardinals?”
A shadow crossed the normally cheerful countenance of the man.
“No, my young friend,” he replied gravely. “I serve a different purpose.”
“And what purpose is that, exactly?”
The man had shown no aggression, and appeared to be largely non-threatening, but Kain was not in the habit of trusting others.
“That is a subject we must surely discuss!” Levi replied, his face jovial once more. “But first I think we should wait for your friends. Now, where is that energetic accomplice of mine? Ah!”
Kain followed the man’s gaze and saw another man dressed similarly to Levi making his way toward them. In his wake were Layla, Kieran, Raven, and Damon. Kain did not know how he felt about seeing his team again. They had not proven very useful in the previous encounter, but he supposed that was an unfair situation to gauge their abilities. In the end, Kain decided that having them around could prove beneficial, assuming they did not turn on him after what had happened. As they drew closer, Kain found himself reassessing that thought. His companions had changed.
Damon, being the largest of the group, was the first one Kain noticed. Gone was the calm, calculating, easy-going brute. The man walking toward him was twitchy, nervous. He was constantly muttering to himself, eyes darting around. He seemed particularly concerned with the man guiding them to Kain’s location. Something was definitely wrong.
The changes in the others were no less subtle. Kain watched them apprehensively as they approached. Just what had happened? Kieran had grown bigger. It was impossible to tell at a distance because he was also hunched over. His green irises had been replaced with red, and Kain had to admit the man looked positively menacing.
Layla, on the other hand, was only a shell of her former self. Her face was gaunt, her body emaciated. She still held to the memory of her former beauty, but that’s all it was: a memory. It was as if she had died, and her corpse had risen in her stead. Only her eyes still possessed an echo of her former self. They held an angry fire as she stalked toward Kain.
Only Raven appeared physically unchanged. That is, until their procession walked under the shade of a palm tree. Kain’s mouth dropped open as she seemed to disappear entirely from his view, only to reappear in the glare of the sun.
Kain shook his head as his companions arrived. Perhaps he was dehydrated. He’d encountered mirages in the desert before. Surely his addled brain was distorting his team. He blinked several times, the hallucinations refusing to dispel. It was at this point he registered the shock on each of their faces as they looked at him. That was concerning.
Before addressing his team, Kain stepped back over to the water. The now undisturbed surface provided him with a clear reflection. Black eyes stared back at him from the water. Not just pupils, but irises and sclera as well. And that was not the only change. Black lines traced down his face and neck. Further investigation revealed the same dark pattern all over his body. His brow furrowed as he was reminded of his dreams. Was that even possible?
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“Yes, my young friend,” Levi was speaking again. “You have changed, as well. Power always comes with a price, I’m afraid.”
Kain was immediately taken back to the night with the Cardinals. Hadn’t Freyja said something similar before she had attacked them? Was she responsible for this? He could see that his companions were remembering the events of that night as well. Confusion warred with anger and fear across their faces. Kain decided that his own shock and rage needed an outlet, and the old man was an easily accessible target. Turning to him, Kain grabbed the man’s robe and jerked him close.
“I’ve had just about enough of all these vague warnings and promises,” he snarled. “I don’t know who you are, but you know something about what’s happening to us. You’re going to tell me what that is, old man.”
Over the years, Kain liked to believe he had overcome much of the rage and anxiety that often plagued others with his condition. Through discipline and self-control, he had learned to master himself. That control was absent in his black eyes as he stared at the old man.
His companion moved to intervene, but a subtle hand motion from Levi stayed him. The interaction was not lost on Kain, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he waited for the old man to respond.
“Peace, my friend,” he spoke quietly and calmly. “I am not your enemy. I have many answers for you, and I would have given them for the asking.”
Kain did not immediately release Levi. It took him a moment to regain control. Levi waited patiently, his eyes never leaving Kain’s. Finally, after a long pause, Kain released the man, nodding. Levi directed them to a much larger tent not far from Kain’s. The inside was sparsely furnished: two bedrolls, enough cushions for them to sit on, and a few other odds and ends. Once they were all seated, Levi began to speak.
“I trust the Cardinals have told you who and what you are?”
There was a round of nods.
“It is typical of their nature that they did not divulge much else,” this was said with uncharacteristic disdain. “You must each walk a path of your own choice, but I would caution you: do not trust them. Even when speaking truth, their words are poisoned with falsehoods and manipulations.”
Kain snorted at this. The old man must take them for fools if he felt the need to give that warning. Trust was a foreign concept to him.
“In the interest of time,” his eyes seemed to land on Damon as he said this, “I will be blunt. A war is coming, my friends. A war that will determine the fate of the majority of humanity. I doubt very much that any of you are religious, but I wonder if you are at least familiar with the End of Days prophecies?”
Both Kain and Damon nodded, the big man still looking oddly disconcerted. The other three shook their heads, but Layla spoke up.
“The Cardinals mentioned Armageddon. They said they wanted us to ‘kill their enemies and protect their assets.’ Not that they cared to elaborate.”
The hatred in her voice was plainly audible as she spat that last phrase. Levi nodded, his face showing an understanding not only of her words, but the feelings behind it.
“Essentially, that is not far from the truth. However, things are a bit more…complex. I must start at the very beginning if you are to fully understand.”
He gave a questioning look to Kain, who nodded. He did not trust the old man, but he was in dire need of information. Levi took a deep breath and began to explain.
“Prior to the creation of the universe, there existed only the void, a vast nothingness, endless and dark. It was from this void the universe was carved. Every religion on this planet has their own derivative of how this happened, to include science. While scientists are unable to produce a credible origin, their theory detailing a sudden explosion of energy that produced the universe has some merit. The creation of something from nothing was a violent experience, and the result was Chaos.
“Because Chaos is utterly destructive by its nature, it could not be allowed to run rampant in the universe. Thus, it was sealed into the void.”
Levi paused to take a drink. Kain had not heard that version of the creation story before. It certainly offered an interesting perspective, but still left many of his questions unanswered. Fortunately, the old man was not done.
“Seven seals were placed at intervals around the earth to bind Chaos. Those seals would slowly erode over time, culminating in the eventual release of Chaos and destruction of the earth,” he concluded. “That time has now come. In less than a year, the first seal will break, and the Apocalypse will begin.”
Kain contemplated the man’s words. Normally, he would label anyone insane who started talking about creation and the end of days. Unfortunately, everything Levi had said tracked with what they had been told by the Cardinals. He and his team were expected to stop the end of the world. Now that he took the time to think about it, the idea was laughable.
“How are we supposed to stop something like Chaos?” The question came from Raven. “I’ll give you that every one of us is talented, but at the end of the day, we’re only human.”
Levi actually smiled at this statement.
“As it happens, you are not only human, although you would be surprised to discover that is not so terrible a thing,” he responded lightly. “You are Nephiyl.”
“Fat lot of good that’ll do us against universe-ending forces,” Kieran snorted. The old man eyed him curiously.
“Do not count yourself out of the fight just yet, my young friend. You are born of a volatile mixture, just like your adversary. You may find you are tougher than you know.”
“What is your stake in all of this?” Kain asked suddenly. The old man seemed to be working an angle, and Kain wanted to know what it was. “You don’t seem to be friendly with the Cardinals, and yet you seem very keen on our success. Why?”
“That is a complicated question, Mr. Hunter, but I will offer a simple answer,” Levi responded evenly. “Compassion.”
Kieran snorted, and incredulous looks crossed the faces of the others.
“So glad you cleared that up for us,” Layla snapped. Clearly, her patience was running out as well. The sentiment was not lost on Levi, who smiled.
“As I said before, the fate of humanity rests on the outcome of this war,” Levi elaborated. “It is compassion for those souls that dictates the necessity of my presence.”
Kain saw the truth dawn in Layla’s eyes just as he began to understand. She rose to her feet quickly, backing toward the exit. Kain mirrored Layla’s caution, his own muscles tensing for a fight as he shifted his weight imperceptibly. Raven’s eyes darted back and forth between Layla and Levi, confusion evident on her face.
“What is going on? Who is this guy?”
“He serves the other side,” Layla never took her eyes off the old man as she spoke.
“Wait, what?” Raven looked at her companion sharply, before turning to observe Levi in a new light. “Surely you don’t mean-”
“God,” the word felt awkward in Kain’s mouth, having never been used to refer to an actual deity. “Although, which one seems a relevant question.”
“Very astute, Ms. Foster,” Levi nodded to her before turning back to Kain. “And you Mr. Hunter.”
He appeared to weigh his next words carefully before speaking.
“My colleague and I serve the Triune. You might consider them a representative reality of the various greater deities that are worshipped around the world. The term ‘God’ is a bit generic, but I suppose in the end it suffices.”
As Levi concluded, he turned back to Layla, who made no effort to hide her hostility as she stared him down.
“Wait,” Kieran still looked vexed as he addressed Kain. “Didn’t you said that God, or the Triune, or whoever, wiped out the Nephiyl thousands of years ago?”
Kain was still eyeing the old man and his companion when he nodded.
“So then why would They send you to help us now?” Kieran continued. “In fact, shouldn’t you be here to kill us instead?”
“He makes a fair point,” Damon said quietly, his voice sounding strained. Kain was growing concerned about the big man’s erratic state. If he ended up losing control, Kain would prefer not to be in an enclosed space. He was more concerned, however, about what happened next.
“Peace, old one,” Levi said to Damon. “Your time will soon arrive.”
Kain watched the tension flow out of Damon as though a dam had broken. As his eyes cleared, Levi answered Kieran’s question.
“I cannot speak as to the motives of the one I serve anymore than an ant can understand what drives a human. You do not have to trust us, and we will likely not trust you. But you can trust in this: as long as our goals are aligned, you need not fear us.”
“Typical,” Layla sneered. “You can’t answer the question, so you avoid it. This is why religion always fails.”
Levi had a sad expression as he rose to his feet.
“Perhaps,” he acknowledged as he made his way slowly toward the door of the tent. As he passed Layla, he spoke again.
“Or perhaps the answers I have are not the answers you want.”
Layla did not respond, and Levi left the tent, followed closely by his younger associate. Kain rose to his feet as well. A gradual increase in background noise had informed him of the uptick of activity outside the tent, and he was curious what was happening. Before leaving, however, he addressed his companions.
“Damon? You good?”
The big man nodded but did not elaborate on what exactly had been causing his distress. Kain did not push him. Yet. He turned to the others.
“I’d love to sit down and swap stories about just what the hell happened to us, but now may not be the time,” he gestured to the tent opening. “I trust our dear friend Levi about as much as I trust the Cardinals. He can say what he wants, but ain’t none of us on good terms with any god that’s out there.”
A round of nods followed his statement.
“What do you propose then?” Damon asked.
“Thus far, we have been forced into an alliance of circumstance,” Kain continued. “I move we continue that alliance for the foreseeable future. None of us really trust each other any more than we trust the other forces we’re involved with and, honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. That being said, I bear no ill will against any of you, which is more than I can say about our mutual acquaintances.”
“Working together does seem to promote the greatest chance of survival,” Damon agreed.
“And what happens when the status quo changes?” Layla eyed both men cooly. Kain could see she already knew the answer to the question, just like he did. He admired her perception.
“I suppose we could go our separate ways at that point.”
Kain was lying, of course. Everyone present knew it. They also knew that the lie was a necessity. They still needed each other. For now. Once everyone nodded their assent, they began to file out of the tent.
Kain was surprised at the scene that greeted them upon their egress. The oasis was empty. A few barren tents remained behind as a testimony, but the people, and most of their belongings, were long gone. It did not take him long to discover why.
A new caravan had arrived at some point during their long discussion. Standing next to it, facing off against Levi, were five Cardinals. To his credit, Levi did not look concerned. He looked angry. White fire danced from his fingertips as he glared at the Cardinals.
“Shouldn’t you be running along now, slave?” Loviator spat the last word. “We have business to attend to with our charges.”
“Your charges?” Levi mocked. “And here I was under the impression they turned you down, demon.”
Kain could see this infuriated the Cardinals as he walked up. He had to admit, it was somewhat jarring to see so much hatred in the man that had seemed so peaceful just a few moments before.
“We have an understanding, witness,” the Old Man maintained his stoic demeanor, but Kain could see the anger in his eyes. “Either way, it is no concern of yours. Unless you are here to break the Accords?”
Kain could hear the hunger in the creature’s voice. He was hoping Levi would give him an excuse. This could be interesting. He was not opposed to his potential enemies destroying one another.
It looked like Levi considered the option before the fire flickering around his hands winked out. He turned away from the Cardinals, addressing Kain and his companions once more.
“I must leave you to your training,” his brusque tone did nothing to hide his agitation as he spoke. “When you are ready, come and find me in Johannesburg. I wish you the best of luck.”
He began walking toward the desert, but paused a few steps away, looking back.
“You are more than the circumstances of your birth, Kain Hunter. You asked me why I chose to fight with you. The answer is simple: Every soul is precious.”
The old man turned and began walking off into the desert.
“Even yours.”
Kain watched him go, his figure soon becoming indistinct in the desert heat. It was not long before it had disappeared entirely. The meaning of his words was not lost on Kain as he turned to face the Cardinals. He would have laughed, if not for the threat currently present in front of him.
Salvation belonged to the foolish and the faithful, and he was neither.