Ecce, aemuli annorum
Descendat nobis e longinquo
The three Aquillan men dashed back down the stairs, Ardellius suddenly able to keep his feet. Near the bottom, he stumbled and fell the last few steps, cursing as he stood back up. “That is what comes from drinking so much!” said Matthias sagely.
“Shut up, ass!” said Ardellius.
“Shouldn’t we see what-” began Lowellus before a cry stopped them.
“Nolite Wos!”
An Aequendar guard in full armor was on the top balcony, moving quickly toward the stairs. “Quid agitis?”
Justinius stepped forward, stumbling over his Aequendar in his distress. “Doleo…um…audiwimus a…er…soni-”
He stopped, gasping as the guard, having reached the top of the stairs, suddenly let out a cry and stiffened. A figure had appeared behind him and was lifting him in the air. His body was hurled down the stairs, bouncing several times with loud crashes before slamming to the floor below and remaining still, the punctured holes in his back a clear indication of what killed him. The Aquillans looked fearfully back up the steps.
The creature was at least eight feet tall with its elongated, oversized head. Its face was gray with blackened skin that was withering and looked stretched, too tight on its face. Its mouth had no lips but massive teeth that stretched up its face and were completely exposed, rotting, and blackened. It had no nose to speak of. Its whole face was flat with eyes slit like a cat. Darkness poured from them, framed only by a white light, pointed at its ends and illuminating the metal mask that extended into a helmet. Its head was pointed at the top, a crown of metal rising into a peak.
The rest of it was just as terrifying. Its body was covered in rags that billowed with an invisible wind and its hands, withered and stretched, had fingers so long they were twice the length of a man’s. Its nails were at least as long as the fingers and were sharpened, dripping with the blood of its recent victim. Where its feet should have been, there were rags that appeared to float and billow as the creature glided toward them.
There was a moment of utter silence as the Aquillans took in the horror before their eyes. The creature studied them, its head shifting about, observing them with its shimmering eyes. The silence was broken when the creature reared up and let out an unearthly screeching hiss from between its teeth and descended the steps.
It took all of Justinius’s power not to completely panic and dash in a random direction. Ardellius, for all his claims of being unsteady, was one of the first to flee back the way they had come. The three others were in close pursuit, Lowellus cursing and Matthius letting out a shriek that would have had them laughing at his expense were the situation not so dire. They had just reached the end of the hallway and were about to turn when the creature appeared from the shadows right in their path. The group ground to a halt and backed up as it approached. Its elongated teeth seemed to grin as it moved steadily toward them.
“Back, back!” yelled Ardellius, shoving so as not to be in the rear.
The group sprinted back the way they had come and found themselves back in front of the staircase. Justinius risked a glance behind and noticed the creature was following slowly. It didn’t seem like it could move very quickly, at least when it wasn’t appearing through shadows. As if by his thought, the creature lunged toward a shadow and vanished. Justinius backed up, then spun around, looking desperately for it. “Where did it go?”
The other looked around as well, Matthius backed toward the stairs. “I don’t know, but I’m going to my room and bolting the door!”
He turned to the stairs and then let out another shriek, this time of pain, as the creature appeared from behind the darkness of the stairs and swiped at him with his claws. Matthius clutched his arm and stumbled back, blood seeping through his fingers. With no weapons, they couldn’t help other than to grab their friend and run in the opposite direction. Through another pair of doors, they found themselves on a bridge, bathed in moonlight. The guards on either side of the door started at their entrance. “Quid est-”
“Monster,” yelled Lowellus, pushing past them with Matthius hanging on him.
“Daemones,” yelled Justinius, unsure if he spoke truly but he sensed, rather than knew, that he was correct. This couldn’t be anything other than a daemones.
They fled across the bridge toward a tower that stood out from the rest of the palace. Justinius’s heart sank as he saw the open roof and the glass windows surrounding it, situated alone as an island with no stairs to further floors up or down. “I think there is a way out of that building.”
He turned back just in time to see a guard collapse under the blow of the daemones. The second guard stabbed at it with his spear. The creature let out another howl but seemed unaffected. It sank both clawed hands into the Aequendar’s neck and he crumpled to the ground. The creature stared down at its work then looked back up, its gleaming eyes once more focused on the Aquillans. “Oh god!” said Matthius. “Gods, gods! What do we do?”
“Keep moving,” said Ardellius.
Two more Aequendar guards from the opposite side were approaching, spears lowered. Justinius heard one yell, “What have you done?” in Aequendar when they pushed past them. Justinius felt a heart-wrenching moment as they became bottlenecked on the bridge and he was shoved roughly to the side by the guards. He was pushed against the edge and he clutched at the railing, staring at the dizzying drop below. He let out a yell and pulled back, following his companions into the tower. Before they closed the door, Justinius saw the creature smashing both Aequendar aside, despite their attempts to block it with their shields, and they were sent screaming over the edge and plummeting into the darkness below.
Ardellius slammed the door and then looked for a bolt or a lock. “How do we lock this damn door!”
“We can’t,” said Justinius. “There is no way.”
“This…this is a garden!” said Lowellus, panting and out of breath, throwing Matthius aside and causing the young man to curse and clutch at his arm. “We are trapped…in a big, green box!”
“What do we do,” Matthius asked, whimpering.
Justinius looked wildly about for an exit but couldn’t see through the trees, shrubs, vines, and potted plants that filled the garden. “We…we hide,” struggling to control the rising panic in him.
“Oh, that’s a brilliant plan,” said Ardellius even as he began to move. “Play hide and seek with the monster till it finds us and kills us.”
“Do you have a better plan?” asked Lowellus. “Maybe it will pass by and we can run out when it passes!”
The garden would have been beautiful, filled with exotic smells and beautiful, flowering plants and delicious-looking fruit. At that moment, every branch, leaf, and vine cast ominous shadows into which Justinius peered with mounting terror. Where could he hide?
Ardellius dove between a set of pots and crouched low. Matthius ducked under a set of overgrown grapevines on the opposite side and, further down, Lowellus leaped into a bush only to discover it had thorns and he cursed while staying put. Justinius continued to run down the aisle but turned with a startled jump as he heard the doors crash open. He looked back and saw the creature gliding through the doors, its eyes fixed firmly on him. Panicked, he rushed down the aisle, all thoughts of hiding gone from his mind. He had almost reached the end when, from a dark corner, the creature emerged nearly within grabbing distance.
Justinius yelped and stumbled through a set of potted trees, knocking them over in his haste to make his getaway into another aisle. He dashed as fast as he could back toward the doorway, seeing his opening to escape. He hesitated only an instant to wonder where the others might be before the howl behind him ceased any concern he might have had. He was almost to the door when he rounded the corner and found the creature standing in front of him. Its claws lashed out and he lurched back, barely registering the pain of the slashes across his chest. He backed up as the creature followed him at an equal pace. He was so close to the door. He had to get to it somehow.
“Daemones!”
The yell came from behind the creature and it turned. Falehiem stood in the doorway, flanked by six guards. He held a sword out, pointed directly at the creature, and began to speak. The truth in his words was undeniable, spoken with power. “Ego Falehiem, domino Salucenti. Si ut liberum frenum urbis meae wis, cladem meae primae debere.” I am Faleheim, lord of Salucenti. If you wish free rein in my city, you must defeat me first.
The daemones paused, as if it, too, could sense the truth in the words. Then, its frame grew as it reared to its full height, shrieking in rage and defiance. “Extensus!” yelled Falehiem and his men spread out, circling around the creature as Falehiem advanced toward the daemones. As it lunged forward, claws swinging, Falehiem rolled under its attacks and came up behind, swinging at the creature's back. It lurched forward from the blow.
It turned to face the lord as two of the guards sprinted forward, stabbing swiftly and retreating in a flash. In this way, the guards and Faleheim began to corral the creature as it spun around, seeking to attack but finding them out of reach. As Falehiem lashed out again, the creature moved away from him and toward a pair of guards who retreated. “Nolite eum!” shouted Falehiem, too late.
The creature fled into the shadow of a tree and vanished. The guards whirled about, looking for it. It appeared from darkness behind a guard, hissing as it plunged its claws through the collar of the Aequendar’s armor and into his neck, flinging the corpse into another two men and sending them flying like rag dolls as they cried out. A guard lunged forward to save his companions and lodged his spear into the creature. Before he could withdraw it, the daemones caught his spear and broke it, throwing the Aequendar off balance. The claws mauled his head and he fell with a gurgle.
Justinius gagged in horror, backing away as the creature turned toward him and vanished into shadow again. Justinius spun around and moved toward a moonlit window. He was joined by the last guard standing when the daemones appeared beside them, moving in a gust of wind. The guard moved to face the creature but was hurled away with a blow to the chest, clipping Jusitnius and knocking him into a sideways spin.
As he collapsed to the ground, his gaze fell toward the bouncing crystal that flew from his pocket. The dark gem clanked across the stone floor, the clouds within swirling as it spun. Justinius’s gaze fixed on it, desperation and fear mingling to cloud his mind as he thought he heard a familiar phrase. Wenio.
He looked back and saw the eyeless mask turn toward him and begin to glide in his direction. He scrambled away on his hands and knees, grabbing the crystal. He suddenly found himself engulfed in the shadow of the creature and he panicked, turning back to face his demise. Its imposing form looked down at him, its claws dripping with blood that splattered onto his legs.
Another form appeared behind the daemones, Falehiem with his sword extended as he made a flying leap through the air. His sword plunged into the back of the creature and the Aequendar lord clung to it. His legs wrapped around the tall form as he hunched, avoiding the swinging claws as the creature reared and swung about. No matter how it sought to dislodge the warrior, Falehiem would not be thrown. Justinius scrambled away, the crystal clutched in his hand. If it was magic, could it be used to defeat this creature of magic? But how would he use it?
Faleheim finally released his grip from the creature as another group of guards hurried in with bows. Falehiem rolled away, shouting as he crouched down. “Solvo!”
Arrows flew like wasps across the room, striking the daemones as it turned to face them. The arrows stuck in the stretched skin and remained, smoke spilling from the wounds. It moved toward the Aequendar as arrows continued to buzz across the room, filling the creature like a pincushion. It shrieked again as the archers backed away, continuing their volleys and yelling in Aequenda. Then the creature stopped as Falehiem’s blade flashed from behind it. His sword swung true as he aimed high for the neck. The crown of metal fell from the daemones’s tall frame and its body stood still. Then it began to burn away, smoke and cinders flying from the corpse as it disintegrated. The remaining shadows sank into the stones of the garden, undecipherable whispers accompanying its descent.
A silence followed as everyone stared about warily, searching the shadows for more dangers. Justinius rose and spotted his fellow Aquillans emerging from their hiding places. Ardellius approached him, breathing heavily and looking around but not speaking.
The silence was broken with the march of boots. High Prince Mephanor strode into the garden, flanked by many guards with torches. The high prince’s eyes flicked about the room, perceiving the dead and unconscious bodies of Aequendar strewn about the room. Then, their cold stare turned to Justinius and the rest of the Aquillans behind him. He pointed a finger at them and spoke harshly, “Carpe eos.”
Seize them.
***
Lumina was once more watching the banks of Lake Copiah, hoping to spot the boat belonging to the Cult of Change. She had been watching the bank for the past few nights and had seen nothing. Then again, she had fallen asleep every night while on watch, meaning she might have missed them every time. The trend of keeping watch and sleeping on cold stones by the pier was beginning to lead to weary days and a sore back.
Tonight, she was sitting by the window of her room so if she did fall asleep, it wouldn’t be outside on the cold stone. Thankfully, the moon was shining bright tonight and she felt rather than knew that this night would bring her answers. The water shone silver as she gazed across its surface looking for the boat with the idol. Over time, her eyes began to droop and she struggled to stay awake. She shook her head, looked at the city, and finally settled on the moon. She wondered, not for the first time, what Justinius was doing.
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He was lucky. To see the mysteries of the Aequendar was a rare gift for any man and to be invited, almost unheard of. If rumors were true, her people used to trade frequently with the Aequendar and visit them often in their capital. Now, the ancient people only sent ships to the Carxandrians for trade and not the other way around. If only she could be there with Justinius as well, seeing ancient wonders and talking about it all with him. He was a fountain of knowledge, always interesting to talk to, and had a kinder nature than most men she was used to, save her brother, Damianus.
She nearly missed the boat in her daydreaming but an echo of laughter caused her to look up in time to see the ship passing their dock some distance off. The idol at the prow bobbed on the waves and the flame beneath it illuminated the many arms, making it unmistakable. Lumina rose and hurried from her room, grabbing her sword as she did so.
As she approached the door, a hand grabbed her from behind and she spun around. Her younger brother Ignatius clung to her arm, his eye wide with terror, as he begged her, “Lumina, don’t go after them! Don’t go after the monsters! It isn’t safe!”
“Ignatius, shh! Calm down. You shouldn’t be up.”
“I couldn’t sleep. They scare me.”
“Who? The cultists?”
“Yes! But…they aren’t right. They look like monsters sometimes…sometimes not. I don’t know! It's so confusing!”
Ignatius broke down, sobbing and still clinging to Lumina. She looked at the door, feeling desperate as the boat moved further away into the night and out of sight. She looked down at her brother, still clinging to her and crying, his frightened gaze looking pleadingly up. She bent down to look him in the eyes and took his hands in her own. “Ignatius, I’m sorry. I don’t understand what you are seeing or what you are going through. But…there must be something you can do. You can cry about it or you can face it. What can you do to face it?”
Ignatius sniffed and looked down, pondering. “I…I’m not sure. What can I do? I can’t stop seeing things.”
“Maybe it’s not about stopping these visions. Maybe it's about channeling it out? What can help you handle it most?”
“I don’t know! I’m the only one who can see these things and it’s…it’s frustrating.”
Lumina’s mind raced with desperation, wanting to help her brother before she left but feeling every moment slip by with agonizing swiftness. “Maybe you should let others see.”
He looked at her, his eyes glistening with tears and curiosity. “How?”
“How can you show us exactly what you see? Instead of panicking over what you see…explain it to us, or show us. I don’t know. You’ll find a way.”
She pulled her hands from his grip and backed away toward the door. “I have to go. I’m sorry, but I need to see what these cultists are up to.”
Ignatius nodded, his eyes flicking about as he seemed to be thinking about her solution. “Yes…yes. Maybe that could work.”
He continued to mutter to himself and Lumina left him in that state. She ran out the door and toward the road. She gazed out at the lake and breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the boat further down the bank. She followed at a run, sprinting on the higher ground as she tracked its progress. As it passed behind homes, she increased her pace to not lose sight of it.
Before long, the ship docked at one of the larger houses along the shore, situated upon a hill. Lumina reached the house and hid behind a tree just as the people on board the ship entered the building, talking boisterously as they did. She scanned the grounds and house, looking for an entrance to sneak into. The grounds were secluded, high walls and tall bushes surrounding most of it making it difficult to enter. The dock seemed like the best option to get inside. The house itself was two stories, twice as wide as her own home, but had only two entrances that she could see, the front and back. She wasn’t too worried though as there was likely a side door for servants somewhere that she couldn’t see.
Lumina pushed her way through the shrubs to the shoreline and took a deep breath before entering the water. Her breath caught as she entered the freezing water and she hissed. “Oh…Cause! Cold!”
She swam along the shore, heading for the docks while keeping watch for any guards. It seemed like an eternity in the freezing water, swimming as quietly as she could, before she pulled herself from the lake and onto the dock. Water splashed from her garments and she froze, listening. The splatter of droplets from her tunic onto the wood seemed deafening in her ears and she hurried from the dock to the nearest wall. She crouched behind it. There was still no sound save the laughter of those within.
It was then that she registered a sickly smell that made her gasp. What was it? She peered around the wall and saw nothing but more sections of the garden. If she wanted to get in, the side of the house would likely be her best option. Running in a crouch, she ran around the wall and along a hedge row. As she turned the corner, she slammed head first into a cage and stars burst in her field of vision. She fell back, gasping and hoping no one heard the noise. She lay on the ground and held her breath but no one came. She looked up at the cage and gagged in horror.
A mess of rotted flesh filled the cage, sheep and goat parts littering the ground in a mess of guts and limbs, half rotted and covered in flies and maggots. She gagged and backed into the hedge opposite of it, staring at it in horror and wondering what could have happened. She slipped past, making her way further in. Only then did she realize someone had heard the noise she was making. “Woman.”
She spun around to look on the opposite side of the hedge. There was another cage, this one tucked in a corner and holding a man. His face looked wild and feverish, his eyes alight with an insane fire, as he beckoned her toward him. “Come here unless you want me to call for help.”
Lumina froze, her mind racing with options. She could run and likely escape easily. But then she would get nothing, no information at all on these cultists. Then again, talking with this insane-looking man didn’t seem promising. Still, he might know something. She crept toward him, holding her hands up to quiet him, and whispered, “Who are you?”
The man’s dirty blonde hair pressed against the bars as he leaned forward, staring at her intently with those burning green eyes. “My name is Sebastian. Can you get me out?”
“I don’t know. I can try. But I need to know you won’t attack me.”
Sebastian shook his head, his ragged and half-ripped tunic shifting over one shoulder as he shivered. He smiled coldly. “I have no reason to attack you. Those inside, however…”
Lumina studied his vengeful face. “What do you know about those inside?”
“Let me out.”
Lumina hesitated, looking around at the relatively clear garden path. “I don’t see any way to get you out.”
“Then find the keys,” he snarled, gripping the bars tightly and Lumina backed away from him.
“Where would they keep the keys?”
“Inside the high priest's bedroom.”
Lumina looked up at the two story building. “How do I get up there without getting caught?”
“Find a way!” His shout startled her and his spit splattered on her hand. He began to shake the bars, growling in fury. “Get moving! Or I might hurt you when I get out of here.”
Lumina’s eyes turned from his disturbing gaze to his hands that were shaking violently. The bars in his grip were shaking with his hands and began to glow a soft orange like they were being heated in a furnace. Her eyes widened and she backed away. “What’s happening?”
He too seemed to notice his hands and his face flickered in the space of only a moment from confusion, to shock, and finally an unsettling focus as the bars began to vibrate at a higher intensity. His focus was solely placed on his hands as he growled, “Let…me…out.”
Lumina panicked and looked around. She suddenly found herself in an ironic situation where she felt like she should call for help. She struggled to calm her breathing, thinking carefully of her options. “What are you?”
He refused to look at her as his focus remained on the bars in his hands. “I’ll let you know when I get out.”
Lumina felt a sense of dread settle upon her as the impossible became reality. “Are you human?”
“Not anymore.”
“What happened to you?”
This caused him to look away from the bars to glare at her. “Carxandrian, there are some things in this world that are not meant to be common knowledge. But they soon will be. Let me give you a hint. Leave this place. These people are intent on seeing the world burn and change forever with them on top. A world of perfection. There is no place for you there unless you…are… their slave.”
He grunted the last of his statements out as he pulled the heated bars, glowing white now. They bent easily and tore from the structure. His grin was terrifying, as he triumphantly gazed at the new hole forming in his cage. His grip moved to the bottom of the bars and he began to shake with more violence than before. He was now extremely pale as if the process was draining him. He began to mutter to himself. “Shaking is it? I always wanted to shake up the world around me.”
Lumina backed away now, unsure if she should run or keep asking questions. Her conflicting terror fought with her need for answers. Not that she was getting any. His answers were cryptic at best and to be present when he escaped was unwise. She looked toward the house to notice several party members emerging from the house, led by a man in a golden mask. Beside him was a man head and shoulders above the rest of the people, wearing a mask of his own, a detailed face of a snarling man that looked half animal. He was strangely wearing fur trimming around his tunic edges in the warm weather.
Lumina leaped behind the hedge away from the cage but near the mess of animal carcasses. She struggled not to gag aloud as the smells reached her and she listened. “Someone’s coming,” hissed Lumina to Sebastian.
He ignored her and continued his work on the bottom rungs. She peered around the edge of the hedge and listened as the man with the golden mask began to lead the party down the stairs to the garden. “He will be quite a specimen, too, I imagine. As for Belus, he will be leaving tomorrow to begin his work. These are exciting times.”
“Isn’t the other one dangerous?” asked Catonus beside the masked figure. “He didn’t look well last I saw him.”
“We will see,” said the high priest, gesturing to the giant man. “Belus is here. Fear not.”
Lumina looked over at the giant figure and noticed he was glancing up, his nose raised, and appeared to be sniffing. His gaze slowly turned and the mask looked at her. She pulled back with a gasp. “I’m sorry,” she hissed to Sebastian who continued to ignore her. She fled back the way she had come, crouching low behind hedges as she cursed herself. She should have left sooner. As soon as the man…or not man started melting metal bars.
She reached the docks, hiding behind the wall and looking desperately at the water. If she made that final dash, she would be exposed to the view of others. She took a deep breath and rose to a crouch. Her gaze fixed on the point where she would jump into the water and with a final breath she dashed for it. A blur of motion came from the side and a giant figure struck her, sending her flying onto the wooden planks of the dock. The breath fled from her lungs and she struggled to pick herself back up. She turned to see the massive form of the man in the monstrous mask moving toward her.
She drew her sword and struggled to stand, breathe, and focus all in the same moment. He reached out for her as she swiped at him. She cut his arm and he bellowed angrily, pulling back one arm but struck with his other. It hit her sword with such force that it sent her arm spinning behind her. She dropped the sword in shock as her hand went numb and his bloody hand reached out to grab her around the neck. His grip was beyond strong, the slightest squeeze likely to snuff out her life. She froze, as he loomed over her.
Now that she was close, she could see that the fur she assumed he was wearing around the edges of his tunic wasn’t decoration. It was him. He removed his mask, letting it drop as his yellow gaze looked her up and down. Lumina’s eyes widened in fright as she saw that the mask wasn’t a far reflection from the face. The man’s face was distorted, as was his body. He had long hair all over his figure, a nose like a dog, his teeth large and sharp. He made a deep growling noise as he chuckled and when he spoke, his voice was rough and distorted due to his large teeth. “Young, fresh woman. Perhaps I will try human flesh after all.”
He lifted her then and Lumina’s vision swam as the pressure around her throat increased. Her gaze was set only on the teeth and lips licking them as he lifted her and drew her closer. Then another face was beside the monster’s.
Sebastian had leapt from behind and was clinging to the monster's neck, his hands still shaking so much that he could barely hold on. The man roared and dropped Lumina who had just enough sense to scramble toward her sword. The monstrous man reached up to dig his claws into Sebastian's arm who screamed, his whole body beginning to vibrate. The monster suddenly let go and bent over, holding its head and vomiting.
Lumina wasn’t taking any other chances. She grabbed her precious sword and sheathed it, leaping into the water. She struggled as she swam, disoriented and fighting to hold her breath. She reemerged some distance away to hear shouting from the docks and a howl of anger. She continued to swim, unsure where she could go. If she went on land she was almost sure she would be caught by that beast again. Looking out across the water, she spotted a fisherman's sail in the moonlight, likely heading home after the final catch of the day.
Lumina began to move toward it. She waved her arm and shouted, “Hey! Help!”
She coughed up water and struggled toward the ship, calling out when she could. Luckily, the shouting from the dock already had the man's attention and he pulled down the sail to stop the boat. As she reached it, he helped her aboard. His kind and weatherbeaten face showed concern and some fear as he helped her sit down and steadied the ship. “Who are you? What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “Not now. Get this boat moving.”
The boat rocked violently as another figure clung to the ship's side, pulling himself out of the water. Lumina gasped as she saw Sebastian climb into the boat and the fisherman struggled to keep his feet, shouting, “Now who is this! You are not-”
“Shut up,” said Sebastian. “Get this boat moving.”
The fisherman still hesitated, looking back and forth between the two new passengers on his ship. Sebastien moved toward him, grabbing the front of his clothes and shaking him. “I said move this boat or I will.”
The man gasped as his clothes began to smoke and he cried out in alarm. Lumina stood up, putting her hands out. “Sebastian! Stop!”
Sebastian looked at her, his eyes wild, but he released the fisherman. She had to get him away but she wasn’t willing to bring him home with her. He could still be a danger to everyone. Lumina glanced at the poor, confused fisherman. “Do as he says. Get us to the merchant docks.”
The man nodded, moving to unfurl the sails. Sebastian was shivering now, his gaze lowering as he began to sink to the ground. She grabbed his arms and helped him down. His hands grabbed the boat edges, still shaking, and began to cause the wood to smoke. Lumina eyed them nervously. “You need to calm down. You’re going to sink the boat! Take deep breaths.”
Sebastian began to breathe deeply as the boat began to move across the lake and toward the city. His breathing settled and the shaking stopped. Lumina took a breath of relief as she looked back at the docks. Most of the figures were now heading back inside. Only one figure was left…the man with the golden mask, staring out at them.
***
Catonus watched as Sebastian jumped into the lake following the young woman who had done so before. The creature Belus was still hunched over, shaking his head and howling with anger. Catonus gestured toward the High Priest. “Get the boat ready! We need to go after them!”
“Hold that order,” said the high priest. “There is no need.”
Catonus looked at him. “No need? That woman saw my face. That man is dangerous. What if either of them tell the authorities?”
“It will do them no good,” said the high priest, his golden mask watching the escapees climb onto a fishing boat. “If they do, they will either be ignored or they will send a few to investigate but will find nothing.”
He turned to several servants following at the rear. “Clean the cages and dispose of them. I will deal with any other evidence.” He then turned to Belus. “You move out tonight instead. Remember the plan, I will give you the full details soon enough.”
Catonus shook his head. “What…what other details?”
“None you need worry about,” said the high priest. “You should leave as well. Wait for your son's return and accompany him back to Aquilla.” He turned to the rest of his followers, raising his hands. “Go forth, brethren. Take your last drink, finish your entertainment. Our future is now in motion! Let us prepare for a glorious future! For the lord of change!”
“For progress is made through him!” came the response as the crowd dispersed.
Catonus looked at the high priest then nodded, “Let's hope this is just as you say.”
The high priest nodded and turned his gaze back to the fishing boat disappearing toward the city. He chuckled, muttering to the ship in the distance. “It is too late for any warnings now. Change has come. Change will continue. No one man can stop it.”