Appo had explained it all, but he hadn't realized how bizarre his journey had been until he said it all out loud. Jere inquired occasionally about Isbibarra, and Adok asked about the leper colony and the trepanning surgeries. Appo expected Jere to ask more about what the Eivettän Death Worms really were, but he let it pass. When Appo’s tale reached Zabukama, both fell into silence. Appo quickly realized that he himself struggled to understand exactly what had happened to him there.
All the while, Jere and Adok kept themselves busy. Jere spent much of the conversation trying to pick the locks of his chain links with Appo's gauntlet blade. Adok watched over Heikk, whose breathing slowed after ingesting some of the poppy.
Before long, two hours had passed. Appo sat awkwardly, unsure how his new roommates would respond to it all.
“Okay,” Appo said, anticipating a poor reaction. “Tell me I’m crazy.”
After a pause, Jere spoke first. “It’s… something. Blind marksmen, magi women, conversing with Gods. Beats Eevis', that’s for sure.”
“Oh. You don’t believe me?”
“I’ve never pinned you as the creative type… I actually think you’re telling the truth.”
“I don’t know about a lot about what you said,” Adok added, “but there were some things that caught my ear. I lived in the desert with my uncle when I was young. Everything you said about the Rust Waves and the stone trees is true, but stories travel… then you mentioned the wall. No one who’s ever there talks about it. And those who live inside… they are not to be spoken of.”
“You mean the Krazeek?”
“Gah!” Adok exclaimed. “Please don’t say it down here.”
"I don’t blame you, Adok." Appo said, shuddering at the memory. "I really don’t.”
“I'm curious about what this God said,” said Jere. “You came across your Lowya - a God that created the plague - and that the only way to control the plague is to make the entire city consecrate themselves to her?”
Appo disliked how Jere made it sound. “Yeah.”
Jere sighed, taking a break from his lock-picking. “We aren’t the only ones here. There are other survivors. They’ve done nothing but kill and maim and torture in the name of Okkan. To have all of them consecrate to a foreign God is impossible.”
“Um.” Adok almost seemed embarrassed to speak up. “I’m not so sure that's so. The whole… convincing-people-to-change-sides aspect of it all.”
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Jere laughed. “Am I the only one who saw the flayed bodies? Or witnessed the riot where they pushed out half of their fellow citizens to be taken by screamers?”
“What?” Appo interjected. He had expected things to be bad, but that was something else.
“In all fairness Jere, I was there, and you weren’t. Many are doing bad things, sure. But most are afraid. Why wouldn’t they be? It’s only gotten worse since then… I think Boah is losing his grasp.”
“Hold on,” Appo said, trying to keep up with everything. “Boah is still alive?”
“Very much so,” Jere said. “Juddken too.”
The very name of Juddken sent Appo into a bout of shivering. He recalled slicing blades and laughter.
“That’s the thing,” Adok continued. “Boah has done everything to convince them that everything is okay. He gives speeches every day, talking about how Okkan has provided them with food and water. But think about it: the screamers overran their food supply. They ran out the Ati worshippers, who they blamed for all of their misgivings. And now, I don’t even think they have water anymore.”
“Why do you assume all that?” Jere asked.
Adok stood, walking over to the boulder outcroppings of the tunnel. “Think about it: Urash sends us down here and tells us to look for a lever. I kept wondering why Boah left him alive, but it all makes sense now… Urash told them there was a way out, but all we had was this tunnel. That was why the water stopped when we pulled the lever!”
Appo looked at the back of the tunnel. Adok and Jere had dug out an intricately laid pattern of pipes that ran up and down the wall. The rock behind them jutted precariously, to where it was a wonder that the tunnel had not collapsed already.
“You think Boah never told the others?” Jere asked.
Adok nodded. “Imagine they found out they had an escape right underneath them and Boah hid it from them. If someone came to them with that knowledge, they’d turn on him immediately.”
“Huh.” Jere pondered for a moment, before reaching back down to his gauntlet. “You know what I bet? I bet tomorrow when Juddken comes down for us, he’ll take us right up to the courtyard. Boah is a showman, and if what you’re saying is true, he needs to get them all back on his side. What better way than to sacrifice prisoners in a big spectacle?” Jere then turned to Appo. “Perfect place to make a speech.”
It made sense, but Appo shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I can look at those two after what they did to me.”
“Think of it this way,” Jere said. “Imagine how they’ll feel when they see you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You warned them this would happen. Then it did. You’re as much of a monster to them as they are to you.”
“And you spoke to a God, Appo,” Adok said. “Who else can claim the same? Boah says he does, but I doubt he believes himself.”
“Put the fear of God into them,” Jere reassured. “If you can do that, you can get them to turn.”
Appo didn't know what to say. He doubted he could pull off such a feat. “I recall Jere once said I played a great corpse.”
“Halfway there,” Jere said, dryly.
“We don’t need to convince all of them,” said Adok, “but we can convince most. If we can get them to just question themselves, that can be enough. Then we just take them back here and go to the Temple.”
“And if it comes to it,” Jere said, his shackles finally loosening with a clang. He massaged his now-freed wrists as he continued. “I’ll take care of anyone unwilling to convert.”
Adok and Jere seemed so certain that they could do it, though Appo wondered whether they had anything else to lose. He was right there with them. He would have to go along.
For the first time in his life, Appo had faith. He smiled.
“I need you both to tell me as much as you can about what’s happened here. Every little detail.”