Read Online Soul of Skulls (Book 6) by Jonathan Moeller - Free Book Online
Authors: Jonathan Moeller
Ads: Link
Harbinger because you are the herald of this new order?"
"You recognize your doom," said Harbinger.
"Tell me of your new order," said Gerald.
"We shall cleanse the world of the unjust," said Harbinger, his eyes filling with a fanatical glitter. "The lords, the nobles, the priests, the merchants, all will die. We shall wash the world in their blood. And then Caraster will inaugurate a new order. There will be no more lords, no more priests, no more rich and no more poor, and every man shall have bread."
"You blaspheme against the Amathavian gods," said Adalar, who had inherited his late father's pious streak.
Harbinger sneered. "There are no gods. Only lies told to keep the poor enslaved and to make the priests fat and rich. Caraster has shown it to be true."
"And how does Caraster explain the runedead?" said Gerald. Harbinger seemed more than willing to ramble, and perhaps Gerald could coax out the secret of how Caraster controlled so many runedead. Before the Great Rising, Caraster had been nothing more than a petty bandit wizard, terrorizing the hill villages of southern Mastaria. Without his control of the runedead, he would be no threat to anyone.
"The runedead rose at his command," said Harbinger. "The dead themselves rebelled against injustice. They came at Caraster's call."
Gerald knew better.
"And how does he make them obey him?" said Gerald.
"His blood," said Harbinger, grinning.
"His blood?" said Gerald.
"The fire of justice burns in his blood," said Harbinger, "and with that fire he binds the runedead to him." He jerked forward, heedless of the Justiciar sergeants holding him. "You will see, noble dog! Already our runedead control most of Mastaria. Soon we shall march north, and lay waste to Knightcastle! Knightreach shall be cleansed, just as we have cleansed Mastaria."
"Cleansed?" said Gerald. "You mean you shall kill every noble, knight, priest, and merchant? Every peasant who has more wealth than his neighbors?"
"The wicked shall perish," said Harbinger.
"And their wives?" said Gerald. "Their children, too? They deserve to die?"
Harbinger grinned. "The wicked are poisonous snakes...and we shall crush their spawn as well." He laughed, high and mocking. "I enjoyed the screams of the merchants as we slew them, and I enjoyed the sobbing of their fat children as I killed them..."
"So," said Gerald, "you ordered the murder of the children?"
"Gladly!" said Harbinger, "and I will..."
"That is quite enough," said Gerald. "Hang him."
He just had time to see the stunned expression of Harbinger's face before the sergeants dragged him away. Perhaps Caraster had promised his disciples immortality. Harbinger began shouting imprecations, but Gerald ignored him.
Harbinger had no further useful information, and Gerald would not suffer a man who murdered children to live.
"I fear this confirms what we already know," said Agravain, shaking his silver-haired head. "This war will not be over until we find Caraster and kill him. His followers are a band of madmen. Without his control over the runedead, they are nothing."
"But Caraster is somewhere in the heart of Mastaria," said Nicholas. "And we dare not venture in force south of the River Abelinus. Tens of thousands of runedead await, and we would be overrun."
Gerald nodded. Each of them had valid points. But it was not his decision to make. He had been charged to hold southern Knightreach against the runedead. His father and older brother Tobias would decide the course of the war.
If his father was still even lucid.
"We shall decide our course on the morrow," said Gerald. "For now, the men have won a victory, and shall rest and recover. Secure the camp, and prepare to march at dawn."
The lords and knights went to their tasks.
In the distance Gerald heard Harbinger's ranting come to an abrupt halt, accompanied by the sound of snapping bone.
###
At dawn a band of horsemen approached from the north.
Gerald walked to the
"You recognize your doom," said Harbinger.
"Tell me of your new order," said Gerald.
"We shall cleanse the world of the unjust," said Harbinger, his eyes filling with a fanatical glitter. "The lords, the nobles, the priests, the merchants, all will die. We shall wash the world in their blood. And then Caraster will inaugurate a new order. There will be no more lords, no more priests, no more rich and no more poor, and every man shall have bread."
"You blaspheme against the Amathavian gods," said Adalar, who had inherited his late father's pious streak.
Harbinger sneered. "There are no gods. Only lies told to keep the poor enslaved and to make the priests fat and rich. Caraster has shown it to be true."
"And how does Caraster explain the runedead?" said Gerald. Harbinger seemed more than willing to ramble, and perhaps Gerald could coax out the secret of how Caraster controlled so many runedead. Before the Great Rising, Caraster had been nothing more than a petty bandit wizard, terrorizing the hill villages of southern Mastaria. Without his control of the runedead, he would be no threat to anyone.
"The runedead rose at his command," said Harbinger. "The dead themselves rebelled against injustice. They came at Caraster's call."
Gerald knew better.
"And how does he make them obey him?" said Gerald.
"His blood," said Harbinger, grinning.
"His blood?" said Gerald.
"The fire of justice burns in his blood," said Harbinger, "and with that fire he binds the runedead to him." He jerked forward, heedless of the Justiciar sergeants holding him. "You will see, noble dog! Already our runedead control most of Mastaria. Soon we shall march north, and lay waste to Knightcastle! Knightreach shall be cleansed, just as we have cleansed Mastaria."
"Cleansed?" said Gerald. "You mean you shall kill every noble, knight, priest, and merchant? Every peasant who has more wealth than his neighbors?"
"The wicked shall perish," said Harbinger.
"And their wives?" said Gerald. "Their children, too? They deserve to die?"
Harbinger grinned. "The wicked are poisonous snakes...and we shall crush their spawn as well." He laughed, high and mocking. "I enjoyed the screams of the merchants as we slew them, and I enjoyed the sobbing of their fat children as I killed them..."
"So," said Gerald, "you ordered the murder of the children?"
"Gladly!" said Harbinger, "and I will..."
"That is quite enough," said Gerald. "Hang him."
He just had time to see the stunned expression of Harbinger's face before the sergeants dragged him away. Perhaps Caraster had promised his disciples immortality. Harbinger began shouting imprecations, but Gerald ignored him.
Harbinger had no further useful information, and Gerald would not suffer a man who murdered children to live.
"I fear this confirms what we already know," said Agravain, shaking his silver-haired head. "This war will not be over until we find Caraster and kill him. His followers are a band of madmen. Without his control over the runedead, they are nothing."
"But Caraster is somewhere in the heart of Mastaria," said Nicholas. "And we dare not venture in force south of the River Abelinus. Tens of thousands of runedead await, and we would be overrun."
Gerald nodded. Each of them had valid points. But it was not his decision to make. He had been charged to hold southern Knightreach against the runedead. His father and older brother Tobias would decide the course of the war.
If his father was still even lucid.
"We shall decide our course on the morrow," said Gerald. "For now, the men have won a victory, and shall rest and recover. Secure the camp, and prepare to march at dawn."
The lords and knights went to their tasks.
In the distance Gerald heard Harbinger's ranting come to an abrupt halt, accompanied by the sound of snapping bone.
###
At dawn a band of horsemen approached from the north.
Gerald walked to the
Similar Books
