Father Richard Baylor celebrated his fiftieth birthday just last week. Father Baylor didn’t think much of it at the time. At this age, birthdays for him were little more than a meaningless number creeping upwards. But after the horror show that struck Central Maston yesterday, Father Baylor could feel those fifty years pressing down on his shoulders.
The local chapel for the Church of the Divine had been filled with refugees since yesterday’s attack. As the head of the local ministry, Father Baylor was in charge of looking after these lost souls and making sure they had food, water, and a place to sleep until the military cleared out the southern portion of the city. An honorable task, to be sure, but Father Baylor would be lying if he said it wasn’t tiring work. The preacher looked out of the window of his private office and noted that the sun still had a few hours left before it fell below the horizon. Truth be told, Father Baylor probably would have turned in already if his responsibilities had allowed him to do so. The meeting he was about to have was far too important to even consider brushing it off. A soft knock sounded from his office door.
“Come in.” Father Baylor called out, trying to suppress the exhaustion in his voice.
The kind Sister Paula gently opened the door and set one foot into the room.
“Colonel Pierce is here to see you, Father Baylor.”
Although she remained professional, the head minister could tell that his subordinate was just as tired as he was. The past twenty-four hours had been hard on everyone. Something Father Baylor knew he should keep in mind whenever he felt like complaining.
“Thank you, Sister Paula. Please, send him in.”
The sister dipped her head and retreated from the doorway. A few moments later, the door opened once more, and the disheveled colonel let himself into the office. Pierce looked as tired as Father Baylor felt. His military uniform was rumpled, bags under his eyes, and overall a paler complexion compared to the last time that the father had seen him.
“Gordon.” Father Baylor stood and offered the colonel his hand.
“Richard.” The colonel gave him a firm shake and took a chair along the right wall. “I wish we were meeting under better circumstances.”
Father Baylor chuckled, though, there was little amusement in it. “Truly.”
Colonel Pierce pulled out a pocket watch and frowned at its face. “He’s late.”
“Military high command has its own timetable. They expect everyone else to bend to their schedule, regardless of our own.” The father said with a smile. “You should know better than anyone.”
The colonel smirked. “You’re certainly right about that. I don’t know why I ever let myself expect anything different.”
Before their conversation could carry on further, the office door opened once more.
A military man with stars on his shoulders strode into the room with purpose. Colonel Pierce stood abruptly, and his hand snapped up in a crisp salute. Father Baylor rose as well to greet his latest guest.
“General Sturn.” Peirce greeted curtly.
The general returned the salute and offered his hand to the colonel.
“Thank you both for making yourselves available.” General Sturn shook both of their hands briskly. “But I’m sure both of you can appreciate the situation we find ourselves in.”
Father Baylor nodded as the trio took their seats around his desk.
“How are the cleanup efforts going?” Sturn asked Colonel Pierce.
The colonel sighed. “Slowly. The corpses are resilient and their ability to propagate themselves through their slain victims makes it vital that we exterminate every last one of them before we give the all clear. I estimate we’ll need a week to get a full, clean sweep of the area before we can start moving people back into their homes.”
“High command appreciates your efforts colonel.” The general leaned forward in his chair. “Though, obviously, you both know that’s not why I’m here.”
Father Baylor and Colonel Pierce nodded in unison.
“Colonel.” The general turned to face Peirce directly. “You met the traveler first. What is your assessment of him?”
“He didn’t strike me as anyone noteworthy. At least, not at first.” The colonel responded. “Miss Goldrin brought him back from the front after she received, what she claimed was, a vision from the divine.”
“And you didn’t feel that was worth reporting?” Sturn’s eyes narrowed.
“If you’ve read my reports concerning the current wielder of the Crimson Ash, you would know that she has had a streak of insubordi-”
“I have read your reports colonel.” The general cut Pierce off. “Freely speaking I feel that you’ve been a bit liberal with your orders.”
Pierce straightened in his chair indignantly.
“My orders were to keep Miss Goldrin out of harm's way.”
“Out of harm's way.” Sturn scoffed. “That doesn’t mean lock her up like a common thief.”
“Gentleman.” Father Baylor interjected before the colonel could respond. “General, I know Miss Goldrin’s father was a friend of yours, but I feel you’re letting your personal attachment steer this conversation away from the topic at hand.”
The general sat back in his chair. “You’re right, father.”
“You said he came to you this morning?” Sturm asked Father Baylor.
The father nodded. “He and Miss Goldrin approached me this morning and asked for information about travelers.”
“What did you tell them?” The general asked in a measured voice.
“As per regulations. Nothing.” Father Baylor answered. “They left dejected and disappointed.”
“Good.” The general nodded. “Do you have any impressions of the young man?”
Father Baylor considered his words carefully. “The light of the divine is bright within him. He has a youthful innocence that has yet to be tainted by evil. He is optimistic, perhaps to the point of naivety.”
“Sounds like you had quite the chat with the traveler.” Colonel Pierce noted.
The father shook his head. “I am merely expressing my initial impressions of the young man. The divine often allows me a deeper insight into an individual’s intentions but I would never be so bold as to assert that what I share is more than directed speculation.”
“Can he be trusted?” General Sturn asked with a sharp look in his eye.
“In his current state?” Father Baylor shrugged. “I would say yes.”
Colonel Pierce scoffed.
“You disagree, colonel.” Sturn stated, turning to the man.
“With all due respect to the father, the archives tell us a similar story.” Pierce responded fiercely. “Humanity has been down this road before.”
“I’d like to think we’ve progressed as a people since then.” The general noted. “We are not as helpless, nor clueless, as our ancestors were.”
Pierce shook his head but didn’t outright refute the general’s statement.
“Anisha has requested to travel with this young man. Not only that, but she also put in an equipment request for a field radio and artillery spotter’s handbook.” The colonel shot Sturn a meaningful look. “A reservist that he met only yesterday has demanded to be transferred to his command. I’ve told him things that I never intended to say out loud.”
Pierce slammed a closed fist onto the arm of his chair. “He’s dangerous, general. We’re taking a risk by letting him wander through this city unchecked.”
General Sturn studied the colonel carefully before responding.
“Approve the requests. Give him what he needs.”
Pierce’s eyes bulged. Even Father Baylor felt a jolt through his system at the general’s words.
“Approve his-” Colonel Peirce sputtered. “Do you not realize that we would be giving the wielder of the crimson blade over to this man’s control?”
General Sturn rose from his chair. “I’ve given my orders, colonel. You would do well to obey them.”
“General, if I may,” the father interjected. “Giving the traveler free reign to go and do as he pleases does seem irresponsible, given what we all know.”
The general shook his head. “Attempting to capture or control this traveler will only result in our worst fears coming to pass. I understand your reservations gentlemen, believe me, they are shared amongst many at high command, but this is our only chance to turn the tides of this war in our favor. If even half of the legends are true, this traveler can deliver humanity from its eventual fate.”
The colonel shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Despite being in the church and not made privy to every bit of military intelligence, even Father Baylor knew that humanity had been losing ground over this century spanning war. Despite advancing technology and new tactics developed to fight the demon threat, they could gain no ground. Only lose it over time. General Sturn walked to the door and opened it.
He paused in the entryway. “Make no mistake. His actions will be closely monitored. Should our fears be confirmed. He will be dealt with swiftly. Good day gentlemen.”
The door shut behind him. The colonel let out a sigh and placed his head in his hands.
“I’m getting too old for this Richard.” Colonel Pierce rubbed his eyes. “High command is taking a huge risk, letting Miss Goldrin travel with this young man.”
Father Baylor had to agree. It did feel like an unnecessary gamble.
“That reservist that I am now ordered to give over to him.” Pierce shook his head. “I’ve read her file. Her psychological report is the stuff of nightmares for a commander.”
Father Baylor frowned. “Meaning what exactly?”
The colonel stood to leave. “If this is the kind of person the traveler is going to gather around him, we’re all in big trouble.”
With a curt nod farewell, Pierce left the father alone in his study.
Paypal
