195 The Grand Master (1/2)
Tobias looked up to the floating sphere. The brightness emanating was blinding. He tried not to squint in fear that the action would cause disrespect.
”Tobias” The sphere spoke. The voice tingled his ears. Tobias knelt. He bowed so low that his forehead was kissing the ground. As he thought about it, his meetings with the Omniscient never had a semblance of familiar places. He would just see a bright light that would speak to him. Everything else was clouded in a bright light. But now they were in a wide plain that spread as far as his eyes could see. There was a cool wind blowing and there a bright moon above. Stars in constellations unknown filled the sky.
”Omniscient I am your loyal servant. I will always obey your commands. But I don't understand what is happening. Henry the unrighteous, who broke your rules and killed your loyal Punishers, is winning. Not to press my knowledge for I know that my mind is nothing compared to your omniscience, but I think I will lose soon enough. The citizens joined him. Those lowly heretics dared to question your word. And King Brice... he lacked faith to keep fighting until the end. Your loyal servant is confused. What am I to do?”
”You have spent a long time struggling and you have lost your way. Rest Tobias. Your time has come”
Tobias felt tears fall from his eyes. He sounded a long grunt. A combination of sadness and anger enveloped his being.
”What have I done to disappoint you!? I did everything I could to please you. I am Tobias your loyal servant!”
”Rest” The Omniscient spoke again. The light was more intense than before. It exploded before his eyes. Everything was white.
**********
Henry removed his helm and wiped the blood from his cheek. An earlier lucky strike hit his helm and tore the skin of his left cheek.
”Are you one of them? I have met a man named Shadow and another whose name is Helios” he asked the squire
”I am one of us” The squire said ”I am named terror for I bring bad dreams with my dust”
”And Master Tobias?”
”He met his God”
”A crafted God you mean?”
This time, the squire smiled. There was deepness in the smile. ”Does it matter?”
Henry eyed Tobias. The old man still had his eyes rolled up ”It does because you just killed many people bringing your false dreams”
”True, I had some hand in it” The squire nodded ”But all I did is show him of his God and he believed. You humans have some dark things hidden in your heart. I myself was terrified upon seeing Tobias' darkness. Imagine that, my name is terror and I was terrified? He did this to himself. He is a weak man and a wicked one”
Henry felt a tinge of of disgust. ”You will die for your sins. You will both die”
”I know” The Squire said
Tobias awakened from his sleep. Shaking his head, he eyed Henry. A scream of pain followed. Tobias wailed and cried in the most unsettling way possible ”He hates me!” Tobias was ripping his hair from the scalp ”He hates me despite my efforts!”
Henry knelt near Tobias. He pointed his steel towards the fanatic's chest. ”He hates you for you are wicked”
Tobias looked at the blade. He laughed like a madman. His old but white teeth showed a certain emotion. As for what emotion, Henry could only guess.
Henry leaned close to Tobias' ear. He whispered, ”I am Henry, twenty-fourth Grand Master of the Order of Knights of Tulosa. For your sacrilege and misuse of the power vested by the Omniscient, I sentence you to death. I shall not give you the privilege of having your last words as you don't merit such honor. May the Omniscient forgive both of us for our sins”
Henry pressed the sword. Tobias' white robe turned red on his chest. The old man struggled for a while until he closed his eyes. The fanatic was no more.