The Lost Book of Chaos: How to Divide the World (The Secret Wars of Angels 1) (10 page)

Judas nodded.

“What is this place?" Judas asked.

To which the old man chuckled, "A simple haven, for all." The old man accepted bread from one of the others, and broke it in two, giving one to Judas. Though Judas was hungry, he couldn't take it—it was their food, and they did not have a lot to begin with

“Don't be shy,” Busho said, smiling that warm smile again, “there is enough for all.” Busho truly meant the offer.

Judas doubted that, but decided to take the offered bread anyway as it would be rude to refuse twice.

The bread tasted horrible, but he ate it anyway. And while there was not enough to feed his hunger, he felt his spirit overflowing. That bread—given not from abundance but out of the old man's poverty—meant the world to Judas.

“Your friend,” Busho said, “she’s not eating?”

“Oh don’t mind her,” Judas said.

Shemyaza mostly kept to herself.

After the meal, the poor people gathered around to share their stories. They were simple folks, and having nothing, this was the way they passed the time. Some of the poor had warmed up to him. He listened to their stories, and he shared his own.

"What happened to your hands and feet" one of them said, pointing to the bandages around his hands.

"Pierced by nails," Judas said, as if joking. He offered to untie the bandages so they could see the wounds, to which they laughingly refused.

It turned out that many of the people in the haven came from distant lands. At first they came because they were looking for work and a means to survive. “We brought our families with us,” one of them shared. “But there's no work to be had even here in the city. Some of us are farmers who can no longer pay the rent in our land. Our debt to the landowners accrued, and we were forced to either become slaves to the owner forever, us and our children, and our children’s children. The other option was to escape our fate and start anew, somewhere that we would not be known, even if that meant being homeless.”

In a way, Judas and these people were similar. These people too were running away, as Judas was running away.

The others shared more of their stories.

Some of them, bakers, smiths, soldiers, tailors, who could no longer hold the job, were buried in debt, and again forced to choose between perpetual slavery and poverty. They could not bear seeing their children as slaves. And so, here they were.

There is an evil in the land, invisible chains that bind people to the soil,
Joshua once told him.

Joshua, his Master, his Teacher. Judas wondered when he could find Sky Jerusalem and meet his Master again.

“The people appear to be free,” Joshua had said, “and yet they are enslaved. They are clothed well and smiling, but they are on the edge of a cliff.”

There was a time, long ago, when Judas did not understand. It took him a while, but when he did, he explained what he understood to the Master, for confirmation.

"The land is a heritage," Judas remembered how he had answered Master Joshua. "No one owns it. Does anyone own the sun? Or the stars? Or the moon? Or the seas? And yet today, we sell the land as if it is ours. The Earth is not ours, yet we rent it to the poor.”

“The hardworking who appear to be free,” Judas continued, “barely make ends meet. And though they appear to be fine at first glance, they are slaves forever. Their masters tell them ‘but there are no chains that bind you, how can you be slaves?’ But their wages are cheated, paying them little so they can never save enough to free themselves. They have no other choice but to stay. Slavery through debt. Slavery through desperation. Slavery through deprivation.”

“We keep the system running,” Judas said, “all this so they can be slaves forever. Even the best minds, the hardest workers, will be paid little, to forbid him from saving for their future. What good is a slave if he saves enough money to be free on his own? The wealthy become wealthier, the poor remain poor forever."

Master Joshua had nodded to him. That was so long ago. Three years? Four? Judas was no longer sure.

Years after that conversation, Judas and The Master talked about the same topic. But The Master had a strange instruction by then.

“Therefore you shall free them,” Joshua said. “You shall betray me for thirty shekels of silver, and from that thirty you will free the land from chains. From every synagogue, from every church that wants my head, ask for thirty shekels of silver. I have no more wealth left. But by doing this, you will have enough to free many slaves. And even when I am gone, you will continue to free them.”

Judas shuddered. He saw the image of Joshua in his mind, to his right, bleeding with a crown of thorns. Then he remembered his own hands. He remembered the searing pain, though his wounds now were healed, the pain was still fresh in his mind. He fingered the bandages around his hands.

Sometimes, Joshua had some… twisted… ideas that no ordinary man would even consider.

“Do not be concerned,” Joshua had said to him. “Because I will not die.”

Suddenly, Judas had a vision, a memory.

The vision was of a young man, with the horns of an ox protruding from his head, and lighting flashing as that young man tried to revive the body of a charred child. Judas tried to brush that memory away.

Judas's train of thoughts was interrupted by a yawn.

Busho was gone, perhaps he had found a spot to sleep close by, but Judas could not find Busho in the crowd so he decided he would thank the old man tomorrow. For now, he wanted to go to sleep.

As he lay down however, he noticed Shemyaza’s eyes on him. Judas sighed, and approached her, but she turned and began walking away.

What was she up to? Did she intend for him to follow?

Judas decided to do so.

They came to a dark corner. He could barely see her features, as the moon above became covered with clouds.

“Shemyaza,” Judas called softly. “What are you d—?”

From Shemyaza’s hand came something slivering... It fell to the ground and rushed forward towards Judas.

“What— ?!” Judas tried to step back but it was too late. The snake bit him on his hand. The last thing he could recall were its scales, golden, as the clouds cleared and the moon shone
again. Then the snake slivered back to the hands of Shemyaza.

Judas awoke to the sound of mail clinking and several metal boots marching. There was a cry in the distance, and another in protest.

What had Shemyaza done to him?

And that golden snake...

“You can't do this,” one of the poor farmers said. “This is not right.”

“What's not right is you being here,” a soldier answered. “This is not your place, you are on the property of the city.”

“We are looking for a criminal and we have reason to believe you are hiding him,” another soldier said, showing them a hand-drawn image of Judas. “If you cooperate, no one else will get hurt.”

They took the baker this time, and made an example of him. The baker grunted at the blows and kicks he received, but the baker did not talk. Judas tried to move inconspicuously, looking for the old man Busho.

“Please, we don't mean any harm!”

“Hey doesn't that man look like...” one of the people around Judas answered, but another cut him off.

“Shhhh, keep quiet, we don't give away one of our own.” The first one closed his mouth apologetically.

Judas gritted his teeth, as he heard the blows of the soldiers continue.

Deep inside, Judas was grateful that these people wanted to protect him, even though he was a stranger, but he couldn't let these people suffer because of him.

Just before he was losing hope, he found the old man.

"They are looking for me," Judas said.

"Then go," old man Busho said, "Where is your companion?"

Judas shook his head. “She should be fine,” Judas said, “but I have no idea where she went.”

The people around them had heard the two talking, but they kept quiet.

“We will cover for you,” old man Busho said, “you need to go.”

“No need,” Judas said, “I don't want your people getting caught in my problem. I will grab the attention of those soldiers, but you need to leave this city too. After they discover that you were helping me, they may send you out of the city. Or worse.”

The old man just smiled, “There is nowhere else for us to go. We have gone to different cities, there is nothing for us in any of them. Besides, this is as good a place as any.”

“I understand that,” Judas said, “But there is land, land for you. You will buy it, but promise me, you will never sell it again. It is for your people, it will be your new haven, for you and anyone who wishes to live with you.”

“This is our haven,” old man Busho said sadly, his eyes beginning to look unclear.

“Your haven is not the place,” Judas said, “Your haven is your people. They are loyal. They take care of each other. If the soldiers kill them...”

The old man understood, wiping tears before they could fall from his eyes.

“Here is the money,” Judas pulled several shekels of silver from his small money pouch.

The old man looked doubtful, as there wasn't enough to buy any amount of land, even a small one.

“Pass it around to the others,” Judas said, “and tell them to pass around whatever they receive.”

The old man did so, still sceptical. After all, how could there be enough in that small money pouch?

But Judas kept pulling out more shekels of silver, passed it to the old man and the others around him. As this went on, their eyes grew bigger and bigger in disbelief. Some of them were beginning to sweat at what they were seeing. Old man Busho's jaws dropped in shock. Everyone in the crowd held many shekels of silver, and they continued passing it around. No one could understand how it happened.

It was the pouch given by Master Joshua to him. The silver shekels were paid in blood, the Master’s blood.

“This is enough to buy land for us...” old man Busho said. “Enough to start a community... But... But... We can't ever repay you...” The old man no longer attempted to hide his tears, they flowed freely on his cheeks now.

“You already have,” Judas answered, trying to control himself, as he too was moved to tears.

The old man looked confused. “How?”

“You gave me half of everything you had,” Judas said. Not understanding, Judas explained further.“The piece of bread.”

At the words of Judas, the old man was smiling as he sobbed.

Judas turned and called out to the Roman Soldiers. He shouted a curse to them, purposefully identifying himself.

When he confirmed that the soldiers had oriented on him, Judas ran.

Judas approached the prison. Fortunately, there was no one nearby who recognized him. He walked calmly, so as not to attract attention.

The good thing was, aside from being a teacher, Judas had spent his time as a lawyer too. He understood both Jewish and Roman laws. He talked his way inside in the guise of representing the defendants.

The local guardsmen were hesitant at first, but Judas demonstrated his knowledge of the law, explained to them the rights of Roman citizens, and after looking confused, they finally let him in so he could talk to someone in charge.

“I'm here to represent the two prisoners you took in earlier,” Judas said to the man who appeared to be the Prison Captain.

To his surprise, however, the Prison Captain did not offer much resistance.

“How did you get in?” Arcana wondered, exchanging glances with Varak, who was in an adjacent cell.

“I have my ways,” Judas answered. “But more importantly, are you sure things are all right? This doesn’t look fine to me.”

Arcana just smiled. “Yes, we've already made arrangements, we should be released soon,” Arcana said. Judas wondered what those arrangements were, and who it was that Arcana knew from the inside. “Someone from the higher guardsmen owes us a debt.”

“By the way,” Arcana said, “you're hand is bleeding. What happened to it?”

“Long story,” Judas said.

“We have time,” Arcana said, smiling.

“Indeed,” Judas chuckled.

She asked Judas to come closer and stretch out his hand.

“Hmmm, the wound was not as bad as I thought,” Arcana said, thoughtful. “But there, it should be good as new, except for that scar in both hands. How did you get them again?”

“I was impaled...” Judas said. At her question, Judas remembered how Arcana had poisoned him with a potion of truth the first time they met, forcing him to answer only the truth, whether he wanted to or not.

“With your master,” Arcana said, “right. You suffered the same punishment as him.”

“Not the same,” Judas said, “just on the day he died. He suffered more than I did, because the Romans tortured him for two days.”

He began explaining his encounter with Shemyaza, and the golden snake that bit him in the hand.

Arcana and Varak looked at one another.

“I do not know a lot about this Shemyaza,” Arcana said. “I may have read something about her... Was it in the Book of Wars Of Angels? In the Book Of Enoch? I am not certain... But whoever she is... ”

“So it turns out the one we saved,” Varak started, “didn’t need saving after all?”

Now that Judas was here, there was nothing he could do but wait for Arcana and Varak to be released, by whoever it was who pulled the strings.

But as the day passed, there was no order issued concerning their release, and Arcana’s expression changed from calm to trying-to-be-calm. She was good at it, but she couldn’t fool Judas that she too was worried by now.

Then someone came down the stairway.

“You seem to have gotten yourselves in a bit of trouble,” the man with long, brown hair said. He had an air of nobility and grace around him.

“This was your back up plan?” Judas said as he looked towards Arcana, but the expression she wore on her face was as clueless as he was.

“Have no fear,” Gnaeus said, “I’ll get you out of here, My Lady, and fast.”

Gnaeus said, grinning at Arcana.

Varak growled.

“I won’t let someone as beautiful,” Gnaeus said, “and as lovely as you stay long in such a place. It’s just not suitable for such a beauty.”

Varak unsheathed his sword, but it was not there. The guards had taken their weapons.

“Who is this man?” Varak demanded.

“An acquaintance of Judas,” Arcana said.

Varak had not yet met Gnaeus because Varak was unconscious from the jinn's taint.

“Gnaeus Lucius Articola at your service,” Gnaeus said with a flourish.

“I thought the Praetorians had gone away,” Judas said. “Shouldn’t you be with them, and don’t you have an important mission?”

“I stayed behind for something more important than my mission,” Gnaeus said, a serious expression on his face. “I am here to find my destiny.” Then he turned and winked at Arcana.

If the bars weren’t made of steel, Varak would have broken them by now.

“When I get out of here…” Varak grumbled.

Gnaeus mockingly took a step back, “Woah! Sit! Stay!”

“Don’t worry,” Gnaeus said as he walked towards the stairway, “I’ll talk to the guards above and tell them you’re with me.”

Then Gnaeus paused, as if in afterthought, “Do we have to take the other man with us too?”

Gnaeus gestured to indicate that he was talking about Varak.

Varak looked at Gnaeus coldly. If Gnaeus had not angered Varak before, surely, he had done so now.

“Who is this friend of yours?” Arcana said.

“He’s the son of a Roman Praetor,” Judas explained.

“And you trust him?” Arcana said.

“I wouldn’t say ‘trust’ is the right the word,” Judas said. “I trust him enough that he won’t betray us. But I wouldn’t trust him with my life.”

“Though I’d say you can probably trust him with
your
life Arcana,” Judas teased, chuckling.

Now Varak was looking coldly at Judas, as if considering whether or not he should do something about Judas
after
he skinned Gnaeus.

Gnaeus returned shortly. “I’ve taken care of everything, you will be released in a few moments, my lady,” Gnaeus said. “Your companion, on the other hand... I’m sorry but I had a bit of trouble getting him out—”

“Cut it out Gnaeus,” Judas said. “Did you, or did you not take care of both of their release?”

“Of course I did,” Gnaeus said, feigning that he was offended at such a question. “I’m not such a heartless man, You should know me better Judas.”

They waited for a while. Then, Gnaeus decided to check back again, wondering what was going on and why they were still not being released after his talk with them. “They say that we have to wait just a bit,” Gnaeus said. “They said they just made a mistake, and they just had so much work to do today.”

“Maybe you don’t have as much influence as you think,” Varak suggested. Gnaeus ignored him, which seemed to cause Varak to brood even more.

“Let me check with them again,” Gnaeus said. When he returned, he looked distraught, which surprised Judas. The Gnaeus he knew didn’t usually wear that expression.

“What is it?” Judas said.

“I suspect someone else is blocking your release,” Gnaeus said. “It must be someone very high in the ranks to have been able to supersede my authority.”

“Very little authority,” Varak corrected. Arcana glanced at Varak, who in turn fell silent.

“That makes sense,” Arcana said, “we should have been out of here by now as I am friends with Captain Rovaro and know he can be trusted,” Arcana said.

But just then, several guardsmen came to release them.

“Finally,” Gnaeus said.

But Judas sensed that something was off. Why were there too many guardsmen needed to release two prisoners?

The guardsmen had the cells opened, but they put Varak and Arcana in chains. Judas tried to protest, but the guardsmen threatened to chain him with the other two.

“What is the meaning of this?” Arcana demanded. “By the laws of Roman citizenship, we are to be freed. You can confirm with the Captain Rovaro.”

“I
am
the Captain,” the man in full plate mail armor said, “and you will be transferred to another garrison. That is all you need to know.”

Judas did not like this one bit.

“But what about Captain Rovaro? He agreed for our release.” Arcana protested.

“My rank supersedes Rovaro's,” The captain said. “I am in charge of this mission.”

“Have no worry my Lady,” Gnaeus reassured Arcana. Then Gnaeus took out an insignia from underneath his coat and showed it to the captain. “Captain, I am Captain Gnaeus of the Black Guard Unit, under direct orders from the Emperor, and these men are to be freed. By the name of the Emperor, and by the name of my father, the Praetor Agricola I request that you and your men stand down.”

One of the guardsmen looked closer. “It is the Emperor’s insignia.” The guardsman looked at his Captain, unsure what to do. However the Captain did not look impressed.

“You work for the Emperor?” the Captain said.

Gnaeus nodded.

But without warning, the guardsman Captain slashed his sword towards Gnaeus. Gnaeus in turn blocked the sword deftly with his own. Judas did not see Gnaeus unsheathe his sword at all. Just as well, Gnaeus would have been dead had he not blocked the blow.

“Vice-Captain, take the prisoners,” the Captain commanded, “I’ll deal with this fool.” The soldiers started moving.

“Where are you going to take them?” Judas demanded.

“And who are you?” the Captain said.

“I represent them as a public lawyer.” Judas answered. “It is their right to...”

Judas was already tall, but the captain seemed to tower over him. “Their sins are not answerable in the courts of man,” the guardsman Captain interrupted. “They are answerable to us, the Inquisition. Anyone who helps them are tainted with their sin. Not even the Emperor can stop us, for even if it is the Emperor who is corrupt, even he will answer to us.”

Gnaeus took a step forward, letting out a curse.

“You dare attack a Captain of the Black Guard,” Gnaeus said, “but more than that, you put chains to a beautiful woman.”

Had the situation been different, Varak would have growled.

“Give me your name,” Gnaeus said, “so I may etch it in your grave.”

“I am Captain Shaul of the Inquisition,” the Captain replied.

Judas wailed inside his head. These were the worst people to stand against in situations like these. As if the Inquisition wasn’t bad enough... Shaul... He had heard of that name before...

Could it be?

“Shaul The Persecutor,” Judas said, dread in his voice.

“You know him?” Gnaeus said.

“He was responsible for killing many of my Master’s followers,” Judas said, “and he was one of those who personally impaled my Master, even tortured him.”

“He,” Judas said, “is a mass murderer.”

Judas heard the sound of a sword as it unsheathed, and immediately after, one of the soldiers fell. Varak took another one down before the Vice-Captain of the Inquisition hit Varak on the back of his head, sending Varak unconscious. Two of the Inquisitors dragged him away. Arcana struggled, but without her sacred blade, her attacks were ineffective against armor.

Gnaeus tried to move towards Arcana, but Captain Shaul blocked his way.

Judas circled around the Captain, who seemed to ignore him as Judas didn’t look much like a threat. Judas planned to follow the soldiers and at least find out where they were headed. He was no fighter. If Arcana couldn't do anything, he could do less. But he had to do something.

On the way out, he saw the body of dead local guardsmen everywhere. The Prison Captain who had allowed him to come in was dead too. Anger brooded in him.

“Shaul...” Judas growled.

These Inquisitors had no mercy, even to one of their own. Anyone who stood in their way, they considered as an enemy.

Arcana seemed to realize the same thing as she charged sideward against one of the enemies, sending him tumbling backwards. In mere moments, she put the enemy's head between her legs and then twisted it with a sickening sound. The enemy stopped moving. She took the dead man's sword and turned to face the other enemies.

The enemy Vice-Captain cursed, unsheathing his blade. Judas took Arcana's side and picked up one of the dead Inquisitor's weapons. With Varak unconscious, it was two against three. But with Judas not being that good at the sword, the odds were probably worse. Arcana charged forward towards the enemy Vice-Captain. The Vice-Captain swung his blade, but Arcana had dropped down to evade it, then she swung her sword at the Vice-Captain's legs. The Vice-Captain jumped back in time, but Arcana followed with a straight thrust. The Vice-Captain caught it to the side of his armor, then held it there with his metal gauntlets. Arcana struggled to pull it out, but the Vice-Captain would not give way. The Vice-Captain struck Arcana’s sword on the flat side, causing Arcana to let go of her sword as she jumped back.

The Vice-Captain sneered, “Is that all you've got?”

“Judas, give me the sacred blade,” Arcana commanded.

The sacred blade! Judas had forgotten all about it. He should have given it to her in the first place, when they were back in the prison. She could have escaped right then and there!

But they had been complacent, believing nothing wrong could happen, and as a result, they had found themselves in a difficult situation.

“I will take all three of them down in one strike,” Arcana said. “But I doubt if I will have much strength left once I’m done. You need to escape with the opening that I create, then take the blade with you and run. No matter what happens, it cannot fall in their hands.”