Two years ago….
Jasmine pushed the embers of camp fire around in the ash
with a long spoon. The Araxian sky was still dark but for the faint red hue in
the horizon. Her party were yet to begin rousing themselves from their slumber.
She envied them their sleep. Jasmine's night's had been restless and dreamless.
Even amongst this small group of her most loyal followers, she sensed their disquiet.
Every Inspirtu Preceptor had, in their traditions and superstitions, had the
ability to glimpse the future though dreams and drug-induced visions. That line of Preceptors five hundred years old
had been swept aside in the new order of Adherents and the Congregation. An Adherent who could no longer dream.
Taryn al-Sayal joined her at the camp fire, her blood-soaked
dagger at her side.
“Only a few survive, Adherent. The rest appear to have died
where they lay.”
Jasmine turned to the Desert Born outcast, whose long black
hair fell lank and dirty around her neck. Taryn was loyal – she was her trusted
lieutenant, advisor and Commander of the Guard. Most of all she was her friend.
“Did they suffer? I hope they suffered Taryn. I hope those
blood skinned monsters suffered long and hard.”
“They suffered. I put the worst out of their misery. Two are
still alive but not for long. One of them keeps grinning at me.”
“Grinning?”
“Aye, grinning. The other one is feverish, coughing up
blood. I should slit their throats…”
Jasmine nodded. It was the humane thing to do. She put to
one side thoughts of whether such humanity was deserved. After all, these foul
creatures had massacred hundreds of her own people and forced the few survivors
into a reluctant exile. Taryn, as if knowing what she was thinking, put a hand
on her shoulder – “You weren’t to know they’d be sold into slavery. At least
they’re alive.”
“Yes we did, Taryn. We both knew. Maybe they’d have had more
dignity if they’d walked into the desert and let the sand claim them”
“Maybe they would. But while they’re alive the history of
the Inspirtu survives with them. That
counts for something.”
Jasmine stood up and paced across the camp. “Do you know why
the bloodskins did it?”
Taryn nodded as she cleaned the blood from the finer parts
of her blade. “Because we found the burial site. That’s what made slitting
their throats that much easier.”
Adherent Moonshade whispered “Praise Musaii” to herself and
clenched the Jade necklace that hung around her neck. “Do we know why they’re
so ill?”
“I’ve seen it’s ugly face before. It’s the Black Pox. Never
thought I’d see it again.“
The Adherent turned on her heel. “The Black Pox? How can
that be?”
Taryn placed her dagger back in it’s sheath, pursing her lips but not speaking.
"Speak freely Taryn.
I welcome your advice. Do not hold your tongue so tightly!”
Taryn looked down at the ground, preparing herself and then
stood up. “You brought back too many bad memories, your holiness. Musaii was
silenced, one way or another, when she challenged the Laandsrat. With the
Messiah out of the way, they could cure the Black Pox and make reap the rewards
themselves. Maybe it was for riches or perhaps it was for the power but pay no
mind to the Laandsrat banning the Blood Cure. At that point it was already too
late. We’ve seen the desiccated corpses for ourselves. Drained of their blood. We know what happened.
But the pox passed and Araxes continued on ….until you started scrawling
messages on the Magistrate’s walls. That is when they knew this wasn’t over,
Jasmine Moonshade. That is why our Sanctuary was burnt to the ground. It’s why
they tried to massacre each and every one of us. They were trying to rip out
our tongues and bury us and the truth in the sand. It’s the reason that these
monsters are dying now. We know the
truth, Jasmine. We know the truth.”
Taryn strode over and placed her hands on Jasmine’s
shoulders and stared intensely into her ruler’s eyes. “Understand this and act
upon it. These monsters, who massacred our kinsfolk, our children, are as much victims as we are. Someone has infected
them with the intention of wiping out any connection that could be made between
them and the people who paid them to act against us. As a Desert Born, my blood will prevent my infection but we must pray to
Musaii that you and the others will be spared. This pox cannot spread beyond
this camp site Adherent. We must not let it.”
Jasmine strove to hide her fear from her face and stared
into the rising sun on the horizon.
“Then kill the bloodskins now. Before the infection can
spread.”
“It may already be too late, Jasmine.”
“Then what would you have me do?”
Taryn paused and then spoke. Call them out. Let them know we
have this virus – let them know we know how to use it against them. Take your pen and scribe a speech to the
Imperial City. Let us see who reacts and what actions they take. We may yet
unmask them.”
Jasmine squinted as the sun rose before turning and nodding.
“As always, your counsel is wise, but if we fail to provoke them, then what?”
The Commander of the Guard, Taryn al-Sayal, let out a sigh
and touched her blade, a sign that Jasmine understood immediately. If they
could not make their hidden enemy react then no-one would leave their camp site
alive.
///Transmission Begins/////
My name is Jasmine Moonshade. Some of you will know me as
the Adherent, the spiritual leader of the Jade Revolution. Some of you will
also be aware of the atrocity deep in the Evangeline province that resulted in
the deaths of several hundred innocent people. Of course, as with the
investigation into the supposed death of Jade Moonkill, your interest in justice
became confused with your own selfish needs. Located on Araxes, I have placed
six containers of the SAF virus, otherwise known as the Black Pox. This
virulent new strain is much, much worse than you could possibly imagine. My
intention is not to scare you ,my Land of Rats, for I know there is little that
can terrify you more than the blackness of your own hearts. Should I release
this virus,you will know whom to thank for your death unlike those who perished
at the Sanctuary. Time grows short and I
grow weary of life. My final game has begun, friends. Let us see how it plays out.
///Transmission Ends////
