John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

"We of the Inner Circle have heard rumors of lesser priests being Investigated, but little else."

"The Investigators leave few witnesses, and those they do leave behind are scared witless, or broken in body and spirit. I visited at one village where the peasants had turned on the Investigators, and their Temple Guard, killing them all. They thought I had come with my escort to punish them. Instead I prompted them to tell their story. In this village the Investigators were so corrupt, they started Investigating the more prosperous farmers before anyone had even made a complaint. The local elders took offense, offered them a celebratory dinner, poisoned their wine and cut the throats of all of the Investigators not killed outright by poison."

Anaxthenes shuddered. "Does Roxthar know?"

"I suspect not. He is an honest man by his own lights. The Holy Investigator has eyes only for Kalvan, Hos-Hostigos and the blasphemers of our own Temples, which as you know are many."

Anaxthenes nodded, being one himself. The Temple had been built on lies and fakery and had profited handsomely, as had the high priesthood, himself included. Or, at least, until the Usurper Kalvan arrived. Some in the Inner Circle believed Kalvan to be a disaffected highpriest of Styphon's House who had decided to use his knowledge of the Fireseed Mystery to raise himself above the Temple.

"Then you are aware that most of Roxthar's Investigators no more believe in Styphon's divinity than in Allfather Dralm."

"Yes, Grand Master, they are ambitious underpriests who fear that they will not live long enough to advance to the top of the Temple hierarchy, where rests an old man of more than ninety winters. They see in Roxthar a path to advancement and are most eager to Investigate any highpriest above their station. Someday Roxthar will discover this himself and then we will watch the old wolf devour his own tail and hind parts. Of course, few of us will be alive to witness this satisfying conclusion to this madman's reign of terror."

Soton's calloused hand grasped the Archpriest's shoulder. "I am glad to learn that I am not the only man with eyes in all of Balph. I fear that long before Roxthar discovers the corruption in his own entrails, the peasants, artisans, nobles and kings will have had enough of this Investigation and will kill all of us in an orgy of anger and bloodlust."

Anaxthenes shivered, despite himself, as a vision of townsmen and peasants alike descending upon the temples of Styphon and burning and looting them filled his mind's eye.

The Grand Master's face hardened. "I am convinced that Roxthar is a greater threat to Styphon's House than is the Usurper Kalvan himself!"

In light of all this information and his own experience of Roxthar, he knew Soton was right. "But how can we stop him? Roxthar holds the Inner Circle hostage like a pigeon in a cat's mouth. Styphon's Own Guard protects him and his Investigators. And he has mobilized the Temple and its allies in the war against the Usurper."

"Very true," Soton nodded. "However, Roxthar is no longer satisfied to watch from the top of the Temple. He has 'assured' me in private that he and his Investigators will join the army now being assembled in Hos-Harphax to re-take the false kingdom of Hos-Hostigos."

"The news of Roxthar's absence will be a relief to the peasants of Hos-Ktemnos and the highpriests of Balph, and every other temple in the Five Kingdoms."

"Yes, but it also provides us with a unique opportunity, one which we must take advantage of quickly. It's the primary reason I wanted you to accompany me to Harphax City; the other is so that you can gain prestige by officiating over Great King Lysandros' enthronement."

Anaxthenes nodded. It was no secret that his own star had plummeted even as Roxthar's had ascended.

"Furthermore, Roxthar will be joining the command in Hos-Harphax after the Harvest Festival and you will have a one-time opportunity to solidify your position in Balph."

"To what end?" Anaxthenes asked.

"Styphon's Voice. With you in command of the Temple, not even Roxthar will be in a position to Investigate you and the Inner Circle."

Anaxthenes took a deep breath. He had grown accustomed to pulling strings from above, but maybe it was time for him to be on stage.

"You could even withdraw his Petition of Investigation," Soton finished.

"Not unless the collective body of the Inner Circle has grown a backbone since we left Balph."

Soton laughed, a big booming noise. "Regardless, you would be in a position to direct events and rein in our mad Archpriest."

Anaxthenes nodded. "I am glad to hear you say it out loud. It is true that Roxthar is mad as a Sastragathi rattlesnake handler. What about old Sesklos? He looks fit enough to live three or four more winters. And what about Dracar, his successor, who trembles at Roxthar's footsteps?"

"If you can't figure out how to take care of a few feeble old priests, then you are not the man I know you to be."

Anaxthenes thought of Thessamona and her little vials-yes, he knew how and what to do. But carefully… "Yes, it is time to remove some old timbers from the Temple's flooring."

Soton smiled. "Yes, there's already one vacancy. And I have the perfect candidate in mind."

"Who?"

"Archpriest Grythos. He is a former Knight Commander of the Order. Roxthar will not fight his nomination since he has come to believe we need more men of action in the Inner Circle, and Grythos recently distinguished himself as Grand Captain Phidestros' advisor during the successful capture of the Hostigos castle, Tarr-Veblos."

"Will he follow my lead, Grand Master?"

"He is my man and will do as I wish."

Anaxthenes, for the first time that day, felt his spirits lift. "You do your job in Hos-Hostigos, and I will do mine in Balph." They raised palms. "Agreed."

Verkan Vall, Paratime Police Chief, dismounted and walked his horse up to the Royal Foundry outer gate. His wife, Dalla, reins in hand, walked at his side with her long blonde hair blowing in the chill wind. An outtime emergency on Fourth Level Alexandrian-Roman, Seleucid Subsector-where the successors of Seleucus I Nicator had conquered the Nile Delta and kicked out the Ptolemy dynasty-had forced them to cut short their 'Vacation' on Aryan-Transpacific, Styphon's House Subsector by several days. The time had come to return to work. Verkan was pleased to see that the new stone outer walls around the Foundry and living quarters were complete. After the ambush of the Royal Foundry Party en route to Nostor, Verkan had instructed Ranthar Jard to improve Foundry security. There were now watchtowers at each of the four corners of the outer wall and at both sides of the gate.

A guard dressed in a buff jack over a steel back-and-breast called out, "Who goes there?"

"Trader Verkan and Mistress Dalla."

"Welcome, Baron!" The small iron portcullis was lifted, and Verkan and Dalla made their way into a mud-filled courtyard before the stone manor house and the Royal Foundry, which had once been the barn. Gray smoke was pouring from all four of the Foundry's chimneys, and there was the sound of hammering and banging muffled by thick walls. One of the four guards, his morion helmet tilted back jauntily, escorted them to the Foundry door.

The guard banged on the knocker while several peasants gawked. It wasn't every day that nobility graced the Foundry with its presence. Five or six scrawny turkeys and geese, with obviously clipped wings, pecked at some bushes. While they waited Verkan took off his gloves and rubbed his stiff fingers together. Winter was coming early this year. Dalla's horse, upset at being taken to the livery by a stable boy, neighed loudly; in reply there was a distant wolf howl.

The wolf cry reminded Verkan of two years back, when an unusually hard winter had emboldened the wolves. People in Hos-Hostigos still referred to those times as the Year of the Wolf, just as many were now calling this year-after the nomad invasion of the Trygath – the Year of the Locust.