Chapter 7-183: Binding Heavenbound Hall (1/2)
“I do not do this for myself. I do it for this world, and those beyond, in TRUTH.”
The Word rang out, and laid bare all falsehoods and lies, including to themselves. They were abruptly aware of their suspicions, jealousies, ambitions, distrust, and suspicion, arrogance and pride, and the feeling of threat coming from my rapid rise.
The Word crammed that truth right down their throats, and I could see and feel most of it, courtesy of my Detects and the like. The shame of it all burned on them as they were confronted with their failings.
“The people of this world now have some of the basic tools they need to truly defy the Shroud and take back their world, and perhaps defy those that are waiting beyond when they do so.
“They have a new measure of HOPE.”
They jolted again as the darkness in their thoughts burned away, cleansed away like the fog of a new day, and for a moment, they forgot all the past, all the pain, all the weight and striving and sacrifice, and felt that most fleeting and grandiose of emotions.
They all let out their breaths together, their eyes closing to bathe in the aftermath of that Word, and I let them.
“The world weighs down Good people. The Green, the Grey, the Blue, the Brown... they drag down good intentions, color them with their own faults and desires, waste them, dilute them, try to profit from them, and destroy them in so doing.
“But this is a high path we will be taking, the noblest one possible for the living... and for the dead. It will take unstinting determination to do what must be done; enterprise, perseverance, and persistence in the face of all who will ascribe what we are doing to a raw power grab, suppression, greed, ambition, and all of that.
“We will do what we must do, get done what must be done, and when the task is done... we must be able to walk away, the hardest part of all.
“It will take more than just courage to do this. It will take VALOR!”
They all jerked upright as their hearts swelled with the kind of courage and conviction only Heaven can bestow upon their own. It rang in their hearts and beat with the endless passion of martyrs and heroes who had given their all for a higher Cause.
I looked into their eyes, now burning with a fervor many of them had likely not possessed in their entire lives, except possibly the Paladin. “You are Sixes, and you have been fortunate to live under the Shroud.” They all kind of looked at me, wondering if I was daft. “There is a great deal we have to do BEFORE we wipe the Shroud, and it doesn’t mean wiping Shroudzones. There are already dire threats here, and if they are still here when the Shroud is cleared, it is likely you’ll all die, and we’ll lose the planet.”
They all gawked at me. “This... is this related to those tales of the Chinese Cultivators your people are talking about?” Senior Warlock Gorky finally spoke up.
“Not merely them. I have been informed that the Mantra of Enlightenment is here, too.” There was nothing positive in the grim notes of my voice. “Two hostile, lethal, and pervasive Cultivation empires somehow managed to insert themselves here under the Shroud. If the Shroud falls and they call to the entities above them for aid... they’ll wipe the Powered off the world, reduce humanity to slaves and servants, and harvest them for souls to create more of their own.
“There is literally no choice in this matter. We have to Kill Them All.” I let that sink in as I studied them.
“We have to Level all our people, and do it properly. Windgraf Mochtal can ensure that we have more Talented Powered able to get beyond Four than any other force. The making of Vivic Weapons basically requires skill in positive energy that only Good Casters have.
“And when we finish, and the Shroud is ripped away and the Dark Hierophant in its Cloud in Russia has exhausted its final scheme and been Fed to the Land... humanity has to be strong enough to face the sky and all the gods and powers that will suddenly realize that we are here.
“Councilors, I have seen the sky. I do not know if the Church of Sylune has noticed, or the astronomers of the world. I find it difficult to believe you do not know.” I turned my eyes on the Moonsister, who flushed faintly.
“You refer to the Alien Stars, Lady Traveler,” Elder Hrunnkrov spoke up from the end of the table somberly.
“Ah, you do know.” I let my eyes dance over them, and they averted their gazes guiltily. “This is a truth you will have to let the world know. If fear be what motivates them, well enough. It is better than what awaits them if they do not know.”
“We... were afraid that the people would chose to stay under the Haze, rather than dare exposure to true gods, and the evils that are out there,” Rosesister Lucia of Nuava spoke up quietly.
“They would only be damning themselves to eternal torture in the Shroud,” I scoffed. “No soul that has died since the Shroud came has gone to their reward... or their doom. The Shroud has them all... young, old, saints and sinners. From them, the Shroud draws its power, in the pain and madness of the dead who cannot die.
“And that is the fate of all that lives, including yourselves.”
The Councilors all froze in horror. Elder Hruunkrov surged to his feet, as did Inquisitor Torast next to him. “Are you certain of this, Lady Traveler?” he demanded to know, his dark eyes fairly shining.
“TRUTH.”
He rocked back on his short and broad heels, and both the Harsites quivered in place. The faces of the Councilors present were all distorted at the doom laid out before him.
“I SPEAK FOR THE TEMPLE.” The dwarf’s voice boomed with iron authority, and all eyes turned to him irresistibly. “We will tolerate no impediment to the destruction of the Shroud, and succoring the fate of the living and the dead! Lady Traveler, if the rending of the Shroud is your plan, you will have the unflinching support of all Orders of the Ivory King!”
That was a HUGE promise, but there was no doubt he meant every word he was speaking. The Inquisitor behind him was basically radiating cold fury, and there was no doubt he was fully supporting the dwarf.
The whole Church of Harse was mine with those words!
“Elder Hruunkorv, none of the Shroudlords are going to be able to stop me.” I swept my eyes over the rest of them all. “You all should be taking the steps to ensure that they cannot stop you.”
Sir Ogambe rose to his feet, white hair and dark skin a perfect contrast for his serious expression. “There is no Paladin nor Champion born who will refuse the Call to this Quest, Lady Traveler. This... this is the fight we wanted when we heard the Call!”