Theft of Decks 4, CH 30

“Mass Eivar Tolles, Mass Lina Movel, Hand Denna Wilek. No suspicious activity, all working within bounds. However, they have been spotted in shelters in A3 and subsequently A4, all three close apart. Continued observances should lead to interrogation.” Pits. This is worse than I imagined. They’re even keeping dossiers on who talks with whom? Then it truly is every Liberator for themselves here. (Page 53.)

The crowd was dead silent. A thousand citizens, more, surrounded the ornate wooden platform at the center of Execution Plaza. Yet nobody spoke. Even so, there were undercurrents, like in every crowd. An unspoken language that spoke louder than any noise. Body language was a huge part of it. One elderly woman watched, arms folded, a tiny sneer on her face. Next to her, a father hugged two girls close to him, turning their heads. A young man stood with his fist raised, fire in his eyes.

Overall, the mood of the crowd was mixed between that of exultation, relief that they weren’t the ones up there, and inevitability.

On the platform itself, Reen’s demeanor stood in stark contrast to the crowd. He moved softly, his movements limited, yet controlled. Yet, he held his head high, letting the proceedings flow around him with a sad expression and downturned lips. His arms were bound behind his back.

The large wooden stage was covered in dark blue cloth. At the center, where Reen stood, the blue was even darker, with reddish-brown stains, hinting at what was to come. It was surrounded by guards, a blend of hands and mass, all wearing helmets and weapons, yet no armor. They looked more ceremonial than martial.

“We truly live in a blessed time.” The Savior’s voice rang out, loud, clear and inhuman. He faced the crowd directly, his perfect visage emotionless and deific. “Where, before, the blissful lands were ravaged by strife and constant turmoil, war between factions and the dishonesty of man, we have secured peace. Where we had the uncertainty and constant threat of invasion, we have ensured peace and safe borders. With our heads held high and sharp blades, we have removed infestations, cut by cut, to the point where, now, any defender of Liberty, from the lowest of the hopeful to the vital Pillars of Liberty may travel our lands, east to west, without meeting a single hostile beast.”

Again, reactions in the crowd were mixed. A few nodded along fervently. Others were also nodding, yet with lidded eyes that hid their true emotions. A few barely managed to hide their dislike of what was going on.

The Savior continued, his voice growing louder, even as it retained its near-emotionless pitch. “Yet, even today, we find those who would work against us. Who hate the peace we have wrought, who harbor no desires but to tear down that which we have built with generations of toil under my visage.”

Chase spat, ignoring the nervous glance from a hand right ahead of him. This was familiar territory. The rhetoric was rather similar to the preachers back in Isarn, when they wanted to rile up a crowd against some poor bastard.

“Our Hands of Motion are supposed to be those who guide the labor of our blessed society – your labor! This is a sacred task, one vital to our society, to ensure that our hard work does not go to waste, that we move, think and act as one, with the sacred, shared purpose of keeping us all safe and happy. You are doing amazingly, building toward paradise on Ordei. Yet, all our hard work can so easily be led to ruin.”

“Nobody likes to hear their work’s been wasted. Now, it’s time to point out the culprit.” Kith muttered under his breath with a sneer.

“This man. This traitor has not only shirked his responsibilities. He has abused his sacred station, using the resources allocated to him to help others of like minds avoid their duties. Under our very noses he has built a clandestine network aiming to attack the state, to tear down the palace, and to set himself up as a false god!”

Now the crowd reacted. Loud jeers met rage-filled roars and demands for Reen’s head.

Sera made a noise at the back of her throat, part distress, part outrage.

“Yet, as always, our Keepers work endlessly to keep us all safe from the undermining of treacherous thoughts. They exposed, not only this man, but a network of more than a hundred people, including collaborators from the outside!”

That got the crowd riled up even worse. One young woman on Chase’s right hurled insults at the stage.

“That’s right. They were bringing in all manner of illicit items from the outside. Weapons. Drugs. Anything to undermine our righteous seat of government.” The Savior let the comment hang for a moment, the dark brilliance of his clothes an overpowering presence on the platform. “Yet, we are always watching for insurgents like these. Always vigilant! And together with your help, we can keep protecting our lands against this scum, these infiltrators and traitors!”

The kettle was working to a boil. People were slowly getting properly riled up. Chase had to grant it to the bastard. He knew how to work a crowd.

“People. My people. The champions of Liberty. You know the value of true freedom, of justice. You came here to support me, knowing what you were bound to see. Yet, you also come, because we, at the core, do not shy from the truth. We are not afraid to hear the dissenting voices, to accept the challenges. So, Hand of Motion, Reen Mattheren, what have you to say in your defense?”

Chase hadn’t expected that. But he saw the point immediately. What could Reen do, really? He could, of course, start attacking the Savior, accusing him of every possible crime under the sun. Yet, even if it was all true, being the one accused would only see him shot down, the ideas ridiculed. He could try defending himself, explaining what he’d done. Except, with the mix of lies and truth set against him, and the few seconds he’d have available to himself for speaking, he’d never be able to make a credible effort of it. This could only really end up as a win for the Savior.

The others edged closer to Chase. “Are we really going to just stand here and watch this?” Liam murmured. “I’d rather just leave than see more of this.”

“If we walk away now, we’re going to stand out.” Kith snarled. “Just… bear with it. It’ll be over soon.”

Chase froze.

Reen took a step forward on the stage above. He looked, of all things, at peace. Serene. His voice rang out, loud, clear, without a hint at his usual surly disposition. “I should like to confess my sins. Knowingly, I have worked against the Savior, aimed for his downfall.”

A hush went through the crowd.

Chase didn’t get it. Why the Pits would Reen act like that? Talk like that? What had they done to him?

“It is true.” Reen continued. “I have erred. I craved power for power’s sake. Plotted the downfall of the Savior, in order to earn a slice of power for myself, regardless of cost.” He wiped a tear away. ”This is far from my only sin – but it is my worst one, thinking that I would be able to challenge the might of the Savior, when my own thinking is based on sin.”

“Oh.” Cilia said. She squinted ahead, then turned back to the others, pulling them into a close circle. “Somebody needs to provide a distraction.”

“I can do that. What is happening?” Sera asked.

“Just do what I say. Anybody have anything worth throwing?”

Chase snorted and pulled a handful of small rocks out of his pocket. “Like I’d walk anywhere without ammunition for my sling.”

“Okay. This is what is going to happen…”

Half a minute later, Reen was still mid-speech, going on about his errors, and how he was too far gone to deserve mercy.

Cilia concentrated and looked at the others, then nodded.

Far off to the right, pain-filled screams rang out. People pushed against each other in a surge to get away.

Chase didn’t turn. He already knew that there was nothing lethal going on. Rather, they were simply Sera’s thorn bushes, created by the Nature’s Blessing card, sprouting and spreading. Painful, but not dangerous.

On stage, the eyes of the Savior veered to see what was happening. Reen did the same, confused, even as he tried to continue his speech.

Now, Chase leapt into action. With two rapid motions, he tossed two rocks at the stage. They flew straight and true, and for a moment, it seemed like the world settled into a frozen tableau, the Savior and his newfound penitent sinner started to properly react to the screams off to the side.

The first stone hit Reen right in the midriff, hard enough to bruise. Completely unprepared for the attack, the middle-aged Liberator doubled over. Yet, his facial expression never changed beyond his former expression of confusion. No hint of pain.

The other stone hit the Savior. Right at the center of his forehead. Without even a hint at resistance, it passed through and emerged on the other side, and a person in the crowd beyond cried out in pain.

At first, nothing happened. Then a guard shouted something inaudible over the growing din. The Savior yelled a command, and the guards formed ranks, presenting arms against the crowd.

In seconds, chaos unfurled.

“Do you think we were spotted?”

They were back at the hideout, less than half an hour later. Their flight had been as part of the crowd, thousands fleeing at the threat of violence from the armed guards.

Spike was pacing bank and forth between them all, sensing the agitation in the air.

“Spotted, yes. Recognized? I doubt it.” Cilia said.

“So, are you going to let us all in on just what happened? Why did we just break our cover instead of toughing it out and running for the hills?” Kith’s voice dripped with scorn. In a much sweeter tone, he continued. “Come here, Spike. We’ll protect you. Yes, we will.”

Cilia wiped a spot of sweat off her brow. “That wasn’t Reen.”

“Pits do you mean? I’d recognize that ugly face everywhere. I’ll grant you, he didn’t act his usual self.” Liam said.

“He also didn’t react when he was hit by that rock. That’s not normal.” Chase said.

Cilia nodded. “You know I’ve been working on my illusions. That, right there on the stage, was the next thing I was going to try. Pre-arranged illusions, allowing you to control which emotions you are going to show. That wasn’t Reen. It was somebody wearing an illusion of Reen’s face.”

Liam groaned. “What?”

“But if that was just an illusion? And that second stone went right through the Savior’s head as if he wasn’t there. Fire torch me, it was all a setup! They wanted to see if they could draw somebody out to save Reen.” Chase hammered a fist onto the table.

“That’s part of it.” Cilia agreed. “On top of that, they were playing to the crowd. They probably had some sort of public spectacle all planned. Reen would admit his crimes, then he’d be pardoned to go work off his sins at the frontlines or some crap like that. Meanwhile, in real life, Reen is probably back at the palace right now, being tortured.”

“I don’t get it. Okay, I get it. But that doesn’t change anything for us, does it?” Liam said. “We’ll still need to get the Pits out of here, won’t we?” He snorted with dark laughter. “Which is likely going to get even harder now that we got them all riled up.”

“That’s what we’ll need to talk about. Because this could change everything… or nothing.” She pointed at the wall, in the general direction of the palace. “We agreed that we were going to help Reen. Which, of course, is what we’ve been doing. We’ve been giving cards to everybody, helping Reen help the poor bastards find new lives. Only, now that he’s been discovered, all his plans will turn to mud. Once he talks – and he will talk. I don’t doubt it for a moment - those who’ve fled will be brought right back in, sent to camps. Those who’ve learned the secret about the Savior will be caught and killed. It will be as if we were never here.”

“You don’t know that they’ll get all of them.” Kith said with a deep frown.

“Of course I don’t.” Cilia snapped. “But you’ve seen this place. They’re doing everything they can to ensure it’s every man to himself. And now we’ve learned that the only place where the Savior should be exposed, away from his crafted safe haven is a lie as well.”

“What are you saying, Cil? Be clear about this, please.” Liam said.

Her eyes wavered, and she couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “Urg. Darkness hide me, I can’t believe I’m saying this. I’m saying, they won’t ever be able to end him. Should we try to do the hero thing here? Try to save them all?”

They reacted all at once. Kith scoffed. Liam sat back, blinking. Chase did a double take.

“We should.” Sera said softly. “I know. You are all in this for yourselves, in order to create a good home. You have said so since the very start. Mind my words, though. If you walk away from this, knowing that you are condemning all of Liberty to remain under the reign of this tyrant, you are going to regret it for the rest of your lives.”

“It’s not our fault their fake god’s got them all in a vice!” Kith cried out.

“No. But we have the power to try to change it.”

“For the rest of your lives.” Chase repeated softly, eyes fixed on the ground. “That could prove to be a very short time, if we challenge the bastard.”

“I agree. And I am not saying that it is the clever choice. I am still going to try.” Sera said.

Nobody said anything for a few seconds. Then Kith stood up and tipped his backpack over, screaming in frustration. Panting, he pointed at Sera. “You goddamn nobles. I always knew you were going to be the death of me!”

“Me too.” Chase laughed. “Of course, I expected a hanging after getting caught crawling into a noble daughter’s boudoir, not some heroic endeavors.”

“You are actually considering it?” Sera asked, eyes widening in surprise.

Chase’s laughter grew louder. “Considering it? It’s already decided. Look at the morons. We’ve known for ages that we were going to help here. We just didn’t expect we’d have to put our lives on the line. Now, shush. Let me come up with a dumb-ass plan that Cil can tear to pieces so we don’t all get ourselves killed.”