Her big beautiful eyes stared right into to his. Was it fear, or had she accepted her faith? Julian wondered. She didn't resist at all, she just stood there, in the centre of the room, watching as Julian held the knife at her throat.
Her eyes were begging him. Were they begging for mercy, or did she beg for him to finish it quickly? He took his time as everyone in the room watched him with anticipation. They were completely focused on him. No one said a word. It was so silent he could hear her heart beating.
Such a gentle soul she was. So beautiful, long slim, golden-brown hair, skin white as milk, she could not have been more than eighteen years old. He had her the night before, without realising what was demanded of him the day after. She hadn't said a word, perhaps she didn't know his language, or perhaps she was forbidden to speak.
But still... Oh, so gentle she and so lovely she was the night before, she must have been the most beautiful girl I ever had. Julian thought while sighing. But it was required of him, his father had told him this morning. "No man that hasn't completed the ritual has been allowed to leave The Centre, the room where the meeting took place or never shall be. Not even Magnus himself had that privilege." He knew what that meant. If he didn't kill this girl, he himself would be killed in her stead.
Julian cried as he stroked her hair. Is it love I feel? He couldn't tell. He had never known love and probably never will. He had always doubted its existence, but now he wasn't certain. He looked down on the ground. He couldn't face her begging eyes anymore. She wasn't even resisting, so innocent she was. This is so wrong! But I must do it!
Gently he pressed the sharp blade at the skin on her throat. No! I can't be a coward for not facing her! I take her life, at least I must witness it, I can't look away like a coward! He raised his glance into her large blue lovely eyes again, while touching her chin. "I am sorry!" He said while slowly slitting her throat.
She didn't even look surprised, shocked or angry, she just looked sad.
He looked into those magical eyes one last time before they were closed forever. Blood was pouring out her throat, yet she remained calm. Her eyes suddenly lost life, Julian could see it. I wonder what her thoughts were. Does she hate me?
After a few seconds, her eyes closed completely, and she fell to the floor. Julian did his best to suppress his tears. He barely managed. He got startled as he suddenly heard a loud clapping from a man standing up in front of his chair that rather looked like a throne. And so did all the chairs in The Centre, they were positioned in a circle for everyone to face one another.
"We welcome our new brother!" The man said as he kept clapping slowly while approaching Julian. "Julian Magnicus welcome! Through this ritual, we made a bond lasting for eternity."
The man leaned down to soak his finger in the blood of the dead woman. He rose and made some markings on Julian's forehead and cheeks. "Now the world belongs to you!" He gently put one of his hands on Julian's shoulders. "You will keep the dagger, it's a souvenir from this moment. But first..." The man pulled a similar dagger from his belt and made a slight cut in his right palm.
Julian understood that he was supposed to do the same, and so he did. After that, the man shook his hand, mixing their blood.
"Now you share the same blood as me and all your brothers!" The man declared. He let go of Julian's hand and let the blood drip down to the floor. Julian followed the drops of blood as they touched the floor. Then he saw, in the middle of the floor was a painting, two snakes circling each other, biting the tails.
"Now, take your seat next to your father." The man pointed with his bloodied hand to the only empty chair in the room. "Your brothers will introduce themselves shortly."
Once seated, Fredric nodded approvingly towards Julian and whispered. "I am so proud of you!"
Julian looked at him with contempt. "What is it to be proud of?" His voice shook violently. What Julian experienced, he had felt nothing like it before. Was it regret, shame, guilt, sorrow, anger? He couldn't tell.
"You don't understand it at first. Nobody does, but in time you realise it's the hardship required of us. We endure to rule. No changes come without bloodied hands."
The speaker continued talking, but Julian didn't listen, he was so caught up in his mind. Murdering innocent people? Julian thought to himself. Is that what it takes to rule? Perhaps... Certainly, in order to create stability, some must be vanquished.
He was so shaken up, he could barely escape the thoughts of the woman he just murdered. It was the first one he had ever killed. To kill love and beauty? Is that what it takes to rule?
The man that had embraced Julian remained standing in the middle of the circle. "As the rites of initiation have been concluded, the meeting can concur." He announced to everyone present.
While the man continued talking. Julian scouted around the room, trying to see who his spectators were, but he could not see their faces. The room was enormous and had a high ceiling, the only windows were positioned at the top, barely letting any light through.
The building he found himself in was of strange, ancient architecture. It had been built more than two thousand years ago. It does not only look strange since it's old. It wasn't built by men, or so his father had told him when he mentioned the pact for the first time, just two days ago. Julian thought back to that moment, as he now understood what his father meant.
He played back the memory he and his father had in his head. Fredric had summoned him into his room at the ship. Once there, Fredric had handed him a large cup of the finest wine from the Bridging Islands and explained. "Son, it is time! You are about to join the most powerful organisation in the world. It has no name, but we refer to it as the Pact. But first, sacrifices will be demanded of you... And it's crucial you do them!"
It was one of the few times Fredric had looked afraid. Julian didn't recognise him at all. He had walked back and forth. His ability to formulate proper sentences seemed to have been lost, and he was so direct. "Once entering the meeting room, The Centre. Not even I can help you. Do you understand?"
Julian nodded in response. "I will do whatever they ask!"
"Anything! No matter how horrible, do you understand?"
"Yes, I do!" Julian insisted.
"This is no game! If they ask you to murder, will you do it?"
Julian hesitated for a moment before answering. "In that case, I will do it for you!"
"No! You will do it for yourself!" Fredric said. "Do you understand?"
Julian's assurances didn't really help to ease Fredric's worries as much as he thought. He walked back and forth with haste, caught up in his mind.
"I assume we are heading to meet with The Pact now?" Julian asked.
"Indeed, we are!"
"So where is that?" Where are we heading?"
"We are heading to the World's End, it's called. It's an ancient castle, standing on a cliff on a small island, unknown to the common man. The entire Island works as headquarters for The Pact. In the top of the castle's highest tower is the pact's sacred room, called The Centre. Legends say it's where the first pact was formed."
"And who are they we will meet?" Julian had asked.
"You will see in time!" Fredric answered, he sounded very impatient. "But son, the most important part, never can you talk about this to anyone outside this pact. Not ever to anyone! Uttering a word of the pact and you will soon be dead. There are no exceptions, not even our titles protect us. Do you understand?"
Once again Julian nodded. "I am used to keeping secrets."
"This is nothing near what you are used to." Fredric laughed in response. "If the commoners were too ever to find out what The Pact has done, they would chase us down in the street and slaughter us. No amount of guards would be enough to protect us. There would be no safe place in this world! Wherever we hide, they would find us and slay us on the spot!"
Julian got pulled out from his mind by the man calling at him. "Julian son of Fredric Magnicus, heir of The Empire of Magnus! Step forward!"
Julian did as he was told, his father nodded towards the man in the middle, slowly Julian went there. For the first time, he glanced at the man. He was tall and had a slim figure, his brown hair reached down to his shoulder. His blue eyes decorated a fresh face with no facial hair. His posture and movement shouted born in privilege and arrogance.
"I am King Felix Cavant of Ceviana. I am the current chairman." He pointed to a man across the room. "Second chairman, King Octavia Domber of Estaria."
King Octavia, an old yet quick looking man, raised himself from his seat and bowed. So did the man to his left. Some more windows must have been opened, cause the room was now much brighter, Julian could see their faces. "By all my heart, I welcome you!" He said with a broken eastern accent. "Then to you Fredric. My old friend! Proud you shall be of your son!"
"I welcome you into the brotherhood as well!" The man to Octavia's left joined in. "I am crown prince Justine Domber!"
And so it went on for several minutes, Felix Cavant introduced Julian to each and all of them. There were rulers from most nations, Denovan, ruler of the Sydostrium, various marquises off the Oval Coast cities and a few kings of the Bridging Islands. In addition, there were also bankers, guild masters and religious leaders. Some Julian was already familiar with. He kind of expected them to be members. Like Jonah Crove and Supreme Master Lether of the Knowledge Guild, Julian even guessed the latter one. When his name was called, he had just stood there smiling. "I have awaited this day, my prince!"
Julian could never have imagined how far this pact reached. It truly was the global elite and power holders. Who could ever break such a cartel of power? He thought on his father's words, he could understand his worries.
And at last, the circle was complete as Grand Marshal Alois of Templar Magnicar and Supreme Cardinal Gilles of the Church of Magnus got introduced. They had both bowed simultaneously as they said. "Much awaited you are!"
Julian almost laughed at the thought of it. The religion of Magnus is just a farce?
Across the room, he spotted the Supreme Matriarch of the eastern dominant religion. She smiled back at him like she knew what he was thinking.
The Eastern religion was opposite towards the Western one. They believed in a God that did not walk the earth but rather send prophets.
They are collaborating! The two religions that have had numerous wars throughout history. Again, Julian's thoughts went back to his father's words two nights before. If the common people were to ever find out what The Pact has done, they are all finished! Were all those wars in history, just manufactured to serve a higher purpose? It was a horrible thought, but it didn't make it less true.
He stared down over the corpse of the woman he recently has slain; it felt like his soul had left his body with hers. Like what happened now wasn't reality, but another world. The terrible shame and guilt that took him got overshadowed by what he had discovered. A world ruled by these puppet masters, murdering a young, beautiful and innocent girl was nothing to them like life had no value.
After the lengthy introduction, Julian seated himself once again, while King Felix continued speaking.
"Over to the Western Imperial affairs." King Felix announced, then he started off with a long monologue.
Julian could no longer bear to listen, he was so exhausted; he returned to his thought. The talks between The Pact members went on for a while.
Then Julian got distracted from his thoughts, as his father suddenly raised himself from his chair. He did not know how long the men in the room had been talking, hopefully not long. His father slowly walked towards the centre of the room.
"In the business recruiting Wilfred Mandos. It all went exactly as planned!" Fredric stated. "I have informed Wilfred of our organisation, even though he does not approve of it, he realised he had no other choice than joining us. Now especially as he is trapped in Avenheim."
"Oh..." The Supreme Cardinal looked coldly amused. "That stubborn mule can see reason... I thought he would be one of those who fight against whatever odds."
"I have known him for decades... He is a man of compromises if anything." Alois said.
"I was always sure he would!" Fredric snapped. "Loyal as few, he knows that defying us is not an option. You should not have questioned me!"
"We took a risk and thankfully it played out in our favour." King Octavia said. "We will have the results confirmed after evaluating his rule in your current absence."
"If anything, Wilfred is a soldier and not a politician." Fredric said. "He will obey! It's just not in him. The game of politics, that is."
"It is a done matter then! It will surely benefit us greatly to have Achea's bane with us." King Felix said with a satisfied voice. He glanced at everyone in the room a couple of times. He took an interminable pause before focusing his attention back to Fredric. "And Charles Morg did not play along this time either? You didn't allow for his absence this day... As you did for your other vassals, did you?"
Fredric shook his head. "No... I specifically asked for him to be present here today. But he refused. There is this business with Brad Ambeder..."
"Can hardly blame a man for protecting his own lands." The Supreme Cardinal, Gilles The Wise, stated.
"And he needed to do so after coming after the Ambeder heir. It wasn't sanctioned!" Fredric said with blazing eyes.
"Nor was it condemned..." King Felix said. "May I remind you we gave him a pass?"
"Old and bitter dear Charles, how many excuses can we give?" Arch Master Lether said.
"He wasn't alone either..." Fredric said, staring at Alois and The Supreme Cardinal. "You helped him... I want to know why!"
"It was through swift action by Marseile." The Supreme Cardinal explained. "Leland Ambeder was involved with The Defector."
"Stop that shit coming from your mouth!" Fredric protested. "That was just some cocked up excuse you came up with afterwards! Tell me the reason you got involved. Was it a favour for Charles?"
"Why would you question Marseile?" Felix asked Fredric. "He is a brother of ours. You don't trust his judgement?"
"The question is, how could anyone?" The Supreme Matriarch said with distaste in her voice. "It doesn't surprise me at all, that he is being involved in this chaos. The Red Painter, they call him in my lands. Wherever he ventures, streets get painted in red!"
Her words struck deep into Julian's mind. Marseile had revealed to him in person what atrocities they had committed during the crusades a decade ago. Being so relaxed while speaking of it, Julian thought those were just made up stories to impress him.
"That was before he got initiated, you know that!" Alois waved off the claims by the Supreme Matriarch. "He is an ambitious man, orphaned during the war. Coming from nothing. Now he is the Marshal of the holy Avenheim. Marseile arrested Leland, yes! But we never murdered him. It was suicide!"
"Wilfred is convinced that's not the case!" Fredric protested.
"To the point now." Felix urged them. "As I see it, Leland's faith and what follows afterwards is already concluded. But regarding Charles, he didn't send any of his children either. Fredric... he has been difficult since the days of Wilfred's... Decision. And now he is merely participating. You think we have an issue with a brother here?"
The Supreme Cardinal jumped up from his chair in protest. "How dare you!" He snarled at them. "Charles has been nothing but a friend to us all and a loyal member to The Pact!"
"He lost all the trust when staying neutral during the rebellion." Jonah Crove said with quick words. "We do not appreciate dissidents."
Fredric raised his hand, demanding silence. "I have no love for the man that slain my brother." He raised his voice further. "But I think he is just acting out in anger towards us. We shamed him publicly, perhaps we can afford to show him some leniency as the time demands it. I am certain he will come around after his revenge. Even if I personally would prefer if he didn't..."
The Supreme Cardinal looked like he was about to burst. He was about to speak but got interrupted before he had the chance.
"Either way!" Felix snapped. "We have already given him two chances, there won't be a third. We all agree on that?"
"Are you accusing him of treason?" Octavia Domber asked. "It's allegations of the highest severity..."
"Not yet..." Felix said. "But if he fails us again... We can't have brothers go rogue... Do we all agree on issuing an ultimatum?"
"Aye!" They all shouted out in the room, all except The Supreme Cardinal.
As the day passed by, talks proceeded. There were matters up for discussion regarding events all around the world. In the far north, there were reports of war between Northmen and nomads. In Estaria and the merchant city-states, it was talk of the mighty warrior tribe Darma, venturing out of the great steppes. It all seemed to be part of a plan The Pact has been forging, or so it appeared by the words of Denovan.
"We directed the Darma tribe away from the merchant city-states and down into the Oval Coast." Denovan said. He was now standing in the centre, explaining his plan. "There is no threat to your trade cities." He said to the marquises of the Oval coast cities. "You have too high walls and the Darma have no patience for sieges. In addition, we manage to unite the desert clans. It won't be long until they meet head-on. The desert clans will most likely shatter before Darma's might. However, we armed some of them to close the gap of military power. But not too much, of course. The engagement will severely weaken the Darma tribe. Hopefully, they will have no other choice than retreating out of the desert, back to the steps. This is when we strike, we have hidden considerable forces at the Islands along the coast, ready for an opportunity. Also, Alois has lent us some thousand knights. I thank you for that brother!" He made a majestic bow towards Alois.
"We will pay a hefty sum for the mercenary states to clean it up." Denovan continued. "But it's not nearly enough if we would have faced them ourselves. Once the Great Sands is destabilised, we can focus all our attention towards the north. And with the desert clans vanquished, we can once again reopen the mines within the mountains under Kanaj Datesh..."
"This we have done for centuries. To prevent the desert clans, along with the tribes of the great steppes to unite, as they did under Achea..." Fredric whispered to Julian. "We incite conflicts by different means. Divide and conquer my son. Scattered they are weak, and we do no longer need to fight them. Some of them are now even our allies. Just one more great conflict, in the aftermath we will pacify the barbarians for good."
"But they united under Achea." Julian whispered back. "What went wrong?"
"We are not exactly sure how, but we suspect Achea knew about The Pact and what we had done to them. Somehow, he pursued the clans that they had a common enemy. The fact that they ignored the Sydostrium suggests that. It's either that... Or he was just one of those unique men who wield the power to achieve the impossible."
If Wilfred hadn't miraculously fended off Achea at the Iron Gates, it might very well have been the end of the Empire. Julian thought. What else lies had he been told about the past?
"There is also a third option, he was the puppet of The Defector..." Fredric continued.
"The Defector?"
"The Defector, yes. Once the most formidable amongst us..."
"Father..." Julian interrupted him as a dark thought came to his mind. "Uncle Maximillian... He didn't go mad, did he? Antonia's death... The war... It had something to do with the Pact, didn't it?"
Fredric looked at him long and hard before sighing. "I will tell you everything about it, son. Trust me, the actual story. But now is not the time... My participation here is needed."
Julian returned to his deep thoughts. How far is their reach? Is everything a result of their works?
Now it was master Lether's time to be standing in the centre. "We got some disturbing news from the Western borders of the Empire!" He shouted out as they were done with the business of the South. "The threat seems to originate from the Dark Forest. Piles of mutilated corpses, entire villages abandoned, markings of the eight-pointed stars and pentagrams are everywhere. Much points to the return of the ancient enemy... If these signs are true, the First Ones have woken from their slumber."
Western borders! It must mean that the mutilations Alden had told him about. Julian suddenly snapped out of his mind.
Felix looked at Lether with a suspicious eyebrow. "We have heard of it in Ceviana as well. Are we facing yet another cult who got hold of some forbidden books?"
"Wilfred had investigated one of these mutilation sites himself." Fredric said. "He didn't believe it to be more than a new bandit lord, applying terror tactics to make people stay away."
"Was that really not to be expected?" Lether frowned his eyes at Fredric. "What else would a man who knows nothing about the first ones suggest?"
"Perhaps the works of The Defector once again?" King Octavia shouted out.
"The Defector can't be everywhere!" Fredric snapped at him.
"My merchants also state that business is declining in the far West." Guild Master Teveche of the Merchant guild said. "People are suspicious of foreigners, some have even assaulted my traders. Five have been killed so far."
"So why hasn't it been dealt with?" Felix asked Fredric.
"It's so far a local matter within Wilfred's lands." Fredric stated with minor annoyance. "There have been more urgent matters to attend to, but he did indeed send some three or four hundred men to patrol the border."
"And why haven't you sent out any investigation?" Felix turned towards Master Lether, who shook his head in response.
"Any effort to send out an expedition has been halted..." Lether said with a disappointed voice. "As Fredric said, it has been taking less priority."
"The worst threats are those which remain forgotten." Felix whispered. "Either way, it's a threat too severe to be ignored. No matter how small the chances are. Don't you agree?"
"Well..." Fredric hesitated. "I don't really know. I mean... I have always been sceptical. All I know is what I have heard and read. I haven't personally seen any evidence. If the texts are real, then-."
"You are looking at the evidence right here." Felix interrupted him.
It threw Fredric off. He got startled.
"I beg your forgiveness, my brother!" Felix apologised immediately with a gentle voice. "I just mean our organisation itself is proof of that. But if you need further convincing, we will supply you with the knowledge to ease your concerns."
"If your eminence has doubts, I would gladly invite you for a study in history, once we return home to the Nero Chapter." Lether said.
"A splendid opportunity to brief your son as well!" Felix said. "The foundation of the world must be torn to make way for the new!"
A large and violent bang pierced Julian's ears the moment Felix said those words. Simultaneously, the ground started to violently shake.
What the hell is going on? Julian panicked. He flew up from his chair. The shock and fear froze him from moving further.
The walls cracked and large fragments of the ceiling came down with such force it pierced the floor.
Fredric leapt towards his son and grabbed his arm. "To the wall!" He commanded Julian.
He obeyed, but there was not enough time...
The ground started tilting as more fragments from the ceiling came down. Enormous cracks appeared beneath their feet. For every fragment of the ceiling coming down, they took at least one man with them.
Chaos had spread across the room, it was filled with screams of desperate men who knew they were beyond saving. They were in a tower, hundreds of meters up in the sky, and it was all coming down.
It all happened so fast, at his way towards the wall, for his futile attempt to escape, Julian felt something. The ground beneath him suddenly ruptured, there was nothing under his feet.
"Julian!!" His father shouted in a most terrible voice.
For a split second, Julian didn't realise what he had just heard or what was happening. It wasn't until after a massive and somewhat divine feeling surged through his body and pierced his soul, calming his entire being, he understood. He closed his eyes and breathed calmly. All the fear and worries had left him, he was in harmony. He calmly turned around to tell his father not to be afraid, that it would all be alright, but as he opened his eyes, there was nothing there, only darkness.