Blood of the Fold

Lunetta beamed. Tobias almost laughed out loud; Lord Rahl had just delivered a cutting message to the others in the room: their social status counted for nothing with him. Tobias was suddenly beginning to enjoy himself. Perhaps the Order would not be so poorly served with a man like this among their leaders.

"The Imperial Order," Lord Rahl began, "believes that the time has come for the world to be united under a common canon: theirs. They say that magic is responsible for all man's failings, misfortunes, and troubles. They claim all evil to be the external influence of magic. They say the time has come for magic to pass from the world."

Some in the room murmured their agreement, some grumbled their skepticism, but most stood mute.

Lord Rahl laid an arm across the top of the largest chair — the one in the center. "In order for their vision to be complete, and in light of their self-proclaimed divine cause, they will suffer the sovereignty of no land. They wish for all to be brought under their influence, and to go forward into the future as one people: subjects of the Imperial Order."

He paused for a moment as he met the gaze of many in the crowd. “Magic is not a fount of evil. This is merely an excuse for their actions as they ascend to supremacy."

Whispering swept back through the room, and low undertones of arguments boiled up. Duchess Lumholtz strode forward, commanding attention. She smiled at Lord Rahl before bowing her head.

"Lord Rahl, what you say is all very interesting, but the Blood of the Fold here — " She flicked her hand in the direction of Tobias and at the same time cast him an icy glare. "—say that all magic is spewed forth by the Keeper."

Brogan neither said anything, nor moved. Lord Rahl didn't look in his direction, but instead kept his gaze on the duchess.

"A child, come anew into the world, is magic. Would you call that evil?"

Lifting an imperious hand, she quieted the crowd at her back. "The Blood of the Fold preaches that magic is created by the Keeper himself, and thereby can only be evil incarnate."

From various areas around the floor and up in the balcony, people shouted their agreement. This time it was Lord Rahl who lifted a hand, bringing them to silence.

'The Keeper is the destroyer, the bane of light and life, the breath of death. As I hear it told, it is the Creator, through his power and majesty, who brings all things to be." Almost as one, the crowd shouted that it was true.

"In that case," Lord Rahl said, "to believe that magic springs from the Keeper is blasphemy. Could the Keeper create a newborn child? To ascribe the power to create, which is the sole domain of the Creator, to the Keeper, is to grant to the Keeper that which is chaste, and only the Creator's. The Keeper cannot create. To hold such a profane belief could only be heresy."

Silence fell like a pall over the room. Lord Rahl cocked his head to the duchess, "Did you step forward, my lady, to confess to being a heretic? Or simply to accuse another of heresy for personal gain?"

With a face once again as red as her tight lips, she took several steps back to her husband's side. The duke, his own face no longer calm, shook a finger at Lord Rahl.

"Tricks with words will not change the fact that the Imperial Order fights the Keeper's evil, and has come to unite us against him. They wish only for all people to prosper together. Magic will deny that right to mankind. I am Keltish, and proud of it, but it is time to move beyond fragmented and frail lands standing alone. We have had extensive talks with the Order, and they have proven themselves a civilized and decent lot, interested in joining all lands in peace."

"A noble ideal," Lord Rahl answered in a quiet tone, "one you already had in the unity of the Midlands, yet you threw it away for avarice."

"The Imperial Order is different. It offers true strength, and true, lasting peace."

Lord Rahl fixed the duke with a glare. "Graveyards rarely breach a peace." He turned his glare on the crowd. "Not long ago, an army of the Order swept through the heart of the Midlands, seeking to bring others into their fold. Many joined, and swelled their force. A D'Haran general named Riggs led them, along with officers of several lands, and was assisted by a wizard Slagle, of Keltish blood.

"Well over one hundred thousand strong, they bore down on Ebinissia, the Crown city of Galea. The Imperial Order bade the people of Ebinissia join them and become subjects of the Order, When called upon to oppose aggression against the Midlands, the people of Ebinissia bravely did so; they refused to abandon their commitment to unity and a common defense that was the Midlands."

The duke opened his mouth to speak but, for the first time, Lord Rahl's voice became menacing in tone and cut off his words.