Chapter XXVI

Caleb couldn't believe what he was hearing. His emperor was offering his life to the enemy?

“Your children are unholy abominations and must be eradicated,” said Adon, in the same voice a mother uses when gently telling a toddler to go back to sleep.

“You will not harm them!” Tamas shouted. “I will have that promise from you. Otherwise I will throw myself upon a sword or spear and Erets will meet its end!” The sentinels behind him all began to argue. Caleb was sure they would riot at any moment.

Tamas shouted louder so that he could be heard over them. “Yes, you heard me right, you heartless bastard! I’m holding the whole damn world hostage! If God really does demand the deaths of my children then he really is the wicked tyrant the Nihilites have always said he is, and this world needs to be destroyed! I will not suffer a God who requires his followers to spill the blood of children to continue to reign any longer!”

“You show your true colors at last, demon,” said Adon.

The sentinels all exchanged looks with one another and lowered their weapons.

Adon nodded to Tamas. “Agreed. If you give yourself over to die willingly I will not harm your children. You have my word.”

Just as Tamas took a step towards the stairs leading down from the Bastion's wall, Caleb stepped in the way. “No! You cannot do this! You can't just surrender!”

“I don't have another choice,” said Tamas. “If I do this he'll spare my children, as well as the rest of you.”

“He never agreed to spare the people of Nihilus,” said Caleb. “There will still be war.”

“Probably,” Tamas conceded. “But that won't change if I stand and fight instead.”

Caleb pressed his spear-head against Tamas' chest. “Do you know how many sentinels died for you just now? Look around you! You want their deaths to be in vain?”

“I...” Tamas sighed. “I don't want any MORE deaths to be in vain. Now, either run me through or get out of the way.”

Caleb clenched his hands tightly on the spear for a moment and pushed a little harder on Tamas' chest. “You think I won't?” Caleb could never run him through, he knew that, but maybe Tamas would be intimidated and change his mind. Caleb turned the spear, twisting the material of Tamas' shirt on the point. Tamas neither budged nor flinched.

With a groan of frustration Caleb pulled his spear away, turned to the other sentinels and said, “Seize him!”

“Stand down,” said Tamas.

The sentinels all stepped out of the way, allowing Tamas to pass. Caleb threw his spear on the ground and yanked on his hair. “Damn it! Why? Don't do this!”

“You get my boy back home, Caleb,” Tamas said as he descended the stairs. “Go with Shamira. Get him back to his mother, whatever it takes. That is your charge.”

“Take him home yourself!” shouted Shamira.

Tamas glared at her. “Do as I say! Both of you! Your emperor commands it!”

With tears dripping from his eyes and trembling hands Caleb said, “Y-yes, your majesty...”

“Good.” Tamas walked through the gap in the wall and stood before Adon.

“No!” Shamira yelled. “Tamas, this can't be! Aryn needs you! Your children need you! STOP!”

But Shamira's pleas fell on deaf ears.

“Are you ready?” asked Adon.

“Is anyone ever ready to die?” asked Tamas, giving the archangel a half-smile. Adon was not amused. “I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”

“Order them to stay back,” said Adon.

Tamas turned to the sentinels. “Stay exactly where you are. First soldier who does anything to interfere will be tried for treason.”

“You bastard!” Caleb shouted at Adon. “The Void with you! And the Void with whatever god or demon you serve! This is wrong!”

“One day you will understand,” said Adon. “You will know why this was necessary. On that day you will thank me, and you will owe God an apology.”

Caleb's was sure he was going to be sick. They were all utterly powerless to stop this. The most any of them could do was kill Tamas quicker, but, like Tamas said, spilling his blood like that could lead to the end of Erets. No matter what they did none of them had weapons that could even hurt Adon.

Before Caleb's eyes Adon seized Tamas by the throat and squeezed. The enormous angel lifted Tamas off the ground, and Tamas' feet kicked and flailed. Caleb sobbed, his own tears blinding his eyes. Tamas' face turned purple. His hands gripped Adon's fingers. The archangel stared mercilessly into Tamas' eyes as his life slipped away. When all of Tamas' body went limp Adon dropped him in a heap on the ground.

“It is done,” said Adon, staring at Tamas' corpse. Adon turned his eyes up to the sentinels on the wall. “Tell others what you saw here, especially any Nihilites you meet. Let them know that God has tolerated their existence long enough.”

Caleb gritted his teeth and wiped the tears from his eyes. “I swear I'll find a way to kill you for this! You son of a bitch! I swear by Heaven, the Void, the Firmament, and whatever gods will hear my oath! Somehow I will make sure you pay for your sins!”

“I do not expect you to understand,” said Adon. “I am the Law. The Law is justice, and justice can sometimes be harsh.”

With those parting words Adon turned his back on the Bastion and walked away into the mountains. The sentinels all watched until the archangel was completely out of sight.

Caleb watched with watery eyes and a running nose. Long after Adon was gone he continued to stare into the distance where the archangel had been. Sentinels dragged Tamas' body into the Bastion. Caleb did not break his gaze.

Shamira ran over to Tamas' body immediately, placed her hands on him and tried to heal him. She prayed and begged and pleaded, but there was no hope. He was dead. Even the most powerful paladins in the world couldn't bring back the dead.

Finally, one sentinel approached Caleb and asked, “Sir? Your command?”

“Bury Tamas,” Caleb said, his voice now empty and cold. “Send a letter to the empress to tell her what happened here. Shamira and I will take care of Khol as he commanded.”

The sentinel stopped in front of Tamas' body and looked at Caleb. “What are you going to tell Khol about...you know...what happened here?”

“I don't know yet,” said Caleb. “I'll have to think about it. How do you drop this kind of news on a child? I just don't know...”