Frays In The Weave 51 Intermezzo

Cardinal Garnhalt stared at the fields. Virgin crops, more of it than he would have believed possible. Satan's work. The G.o.dless turned to idols whenever their faith was shaken, and when the thousand years neared their end they made unholy compacts.

Devils and demons had bought their souls for food and good weather. So weak were the souls of the G.o.dless.

He sent thankful prayers that G.o.d had allowed him to arrive in time to turn the tide. Missionaries sent north the last eightdays started to report back. At least those who survived did.

He would send paladins along with priests to oversee the conversion. Those who didn't live with G.o.d had to die without His grace, and it was his duty to make certain that the faith grew now when they had been blessed with signs and miracles.

Never before had G.o.d's own soldiers been blessed with miraculous gifts this way. An army charging on water! Who could doubt any longer?

He stared again. Some did. They were paying the price now. Heathen priests and idolizers. The smoke from the pyres were thick from burning oil. He would not leave the corpses to carrion eaters, not even the dead bound for h.e.l.l.

Maybe G.o.dless ones did that, but he was determined to behave like a civilized being. Especially when his mission was as hard as it was. To save souls he had to force conversion by sword and fire if needed. A shame, really, but bodies were only husks the immortal souls lived in for a short while. Husks were to be discarded but d.a.m.nation was eternal and as a man of G.o.d it was his duty to save anyone he could.

Save, not kill for the plunder, as some of the men from Chach did, and a few of his own soldiers he supposed. Bad men, evil men, but he had to do with what he could get. In time they would see the truth, and in any case G.o.d would, and if He chose to use them as His tool, then who was a mere cardinal to question His divine wisdom?

Tomorrow he would send soldiers north. With no defenders left in Mintosa he felt the responsibility to take the role of protector. If, as he suspected, the madness was widespread then he would have to patrol far further inland than he had planned, but that was a burden he was prepared to carry. Soldiers anew, those he could get from Chach. It seemed soldiers was the only thing the Midlands produced in plenty these days.