Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
when all is accounted for, all will know the nature of all things.
Baal-8
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Segment 1
The Beings
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The Shataiki
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Penned in my own hand, Mustul
Here is penned the account of adventures great and
terrible undertaken in the service of the high priest,
Lord Baal.
I am Mustul, commander of the armies of the
north, General in the secret service to the Supreme
Commander, Lord Qurong, for the defense of the
kingdom. I speak the truth.
This quill burdens my hand with a weight heavier
than any blade for my testimony bears worth only
insofar as it honors the men whose spilt blood
purchased the victories documented on these
parchments. I am eyewitness to all of which I write
and pay tribute with my words to the memory of the
valiant dead:
Andras of the North,
Captain of the Mondor Legion
Kendrew of the North,
Commander of the Sitaro Division
Galtero of the South,
fearless in the Supreme Commanders service
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And Hida of the West,
keeper of the Straits of Migdon.
I am convinced that the legends belong to the
mighty, and lore to the strong, to him who would
rather chase the dawn than take lovers and enslave
himself to the bitter drudgery common to husbands
and cattle. Such would be little more than a walking
death to any man of true heart.
Tis far better to seize fate by the throat in ones
youth and live, truly live, while tempting death viciously
than to surrender to a middling existence. Would
that all men could hold Deaths stare and grin in
the moment when they are run through by that vile
demons blade.
Yes, such a life is good. Such a life is true. Far
better than allowing the old specter to slither behind
unnoticed and slit you throat unawares.
For me, the east wind is a lover worth chasing and
the heavens stretched high above are shelter enough.
More than enough.
That is why men will speak well of me as they do
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the men of renown, warriors worthy of our esteem such
as Woref and Jantal and Martyn, and why women and
children will sing my epics long after I am once again
made dust.
I am a man of action. I bear the scars of two
lifetimes. I have suffered the blades and arrows of more
battles than I can recount.
I stacked the dead as cordwood with my own
hands at Natalga Gap after the mountains rained
upon my kinsmen, toppled by the cunning of Thomas of
Hunter. I have faced that cunning fox and have been
bested by him.
I have plunged into battle shoulder to shoulder
with men such as Woref and was trained by the mighty
hand of Martyn himself, for whom I was scribe and
servant until he perceived in me the seed of a warrior
and coaxed it to fruition through his wisdom and
patience. More than teacher and student, we have
been brothers, kindred souls.
Yes, hear me well, I have lived. And I will yet live.
And conquer. My namesake bears my souls mark,
strong fisted one, and this is my tale. All of it.
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It began beneath the pale harvest moon. I was
summoned urgently to the royal palace during the
witching hour. I cinched my cloak and made haste
through the long shadows of the citys great square
to where the temple stands. There a man in flowing
black robe ushered me through the great hall to a
staircase concealed behind thick tapestries bearing the
royal crest.
By torchlight we descended a dank spiral of stone,
the steps falling away into the bowels of the temple.
Of this place I was unaware though I was not surprised
by their existence.
At bottom, a single door of great heft and ancient
in appearance stood open into a chamber. I followed the
man into the dimly lit room. With a bow at the waist,
the servant took his leave and I found myself alone
with the priest.
The man stood on the far side of the room,
motionless, with his back to me. He gazed upon three
inverted crosses fashioned of metal. Each held a
singular candle as thick as a mans arm, slowly dripping
on the stone floor. A stone table separated us and
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filled the middle of the chamber. A dark patina
discolored the table only as lifeblood can.
````You are Mustul, said the priest without
turning.
Your servant comes as commanded, said I.
`This was the first time I had seen him for myself.
Even beneath the scant candlelight that licked at
the walls his stature was clear. He was built more like
a soldier than the slight men of the temple I had seen
before whose spines and wills are equally brittle.
I could not be sure that you would come,said he
and turned to face me. He stood among the shadows,
though it is hard to say where the darkness began
and he ended, they seemed as one.
I offered my knee to him in humble reverence, but
he bade me sit at the stone table. He sat opposite me
with hood drawn. Not once did I see his eyes, nor was
it required. Some men need no eyes to see.
The priest then spoke to me of a great and mighty
epic, which would require the unflinching skill and
diligence of a seasoned warrior. Suffering, he told me,
was assured and agonizing death all but certain.
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You wont return, said he. If you do, it will be only
because others did not.
The mission: hunt and retrieve a mythological
creature such as has been long rumored and rarely
seen by our people. The creature known as shataiki.
Phantoms of the past, but which he swore yet live
many days journey from Qurongi City. This he had seen
with his own eyes, said he.
The priest was in need of such a creature for a
documenting, which he would soon undertake provided
that one could be taken, which none had for their
capture relied on the ability to see what cannot be
seen.
How can a man capture that which he cannot
see? I asked.
He spoke of an elixir strong and mysterious,
concocted of blood and enlivened by unholy ritual that
opens the eyes of man for a time. Such was my first
charge: to retrieve it from the depths of the Black
Forest, from a labyrinth beneath a black lake.
Thrice Lord Baal had sent men on this quest, he
said. Twice none returned, and the last stumbled home
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with flesh shredded to the bone and driven to stark
madness. I had heard of this man and how, I am told,
gashes and wounds appeared as if from an unseen hand.
Great sorcery of unspeakable evil was involved, I am
told. He died two days later, raving about an unseen
beast that he said hung on the ceiling above him
awaiting his death.
That was thirteen days previous, he told me.
If you would take the challenge and succeed, great
riches and honor will be yours. A detachment of six,
warriors of your own choosing, will be at your command
as well as your choice of His Eminences armory and
stables.
Keep your gold,said I, for I have no need of
coins. But I will capture this creature and avenge the
blood of the fallen. Then I will return to the desert
and my men if I will be released.
You will encounter a magnificent and terrible god
within the Forests Deep, said the priest to me.
The Queen Marsuuv. Find favor with him and he
will give you a potion which will open the eyes of men
beyond the forest. Use it to capture the unseen,
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both Roush and Shataiki and then bring them to
me.
Long into the night the Lord Baal spoke many
words of the nature of the forest itself and what
manner of beasts dwell within it. Then he blessed me
and bestowed upon me provisions, including a large vellum
upon which was drawn a map to our destination and the
door which guarded the labyrinth. Also given me was
a pendant of tarnished brass, a grotesque serpent with
wings, as I have seen within the city.
Gain entry with this amulet, said he. The beasts
will not come near it for it is the seal of Marsuuv.
Lose it and you will surely die. Hold it high as you
enter the wood. It belongs to the Queen and it may
gain you safe passage. At least into the lair. Once you
enter, your life is in Marsuuvs hands.
I gathered my men and set about loading supplies for
our journey. I chose the most trustworthy of men and
we saddled only that which we could carry on ourselves
should we be forced to flee on foot.
As the blood orange sun split the horizon, we set
out. Toward the Black Forest. Toward death.~
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We made the Gulch in two and a half days and
there scouted the area from a spine of stone, which
arched out of the sand like a great Leviathans
backbone. The Priest had marked its place on the
vellum as the forests edge. From henceforth, said he,
one must walk forward in faith until the place reveals
itself.
We squinted, all of us, and saw only desolation to
the horizon. Not a scrub brush could we see let alone
a forest. Ripples of heat danced above the sands.
Nothing more.
Follow close,I warned. The forest will make itself
known upon our approach. Of this the Priest was
sure, that the place could not be seen until we stood
within the dragons mouth.
I took my sword in hand and urged my steed
forward. It was unsettled as was I. Trouble was near. The
men could sense it as well.
It took no more than a hundred paces to discover
the truth in the Priests words. For there, in an
instant, the sand and rocks gave way to mud and shale
beneath us. Around us, not ahead, a vast tangle of
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ink black forest rose up from the desert floor as if
appearing from a dream.
I say it rose, though it certainly did not. In a
moment it was not there, and then it was. It simply
appeared, a formidable and impenetrable place of despair.
I spun in the saddle and thought certainly that my
eyes deceived me for there in the distance stood the
dunes. But how was it so?
I nudged my steed in a circle and patted its neck
to calm it. The world around us had been plunged into
darkness and it had grown strangely still. Though the
sun was yet high in the sky, all was as twilight.
Hold, men! Keep your wits!said I. I dont know
what manner of sorcery this is, but we will meet it.
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not answer this question. I hypothesize from
my venture to the forest with Mustul and my
observations that the species procreates in similar
fashion as some insect colonies, which I have
studied at great length. To wit, a singular
Queen produces eggs or larvae, which are then
fertilized by males and grow into Shataiki.
I can only postulate on gestation time and
manner of fertilization.
Many mysteries of a baffling naturehow is it
possible that these creatures can be in such close
proximity to humans and yet be undetectable?
Can this be the mythological creature, which
our people hold in such a manner as to call it
awe? To fear it, I understand, but it does not
inspire any sense of terrible wonder or awe. I felt
only revulsion and pity for the creature, which
appeared to be diseased in its soul and mind.
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It is clear that these creatures not only
despise all creatures unlike themselves, but are
set about to actively exterminate all others unlike
themselves. A question, which the creature asked
me, confirmed this to be so.
Would you like to know how we kills the boy?
referring to Fahzid.
I replied, no. The creature then detailed in
grotesque manner and with apparent delight how
he would do so. It was the only time I heard the
creature exhibit any expression similar to a smile
or laughter.
I am unsure how it seems to know such
things, secret things, about those in the
laboratory. It is as though the creature can
read mens secrets as a scroll and, indeed, twice
divulged my own secrets as I worked alone in the
laboratory.
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Observatio ns of Shatai ki Habitat
A full and accurate accounting of
any species requires observation of habitat.
Reluctantly, and after adequate persuasion from
the lord Baal himself, Mustul escorted me to the
habitat from whence he retrieved the specimen Eve.
As we drew near the place itself an ominous
Nothing.
Again I yelled, this time as if I had been run
through savagely. My cry was met with only the
gentle wind that whispered through the cracks of the
wood.
Long and loud I yelled for several hours until my
voice ached from the strain. Finally I abandoned my
foolishness. Surely it was a plan ill conceived for would
such a creature hear me and, in compassion, alight
to consider my condition? I cursed to myself and set
about freeing myself from my place of hiding. I had
nearly worked myself loose when the gentle snapping of
branches above gave me pause.
I looked between the branches above my head and
saw a small silhouette peering down from the top of the
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pile. It appeared then, drawing back, disappeared.
I feigned supplication once more, this time with a
sound of despair in my voice. Send rescue, dear Elyon,
else your servant will die.
I waited. Watched.
Once again the silhouette appeared at the opening
at the top of the pile, peered down upon me. This time
it did not pull back, but lingered in curiosity. After
a moment it hopped through the hole and descended
cautiously upon a trunk high above my head. There it
sat, watching.
Hello? I called into the darkness. You there, have
you come to my aid?
The roush neither stirred nor spoke back.
You there, said I. I can see you. Has Elyon answered
my cry? Would you rescue me?
At this the creature stirred. How is this possible
son of Tanis? You see me? Said the creature.
Aye, said I. I can see you and hear you.
How is this possible? Have you been to the spring in
the desert? Have your eyes been opened?
Aye, it is as you say.
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At this the creature chuckled and stepped
carefully betwixt the branches, negotiating with care
the maze of limbs and trunks that blocked the way.
Even wih its smaller size the creature had to squeeze
between the branches. Deeper into the wood it
descended.
the boy.}
FahzidWhy is it that others cant see you?
It is a curious thing, yes, dont you think?
The sons of Tanis werent always blind to us.
When belief fled them so did their sight.
I dont understand.
Of course not. You cant can you? Believing
brings sight, young lad! And too much seeing
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and thinking can squash the heart. Squash it
like an overripe fruit.
How many more are like you?
There are many of us. Yes. Many, many, many.
We are scattered far like the sons of Tanis, in
many places throughout the vast realm, even as
far as the Edge.
I have heard of this place. Tell me of this
edge. What manner of place is it?
Oh, a dreadful and wonderful place, but it is
full of half breeds which are best left alone.
Creatures that can speak to you without words
and would imprison you through ecstasy.
Do you have babies?
Of course, of course. Such silly questions.
How old are you?
Quite young, of course. But mind you the
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years of my journey stretch back to the origin of
things.
Do you dwell among us? I have heard it said
that you do and I quite believe it. I always have.
Only from a distance except when we are sent
to one of your kind specifically. The days have
been many since then. And I fear that will be so
for many a time.
Are you like that creature (in reference to the
Shataiki)?
No. It is no longer like us. Once it was. Now
only a betrayer and rebel, ravaged by its own
disease. Lamentable. Greatly lamentable.
A betrayer of whom? A great ruler?
Yes, the greatest. There was a great
uprising fed by the smooth tongue of one named
Lucian, who is now Teeleh. The banishment
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threw many of my brothers down and rightly so.
common station.
It is also curious to note that the specimen
insinuated that not all of its species is of
similar physical stature. It is mere conjecture
(for it would not confirm such questioning, but
averted response), but it is quite possible that
certain Roush exist, which are smaller than
would be visible were the bare eye able to discern
their form.
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I also postulate that the existence of
behemoth Roush larger than any creatures that
have heretofore been examined is not only possible,
but likely. The specimen spoke of a creature that
stood as tall as the Great Citys library with a
wingspan such as would overshadow the entire
city in the noonday sun. But, again, such talk
could very well be a deception by the specimen.
Habitat
The warrior Mustul escorted myself and
two others in an excursion purposed to record
the habitat of the Roush creature. Through
extensive investigation the good captain gathered
testimony from sundry royal scouts, warriors, and
merchants who have reported strange tellings
during their travels throughout the kingdom.
Some insist that they have sighted Roush habitat
(though I now believe these to be false testimony
after bearing witness myself of such habitat)
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and encounters with the creatures themselves.
The information was assembled and then
compared with the specimens own descriptions
of his home (though it was unaware we had
transcribed its descriptions secretly) surmised three
potential locations where we might come upon
Roush colonies.
I urged Mustul to select the two most likely
sites, which we set upon for our excursion.
The first was three days journey toward the
setting of the sun where an unusual forest of
Banyons grows. Stolid and massive, the trunks
are such that ten men could link arms and
barely span their girth. Such is where Mustul
commandeered this specimen.
High in the trees we spotted apparent nest
the creature.
In examination of the specimens physiology:
I have carefully shaved the pelage from the
entirety of the specimens left side, exposing its
flesh, while leaving the right side whole as a
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control sample.
The dry weight of the fur approximates twenty
drachmas.
Beneath, the flesh is not as I would have
hypothesized. Instead of pinkish or white flesh,
as would be expected from bird or other fowl, the
specimen presents with black flesh the color of
wet slate, prickled with bumps as is found on
our domesticated fowl, though without quill or
feather of any kind. Rather, it exhibits pelage
that is similar in composition and texture
as might be found on Ursidae found in the
highlands.
Upon close examination with magnification
device, which I devised specifically for this
purpose, the specimens fur is also not as
would appear at first glance. Contrary to the
structure of the plumage common to Aves, the
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Roushs fur appears to be hollow in structure
and void of color. In actuality, it is entirely
transparent with no color at all. I theorize that
ambient light gives the specimens its white
appearance and not the color of the fur itself.
I have heard reports of great Ursine creatures
found on the edge of Blue Forest that exhibit
similar qualities though I have not myself
witnessed them.
I inserted a slender needle fashioned from the
bone of a Reignak through the middle of the
specimens sinus cavity.
After several moments I extracted the needle,
collected trace amounts of blood and moved onto
the specimens left eye, which I would describe as
nearly twice normal proportions with a pupil ringed
with a vibrant green outline.
Upon penetration, the orbit of the eye sealed
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the albinos, makes them fierce warriors of unusual speed
and agility. Even when the tides of battle turn in our
favor, still one of their warriors can take ten or more
of ours.
No, I needed the Hunter to take me into his
confidence through a simple act of faith. Reason
over might. I would wield his own deception, which has
seduced many of our people, as a weapon stronger than
a blade.
Only then, by embracing the diseased albino, could
I defeat him. It was a lofty task, for it would require
accomplishing the mission without Hunter realizing the
ruse.
The preparation required many weeks of scheming
and preparation. I myself would become versed in the
mythology of the albinos, something of which required
burning the candle long into the night with the
Priest and his librarian, who took great care that I
understood their histories, the great romance to which
they cling and for which many have taken their own
lives by drowning in the diseased pools.
Their beliefs are savage, no doubt, and dangerous
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to the heart and mind for they are delusion fed by
disease. They are to be pitied most of all men. And it is
this with which I am most vexed. Wouldst I be strong
enough to resist the disease or at last succumb to
it? We know not how it is passed. How long can I be
among them and myself not be infected? Will I realize
my own descent into madness if it happens? The priest
warned that the disease pollutes the waters alone and
not their bodies, but of this alone we cant be sure.
It is a danger greater than battle for it is a
walking death.
I learned of an Eramite merchant by the name of
Lemuel who held regular dealings with Samuel, the son
of Hunter, and was well acquainted with the movements
of their tribe. As with most peddlers of wares, his
services were purchased for a reasonable fee as was his
silence. Through his efforts I learned the albinos were
among the canyons northwest of Qurongi City.
There, if I survived their watchmen, I would walk into
the camp. There, I would undertake the most dangerous
mission of all: become as the albinos.
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terms. Elyon works many wonders. Perhaps you are
one of them. If you are not, we will know soon enough.
Either way you will meet the Maker.
As the words left his lips, the darker fellow closed
the distance between us and lifted his sword. Given
different circumstances I would have countered, but
that would not be so this time.
The butt of his sword slammed into my head. I
stumbled back and a great darkness swallowed the
world as my legs gave way.
I would either awake in the Valley of the Dead or
among the albinos.
What is your name?
The voice issued forth from the darkness, his voice
smooth and deep. He stood nearby, to my right, but
how far I could not tell.
I lifted my head from my chest. A blindfold cinched
tightly over my eyes and my hands were bound behind
me with thick ropes that bit into my wrists.
Shamus, said I. Son of Arim. I have journeyed many
days from Qurongi City. I mean you no harm.
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That remains to be seen, said the man.
This time his voice came from somewhere behind me
then to my left; his steps closer, circling me. Fine
gravel crunched beneath his footfalls.
I am Jaekan, said he. I have anticipated your arrival.
My men have been tracking you since your passage
beyond Natalga Gap.
That is more than a days journey, said I.
Yes, it is. When survival depends on keeping ones
enemies in sight, having eyes everywhere is a way of life.
They found you alone, which means you are either a very
dangerous man or an outcast. Tell me, Shamus son of
Arim, which are you?
Neither, sir, but a man on pilgrimage who set out
at the command of a mystical vision of a man in white.
I have come to learn the ways of Elyon. That is all, no
more.
The man tugged the blindfold loose. It fell away,
revealing a small tent of animal hides tanned to blend
with the desert. I squinted at the bits of light that
slipped through the doorway.
He stood above me with cross arms, ruddy and
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However, during the examination I extracted
a small iron key, which the albino must have
swallowed upon capture. Mustul has set upon a
search at the albinos point of capture to find
the lock in which it fits. Perhaps a secret.
I also recreated the experiment, which I
conducted many years ago on a living albino
to determine the connection between the albinos
disease and the water that is their sustenance.
It has long been rumored that the pollution of
their water source many years ago annihilated
the disease, though this is great conjecture as
is evidenced by their skin and strong adherence
to delusion. I postulated then and still believe
now that the tainting of their water, which
also transformed it to red, had merely aesthetic
effects as dying wool with indigo might.
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The death of BHar
Case study of a possible shataiki assault
I was awakened by a fervent pounding at the
door. Upon opening it, there stood a man with a
lantern and two men beside. I recognized as a
man in the service of the Rippers. The king had
commanded that I perform a thorough examination
of the man BHar who was found dead in the
halls of the Lords war counsel no more than an
hour previously.
Being the witching hour and bitterly cold, I
made haste to the palace to examine the man. I
have not been told such, but I overhead a palace
guard discuss the intrusion of a suspected
assassin. Conjecture and wild rumors about a
woman attacker swirled under hushed tone while
I worked. I forthrightly commanded that he be
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transported to my laboratory for autopsy.
BHar expired of a violence, which I have
not seen but once when a child was brought to
me who had wandered beyond the dunes and was
mauled by pack dogs.
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Segment 2
The Blood Books
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Of the Dreams and Visions of Baal
In this Blood Book, one of many Blood Books
penned in my hand I, Baal, high priest of the Horde,
resolve to write those obscure visions granted me in my
deepest sleep by the powers of Marsuuv whose blood flows
in my veins. They haunt me in the night, and stalk me through
the halls of this Thrall. What I once knew of another
world was blinded by ignorance; now I see more clearly.
And yet the meanings of these dreams remains beyond the
horizon of my mind like an unseen world. With each breath
it beckons me to my greatest purpose. And I see it not.
I am undone with madness.
He who has eyes to see, let him see what I have seen:
Dream: I am in a monastery, like Marsuuvs own
lair, but in that dungeon I see only children. Shataiki
larvae crawl the walls. There are books. Books and
more books, calling me to release the story of truth. To
write it.
I see that Billos the child stands next to Billos the
man, dressed in black. And beside him, the human
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form of my lover, Marsuuv. Marsuvees Black. I see
Paradise. I see hell. I see deep tunnels; the breeding
ground of Shataiki who have entered that unseen world. I
see the one who will come as a thief bearing truth to all who
would eat of that flesh. He is a warrior, a beast, dressed
in a robe, white dipped in Black. And on his head he
wears a kingly crown fashioned from the hide of a beast who
has fed on the blood of Marsuuv.
With a stake from the Black Forest he will kill the
child, Samul. I see one call Jahny who stands with
Samul but both are to be crushed by the child Bylie,
master of the one dressed in Black. I call them to them
but they turn their backs and chose instead death.
Addendum: Under my direction, Grushon, my
alchemist, has created a potion to help me dream.
Instructed by me, he took the poisonous rhambutan fruit,
extracted its juice, then boiled it in a mixture of my own
blood which is infused already with that of the master I
serve. This elixir, I believe, will help me dream more
clearly.
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Impossible images and words have presented
themselves to me in and I awake clawing at my face,
screaming. I have tried in vain to understand more of that
ancient world from which came my greatest enemy, Thomas
of Hunter. But no elixir; no rite, no citation or sacrifice
has delivered meaning to me. I can only write what I see
and beg the understanding which flees my mind to still for a
moment so that I might grasp it.
Dream: I heard words. Rysonstrane. Vampyre.
Antichryst. Kayra Hunter, Davyd Abruham.
Denvor. Bangkuk. The Historian. Paradise That
world which is mine to rule beyond the skin of ours.
I saw images. Bylie with black eyes, holding up
Teelehs cross as the a great throng worshiped at his feet.
Rebels who wore a medalion with a band of green around
the edge and a cross of red at its center, similar to those
worn by albinos.
The voices in my head whispered of the one they called
The Historian who knew the key to the mystery of Paradise
and Hunter. That it was Bylie who sent Hunter into his
madness. That it was The Historian who first penned
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Bylie and Hunter. That it was Elyon who made the
Historian. That Teeleh will soon triumph over Elyon.
And that I, Baal who is also Bylie, will bring
everything to its end.
Addendum: I cannot be certain of these matters, but
it is my hope that through the drinking of blood my blindness
will be rolled back and so that I might see through the waters
of time into the world of Thomas of Hunter, enemy of
Teeleh. And of the great pretender named Samul.
For it is my certainty now that there I am that child named
Bylie who is to be the antichryst in a world beyond our own.
I am certain as well, that Thomas of Hunter is the key to
the world.
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Manifesto of Baal
High Priest of the Horde
While I stand above everything ever accomplished by
the priests of Teeleh, I acknowledge the advances made by
those who came before.
It was Witch, the first priest of Teeleh, who first
brought Religion to the Horde, and thus brought order to
anarchy. It was his rule that paved the way for Qurong,
Utter folly.
What they cannot know is that their impossible beliefs only
make them coward. If Elyon is a god of power, as is
my god, Teeleh, then I say let the two meet in battle and
may the more powerful stand victor. They cannot know that
their god is weak and impotent, and thus avoids a conflict he
cannot win. Elyon is a god propped up by the sticks of
his followershis power lives only in the demented mind of
those who follow him.
They pervert the Great Romance of Teeleh, making
Teelehs Love through the shedding and exchange of blood
some farce of singing and dancing. They commemorate
their god on his alleged providence in the dimly remembered
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past by playing games and singing songs; I celebrate my
god in power by living out his decrees in my life.
When I have gathered my armies in full force and am
prepared to dethrone Qurong the pretender, then shall the
albinos taste the meat of their lies even as they taste the cold
metal of my blade. Blessed be the name of Teeleh, and
Marsuuv his Queen.
Religion Blood and the Power to Bind
As commanded by my lover Marsuuv, I have built
upon the foundation of religion. Religion, it is said, is the
most powerful force in the world. Sharper than any twoedged
sword, even to the dividing of bone and marrow.
It is in religion rather than faith or love that man
transcends himself and feasts upon the higher powers. It is
here that man chooses to be of Elyon or Teeleh, Roush
or Shataiki, and binds himself through blood by blood to
power.
Blood has in it the power to bind one to the will through
the ritual of religion. It is why the albinos allegedly drown
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themselves in the diseased pools and awaken themselves to
a new affection. But true religion is in obedience to a
master, not in affection. The priests of Teeleh follow true
religion. We obey or we die an eternal death in hell.
The power to obey is found in the blood. Did not
my lord and lover commune with me through the partaking of
blood at our last supper? Therefore, it is blood on which
we base our religion. We serve Teeleh, a god of blood,
who demands the veins of his followers.
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Excerpts from the Blood Book of
Thomas of Hunter
all things spiritual, visible. If the lore and legend is correct, than
Tanis was firstborn in the year 4036 according to the ancient
method of dating. So, for myself at least, everything after 2010
actually happens in 4036. Its confusingmaybe one day Ill
chart it all out.
Its strange to think that actually living on earth two
thousand years after the year I was born. I try not to think
about it. My people here, born of Elyons blood, are my life, but
they know only this world and cant begin to fathom Ancient
Earth.
When I tried to explain it to my wife Rachelle before
her death, she found it all off putting. If she struggled to
understand, how much more the rest of the Circle? Chelise, on the
other hand, is much more open to discussing it, perhaps because
she too, once being Horde, has seen such change in her life. She
alone among the Circle understands me for who I am, and even
then barely. So I keep thoughts of the Ancient Earth to Chelise,
myself, and on occasion to this book of blood.
There are times I wonder about my sister, Kara, and how she
moved on after my death. I think of Monique whom I loved on
that earth. What has become of her? Did she marry? Does she
have children? Is she still alive? Did my blood, cleansed by Elyon,
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give her a lifes work of curing diseases?
Ill never know. I would ask the Roush, but none have seen
hide nor hair of any Roush for many years now. It is almost as
if, with the Circle being wedded to Justin, the Roush have found
their mission complete and vanished. The same can be said of the
Shataiki. Their influence, once so pervasive, seems to come about
in more unseen ways in this day.
I can only assume that Elyon has returned this world to the
ways of the Ancient Earth, where the spiritual is hidden to the
eyes of man. Perhaps I have entertained a Roush unawares and
have not even realized it? Or perhaps the eyes of man have
dimmed to the spiritual so that we no longer see what once was
plain.
If that is TruthElyon help us all.
I still have dreams of Ancient Earth and in some of them, I
fail in my journey. That killer, Carlos, shoots me dead. The mocking
face of Teeleh leers over me. I awake, always in cold sweats. A
part of me wonders who really won that epic war at the end of
the last Age? After all, Elyon did have to recreate the earth. Or
perhaps he fulfilled it and brought it into a new paradise, but the
will of man destroyed it once again.
Ive on particularly strange dream which has reoccurred. Its
bizarre. I see a boy, pencil in hand, smudging the writing in a
leather-bound Book and writing over it. I see the inscription: Then
the man named Thomas found himself in the black forest, where
he fell and hit his head and lost his memory. Billy, Storyteller.
So could it be that this is the reason I bridged the worlds?
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Because a storyteller named Billy rewrote my historyand in
doing so, rewrote the Historiesby writing in one of the blank
Books of History which passed through time? Elyon has been known
to communicate his thoughts through signs, wonders, and dreams.
Or perhaps my dreams are the result of too much fruit before
bed.
Its late and too silent
Note by Baal: Billy the Storyteller I can only
assume this to me be. That I was somehow the cause of
this scourge brought to us by Thomas. This is why I was
chosen by Marsuuv. I have the ability to do and undo and
as such my power is greater than any living soul. I am, in
truth, the master of Thomas of Hunter. And now I will
crush him.
Year 26, Entry 18
DATES AND THE HISTORIES
I have been working on a timeline based on my best
recollection of both worlds. To the best of my knowledge, here is
that timeline:
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A Timeline of History of Ancient Earth
0029 Jesus, who is named the Christ, is crucified and
resurrected.
1986 Thomas Hunter is born.
2010 Thomas Hunter is sent into the future by the
Storyteller, Billy, who writes in a blank book of history which came
through time and was later discovered.
40?? Elyon begins a new age with a new Adam, Tanis.
(Before the release of Evil from the Black Forest, Time was
not counted in the colored forest so the date of that time is
unknown)
4036
(01 in new years) Tanis drinks Teelehs water.
03 The first attack of the Desert Dwellers
05 Samuel of Hunter is born of Thomas and Rachelle.
13 Johnis, Billos, Darsal, and Silvie are named to the Forest
Guard. They are the Chosen Ones and vanish.
16 The Great Sacrifice of Elyon. The death of Rachelle.
Seventeen drown to become the first of the Circle, followers of
Justin in death and new life.
17 The great romance of Thomas Hunter and Chelise of
Qurong.
20 It is rumored that Johnis, Darsal, and Silvie are seen
amongst the Horde.
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21 Jake of Hunter is born of Chelise.
26 The current and present year.
Year 26, Entry 41
THE GREAT ROMANCE AND CHRISTIANITY
When first I bridged the worlds into this future age I would
not have claimed that I believed in God. My father, A Christian,
destroyed his familyit was enough to convince me that God did
not exist. He was simply a cosmic figurehead invented by men
with black coats and white collars to control the masses. Society
demanded a moral code; religion provided the chains of fear that
made men follow that code. The code changed throughout history
and was defined by sect. Writings were canonized and made holy
by politicians who sought power. Crusaders led battles with their
hands on those books, inquisitions were blessed by me in tall hats,
world wars were waged in the name of superior understanding of
the Christian way. I believed that religion was pointless.
Then when I bridged the worlds, all my ideas of God and
religion turned upside down with one word: Elyon.
God was real, and religion was his enemy. I met him in the
flesh and communed with him. I had walked hand in hand with the
creator, saw his mighty works, tasted his fruit.
My understanding of that religion called Christianity in
ancient earth is vague, to be sure. I was never too interested
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then, and my perception is now colored by my experience here, in
this world. But what I see know is vastly different from what I
little I recall of the worlds beliefs in ancient history, where I was
born.
The boy Elyon was so unlike the God of the Christians, or the
Muslims, or the Jews, or any other religion. He is revolutionary, so
much more powerful than the God of the Christians. So then was
Elyon truly God? This was answered emphatically when first I dived
deep into his Lake.
So then how did the God of this future compare to the
worlds understanding of God on ancient earth? How could I
reconcile a God who did not find it fit to save his children from
brokenness with a God who actually played with his creation.
The dichotomy is enough to make me wonder about the nature
of these two worlds in which Ive lived. At times it seems as
though theres one reality where God is real, and another where
he is not, or at least absent and left mankind to their own
devices, absent any tangible presence of God. Then again, along
with the Roush, Elyon is strangely silent here now as well, and just
as in the Histories, it is hard to romance an absent lover.
In the days after evil fell upon the earth, it seemed as
if Elyon had abandoned us. The Colored Forest turned to gray.
The sparkle in Rachelles eyes faded and her beauty seemed to
pale. Without Elyon, the very thing of beauty, there could be no
beauty. It was like the ancient earthdevoid of a God. Perhaps
it was why I, already knowing good and evil, already accustomed
to the absence of God, that allowed me to come into leadership
within the Circle. Of course, it was not as if Elyon had abandoned
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us completely, but compared to the level of intimacy he shared
with his creation beforehand, he might as well have.
We all grew accustomed to these new rules of engagement.
Bathe in the water daily, think of Elyon often, but we could no
longer relate to Elyon in the same way we had in the lakes. But
how, having once met Elyon, could we ever forget such intimate
fellowship? Yet we did.
Its strange to think that Justin, who was actually the boy
Elyon now grown, walked and spoke to me and I did not see the
boy him. Light came unto darkness, and we did not understand it.
Elyon came and instead of welcoming him with open arms we killed
him. May Justin forgive us all.
Year 26, Entry 42
I continue writing about what I wrote yesterday regarding
the matter of religion. Is Justin the Christ? Yes, I am certain
of it, but its an issue I keep coming back to, not because of
the similarities but because of the differences. I am no religious
scholarRonin handles spiritual matters; I provide political
leadership. But Ive been in both worlds and have a unique
perspective.
It has been many years since I was last on Ancient Earth,
and my memory is trapped in a dream, but the Christianity of
those dreams is unlike the Great Romance in significant ways.
Does that mean that Christ was unlike Justin? Never. Yet the
Christ preached by Christians is not the Justin I know.
209
On the other hand, the Christ in The Books of Histories
According to His Beloved better known as the Gospel of John
in Ancient Earth, IS written about the Justin I know. Yet
Christianity seems to have high-jacked his teaching and turned
him into something for their own gain, using his name to attain a
rigorous standard by which they controlled ordinary people. Not
all promoted this Christ of religion, of course, but in general and
throughout Ancient Earths history, Christianity represented the
very kind of religion that the Christ fought against.
death, I assumed that such love was dead to me, but Elyon
opened my eyes and showed me his love. My love for Chelise is a
213
pale imitation for His love to allHorde, albino, or Eramite. He
wishes that all would come into his Circle.
It is written that Elyon is love, and when we love truly, we
engage in the practice of communing with Elyon. It is why the
Christ spoke as the Prophet of Love, because to share love with
ones enemies is to impart Elyon unto them, to show them the
face of the Father.
Our Great Romance between ourselves and Elyon are
shadowed in our human romances. Such romance is fallible and
less pure than in times past before the great deception, but it
remains beautiful to woo and be wooed.
We wander far too easily in this world. Ive lived in this
strange and exciting land for a little over half my life and been
a part of the most epic of times of history, and yet life can
seem so mundane, so normal, so bland.
We spend our entire lives in an attempt to be adults, not
realizing that in rightly shedding our childishness and immaturity,
we also throw away our childlikeness and sense of wonder. But it is
not wrong to be childlike!
To lose our childlikeness is to forget to marvel at the
mysteries of Elyon, or worse yet, to claim that those things never
existed. What once made us gape in awe and giggle with delight
is now seen as childish fantasy, as the same old, same old.
And what is the most mysterious thing of all but Love?
Certainly the Great Romance is wrapped in wonder, certainly the
bed of man and wife knows of playfulness. To love in any way is
to be like a childit means to be vulnerable, to be wide-eyed, to
214
be selfless. There is no such thing as free love; love is the most
costly expression in the world. To love romantically is to give of
oneself fully and completely, a merging and meshing of souls so
that the twain become a unity. It is to allow the sense of wonder
to fully enrapture.
To experience lovewhether love of man or Godwe must
recapture the wonder we have lost and become as children, wideeyed,
playful, and in awe.
And that is who I am when I approach Chelise, my love.
A Musing of Love
Love secretly hidden, love tucked away
A love forbidden that cannot overflow
Love locked up, suppressed, concealed
A love concealed deep within my soul.
Love yearns to draw me into life sublime
glory.
QQQ
Not of TEELEHs twelfth Queen, I shall become his
first and sit at his right hand. Alucard, once- favored,
failed his task at retrieving the Books, and yet still
manages to curry his masters favor by spreading his
offspring through human blOOd in Adams World. But I
would be more lusted than he.
QQQ
Alucards device to unite the seven original Books of
History which served as the foundation that underlies history
failed. Not all was lost in that endeavor. I did capture
one of the humans and did seduce him to see my beauty.
He is my human apprentice. My child. My lover. TEELEH
had Tanis; Alucard had Darsal; and now I have my Baal
to ensure that the work of TEELEH is done.
QQQ
No longer will we seek the Books for the purpose of
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rewriting the rules of History. Instead I have trained my
slave, my lover, my child in my ways and send him as a
favored Son to the Horde. Though one of them, he shall not
be like them, for the blOOd of Shataiki flows through his
veins. He will woo the Horde to battle against the haters
of TEELEH. With my power, he shall crush the children of
Elyon and make way for the reign of TEELEH in the hearts
of men.
QQQ
With the Books, we shall enter Adams World and
crush it. Elyons failure to seduce will again be revealed,
a god without a people, a shell of TEELEH, while the
great Master shall reign. And his Queen MARSUUV sits
at his right hand.
Of the son of Adam, Hunter
I was next to TEELEH when he encountered Hunter in
the Black Forest; it was I who took a chunk of his thigh.
By the taste of his blOOd he wasnt from this world. His
blOOd was tainted with the knowledge.
QQQ
TEELEHs device to seduce him and drink failed only
to the demise of Tanis. Elyon confined us to the Black
Forest, yet those who kiss his feet are allowed to encroach
on our territory and take what is rightfully ours. Thomas
would have had his eyes fully opened, and we would have
gained a great ally in the war against the boy. Now he
remains under the influence of the deceiver and we have
QQQ
In his name, the blOOdlust of Elyon was carried out.
A man named Mosheth filled rivers with blOOd in his
campaign for Elyon. The name of Jezuz has caused more
blOOdshed than any other name. When the armies circled at
Gog and Magog, it was Jezuz himself who slaughtered the
servants of TEELEH until their blOOd reached the bridle of
his horse.
QQQ
We Shataiki do not force our prey. Alucards
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descendants seduce, but do not rape. But Elyon takes the
blOOd of those who will not bow or bend. Having been
forced to lay with the tyrant ourselves, Shataiki understand
the terror of being denied freedom of will, and will not
force ourselves upon the unwilling. But once we choose,
we woo, we pursue, we rescue, and we lavish, none remain
standing against the love of TEELEH. How great and
terrible is the love of TEELEH!. The love of TEELEH for
men is greater and stronger than that of Elyon.
QQQ
But I speak on blOOd and its power. Elyon craves
the blOOd of men because in their blOOd lies their power.
Thus also does TEELEH crave the blOOd of men. It is the
heart that distributes blOOd to the body, and the heart
that is called the seat of love. Control a mans blOOd
and control his heart; control his heart and control whom
he loves.
Only through blOOd can TEELEH accomplish his goal.
Only through the sacrifice of blOOd can the power of
TEELEH be unleashed. Only by blOOd can the offspring
of Shataiki live. Life and power come through the BlOOd.
Selah.
QQQ
VAMPIRUM
In a most curious turn of events, the fall of the
Queen Alucard has not undone him from the favor of
TEELEH. When his failure to retrieve the Books resulted
237
in his transportation to the other world, I surmised
that TEELEH would have gladly staked his Queen for
such incompetence. But the wisdom of TEELEH can turn
incompetence into brilliance.
QQQ
Alucards insatiable urge to procreate led to his
intermingling of blOOd with a human. And thus the
after all, this world now belongs to all of us, not only me.
This work was a collaboration between myself and several
from the Circle to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude.
The accounts of Grushon and Mustul were written by
Kevin Kaiser who is a great storyteller in his own right. His
work in capturing the voices of these two new characters
in our world was truly impressive. One day youll have to
publish your own book, my friend.
Josh Olds worked closely with me in drafting Baals
Secret History, Marsuuvs Blood Book, and the entries
from Thomas of Hunter. Few know the Books of History as
Josh does. Your journey will take you far, my friend.
Gregg Hart, thank you for hashing through the stories
with me, your help and insight are now the property of us
all. For those who dont know, Gregg has stayed by my side
for many years now, answering the questions and concerns
of thousands who have written. Im always amazed at how
well he knows my mind.
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Copyright 2011 by Ted Dekker
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents
are the product of the authors twisted imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual events, locales, persons living, dead or undead,
is merely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright
Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced,
distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a
database, root cellar, or retrieval system without the prior written permission
of the publisher.
Ted Dekker
c/o Creative Trust
5141 Virginia Way, Suite 320
Brentwood, TN 37027
Printed in the United States of America
First Edition: June 2011
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