#36 An Illusion of Ecumenism
Leaving behind their mauve-uniformed entourage, the Hermit of Barfunweltz and the Revivalist approached the Baby-Eating Bishop of Barfunweltz as he gazed down benevolently at them from his Charnel Pulpit. Deferentially, they bowed their heads and knelt before him.
"Your Grace," intoned the Hermit, "we come in the name of the Rose."
"Greetings my children," replied the Archbishop. "Arise, Hermit, it is good to see you. Have you brought your Mortis Organ to lead our worship?"
"I would be honoured to summon it for evensong, your Grace. But first I would present to you a great ally in the faith, a passionate preacher who has given her life for the promulgation of the Way of the Rose:" He pulled her to her feet. "The Revivalist!"
"Ah," smiled the Baby-Eating Bishop, "you have told me before of her missionary work. Is the Reformed Society of the Sanguine Rose blossoming?"
"Oh yes, your Grace," said the Hermit, "revival has come to the soldiers of Glymmsforge! The Glymmsmen are turning to the Way in droves. We have even brought some of the new disciples today to seek fellowship with your holy Raptured Court."
"That would be an ecumenical matter," mused the Archbishop, "for I know it has long been your passion to see the unification of the Servants of the Rose." He smiled genially. "They are most welcome to our devotions. You must all join us for evensong. I am expecting the Procession of the Foolish Martyrs to worship with us too."
The Revivalist raised dead eyes to the Archbishop and tonelessly intoned, "There is hope in the Way of the Rose."
* * *
Hidden in a dreary cloud high above, Lady Beauvoir and Anya Liedl hovered on chiropteran wings. Eyes closed in concentration, the vampires surveilled the gathering in Barfunweltz Cathedral below. "The bishop accepts her," smiled Beauvoir. "We have our way in."
Anya smiled too. Lady Beauvoir's plan was coming together. Having been raised to undeath, the Revivalist was not only a puppet completely in their thrall, but they were able to use her eyes and ears too. From this distance, the Abhorrent archbishop could not detect their Soulblight nature, nor their unbelief in his cult. But because the Hermit and the Revivalist already shared his delusions, they were both accepted with open arms. It was a most satisfying dissimulation, for where the Revivalist was welcomed, by their secret arts the vampires came too.
It crossed Beauvoir's mind that all this had been achieved without the assistance of Lord Voltaire. Already displeased with him for his foolishness in bringing the abhorrent Gizzardspittle back to Barfunweltz, she had become truly incensed when she discovered he had also drawn an enraged daemon prince to Barfun Moor! Tempted though she had been to send him on a suicide mission against Moh'sheh, Beauvoir knew that unnecessarily stoking the Despoilers' rage would only cause more disruption. So instead she had sent him and his blood knights to Nulhamia to report to Queen Neferata herself. He of course was unaware that the 'vitally important message' he carried to the Queen of Blood was his own inditement. Having that fool out of the way made it so much easier to concentrate on her deliciously ingenious schemes.
"How are we proceeding with the deadwalkers, Anya?"
"I think we may have raised sufficient for our purpose my Lady," the young vampire replied. "Many died at my own hand, but I used a few random plague victims too; I sourced others from the cemeteries of the Glymmsmen. The more decomposed corpses I decorated with uniforms and weapons to enhance the illusion and I added plenty of Sanguine Rose emblems to make sure they look like converts.” (She was aware that some of the heraldry was a little crude, particularly the banners, but a girl dragged up in the slums of Glymmsforge did not enjoy the opportunity to learn needlepoint.) “Above all, I though it best to build our force gradually lest it draw attention to our activities and the Gravewalkers take interest. "
"Yes indeed, very wise," chuckled Beauvoir, "Thus far, I do not believe the fools are even aware of our existence. But they will be! When our forces are strong enough, we will re-energise the Empty Hearse and raise the Soulblight half of the False Apostle. I will then take him to the Raptured Court and present myself as the begetter of their second messiah, even as I had their 'Archangel Gabriel' prophesy!"
"Might the False Messiah not see him as a rival and attack him?" asked Anya.
"It is possible, yes," mused Beauvoir, "but from what the Hermit has told me, and from my studies of the papers in the Manse, I believe the Rose Delusion will countenance multiple messiah figures. But even if there is conflict, we can use that to our advantage if it weakens the Raptured Court and provides more cadavers for our deadwalker forces."
"My Lady, your machinations are truly infernal." purred Anya.
Through the eyes of the Revivalist far below them, Beauvoir observed the ghouls and deadwalkers being joined in the ruined cathedral by nighthaunt spirits. Some day soon, this united army would be hers to command.
"Oh yes." murmured Lady Beauvoir.
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