The Heavenly Host

Even if Tizzy had somehow recognized him, it would be unusual for Tizzy to have said anything unless directly questioned. Even upon direct questioning, there was no guessing what the demon might say. Sam shook his head. He would need to go talk to his agents in Lilith’s camp as well as in others. Perhaps there was some other key event that had happened recently that might give him a clue where Tom and his entourage had gone.

Chapter 107

^{DOF +9}

^{Early Morning 16-06-440}

Sirs Gadius and Gaius walked down the tightly manicured boulevard running from the west gate of Keeper’s City towards the government buildings. As expected, entering Keeper’s City had been complicated. Having been warned by the Church lawyers and diplomats, who specialized in Oorstemothian protocol, they had known that as members of a recognized military organization, their entry would be more complicated. Members of known militias were required to sign in and out of the city and present their papers at the gate and have them on them at all times.

It had been for this reason that they had chosen to enter the city on foot rather than their more traditional mounted style. If they had done that, it would have drawn too much attention and once inside, only one of them would be registered.

“However do they keep these smoothly paved streets so clean?” Gaius asked Gadius, gesturing at the boulevard of clean white stone pavement, curbs and planters. His obsidian chain mail and black leather gauntlets made a sharp contrast to the white stone as his arm swept out.

“By arresting the dust and debris religiously?” Gadius responded jokingly.

“One would think they must.” Gaius shook his head. “Did you by any chance nod off when that one visa official started rattling off the rules of work within the city? I thought I saw your eyes close and heard a small snore.”

Gadius laughed. “I may have; these people are incredibly long winded. Where is this recommended tavern?” he asked, referring to the tavern that the Church diplomats had recommended as a rendezvous point within the city. The Rod had no presence within Keeper’s City; nor, for that matter, within Oorstemoth. This was completely due to Oorstemothian Defense Regulations regarding foreign military forces. The Church, on the other hand, had a relatively robust, purely non-military presence within the country.

It was only under the very odd circumstances being negotiated by the leadership teams of the Church and Rod with Oorstemoth that allowed the Rod’s presence within the nation. They had had to show the papers provided them by Heron’s people to get into the city at all. Of course, as Knights Rampant, they could come and go unofficially as their Holy Mission demanded, and if discovered, the Church and Rod would back them and deal with any repercussions. After the first few hundred years of this, however, and more than a few “repercussions,” the Church had decided to do two things: first, increase stealth capability via both training and Holy Relics of the Knights, and second, increasingly counsel patience regarding Holy Missions within Oorstemoth.

“The tavern is down three more streets, then to the left and about another block,” Gaius said.

“I swear you seem to hear more outside the tent and a hundred feet away than I do inside the tent.” Gadius shook his head.

Gaius smiled. “And isn’t it the same for you?”

Gadius shrugged; when he was outside, he was not as enthusiastic about listening in on distant conversations that Gaius might be having. Gaius was the one with all the curiosity. He shook his head. “It should be the same either way!”

Gaius grinned even more broadly. “I think it’s because inside the tent, one is too distracted by the stench of sweat and oiled armor. Not to mention the claustrophobia of being inside a tent with half a dozen Rod members.”

“It would be better if other Rod members bathed more,” Gadius admitted, making a distasteful expression. The two continued in silence for a while, gathering stares from the other pedestrians.

Gadius was not sure if this was due to the fact that they were non-Oorstemothian military, or to their admittedly unique appearance. Two knights of near identical height and weight, one with alabaster skin and fair hair dressed in shimmering white mail and a white tabard trimmed in silver, the other with a deep midnight complexion and tightly cut, military style black curly hair, dressed in obsidian black chain mail with a black tabard trimmed in gold. Both tabards were emblazoned with the Rod’s symbol, as were their great cloaks. Both knights were armed to the teeth with weapons strapped to their bodies and giant swords crossed with pikes with either pearlescent or obsidian heads.