Bab 10: The Cathedral
I'm discharged from the Juqus infirmary after a brief examination by a medic who completely ignored my fabulous pants but took an interest in my small scapulas. A church guardsman approaches and introduces himself as acolyte-private Akeh, my escort back to Wand Division.
Akeh is a good conversationalist. We talk as we walk and I find out he has only recently transferred to Juqus. However, he has quickly come to know the barracks quite well and we take a short cut through various buildings.
Akeh tells me the news. A Gli raiding party was completely destroyed, although part of the supply yard and some of the river wall were lost in the battle. Wall repairs began immediately and there were many wounded, but thankfully it seems the enemy was utterly prevented from capturing the supplies. The talk is that such a desperate attempt was made because recent Pūr attacks on Gli supply lines have left them nearly starving.
We reach the men's quarters of building four. Akeh tells me his orders are to wait outside while I change, then he is to take me to my appointment.
I walk alone into the men's quarters. It's large and empty. It's not the first time I've been in a large institutional dormitory, but this one seems too large with many empty bunk beds. I count about twenty. Do I have the whole place to myself?
On the nearest bunk I find folded combat fatigues and brand new formal dress robes. I use the showers inside to clean myself thoroughly and dress.
Outside, Akeh salutes me and checks my uniform: churchmen-white dress robes over a tunic and sash in corporal-priest green. "Looking good, father," he jokes. "Follow me."
At the barracks entrance gates, we board a waiting service dray loaded with crates of baled documents. I climb up onto the bench beside the churchman driver. Impatient, he starts jostling the reigns before we are seated. The military dray's beast-dog team yips and strains and we roll out into the quiet streets of East Opak.
It feels unreal to be riding in a church dray, wearing military robes and looking down at people. As we cross Crane Street I recognise some vendors but they aren't looking at me, and I don't feel like waving. We pass some of my grifting grounds and I get a different, rarefied perspective of the street life I had just signed away.
The dray begins to slows a little as we climb the steepening cobbles leading to the high centre of Opak. Soon, the Command Cathedral comes into view. It is an enormous building with its own security and defences. It is also where the monster Lord-Bishop Karten resides.
As we draw near the cathedral, I see the ceaseless in-and-out of marching troops and service drays. Multiple entrance boom gates rise and fall officiously for each visitor.
Akeh holds out two documents to a serious gatekeeper. Seamlessly, the boom lifts and the dog team pulls us through. We merge into a chaotic dance of a dozen delivery vehicles and squads moving around a circular road. In the centre of the ring is a fountain with a giant statue of a winged sword.
Approaching the bottom of a vast set of steps, Akeh thanks the disinterested driver and we dismount even while the dray is still rolling. It then pulls away quickly and leaves us standing.
I gaze over to the wide steps and up to the enormous stone arch entrance to the building at the top. The steps are busy with churchmen of various ranks, some walking slowly in groups, others hurrying alone. Akeh observes me with a smile, then tilts his head up towards the great archway. "Let's go, father."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone