Eyes In The Garden

Ch. 1 - The Voice Of Night

(Image is from https://www.artstation.com/artwork/ywN9n)

"Hello?" Halpert's words echoed further into the darkness that loomed in front of him, he hesitated to enter the abandoned cathedral as each second only developed anxiety he tried to suppress. The sky was black and littered with stars, Halpert took one last look at the endless scene above him before taking his first steps in. "Regina?" He shouted cautiously, the sound resonated through the empty space, cutting through the cold still air. Mustering what will he could Halpert stepped towards the darkness, he postured readying for a threat.

     "Over here." A light toned voice spawned from the dark blanket in front of him, he let a smile relieve the anxiety. "If this happens again I'm through with you, I have no patience for this." His words carried  more confidence, Regina's presence was the anchor he needed. "I would have chosen the west cathedral, personally." he let a hint of sarcasm embed in his tone, Regina was not oblivious to this. "Watch your words here, they listen to your soul." Her words grew louder as he got closer to her. As Halpert came to a corridor he noticed a light further in, he followed its trail finding Regina sitting on an altar in front of a defaced image of the Emperor.

     "Is this it?" He asked, "It may not look like much but the importance holds still.. it's what we need." She said. Broken glass and walls splintered with claw marks were revealed as Regina lit another candle, "I presume many were killed here?" His eyes continued to study the destruction as he spoke. She shrugged at the question hopping off the altar carefully, to avoid the glass, "You and I presume the same, but Ignore it, the altar is our focus." She said.

     Halpert examined the old scene, his thoughts played scores of scenarios attempting to put logic behind it all. "Let us begin." his words were nearly callous, "It sounds as if you are expecting to fail." She mocked, turning his expressive response to joy. They cleared the area in front of the altar rustling up a quiet dust cloud, carefully they placed heirlooms of the disciples on the floor. The outline of the eight items connected making an eight point star, this was a ritual Halpert had motioned through enough times that he could perform it blind. Oils and powdered remains created an odd aroma in the destroyed cathedral, it was necessary for the ritual to complete.

     "How many have we seen?" Halpert asked as he opened a book bound by tough leather, "Six, since it was the wrong cathedral last time." She said. Halpert let the page rest upon his finger, his eyes shifted giving him time for thought, had it truly been six already? It seemed only mere weeks since they started the ritual. He let the page fall on idle thoughts, the text held significance, it's meaning brought hope to the brutal purging this world endured. The words Halpert looked for were further in the book, calling him.

     Regina took position at the north of the eight point star beginning a low chant. Halpert waited, he knew when to step in taking the epicenter of the ritual, but as he did something lured his attention. "Is that a servo skull?" His eyes kept track of the object barely revealing itself. Regina followed his attention noticing the unmistakable skull's round shape, "I believe it is, make sure it is inactive, we would not want the Arbites undoing all we have done." She said leaning against a pew. Halpert picked up the damaged skull seeing it was still serviceable, he took the time to examine it further. "What is it?" Regina asked, "It has a message." Halpert answered. Regina let out a sigh walking towards him, "I hope it is not transmitting anything." She spoke while examining the skull as intently as he did.

     Halpert pressed a few command buttons that rested on the back of the skull and it hummed to life. A red light flooded his face as it identified it's captor. A series of confirming binary blurted from the skull as a small scroll fell from its mouth. "Peculiar, who would leave this here of all places?" Halpert handed the skull for Regina to view as he began to read the scroll.

     I hope that as I write this letter it may fall into the right hands, to see the light of day again. My whereabouts and situation will be unknown for years to come.. for my body will be far from this skull. I pray that it stay that way, I wish for you to not discover my untimely end at the hands of those gruesome zealots. They are in their prime, the dark gifts of whatever god they worship has decimated all the Ecclesiarchy. In the hour that you find this note remember what we have done, all of the imperial citizens who are determined to hold back this terror. If by His will this servo skull is still operational when found, I beg you to follow it, it will bring you to a location of a data slate that has answers you will need. May the Emperor see us to his side, I fear this war will come to a bitter end.

     Warm vapor swam in the air, Halpert concentrated on the milky trail of smoke following it back to the skull. "Be careful with it! It may lead us to be a better site." He almost lunged at it as Regina fiddled with a few internal components. "I think I may have fixed it." She continued to adjust the skull giving it new life, a small electrical current hummed through the thing as it began to hover. "What did the scroll say?" Regina asked as she held the skull from moving, "It is from before the incursion, a blindman's hopeless attempt for help.. he speaks of a data slate with answers, we may finally have found His true prison." Halpert said as he motioned for Regina to let go. The skull balanced itself as the momentum weighed down the front heavily, it centered itself between the two of them bringing a spotlight to view.

     The night continued its ambient dominance over the city, the air was thick and cold as it intertwined with the dust and ash of the cathedral. The desecrated temple provided little protection from the elements, it's war torn past lingered upon every wall. Halpert exited the altar room following the skull, he let a cough out as the dust flared his senses. The hidden destruction revealed as the skull moved its way through the corridors, scarred walls were left being a sinister reminder of what once set foot there. "And how is it this skull knows the true location of the Enlightened?" Her tone carried resistance against their action, "Of course it does not, but how many would send out a last effort leading to a mere data slate? On the brink of death, would that be your concern?"

     As he spoke he felt unsure if the choice was right, but it was not unfamiliar to him. Many times the herald of the Enlightened lead them down a dark and twisted route to test their souls. It was never a path to have dominance over for the Enlightened was ever changing, but it was welcomed none the less. Their steps reverberated around them as they reached the heavy double doors, the skull waited idly. "Our journey ends, tragic." Regina said with a smile, "Open the door." Halpert said slightly annoyed.

     The light from the skull was devoured as it lead it's way through the streets, a quiet droning continued to emanate from the skull. The sound echoed down dark alleys bouncing between the ruins of a city somberly, Halpert looked on the destroyed city, such devastation that never healed, true chaos had blessed the imperium. The servo skull finally reached a forgotten building deep behind a set of encroaching trees, covered in vegetation the old structure barely resembled Imperial fashion. It's doors were broken, glimpse of moonlight shined through gleaming at them as it reflected off a metallic object. The doors hardly held, crumbling with the slightest push.

     The skull began to move in a broken line as it's gears sputtered a defiant noise. Directly across the doorway the skull dropped, the red eye's glow faded as it turned with its momentum. With a shrug Regina began scouring through the debris for the data slate, "Do you think it's here anymore?" She asked, "I bother not with questions, because the Enlightened.. does not answer. Not in any ways that make sense." Halpert let his voice carry into the void. A single question was all it took for his adult life, no, his whole existence to come to a standstill. Curiosity, the presence of such a enigma weighed heavily on his mind, what was left on this world? Was the enlightened even listening?

     The crash of wood and the cracking of bone snapped Halpert's vision over to Regina, she happened to narrowly avoid falling into the new hole in the floor. "At least we found the data slate." She said as she pointed towards the machine below, "A cogitator?" he said. With careful precision Halpert eased himself below, he helped Regina as she lowered her way in. "The machine spirit must be deprived.. will it work?" Regina asked as she examined the machine, "The Enlightened will provide." With these last words, Halpert, with his hopes, turned the machine on, after it powered, a face appeared that they recognized to be from the ecclesiarchy.