Season 03 - Episode 15

‘and shameful as’

Ko's back hurts.

He has been standing, perfectly straight, perfectly still, for hours. He is in a long line of men, all standing shoulder to shoulder, staring straight forward. To his right is Vo, to his left are three more of his brothers from the Order of The Beast. The rest of the line is made up of similarly small groups from the other Orders.

At the far right end of the room, the Holy Mother herself is sitting on an ornate chair while a grey robed functionary continues to introduce her. The man in grey has been talking for over an hour now, reading each of her titles in turn from an enormous scroll.

“...Emissary of The Beast,” the man says at one point so that Vo nudges Ko excitedly, his one eye wide.

Ko manages a weak smile then lapses back into doing nothing, thinking nothing, except that his back hurts. They'd been standing in line for two hours before Mother Pho had even arrived and Ko's body was already covered in curs and bruises to begin with.

Eventually, just as Ko feels he might faint, the man with the scroll abruptly finishes reading from it and rolls it up. With perfect poise and elegance and in no rush whatsoever, Mother Pho rises from her throne and approaches the end of the line, far off to Ko's right.

The man in grey hovers beside her, introducing people as they go. With each drifting step Pho takes along the line, the man in grey hands her another medal, ferried into his hands by other scurrying, grey clad figures.

Somewhere within the grey fog of pain and fatigue, Ko is vaguely excited about seeing the Holy Mother in the flesh. She is shorter than he imagined, even with her enormous hat, but her presence is still formidable. It is as if she is somehow more solid, more real than those around her, as if the rest of them are mere ghosts, faded copies of real people.

As Pho gradually approaches, Ko can almost feel Vo vibrating with excitement beside him. The distance between them and the Holy Mother closes inch by inch and now Ko can hear her making easy, perfectly charming small talk. Finally, the man in grey introduces the Holy Mother to Vo who gushes and flaps, giddy and flustered.

“The Order of The Beast, Holy Mother,” says the man in grey. “Survivors of a GovCo ambush who managed to eliminate the EnFo's who ambushed them.”

“Vo and I have met before,” says Pho, smiling at Vo. “His was one of the first cults to come into the fold. It warms my heart to see you alive, Vo. Tell me, how did you achieve this?”

“Well, Holy Mother,” says Vo, giddy. “The EnFo's ambushed us by destroying a wall.”

“Despicable,” says Pho sourly, shaking her head. “Reckless and shameful.”

“As you say, Holy Mother,” Vo gushes. “Many of our brothers fell in the first moment.”

“Holy martyrs all,” says Pho gravely.

“Then we played dead,” says Vo. “And when they came to check us, we struck.”

“You continue to be a shining exemplar to all in The Offside,” says Pho, pinning a medal to Vo's chest. “I wonder if we might find a place for you in The Seraphim.”

“Holy Mother!” Vo gasps. “You honour me!”

“And who is this?” asks Pho.

“Holy Mother,” says Vo, turning to introduce Ko. “This is Brother Wa.”

“Brother... Wa?” asks Pho, emphasising the first word so that Ko stops breathing.

“Yes, Holy Mother,” says Vo, oblivious. “He fought at my side and saved my life.”

“I notice you still have both eyes, Brother Wa,” says Pho as she attaches Ko's medal.

“Wa is keen to undertake the ceremony, Holy Mother,” Vo interjects.

“Mmm,” says Pho, staring into Ko's wide, wobbling eyes. “Loyalty is life, is it not?”

Ko says nothing, his throat too tight for the words to pass.

“Wa!” Vo hisses, nudging him.

“Erm, yes! Holy Mother,” says Ko eventually. “It is, of course, yes.”

“And honesty is a form of loyalty,” says Pho. “Is it not?”

“It is,” says Ko. “Holy Mother.”

“I shall follow your progress very closely, young Wa,” Pho says, her stare suddenly cold.

Ko just about manages not to faint.

©  a d a m   b y f i e l d , not to be reproduced in any form without written permission