4. Value?

Brother Zil sat up too fast in his convalescent bed as Prophet Zicarios entered the infirmary. Pain ripped through his side as his wounds tore open. Zicarios spared only a brief glance at the crimson flowers blooming on his dirty bandage before addressing Zil.

“Report, brother.” Elders Jerefusah and Jerabulous, the twins, each with a third arm mirroring the other, filed in behind Zicarios, eyes sweeping side to side in this isolated and perilous outpost of the Church, taking in the lone med-servitor standing in an unsanitary corner.

Zil gulped, pain forgotten in the face of Prophet Zicarios, Holiest of Holies, Saint’s Counsellor, originator of the Great Plan, greatest hope of the Church of the Amethyst Emperor, idol to all amongst the Good News Brood. “Ghilabrious was killed, lord! I was going to shoot Vokran, but I was shot in the b-“

“Not about that worm Vokran, brother. And especially not how that liability Ghilabrious died. I want to know about the beast, brother. The ambull.”

“L-lord Prophet, where should I start?”

“At the beginning, brother.” The Prophet stepped in close to Zil, concern appearing in his eyes for the first time. “How did Ghilabrious learn of it?”

“Ghilabrious, he was raving, after the fight with the Hellhounds. He’d been hit on the head. More than once!” Zil’s eyes widened slightly. “Just during the fight though. Nothing afterwards."

Prophet Zicarios nodded his understanding. “Head wounds are complicated brother. You shouldn’t worry yourself about it.” 

Zil visibly relaxed. He continued speaking, calmly now. “Ghilabrious was screaming in his private chamber. At first it was just screams and howls, but it started to sound like words. After a while, he went quiet. We looke- I mean, um… Brother Cos looked inside, but he seemed to be sleeping. He had his arms wrapped around his head. We- I mean Brother Cos decided to let him sleep-“

Zicarios offered a reassuring smile. “You were afraid to wake him brother?”

“Yes, lord.” Zil smiled in response. “But when he awoke, he seemed better. Calm. He said he knew how regain your favour, lord. To make up for what happened… what happened with the Hellhounds.” A cloud passed over Zil’s face.

“Look at me brother,” said Zicarios, and Zil did just that. “Don’t worry about the little skirmish with the Hellhounds, brother. It isn’t important.” Zicarios gave another smile. The cloud passed from Zil’s face, and a smile replaced it - a glassy-eyed mirror of Zicarios’s own.

“Ghilabrious told us we would be going hunting. Kor and Cos wanted to come, but he said they needed to stay and keep Jocastum safe. And to feed Krug whilst he recovered. Ghilabrious seemed to trust me after…” The cloud started to return, but Zil blinked and a hint of the smile returned, “because I brought him home that time.”

“On the way, he said there was a creature. Nostrox would want it, he said. For his experiments. It had come from downhive. He said we would kill it. And Vokran too. He wanted to please you, lord. He wanted to be Valued.”

Zicarios gave the gentlest of snorts, then coughed. “If only Ghilabrious had the wisdom to come to me instead of running off without more support.”

“Sorry, my lord.

“No, no, Brother Zil. I am sure the information you can give me will prove most… Valuable. I am glad you were there.”

Zil sat up straighter and his hand fell away from the bloody bandages at his side. “Ghilabrious charged the thing… The beast struck at him, but Ofghil distracted it and Ghilabrious dodged the blow.” Zil’s eyes widened. “It was glorious, Lord Prophet! Ghilabrious struck at the beast and it recoiled. It feared him, as all should fear us, and I thought for a moment that I saw a vision of our inevitable victory. I knew it wasn’t happening then, my lord, but it was like a beacon, showing the way to the success of your Great Plan!”

Zicarios frowned. “Calm your excitement, brother, you wouldn’t want to strain your wound."

Zil flinched, and his hand shot back this side. “It was no use, Lord. One of the vat-grown lumps threw a fire-bomb. Our suits protected us from the flames, but still the explosion drive us to the floor with the other hivers. Ghilabrious stood again, ready to fight, but a shot from a ganger I couldn’t even recognise took The Chosen in his forehead.”

Zicarios spoke again, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice. “The ambull, brother.”

Zil spoke rapidly. “A juve, lord. A juve shot it.”

Zicarios raised one eyebrow. “A juve?”

“Yes lord, but then he was shot too. Killed in an instant. I was barely looking, but I think it was an energy weapon. By then, the things that had come with the ambull were dead. I tried to shoot Vokran, but that was when-” Zil gestured at his wounded side.

Zicarios stared impassively.

“The um.. the ambull… It’s body was pretty badly charred, and it was pretty chopped up.”

Zicarios’s lips narrowed.

“But, but… I think there were some bits left that still had fresh blood in?”

Zicarios nodded once, slowly.

“I picked up its hand? I saved it for Doctor Nostrox?” Zil pointed to a box in the corner of the infirmary.

Zicarios smiled widely. “Well done, Brother Zil." Zicarios turned to the servitor. "Get this brother clean bandages. He may be of Value one day."

Brother Zil slipped into oblivion, a smile upon his face.