Role

Chapter 7

. I took a gamble, not long ago. I hunted down a woman who had dared to
make an attempt on my life, and killed her within Voralian City. Of course,
I knew it was a violation of Imperial Law, and my only shield against being
named Anathema by the Father of Anger was my twisting of Imperial Law, so
that I might appear to have made an understandable mistake. The Father, being
what he is, surely knew of my deceit, and perhaps saw something worth salvaging
when he offered me the choice between becoming a mere Bloodoath, or an Anathema.
My plans are far from fulfilled, and so I would have been a fool to accept the
path of the hunted. Now I am at the bottom once again, but the other Oaths, and
even those above me in position know not to trifle with me. They know I will
rise again.

. One thing I have learned by this event is that the Gods do not trust the
mortal leadership of the Empire to handle their own business. That tells me that I
must be more cautious than ever, and also that there is room to build on that
mistrust. Such knowledge is a dangerous weapon, and I will use it if need be. Though
I am not in the best of favor with the Father, he surely knows that I have stood up
for his name, as well as the Dark Dream's, when so many other citizens forsook them
to praise only one...Khasotholas. But would my respect for all worthy Gods be
enough to protect me if ever a word were uttered about the one whom I truly
hearken to? No, I think not. It is why the name of the Hydra must never come
from my mouth. To the Empire I will be seen as merely respectful of the Gods,
not as someone who is beholden to any of them.

. I did not always think of the Hydra as my patron. He was one of many Gods whose
philosophies had caught my eye. Admitedly, no other set of beliefs rang so true
with me as his did, but I kept it to myself, and tried not to give that revelation
much weight...I ignored it. I can no longer suppress this basic truth about myself
for fear of what might happen if it were discovered.

. Heresy is nothing new, and those with heretical views have died horrible
deaths countless times in the past. The catalyst for creating such a disaster is a
loose tongue. Some fools just don't know when to shut up, and I don't intend to
follow in their steps. My faith in the Hydra will be between he and I, exclusively.