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As John Paul and Sol came down the stairs to the bell tower, John Paul began to yell out, "Paul, Paul, Sol needs to speak with you. Come help him as best you can. We are to be his guide, so it has been spoken to me by the Father as it was to him from above."

Paul came running up the isle, "Yes John Paul. I will help Sol as best I can. You must rest, though. You have only just come back to us after so long a slumber. Please, lie down in the tower and rest while I and the others help Sol, as you wish."

Paul looked at Sol after saying this, his eyes were pleading for Sol to help get John Paul to rest. Quickly Sol said, "He’s right JP, go rest. As you said, your affairs are of God. Mine, for now, are more worldly. Let Paul and the others help me in this. You go rest and pray so that you can help me in God's work."

"Yes, Sol, your advice is good. I can do little to help you with the matters of this city anyway." As he turned and walked away he said, "We will talk again."

Paul and Sol stood and watched as he went through the door to the bell tower. After watching it close, Paul said, "Come, we must talk," and took Sol's arm. Paul led him in silence to his office in the rectory.

"Sit Sol, sit. What did John Paul tell you?"

Sol recounted the general theme of his discussion with John Paul, watching as Paul's look went from worried to pity.

"I think you can see the problem we have," Paul said when Sol finished. "The elders and I, well, we believe John Paul has gone insane."

"Why do you say that?"

"He woke after a battle in the church. Thomas sent his Enforcers to crush us, thinking we would be easy pray. I believe he wanted to send a message to the city and rid himself of our clan. He’s always hated us.

"At first killing our clan was quite simple. Our laws don’t allow us to fight unless it is in defense of others. Well, one of our kind was killed over the altar. His blood got into the crypt below and it woke John Paul.

"He rose up and destroyed the Enforcers with great ease."

"I would expect as much from an ancient," Sol said.

"Yes, but two things happened. Word of the Enforcers' defeat spread and other clans began to rebel, and John Paul began to talk about the end of our kind. He never mentioned any of the stories he told you to anyone before that night.

"We are afraid the blood that woke him has driven him insane. That is what happens when one of our kind kills another. The blood drives them over the edge. I fear our beloved leader is lost and we don't know how to bring him back."

"What are the rest of your clan saying?"

"We have kept him separate from them. We don't want news of this to spread."

"The bible says that a profit is never accepted by his own people," Sol stated.

"You heard him. Are his words the words of a sane vampire?

"If word got out about what he's been saying, our coven would crumble."

"I'm his friend, I won't abandon him," Sol said.

"No, Sol, you misunderstand me. That's not what I want. I want you to keep visiting him. Keep listening. Maybe it will work out of his system, maybe he'll tell you something we can use to help him. God, I hope we can help him," Paul said, looking up toward the ceiling.

"I will come back and talk with him," Sol responded.

"Thank you," Paul said, with a sigh of relief.

"There is no need to thank me, he has been a very good friend to me. Your entire clan has been good to me. It's the least that I can do.

"However, I came here to ask for your help."

"Yes, yes. What is that you need to know?"



[Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005. All rights reserved.]
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