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Show When he awoke in his cramped room at bugle call at dawn, the vision was a stone-cutter's imprint upon the metal of his memory; a seismographic stirring rumbled deep within, and voltage shot along his veins. His arteries were not the aquaducts of oxygen alone, but bore a stream of substance living in a different way. With eyes as in a trance, but ready to resume the fabric of his life, his door was pushed ajar and Amphibalus peered inside. "I need your help," he said in fear. "The tribune has discovered who I am- that I am Christian priest of Jesus's word sent to evangelize the soldiers of the outposts of the Roman empire." Then Alban said: "Take off your robe and alb and get into my woolen jerkin first, and then put on the garment of ray trade. There is no need for argument, for you need to escape to carry on your work, and I need to begin my chosen role." The legate's guard escorted Alban to the magistrate. And Alban boldly said: "I now believe that there is only one among all gods, and that he lives in men believing in his name and mighty words." "You know that this is heresy to Rome and that you violate the soldier's oath." "I've killed the Druids for their faith, and spent the night in ordeal pits of Mithras' den; the soldier's law is simple: to renounce one's life for country's sake, and to kill to keep clan hearth fires lit. And enemies of state must die." "Will you denounce this god and bow to images within the sacellum? His question met with silence, from Alban. "Now let the record show ffee 'willingly performed a vow which was deserved.. .for death by order of Britannia's governor. " VT Upholding firm to its possessed belief, not tolerant of captured kings or pawns, or what they see in dreams or in desires, each citadel of domination is an eagle's talon clinging to the mind, unbending in its stern control; or like a Thracian cavalry that stomps across the landscape known as liberty. |
