East Road Quest

Chapter 21: Brother Autis

“I can’t bear it any longer,” Brother Autis declared, suddenly rising to his feet. Brother Franco also stood up abruptly, taken aback by the sudden movement. The imperial guards looked on in confusion.

“I wish to see His Majesty, the Emperor,” Brother Autis stated as he approached the guards.

The guard extended his hand solemnly and with formality. “Step back,” he commanded.

Brother Autis refused. “I can’t think of any other time but now. No matter what Jade and His Majesty are discussing, I fear once their conversation ends, he will leave without returning to exchange greetings or offer encouragement. Isn’t that right?”

Without a word, the guard drew his sword, causing Brother Franco to exclaim in alarm, “Brother Autis, are you in your right mind?”

“I am perfectly sane. In fact, I’ve never been clearer. That’s why I’m insisting on seeing His Majesty now.”

“A drunkard doesn’t know he’s drunk! To claim such clarity means you’ve lost your mind.”

“It doesn’t matter what you say!”

“Enough! We should be content to have shared the same space as His Majesty, even for a moment!”

“But that’s exactly why I can’t hold back. If I had never met him, I could have lived with the dream. But having seen him once, I can’t resist. Especially now when he’s within reach. I’m not foolish enough to miss this opportunity.”

“You’re a fool to see this as an opportunity. Sit down and pray instead.”

“I have prayed. I’ve always prayed for a moment like this. So now that it’s here, move aside.”

Brother Autis demanded of the guard, who then pressed the tip of his sword towards him. “Step back.”

Brother Franco intervened, “Brother Autis, please consider if this truly aligns with reason and God’s will. Pray once more, and then we’ll talk. How about that?”

Brother Autis smiled. “That’s a good idea.”

He knelt before the guard’s sword and murmured a prayer, unlike any Brother Franco had heard before.

“…You’ve granted me the opportunity to end His Majesty’s life, and I ask if this is the moment. If I am to carry out this great deed, please remain silent, and if not, collapse this chamber upon me…”

Shocked, Brother Franco stepped back, and the imperial guard looked at him incredulously, as if to say, ‘Would you blame me if I killed him?’

Franco found no words to refute that silent question.

*

“The conversation has gone on too long,” Emperor Benclauss remarked, his voice returning to a calm whisper after a moment of excitement.

“Regardless, I didn’t want to meet the envoy through a representative. Since Daniel hasn’t arrived, you’ll answer in his stead. Can you find the Grail?”

Emperor Benclauss desired a heartfelt response, but Jade replied off the cuff, still distracted by the chamber where Brother Franco and Brother Autis were.

“I won’t know until I see it. Rumors are unreliable, and there’s too much information to sift through truth and lies. Honestly, I can’t believe that the artifact that brought down the eastern kingdom is truly the fourth relic. We must verify its authenticity first.”

“And if the rumors are true and the Grail is real, what then?”

“I hope it’s a fake. If it’s real, the implications are terrifying. Should I bring it to Your Majesty? Are you prepared to handle it?”

Emperor Benclauss paused briefly.

“I told Daniel to destroy it if it’s a devil’s artifact. But I haven’t thought deeply about what to do if it’s real. What do you think would happen if the Roman Empire possessed the Grail?”

“You would know better than I,” Jade replied.

“It would likely be more of a curse than a blessing.”

Emperor Benclauss nodded slowly.

“Do you think the Grail is worth such risk?”

“My only concern is whether I have the discernment to recognize its value if I find it. I hope Father Daniel is the one to make that judgment.”

“You’re being modest.”

“I’m merely stating the facts.”

“Speaking the truth as it is, that’s what modesty is.”

The Emperor smiled faintly before asking again.

“Father Daniel and I have already discussed the rewards after this task is completed. I believe I should negotiate separately with you. What do you desire?”

Jade sensed the Emperor was testing him. Daniel had said there was no reward for the Grail expedition. It was unlikely Daniel would lie to claim the reward for himself, so the very notion of a discussion about rewards must be a falsehood.

Jade was about to decline any need for compensation when he reconsidered.

“Do you have a sum in mind for the reward?”

The Emperor answered sternly, “Yes.”

“There’s the Athena Convent to the north of Rome. I would like you to donate there, even if the Grail expedition fails.”

“That’s an unexpected request. That place isn’t strictly part of the Roman clergy, is it?”

“No. But Mother Superior Julia is always fair and kind. I trust she will use it for worthy causes.”

Jade didn’t mention Sapph. The money was for Sapph, but it wouldn’t be wise to direct it to her personally.

“Very well. I’ll make the donation in your name.”

“Please leave out my name. And Father Daniel’s too.”

“Hmm, best not to reveal any connections. Understood. Is there anything else you need? We may not meet again. If you come to the palace, I’ll have to ignore you. You know why, don’t you? If there’s anything you need, speak now.”

Jade hesitated briefly, then, without realizing it, turned his head towards the chamber where Brother Autis and Brother Franco were.

Emperor Benclauss followed Jade’s gaze. The word ‘revenge’ seemed to hover on his lips.

‘No! It mustn’t be!’

Jade clenched his fists, trembling, then relaxed his grip. He overcame a great temptation and replied in a defeated tone.

“Nothing.”

Emperor Benclauss, aware of Jade’s emotional struggle, asked again.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, nothing.”

“Understood. Tell Daniel to take care as well. And if there’s new information, pass it through Bishop David.”

“No, I won’t. Whether it’s through him or anyone else, if it’s not directly from Father Daniel or me, it’s better not believed.”

“Even Cardinal Pietro?”

“Yes.”

“…You’re right. So be it. Now, let’s see…”

Emperor Benclauss looked around as if searching for something he’d forgotten.

Once again, a dull thud echoed from the back chamber. Then, Brother Franco’s voice was heard.

“Hey, what are you doing…?”

His voice abruptly cut off.

The guard stationed in the same chamber as Jade turned his gaze. He warned the figure approaching through the dark corridor.

“Who goes there? Halt!”

But the approaching footsteps did not cease. The guard immediately drew his sword, ready to fight.

Emperor Benclauss and Jade retreated to the back of the narrow chamber. The face of the man entering along the dimly lit passage began to reveal itself in the torchlight.

It was Brother Autis.

The sword swung by the guard clattered to the ground, still clutched in the guard’s hand. Blood spattered against the chamber walls.

Brother Autis, wielding a dagger, stabbed the guard’s throat and, without withdrawing it, sliced across. Half of the neck was severed.

Using the severed part as a pivot, Brother Autis twisted the guard’s neck. A gruesome crack of breaking bones sounded. The guard’s neck dangled below his jaw, hanging by tendons and veins.

Brother Autis pushed aside the guard, whose head now hung raggedly. He wiped the blood on his lips with the back of his hand, but instead smeared more blood across his chin and mouth.

After several attempts to clean the blood, he gave up and said,

“My apologies for the gruesome sight, Your Majesty.”

“Who are you?” Emperor Benclauss asked, eyes wide.

Brother Autis replied politely,

“I am here to kill you, Your Majesty.”

His expression was still that of a boy in love, eyes bright and gleaming. Now, it was apparent that a faint light shone from his pupils.

“Ever since the moment memories began to exist within me, I thought I had to kill you,” Autis continued.

The dim chamber, lit by a single torch, was filled with only Autis’s voice.

“Perhaps humans would say it’s when they come of age, but that doesn’t apply to me. I was born long ago, in the days before Rome was Rome, when what is now an underground tomb was called a sanctuary. Back then, I was small and weak. My desire to survive was all the stronger.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Emperor Benclauss asked.

Brother Autis extended the bloodied dagger.

“Please, Your Majesty, say no more. I am not doing this to hear your words. I want to tell my story. Just listen. Perhaps, with the mercy and consideration I’ve learned from the priests of Keitlic, I might grant you a painless death.”

Emperor Benclauss retreated to the very end of the chamber. There was a tunnel he could crawl through to escape, but it was doubtful he could muster such agility against Autis now.

Jade listened silently to Autis’s tale.

“The emperors of Rome always shone brightly within me. Your grandfather, your father, and now you, Your Majesty. That light influenced me, and I concluded that I must kill you.”

As the emperor attempted to speak, Autis gestured for silence once more.

“Ask nothing. I do not know the reason myself. I only recalled that it must be done. But I was too weak. I couldn’t even kill a cat, let alone a person. I lacked the strength to take life from a human body. Then one day, I heard the will of the heavens. They would send a man to die in an accident before me, disguised as chance. And I could take him at the moment his breath ceased! That was Autis. I took his body just as he lay dying beneath a carriage.”

Autis recalled that moment with a blissful smile, a disturbing expression to reveal in such a setting.

“The human body that I inhabited, named Autis, was so strong and pure. Was it just this man, or…?”

Does every human feel this way? I wouldn’t know. This is my first time possessing a human body, so I needed time to adapt. Even the will of the heavens advised me. ‘To kill His Majesty, start by killing other humans,’ it said.

“The will of the heavens?”

Jade murmured, but Brother Autis ignored her.

“I’ve killed about thirty people. At first, there were many mistakes. I didn’t know that the dead needed to be disposed of. I thought it would be better to leave them scattered about. ‘The will of the heavens’ advised me to be careful. My actions were too similar to the serial killings in Zerba. ‘Don’t get caught before you even meet His Majesty,’ it warned. So, I’ve restrained myself for the past month.”

Brother Autis adjusted his grip on the knife and advanced towards Emperor Benclauss.

“The time has come. I never expected to meet His Majesty so soon, thinking I’d have to pretend to be Autis for years. Please, understand my intentions—” Emperor Benclauss hastily bent down to escape through a tunnel but hit his head on the wall instead, ending up lying submissively before Autis.

As Brother Autis approached with a smile, Jade asked,

“So, you’re not the real Autis now, are you?”

Autis hesitated, then replied,

“No, I only have Autis’s memories.”

“To say that, you describe the moment Autis survived the plague too vividly.”

“That’s because the original Autis’s personality is similar to mine now.”

Autis answered smoothly, then frowned.

“Wait, something’s odd. How can you face me so calmly? I’ve watched many people die and have killed myself, but I’ve never seen anyone act like you in front of blood and a blade. You’re not preparing to fight to the death, nor are you trying to flee from it, nor do you have the expression of someone who has given up on life.”

“If you’ve observed humans well, you’d know what expression I have. I’m disappointed. Maybe even pleased. It’s better to say I’m confused.”

Jade spoke to Emperor Benclauss, who lay on the ground with a terrified face, glancing back and forth between them.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. I wasn’t focusing on our conversation just now. My mind was elsewhere.”

Jade thought his voice would tremble and tears would come, but for some reason, he spoke indifferently.

“Autis was the murderer who killed my parents. When Your Majesty asked me what compensation I wanted, I thought of revenge. ‘The man behind me, named Autis, killed my parents. Please arrest him for murder and have him executed in the most painful way possible.’”

Jade continued, addressing Autis,

“But Autis is already dead. He died before I could do anything. Damn it, and now a demon inhabits his dead flesh. Should I be happy or sad about this?”

Brother Autis turned the knife from Emperor Benclauss towards Jade.

“You should be afraid. You’re about to die.”

“It’s you who will die. Name yourself, demon.”

“Foolish Jade! I am the one who will kill the Emperor of Rome and enter the prepared sanctuary as a great being.”

A brilliance flowed from Autis’s eyes, and his voice echoed through the chamber. It shook as if an earthquake had occurred. Stones bounced on the floor, and dust fell from the ceiling.

Emperor Benclauss clutched his head and screamed in agony.

“A disgraced priest like you shouldn’t be able to utter that name.”

Jade, unfazed by the rumbling ceiling, scoffed.

“So, it has no name?”

Autis flinched.

Jade pulled out a book, speaking both to stall for time and to provoke his opponent.

“It might be a higher demon than the one I killed three years ago. I didn’t recognize it as a demon at first glance.”

The pages in Jade’s left hand turned on their own. The ordinary scripture transformed into different letters within his sight. As he read the language that no human tongue could pronounce, a faint light emerged from the book, transferring to Jade’s body.

“What is that?” Autis demanded.

“A nameless demon like you doesn’t need to know.”

Autis raised his voice and lifted his knife.

Jade extended his hand, and a burst of white light from his palm pushed Autis back. He dropped the knife and flew backward, crashing against the wall.

“Argh!”

Autis screamed, pressing his hands over his eyes. They had burned away, and his cheeks were peeling as if just touched by fire.

“Good heavens, it’s the light that kills demons. I’ve only heard of such a thing, but you can wield it.”

Jade approached and grasped his head. The light burned through Autis’s body, emitting white smoke.

Autis clasped his trembling hands in prayer.

“Would you not grant me time for repentance? Though I am a demon, I’ve come to believe in the human God during my year as a monk in the Roman priesthood. If you give me time to pray, I will repent not only for my sins but also for the murders committed by Autis, in the name of all angels.”

Jade clenched his teeth and said,

“I’m curious. If an angel listens to a demon’s prayers like yours, what becomes of my prayers that were never answered in the past?”

Light burst from Jade’s hand, and Autis’s body was consumed in white flames.

Soon after, only gray ashes and the decayed corpse of someone dead for a year remained. Rotten limbs fell to the floor, and a skull rolled to Jade’s feet.

Jade looked down at Autis’s skull and said,

“What prayers did you offer when you were crushed to death by a carriage, Autis?”

Jade stomped on the skull.

It crumbled easily, as if made of dust.