Mad Gods - Predatory Ethics: Book I (29 page)

He got up from his seat, flanked by ancient, medieval
and pre-industrialized tomes. Walking past woodwork shelves, holding similar
texts, he stopped at another table and sat before a dais, holding up a cracked,
leather-bound volume.

On the front, the title read,
Le Tome de Les Parfaits
. This was beside
the Sangrael Gospel, Le Menace d’Ours D’Enfer
and
the
Idammah-Gan Codex
.

He took a breath, opened it and began to read.

- Tome de Les Parfaits
-
Depth of Correction V: Wounded Rib -

TIME: EUROPE, PRE-1000 A.D.

Seimon’s faith survived to watch Catholicism infect
Europe and the Middle East only to be checked by Mohamed and his followers. Its
touch left devastation, along with its salvation. They replaced the spine of
conquered faiths with a crutch, and were surprised to see them crippled. In a
relatively short period of time, Celts, Saxons, Vandals and Goths all succumbed
to the promised life after death.

He settled among Goths, along with a select few who
followed the Rose, and began to teach the word of God to those who resisted the
Catholics. He taught that each person has their own relationship with God and
swayed many, by allowing them to incorporate their traditional beliefs with the
new.

He followed the Catholics and built upon their
weakness. He struck down the decisions, made in the Council of Nicea, as greedy
men wishing to consolidate and expand power. The Jesus who first brought
salvation and hope to the world would be unknown to His current followers. More
than eighty gospels that spoke of His life as a man would never be known
because it was decided to leave them out of the final version of the Bible.

Nicea’s emperor, Constantine the Great, was pagan by
birth, and like every politician, was a pragmatist. He saw Christianity as the
prevailing faith and decided it would be wise to convert. He made alterations
to Christianity, that included existing holidays and stories of Mithra —
a god born on December 25th, born of a virgin, who would return after death and
be the final judge at the end of time.

Constantine’s bullies, Tertullian and Irenaeus,
pushed this Christian façade; anyone who did not listen was put to the sword or
the pyre. With each new pontiff, the church became more like the empire they
supplanted. Popes wore the cross as much as the Caesars wore the eagle.

Seimon’s words, the heretical gospels and the Gnosis
of God, traveled around the known world and found fertile ground in the regions
of Languedoc and Albigense, France. In time they did not congregate in order to
revere their savior. They did so in their daily lives as Credentes. They had families
and worshiped at whatever level they wished. There were others who wanted a
closer relationship with God and lived in the wilds around the caves of St.
Barthalemy. Those who spent their lives contemplating God lived among the
Credentes, helping wherever they were able and moving on to aid others.

When Innocent II recognized the Knights Templar in
Jerusalem, the Perfecti of Languedoc established their own Order with one of
the Sangrael, even becoming one of their priests: a Perfecti.
 

Natalie became one of the most respected Perfecti in
the Cathari.
 
In 1205 six popes
passed and another Innocent sat on the throne of St. Peter. This pope enforced
the rule of the church. He saw the Cathari held too much power in the affluent
regions of Albi and Languedoc; the nobility giving them land and wealth. The
Cathari espoused poverty and humility, but were second only to the Catholics in
land holdings in Toulouse and Aragon. That, coupled with loss of revenues,
forced Innocent to go beyond preliminary negotiations. His emissary, Domingo de
Guzman, began at the Cistercian monastery of Fontfroide.
 
He tried to curb church corruption and
immorality, noting that many who turned to the Cathari did so because their
Catholic priests lechery and debauchery put nobles to shame.

However, more than all of this, Innocent did not want
the church to lose its position as the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. In his
opinion, he was the supreme temporal ruler, above all kings, to whom God had
granted a position.

Innocent took a cue from his namesake and proclaimed
a crusade against the Cathari. He gave indulgences to anyone who warred on the
Cathari heretics. Any sin, committed against them, would be pardoned. He even
offered the ownership of any lands, captured from the heretics, to whoever won
them, in the defense of the Catholic Church. In 1208, he named Simon de
Montfort his chief inquisitor, and by 1218, all the Cathari had been routed
out, like weeds.

The Templars kept a careful eye on the Cathari, but
were mindful of Innocent’s animosity. The Cathari and Templars shared their
reverence for the Grael, as well as the line that sprung from it. The knights
were sworn to protect it, while the Cathari nursed one of the line as a
respected Perfecti.

Innocent saw that the knights were sympathetic to the
heretics, and in a Papal edict, reminded them of their place as poor knights of
the temple, who enjoyed whatever position they had because of Papal indulgence.
This preferential treatment could be easily revoked. They were viewed as
arrogant, but were still used as elite fighters and as impeccable money
handlers. They amassed vast holdings, unimpeded by borders and squabbles of
hierarchy.

With all this threatening their lives, Natalie sat in
Bethlehem, speaking to Simon about the church’s entreaties to merge with the
Cathari. “Why do they wish to speak to me? I’m no Bishop, merely a Perfecti. I
wear a simple robe and do what good I can. I’m not the person with whom to
consult or to listen.”

Simon answered, “You are being naive Natalie. If we
are not careful, the Romans may remove us entirely from the face of the earth.
We must be careful. Innocent is losing a lot of ground to us and he will not
tolerate it for much longer.”

From the darkness of the cave, and from further down
the Path of Initiation, came a voice that was heavy with bitterness and
accusation. “Then why doesn’t Caesar clean his own house? It is because the
comparison to the clean and austere Cathari reveals the obvious grime and
filth.” Though Simon could not see who spoke, the words continued. “Before he
comes against us, tell Innocent to enforce his laws with his clergy. Tell him
to give up his mistresses and renounce his bastards and have his priests do the
same. Everyone has seen the lechery and the fornication they openly commit
within their flock. They are no better than rutting goats. Animals, clothed in
priests’ robes.”

“Who speaks and why do you hide? Show yourself.”
Simon got up and walked to the opening of the cave, trying to locate the source
of the voice.

Natalie’s voice calmly enveloped him. “It is only a
friend. I have known him longer than my life.
 
He is part of the darkness and has come to show us what we
should do.”

“Papal indulgences, and payment for penitence, to
keep someone out of purgatory, or worse yet, hell. Why pay the Catholics? Pay
me. Innocent speaks for God, but God hasn’t seen any of the gold the Romans
have taken to keep the multitudes out of our grasp. Neither have I.”

“Your grasp? Who are you to claim the church’s
indulgences? Besides God or the devil, who could claim these fees?” As Simon
spoke, a dim figure began to take shape in the depths of the cavernous Path of
Initiations.

“The devil, you say? Those are your words,” he
answered, softly.

“Why do you stay in the shadows? Why not show
yourself? I can barely see you.” Simon took a few steps forward; the shape
retreated accordingly.

“No further, Simon. I know who you are, but you don’t
need to know me. Because I am repulsive to the eye, I wish to remain in the
shadows; I don’t wish to be judged, based upon my appearance. Natalie has been
kind enough to look after me. She has always been a good friend.”

Simon looked at Natalie and asked, “Why have you
never spoken of this man? It seems odd that you have not mentioned him.”

Natalie replied, “Long ago, we both decided not to
reveal him to anyone. He is also of a Sangrael, but the opposite of mine, and
with his appearance, it seemed best that he remain a secret. He has never
wanted to be known; his only desire is to be left in peace.”

“The opposite? Then why do you speak to him? Don’t
you see that he is lying to you?” Simon was becoming angry at Natalie’s
naïveté.

“About what have I lied, Simon?” the voice asked,
evenly. “You jump to unwarranted conclusions about me, automatically assuming
I’m lying to Natalie. This is simply unfair. Defend your position, rather than
merely throwing accusations into the wind. The Romans don’t deserve what they
have. They don’t deserve to be exulted above all kings. They have squandered
what the Nazarene bestowed upon them.” The stranger spat out his words, each of
them dripping with venom.

“Well, at least that’s something about which we can
agree. The church does not represent the words of Jesus.”

“Semantics, Simon. Have you lived this long, only to
be capable of constructing such a weak argument against their forced words?”
The contempt, emanating from the dark, was palpable.

“What else would you do? Even though we have mere
words, does the church see us as a serious threat?” Simon countered.

“Yes, you’re right. You have been a victim of your
own success and now they are coming against you. What will you do?” The
contempt vanished replaced by genuine gravity.

“I honestly don’t know. Innocent will stop at nothing
to gain back these lands. Maybe we can come to an agreement with their envoy at
Fontfroide,” Simon said, offhandedly.

“Yes, Father Domingo seemed a just man. We should
continue the negotiations, and perhaps, we can come to an agreement.” Natalie’s
voice almost startled Simon, who had been facing the mouth of the cave for some
time.

“An agreement with the Romans? You are very
optimistic, Natalie. They have no reason to agree about anything. They will not
suffer another version of their lord. Absolutely none, no matter how similar to
their own.” By now, the dark voice conveyed pity and compassion.

“I have seen many things in my lifetime, therefore, I
will not judge you. Don’t be frightened to reveal yourself.” Simon wanted to
see this man, who spoke with such knowledge about Catholic ways.

“Oh, I’m not afraid. I said that I wanted my words to
be heard. Very few people hear only with their ears. Most people fill the
emptiness between the words with what they see. Your desire to see me is
nothing compared to my desire not to be seen. Just listen to what I have to
say,” the voice responded.

“What is your name?” Though Simon did not press, he
still wanted something identifiable, which he could connect to the words.

“My name is not important, but if you want to call me
something, call me Alumnos. Don’t be concerned for Natalie, for I am her
initiate. I have been with her for several years now.” Though the words were
matter of fact, they momentarily struck Simon silent.

“Initiate? Natalie, you never told me that you had
taken an initiate.” Simon was surprised by this development.

“I didn’t think I had to. I took on Alumnos because I
knew no one else would, and despite his outbursts, his heart is, indeed, with
the Cathari. He does believe our words and he even remembers other lives
— turbulent and bloody existences, which have left their mark on his
soul.” Natalie had gotten up and stood beside Simon, looking into the dark,
from where the voice answered.

“Those are past, Natalie. Now, my life is here, not
on the battlefields in Greece, the northern steppes or in front of Roman
crowds. Now that we come to such a sublime, peaceful, earthly place, to which
we are entitled, how can we stand by and let it slip through our fingers to the
Romans?” As the voice continued, weariness faded to outrage. “Won’t you go to
the nobles whom you have aided in the past — the count of Toulouse, King
of Aragon — and ask them to protect you? To protect the faith, which as
Credentes, they also follow. You have administered the Endura on many family
deathbeds. Have the bishop and the Collegium go to them for their succor.”

“He speaks wisely, this Alumnos, even for an
initiate.” Natalie smiled. “Very well then, we will go to the Collegium and ask
them to speak to these nobles, who were grateful enough for our help to give us
lands and wealth that made us Innocent’s target. We’ll return and see what we
are to do.”

TIME: MARCH 15TH, 1963. SECRET ARCHIVES, VATICAN

Quentin was familiar with many of the volumes he
faced. The Albigense Crusade was one of the bloodiest in recorded history. No
matter the historical interpretation, the same facts were consistent — by
the final surrender at Montsegur, in 1244, millions were killed in the name of
God. The part that stayed with him was that they all went willingly into the
flames rather than speak against their faith.

He had a personal connection to such repression.
Volumes were written about the dark days of 1312, and how the Templars, though
revered, were still completely wiped out. Yet somehow they survived. Why
couldn’t the Cathars? He would have to explore this further.