Chapter 7

Flamefall

Daniel flinched away from Rebekah’s hand. “It hurts. Please, don’t touch me.”

“Let me heal you,” she begged.

Sighing, he surrendered. “I’m not as young as I was.”

“None of us are,” Rebekah pointed out.

“I’m not as fast.”

“Daniel, you have shared your power with me, and with four children. Do you regret that?”

He smiled at her and carefully worked his shoulder. “No. Never. What power I’ve given up has been replaced by love. I don’t feel any less for not having it. I just feel my age.”

“Thirty seven isn’t old,” she laughed.

“I suppose not.”

“There are some things you regret, aren’t there?” Rebekah asked softly.

Daniel looked out the window at the strange city. He was here with Rebekah, his sister Ruth and her husband Joseph, his father Jacob, and with Esau and Shem. They had traveled many days to Damascus. Naomi, Sarai and Esau’s wife Hepzebah were at home to look after the children. The purpose of the trip so far north was the big debate. The Flamefalls and the Legacy .. where do we go now?

The mutual cooperation pact had been born far to the south ten years before this day. The seed planted between Elias and Jacob had sprouted and flourished as seeds will. The plant had struggled at times with drought of care when frosty silences had grown between the Flamefalls and their neighbors but, always, they had been overcome and the little plant had recovered. Its roots were sunk deep in the soil of good intentions and watered by the sweat of honest effort. Yes, there had been arguments and fiercely spectacular arguments at that. Yet Elias of the Legacy and Jacob of the Flamefalls had fought in their own way and insisted on peace being restored. Eventually, the two societies had learned how the other ticked and the arguments grew less, the associations matured into friendships, and respect and trust were both earned and given. Elias’ fond hope was realized and the plant became a sapling and then became a tree. They did not walk the same path but they had never meant to do that. Their paths were separate yet parallel, often close enough to touch but never to blend.

At last Elias had decided that, maybe, the time had come for him to start the education of the other Legacy houses. If we can do this, he said, there is no reason why the others can’t. We can help them learn. Jacob had agreed. He would send messengers to the other Flamefalls to prepare them for contact. He had no doubts about his own people – they could adapt and change, especially when they saw the benefits which came from mutual cooperation. Jacob did, however, doubt the ability of the Legacy to adapt and change. For twenty years now, the Legacy had been accustomed to getting its own way, often without any opposition at all. The Flamefalls had kept a profile so low that they might never have existed. They’d continued to work in the background, in the shadows, and freely in the wide open spaces around and between the Legacy power bases.

Elias had sent a letter via messenger to Eli, explaining what he had done, confessing to keeping it quiet for so long but adding that it had been an experiment. The result was that it was, in his opinion, a success. He urged Eli to embrace the white haired people as allies in a common cause. And then everyone had sat back to wait.

Athens was a long way, even by ship. The answer, when it arrived eight months later, was to summon all the Precepts to a meeting in Damascus in four months’ time. They could bring one other member with them from their houses. Elias was further ordered to invite as many of the white haired people as he considered necessary for proper debate. Eli himself would attend and act as chairman with the deciding vote.

Jacob had been notified and he talked long with Elias on how they should proceed.

“I am wary, my friend,” Elias had remarked soberly. “Our association has grow strong because we began cautiously, gently. We knew what we each risked if we failed so we walked with care, asking before taking action, talking it thru rather than issuing orders. Eli isn’t me. I think we should answer this summons gladly but be prepared for heavy resistance and some outrageously insulting demands. All I ask is that .. if it all falls thru and Eli turns his back upon you, the friendship we know will not be abandoned or lost. It means too much to me and every member of my house.”

Jacob had nodded. “I believe I can agree to that. Very well then, I will send out the word and my people will gather in Damascus in four months.” He had risen. “Know this, Elias, that, should the Legacy choose to ignore us, your house is well known among my people as a friend. No matter where any of you travel, we will assist your efforts.”

They had clasped hands and parted.

And so the word had gone out. Over the following weeks and months, Flamefalls in ones and twos, and in groups, had traveled to Damascus where now they gathered for the great debate.

Daniel had fought a devil during the previous night and, just prior to the kill, it had sunk a talon into the meat of his shoulder. He saw it as an omen. The talks would not go smoothly.

“Yes,” he replied to his wife, “I do have regrets. I regret being here and not at home with our children. I regret the Legacy was ever created. It was so much .. cleaner in the old days. We never had to consider others. We just did our job and that was all.”

He saw the sadness in her eyes.

“Oh, Rebekah, don’t misunderstand. Isaac and I have grown to be like brothers. I would not change Elias or his house, or the men in it. They have proved themselves worthy time and again. If they were the only Legacy house, if they were the Legacy, I would have no regrets. But .. do you recall how we struggled at the start? How difficult it was for us? How painfully cautious everyone was so not to offend or antagonize the other?”

Rebekah nodded. She had only just received the power plus she had been a new wife. She could remember that time very easily as one of wary, painful confusion .. and not just for her.

“That was just one town and one Legacy house. If the decision goes thru, it will be every Legacy house and every Flamefall everywhere. All of them stumbling along the rocky road of mutual cooperation, and hitting the same problems we did.”

“But we worked our way thru them, together,” Rebekah pointed out. “We cooperated.”

“Yes, we did, because my father insisted and Elias was pledged to see it working. They were dedicated to the cause, Rebekah. But you know it came damned close to failing several times. We never quite went back and started over, and that was down to the personalities involved. And, even then, my father doesn’t know about that fight I had with Isaac one night in the desert. We came close to killing each other.”

“But you didn’t, and now you are like brothers. He is the godfather of one of our sons.”

“What I mean is .. we will have to go thru it all again.”

“We won’t.”

“We will if we have to deal with another Legacy house. And, even if we’re really fortunate and stay with Elias and his people, we’ll be called upon to advise and mediate because we’ve already been thru it. I just wonder if it’s worth the effort.”

Rebekah bent and kissed him. “It will be, Daniel. If not for you then for your sons, and their sons, and for all the Flamefalls to come. Now, come to bed and sleep,” she urged. “The days ahead will be wearying.”

Daniel thought she’d never spoken a truer word.

*****

“Well .. here we are, Elder,” Shem remarked, watching the stars glitter high and bright overhead. “Who would have thought it possible, eh? How do you think it will go?”

Jacob stretched out his legs. “I’m not bothered either way, Shem. It isn’t our concern.”

“Elias wouldn’t be too impressed to hear you say that, not after all the work he’s put into it.”

Jacob chuckled softly. “Elias is not an ordinary man. Japheth once said Elias was a man who thinks over many years, and he was right. He wouldn’t care – he doesn’t care about what I think of the outcome. He knows I am here only to give him support because this alliance is what he wants. If it goes against the suggestion, he will be disappointed but he’ll know that it won’t affect our relationship with him. The members of his house are all good men, people we’ve come to trust and respect. But consider for a moment. What do we do which is different?”

Shem thought. “Nothing.”

“Exactly.” Jacob shrugged. “We haven’t abandoned our duty. We still patrol and train and fight. Our task is exactly the same now as it was for our ancestors. What we do differently .. comes outside that. We pass information to Elias. Mysteries for him to solve. Once, I would have believed Elias would be insulted – after all, it’s almost like tossing bones to a dog. But he is grateful. These .. bones are intriguing to him. We have learned a lot from them, and they are comfortable with us. That won’t change, no matter how the talks progress. And, if they go against us, we will still do what we’ve always done .. so, no, I’m not bothered.”

Shem nodded. “And what if they don’t? Go against us, I mean.”

Jacob glanced at him. “What’s your view? How do you want it to turn out?”

Shem released a long breath. “I’m in two minds, Elder. I like Elias and his people. They do good work. But it wasn’t easy getting to be comfortable with them. To imagine having to go thru all that again .. and on such a bigger, wider scale … Makes me sweat, I’ll admit. In the long term, it’d be good. We enjoy a margin of safety our brothers elsewhere lack. Short term .. it’ll be hard.”

“I know, but we owe it to our descendents to try. If the invitation is made .. we have to accept and do our best to make it work. I look at Benjamin and little Daniel, and my son’s children, and your children, and Esau’s little girl .. and I know we have to try because their lives will be affected. All right, so maybe these talks will fall thru this time. Maybe we are being overoptimistic that now is the good time to .. semi-formalize what is a friendly association. Perhaps it will happen in the future instead. We must still try now to make it work if the Legacy decides they will commit. If it is to fail, it will be because they don’t have the heart for the long haul, not us.”

Shem sighed. “Elias is different, Elder. They won’t all be like him.”

“No, they won’t. Eli, in particular, will be a hard nut to crack. We must not react to his demands. Elias warns that they may be outrageous and insulting. They are only words, Shem.”

“Can we not make some insulting demands of our own?” Shem asked, recalling that it had been Jacob who swung the second punch ten years before when Simon had insulted his son by calling him a coward.

Jacob smiled. “It would illustrate a point, wouldn’t it?”

“Oh yes,” Shem laughed. “You know, Elder, I feel sorry for them.” Jacob twisted to look at him. “Well .. Isaac has never married. Neither has Elias. Micah and Simon, they have wives but .. what time can they give to them? The Legacy is not .. a family institution, whereas we have families. Jonah spends more time with my children than he ever did with his own before his wife left and took them to Sidon.”

“It is in the rules,” Jacob commented with a helpless shrug. “Only five members in a house and membership does not extend to wives or husbands or children. I don’t understand it myself but that is how it was set up in the beginning. Maybe it is because of the danger. They can’t protect themselves as we all can, so they limit the exposure.”

Shem slowly shook his head. “They are a strange lot. Interesting .. but very strange.”

Jacob smiled. “That is what they say about us.”

*****

“Tomorrow sees the culmination of your big scheme.”

Ruth twisted round. Joseph lay on the bed, trying to settle his body for sleep while his soul went training.

“You make it sound as if I plotted the whole thing.”

“Didn’t you?” he asked.

“No! I played a part. No more than that.”

“I think you sell yourself too cheaply,” Joseph remarked. “I never said it was a bad scheme. I think it was necessary but no one was prepared to be the first to make contact .. until you took it on yourself. You waited till after your brother was wed before you confessed what you’d done. Admit it, Ruth, it is your big scheme.”

“It’s tempting, Joseph, but it just wouldn’t be true. Daniel had the idea first. The very same night we’d first met a scholar in the desert and watched him get killed, Daniel asked the Elder if there was no way we could learn to work with them. The time just wasn’t right. I simply waited and then took it to the next stage, then I passed it on to my father. If it is anyone’s big scheme, though, it has to be Elias. Once he realized we were not assassins out to murder him in his bed, or demon worshippers, becoming our allies is all he’s wanted.”

She finished braiding her hair and lay down beside him. “It’s worked well .. on a small scale. Whether it can work equally as well across the whole two societies is another question. From what we’ve heard from other Flamefalls, it has sometimes come very close to disaster. They envy our situation. We can go and fight knowing we will be unimpeded. They don’t have that freedom and they live in fear every day. They wear masks, disguises, they have fled more times than anyone should have to .. and why? There is no reason. They’ve done nothing wrong yet they have this terror inside all the time.”

“Between you, your father, Elias and Isaac, all eloquent speakers, the Legacy must see our way is the only workable solution.”

She sighed. “I hope so, Joseph. I really hope so. But you have not met Eli. He is the opposite of Elias, and he controls the Legacy.”

“Tomorrow, Ruth. Tomorrow, we all come together for the first time. There will be many words said and many emotions felt before the decision is reached. Let’s not prejudge the outcome.”

*****

Jacob entered the big building at Elias’ side and immediately saw the way of it. The Legacy Precepts sat on benches to his right in a large half circle. There were several empty benches on the left. Them and us. He smiled briefly.

“Will you join your associates?” he asked.

Elias flushed uncomfortably. “This is Eli’s doing. He is a good man, Jacob, but so blinkered. The Legacy is the ultimate in secret societies .. as far as he is concerned. He sees you as his competition. He always has. If he cannot point a finger at you in the street, he will segregate you in some other way.” He looked round. “I have an idea. Will you help me?”

Together, they manhandled one of the benches closer to the Legacy side of the room, then Elias sat down. He was near to the other Precepts but not among them. Isaac came in with Daniel and Joseph, and he sat next to Elias. Then Jacob sat next to Isaac, and Daniel took his place next to his father.

Slowly, the room filled. The empty benches were occupied and still more came in. They stood at the back of the room, behind Flamefalls and Legacy, shoulder to shoulder, half crushed. They sat on the floor between and in front of the benches.

Finally, Eli made his entrance and sat down on the single chair.

“Close the doors,” he ordered. “This forum is now in session.”

The doors closed and the atmosphere became brisk.

“Elias,” Eli began. “You have, in effect, called this meeting of like minds. There are more here than I expected. Were you coerced into this action?”

“No, Eli, I wasn’t,” Elias replied, rising to his feet. “The white haired people – ”

“Is that how they wish to be known?” Eli inquired.

Jacob got to his feet as well. “We have a name, Eli, but we cannot share it. The white haired people is an apt description. We can live with it,” he replied and sat down again.

“The white haired people,” Elias continued, nodding at Jacob even as he smarted under the interruption, “as you can see, significantly outnumber Legacy members. This is not all of them, not by a very long margin. We are limited to five members in each house. They are entire families – husbands, wives and children.”

“I see some women here today,” Eli agreed coolly. “They are not .. camp followers but true warriors, is that what you are saying?”
Elias turned to the Flamefalls. “Forgive him. He does not yet understand.”

“Forgive me?” Eli queried. “I have done nothing wrong, Elias. I have asked a question.”

“Yes, Eli,” Elias said, turning back, “and we know that asking questions is not wrong. But you asked in a way guaranteed to insult and offend people who are willing to try to be our friends. Are you open to this debate? Or is your mind already closed and decided?”

“Eli, I would like to hear what Elias and the white haired people have to say,” one Precept said, and others nodded. “The Lord knows, there is much evil in this world which requires attention, either by study or in direct action. The Legacy is growing and spreading but we are still few. Allies, friends .. would not be a bad thing to have.”

Eli flushed an ugly red. “Then, Elias, speak your words and let us debate.”

“Ten years ago, my house established a mutual cooperation pact with the white haired people resident in the town. I will not lie to any of you. At first, it was not easy. There was more fighting than there was peace. However, with time and patience, and dedication, we have come to understand each other, to respect each other and to trust each other. We do not do the same work. Jacob and his people are dedicated to one cause only – to fight and destroy evil wherever they find it and however it is disguised or hidden. They do nothing else. To assist them, we report every instance we find of demons and devils, as well as magic which kills and those who practice it, artifacts which are tainted in some way, books and scrolls. Some are not evil and these they pass back to us for study. Similarly, they assist us by referring to us things they cannot become involved in but we can. Our remit is much broader than theirs.”

Elias paused to look around the room. “We have each lost people to evil, whether killed outright or perverted by it. We are courageous men, and women, but we do not have the skill to battle the creatures from the Pit. We are scholars, first and foremost. The white haired people are an army, trained in weapons and adept in their use. Together, separate yet parallel, bound by ties of friendship and cooperation, we can both win. Will you at least consider it?”

“A good opening statement,” Eli remarked. “Who represents the white haired people?”

Jacob rose again. “I have the honor of speaking on behalf of my people but I am not their leader. I am the Elder only of my own community. If I say something which the others disagree with, they will speak too.”

“Will you answer questions?” Eli asked.

“I will,” Jacob confirmed, “answer the questions I can. Some things, even between allies, must remain secret.”

“Your name?”

“I am Jacob.”

Eli turned to his Precepts. “Ask your questions of this man.”

“Simeon of Nineveh,” one man said, getting up. “The Legacy has been established for many years. Yes, we are still small but we are spreading rapidly. I can see you have many people in your army and I do not doubt Elias when he says you have the skills. But how long have you been fighting this war?”

“My ancestors were nomads, roaming the desert,” Jacob replied. “At first, we too were small. We grew by family. Our skill was passed on to husband or wife and then born in their children, and so we grew. Our army numbers hundreds of thousands. As to how long .. we have existed for over two thousand years.”

A ripple of astonishment broke out.

“How is it we have never heard of you?” another Precept asked.

“Because we are secret more than you are secret. Elias has honored that secrecy and we have honored his, and yours. We work silently, in the background.”

“You say .. or Elias says you are skilled with weapons, that you are an army,” another Precept said, “yet you do not look like soldiers. You do not dress like any soldier I have ever seen and you do not bear arms.”

“How a man dresses or looks does not affect his ability to fight,” Jacob responded. “We are secret. We don’t advertise what we do. And we carry our weapons with us all the time.”

“I don’t see them,” the Precept commented.

“Daniel,” Jacob murmured. “Ruth.”

They rose and moved to the center of the circle.

“This is my son and my daughter. As you can see from their hair,” Jacob went on, “they have many kills between them. Each kill means one white hair. Show these people some of our weapons,” he instructed. “I must ask you to remain where you are and not to approach.”

Eyes widened as Daniel called on the sword of flame. Ruth held two crackling bolts of lightning.

“Thank you,” Jacob breathed. They sent the weapons away and resumed their places. “These weapons are deadly and come with a great responsibility. We are free to use them against evil but not against anything else. If an innocent person – such as a Legacy member – gets in the way and is hurt or killed .. we are instantly damned. Do you see now why we require your cooperation? The most you could suffer is death – quick and relatively painless. We could be tormented for eternity .. and all because there was a dispute over whose job it is to battle evil, and an accident occurred. We ask that you keep out of the way when we fight. In return, we will assist in your studies.”

Conversation was going on everywhere. Excitement buzzed in the room.

“Would you care to debate for an hour?” Jacob asked. “We will retire and come back.”

Eli, a little pale, nodded. “One hour.”

*****

Daniel halted and held up his hands. “I know it was for all the right reasons, the good reasons, but, right now, I feel like a freak who’s been put on display. We couldn’t win them over with words, no, we had to show them.”

Jacob came to his son’s side. “I’m sorry you feel that way. A demonstration worked the last time because words failed. At least, today, there is no beast to fight as well. We have avoided violence.” He angled his head. “Occasionally, Daniel, we have to look to the end and take the quickest route.”

“The end justifies the means.”

“Invariably, in our work, yes.”

“But this isn’t work, Father,” Daniel protested.

“It is associated. We have freedom. Our brothers don’t. Would you deny them the safety you enjoy just because you feel belittled?”

“No,” Daniel muttered. “No, I wouldn’t deny them. I just wish .. Elias was in control and not Eli. You heard him. He says he wants debate but he doesn’t. He wants us to disappear so his Legacy can be the deciding factor.”

“Some secrets must stay hidden, even from our friends. Elias must be curious as to where we acquired these powers, about who gave them to us, but he has never asked because he knows I would never tell him. We can’t say openly that Gabriel blessed us or that Michael is our commander. That we are angels who can die. Perhaps Elias suspects that these skills we have come from the Lord and he is too polite to mention it, but it doesn’t matter. We cannot stop doing our job, Daniel. The Legacy can demand it until they run out of breath and we will ignore them.”

“I know that, Father,” Daniel sighed. “It is what else they will demand of us which concerns me.”

“Well, if they do, we will consider their words and debate on our own before we give answer. Remember, the end invariably justifies the means and, if we have to make certain allowances in exchange for safety and freedom, we should seriously think about agreeing. Or do we believe we are better than them?”

Daniel looked into Jacob’s eyes for a moment. “We are.”

“No, we are not!” Jacob replied with a brief flare of anger. “We are different, not better. The world changes, we must change with it. They must change with it. We have two thousand years of experience but we do not live in the same world as our ancestors. We cannot be as they were, Daniel. They roamed the desert at will. They were free. We have other responsibilities.”

Daniel sighed again. “The Legacy will try to burden us with more. They will attempt to bind us with rules, make us a part of them so we are subject to Eli’s choices.”

“It won’t happen,” Jacob said calmly. “We do not want that.”

“Be ready for the demand,” Daniel warned.

*****

When the hour was past, the Flamefalls returned to the debating chamber. Daniel sat next to Isaac. “How did it go?” he whispered.

Isaac’s eyes were shining. “All things considered, it went very well. The Precepts are most impressed. Eli has been trying to turn them against the idea but, so far, they’re not listening. However, Eli does have the deciding vote .. and we haven’t heard him really speak yet.”

“Welcome back,” Eli greeted. “The debate has been rapid and fierce .. as you can imagine following your demonstration. Elias has represented you well and has regaled us with many tales of your exploits, both those he has heard about and those he has witnessed.”

Jacob said nothing and merely waited.

Eli shifted slightly. “Do you agree that we have a common cause?”

“Not really, no,” Jacob replied and Elias stared at him. “One area of your work is the same as ours in total. In that, we have a common cause – to protect the innocent from evil. Your work is wider, and there are some aspects of it which disturb us. We cannot become involved in them."

Eli nodded. “But .. in that one area, we have a common cause.”

“Yes,” Jacob agreed.

“Then .. it makes sense, does it not, to bring you into the fold.”

Daniel stiffened. Here it comes, he thought. I told you this would happen.

“What exactly are you suggesting, Eli?” Jacob inquired.

“We are agreed that you have the better training and experience when it comes to fighting. We are agreed that a mutual cooperation pact makes sense. I suggest that your people join the Legacy as .. its army. We will tell you where to go, what to fight there. A common cause and one organization, even if part of it is concerned with only one area.”

Jacob slowly shook his head. “I cannot agree to that. It was not why we came here. Elias said it – two paths, separate yet parallel. He didn’t say one path. We will not be subject to your rules and your decisions.”

“I cannot authorize any treaty between us if I cannot trust you to do as we want.”

“Then we will leave,” Jacob declared and rose to his feet.

“I forbid it!” Eli shouted.

“We are not subject to your control, nor will we be. We will cooperate with the Legacy but we refuse to be part of it. My people categorically refuse to surrender the right to govern their own actions.”

“Then you are dangerous and not fit to live among us,” Eli snarled.

Jacob halted. He turned slowly to look back at Eli. “We answer to a greater power than us. You cannot usurp that right. When you have climbed down from your pinnacle of self-righteous omnipotence, either willingly or by force, we will talk again. Until that time, we bid you good day.”

*****

Shem was chuckling. “I thought he’d burst something. I swear, I have never seen a man so red in the face with frustrated fury in my entire life.”

“He’s accustomed to getting his own way,” Jacob shrugged. “I’m prepared to bend so far but I won’t break, not for him, not for any man. Elias will see that the debate is continued. He will rally support and Eli’s control will be loosened. He may have the deciding vote but it will do him no good if he is the sole voice crying no. That will just make him look petty and hasten his downfall.”

“And we will make an enemy,” Shem remarked. “One we can’t kill.”

“There are first times for everything,” Jacob commented. “For now, let them argue, Shem. We will hold our own debate. I am Elder, yes, but I feel uncomfortable speaking for everyone.”

While the Legacy tore the matter apart, the Flamefalls went to a shady olive grove and sat talking of their own problems. Jacob learned at first hand everything the other Flamefalls endured because of the Legacy and he received their overwhelming support and admiration for what he had achieved.

Daniel and Ruth worked tirelessly, explaining how they had accomplished this miracle and answering a lot of questions.

“It depends on the Legacy members in the house. Elias wanted to cooperate. He made it work. If you have an element of resistance, it will be harder to succeed,” Ruth said.

“Eli has to see it’s the only way for both to survive more or less unchanged. If he refuses, we won’t do anything differently but we will have to take a tougher line with them. They will get hurt,” Daniel added. “Not with our weapons but in other, more physical ways. We found that .. beating the lesson home did more to make them understand what’s at risk than any amount of words. The talking came later.”

Some Flamefalls smiled at that, and it was obvious they would appreciate the opportunity of a little physical punishment being dealt out to those who had caused them hardship.

“So long as we don’t surrender any of our rights,” Shem declared, “whatever else they suggest, we should consider. It is honestly no trouble to .. slip them the occasional puzzle to solve. We find a lot of them and they are not our concern. But they thrive on it.”

“Fascination with us and what we do goes a long way,” Esau went on. “They like to come with us to watch how we fight, and to observe the enemy. They don’t get involved in any way. They always keep well back.”

Isaac came running and Jacob rose to greet him.

“I’ve been looking everywhere,” he panted. “They’re beginning to think you’ve dispersed. You must come back, Jacob, all of you. Eli’s been defeated and his deciding vote removed. He’s still in control of the Legacy but in a much reduced way. The Precepts want to thrash out a formal agreement for an alliance. We’ve won.”

Jacob nodded slowly. “And now the hard part truly begins.”

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