The March of the Bloodcults

The man and boy witness a terrifying army of marchers with red scarves, carrying weapons.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Army on the Road

The Vision The Dawn They wake to see a column of men marching four abreast, all wearing red scarves. They carry pipes, spears, and clubs. The ground trembles. The boy is terrified. The Procession Behind the men come wagons pulled by slaves, then women, some pregnant, and finally catamites in dog collars. The man watches, hidden. He knows these are the bad guys. The Aftermath They wait until the army passes. The man says it is not a good sign. They move on, but the image of the army haunts them. The boy asks where they are going; the man doesn't know.

The Sign of the Army

The Message The Tracks They see tracks of the army in the road, the same direction they are going. The man is worried they might be caught. They adopt a more cautious approach. The Fear The boy is scared. He asks if the army will find them. The man says no, but he is not sure. They travel at night, avoiding fires. The Escape They eventually outpace the army, but the memory of the slave-drawn wagons and the catamites stays with them. The world is filled with cruelty.

mid-journey, after the encounter with the marchers

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