13 The Lord God looked bewildered. "Explain!" he
demanded. Morn told him what had transpired. "I still do not
understand," said The Lord God. "You LET him into North's mind?"
14 "Yes," explained Morn, "I let him into North's memory, into that
part of North's mind where every bit of physical and emotional pain he
has ever suffered is stored. I plugged him directly into it, then
opened his mind to its full effect."
15 The look in The Lord God's eyes told Morn he had a good idea of what
that meant. The Lord God knelt beside the Priest, who reached up and
seized his arm. "In the name of mercy," the Priest cried, "in the name
of pity, free me! Kill me! Release, my Lord, kill me!"
16 "Who was responsible for this?" demanded The Lord God, "Who was
responsible for this shame to my honor? Who planned this treachery
under a flag of truce? Who has so dishonored the pride of Haven?"
17 The Priest trembled but then spoke. "The General and I," he
admitted, "we thought it up. We tricked the boy. He knew only that he
was to fight North. He knew nothing of my interference, he thought it
was to be a fair fight, just him and the General. It was for the good
of Haven.
18 With North gone, The Rebellion would have crumbled. They would have
started fighting among themselves, and victory would have been ours. We
did it for you, my Lord, for your Glory, for the Glory of Haven.
Please, my Lord, please! The pain! You can't understand the pain!"
19 The Lord God rose and drew his dagger. He pointed it at the Priest's
face and fired. The head and most of the face disappeared, and the body
went limp. The Lord God then turned his weapon towards the
General beside him.
"No, my Lord! " the General cried, falling to his knees, "No, my Lord,
I beg of you, mercy, mercy!"