O Ezra, hear the prayers of this humble sinner.
Lord, I had to make a difficult decision today, and I don’t know if I chose wisely. We left this morning from Port-a-Lucine to Chateaufaux, against my inclination. When we got back to the domicile of the mesmerist Elijio last night Samael told us of an old man he had encountered who seemed to cause Samael to lose several minutes of time — in the same way we had lost several months. I fear that with this old man in the manor the two men who were under our protection are in danger from the forces of the Mistress of Tears. I wanted to race back there, to search the entire area, to find this old man and learn who he was and what he was doing there!
But our current task is a more urgent one. We have learned what may be an important clue from Eli, the only man we have seen recover from these enchanted trances we have observed: that a guild of merchants known as The Merchants’ Dust may be the ones involved in the mystical happenings in Chateaufaux. As this is the first solid lead we have had, and we have the opportunity to potentially save everyone afflicted by these enchantments, we have no choice but to return to Chateaufaux and track down this cult of Deep Ones once and for all.
As much as it pained me, as much as every fibre of my being wanted to stay in Port-a-Lucine to protect Jean-Jacques and Eli, I knew — I know that stopping the Mistress of Tears and her minions is more important than protecting two men, but I cannot be sure that we will be able to stop what is happening or that the guild Eli spoke of is at all connected with this problem. And I cannot be sure that we are not needed more in Port-a-Lucine than in Chateaufaux.
I may have endangered innocents, Lord, and the pain of that knowledge grates at me with every step I take away from Port-a-Lucine. Please lend me Your guidance, and extend Your protection to those in Port-a-Lucine who need it. I pray that I am wrong. I pray that I am mistaken about Samael’s old man and the threat I fear he poses to Jean-Jacques and to Eli, now nigh defenseless in the house of Lord Lysée. I pray even that Jean-Jacques be allied with the sinister powers we fight rather than at their mercy, because at least then he will be safe. Please hear my prayers, Ezra, and keep those men from harm.
To You, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me,
Also, let none that wait on You be ashamed: let them be ashamed who transgress without cause.
Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth, and teach me: for You are the God of my salvation; on You do I wait all the day.
Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Your mercy remember You me for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will She teach sinners in the way.
The meek will She guide in judgment: and the meek will She teach Her way.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep Her covenant and Her testimonies.
For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great.
What man is he that loveth the Lord? him shall She teach in the way that She shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with them that love Her; and She will show them Her covenant.
My eyes are ever towards the Lord; for She will pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn You to me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring You me out of my distresses.
Look upon my affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in You.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on You.
Redeem us, O God, out of all our troubles.
Pie Ezru, domine, dona eis requiem.
In the name of Our Guardian in the Mists, protect us as we walk the pathways of this world and guide us to those of the next. Forgive our sins and grant us the wisdom to forgive ourselves.
Amen.