Folksburywoods Story Blog

“Fear controls them, makes them weak like lambs,” mumbled the monk.

Grigori Gagarin entered the priesthood at a very young age. The boy saw the power the order had over its people.

“I will bend their will to me and make them do my bidding,” said the young monk.

His first posting was with the Patriarch. He observed the treachery used against those who would question the church’s authority.

“There must be no mercy. Strength is what people understand, that and pain,” remarked Grigori as he headed to his church.

Arriving at a small farming village, Grigori met poor folk with little but hope.

“I will break their will and take their silver,” grumbled the monk upon meeting his people.

When a man accused of stealing a piece of bread came before Grigori, he sentenced him to hang.

“Taking bread from another’s mouth is like taking it from the Lord,” the monk preached.

The people grew fearful, as Grigori had hoped. The remaining hope vanished under the monk’s foot.

“You must work harder,” cried Grigori at his Sunday service. “The Patriarch needs his tithes to support the great dome he is building.”

Soon, children grew sick from lack of food, but none dared to stand up against the monk’s desire for money.

“Once I have bled them dry, I will move on to others. The church must maintain order, or nothing will survive,” said the monk.

During the winter, most had no food or a way to heat their homes. The Spring brought sorrow to the entire village as most homes stood empty.

“Your weakness has led to your own downfall. The church has no place for you. Hell is where you will be welcome,” said Grigori as he packed his things and left the village.

Those that remained had only death and despair. The monk smiled, knowing the church would be back once they had silver to part with.

“Such fools. The fear of the afterlife is all we need, and they bend to our every wish,” said the monk.

In a few days, Grigori would be at his new church, and the cycle would begin again.

So it goes.

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