<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/f0/The_preacher.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong>John Malta<br/><strong>Date:</strong>May 3, 1876<br/><strong>Time of Day:</strong>Dusk<br/><strong>Location:</strong>The stagecoach trail from Lost Angels to Gomorra<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>Jaelyn<br/><hr/>He nodded, and her lack of communion in Grimme’s church didn’t seem to bother him unduly.  Instead, he simply moved to the travel pack, removing a simple wooden cup and trail bread that had been carefully wrapped in waxed paper.  It was a humble feast, made slightly more appetizing by the beans and bacon which cooked over the fire.<br/><br/><strong>“I know all about Grimme’s feast,”</strong>he said softly.<strong>”The bounty that keeps folks coming to his church, to his table, week after week.  The famine which holds the city in his thrall the other six days of the week, the Church Court.  When I visited Lost Angels, I went before the Court.  I was accused of preaching against Grimme’s mockery of faith, and then tried.  They would have taken me off to the Rock, to serve my sentence, but the Lord intervened and saw fit to protect me from Grimme’s Ordeals.”</strong><br/><br/>He rubbed at his chin.<strong>”To my knowledge, I’m the only man who’s ever been charged by the Court and found innocent, but that didn’t stop Grimme’s ‘Angels’ from finding me in the night and throwing me in the Rock anyway.  But again the Lord intervened, and sent a savior to my rescue.  But I witnessed what happened on the Rock – on that hellish island where all the criminals and ‘witches’ are sent for punishment.  They are executed, butchered and then served up for Grimme’s feast.  There is nothing, nothing godly being done in that town.  Only vilest sacrilege.”</strong><br/><br/>He paused as her questions, and gave a small chuckle.<strong>”I know your name, your face, your path – “  He gestured to the road the carriage had travelled upon – “because the Lord saw fit to put me in your path, and turn you from Grimme’s task.  He believes in you, Jaelyn Scot-Jones, whether or not you are certain you much believe in him, or how much love you might hold in your heart for him just now.”</strong><br/><br/>His face fell back to the fire, his eyes shadowed.<strong>”Just a sinner the Lord gave mercy to,”</strong>he shook his head.<strong>”I was a chaplain, once, and then I saw horrors that made me doubt.  I took to drink, I took to women, I took to wandering the world and enjoying all earthly pleasures.  But then someone saved me, as I look to save you now, so I took a new name and with it a new purpose in this world.”</strong><br/><br/>He extended a hand.<strong>”My name is John Malta.”</strong>