Sabbath and the King (audio story)

Sabbath and the King was a 2021 Faction Paradox audio story by Aristide Twain. It was released concurrently with a prequel story.

The story was initially released simply under the Faction Paradox title, but was eventually incorporated into the Faction Paradox: Rebirth subseries.

Publisher's summary
An Extract From

PRIMER FOR THE SPIRAL POLITIC (POST-WAR EDITION)

7: WARTIME PRESIDENCIES

Era: War in Heaven

Technology: Symbiotic bond with the Protocols of the Sun Builders; Rightful Mastery of the Artefacts of Urizen. See also SUN BUILDERS (BIOLOGICAL PRIVILEGES).

Ever since the creation of the Presidency rank on the Homeworld, the individual chosen as its Head had acted as more of a vessel and avatar for the power of the Homeworld than a political leader (see also SPEAKER OF RE). When the necessities of War led to the Presidency taking on a more active role as the strategic leader of the Homeworld’s military campaigns, the full extent of the powers vested in a President began to be better understood by the wider Universe. The adoption of Monarchial titles such as 'King' and 'Queen' harkened back to lesser species' notions of rulers by divine right, firmly cementing the President-King of the Sun Builders as not just a democratic leader of their people, but as a King among Lords, a power unto themself.

However, an unwitting consequence of the growing infamy of the Wartime Presidency was the realisation, both by the Homeworld and its enemies, that former Presidents, who retained certain metaphysical ties to the Protocols however brief their time in office, had become great liabilities. Some Presidents Emeritus, realising the precariousness of their position, resorted to faking their deaths; several others had no need to resort to deception in this matter. One of the Homeworld's most infamous Wartime Presidents, however, disappeared from office at the onset of the Lucia Presidency (see LOLITA), without a formal resignation or hard evidence of his demise. His whereabouts remain a matter of great speculation; although many claim to have encountered a Rosette-wearing man, whom some identify as the surviving War King, most scholars agree that the "Whig" era of the one-time President’s life actually occurred at an earlier point in (…)

Plot
Sabbath Dei is contacted in his sleep by a mysterious voice who soon reveals himself as the former leader of the Great Houses in the War in Heaven. Although making it clear that he has little respect for human beings, the King asks for Sabbath's help, convincing him that it is in humanity's best interest that his side win the War. After Sabbath attempts to shake him off, the King puts him back to sleep and continues talking, explaining that he is speaking to Sabbath through the link that still exists between Sabbath's mind and the Homeworld's Protocols.

After Sabbath throws him off a second time to demonstrate his force of will, the King briefly inflicts a memory of terrible pain upon Sabbath through their link to cow him into submission. He then confesses that he is trapped in "the entrains of the Great Beast". Sabbath slips away once again. When they speak again, the annoyed King confesses that he genuinely does need Sabbath, as he divines that Sabbath will have an important part to play in the universe after the War ends, which the King covets. He offers to teach Sabbath more about the nature of reality and how to take advantage of his gifts.

With Sabbath agreeing, he helps Sabbath project his will into the Kingdom of Beasts. At the gates, Sabbath readily slays a Mal'akh grotesque, shocking the King with the speed of his reflex and his ability to summon a weapon into existence even on his first visit to a non-physical plane. He then helps Sabbath tame the leader of a small pack of Mal'akh, who presents Sabbath with a fang as a token of loyalty. The King explains to Sabbath that he will now be able to command these Mal'akhs and travel to and from the Kingdom of Beasts at will.

Time passes, with the King teaching Sabbath more and more. Finally, on their thirteenth mental conversation, the King tells Sabbath to use the skills he has learned to transport himself through the psychic link to the War King's current location: the interior of Lolita. There, a triumphant King reveals that his true purpose in mentoring Sabbath was to make the younger man similar enough to him that he can switch places with him without Lolita noticing — stealing Sabbath's body and surviving into the post-War universe while Sabbath's mind is trapped in the King's body. However, Sabbath uses his ritual knife, the same one he used against the Mal'akh, to stab the King, breaking his concentration. Despite the King's increasingly desperate pleas, Sabbath refuses to simply negotiate, simply leaving Lolita to return to his own body. On his way out, he uses the Mal'akh fang to sever the mind-link between himself and the King, though not before the King implores Sabbath to continue fighting for the Great Houses' side of the War on his behalf, even if he will not help the King personally.

Cast

 * Sabbath - Jacob Keith
 * The War King - J. Stoker Hakewing
 * Credits - Fionna Gough

Continuity

 * The War King has been consumed by Lolita. (AUDIO: Words from Nine Divinities)
 * Sabbath Dei once became a vessel for the power of the Homeworld during "the trial of Grandfather Paradox". (AUDIO: In the Year of the Cat)
 * The King shows Sabbath the Kingdom of Beasts. Mention is made of a man with a rosette. (PROSE: The Adventuress of Street)
 * Sabbath, under the King's influence, takes to carrying a cane and wearing his hair slicked back. (PROSE: The Slow Empire)
 * The War King tells Sabbath that the interior of Lolita is in "a state of grace", such that the stab wound Sabbath inflicted upon him is not actually fatal, and will eventually heal. The Fourth Doctor had previously told Eldrad that the interior of his TARDIS, (TV: The Hand of Fear) Lolita's sister, (PROSE: Toy Story) was "in a state of temporal grace", such that weapons would not work inside of it. (TV: The Hand of Fear)