The Spark of World Burning Love: Chapter 4 – Kindled Love

Chapter 4 – Kindled Love

Since they’ve told each other their darkest secret, Lucus and Silva feel good, despite being in a wasteland, and feel closer on top of that. They walk closer together without even knowing as if an invisible force is putting them together. Their hands collide and shyly try not to hold hands, but Lucus lightly takes Silva’s hand.

“What are you doing?” Silva asks.

“Huh? I don’t know. It’s just that…I don’t know,” Lucus tries to explain.

Lucus is about to let go of Silva’s hand, but she lightly holds it. This makes him look at her and firmly hold her hand and she does the same in return.

“Can I see you smile?” Lucus asks.

“I don’t think you want to see my ugly face smile.”

“Come on. You know I don’t mind seeing your face the way it is. Here.”

Lucus shows his face to Silva to show that he is smiling. The gentle smile of his face makes Silva confident enough to show her smiling face.

“Your face looks even better when you smile,” Lucus says.

“Oh, shut up, haha!” Silva says.

“Haha, it’s the truth.”

Both of them hold each other’s hands as they keep traveling. Their journey leads them to the ruins of a city with the carvings and statues made in the image of a demon scattered around the area. They investigate further into the city to see a group of people worshipping a demon of ash. Dark energy comes out of the worshippers and appears to be feeding the demon.

“That thing is feeding off their worship,” Silva says.

“How can we stop it? We can’t kill those people,” Lucus says.

“We could destroy the idols they made to weaken the demon before we go in to confront it.”

“It’ll notice if we do, so we have to be quick.”

“Let’s hurry then. I’ll destroy the paintings and drawings while you go for the statues.”

“Okay.”

The two enact their plan as Silva swiftly destroys the artwork of the demon while Lucus destroys the statues with his large sword. Since the makeshift statues aren’t made of any strong material, they’re easy to break and the number of images made is few as the number of worshippers is few as well. The demon notices its power is fading and sends its followers after the two, however, the worshippers begin to come to their senses and lose the will to worship and serve the demon with each destroyed idol.

Seeing that they’re beginning to regain control of themselves, Lucus says, “Wake up! That demon isn’t your God or a god at all!”

He gets them to their senses and the ones who return to their senses help those who are still struggling. Silva does the same with the people she encounters. With each lost follower, the demon loses more and more power. Lucus and Silva then lead the groups of people against the demon as they attack it. The demon is impervious to all their attacks as each strike and slash bounces off the demon’s skin. With its telepathic powers, the demon tries to get everyone to submit to it.

“Bow down before me. I can fix all your problems. I can relieve you of your woes,” the demon says in their heads.

The people of the destroyed city struggle to maintain control of themselves while Silva and Lucus continue to attack it while they try to maintain control of their minds.

“I can bring the dead to life. Your past can be erased,” the demon says.

“I don’t believe you,” Lucus says.

“You’re a liar!” Silva adds.

“I can give you a better life that both of you can enjoy.”

“I don’t need you to do anything for me.”

“We can get it ourselves.”

“I can undo your mistakes.”

“We’re already doing that!”

“Together!”

The demon tries to bring back painful memories of their past, but because they already dealt with it, it barely has an effect on them. Lucus and Silva continue to attack the demon despite not having an effect on it with their weapons, though their resistance to it along with the other people’s resistance to it is making the demon weaker. Down but not out, the demon is about to try something else until it hears chanting. The chanting greatly weakens it to the point where it starts to disintegrate into ash. Once the chant is finished, so too is the demon. Lucus, Silva, and the others cheer over their victory as someone new approaches them.

“You two were brave to attack the demon of idols, but your attack wouldn’t have killed it though your resistance to it would’ve made it run away,” the man says.

This man is dressed in priestly attire with a mask with various religious symbols on his mask.

“Were you the one who was chanting? I remember it being a chant used only by priests against demons,” Silva says.

“That’s what it was and who might you be? I recognize your armor and weapons from the old order of assassins.”

“My name is Silva.”

“Oh, Silva. I remember you.”

“You do?”

“Yes, you were the one who was always flirting with the boy meant to be part of the true lovers' sacrifice. What was his name again?”

“Nevermind that. I’m going to fix my mistake with Lucus here.”

“You are? It’s about time.”

“Father, could you be a bit nicer to Silva? She’s been through a lot and she hasn’t had anyone to lift up her spirits. In fact, lots of people even her parents put her down.”

“I know that and I’m sorry that I didn’t word it the right way. I mean that it’s about time that you tapped into that bravery within yourself. You lived a hard life because of the people you dealt with on a daily basis and your job in the order.”

“I’m brave now thanks to Lucus.”

“I think he’s trying to say that you were always brave, and you finally realize it, Silva.”

“Thank you, Lucus. That’s what I meant and thank you for helping her be brave. Now, if you want to go fix all of this, then you must confess your sins to me, so that I may be the conduit that God uses to cleanse your sins.”

Lucus and Silva privately confess their sins to the priest one after the other and do a penance of prayers and mediation on Scriptures that the priest gives them.

While they sit together, the priest says, “Silva, what made you want to make you want to fix your mistake? Who gave you the idea that you could?”

“I had a vision of the world being fixed from the place where the two lovers were giving their sacrifice. I think God gave it to me, so I could undo my mistake.”

“How did she convince you to come with her, Lucus?”

“She didn’t have to say much. I just wanted to go to keep my mind off my past and I thought why not try to save the world since I didn’t have anything better to do.”

“But you’re just a blacksmith.”

“And?”

“And she’s an assassin.”

“What’s your point?”

“Hmm. How many demons have you come across, Silva?”

“I’ve come across dozens. I don’t think we ever get a break from seeing them.”

“That makes sense since they feed off the suffering of people. The cities and towns contain concentrated levels of suffering and since there are more cities and towns closer to the place the lovers were, then it’s only natural for more demons to be in the area. Well, I’m convinced that you received the vision from God and that God led you to Lucus.”

“He led me to Lucus?”

“Yes. The sacrifice of true love requires two lovers after all.”

“We, uh…”

“You two love each other, do you not?”

“Um, heh,” Lucus says.

“I can sense that you do. God brings all true lovers together. I’m sure He’s put you through a lot to show you that you’re meant to be together. Now go. Your destination isn’t far from here and I’m tired of having ash in my shoes.”

“Yes, father,” both of them say as they leave the city.

As they leave, Silva says, “Father, said that God brings all true lovers together, so does that mean you love me?”

“I, uh…Do you love me?” Lucus asks.

“I asked first!”

Lucus and Silva can feel an invisible force bring them together and bring their hands near to each other. Again, they shyly hold each other’s hands until they firmly hold the other’s hand.

“I knew it!” the priest yells from a distance.

Lucus and Silva laugh and wave at the priest who waves back as he laughs and crosses himself.

“How’s this for an answer?” Lucus asks.

“I’ll take it, haha,” Silva says.

With their love kindled, Lucus and Silva approach their final destination in their adventure.

Here's an older song from an album that I've been listening to while writing this book. It's nostalgic to listen to and you should totally check out this band.