"God is easily found where someone suffers out of love for someone else.”
-
Saying
of the people in the Void
Chapter
5 – Sanctity in Shadows
For the next few days, Killian and
Eliza wonder where the vine of black thorns leads them. Killian fights against
dozens of slaves while Eliza watches out for him. They only manage to rest when
they find a dark place isolated from the rest of society and when the watchers
are dead, which isn’t all the time. Sometimes, the watchers hide themselves and
the slaves pretend to be without sight and later ambush the two. In terms of
eating and drinking, they live off the land that happens to have an abundance
of fruit trees and rivers of clean water though they aren’t able to ask anyone
for food because no one believes in poverty.
While resting one day, Eliza asks, “This
army of slaves never seems to end.”
“Either more people break the law
of the gods than we think or…”
“Or what do you think?”
“The gods teach that no one dies.
What did they used to have before they were in power where they used to put the
dead?”
“A graveyard. Now that you mention
it, I haven’t seen any around and all the towns I’ve been to before all this
had them. I wouldn’t put it past them to tear apart the graves and use the
bodies of the dead as tools. They already use children and infants as their
eyes to spy on the land so why wouldn’t they grave rob?”
“Yeah. Are you warm?”
“I’m fine. You need to worry more about
yourself since you do all the fighting.”
“And you do all the seeing.”
“That vine probably helps you out
more than me.”
“No, it doesn’t do as much now either
than point us in the direction we need to go. Me losing my sight is probably
why you’re with me.”
“Probably. I just wished I had my
arms so I could do more.”
“You do more than enough.”
“How?”
“I couldn’t possibly do this alone.
Not just because I don’t have my sight, but because I’d feel crippling loneliness
even though I know that God is with me.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Your encouragement
and concern for me really stops me from becoming sad and losing hope. Also…”
Killian says as he holds Eliza closer to him so that she’s laying on top of
him, “Feeling you next to me even in dark and damp places like this makes me
happy.”
“Killian…” Eliza kisses him then
mentions, “You know, we might not have any children after we’re married. Even
when I was eighteen, I couldn’t conceive any.”
“God will provide. I’m sure of it.
Why are you mentioning it anyway?”
“It’s just a thought that came to
me that I thought you should know about.”
“It’ll all be fine in the end.
Trust me.”
“Okay.”
A couple more days of traveling passes
and on one of them, the god of justice ups the number of slaves that he sends
after them since his patience has run out. They are almost overwhelmed until
Killian is lead by the vine of black thorns into a hidden tunnel that is
covered by branches and leaves. Killian and Eliza fall down this long tunnel
and the god of justice assumes they die from the long fall, however, they
manage to survive.
“Of all the places to be lead. I
can’t see anything,” Eliza says.
“At least we’re safe. I don’t hear
them following us,” Killian says as he gets up and walks forward.
“We did fall a long way down and we
are in the pitch black darkness, so maybe they think we’re dead or the power of
the gods doesn’t reach here like in the Void.”
“Could be a bit of both.”
Further into the tunnel are torches
lit by black flames that give a strange cold warmth while also lighting up the
area around them. Continuing down, Killian and Eliza find a society of blind
people who despite being blind have been able to make clothes, create buildings,
weapons, and armor, and even farm fruit, vegetables, and raise cattle. The
entire area is spacious and the roof isn’t visible though it appears to be head
up by long pillars that seemingly extend into infinity.
“I hear people around us. Where are
we?” Killian asks Eliza.
“I don’t know. It’s a town full of
blind people.”
The citizens of the town go to meet
their new guests and Killian explains their situation to them. Thankfully,
these people are worshippers of the one true God and allow Killian to stay with
them as well as receive spiritual guidance along with a new set of armor and a new
sword. This new armor of his has a triangle and cross on it, which is a symbol
of God. The color of the armor is pitch black and durable while also being
light. It also includes a shield on the arms so one doesn’t need to be carried.
Just like the armor, the sword is also a pitch black color and appears to radiate
darkness as if the blade was alight with black flames.
For three days, Killian is taught
by the spiritual director about God and by the people how to fight despite
being blind. Eliza, on the other hand, is given a black wedding dress for her
eventual wedding as well as advice and encouragement from the women of the
town. On the third day, Killian sneaks out of the underground city and fulfills
what the spiritual directors tell him to without telling Eliza. He rides on a
black horse to the Crown of the World where the gods are surprised to hear of his
reappearance. Sensing his power, they arm and ready themselves for his arrival.
Killian arrives at the Crown that has its gates open for him and an army of
slaves and soldiers at the ready.
“Your darkness does not hide your
identity from us, traitor,” Vere, the god of truth says, “Give up now or face
eternal damnation, boy.”
Killian’s horse fades away because
of the light of the gods and he finds that his mind is hazy. The vine of black
thorns keeps Killian conscious and aware of what he should be believing as Vere
uses his power of lies against him. Annoyed with what is happening and embarrassed
as Killian’s display of rebellion makes the onlookers doubt the power of the
gods, an arrow is fired by Caedes, the god of combat, at Killian that takes off
the arm that has the vine of black thorns on it. Like before in training,
Killian doesn’t bleed, but he still feels the pain and his arm with the vine is
launched far away from him.
“Be thankful and in awe at our mercy
for not immediately killing you. Do you not see why the God that turns the wheels
of reality made us gods? This is your last chance,” Vere says.
In the silence, Killian hears the quiet
voice of God telling him what he must do. Killian cuts where his arm was so
that he can bleed.
“Look at this fool! What sane
person would choose to suffer?”
“I offer this to you, my Lord and my
God,” Killian says.
The blood that pours out of Killian’s
wound shapes itself into an arm with a heart-shaped symbol in the center.
Darkness from the sky falls on Killian and envelops him as an eye and blade-like
limbs surround him. Terrified, some of the soldiers and onlookers run away. The
gods feel their power weaken as the people return to their senses and their
entire army of slaves collapses. Knowing through the whispers in the dark that
this is the work of the one true God, people either uselessly run away or fall
on their knees and repent. Those who chose to fight against Killian are taken
into the darkness by angels never to be seen again.
In a final desperate attempt to
keep their power over the world, the gods combine their powers and become a
golden monster with many faces and limbs attached together grotesquely.
Not expecting this result, they get a curtain to hide their appearance and face
Killian.
“We are now one god,” the pantheon
says, “Our power over reality is absolute.”
Killian cuts the curtain covering
them then says, “You’re no god. Hardly even human anymore because of your sins.”
Hearing the voice of God in Killian’s,
the pantheon trembles and attempts to use their power only to lose their
ability to recognize reality and aren’t able to form thoughts as they implode
on themselves. The entire world is darkened but lit up by the stars and the
moon of the night sky.
Once Killian gets back to Eliza,
she headbutts him and says, “I should bite your face off for not telling me
what you were going to do, but at least you know what’s like to be without an
arm.”
“I’m sorry,” he says, “What can I do
to make it up to you?”
“Marry me, of course. I’ve been
waiting too long.”
Killian and Eliza kiss and have
their marriage ceremony in the underground town attended by people from the
Void and other followers of God. Even though the gods are no more, there are
still those who worship idols and images of the old false gods, but God will
not stop in trying to save their souls and bring down the false gods that try in
vain to take His rightful place because where there is darkness, there is
light.
The End
No comments:
Post a Comment