Pain or Damnation: Chapter 2 – Blessed are those with Nothing to Lose

Chapter 2 – Blessed are those with Nothing to Lose

“Blessed are those with nothing to lose for they have nothing distracting them from loving only God,” a preacher says as he and his congregation build up their church.

Otello’s trail has led Dante to this town where he’s lost him. His wings were taken away from him, and in their place, his arms of blood were transformed into swords, so he assumes Otello is close by. This town, much like the surrounding area, is part desert, luscious forest, and farmland. Its people are the same with some suffering afflictions and mutations while others are completely human.

The preacher continues, “Blessed also is the man who gives everything he has to God’s purposes. Blessed is the man who has little to give away and does so anyway and blessed are those given riches and who overcomes the desires to keep it all for their purposes. Keep working and give all you have to our gracious Lord so that everything you do will be a testimony to your faith.”

As Dante walks through the town, he is told, “God bless you, child,” by some of its inhabitants who also kiss and touch his bloodied skin and golden face. He simply nods, thanks them, and then continues on. A small rotting farm then grabs his attention out of everything and everyone in the town. One singular farmer is taking care of it with various kinds of seeds that come out of small patches of his skin. Going over to it, Dante kneels down and at a single touch of the ground, the grass grows from it along with the vegetation and fruits that immediately grow to a full and healthy size on the regrown trees and plants.

“God bless you, boy. I’ve been trying for ages not knowing why my produce stopped growing, but now that you’ve shed your blood on it, I’ll be able to help feed this starving town,” the farmer says.

“Honestly, I didn’t know my blood would do that. I was just curious about why the plants were dying since I used to be a farmer myself,” Dante admits.

“You must be a great farmer then and an even greater son to your parents.”

“I’m neither of those, actually. I was never good at helping on the farm, selling our produce, or being what my parents wanted.”

“Well, regardless of that, it’s obvious to see that God needs you no matter how useless you think you may be. Keep your head up because you are loved.”

The farmer’s seemingly unnaturally happy tone and smile remind Dante of God’s voice and face as if glimmers of the divine are shining through this humble man. After thanking the man, Dante walks away, especially since his deed has further attracted attention to himself and he’d rather not get distracted from his goal any longer. He eventually finds Otello’s trail again and follows it back into the forest where he is met by the King General not too far in. Dante readies himself for a fight but is surprised when Otello raises the only human hand that he has.

“We don’t need to fight,” the bullish man says, “God told me to go out here so that we may speak in private.”

“Then why allow my arms of blood to turn into swords? These arms of mine turn into whatever God allows. I don’t have full control of them. You’re a heretic that started this conflict between your followers and the Church,” Dante says.

“I must admit that there’s some truth to what you say and it shows on what I have become. I couldn’t bear to deal with the heads and influencers of the Church teaching people to only look out for their own and not suffer for one another, and even though I understand the want to avoid pain, suffering, and penance is a required part of a faithful man’s life. That is why I defected from the Church’s army and brought whoever would follow me out to this part of the world. As soon as I felt the righteous need to rebel, I took it.”

“And started a civil war within the Church, as if we don’t have enough to worry about with the heathens.”

“Don’t lump me in with their degenerate lot.”

“Heretics and heathens are different sides of the same coin.”

“While I agree with you, you must also understand my reasoning for wanting to rebel.”

“I do. In fact, God told me to go to the City of the Seven Hills to remind the leaders of the Church what the value of suffering for others is.”

“Then we are on the same side.”

“Regardless of that, I need you to help me get into the City of the Seven Hills. God said you would be the key.”

“So, it appears there was another reason why I became a bull. I quite literally am the key to getting you through the city’s walls.”

“Are you sure that God would want us to cause such havoc in the holy city?”

“It’s not like I have an actual key on me and my new hammer that was once a sword certainly cannot conventionally open a door or gate, so yes. Besides, it would drive home our reintroducing them to suffering and humbling them as they watch their seemingly invincible city be broken into so easily.”

“Hmmm. I guess there’s no other way to look at it then.”

“So, are we partners?” Otello says with a hand stretched out.

“For now, yes, we are,” Dante says as he shakes Otello’s overly large hand.

“Wonderful! Let’s get a move on then. My halo horns should guide us to our destination as I was told by God that it would glow if I was headed in the right direction. Climb on my back.”

“You want me to ride you like a horse?”

“I wouldn’t say that, but it’s not like you can keep pace with me.”

“I guess you’re right.”

Dante climbs on Otello’s back and they head off. Now that he’s paying attention to it, Dante sees that Otello’s horns shift from faintly glowing gold to a darker yellow. Otello adjusts his direction accordingly so that his horns are constantly glowing gold while trying to pay attention to what’s in front of him. Occasionally, this makes Otello crash into a tree, so Dante tells him that he’ll pay attention to the glow to which Otello agrees. The two eventually find themselves near a town much like the one Dante was previously in except this one has walls made from trees. The glow from Otello’s horns and Dante’s instructions makes the two go around the town as if informing them of some importance here. Otello is confused by his constant running around and confirms what Dante says by watching his own horns glow fainter when they move away from this settlement.

“Why would the Lord want us…” Otello says to himself before his eyes widen at the sudden realization, “Unless it’s-”

Before he can finish, a barrage of arrows and fire come from the forest. A small force mixed with humans, both normal and mutated, charge at the town. These people are dressed in the skin of animals, broken armor from the Church’s army, and even human skin and have weapons made of bones, stone, and scavenged, damaged weapons. The town’s inhabitants arm themselves and meet their attackers in the field of battle. They are aided by Dante and Otello who also join in the fight. Otello carves his way through the attackers simply by running them down while Dante uses his bloodied weapons to carve through them as if they were made of paper.

Because of their help, the attackers are driven away and the town is saved and they are thankful for their saviors’ help. One of them recognizes Otello and he confirms that he is himself. It’s then that the other townspeople finally recognize him, question what happened to him, why he’s here, and why a young man dressed in the armor of the Church is with him.

“My good people, I don’t have time to completely explain everything, especially since I don’t have all the answers myself. All I know is that God turned me into this to aid this young man, Dante, in reminding the Church of the value of suffering,” Otello answers.

Hearing this immediately satisfies the curiosities of the townspeople who tell Otello and Dante to go off on their journey so that they can teach the Church a lesson on what they should be doing and so the two do after saying goodbye.

As he rides on Otello’s back, Dante asks him, “Who were those attackers? Were they the heathens that I’ve heard about?”

“They were. My forces would’ve been making their rounds right around the time they attacked, but since they were at my capital, they couldn’t help,” Otello says.

“You would’ve had more soldiers to aid you if you hadn’t started your rebellion too. More people would’ve been alive too.”

“There’s some truth in what you are saying, however, the Church hasn’t been doing much to convert the pagans. They have been treating them like business partners rather than lost souls that need to come home. Before being baptized, I was a pagan like the people we fought. I fought to spill blood, to gain strength, and to obtain the most beautiful women, however, during one battle, one man didn’t die no matter how many times he was stabbed, burned, and beaten. The man didn’t fight back and only prayed to God and offered his pain in reparation for our sins, and on that day, every pagan who attacked that city including me was converted. It was only after that did the man die in peace.”

“I’ve heard of the legend of your repentance and the saint who caused it before.”

“Then you understand why I emphasize penance, the embracing of pain, and rebelled against the Church, which isn’t the same one I joined so many years ago. It’s different now with different leadership. Despite claiming to have the same goals as before, the fact that they’ve done away with suffering in a faith that transforms suffering into penance and joy is enough to tell me that they’ve changed for the worse. If we won’t suffer like the man who offered up his pain for my repentance, then more souls will be lost such as the ones we’ve killed today.”

“Hmm. I see your point.”

“Then it’s official. We are friends to the bitter end of our journey.”

Otello begins to speed up as his resolve to finish his God-given task gives him strength. In order to not fall off, Dante’s arms of blood turn into large hands that he uses to hold on tightly while silently praying and offering up his pain as penance for those he has to face and those he loves.