Chapter 1 – Becoming Fire
Four reformers enter a bar to convert people to their ways until Cinis and Favilla enter the bar and open the doors on them. They are now young adults who are well older not only in age but also in wisdom and experience.
“Sorry fellas,” Cinis says with a grin.
Favilla grins at them as well as the two take a seat at the bar and order two large drinks.
One of the reformers says, “I know you two. If you two will lend us your ear, the kingdom will be better than it ever was.”
Favilla says, “We know your message. That’s why we’re here.”
The reformers know what this means so they take out their staffs and ready themselves for battle. Cinis and Favilla throw their unopened drinks at two of the reformers, which knocks them out. Both Cinis and Favilla take out the other two with chairs.
“Sorry about the mess,” Cinis says as he puts a big tip on the table.
Favilla puts a reformer in a chokehold with her bow and asks, “Tell us where the rest of you troublemakers are, and I promise we’ll lessen your prison sentence.”
“I’ll never speak!”
Cinis knocks the man out then says, “Everyone here can have what’s on them. Just don’t tell the guards we told you so.”
The couple leave the bar.
“That’s the fourth place we’ve hit today and we’ve yet to discover anything,” Favilla states.
“At least we got the cool entrance this time. We even managed to land the throws this time too,” Cinis points out.
“You got a point there, but this group of reformers is causing too much trouble for us not to get rid of them quickly.”
“You’re right. We might as well rest for a bit then try some other place.”
As Cinis and Favilla walk through town, they see people putting up posters made by the reformers and guards arresting some of the more radical members. Even though this nameless reformer group has just emerged, they are causing strife in the kingdom. The reformers want the kingdom to be separated or at least to accept a prophecy that they spread. A prophesy that the world is rotting away and that it is best to be part of the rot rather than fight against it. As such, the reformers put out lights at night and fill the city with filth in order to get people used to what is supposedly going to happen. A time of darkness and decay.
Cinis and Favilla sit on a park bench where there aren’t that many people so they can be semi-alone for a bit.
“Cinis.”
“What is it Favilla?”
“Do you think we’ll ever see what lurks beyond this kingdom? Everyone we know that goes beyond it never comes back.”
“I don’t see why we would want to. Everything we could ever want is here.”
“But don’t you ever imagine what’s out there?”
“I do imagine what’s out there every now and then, but I doubt our parents will send us out there or even allow us to go out there just to see.”
“I would like just to have a taste of it someday. Would you join me?”
“I’ll join you wherever you go.”
Cinis and Favilla smile at each other. Cinis sees two reformers beyond Favilla. The two appear to be sneaking into an alley.
“Look over there, Favilla. I think we got two troublemakers.”
Favilla looks over just in time to see the two.
“Two troublemakers indeed. How about we give them some trouble?”
Cinis and Favilla silently follow the two reformers in the alleyway until they come to a secret basement that leads to a hideout full of reformers. They appear to be getting ready for a raid on the city with weapons and tools of decay.
“Man, this place stinks,” Cinis says with his nose pinched.
A large mouse runs between their legs to escape the room.
“And it’s full of trash. Not even the vermin like it here,” Favilla says with both of her hands covering her mouth and nose.
“Both literal and human trash?”
“Obviously.”
“Let’s take them out then quickly get washed.”
“You could say that again.”
Cinis and Favilla bust into the room, which scares all of the reformers.
“Who are you two?!” one of them says as they scramble for their weapons.
Cinis says, “We’re Cinis and Favilla.”
“The couple who brings down losers like you,” Favilla continues.
“Who burns trash like you.”
“Prepare for trouble.”
“And make it double.”
The couple fight the reformers in the room who try to use their numbers against them.
“You like rot and decay so much? Why don’t you wear it?!” Cinis uses the trash to blind the reformers and Favilla does the same.
The reformers get sick and stop fighting.
“If you don’t like it, then why fight for it?” Favilla asks them.
“Because they gave us a home when no one else would!” one of them says.
Another tells the couple, “We’re poor and we couldn’t make it in the world. Who else would give us a chance?”
“How about the many poor houses and churches? They offer you the chance to start again or did you want something more?” Cinis says.
“Our families started from nothing until they became royalty after the course of one generation,” Favilla adds.
“We won’t tell the guards anything if you clean up this place and your act.”
“W-we will! Thank you for your mercy,” one of them says and the rest of them agree.
“Then if you don’t mind, can you tell us what the reformers are planning.”
“A group of them left the kingdom and are coming back with an army of decay. I don’t know if they’ll find it or be granted power from the decay, but they seemed convinced they will succeed.”
“Thank you and don’t get involved in any more cults.”
“We won’t. Thank you again! We’ll get to work immediately.”
Cinis and Favilla inform the authorities of what is happening after they shower. The three kings of the three sectors of the kingdom bring their forces together and set them to defend the walls of the city. Some of their armies are stationed outside the walls while others are put directly on top of them with other guards stationed inside the city. Priest and nuns pray for the safety of the troops along with other civilians. Cinis and Favilla join the forces outside of the walls because of their skills though they are stationed near the gates.
A watcher in one of the wall’s towers says, “I see an army in the distance! Ready yourselves!”
In the distance, it seems that soldiers on horses are charging at the city. When the army gets closer, their true appearance is clear. The people in approaching are dead and decay is using their bodies to go to attack Fornax. Their approach is combined with the darkening of the already dark night, which makes it seem like all the light in the land is being sucked away by their presence. People who have their bodies taken over by decay are called hollows because of their hollowed bodies, the disgusting decay that’s on their body, and their putrid smell. The soldiers of Fornax light their weapons on fire and others bless them as enchantments are the best weapons to kill hollows with.
Archers from the wall unleash a barrage of fire arrows that destroys a seemingly huge part of the hollow army, but more is coming. Despite the constant barrage of arrows and number of hollows destroyed, a sizable force meets the Fornax’s soldiers at the gates and both armies clash. When a human solider falls to a hollow, they themselves become hollow and fight against their comrades. This, along with the thousands of hollows, forces Fornax’s soldiers to retreat. The gates are open and some of the soldiers retreat while others cover them. Cinis and Favilla are among the people covering the retreat though that isn’t the only reason they’re still outside the gates.
“Hurry up Cinis and Favilla! There’s not much else we can do!” one of the knights say.
“We can’t leave every out here to die!” Cinis says.
“We’ll be the last ones in. Just get out of here!” Favilla adds.
As Cinis and Favilla get every inside, the gates close on them.
“What are you doing?! Cinis and Favilla are still out there!” one of the knights say.
“I didn’t know! I thought everyone was inside! I’m under pressure here!”
Cinis and Favilla are facing the hollow army alone outside the gates.
“I’m out of arrows Cinis!”
“I’m at my limit here too Favilla!”
“Let’s go out kicking and screaming, then shall we?!”
“Let’s!”
Favilla takes hold of Cinis’ two swords along with him and the two swords light up and become one towering sword. A sword that's as big as a bell tower and the hollows are stunned by it. They hold the radiant towering sword up to the sky like a beacon of hope.
“What’s happening?”
“I don’t know. I thought you were doing something.”
“Well let’s use this power we are granted…”
The couple bring the towering sword down together as they say, “And tear our enemies asunder!”
Their combined strike shakes the earth and cracks it. Light comes out from the cracks and devours the hollow army until none are left. The sun then rises as all of the Kingdom of Fornax cheer in victory. Cinis and Favilla are honored for their victory with a huge celebration and all three kings of Fornax bow to them along with the rest of the kingdom. As their parents would say, these embers have become fire.
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