Pain or Damnation: Chapter 4 – Blessed are the Defeated

Chapter 4 – Blessed are the Defeated

As Dante approaches the final wall, the Forsaken sprout out from the ground in chains and the sun’s golden rays are now mixed with a black light that somehow makes it more blinding.

“Blessed are the defeated,” the choir of Forsaken says in unison, “Blessed are those who suffer defeat at the hands of God for they will be humbled. God is glorified in the deaths of the wicked and repentance of the penitent as both show His power and majesty and contribute to His divine and mysterious plan for the good of all humanity.”

The people who live in this uppermost area of the city are confused by the state of the sun and this sudden appearance of penitents who are both mutated and not unnerved by their message. It doesn’t help that the Forsaken start chanting in Latin a prayer of penance and punishment for both the righteous and wicked alike. Dante slips through the crowds thanks to the commotion and makes it to the last wall. At his slightest touch, the wall crumbles revealing the farm that he once lived at. He doesn’t consider the sight of it as any kind of trick or trap and instinctively walks to it as his heart yearns for home. It’s only when the wall closes behind him that he considers that this may be another obstacle to him.

Before he can consider what to do to get out of this, his parents and fiancée see and go to him. They are shocked by his appearance and call out his name. A chill runs down Dante's spine as the fear of what to say to them fills him, and yet, he doesn’t run away and silently prays that he is given the right words to say to them on the spot. A sharp pain, sharper than any pain he’s felt before fills him instead to keep him in place and still able to speak, but not scream like his body wants him to do. Both his parents and fiancée recognize him as God’s grace allows them to know it to be him.

“Dante?” his fiancée, Anselma, says as he gets closer to him than his parents.

“I’m sorry that you have to see me like this,” Dante says as he tries not to look at her, “But I was given this pain by God and a task to remind the heads of the Church the value in suffering.”

“Look at you. We told you that becoming a soldier wouldn’t lead to anything good,” Dante’s father says.

“Didn’t you hear what I said?”

“We did,” his mother says, “But this could not possibly be the will of God. You’ve made another foolish decision by accepting whatever task a demon or something pretending to be God gave you.”

“I can hardly stand to even look at you,” his father adds. “It’s as if just looking at you makes me share in your curse.”

Three of the Forsaken pop out from the ground, and say in unison, “That is because you’re family and a family should bear each other’s crosses.”

These Forsaken are a father, mother, and son all of which are tangled in thorny vines that are decorated with various kinds of colorful flowers and wear similarly colorful vestments that are not too far off from something one would wear at mass, however, they are all bleeding from various parts of their skin, eyes, and mouth and their faces show how much pain they are in. Dante’s parents are frightened by their appearance while Anselma and Dante are undisturbed.

“Who are you?!” Dante’s father asks.

“We are family and suffer for the sake of all families in the world since we are all related in one way or another. That is all you should know,” they say. “Dante, this next obstacle will be a nearly impossible challenge for you to bear, unless your loved ones wish to bear your pain with you.”

In an instant, a tidal wave of pain overcomes Dante forcing him to his knees. He screams and bleeds so profusely that he almost seems like he’s going to die because of it, and yet, he doesn’t much to the surprise of his parents and himself. Anselma is the only one who isn’t surprised as she has prayed to accept part of Dante’s pains, which have relieved a bit of what he is going through. Because she’s done this, cuts form on her limbs, body, and face, which she begins to bleed from.

“Anselma…you didn’t…have to…” Dante says.

“No, I did,” Anselma says in a pained voice, “I did because I love you.”

Tears of blood flow from Anselma’s eyes, but despite this, she tries to smile and put on a comforting face. Looking over to Dante’s parents, the two lovers eagerly await their decision and are disheartened to see them run away into the house.

“I’m sorry, Dante,” Anselma says.

“No, it’s fine. I had a feeling they would choose to not help,” Dante says, “I’ve always been a failure in their eyes. I’ve never been good at helping on the farm, helping with the business side of it, I’m not a good soldier, and I’m a failure of a fiancé.”

“No, don’t say that because it doesn’t matter. God calls us to be faithful, not successful, after all.”

“Woe to you who are abandoned by those whom God has placed in their hands, but do not despair, for your true family is in Heaven,” the Forsaken say.

The Blessed Mother, caretaking father of the Church, his guardian angel, and other saints that Dante prays to appear in a ray of light around him and Anselma and help alleviate his and Anselma’s pain as it continues to grow. As for Anselma, her pain grows until she falls to the ground and starts to bleed rivers of blood. Dante is unable to say or do anything because of the pain he’s in and can only hope to take some of her pain away.

“O…okay…I accept,” Anselma manages to say before looking and smiling at Dante one more time and exploding into a torrent of blood that takes him away from his home and back to the top of the City of the Seven Hills.

He now stands at the gates of the Most Blessed Church where the heads of it meet and worship.

“Anselma…” Dante says as he puts his head and arms of blood up against the door, “I’m sorry. I’ll make sure your sacrifice for me wasn’t in vain.”

Dante begins to cry and as he does, he can feel an invisible hand wipe away his tears and comfort him. In his heart, he knows it to be Anselma so he throws away his sadness and continues forward. The inside of the Most Blessed Church collects the best decorations, works of art, and structural designs of the entire city as if every part of it can be found here from the seemingly never-ending library to the feast hall and to the sanctuary where mass is held and priests and nuns are in constant adoration of God in the Blessed Sacrament. Despite the many rooms and places to go, Dante knows where to go as he follows where he feels that Anselma is guiding him. Eventually, the room that he finds himself in is the ever-expansive meeting room where the cardinals and archbishops debate and create new laws for the Church along with kings and queens. This room is either busy or completely empty, but today, a singular inhabitant sits in the room at the head of it all, the leader of the entire Church, the Bishop of the City of the Seven Hills, Januarius.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Dante,” Januarius says.

To give him proper honor, Dante kneels on one knee and bows his head. Januarius slowly descends from his throne and the stairs at the head of the room with his holy robes flowing from him and suspended in the air as if held by angels so that they wouldn’t be dirtied by the floor.

“I’ve seen you in a dream,” Januarius continues, “You seek to remind me of the value of pain and suffering for others, and as such, you are blessed, and at the same time, cursed and on a needless journey. I already know the value of pain. I do my fair share every day along with various priests, nuns, penitents, and the Forsaken.”

“I’m here to remind you to do penance for the heathens and heretics as well.”

“Let those charged with that penance take care of it. I have my own to take care of.”

“But everyone in the world both faithful and unfaithful are under your care!”

“I care for them by getting the right people to care for them. Think of the kingdoms and places that the Church controls. They are crime-free for the most part. People live humble, comfortable lives to the age of ninety on average. The only thing they need to worry about is their own, keeping the state of their soul in check, and the weather.”

“What about the cities in danger because of the threats from heretical and heathen nations?”

“I have armies to protect them and penitents and evangelists who will convert our enemies. There’s nothing more for me to do because I am fulfilling my task to the letter. I am leading souls to Heaven and giving others the same task. I have done nothing wrong.”

“Then explain your dream of me coming here to remind you of the value of suffering for others. You are clearly mistaken.”

“Then, by all means, show me the error of my ways.”

Dante stands up and his arms of blood change into crossbows that fire two bolts of blood into Januarius. The bishop begins to transform as he sprouts withered wings made of faded gold with black spikes at the end. One of his arms turns into a black wing while his other hand turns into a claw. A broken halo like a set of demonic horns sprouts from the sides of his head and the broken pieces come out from where his eyes used to be. Parts of his chest decompose to reveal the black heart within him. In addition, a black nail juts out from his remaining hand and his two bird-like feet. All his holy vestments have withered into nothing leaving only a long purple cloth to cover his loins. With the transformation complete, Januarius screams out in the immense pain he is now in and reveals the sword-like tongue and black dagger-like teeth in his mouth.

“So…so, this is it? True pain? You would introduce this to the people of the Church who comfortably live in peace and who have done nothing to deserve it?” Januarius asks.

“It’s as God wills. Who am I to disagree? To do so and fight against His will is blasphemy and would damn my soul,” Dante says.

“No, no! I won’t allow it! If it is blasphemy to stop this suffering from infecting my flock, then it is a holy blasphemy to commit!”

Januarius flies up into the air and then charges at Dante, slashes at him with his new claws, and shoots at him with beams of searing gold light. For some reason, Dante’s body feels as if it’s unable to move. His arms don’t even change to accommodate the fight and just stay as streams of blood coming from the stumps where his arms once were. Still, he tries to fight, but the pain in his body keeps him mostly stationary and susceptible to attacks that keep putting him on the ground. He gets up repeatedly until he feels like he can no longer move. Januarius then stands over him and plunges his claws into Dante’s exposed heart, and in the blink of an eye, Dante finds himself back where he saw God and the two doors that lead to two different lifepaths.

“What happened? Wasn’t I supposed to fight him or was I supposed to die? Again?” Dante asks the Lord.

“You died again and were supposed to. Pick a door.”

Dante looks at the two doors. One door’s description reads, ‘die’ while the other reads ‘live’.

“At this point, is there really a choice?”

“Yes. You have the free will to make your own choice.”

Looking back at the descriptions on the doors, Dante squints his eyes and the words ‘die’ change in a blur to the words ‘be faithful’ while the words ‘live’ change to ‘damnation’.

“Whoever wishes to save his life…I get it. I remember the scriptures and I choose to be faithful. I was never meant to win this battle. It was always meant to be Your victory and Yours alone.”

Going through the ‘die’ door, Dante sees himself back where he once was looking down on his body being stabbed by Januarius. A flood of blood overwhelms the bishop and then washes over the entire city from top to bottom touching even the hidden areas where the Forsaken are.

“Januarius will now fall in the footsteps of his faithful predecessors and be the foundation on which the Church will be rebuilt. Even now, I speak and instruct him on how to faithfully suffer and use it as penance for the souls of many,” the Lord says.

“I see. My task is over then,” Dante says.

“Yes, and you can see the fruits for yourself.”

Angels bring over a mirror for Dante. He looks into it and sees that his once bloodied body is now shining gold from where he was once injured. The mirror also reveals the image of God in it as well. Ascending into Heaven, he sees Otello, Anselma, and many others showing up that he doesn’t recognize. In his mind, God reveals to him that these people were saved thanks to the new penances done for them that allowed them to have a good final confession.

Everyone in Heaven gathers around, their penitential wounds shining like medals won in a competition and their hearts beating with joy. They take part in the endless celebration of the mass and are given a share of the Thorny Crown of True Love and a place that has been prepared for them since the beginning of time. Together they all sing God’s praises and pray for those below who need it, especially those who are in pain, for blessed are those who suffer for they are closest to God.

 

The End