Virgil stands at the altar, somberly as he recites "Et omne nomen, ut in stare et bona vitae, quae sunt mala super vultus nostros descendit princeps. Ora pro me suam salutem, Oro deserenda pro suo morbo. Et deprecari pro stabilitate sortitur magno consilio et communitati operam dent." He takes a white dove from the cage beside him holding it by the wings "Hunc pretiosum sacrificio tuo. Lorem et honorem tuum.1" He pierces the bird's right side with his sharp canines as the rolling thunder shakes the stained glass. He watches the blood drip onto the lit candles that cover the floor. His eyes follow the candles as they climb up the walls providing light in the dark chapel.
The storm worsens as Virgil stands in silence. The heavy door slams, the wind extinguishes some of the candles at his feet. "Dante," Virgil says without turning to face him.
"Yes brethren," Dante stands at his side "Hunc pretiosum sacrificio tuo. Lorem et honorem tuum" placing a golden coin on the altar.
"What is Ruler Toussaint's condition?" Virgil asks.
"Worsening, it appears that this is the last few weeks. If he has the strength to continue that long." Dante replied.
Virgil quietly responded, "He has ruled close to 800 years and brought us so far from the savages we were into our civil community."
Dante places his hand on his shoulder "Shall we discuss the successor?"
Virgil looks to him "Gianni, what is there to discuss? Toussaint chose Gianni as his successor, by decree we must respect that."
"Gianni," he snickers "isn't right to rule. He is too powerful and too violent. We need someone passive, someone that will continue Ruler Toussaint's values, someone that will accept our advisement."
"Toussaint chose Gianni because he has known him since Gianni was born and is a loyal friend and subject to Toussaint."
Dante says in hushed tones "Loyal to Toussaint yes, but not to us, not to this society. We need someone we can tell how to rule, Gianni is too independent. It will poison our society."
Virgil is silent, "We should go to Toussaint and persuade him to allow us null and void to the decree or to select an alternative successor before it's too late."
"No," Dante hissed "Toussaint may becoming terminally weaker but he isn't a fool, he wants Gianni to rule. If we want someone we can control as successor, Toussaint and Gianni cannot know."
"No one has informed Gianni that he is next in line." Virgil replied. "Who did you have in mind?"
"Cyrus de Capocchio" Dante said.
"He's so young. He has no qualifications to rule. Subjects have never heard his name. How would he be a respected ruler?" Virgil asked.
"We will shape him to be one!" Dante shouts.
As the night grows darker, Enos stretches out his stiff body crushing the stone that encased him to dust. Enos rises spreading his bat-like wings swooping over the large stained glass of the chapel. When he arrives, he finds Gianni in his dimly lit estate sitting in an extravagant chair fixated on a piece on sliver in his hand.
"I had asked you 2 days ago for information about my father's dearest friend. Being that the man in question is Ruler Toussaint. Everyone on the street knows that he is terminally ill and is getting weaker by the day. Precisely the information I wanted!" Gianni said rising from his chair.
Enos gave a cunning grin "Ahh! But I know something no one else does. Some conspiracy the High Council wants no one else to know."
Gianni throws Enos the silver in his hand "Pathetic winged Demon, I asked you about Ruler Toussaint's health, nothing about the High Council. I have no interest in any idiotic conspiracy they are conjuring. I hope that the ruler's successor has the decency to take those two out of power."
Enos chuckles, "Thanks for the compliment. I haven't been called pathetic in a long while." He began to walk towards the door "The conspiracy involves you and the successor, but if you don't want to hear it then I will keep your silver and be on my way."
Gianni watches impatiently then grabbed the demon by the wing and presents him with a gold coin. Enos grips the coin tightly and says,"Ruler Toussaint chose you as his successor but Dante and Virgil are planning on not informing you so that they can choose a ruler that they can manipulate. They will rule the society."
Gianni's eyes glow red in anger, "The Council will inflict misery on the society, will rule with a lead first till the point of anarchy, they will undo all of Toussaint's legacy and name." Gianni pauses to think, "who have they chosen?"
Enos, infatuated with the gold says "Cyrus de Capocchio, the young and innocent soul, a name no subject of Toussaint knows of."
The clouds are still heavy as the cold, brisk morning rose. Dante and Virgil drift through the village square in their heavy velvet cloaks. They come to a quaint cottage among the row of many. They give three thundering knocks and stood in silence. The man opening the door is pale and scrawny, with a crooked nose. "Cyrus de Capocchio?" Virgil said.
The scrawny young man gestures for them to come inside. Cyrus, a man much more attractive with piercing blue eyes and dark hair, stands at the table. "Yes, come in. " he says gesturing to the table as he sat down.
Horace, the scrawny man that answered the door, nervously laughs "I am Horace the East, what brings the high council to my dear friend's humble cottage?"
Dante steps inside turning to Horace in a deep voice saying "Leave, the matter we are here to discuss does not concern you sir."
Cyrus stands to defend Horace but Virgil steps in his path. Cyrus nods for Horace to leave and sits back down. Dante and Virgil sat on the charis across from him in silence until the door closed.
"I am sure you know that Ruler Toussaint has fallen ill and his condition is worsening" Virgil said. Folding his hands he mumbled "Daemonium potest custodire credo te precor."
"We are here to discuss the ruler's successor." Dante states.
"What does this mean, isn't this a decision made by Ruler Toussaint, he knows nothing of me, I have no social status - I don't have the skills needed to rule." Cyrus explains.
"That is an old tradition, nevertheless, we have found you deserving to be ruler. Us, being Toussaint's trusting advisors, will be there to guide you." Virgil replies turning to Dante for confirmation.
"Yes, in preparation we can begin taking on some of Ruler Toussaint's duties. We will help you and guide you to live up to Ruler Toussaint's legacy and your subjects will love you. This is a valuable honor," Dante answers.
Cyrus nods in understanding. Virgil and Dante rise from the table. Dante says as he opens the door, "It is crucial that you don't tell anyone about this until you are announced as ruler publicly."
Cyrus nods as he closes the door behind them.
Days later, Cyrus sits at the table in his cottage overwhelmed with the curriculum Dante and Virgil had lectured on about, the laws and decrees that would be put into order once he became ruler, and the lecture given by Virgil of every member that had a status that he must remember and handle differently, As Cyrus is reviewing and Dante and Virgil look over his shoulder, thumps come from the door. "Cyrus!" Horace shouts.
Cyrus rises from his chair and meets him at the door. He looks back at Dante and Virgil before closing the door behind him to converse on the step.
"They are in there aren't they? Someone has told me that they have chosen you to become ruler." Horace said.
Cyrus lets out a sigh but says nothing.
Horace reasons "This isn't how it's supposed to be. The ruler picks his heir ,not the high council. The heir is not you."
"How could you, you are my dearest friend. You will not support me in becoming ruler." says Cyrus.
"All they want is someone that they can control. They are using you so they can rule. I am standing in front of you now, trying to stop this, because you are my dearest friend." Horace says.
"I can take care of myself." Cyrus says returning back inside to find Dante and Virgil waiting for him with a dagger in Dante's hand. Wide eyed, all of Cyrus' focus was on the dagger and its intricate whimsical design.
"Kill him." Dante says bluntly. "He isn't loyal to you and will not be a faithful subject. "
Cyrus takes the dagger in his hand and flips it studying the design. He looks up and nods. He goes back outside and spots Horace a few paces away. He follows him. A chill creeps up his spine as he realizes what he is doing. In tears he cries out "You are disloyal to me!" He runs the dagger through Horace's back.
The entire community mourns the death of Ruler Toussaint. Even the chapel bells, that ring constantly in memoriam, sounded deeper.
Dante and Virgil hide Cyrus under a hooded velvet cloak as they make their way to the palace. Cyrus hangs his head and focuses on his feet and the brick path to the village square. Gianni waits behind a statue depicting Ruler Toussaint's greatest battle.
Gianni shouts "You are not the rightful successor and I will not stand here and let you take what was left for me so that the High council can have a puppet!" Gianni removes Cyrus' hood.
Virgil turns "You will not speak to your ruler in such way."
Gianni gives an cunning chuckle "If he is fit to be ruler I challenge Capocchio to speak for himself."
Cyrus continues to stare at the ground. A small crowd starts to gather.
"Okay Capocchio, battle me and the victor will become ruler," Gianni says stepping into the open square.
"To the death," Dante adds nudging Cyrus to the clearing.
Virgil pulls Dante and whispers in his ear "To the death? I don't believe Cyrus has fought a day in his life"
Dante replied "Gianni doesn't know that and doesn't know we did not teach him that. Cyrus is young and strong, and when he wins no one will threaten his rule."
"Fine," Gianni says, "to the death."
Cyrus runs toward him with his hand extended in attempt to grasp at Gianni's throat. Gianni grabs his extended hand and pushes him back with his knee. Cyrus falls to the brick floor and watches as Gianni walks to him. As he gets closer Cyrus quickly gives a blow to his left cheek. Gianni stumbles away as Cyrus jumps up, he runs for Gianni's throat once more. This time he pushes Gianni against a wall.
"I was that one that sent Horace, he wanted to protect you" Gianni caught his breath.
"You the are the reason why he is dead" said Cyrus.
"No, you killed your friend because they told you to," Gianni said, "and will continue to control you until you are exhausted. Then, I'm sure they will kill you too."
Cyrus looks to the high council. In this moment of distraction lunges at his pushing him to the ground. Cyrus quickly turns and pins him to the brick path. He pulls out the dagger that had killed Horace. "I will rule!" he cries driving the dagger into his chest.
Virgil lifts him to his feet "Subjects, your mighty ruler Cyrus De Capocchio!"
The crowd cheered. Cyrus escapes Virgil's grasp and kneels to Gianni's body "There will be know more bloodshed over the next in line to rule. The lives of ones I should have trusted will forever be on my hands but I pray their spirit is forever honored. Daemonium potest custodire credo te precor." The chapel bell continues to ring.
Dante pulles Virgil away from the crowd "We are no more, surely Gianni changed him. If we do not leave willing we will be disgraced."
Virgil nods "That seems to be our only option to resign and vanish." And so they did, walking out of the square. They kept walking, never turning back.