Chapter Thirty-Three
Remembrance of Ecclesia: Dichotomy
Aurelia stopped following her.
Shanoa had no idea what to make of this new development. It had been commonplace for her to sense the albino's lingering presence every week or so, becoming more frequent within the past year. Now, for over a month, she'd felt nothing. No shift in the air. No glimpses of eyes amidst the darkness. Even their missions seemed to have grown scarce; their only excursion was to slay a lone vampire. Shanoa had taken the opportunity to ask Aurelia about her absence. The albino's expression remained stoic as she gazed off into the middle distance.
"Maybe I've gotten better at hiding," she said.
An obvious lie, but Shanoa knew it was pointless to press the matter. Aurelia wouldn't concede unless she presented direct evidence to the contrary. Besides, Shanoa could determine well enough what triggered this lull. Aurelia had yet to accept or deny her terms. Still, Shanoa waited with patience, even as time dragged on.
Five weeks passed since their encounter with the vampire coven before Barlowe summoned them for their first mission of real substance. Shanoa's wounds had long since healed, leaving a few faint scars in their wake, and she rushed to the council chamber with unbridled eagerness. The briefing, however, was not what she'd expected.
"Aurelia will lead you to the target," Barlowe said once they both arrived. "That is all I will say on the matter."
Shanoa cast a furtive glance between Aurelia and their Master.
"Sir?" she asked.
Barlowe's eyes narrowed in a clear warning. "The less you know of his crimes the better, Shanoa," he said in a stern voice. "This man is… detestable."
Shanoa bowed her head in shame at her obvious foible. "Yes, sir, please forgive my presumption."
"It is forgotten." Barlowe waved his hand. "Now go, time is of the essence. The longer he breathes the more lives are put at risk."
Dismissed, the pair made their usual silent procession through the fortress to the front gates. This time was different, however. There was always some manner of tension in the air, snapping between them under the duress of their forced partnership. That was gone now. The silence almost comfortable. To her great surprise, for the first time, Shanoa felt a faint sense of comradery between them.
She allowed the companionable silence to persist as they left Ecclesia's stronghold. Neither of them spoke as Aurelia dispensed the red talismans. Shanoa waited for the albino to be ready before she tore the slip of paper in half. She weathered the transversal, and, once the world fell back into place, she took stock of her surroundings.
They stood in the midst of mountain country. The terrain was rocky and uneven. The ground often broken by large stone slabs; their surfaces worn by the passage of time. Fir trees rose in all directions, though the forest was notably less lush than the woods surrounding Ecclesia. Still, the plants were impressive in size, their trunks mostly bare at the bottom save for a smattering of lichen. The forest floor was covered in moss, fallen pine needles, and tufts of yellow tinged grass. The sky had also turned from sunny to overcast, which led Shanoa to wonder how far they'd traveled.
A general sense of foreboding hung in the air. Shanoa couldn't tell if it was the result of the dimmed lighting or Barlowe's unusual decree of silence regarding their mark's crimes. Though she suspected, like most things in life, it was a combination of all factors.
"Where are we going?" Shanoa asked when it was clear Aurelia had shaken off the post-transversal discomfort.
"The town is called Golaş. It's a decent sized mining community, despite its remote location. The last census places the population between three to three hundred and fifty people." Aurelia fell silent for a few moments. "Is that all?"
"Pardon?"
"You don't have any further questions?" she asked, an eyebrow raised in query.
Shanoa clenched her jaw. Of course she had more – several, actually – but she was also a loyal acolyte. One who trusted in the ruling of her Elders.
"Barlowe said-"
"He's trying to protect you," Aurelia said, cutting her off. She turned away from Shanoa, instead staring at some indistinguishable point in the distance. It wasn't enough to hide the slight frown creasing her lips. "But, for once, I disagree with him. This mission… it embodies all the reasons why the world needs Ecclesia. Why the work we do – you and I – is so vital. Besides, I think it's only fair for you to know the full extent of the Chaos this man has wrought upon the world. He doesn't deserve your feelings of guilt."
Shanoa hesitated; the war waged internal. After a few minutes of tense silence, she sighed.
"If Barlowe finds out…"
"What's one more secret shared between us?" Aurelia asked. "Besides, there's nothing Barlowe can do to us that will be worse than what he's already done. Aside from outright killing us, that is, but he'd never take it that far. He needs both of us alive and healthy in order for Ecclesia to achieve its dream."
Shanoa stared at the albino for a long moment. "What has he done to you?" she asked in a whisper.
Aurelia turned and met her gaze. There was sympathy in her purple eyes. Greater still, a hint of… companionship.
"They also made me drink the potion," Aurelia said; her tone solemn.
"That's." Shanoa paused. What words of comfort could she possibly say? The agony of that training was without compare. The mere memory of it caused a slight, painful throb to ache within her bones. "I'm sorry."
Aurelia gave her a quizzical look. "Why are you apologizing?"
"I would never wish it on anyone."
"Even me?" Ecclesia's Shadow asked. Except, no, that wasn't true. Aurelia had tried to mask it, but there was vulnerability in those words. As though she cared what Shanoa thought of her.
"You make it sound like I hate you," Shanoa said.
Aurelia looked away again. "You did, at one point."
"No, that's." Shanoa mouthed empty words as she tried to come up with an accurate response. Years flashed within her mind; emotions wrought from circumstances beyond either woman's control. "You're wrong. I never hated you." Shanoa's voice dropped to a near whisper. "I hated what you represented."
"Walls and chains and a lack of personal freedom," Aurelia said, almost to herself.
The young warrior nodded. "Yes."
Aurelia sighed, her head bowed, before she turned to regard Shanoa once more. Her expression was less guarded, or, rather, more genuine. Not the guise of an imposed role.
"And now?" the albino asked.
Shanoa held her gaze. "I think that was unfair to you," she said; an apology reflected in her tone.
Aurelia stared at her, searching for something that went unspoken, before her lips curved in a slight smirk.
"You're so." The albino shook her head. "I'm shocked you're able to keep any secrets at all. The blunt honesty is rather disarming."
"I guess that's why I've never been tasked with anything covert," Shanoa said with a smile. "Though you make it sound like I've never told a lie."
"You're just not very good at it," Aurelia said, her tone lightening in kind. Shanoa could tell the comment wasn't meant to be taken as an insult. Though she wouldn't have mourned her lack of that particular skill regardless. "But yes, it's one of the many reasons you've never been tasked with subterfuge. Besides, the entire business is a rather sordid affair." Aurelia's expression darkened the slightest bit. "You encounter some of the most wicked people."
"Did you investigate this man as well?" Shanoa asked, realizing they'd strayed far from the topic at hand.
Tumult churned in the albino's eyes. "Yes, I did. In fact, I… discovered him."
This was a gift, Shanoa realized. An effort being made to bridge the gap between them. While Barlowe deemed this man's crimes too gruesome for her to hear, he'd also encouraged Shanoa to forge a bond with Aurelia. Adhering to one would circumvent the other. A moral dilemma that should have shaken the foundations of her belief system, and yet the choice was an easy one.
"Tell me everything," Shanoa said.
Aurelia's lips curved in a knowing grin. "I thought so."
The albino gestured and, together, they began to walk through the forest. As per usual, they'd appeared close to a road, though far enough away to avoid being seen by wandering eyes who might raise the alarm about two women materializing from thin air. The dirt path was vacant, save for them, but parallel divots on each side of the road indicated frequent traffic from laden carts. It was impossible to see more than a hundred meters ahead as the road rose and fell with the terrain.
"His name is Father Emil Lupu," Aurelia said as they walked. "The man is an ordained priest, though any sane person would argue he's strayed from the will of God. He's resided in Golaş for the past twelve years, and is regarded by the locals as a hero. Despite this lofty status, few people – if any – outside the community have heard of him. Still, that in and of itself isn't unusual. Golaş is an isolated mining village whose main connection to the wider world is through traders and merchants. However, isolation can create a dangerous environment. It's in a town like this where a charlatan can thrive."
"Why's that?" Shanoa asked. She'd never heard of such a notion before. Ecclesia was an isolated community, but that fact was regarded as a necessity amongst the acolytes and Elders. They had to hide for their own protection and, in turn, humanity's.
"The issue stems from a lack of alternative perspectives. Within Ecclesia we keep watch over the world. All manner of knowledge and ideas pass through the ranks, especially fueled by the Scouts and Hunters. We are an organization of diverse peoples, but the residents of Golaş are all cut from the same proverbial cloth. They were born, work, and live in the same static environment. They all share the same story. Therefore, if a man comes into the village one day and performs what some regard as a miracle, then the rest of the community is more likely to follow suit."
"Is that what this man did?"
"In short, yes." Aurelia's eyes narrowed, though she continued to stare straight ahead. "But I wouldn't call what he's done a 'miracle'."
Shanoa nodded in agreement. "We wouldn't have been sent to kill him if it was," she said in a grim tone.
The albino turned her head to regard her for a moment. "Those books you and Albus steal from the library-"
"We don't steal them!" Shanoa exclaimed as a blush burned her cheeks. "He just- he doesn't tell Master Omar they're for me. But we log each book and I always return them."
Aurelia rolled her eyes, though a fond smirk remained on her lips. "Semantics, but fine, of the books you 'borrow' how many of them contain myths and fairytales?"
"Just a few. They're not my genres of choice." Shanoa frowned. "Those stories tend to be rather depressing."
"A fair point," Aurelia said with a chuckle. "I never cared much for them either, but they are necessary reading for someone in my position. Myths give valuable insight into the mentality of the society that created them, and in smaller communities the local legends often carry great weight. There's one story in particular that infects the mining towns of this region, Golaş amongst them." She paused for dramatic effect. "The tale of the Stone Folk."
Shanoa racked her brain for a few moments.
"I don't think I've heard that one," she said.
"Well, I'm not much of a storyteller, but I'll do my best to summarize."
Aurelia cleared her throat. When she spoke again her voice had taken on a deeper, more melodramatic tone. It was odd to hear. In fact, this entire conversation was strange. Since Shanoa's apology, Ecclesia's Shadow was nowhere to be found. What had taken its place was a genuine person; the first true travel companion she'd had since Albus.
God, Shanoa had missed this.
"Eons ago," Aurelia said with dramatic flair, "soon after humans first settled in Europe, early miners dug into the rock face of the Carpathians. They anticipated the discovery of ore, but what they uncovered instead was a race of magical beings living deep within the mountains. These short, stocky creatures weren't made of flesh and bone, but of the stone itself. Spurning the human invasion, the aptly named Stone Folk waged war on the miners. They were eventually driven back into their underground dwellings through force and holy wards. Infuriated by their defeat, the Stone Folk have sought to disrupt mining operations in their native lands ever since.
"They are tricksters, of a sort, though still murderous in nature. According to miners, the Stone Folk cause cave-ins, remove ore from previously rich mines, and even dismantle or destroy equipment. It's a commonly held belief that if an animal working in a mine dies under mysterious or violent circumstances it means one of the Stone Folk murdered the poor creature." Aurelia gave Shanoa a sidelong look. "I think it's easy to surmise why this legend exists."
"It's an explanation of terrifying, yet natural phenomenon," the young warrior said. "The Stone Folk also act as a convenient scapegoat in the case of bad fortune."
"Exactly. While we live in a world that does contain magic." Aurelia gestured in Shanoa's general direction. "I've yet to uncover any evidence to suggest the Stone Folk are anything more than myth. Forgive the pun, but I left no stone unturned in my investigation. There are no reputable accounts of creature sightings, no physical remains, and artistic representations of the Stone Folk varies wildly between regions."
"But these people believe in them," Shanoa said as the pieces started to fall into place.
"It's more than that." Aurelia's expression darkened. The playful air surrounding her dissipated. "They believe Father Lupu has killed many of these creatures and saved the town from being overrun. According to them, he's spent the last decade holding the Stone Folk at bay, and his efforts have led to Golaş' current prosperity."
"How could he convince them that something so outlandish is true?"
"By committing his greatest sins."
Shanoa gave Aurelia a disgruntled look. "You're just going to leave it there?" the young warrior asked. "On that ominous note?"
"Careful, you're starting to sound like me," Aurelia said with a slight smirk. Her face schooled back into a somber expression. "I will show you how he's managed to trick the locals once we get there. I don't want to ruin your day until I have to."
Shanoa hummed in agreement. "Do you want me to stay quiet once we're in town?"
It was an unusual question. Their standard procedure dictated Shanoa would say little, if anything, when a mission required them to interact with non-acolytes. She'd obeyed in the past out of loyalty to the Order, but this time Shanoa wanted to make it clear she was deferring to Aurelia's judgment. If the albino truly was keen on bridging the gap between them then Shanoa would respond in kind.
"Well, you don't have to be a mute," Aurelia said, "but it might be best if you let me ask most of the questions."
"I've never been good at speaking with strangers anyway." Shanoa's tone was light, but the acknowledgement remained. "What's our cover story? In case I do have to talk to someone."
"We're two travelers who hail from another remote mining village to the South. Tales of Father Lupu's exploits have reached us by way of merchant caravans. We've come to seek his counsel on how to protect our own community from the Stone Folk scourge. It's both flattering and encourages people to tell us where we can find him."
"Wouldn't a priest be at the local church?" Shanoa asked.
"Sometimes, but the man likes to roam."
The pair fell silent as they reached the village. Golaş was a rather inconspicuous settlement; the kind that made no lasting impression aside from its solitude. The houses were constructed out of gray stone no doubt cut from the nearby cliffs. Only the roofs were made from wood, though a few buildings had small front porches facing the main road. Everything was packed tightly together; each stone house encroaching upon its neighbors. The path they'd been traveling narrowed until it was just wide enough for two carts to pass each other without colliding. When Shanoa glanced up she identified the reason for the sudden conservation of space. The mountains rose up all around Golaş; boxing the town in between the massive natural walls.
A few people milled about the street, though Shanoa suspected most of the able-bodied residents were busy at work in the mines this time of day. The villagers were all dressed in drab, uninteresting clothing that made them blend in with the surrounding structures. It was not a lively place, but the people seemed content, more than anything else. An air of calm hung about the village, though Shanoa wondered as to what the cost of such peace had been. The women passed a few houses before they were stopped.
"Hello there!" a man called to them from a nearby porch. He was older; his scraggly gray beard streaked with wisps of white. A cap sat atop his head and smoke rose from the pipe he held in one hand. There was a smile on his face, though Shanoa could see he was missing a few teeth. "Don't think I ever seen your faces 'round here."
"Hello to you, as well," Aurelia said in a jovial voice.
She pulled back the hood of her cloak to afford him a full view of her face. This was a mask Shanoa had seen her wear a few times before. A cheerful guise always made people a bit less wary of the two unusual women who wandered into town. And yet, as the man looked upon them with kindness in his eyes, Shanoa knew her efforts weren't needed.
"My friend and I have just arrived in your lovely village," Aurelia said. "We've traveled a long way, hoping to speak with Father Lupu."
"Oh?" The man scratched his beard. "I reckon that makes the most sense. You don't look like merchants." He threw his head back and laughed. Shanoa wasn't sure what he found so funny, but she stayed quiet. The man turned, opened the front door to his home, and called inside. "Micah! Get out here!"
They waited as someone stumbled around inside. After a few moments a young man emerged from the house. He was about Shanoa's age, with curly dark hair and brown eyes. His plain clothes were baggy, though the musculature of his arms belayed his strength. The older man gestured towards the women with his free hand.
"Be a gentleman and help these two girls, would ya? They're lookin' for the Father."
The boy – Micah's – face lit up when he looked at them.
"Yeah, sure, right away!" Micah bounded towards them, a spring in his step that was almost comical. "He wanders 'round town during the day, but I can show you where he lives. We might even run into him."
"That would be very kind of you," Aurelia said with an affectionate, almost flirtatious smile.
Shanoa wasn't fond of her using this tactic, but supposed it wasn't her place to preach on the morality of subterfuge. Micah's grin grew even wider.
"It would!" He gawked at his own slip up. "I mean- no! I just, ya know, being neighborly and all. We should just."
He motioned towards the center of town and, with a small nod from Aurelia, they began walking further into Golaş.
"So, uh, why're you wanting to see the Father?" Micah asked once he'd regained some of his composure. Aurelia recited their cover story with a few more dramatic elements thrown in. "Wow, musta been hard travelin' alone all that way. You didn't take any men with you?"
"We can handle ourselves." Shanoa caught the glimpse of something dangerous in Aurelia's purple eyes. "Where we come from, the women have to learn how to defend themselves just as well as the men."
"Must be an interestin' place," Micah said with a hint of awe.
"It is."
"Does that, ya know." He raised his fists in a mock show of an offensive stance. "Can you fight?"
Aurelia cast her fellow acolyte a knowing look. "When we have to."
"That's- wow."
Somehow, the boy's expression grew even more enamored with the two women. Shanoa wished he'd stop looking at her like that. It made her feel strange, as though he was only seeing the idea of her rather than what she truly was.
"Hey, if you already know how to fight then I bet the Father can teach you how to kill the Stone Folk!"
"Perhaps," Aurelia said. "We'd appreciate any help he can provide."
Shanoa remained quiet as the pair continued their light chatter, though the conversation was mainly one-sided. Micah didn't seem to mind all that much, nor did he comment on Shanoa's silence. He did glance at her tattoos on occasion; quick and surreptitious in an attempt to hide his interest. She'd never grown used to the scrutiny but had made peace with the fact she'd face it for the rest of her life.
It wasn't until they reached the center of town when Shanoa realized Golaş was built in a triangular shape. The customary town square was situated close to the steep cliff walls of the adjacent mountain. From here, the main road branched off in two directions. The left branch led to what she could see – even from this distance – was the entrance to the mines. To her right, the steeple of a far-off church rose above the roofs of the other buildings. The shops here appeared to be open, though most were vacant, and only a few other people milled about the square. None of them were dressed in the vestments of a priest.
"Not many people out today," Aurelia said as they came to a stop in the middle of the open area.
"Well, most of 'em are busy in the mines this time of day," Micah said.
Aurelia gave him a curious look. "Do you…?"
"Oh, yeah." Micah raised his right hand. The flesh around the wrist was slightly inflamed. "I twisted my wrist a couple weeks ago and it's still healin'. Otherwise I'd be in there right along with 'em."
"You poor thing." Aurelia's voice seeped with what Shanoa suspected was faux sympathy. "I hope it heals soon."
A blush colored Micah's face as he grinned. "Thanks, it's been feelin' a lot better."
"Is that the church over there?" Aurelia pointed to the spire in the distance.
Micah nodded. "Yes ma'am."
"I think we can find our way from here, but could you do me a favor?" she asked.
Micah nodded again with more vigor. "Of course, whatever ya want."
"I just don't want to inconvenience you," Aurelia said.
Shanoa fought against the urge to roll her eyes. The ploy was obvious to anyone not caught up in Aurelia's wiles. Still, she understood the necessity of such an act. Unfortunate as it was, the end goal was to serve a noble purpose.
"I'm not doin' much today anyway." Micah gestured to his right hand. "On account of the wrist and all."
"True, well, if you happen to run into Father Lupu could you please tell him we'll be waiting at the church?" she asked.
The boy bounced on the balls of his feet in giddiness. "Hell, when I find him, I'll bring him right to ya!"
He turned and dashed off in the direction of the mine.
"Micah-!" Aurelia half-heartedly called after him, but he was already gone.
"He seems… eager," Shanoa said after a moment.
Aurelia shook her head with a bemused smile. "I swear, the things people will agree to when driven by hormonal whims. At least now we won't have to wander around town looking for the man." She turned and stared at the looming spire. "Still, there's one thing we need to do before staking out the church. Thankfully, it's only a bit further in the same direction."
"What is?" Shanoa asked.
Aurelia regarded her with an almost pitying look.
"The evidence of his many crimes."
The women walked towards their destination in silence. They only passed a few people on the walk to the church, and all seemed disinterested in their presence. A strange thing, Shanoa thought, due to their unusual appearance. The few times she and Aurelia had mingled in society they both were on the receiving end of blatant stares from passers-by. Yet, for whatever reason, this particular community didn't find it strange. Or, if they did, they all hid it with the same level of expertise. Shanoa wondered as to why that was, but had little information to base any suspicion on.
Golaş looked much the same regardless of where they were in the town. It seemed an endless repetition of the same uniform buildings until they reached the church grounds. The residential homes came to an abrupt stop, leaving a large open clearing in the center of encompassing cliff walls. A stone church stood to the left of the main road. Bigger than Shanoa had anticipated, though she supposed it was expected to house the entire village at once. The heavy oak doors were shut, and the stained-glass windows didn't afford a view of the interior from outside.
A graveyard lay beyond the church; bordered by a wooden fence lacking a gate. There was an odd building on the far side of the cemetery. It was circular in shape, lacked windows, and a large smokestack rose from the roof. Shanoa was about to ask Aurelia if she knew what purpose the building served when the albino began to head straight for it. The young warrior followed, knowing the answer would soon be forthcoming.
She didn't take much stock of the graveyard itself. She'd seen many others like it; filled with local families and a few headstones too weather worn to read. The strange, round building was constructed from stone, with a heavy metal door blocking the entrance. Shanoa watched as Aurelia produced a key from her satchel and slid it into the lock below the handle. Of course she'd come prepared for this. With a soft click Aurelia had it open.
The door swung inward with a low creak. It revealed little, however, the lack of sunlight from the overcast day couldn't penetrate the darkness inside the building. Aurelia entered first before she bid Shanoa to follow. The young warrior hesitated a moment at the faint, acrid smell emanating from within. Aurelia stared at her, expectation in her purple eyes, until Shanoa acquiesced and stepped over the threshold. The door fell shut behind her, and then there was only darkness.
"Don't summon a Glyph just yet," Aurelia said. Shanoa's brow furrowed despite the fact her companion couldn't see her face.
"What? Why?"
"Please."
There was something strange in Aurelia's tone. That same brand of deep sorrow she'd witnessed when the albino invaded her bedroom. It was enough to give Shanoa pause.
"Ok," she said, "I'll wait."
A few, long moments passed in heavy silence before Aurelia spoke again.
"These people believe Father Lupu's claims that he's killed Stone Folk because they've watched him do it." Her voice quavered. "Once a… creature is slain, the body is taken here. This building is a crematorium. A place where they incinerate corpses until the flesh is destroyed, leaving nothing but bones behind. Father Lupu crushes these remains into dust and then scatters the 'ashes' around the town's perimeter. He preserves the skulls, however, to what end I shudder to consider.
"This, he claims, is what keeps the Stone Folk at bay. The remains of their slain comrades. Except it isn't a permanent solution. Eventually this ward begins to fade, oftentimes between six months to a year, in some cases sooner depending upon the Father's will. When the time comes another Stone Folk is captured, and the ritual begins anew."
Shanoa flinched as Aurelia grabbed her wrist without prior warning. The albino led her forward, further into the darkness. Shanoa wasn't sure how Aurelia was able to see without a source of illumination, but the way was clear and soon they came to a stop. The smell had grown worse, more pungent, and she loathed to think of what the source could be.
"I've seen many horrors in my life, Shanoa. Things I wouldn't dare speak of to you for fear of corrupting your mind, but this man is less than human." Aurelia took a shuddering breath. "What he's done – what he's convinced the people of this town to do – is unforgivable." Her voice dropped to a desperate whisper. "I hope you don't come to hate me for showing you this."
"I won't," Shanoa said with full confidence. "I asked for this. I- I want to know. I need to know the true face of evil."
"Then behold."
Shanoa summoned Luminato. The ball of light hovered in the air, allowing her to – at last – see the contents of the room.
A sound escaped her lips.
A horrid, wretched note.
And the tears came.
There was a child's body laid out on a table in front of her. His skin was ashen, chapped, flaking in most places. A network of varicose veins charted his flesh, giving it a marble texture in appearance. There was a gaping wound in his chest, exposing the child's ruptured heart. To her horror, rope marks scarred his wrists and ankles. The boy had struggled.
An unlit furnace stood just beyond. Its empty metal belly an ominous sight on its own, but placed around the oven's door – mounted like trophies of some wicked hunt – were skulls. Over a dozen of them. Too small to have belonged to adults.
Shanoa's breath came in labored gasps as she wept.
"How?" she asked after a time. Her hand hovered over the boy's body, though she suppressed the urge to touch him. Doing so felt wrong. "He… does he make them look like this?"
"Lupu creates a specialized poison that infects the bloodstream without outright killing the victim. Its symptoms are clearly displayed here."
"These people believe him," Shanoa said. It was an accusation.
"Yes, they know of what this ritual entails." There was pain reflected in Aurelia's voice, and Shanoa wondered what she'd been forced to bear witness to in the pursuit of bringing this man to justice. "Not every villager is present, but Father Lupu employs a select few to help him in the task. They obey his orders without question. Even as the children scream. Even as he slaughters them."
Shanoa cried. Ugly sobs ripped from her throat as she bowed over the boy's body.
"How?" she asked again. Her voice seeped with desperation, seeking to find some manner of solace in the face of such evil.
"None of the children are local, or even from the nearest towns. Father Lupu kidnaps them from traveling caravans, or covertly buys them in the slave trade. I overheard a few villagers refer to more than one instance where Lupu apparently found a child wandering in the nearby woods. He's conniving enough to pick his targets well. No one ever comes looking for them."
Shanoa knew, then, why the universe had brought her here. Why God had inspired the series of events leading to her, of all people, being sent to cleanse this town of such overwhelming evil. Because – as horrid as this scene was – Shanoa was strong enough to endure. Some evils could only be stopped with a sword, and nothing would cease this man's atrocities until her hand stayed his forever. Some people would crumble beneath the weight of this sight and the knowledge of innocents lost, but not Shanoa. She would overcome.
She would make it right.
They lingered for a time. Shanoa's sobs grew quieter, until she was left crying silent tears. Aurelia was content to let her grieve.
"Come," the albino said once it became clear Shanoa wouldn't stop until interrupted. "We should go inside the church and wait for him. This is horrible, I know, but we can ensure he never hurts another child."
"Yes." Shanoa nodded repeatedly as she stood upright. "Yes."
They left the crematorium. The door fell shut behind them with nary a sound. Shanoa took a few deep breaths of clean air once outside. She needed to regain control over her emotional state. There was work to do, yet.
The front doors to the church were unlocked and gave way when Aurelia pulled on the large iron rings. The inside was what Shanoa expected. Rows of wooden pews flanked by plain stained glass windows that didn't depict any images of holy scenes. The altar was a simple affair, though the metal cross hanging from the far wall was painted a bright gold. Large votive candles were placed all about the church, but none were currently lit.
The builing was vacant, at present. Aurelia positioned herself inside the doorway while Shanoa took refuge in a dark alcove to her right. Her breathing became more even as she composed herself within the safety of the shadows. She would wait and watch when that man came in. Not rush forth on the wings of her grief. She owed it to those children to do this right. To be their Blade.
Time passed – she was too engulfed in her sorrow to measure how long – when, with no preamble, the large doors swung outwards. Shanoa knew who it was before she heard the voice.
"… I didn't actually get their names- ah!"
Micah rushed inside with that same, deceptively innocent bounce to his step when he saw Aurelia. There was another man with him, but Shanoa's eyes lingered on the boy. How much did he know? What was he guilty of? How could he be so goddamn happy when the body of a murdered child lay rotting just yards away?
"I found him!" Micah cried.
"Yes," Aurelia said with a faux smile and a nod. "Thank you, Micah."
Shanoa allowed herself to look upon the man called Father Emil Lupu. He didn't have the traditional appearance of a monster. He wasn't ugly; in fact, he was younger than Shanoa anticipated, with jet black hair and contrasting bright blue eyes. There was kindness in his face, which belayed only the first hints of middle-aged wrinkles. He smiled at Aurelia in turn, and – were she ignorant – Shanoa would have considered the man to have an approachable air.
But she wasn't so lucky.
She knew.
"Hello, young lady." Father Lupu's voice was a deep baritone that reminded her of Master Torey. "My name is Father Emil Lupu." He held out his hand to her and Aurelia shook it; the forced smile remained on her face, though neither man detected its falsehood. "I hear you've traveled a long way to discuss something with me. And, before you speak, I have to say I'm rather flattered by the attention. I didn't realize I'd gained any level of renown."
"I've heard many stories about you," Aurelia said in a honey-sweet voice. "But yes, you are correct, however." Her eyes cut to Micah for a moment. "It's a sensitive matter."
"They need help killing the Stone Folk," the boy said with a huge, inappropriate grin.
Shanoa had to quell another wave of anger that washed over her.
"Micah, please." Aurelia's voice hardened a bit. "I wish to speak with him alone."
The boy's expression fell, but Father Lupu chuckled and patted him on the back.
"Don't take it personal," he said. "This subject can be rather difficult to speak of. Go on home, I'm sure your father wants to take another look at that wrist."
Micah glanced between Aurelia and the Father before he acquiesced with a dejected sigh and a slight nod. The boy left, allowing the heavy door to fall shut behind him. A wide grin split Father Lupu's face as he turned his attention back to Aurelia.
"Please forgive him. I fear he's quite taken with you and your traveling companion." He glanced about the seemingly empty church. "There are two of you, correct?"
"Yes," Aurelia said and gestured towards where Shanoa lingered in the shadows.
A shudder of anticipation ran down her spine as the Father looked in her direction. That deceptive smile remained on his face. He was naïve to his own imminent recompense.
"You can come out, child, I don't bite."
here was levity in his tone, though it only solidified her hatred. Shanoa emerged, distraught, with righteous fury etched upon her face. The Father took a step back at the terrifying sight of her. That misleading smile gave way to an expression of heady concern.
"Good heavens, what's wrong-"
"You." Shanoa's tattoos glowed as she spoke the word. "What have you done?"
Father Lupu's eyes darted between her and Aurelia. Ecclesia's Shadow had returned, and the albino's face belayed nothing aside from calm indifference. Aurelia walked around the Father, placing herself between him and the entrance. All three of them recognized the maneuver for what it was. He could no longer escape.
"What is this?" His voice trembled with fear.
"How many children?" Shanoa asked.
He shook his head. "I don't-"
He gawked as the warrior summoned Melio Secare. She raised the blade, a scowl on her face.
"I will only ask this once." Her eyes narrowed, boring into him. She thought of the skulls adorning the oven. The years he'd managed to escape justice. The last, terrifying moments of a child's life as this man stood over them, smiling, a knife held in his hands. Did they all look at him the way he looked at her now? "How many children have you killed?"
She watched as understanding dawned on Father Lupu. His fear dissipated when he met her gaze. Replaced by something that would haunt her in years to come.
Pity.
"None," he said in a voice seeping with entreaty.
Shanoa's arms trembled under the surge of emotion.
He believed it.
It wasn't enough that he'd manipulated an entire community. He was the worst brand of charlatan. The one who saw himself as the hero in his own twisted story.
"I am the Blade to banish evil." Shanoa's voice was hoarse, but firm. She glared at him, allowing every shred of hatred she'd ever felt to reflect in her eyes. "I am the Blade to banish you."
She rushed forwards on the winds of Rapidus Fio. In the same half-second she summoned Ignis, wreathing her blade in the orange flames. The world went dark for a moment, blinded by her own fury. Then she saw him fall, backwards, onto the floor; a blackened hole in his chest where the Glyph union had pierced his heart. There was no bloodshed as he died. No mess to leave behind. Shanoa's vision blurred as the tears came anew. It was more than he deserved, but a protracted death would be revenge, not justice.
Aurelia retrieved the body as Shanoa cried. She stood in silence for a few minutes, waiting as her companion grieved. The indifferent mask remained on her face, but Shanoa knew the albino was just as distraught.
"Meet me at the furnace," Aurelia said once Shanoa's sobs had ceased.
The warrior nodded and watched as Aurelia walked into a nearby shadow, taking the corpse with her.
Later, she couldn't remember how she got to the crematorium. Those moments lost amidst the emotional squall. She cast Luminato in the darkness again, and almost vomited at the sight of the dead boy. Aurelia emerged from the wall to her right. Neither woman spoke as the albino threw what was left of Father Lupu into the oven without care or respect. The crematorium was already prepared for the boy's corpse, and it took a single spark from Ignis to set the fuel alight.
Aurelia kicked the oven door closed and, together, they watched as the body was consumed in flame. The smell grew worse as he burned. Shanoa knew it wouldn't be long before someone noticed the smoke rising from the furnace, and soon the entire town would discover the fate of their supposed savior.
"I'd like to go home now," Shanoa said in a whisper.
Aurelia didn't offer a verbal reply. She dispensed the talismans, and, with no more words said between them, they were gone.
IXI
Shanoa was allotted a day of rest after every mission.
It served as both a reward and a window to assess if she'd suffered any injury while out in the field. Her pain tolerance made it impossible for her to tell if anything was wrong until she began to suffer the detrimental physical effects. Any injury was almost always benign, such as a sprained ankle or the more recent vampire maul. Her medical exam that morning revealed nothing amiss, though she knew any harm her trip to Golaş had incurred was not held within her physical self.
She'd tried to read, but found herself unable. Devoid of that refuge, Shanoa spent the past few hours curled on her bed, crying silent tears. The vision of the child's corpse was burned in her mind. She could see it when she closed her eyes. The strange flesh; the rope marks; the fissure left by the blade of a knife. She'd never seen a body of one so young, especially covered in evidence of such violence.
It didn't come as a surprise when a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows gathering in a corner of her room. The Sun had since gone down, and she only wondered why Aurelia hadn't come sooner. The albino gave her an awkward smile.
"Hello," she said.
Shanoa let out a long sigh. "Hey."
"How are you feeling?
It was a sincere question. Shanoa shook her head, though the movement was limited by her mattress.
"Terrible."
"I don't blame you." Aurelia frowned as regret flashed across her face. "I wanted to apologize again. I see now I should have warned you about-"
"No, you were right," Shanoa said, her tone firm. "I needed to know what that man has done, because I can't be a righteous force without knowing the reasons why I must fight. I feel more invigorated now than ever to keep fighting. To prevent more atrocities from befalling mankind, but it's still difficult to reconcile with the face of true evil when I see it. Because I can't fathom why anyone would intentionally cause harm to an innocent. It's the exact opposite of my nature. So, despite my surge of conviction, I… I'm still upset."
"You're allowed to be upset," Aurelia said. The sympathy in her tone was confirmation enough that she felt the same.
"Yes, and I'll use it to fuel my hand. Humanity needs me to be strong, and I will be. For them."
They fell into a strange silence for a few minutes. It wasn't quite comfortable, nor was it awkward. They simply existed within the same space; blessed with the mutual knowledge they knew what the other felt.
"I want to show you something," Aurelia said after a time.
Shanoa, whose gaze had drifted to some blank point on the far wall, looked at her.
"What?"
"It's not here. Not with me." The albino shifted on the balls of her feet. She almost seemed nervous. "It's not even in Ecclesia, actually."
Shanoa raised an eyebrow at the suggestion that went unspoken. It was after curfew, but even if it wasn't, it remained a bold statement.
"We're not allowed to leave the fortress without express permission," Shanoa said.
A small smile touched Aurelia's lips. "True, but you've broken the rules before."
"Not tonight." The young warrior curled further into herself until she lay in a near fetal position. Her mind strayed to the interior of the church. Where she'd waited for Father Lupu to show his wretched face. "I've had my fill of sneaking around in darkness."
"Oh, it's nothing like that," Aurelia said as she reached into the familiar satchel hanging at her side.
Shanoa's eyes widened as the albino withdrew two red talismans. She sat up, swinging her legs over the side of her bed with the movement, though she didn't stand.
"Where did you get those?" Shanoa asked.
Aurelia shrugged. "I made them," she said with a misleading overture of nonchalance.
Shanoa knew the weight such an admission carried. Albus had been taught how to make the talismans, and – according to him – the process was a rather intensive one. Not to mention the material components were heavily regulated. To think Aurelia had gone through the effort of making some in secret, all for Shanoa's benefit, was…
She stood up and walked over to her companion. Aurelia offered her one of the talismans and she took it. Shanoa turned the piece of paper over in her hands. It didn't look any different from the ones she'd used in the past, and yet it was.
"You… made this," Shanoa said in a soft voice.
"Yes, and another pair that will take us back to your bedroom. No sneaking around. No guards to dodge." Aurelia's mouth remained curved in that soft smile. "We won't be missed."
Shanoa studied the other woman's face. This was far beyond anything she would have expected from Aurelia. For a moment she questioned whether there was an ulterior motive to all this, but her expression belayed only sincerity. It served to ignite Shanoa's curiosity. Aurelia was correct, she'd broken plenty of rules in the past, and yet her loyalty to Ecclesia remained strong. What harm could this little excursion do?
"Ok," Shanoa said with a small nod.
Aurelia's smile transformed into a wide grin. "Good, you won't regret it." She gripped her own talisman between pale fingers. "Whenever you're ready."
Shanoa waited a few moments before, with a nod, she tore the paper in half. When the transversal faded, she found herself standing amidst a lush, green forest. The trees were unlike any she'd seen before. Dense, covered in vines, moss, and ferns. The air was humid, though no rain fell. A stream of clear, crystal blue water flowed nearby; originating from the darkened mouth of a cave to her right. What Shanoa found the most surprising – what enabled her to see her surroundings – were the rays of sunlight peeking over the horizon. Whether dawn or sunset, Shanoa couldn't say, but she stared off in wonder as Aurelia appeared beside her.
"Where are we?" Shanoa asked.
"Further than you've ever been from Ecclesia. On another continent entirely."
Shanoa gawked at the other woman. "How?"
"The talismans can take us anywhere on Earth, so long as we have the coordinates," Aurelia said with a bemused smile. "Barlowe likes to keep our operations close to home. It's safest that way. But this place was something I'd read about years ago, and eventually I decided, distance be damned, I wanted to see it with my own eyes. I've been here only once before, but I never forgot the directions." The albino held out her hand. "Come."
Shanoa glanced down at Aurelia's open palm. It was a strangely affectionate gesture, but after a few moments hesitation she slid her hand into the albino's own. She led Shanoa into the darkness of the cave. The stream took up most of the available floor space, but a small bank of pebbled rocks hugged the right wall, allowing them to enter without getting their feet wet. Once inside, Aurelia summoned Luminato in her free hand.
"That's one of your Glyphs?" Shanoa asked.
"I know it, yes."
"Along with Culter?"
"… It's a complicated subject," she said in a tone that skirted the edge of Ecclesia's Shadow.
Shanoa decided to drop the matter. She could ask later, when Aurelia wasn't being so… personable.
Luminato cast light over the interior of the cave. The cavern itself wasn't large, perhaps fifteen meters across, though Shanoa had little to compare it to. Her time spent in caves being slim to none. The limestone walls had wave-like formations, and stalactites hung from the ceiling. The river shimmered as it reflected the light from the Glyph. Every so often a drop of moisture would fall from overhead and create ripples on the surface of the water when it landed. Shanoa heard the faint sound of a waterfall up ahead, though she couldn't see it yet.
They walked through the cavern in silence. After about ten minutes the walls began to narrow until they left an opening on the bank that was only big enough for one person to crawl through. Shanoa gave Aurelia a concerned look, but the albino nodded and motioned for her to proceed. The young warrior gulped as she placed her hands against the gap. With a deep breath she ducked her head, squeezed her body, and stumbled through to the other side.
Once freed, Shanoa looked up, and was rendered speechless.
She'd entered a vast cavern, far larger than the one she'd exited. The river's source was revealed; a large subterranean lake that left only about six meters of dry bank for her to stand on. The water was still, unmoving, the only sound came from the small waterfall she could see on the opposite side of the cavern. Even that had an air of serenity to it. Instead of the violent crashing that usually came with waterfalls, the stream of water flowed easily over the boulders of a lazy incline before depositing into the lake with nary any foam spray.
But that wasn't the sight which filled Shanoa with awe; what caused the air to catch inside her chest. Above her head, covering the entire ceiling, were stars. Bright blue pinpoints of light casting a soft glow over the entire cavern, forming yet unnamed constellations and galaxies against a rocky night sky.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Aurelia said beside her. She'd been too absorbed in the sight to notice the albino had followed.
Shanoa's mouth moved wordlessly for a few moments.
"What are they?" she asked.
"They're insects, actually." Aurelia chuckled as Shanoa flinched. "Don't worry, not only are they harmless but they're glued to the ceiling. They produce a bioluminescent silk in their larval stage that attracts both prey and humans who wish to see something breathtaking."
Aurelia walked to the edge of the river bank where a few large, flat boulders lay atop the smaller pebbles. She sat down and motioned for Shanoa to join her. The younger woman picked her way across the shore and lowered herself onto one of the boulders, leaving enough space between them that it didn't feel too intimate. They stared up at the replica stars in silence for a while; just how long, Shanoa couldn't say. The only noise came from the trickle of water as it flowed down the embankment on the opposite side of the cavern.
"My parents tried to murder me soon after I was born," Aurelia said.
Shanoa looked at her, a bit taken aback by the statement, but the other woman continued to stare up at the ceiling, the blue lights glistening within her eyes.
"They lived in a small village similar to Golaş; one isolated from the rest of the world. The kind of place that still subscribes to the antiquated belief that albinism is a sign of demonic possession or the presence of evil spirits. When they saw me, what I looked like, the entire village was disturbed. They claimed I was unholy, that my birth was a sign the town was cursed, and if they wanted to avoid tragedy then I needed to be destroyed." There was sorrow in Aurelia's voice. A pain subsisting through years. "My parents were hesitant at first, but soon caved to the whims of their neighbors."
Shanoa didn't dare speak. Her eyes remained fixed on Aurelia. She'd asked for this, and yet witnessing such vulnerability was terrifying in its own right. Still, her fear was tempered by the fact she knew Aurelia wasn't telling her this in the hopes of receiving comfort or counsel.
"I only survived because my uncle intervened," she continued. "He'd known of my mother's pregnancy and made sure to be there at my birth. He acted quickly once he discovered the murder plot. He stole me from my crib in the middle of the night and fled back to his home. To the one place where he knew I'd be safe." She paused as she tucked her knees against her chest. Aurelia wrapped her arms around her legs, neck craned back, a hint of wetness coated her eyes. "Like you, I wasn't born in Ecclesia, but it's always been my sanctuary."
"Do I know him?" Shanoa asked.
After a long moment, Aurelia nodded. "He's Master Torey."
Shanoa made a sound of acknowledgment and turned her head, staring up at the ceiling in turn. She didn't know what to say in response to the revelation. Though, she supposed it didn't require one.
"Humans are creatures of strange convictions," Aurelia said at length. "They will commit blatant atrocities if they believe it serves a higher moral purpose. What they fail to consider is morality itself is a subject to interpretation. While murdering a newborn may seem, on a base level, to be an unforgivable sin, how do you quantify it when the murderer believes the child itself is evil? That, by allowing the child to live, it will result in devastation for a larger populace. In that case, wouldn't it be morally justifiable to kill the child before the disaster occurs? My parents sought to kill me out of what they believed to be necessity, but what would they have done if they realized they were being misled by ancient superstitions?
"Nature, on the other hand, is much more simplistic. There is no morality for the monsoon to consider when it wreaks havoc on the land, or the wolf who stalks its injured prey. They each perform the role the universe assigned them, and rarely deviate from that chosen course. Humans have spent their entire existence questioning nature, defying it, all to some intangible end. But nature exists as an order unto itself, and there is an unparalleled beauty in that."
Aurelia raised her arm towards the stars above. She cupped her hand, as if to hold its majesty in her palm.
"Glyphs may house the knowledge of creation, but anyone can see divine blueprints in the patterns of nature," she said. "There are fractals all around us. In the clouds, in lightning, in the leaves of plants, even our own blood vessels follow the rules of that same structure. There are patterns in the symmetry of biological form. In the Fibonacci spiral a nautilus creates without any trace of higher thought. The night sky contains an array of stars, formations far beyond humanity's reach, and even that natural construct is recreated on this infinitesimally smaller scale by the larva of insects who have never left the confines of this cave.
"Humans cannot destroy this; the order of a universe. One that will survive long after they're gone. I've always taken comfort in this fact. No matter what horrors humanity may commit or the ugliness I see, nature will always prevail. And it follows a script that makes no judgments."
Silence fell between them as they stared up at the stars in tandem. A universe unto itself. One without any shred of Chaos.
"I accept your terms," Aurelia said at last.
Shanoa looked at her companion and moved closer until they were sitting side by side. Almost touching, but not quite.
"I know."