Chapter6: Hearts are Distant

The clanging of the cage bars echoed through the dungeon and woke up Ranulf. He slowly opened his eyes, his entire body tired from the unceasing tugging on the chains he did last night.

He tried to brake free of the chains again but to no avail. He had no strength left, no energy to think. All he could think about was Sigmund had said "She will be burned at the stake tomorrow"

"Oy Priest!" the dungeon guard's hollers interrupted Ranulf's thoughts

"What?"

"I've got orders to bring ye to the arch bishop. Ye better behave or else I'd be forced to use this ere stunner on ye. We both don't want that do we?"

The guard started to unshackle Ranulf from the chains "Remember, I don't want to be using this stunner"

"That funny cause for some reason...I do"

Ranulf kicked the guard in the groin and grabbed the stunner

"Yer not going to get very far" the guard placed a whistle in his mouth then blew; sending a shrill sound through the dungeon

WAPAK!!!

Ranulf smashed the stunner on the guard's head and rendered him unconscious. He ran through the dungeon corridors searching for the exit.

"Hey I heard something up ahead!" shouted another guard

"Kill the fires the other torches He'll have a heck of a hard time searching in

The dark" said another one

A guard pulled down a lever, which extinguished al the torches the ones that they were holding exempted

Ranulf hid himself in the shadows as three guards passed the corridor intersection. When he was sure the coast was clear he jumped out. Everything was pitch black Ranulf closed his eyes then whispered "Ruwach" When he opened his eyes again and his vision became black and white, he could see everything perfectly aside from that fact it was monochrome. He swept through the dungeon without any hassle.

He reached the exit and whispered "Ruwach Finite" His vision returned too normal. And he slowly crept out the dungeon. A guard was standing guard singing an O to familiar song to himself.

I've been working down the railroad, all the livelong days

I've been working down the railroad, just to past the time away

Can't you hear the whistle blowing, wake up so early in the morn?

Can't you hear the captain shouting, Dino blow your ho...

The guard's song was cut short by yet another hit with a stunner. He fell on the floor as well and Ranulf browsed through the files on the table

"Where is it? Where is it?" he started to throw all the useless information off the table "There! Katie is held in the sanctuary and is to be executed at noon. I must act quickly."

Ranulf ran towards the sanctuary entrance where two acolytes were putting up a "Restricted Entrance" sign. Ranulf stopped in front of them

"I'm sorry father know one is allowed inside today" said the violet-haired female acolyte

"Get out of my way!"

"Hey! Didn't you hear what she said" shouted a green-haired male acolyte who grabbed Ranulf's arm

WAPPAK!!!

Ranulf slammed the stunner on the acolyte then continued to look for Katie

"KATIE!... KATIE!... KATIE! Katie where are you? Ranulf broke down all the doors looking for Katie until he finally reached the convent.

Katie was lying on the floor motionless her body covered with bruise marks and bumps.

"KATIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ranulf flung Katie into his arms "Katie please don't leave me please don't go"

"Ah how sweet the Priest and the B$(#ch has fallen in love" said a sinister voice

"Sigmund..."

"Hello Ranulf, Came to say goodbye?"

"You did this to her didn't you"

"You're not as dim as I thought. Well of course I did and what fun I had playing with her through her cries of help"

"You are going to pay with your life"

"What are you going to do? Bless me to death. Priests aren't allowed to kill"

"I am a Priest no more"

"Holy Sht"

Ranulf laid Katie on the floor and lunged at Sigmund knocking him to the ground

"YOU PATHETIC LITTLE PIECE OF TRASH, YOU DARE LAY YOU'RE GRIMY HANDS ON HER. I'M GOING TO KILL YOU I SWEAR IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO YOU WILLPAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shouted Ranulf delivering numerous, gut wrenching punches at Sigmund"

"Get off of me you maniac" Sigmund pushed Ranulf off of him then ran out the room.

"Running away Sigmund don't talk the talk if you can't walk the walk"

Ranulf stood up, grabbed the stunner and chased after Sigmund. The two ran around the sanctuary Sigmund running away like a scared little pup and Ranulf pursuing him. Sigmund ran outside the sanctuary and started to squeal at the guards.

"Help! Help! He's going to kill me. He's insane Help!" he squealed in a babyish manner this time not mocking.

The guards heard Sigmund's squeal and came to his aid. Ranulf jumped at Sigmund again and started battering him with the stunner while Sigmund desperately tried to crawl away. A gigantic ax slammed o Ranulf's face then put near his neck

"We don't want any trouble here in Prontera ye hear," said the guard

"What's going on here?" shouted the Arch Bishop rushing out the cathedral.

Sigmund stood up, swept the dust off his robes then spoke in his goody-goody voice "Arch bishop this cretin escaped from his cell and attacked me. He is truly a maniac I'm lucky to be alive"

"I'm glad you are fine my son. As for you Ranulf you shall watch as you're lover will be incinerated with flames and if everything goes as planned it will force your temptation out of your soul."

"Please Arch Bishop haven't we suffered enough? Let us go let us be"

"I WILL NOT HAVE ANY GEFFENESE FAT-HEAD BE BETTER THAN ME! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

The sun started to set on the west side of Prontera

"Oh look Arch Bishop the sun is setting," said Sigmund

"Well, yes it is. Bring out the Payonese snake it is time for her judgment"

The guards brought Katie out then tied to a wooden post surrounded by dried branches.

"This woman has committed the vile act of lust against one of our Church's Priests. Will there be none of you here today that judge her as innocent and believes that she should be let free?" spoke the Arch Bishop

"I do!" shouted Ranulf "I was the one who loved her out of my own free will. Let us go relinquish my priest hood if you must just let us go"

"You see what curse she has put upon this innocent soul. He no longer sees the world, as it is only his appetite for flesh is left."

The executioner brought forth the torch

"NO PLEASE DON'T! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE IT!"

Monomer grabbed the torch from the executioner then raised it over his head.

"You still have a choice today my dear." He whispered to Katie "I will release you if you will be my slave, bring me my food, wash my hands, and at night..."

"I'd rather die than serve a miserable old toad than you!"

"Then death it is" Monomer through the torch on the dried branches it quickly ignited and spread through the whole wooden stake. Katie screamed as the flames burned through her skin as if she was sent to hell. Slowly, painfully she called out the name of the one she loved.

"Ranulf! Ranulf! Ranulf Help me!"

"Katie! I'm coming hang on"

Ranulf desperately tried to get loose from the guard's grips. But he was held too much that even the strongest of knights couldn't release themselves from it.

The fires grew stronger and Katie lost consciousness from the pain and the smoke.

"KATIE! NOOOOOOO!"

Ranulf gathered all his strength and power then pushed back all the guards. He jumped in the flames and grabbed Katie. The flames burned half of his face but he didn't care all that mattered was for him to save Katie. He knelt on the floor and hugged Katie.

"Please don't leave me. I cant live without you please don't go...don't go"

He held her near his chest and felt her heart beat slower and slower until it stopped.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

It seemed that the earth felt Ranulf's sorrow since the sky blackened and rain fell drenching the flames.

"Let this be a lesson to you Ranulf," said Monomer with a swish of his robes he went back to the cathedral accompanied by Sigmund.

"Get back in there!" shouted the guard while he threw Ranulf into a cell.

Ranulf rolled into the cell then crawled to the corner he gripped his hair, half of his face was burned, his eyes were blood shot. He stared at the floor blankly and made no movement.

"I loved her. Why did they have to kill her?" he said in a monotonous manner. He was hanging unto his sanity only by a thread. He fell flat on his back and stared up the ceiling Katie's face started to form in his imagination.

"Katie...They killed Katie so now they should be killed as well" at that all was erased from his memory aside from Katie and his thirst from revenge

"I will kill them all...he...all of them all of them..."