Thick, suffocating smoke swelled into the night sky, covering the stars. Below, a crimson furnace spread across the land devouring everything in its paths, the fire is spread across the land like a flood. Flames eating hungrily at timbers, turning homes into glowing embers, the whole place was like a blacksmith furnace, hot and red.
District 5, a once beautiful medieval settlement was ablaze. But this was not ordinary fire, it moved with purpose, it was something else, something alive, the fire moved with a roaring sound, the sound of hell.
Screams filled the air, women held their children tight, children ran in different directions, fleeing blindly into the chaos, men shouting orders, their voices lost in the roar of the fire.
Somebody help, help us, God please help us. These words echoed continually in the chaos. These are the words of dying women, children and men.
Some ran, some fell, others their bodies swallowed by the hungry flame, the fire devoured them in a matter of seconds leaving nothing but ashes. Horses running in terror, their panicking added to the destruction.
It was like the end of the world.
"Helga! Helga!!"
Beatrix's voice rang above the chaos, with desperation like a child. A Caribbean beauty, her long, fiery red hair cascaded in waves over her shoulders, she ran helplessly towards the fire, her eyes wide with terror.
"Mother!."
The girl's voice answered loudly. Through the smoke, emerged Helga, a reflection of Beatrix, she was about twelve. Her white tunic covered with ash and stained with black smoke. She ran straight into her mother's arm, tears filled her eyes.
She collided with her mother in the middle of the chaos. Her arms wrapped around her and she held her tight.
"Are you alright?", Beatrix asked, inspecting her.
" No, there is fire everywhere and I've been looking for you", Helga replied, panting.
" It's alright I am here now ", Beatrix said softly, brushing the girl's hair and cleaning the ash on her face.
"What is happening Mother?",
Now Beatrix placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, looking into her faintly hazel eyes.
" Helga, I don't know what is going on, but we need to find the others"
Helga nodded her head in agreement, Beatrix hugged her again.
Lost in the quiet moment between them in the middle of the chaos. But a presence appeared behind Beatrix, a shadow, a whisper of something.
"Beatrix"
She turned her head slightly, sensing the figure before she saw her. Sade, a dark-skinned woman stood there, watching with deep, black eyes that held centuries within them. Her presence is commanding yet calm. She was no ordinary human.
The woman's ivory gown cascaded in soft folds to the floor, with long flowing sleeves. She stood like a goddess, ageless, powerful, and knowing. Whether she was Beatrix's contemporary or something far older, it was impossible to tell. But one thing was certain: she had not come without purpose.
"Sade, how did this happen?"
"We are still trying to find out, the fire started from the West gate", Sade's voice carried an African accent, soft yet strong. "We need to leave, the fire is spreading this way."
" Where are the others?", Beatrix asked, with a sharp tone
She didn't seem to care about the news of the fire coming their way.
" We lost a few in the west gate trying to stop the fire, all the survivors are outside the North… Beatrix …", Sade hesitated, her voice began to crack, she didn't wanted Beatrix to know the next news
She continued,
" Beatrix… we couldn't reach Abigail in time, I'm sorry she got caught up in the fire… but the boys are safe." She looked at Beatrix with sad eyes.
After hearing that, Beatrix's expression changed suddenly, the air around them changed, her eyes turned from brown to glowing, ghost void quickly, so deep, so grey, she was completely a different person. Even Sade took a step back.
Beatrix looked at her frightened daughter beside her, she looked frightened before except now because of her mother's transformation.
Beatrix closed her eyes,and in an instant, the air around them became normal. When she opened her eyes, they were brown again. Human again.
" Let's go". Beatrix said softly
Judging from Sade's face, she hasn't seen Beatrix like this in a long time.
Sade placed her hands on Beatrix's shoulder as she held her daughter. Before either could react, a shadow covered them, swallowing all three women in darkness. In an instant, they vanished.
_________
A horse hooves disturbing the silence of the night, echoing against the stone paved street. A man rides through the city like a shadow, his black horse moving with relentless speed.
The rider's loose peasant style shirt flapped in the wind, with black trousers, a sword attached to his brown belt and strapped across his back, a rugged brown bag.
A messenger no doubt.
Ahead of the messenger was the Grand gigantic Cathedral, the tower spire is a huge cross that points to heaven, with a large central window, two towers on each side, a masterpiece, it glowed faintly in the night light.
"Open the door, I bring bad news!" The rider shouted
He dropped from the horse with haste and ran to the cathedral door. He hit the wooden door as if pursued.
"Open the door!"
He hit the door again, but this time harder
"Open the do–"
The massive wooden door swung open from within, revealing two men with their swords unsheathed as they took their stance, ready to defend the Grand Cathedral.
The men had a simple white tunic decorated with a bold red cross. Round the waist, a black belt and their black trousers blending with the shadows at their black warrior boots.
These men are warriors of faith, defenders of the cathedral, they are the cathedral guards. One of the guards addressed the messenger,
"State your business"
"I bring words from district 5. It's urgent."
"Don't you think it is late to come to the house of God and hit the door like a mad man?"
"Well God doesn't sleep they say", the Messenger cracked a smile. "I want to see the Archbishop."
The cathedral guard, who was not enjoying the conversation between the messenger and the other cathedral guard, replied the messenger to end the conversation.
"I am sorry you cannot see the Archbishop now "
" Then tell him Mark of Xec bring news he might like"
The two men exchanged a look in realization, how can they not know Mark the messenger, everybody knew Mark the messenger. From the lineage of Xec, the fastest messenger in history.
" Come in"
The two cathedral guards led Mark through the marble hallway to the sanctuary.
_________
"Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. Amen"
As the praying man rose up from his kneeling position at the altar, the bright likeness of the cathedral sanctuary revealed his face. His gray hair and bald head, covered with red zucchetto. The harsh lines of his face seemed carved from stone, his eyes gleaming as if he lived a lifetime of broken heart, so menacing.
His black priesthood coat, decorated with red stripes. A wooden crucifix necklace hung from a leather rope around his neck, a symbol of unwavering faith. The white collar of his coat adds to the aura of authority surrounding him.
That was Archbishop Salas Augustus, the one and only archbishop, the second highest servant of God, answerable only to the Supreme leader, the Pope. The leader and judge of District 1, he wielded immense power and authority, his very presence seemed to command even non living things.
The wooden door of the sanctuary swung open, the two cathedral guards and the messenger entered the sanctuary, a bright and warm building. The cathedral sanctuary was a sacred haven of peace, lay in all its medieval splendor.
The air inside was thick with the scent of old stones, incense and candle wax. The large candlesticks by the wall gave the sanctuary the ember glow and the reflection of moonlight through the colored glass roof and tinted glass windows, casting patterns on the stone floor that looks unreal.
The sanctuary itself was a masterpiece of gothic architecture, with wall and patterns that seem to defy gravity.
At the heart of the sanctuary, the altar stood as a beacon of reverence, its surface decorated with candlesticks and shiny silverwares. Above it, a crucifix, the figure of Christ carved from wood, which seems to gaze upon everybody with expression of sorrow and compassion.
The sanctuary was truly a work of wonder.
"Well if it isn't Mark of Xec, I wonder what brings you to the house of God tonight"
The archbishop said from the altar without turning
"A terrible one"
The messenger replied as he moved forward towards the archbishop.
" About the fire?"
The archbishop asked while turning to face the man with the rugged brown bag that was approaching him.
How did this old monkey know about the fire? The messenger thought to himself, he stopped approaching the altar in confusion, he was sure that he rode here as fast as he could and there were no other messengers around District 5. Well the old man was always a mystery to him, why should this come as a surprise to him?.
" Maybe if you got yourself a younger horse, you might be able to spread news faster". The Archbishop said as he turned to leave.
"And you think I rode all the way here to tell you about the fire alone?"
The messenger smirked as he had successfully gotten the attention of the menacing looking archbishop before him.
" And what is the other news?" Salas turned, intrigued.
" The fire was summoned and I know who did it, but… of course information like that doesn't come free ."
The sanctuary was quiet like a graveyard, the Archbishop suddenly stopped moving and turned to Mark, glancing at him with interest.
The Archbishop was quiet, he looked Mark in the eyes, he could read the man by looking into his eyes and this man was not bluffing, then the Archbishop broke the silence.
" Is that so?, and why would I believe you?"
" You of all people know that messengers don't give false news, and besides we are in the sanctuary of God, why would I lie to you?"
Messengers are known to be honest individuals for generations, before a person becomes a messenger, he swears an oath not to give false news and if he should break that oath, that person will be beheaded publicly. But Mark is different, he was an honest man that loves money which clearly is hard to believe if he is truthful or not.
Archbishop Salas Augustus turned and look at the guards who were few steps away from the sanctuary door
" Call the council, and tell your General, I want to see him"
Then turned and glanced at Mark
" As to our guest here, see that he gets a place to rest."
The messenger dipped his head down as a form of appreciation to the archbishop, then turned and followed the cathedral guards out of the sanctuary.
The Archbishop watched the three men leave the sanctuary, then turned to a hidden door behind the altar and vanished into the shadows.