Alexandra
48th Day of Spring, 997th Year of Grace
"Forgive me, Lord... for I must sin," I muttered. "I must save my children."
The Inquisitors banged at the door while Amantha kept praying to the Lord.
I had set up a wind barrier around the house that amplified the sound of footsteps of any who belonged to the Church when they approached.
At first, I expected the Law to deny my request outright because I wished to wield sorcery against the Lord's chosen ones, but the Law accepted my plea without any reluctance.
It only further proved that our Lord wasn't entirely on the Church's side.
I had spent most of my life as a mercenary, roaming the provinces of Arcanis without a proper destination or home.
While spending my days in Belmire, I came across Amantha and I knew at first sight that she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
I joined the True Faithful for her sake and quit working as a mercenary, instead taking on the mantle of a physician.
I came back to Orrinwick--my hometown--later on. It was a small town in the central parts of the southern province, with farms and fishing being the major pillars of its economy.
With the birth of my twins, I thought myself to be the happiest man alive.
I might have been a bit hard on my son but I still loved them both.
The sound of the front door bursting open brought me back to my senses and I discovered four figures standing in the foyer, covered in dark cloaks.
"Darwin Vale," the figure at the front said, his voice deep. "You are charged with the crimson of heresy for acting against the will of our Lord and shall be punished accordingly. Do not resist."
"I'm sorry," I turned to Amantha and she squeezed my hand, not pausing her prayers for even a second.
The Inquisitors began approaching with steady steps and Amantha's grip tightened.
"Forgive me, Lord," I said again. "I must submit to evil. There is no other way."
I had encountered many Witches in my days as a mercenary. And I even beheld the sight of an ordinary man transforming into one.
Through some research, I discovered that if one gave in to the Chaos within them, their natural prowess would skyrocket to at least double their original power.
And someone like me would achieve the prowess and strength of an Archbishop. So I considered it a last resort.
However, those tainted by the will of the Primordial Mother were bound to lose their sanity. So, once I became a Witch, death was a certainty.
But it was a situation that demanded me to offer up my life in return for the safety of my children.
So I released my hold on the Chaos deep within me, letting it surge and act wild.
But madness didn't consume me. There was only silence in my head instead of the ravings I expected.
"So you are a Witch too," another Inquisitor snorted. "It was wise of us to set up a Chaos Suppression Barrier around the house."
"W-What--"
A punch crashed into my jaw and I fell to my knee.
"Do not resist," the first one repeated.
One of the Inquisitors grabbed Amantha's arm and dragged her away while she screamed, another drawing up a Chaos Suppression charm for me.
I realized I had failed.
I had failed as a father. I failed as a husband and I couldn't even exit this life as a martyr.
As I was dragged toward the front door like my wife, I turned and saw a mirror sitting atop the nighttable in our room through the slightly ajar door.
And in the reflection... I saw Pa staring back at me.
No... I was Pa.
The world shattered before I could panic.
***
I found myself in the central square of Orrinwick, a crowd gathered around the scaffolds used for public executions.
The sun shone bright overhead but there no warmth in the light and no sweat on my skin. The wind swept past me several times but it gave no respite.
I didn't know why but I moved toward the scaffold, pushing and shoving through the mass of bodies, and when I emerged from the swarm of humans, I discovered my parents on top of the scaffold.
I saw them in shackles, Ma being dragged toward the center where a noose awaited her.
I tried to scream but my mouth had been glued shut somehow and only muffled sobs escaped my lips. I tried to run to my parents but the ground held my feet, refusing to let go.
Ma wept and prayed to the Lord for mercy while she was brought to the noose and the hangman put a black cloth over her head.
It ended with one swift motion after which, all that was left of my mother was a limp body with its neck tilted to a wrong angle.
I tasted bile in my mouth, struggling hard to look away or turn my body away but I couldn't. It was as if some invisible force held me in place.
Next was Pa.
Unlike Ma, his life didn't end when he fell through the floor with the noose around his throat.
The sudden force couldn't snap his neck and so he thrased and swung his legs while the rope slowly strangled him to death.
Nausea hit me like a hammer as I was forced to watch the horror in front of me--the sight digging into my mind with the likeness of sharp claws.
My heart throbbed within my chest and tears trickled down my cheeks.
I realized someone ascended the stairs of the scaffold and approached what remained of my parents on the floor where they were put after being purified by the priests.
The figure was dressed in a white robe and barefooted, clasping its hands together in front of the corpses as if praying.
When he turned to me, I recognized his ashen hair and gold eyes.
"They died for your sake," he said, his voice heavy. "Why did you not save them?"
I tried to speak.
I wanted to explain how powerless I was, how desperate they were to save me and my brother. I wanted to tell the man in front of me how I regretted every day of my life ever since I abandoned my parents, no, ever since I offered them up to the Church like sacrificial lambs on a silver platter.
But my voice was caught at the back of my throat and no matter how hard I squeezed my vocal cords, no sound escaped past my parched lips.
"Accept my offer. Become one with me," he said. "Otherwise, more will die for your sake, A--"
I fell through the earth before he could finish his words.
Adam
48th Day of Spring, 997th Year of Grace
The sound of Alex gasping woke me up and I jumped to my feet immediately to figure out what had happened.
"What's wrong?" I patted her on the back and found her nightdress drenched in sweat.
She opened her mouth but no words came out. Meanwhile, her whole being shook and tears flowed from her eyes.
At last, she managed to stammer out, "I-I don't know w-what happened..."
"It's okay," I said, pulling her into my arms . "It must have been some nightmare."
She nuzzled against my chest, sobbing, while I stroked her head.
Alex wept for a long while, unable to form any other words or stop the tremors. I just held her in silence.
When the tremors eased and the whimpering was gone, I pulled away.
"Are you okay now?" I asked and she nodded in response, sniffling. "Do you think you can sleep now?"
She nodded again and I smiled at her, planting a kiss on her forehead.
But when I turned to return to the floor, she grabbed my wrist and I turned to face her again.
"P-Please... don't go," she whispered.
"Okay," I said softly and climbed onto the narrow bed.
When I lied down beside her, she curled into me--her arms around my abdomen and her head on my chest. I embraced her snugly.
Her body was warm and her skin soft. I could still smell the shampoo she had used in her bath before bedtime.
I waited until the rise and fall of her chest had become rhythmic before I drifted into sleep too.
Connin
48th Day of Spring, 997th Year of Grace
I stood in a field of crimson flowers I had never seen before. Above me, the stars wept light.
A girl--no, a woman--stood in the clearing in front of me, her raven-black hair cascading down her back and skin almost pale but tinged with warmth as if kissed by candlelight.
When she turned, I saw dark brown eyes--full of longing and grief--and her face was the prettiest I had seen in my whole life.
The woman looked at me but also through me as if I did not even exist in her world.
Her sorrow-filled frown tugged at my heartstrings and when she fell to her knees--roaring as if in pain--I felt a chill run down my spine.
Her slender hands covered her mesmerizing face as the wind howled around her. I watched her hair lengthen until they almost touched the ground and turn silver-white--strand by strand--until her hair shone like the full moon above our heads.
Scarlet tears streaked down her cheeks like the blood running in my veins. Her skin lost its warmth, turning the colour of unburied death.
As she wept, the world caught fire around us. The grass, the flowers, everything burned.
Yet no flame touched her or me.
The hot air rose, displaced by a sudden gust which carried the flames farther and farther until I witness mountains jn the distance being engulfed in flames.
I had begun trembling when the Law whispered, "Find... her..."
The world shattered and I found myself on my bed in the dormitory room alloted to me.
My sheets were soaked in sweat, my breathing shallow, and my heart--a caged bird flapping its wings and struggling to be freed.
Adam
49th Day of Spring, 997th Year of Grace
The morning light slipped through the gaps in the wooden shutters and pooled across the plank floor.
It touched the edge of the bed, warming the quilt I found myself and Alex tangled in.
One arm of hers was draped over my chest--her fingers clutching the fabric of my chemise tightly as if afraid I would disappear if she let go--while another was tucked under her cheek. Her breath tickled my neck.
I stayed still for a moment after waking up, watching her peaceful face.
When my eyes were satisfied, I lifted a hand--careful not to wake her up--and brushed a few stray strands away from her face.
Her eyelashes twitched slightly at the touch but she didn't awaken.
I leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her forehead--a habit I couldn't seem to outgrow despite our circumstances.
And I was glad to see it bring a smile to her face.
She released her grip on my chemise and I carefully slipped out of under her arms and the quilt.
I almost swore when the floorboars creaked when my feet touched them. Fortunately, Alex didn't stir.
The cool air sneaking through the gaps in the wooden shutters traced my skin while I stretched the stiffness from my back and neck.
The fragrance of lavender still lingered from the incense I had burned last night to keep the mosquitoes away.
I ran a hand through my hair--a mess of long dark strands falling over my brow--and tied it back as best as I could.
My chemise and trousers needed straightening, my boots needed some lacing, and most of all, I needed a shave--I had a wild stubble troubling me.
I paused once at the doorway and looked back at Alex who lay curled on the mattress before I left the room and descended the spiral stairs.
Piles of clothes strewn about, and some piles of neatly folded clothes, a few scraps scattered on the floor and a bit of dust here and there greeted me when I entered the shop on the bottom level of the building.
I found Mr. Bodkins behind the counter, bent over a coat he was stitching.
His brows were furrowed, his bald head glistening with sweat, and his spectacles had slid to the tip of his nose.
During my stay here, I realized that he only ever wore spectacles when he was working with the needle and thread. I believed his eyesight might've weakened due to advancing age.
"You shouldn't think rude things about others," he said without looking up. "Morning, lad. You sleep well?"
"You asked the same thing yesterday." I took a seat at the counter. "And the day before that. And the one before that too. In fact, you've been asking the same question every morning. My answer won't change no matter how many times you ask me--it's none of your concern. Just know that we weren't bothered much."
"You're one tough nut to crack, huh?" He smirked. "Amantha must have had some cold green tea before she had you. Your tongue is cold and bitter."
My ears perked up at the mention of Ma. "You knew my mother?"
"Of course, I knew. We went to the same Sunday school." He put down the coat and got up from his seat. "Want to have some egg and toast while I tell you about your mother's youth here?"
I hesitated at first but after a moment of thought, I nodded reluctantly. "Thank you."