Repentance

Following

In the world of Project FrostWorld

Visit Project FrostWorld
Completed 1675 Words

Chapter 106

1301 0 0

Reaching their destination, the distressed mother of Seth had carried him throughout this whole trip inside a dense forest as her own dried eyes were on the verge of watering once more when she saw his deceased body being wrapped entirely in a white blanket. "Just a few more moments, my angel," she soothed in comfort, holding all her grief in as best she could.

Behind her were Solomon and the rest, who followed her out of respect for her wishes. Each one of them never spoke a single word when they all agreed to accompany the grieving woman, as it became obvious that she's too weak to do this alone. "We're almost there, Lady Muriel," Gus commented gently, assuring her that they'll reach this location soon.

Without responding, she only nodded once to acknowledge that they'd been heard and continued on in silence, not bothering to respond verbally lest she start sobbing in front of them, for it is difficult for a mother to carry her own dead son.

Through this dense and serene forest this morning, the travelers braved their way through the thick trees and bushes as they all tried their best to keep up with the distraught mother that is seemingly leading them to somewhere they don't know.

Solomon, the lone boy who used to carry a sword, trudged on with his eyes glued to the ground, afraid of what he might see in front of him. This morning marked another tragedy that happened to everyone involved who knew Seth in all their hearts.

To describe the holy man as merely a good person was only scratching the surface of how many people he helped; countless lives were either saved, spared, or blessed in one way or another by the compassionate young man who took pity for all and treated others kindly no matter who they were or where they came from.

Without his father figure, he felt his whole world crash down onto him, knowing very well that he'll never be able to look into the eyes of Seth and tell him that he loves him like what a real son should do with their father. "I don't want to believe that you're dead," the boy murmured quietly under his breath.

Gus and his Solana walked alongside the little magician, their faces consumed by one big event that had completely changed how they perceive the world around them, especially how they view religions in particular.

While Nicodemus, Philip, and John prayed quietly in respect to the Son of God, the general took the chance of asking Cyan about the new religious movement: "He's the founder of Christianity, isn't he?" She questioned the young girl, seeking clarity on what she heard about Seth.

Nodding in confirmation, Cyan, being a religious herself, responded back with her own question, "He is," stating the obvious, "although this movement he created had made me wonder if there is a difference between following God or Gods rather." The mage tilted her head curiously when she stated that last part.

The raise of the brow came from Gus. "Why say that?" He inquired, wondering if it has something to do with how much influence religion plays on their world's social structure: "Is it because you found it hard to believe in being? Don't you worship a god?" Pointing out the magician's contradicting point.

Shaking her head, "no, that is not what I meant," sighing exhaustively, she tilted her pointy hat before lifting her own eyes to the blue sky above. "Its about worshiping one supreme God who proclaimed in being absolute with his creation," the girl clarified while Gus raised an eyebrow, showing he doesn't quite follow along with this discussion.

"So what's so special about? I already heard about that many times," the veteran warrior grumbled in slight annoyance, clearly disinterested in the subject but decided to listen anyways. "Are you telling me there's something else that makes you think  differently?

Nodding, she lowered her head and said, "Monotheism," which was her simple answer. The expression on his face showed Gus and Solana having no clue whatsoever of what she meant, which prompted the magician to explain it further: "In their own words, it is belief that God is the only deity across all of creation and that no one exists but Him. There's nothing else except for this singular existence called the All Mighty Father. Thus, making everything in His domain be united into one truth, which is His authority over everything else," elaborating briefly.

Gus squinted his eyes in confusion. "I don't get it," he said, scratching the back of his own head dumbfounded. "Sorry about my lack of understanding, kid, but this religion stuff is too complicated for a soldier like me. Besides, I was never taught things like this and prefer being on the battlefield instead," the grizzled warrior apologized sheepishly.

The little girl rolled her eyes while General Solana let out a small giggle. "We aren't much of scholars, Cyan," she said, smiling gently in agreement. "We were warriors, not thinkers," she added as well, expressing that they had little to no understanding of religions compared to most people.

"Ugh, that explains a lot."

As they chatted among themselves, the morning was a bright and sunny day in the midst of summer, with the sun hanging high in the sky and the wind blowing softly through the leaves. The air was warm and pleasant, and the sounds of birds chirping in the distance filled their ears as they walked.

The nice smell of fresh grass and pine wafted through their noses, telling them they were near their destination and forcing them to press forward. In addition, the rich colors of the foliage around them blended perfectly with the vibrancy of the wildflowers that dotted this place, creating a truly beautiful scenery.

When the group traveled deeper, they spotted deer and other animals hiding in the brush, indicating how secluded it was, as if this area itself were untouched by humans. Among these creatures, butterflies flutter about, dancing in the sunlight and flying through the air with colorful wings flapping gracefully.

After a short while of walking, they finally made it: a large pond with a wooden stand near a tree with its base embedded in dirt, its roots digging into the soil as branches grew and stretched out from its sides. It was a peaceful sight as ducks and geese swam along the shallow waters.

But their attention immediately turned to the still, unmoving body of Seth, who was being carried by his mother as she continued to walk forward, much to everyone's puzzlement: "Muriel? Where are you going?" Solomon called out in curiosity, causing her to stop abruptly.

Without saying a single word, she lowered herself as she carefully placed her dead son onto the ground near the pond's shore. "I think this is the best place for him; wouldn't you agree?" She replied solemnly while Gus' and others jaws dropped in astonishment.

"Best place?!" Gus shouted in shock, "We should be giving him a better burial than this!" He retorted, unable to understand why she'd pick such a spot for his body to be laid. "This isn't the right place to put him!" The tall man continued on with this insanity.

However, she insisted: "My little Seth wanted to be here," placing her hand on her own heart. "He believes that flowers will bloom faster when there is water nearby," she explained, reminiscing back on how much he had used to admire the little things of life. "What a silly boy he was..."

John the Baptist watched her in silence like everyone else until he opened his mouth. "If the Lord wills it, it shall be," he muttered, causing the others to be conflicted on this decision. On one hand, they have clearly forgotten to bring a shovel with them.

On the other hand, it is not impossible to use their hands and dig the soft dirt like some rapid dog. "I will do it for you," Cyan suddenly announced before approaching, looking behind this woman's back. "I know a spell that will create a funeral using the waters," she said, glancing at the large pond on their side.

Straightening herself up, Muriel stood and turned around with tears now falling from her reddened eyes, "Please...do it for him," pleading desperately to have her son given a decent resting place in hopes of giving her peace of mind while facing away from them.

With a nod, she concentrated and moved closer to the waters, bringing her knees onto the soft dirt before grabbing a pile of water with her hands together, raising it closer to her face. "An herdtik samil ali kak ile sad. Te canil iler name manyl kinal." As she said these magic words, Cyan allowed her hands to drop the collected liquid back to its source as they waited for the spell to take effect.

Within a few seconds, the pond's water began to ripple violently as if a sudden storm had brewed, twisting and churning itself while bubbles started to form at the center of this odd phenomenon. From these bubbles, a giant cloud of mist spouted from its center, hovering over the pond, was a coffin of pure water surrounded by manifesting constructs.

Pillars and a roof were made, forming a miniature replica of a chapel with its archways and windows. Even the pews are constructed using this ability, leaving anyone who witnessed this spell to be impressed by this magical display.

Slowly, the manifested chapel descended onto the rippling pond, sending more waves outward while the coffin landed on the ground softly as it sat. Without being told, Gus and the others stepped forward, each of them carrying surprised looks on their faces.

Muriel then tearfully smiled of seeing this kind act, "I thank you, child," beaming with happiness and relief upon her lips, After which, the chapel's double doors slowly swung open, signaling everyone to prepare themselves in settling his dead body.

Continue reading next part
Login & give some love!
Please Login in order to comment!

Find your way!

Resources

WHO WE ARE

LEGAL

Get the news

Listen to our Podcast

Our Allies

Dungeon Fog
Gold Ennie 2019 for Best Digital Aid
by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.043 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 04:55, Dec 25 2024