Birth of the Key

CH. 8 The Cleansing Flame

Day of the healer's trial Her last words echo in my head as the flames continue to burn. Medicus's screams blend in with the cheers of the crowd that have become thirsty for her blood, I grasp my belly tightly as if to protect it from the outside world. Nothing shall harm this baby, he's all that I have left. I can feel the heat of the flames, they seem to burn my skin as if I'm the one on the pyre, but I know its all in my head. Laughter begins to break out from the top of the platform as High Priest Jael watches the flame with amusement, as if feeling my stare he turns in my direction as if sensing me. His eyes are blacker then the night sky that has become illuminated by fire. His mouth becomes a crooked smile as he begins to speak, "Are you enjoying the show my dear?" his words can be heard through the distance. The child inside me kicks in response. "Why would you do this? She has done nothing wrong!" I scream over the crowd that becomes suddenly silent. "Because I can, the coming birth of the key must be celebrated with the death of an innocent and I couldn't think of a better one then her, think of it as a gift for your baby", he pauses as the grin shows his teeth, "did you hear her scream? It brought a tingle to my spine and the smell of her flesh burning makes my mouth water", he begins to laugh harder as the tears run down my face and I begin to shake. The baby continues kicking. All the other villagers are still as the flames die suddenly. A woman appears suddenly on the platform as if stepping out of the nights shadow, she wears a black cloak that hides her from the world. In unison the silent crowd turns towards me, their soulless eyes bleed black as a dark phlegm pours from their mouths. The guards that are present stand like statues unchanged by the events. I begin to feel faint as the baby inside stops moving. Water begins to pour down my legs. I think to myself as a sudden shift in my stomach can be felt please let this be another nightmare. My legs give out suddenly as I fall on my side. High priest Jael's face loses all amusement the woman commands the crowd, "Get the boy!". The crowd is on me in seconds as they follow orders, they begin to pull at me as I scream laying on the ground. They tear the clothes I wear trying to get to the skin. Their claw like hands tear into flesh as they search for the baby hidden within me. I cry for help knowing there is no one left that would. I can feel the blood slowly begin to poor as I become colder. Everything becomes hopeless and my eyes begin to close. BANG! The sound of a small explosion rings out from the entrance of the courtyard. The cloaked woman is propelled from the platform. The crowd begins to pull away in horror as the darkness fades from their eyes. The cloaked woman begins to rise from the ground, a hole appears in her right shoulder where she was hit by the weapon the silver haired woman fired. The cloaked woman's hold on the villagers becomes present once more as they begin to convulse losing control of their bodies as the black phlegm begins seeping from their eyes and mouths. Under control, they begin to close the gap they had created in their panic when faced with reality. My eyes become harder to hold open as numbness begins creeping through my body. I catch glimpses of a man and a woman that suddenly appear and close the gap; they begin fighting off the crowd as the guards continue to watch, held back by either fear or an unknown command. The woman seems to steadily takes aim and continues to fire what looks like a small cannon in her hand, this silver haired woman reloads and fires again, the villagers drop, but continue to lurch forward. The man stands back seeming to be scared, but something changes when he sees the woman about to be swarmed by the crowd. The man holds something in his hand that emanates a purple glow, he kneels down and presses it into the ground, he begins to whisper to himself as the ground suddenly starts to shake. The ground cracks and begins to open beneath the crowd. The shockwaves cause the platform to crumble, the expression of anger is ever present across High priest Jael's face as he falls with the platform. Villagers begin to fall into the crater that has been created. The man holding the purple gem begins to yell as dark vines begin to grow from whatever is in his hands, slowly creeping up his arm leaving open scars in their wake. I can hear myself breathing slower then faster. I can no longer feel the pain, shivering I begin to close my eyes as a man in a golden mask kneels before me. The man radiates a heat that begins to burn. My eyes close. I begin to shake as I draw in air and exhale. The cold makes every breath visible. This place seems to be an endless void of shining stars and emptiness. I look down to see im standing on air as if im in the sky itself way past the clouds and the lights at night. Specks of what could be other worlds are lost in this void like me. Im able to move even though my feet find no ground, I begin to walk aimlessly. The pain is gone, but as I go to wrap my arms around my stomach a pain in my chest returns. My stomach lays flat, the swollen belly that once carried my child is gone. Movement in the abyss can be felt, something rest in the distance. I feel to scared to move, but I find a way to will myself forward. I can feel a steady thump in my chest as I continue towards the movement, then I hear it the sound of a new born crying. The thumping in my chest continues faster. From the nonexistent surface a baby lays floating, crying. The connection can be felt, those are my baby's cries. I hurry to my baby and scoop him up with care. Instantly the crying stops as I look into my baby's eyes for the first time, his eyes are color of the night sky, a blue so dark. He reaches towards me and grabs my finger. Tears are rolling down my face as I begin to feel joy again. I think to myself that I should be worrying what is going on and what this place is, but not of it matters. I hold the baby close, he feels neither warm nor cold, he is the perfect balance of both. An apparition of a giant being unknown to the world I know, but one that could possibly rule the sky appears in front of me without warning. It stand before me six slits for eyes on each side of its head, its mouth seems nonexistent, but it begins to speak, "bearer of the key, retire this life you possess. The key belongs to us." Each side of the creature seems to be made up of a different entity, one side seems to be a shadow, a coldness seeping from its presence and the other seems to be of the sun, the sensation of burning lingers. I hold my baby tighter, this creature will not take him away, "No! The boy is mine, I am his mother and you can not have him!" The creatures face shows disappointment as it stretches out its four arms, "We shall take it then vessel, the war has already begun." I am frozen in place and cannot move, even if I could there is nowhere to run here. The giant's arms inching closer, I can feel the fire and the cold blistering and freezing my body at once. I am in the creature's grasp as it closes in. Out of nowhere a light appears from behind me, a tear in this world becomes present as the comforting warmth enters. Hands appear from the tear making their way past me, they grab the baby before the entity does. Torn from my hands the baby is pulled into the great warmth and into the tear, disappearing from this place. The entity becomes enraged and lets out a great shriek as it fades away. My eyes are locked onto my empty hands. I can't believe this, everything has been taken from me. I am all alone in this place, nothing is left. I begin to sob. I fold in on myself as the cold and I become one. I can feel eyes watching from the stars that surround, a voice begins calling my name. I am not alone here. The voice comes from an unknown origin, "My poor child, look at you used and discarded. Stripped of the only thing that you held dear." The words sink in, "No! Stop! Please, I have nothing left! Just let me be, I can't do this anymore!" I cry as the words get caught in between my shortness of breath. I'm done, there is no point. Medicus is gone. My baby boy is gone. The voice continues as if from a serpent, the words are sharp and slither into my skull, "No poor child, your baby still remains, he lives and I know how you can help him. I know how to bring you back, to be the mother you are meant to be. That creature that has torn itself in two, seeks to use your baby for its own purpose. To play apart in its petty war. I don't have time for the games of one creature's wants. I have motives of my own, if you help me then I will give you back what you have lost." My baby, I can see my baby. It's the only thing I want. The serpent questions, "what do you say my child, are you interested?" Without hesitation I reply, "Yes".