Father John led Isic to the kitchen where Marenna was, the cook. She was preparing dinner and waved at us with a big smile.
"Hello, ma'am." Isic said. She was a mature older woman. But still pretty.
"She's mute," Father John said. "Have a seat, we'll talk here. It's not like she'll go out and repeat what we say." Father John and Marenna laughed. "Think of this as a confessional with food." He picked food off of a plate and she swatted his hand away. "Talk to me. You've grown over these past couple of days, that you out there wasn't there, not the usual you."
"I want to succeed and be happy. Most of them believe I'll be the first to die when we get out there. I want to go back and see Felonia. I love her. I can't fail."
"Success is not final, and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts, and you have a lot of courage, Isic. A lot, more than I see in some of them out there." Marenna nodded as she walked past. "You're gonna have to get down and little dirty to get her. They say smooth seas never made a skilled sailor. When we're done here you're gonna go back out there and continue training, Yeven played to your anger, others might do it again. Don't get burned by the same flame twice. Think about your attacks and were to strike. Patience is power. Work while they sleep, learn while they party, and you'll live how they dream. I can see you becoming that person who they throw to the wolves but you come back leading the pack."
"Father, you don't even know me. My life I had before all of this happened. I was different. Before my parents died. Something changed in me where I became so dark, because that is what the world is. The world is so dark. And I believe the only way to fight darkness is with darkness."
"Fighting fire is fire cause more fire."
"But one fire takes over and consumes the other. The bigger fire, consumes the little one."
"Then the fire continues making it bigger and bigger causing more damage. If you just put water on it. then it's all over. And your happiness is gone. Darkness versus darkness, where is your happiness?"
"Dark is the way I'm going, Father."
"Happiness can be found even in the darkest times, if one remembers to turn on the light."
"Marenna, cheese please." In her cauldron she made cheese appear and cut a slice and handed it to Isic. Father John began to make the room spin and all the light went out. He stood up and touched Isic's forehead, he froze and couldn't move at all. "As faith as my sword, truth as my shield, and knowledge as my armor. Isic, behold my blessing." Wings shot out from Father John's back. "Accept it, and know In the darkest hour, when the demons come, call on me brother, for I am Gabriel, call on me and we will fight them together."
The room ceased to spin and Isic fell to the floor passing out.
Isic woke up in his room to a burning sensation on his chest. He ripped open his shirt and a white cross was being burned in his chest. He shot up in pain and screamed a little until it went away. His body had changed. He was muscular and lean like Yeven but felt stronger, faster, and better. He questioned it and went to look for Father John. He went to the training field and saw the others in their gear.
"Glad you made it, Isic. We were about to go. Father John said you hit your head and we brought you to your bed. We got word that the Flux river turned to blood. The signs of the apocalypse are happening sooner than we thought, and we have to go now!" said Hreg.
"If you wouldn't have woken up, we wouldn't have taken you." said Yeven.
"Where's Father John?" Isic asked.
"He stepped out, we'll see him when he gets back. Get dressed, we'll wait, but hurry. We'll have to travel to the portal."
Isic ran in to put his armor on then came back out. All five of them were ready. The time has come
End Part 1.
