Symphony of Dawn

Edge of Faith

He lost her. His light. His love. His Faith. But he would get her back. If it was the last thing he did, he swore he would retrieve her. Despite all the bad he had done, Faith had always been there for Gideon. Faith never gave up on him because she believed there was good in him. Gideon could not forsake her now. It was his fault she was taken to Purgatory. If only he had never abandoned her that dreadful day...

The rain poured down on him. Gideon thought it fitting for what he was about to do. He looked up to the sky, arms spread, his raven hair sticking to his forehead.

'Lead me to her,' he whispered. 'Lead me to my Faith.'

Gideon closed his eyes and plunged his dagger into his heart. He did not feel pain. He was completely numb to all around him. As his body fell onto the mud, his soul sank further down the earth. Down and down he went. Falling, tumbling, into the dark abyss below

Gideon's soul, at last, fell to the blood-soaked ground. Monstrous snakes slithered towards him and tried to wrap around his limbs like chains to pin him down, but Gideon managed to rise. He tore the snakes off, and they turned to dust at his feet. Suddenly he heard a voice surging through the woeful cries around him—her voice. Faith was calling out to him. But Gideon could not hear the words.

'Faith! I am here! I will find you!'

'No, you won't.'

Gideon reeled around as he heard a clear male voice behind him. He recognised that voice. A roaring fire came to life, bringing a grisly light into the void. His eyes widened as he saw his twin brother, Gareth, standing before him. The flames danced closer towards Gideon and his brother, surrounding them.

'Gareth... brother, if there is a speck of good in you, you will tell me where Faith is.'

Gideon's dark twin grinned.

'You will not save Faith. Because you are just like me, dear brother.'

The ground beneath Gideon trembled. He drew back in terror when he saw bodies rise from beneath the blood and mud.

'Look at them. Look at their faces. Remember what we did to them? Remember how we killed them?'

Gideon saw the soldiers he and his twin had fought during the war. He saw his first wife, who was flogged to death on the false charge of adultery. His second wife, who died in childbirth with the babe clutched at her breast. And his third wife, who burned in a fire the brothers had started.

And he saw her - his Faith. Her body lay at his twin's feet. Empty eyes stared into nothing. The chalice still lay in her hand, its dark poisoned drink spilling.

Gideon felt something heavy appear in his hand. He looked down, his eyes widening in horror. There, beating an eerie rhythm, was Faith's heart.

'Remember how she gave her heart to you? Foolish girl... she actually thought you, of all people, cared for her. But you never truly loved her, did you? You lied to her. As you did with all the others.'

Faith's heart kept beating faster and faster until it burst open. The blood spilt over Gideon's hand. He fell to his knees, heartbroken at this bitter truth. His twin was right. It was all his fault. He had used Faith to get her family fortune. She was no more than a means to an end. The fourth victim in a scheme he and his brother set up years ago. When he finally realised that his feelings for Faith were more profound than he cared to admit, he ran away. And Faith was left alone with...

'Accept it, brother,' spoke Gareth. 'Accept what you have done. Leave your burdens behind you, and we will both find our place in the Inferno below.'

Faith, give me strength.

He stepped toward Gideon and offered him his hand.

Faith, help me stand.

Gideon reached for his brother.

Faith, free my mind.

The diabolical twin grinned maniacally... and then gave an ear-piercing shriek as Gideon's dagger pierced through his black heart. The weapon Gideon had used to kill himself was no ordinary weapon but a soul-dagger. It had travelled with Gideon to Purgatory, where it could be used to destroy any soul.

'Even the Inferno is too good for you, brother,' hissed Gideon. 'You have taken my Faith, condemning her to this godforsaken place. But I will find her. If it takes me a hundred years before the Devil takes me for my crimes, I will find her!'

The dark twin that bore Gideon's likeness crumbled away into ashes. The fires around them died as he did. Gideon collapsed... only to be held up by a new presence. He dared not open his eyes. A hand gently caressed his face.

Her hand?

'You came for me, my love.'

Her voice?

'You did not forsake me and kept your promise to me.'

A dream...

Warmth surrounded Gideon. It took him in a comforting embrace. A soft kiss on his lips... He opened his eyes and saw her. His Faith. Gideon took her into his arms. And for the first time, he said the words he had never said to anyone before.

Faith redeemed this once troubled soul. The journey was at an end. Now came the time to travel a new path, go through a new open door. Who knows where it leads?