NOVEL NEXT CH 64 - Epilogue 1
The Church
Break of Autumn, Week 3, Day 7
A shock resounded through the church, accompanied by an uncharacteristic boom, and the door to the prayer room holding Eunora Dawn, Margery Perry, and Oberon Rellar burst open. Every Knight of the Dusk was in the church, rushing to see their Captain and their ward. Only when George Limrick and Neil Lighton arrived to the room, they couldn’t see.
There were tendrils of darkness blocking their way.
“Lady Nora!” Sir Limrick shouted, accompanied by Sir Neil, shouting his own, “Captain!”
All at once, the darkness rescinded, dispersing into the dull gray of a mundane shadow.
That was when the wreckage became clear. An unmoving Oberon and a blood-misted Nora. Nora, whose hands were gripping herself. Oberon, whose body was lying in a pool of blood. Sir Limrick and Sir Neil shoved past a frozen Lady Perry, her shock having overcome her and leaving her pressing her side to the doorframe in an effort to remain standing.
“Lady Nora,” Sir Limrick kneeled before the girl, her hair no longer moving, her shadows lifeless around her, her eyes red and full of unshed tears, “Lady Nora, we’re here.”
“It’s my fault,” she said, her voice hoarse. When her blue eyes met Sir Limrick’s, the tears finally fell. “I did this.”
“You did,” Lady Perry said in response, causing Sir Limrick to turn to face her with narrowed eyes. “But the blame also lies on his own shoulders. Uttering anything but the flat-out truth to a Goddess.”
It was at that moment the head priest and the rest of Perry’s clergy arrived. Their eyes glowing white.
“Sir Knight, stand back.” His voice was anything but kind. It was power personified, “A Goddess has descended, and it seems there are questions to be asked and answered by your Lady.”
“Who are you to–” Sir Neil growled, his arm protectively wrapping around Nora when Sir Limrick interrupted.
“You will get your answers, Priest.” He said, “But it will be later, once our Lady has had time to recover. Her ability to still stand proves that her Divinity has not been Corrupted. But whatever transpired here was a tragedy no child should witness.”
When the head priest’s eyes met Sir Limrick’s, a beam of light shot out, causing Sir Limrick to recoil.
“No. Your Lady has hidden herself from the church, I can see it. It may have been her Divinity that summoned the Goddess of Truth, but she has turned away from Yllium, Our Lady of Faith. I require answers, and I require them now.”
Sir Neil put his free hand on the pommel of his sword, but Sir Limrick simply shook his head.
“All I request is that you treat her with care, Priest. She is still young.”
“I will not be unduly harsh,” the priest nodded sharply, “Now, Lady Dawn, come with me.”
Nora’s eyes were dull when Sir Limrick turned around to reassure her. But they were not scared. And it almost seemed as if she had a sad smile gracing her face through the tears that were never ceasing.
“I will be fine, Sir Limrick. I have learned the best path is often the path that is most difficult to walk.” She pulled away from Sir Neil and stepped towards the high priest, “Besides, it’s not wrong to blame me for this devastation.”
Sir Limrick frowned, She has always spoken formally, but never quite this intensely.
“Let’s go, I will tell you what happened. No lies, no deceptions, no half-truths.” She said, her eyes meeting the glowing white of the high priest.
And then they were off, disappearing down the hall and leaving Lady Perry alone with the two Knights of the Dusk.
“She’s a scary one,” Lady Perry said, gazing after Nora, “She tried to fight off Abelia.”
Sir Neil stood upright, looking down at the body of his Captain. “Didn’t work, though.”
“No,” Lady Perry snorted, “It didn’t.”