Prologue
The world is engulfed by a mist we call shadow.
The mist corrupts the mind, turning men into mindless beasts with incessant love for flesh. And this very desire burned villages, destroyed cities and vanquished forts. Fatherless sons, motherless daughters. In their eyes, they are all nothing but food.
Yet in this trying time, hope remains clear.
High priest Corovan, blessed by our Lord Talmun, holds the leading bastion of humanity, the City of Cenae. His loyalty and faith granted him His power. The ever kind Radiant one raised a pearly wall that surrounded the city, keeping the shadow at bay and granting us, his followers, peace.
However, the Silver Lord whispered in His Radiance’s ear: “this peace is only as fragile as stained glass.”
Under His decree, His Radiance launched a holy war against the shadow to fight back and retake what they have claimed.
My fellow Acolytes and I would bless brave soldiers as they were sent to fight the shadow. And those who were deemed worthy would follow them to the front line and provide purification for the mind. Each of their faces, the soldiers’ and my fellow acolytes’, I shan’t forget. For they were willing to give up their lives for the rest of us – to let us have what they won’t.
It has been five years since His Radiance’s decree. The next coordinated campaign is to retake the city of Gunnir, the first city to fall to shadow’s corruption.
I have faith that the Silver Lord and His Radiance will retake the world we once lived in. The tough time has strengthened people’s faith in our Lord, there has never been a better time to be the Lord’s disciple. And soon, they’ll bite the fruit of their loyalty and persistence.
They shall live in a world without shadow.
It was a peculiar morning – one I will never forget.
I saw my friend, Aradia, at the gate. There was no mistaking it – she was drafted for the next campaign.
At the launch of the decree, us Acolytes were sought after. Our sanctity and blessing would turn anyone resistant to the shadow’s corruption for a time. To smugglers and, dare I say heathens, we are business opportunities in their eyes.
To mitigate that, the city guards provided an armed bodyguard for each Acolytes serving under Ordo de Lunae. Aradia was mine.
Her sharp emerald eyes saw me from far away. As I closed the distance, she asked with a snigger and in her usual easy-going tone. “You’re the one blessing me, holy boy?”
Once I had mistaken her laid-back attitude for incompetence. I shouldn’t have, considering the many scars on her cheeks and arms… and how I was half her size and throwable to her.
“Yes. Please stand still. The blessing will be more potent if you take it seriously.”
“A white lie?” she raised her chocolate shade eyebrow and slouched to my height. “Even for humor, thou shan’t lie, holy boy.”
“Because it is not. Now, sister, clasp your hands and close your eyes. It’ll be quick.”
She was never the one to like the lengthy, flowery prayers. Then again, we always kept it brief, blessing an entire regimen. Daylight is a precious commodity.
As soon as the prayer was over, Aradia followed her impulse – grabbed my hand and took me to one of the watchtowers we used to spend our time in. Sneaking out of her training drill was nothing new.
At the watchtower, we would overlook the city, talk about meaningless topics and watch as the sun goes down. Except for the sunset, this time was no different.
“Are you nervous?” I asked her and was met with her usual laid-back snigger.
Aradia was leaning on the railing to the city’s view while pondering for an answer. “Not particularly, why do you ask?”
“Your regimen is to retake the City of Gunnir, haven’t you heard?”
“Ah yes, the first city to fall by the shadow’s corruption. I look forward to seeing it, the sight those monsters have turned that place into. What do you think it’ll look like?” Aradia glanced at me, hoping for my answer.
“I… shudder to even imagine it, thus I won’t.”
“I see.” She paused for a moment before turning to me and lending her soft gaze on me. “You’re worried for me, aren’t you?”
“Spare me, I can’t help it. Though I know Lord Talmun will gaze upon you, like you calling me ‘holy boy’, there’s nothing I can do to stop this wave of worry.”
“Ugh, saying 2930-8 just to call you would rip my jaw.” Aradia’s face crossed her arms, showing those biceps of hers that were bigger than my thighs. “And. You’ve seen me in action. I’m capable.”
“I wholeheartedly doubt they’ll be intimidated – not like they could think at all!”
I laughed off my worry, but it didn’t seem Aradia would have it. She patted my shoulder, gently tapping her fingers, assuring me of the days that’ll come. “I’ll be fine. Like you said, they’re mindless and easy to trick. Besides, I’ll have General Gaius to throw at them in a pinch.”
“Please don’t sacrifice anyone! I’d like it if your regiment came back without casualties.”
“Just a figure of speech, holy boy. I have plenty of other ways to survive.”
Her soft tone lent some spirit. Her gaze was as warm as the summer sun. Her amber hair flowed by the wind. She was less of a soldier at that moment. I couldn’t help but speak my mind.
“Sometimes, I just… I just wish this sanctity of mine could be more of use – to purify the shadow at its root for instance! That way, we won’t have to send our people into danger.”
Aradia sniggered, her laid-back smile emerged wider than ever, amused by my silly little wish. “You? To the front line? Never mind the trek to get to Gunnir, you can barely lift a sword.”
“You can’t convince me it’s impossible, Aradia!”
“No no, frankly, it is.”
Before I could retort with an argument, my dear friend Aradia leaned down and met her lips with mine. In the back of my mind, I knew I was supposed to be furious. Us Acolytes must keep their sanctity else our blessings will have less effect on the soldiers.
But when her dried but tender lips touched mine, I was pulled into a whirlwind of daze. I couldn’t speak nor could I push her out of her advancement. Though clad in armour, I doubt I could force her out of the way. I felt my entire body burning up – like my body involuntarily requested immediate penance from the high heaven. Looking back, really, I was only embarrassed.
Aradia’s face was seemingly filled with immense satisfaction. I dared not ask where it came from. After the little gesture, she whispered into my ear. “If you truly believe it, prove me wrong when I come back, you hear?”
Her tender whisper put me into my senses and had me recall one of the passages from the holy scripture. Panicly, that is.
“U-u-under chapter t-two-hundred and forty-one, s-section sixty-three, verse fourteen, t-t-thou shalt–”
“...abstain from worldly desire and wants of flesh. For His moonlight gazed upon and thou house His blessings.” Aradia completed the rest of the verse word-for-word.
Sneering still, she continued, “Spare me your preach, holy boy, it’s just a friendly parting – like a wave. I might not make it tomorrow and I’d hate that to be the last thing I hear of you.”
I had my reservation towards her little gesture and ill-timed joke. However, considering how dear she was to me and the battle she’ll fight, gnawing her ears didn’t feel right to me. Instead, I put up perhaps the most awkward smile I ever had and said my goodbye. Also to put up a mental note to ask for forgiveness in the confessional.
“I’ll be waiting. It’ll be quiet without you around.”
“Will it? Enjoy the silence for me.”
At noon of that day, I waved at her departure – with a well of hope for her return, and looking forward to our next chat at the conveniently empty watchtower.
Growing up, I’ve always been surrounded by my brothers and sisters. ‘Alone’ was never in my dictionary. Yet the mere thought that Aradia wasn’t there to talk to left quite the emptiness inside of me.
Is this what they meant by ‘you truly appreciate a good time when they’re gone’? I must confess, I’d rather not know that feeling.
The days went by as usual, your typical Acolyte’s routine. Except for one notable day.
I was passing through the garden of needs when I overheard a few voices from the wayside. It was General Gaius and His Radiance. Twas’ a strange sighting. The general was to lead the Gunnir campaign, and there was no announcement of its success nor was there any march back. To say I was bewildered was an understatement.
“How was Gunnir, General?”
“Same as I remembered before it fell.”
His presence begged my curiosity. I hid behind one of the pillars and listened to their conversation. I wasn’t proud of it, but everything about the circumstance was suspicious. I had a hope that this was a slight misunderstanding on my part.
“The report, your Excellency. The Gunnir campaign was a success. However, from five thousand units deployed, only a fraction of that survived.”
“Only a fraction? Pity. May His moonlight guide them to their next life.”
A fraction. My heart dropped when I heard it. How they could be calm and hardly taken aback about the report was beyond me. Particularly, His Radiance, who sounded as if he expected the outcome.
I grew deafened at the point after. My mind went blank at the thought of the unfortunate soldiers’ families, but mostly of my friend who’ll never come back. A hole bored into my chest, my lungs could barely contain any air.
Moments later, my eyes returned to their focus and caught a glimpse of the General coming to my way. I scurried off, narrowly escaping whatever fate they’d have for me if they found out.
Not a wink of sleep, that night. I was too haunted. Prayers couldn’t quell the raging waves inside me, and dare I say, singing odes only made it worse. However, at the stroke of midnight, I began bargaining with myself. Did I truly know Aradia was… dead? All I heard was a fraction survived. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. Call it delusion, but I believed there was a chance she survived.
And it was my obligation to find the truth.
