NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1.12
Was it the afterlife? Nene no longer felt any pain. Her body felt light and relaxed, like after a hot bath and a long night's rest. She tried to focus on the surroundings: she was lying on a soft bed, swamped with pillows and a warm blanket. She was inside a wooden white room, illuminated by the sun through a glass window. Beside the bed was a small table, on which stood a plate with what looked like a boiled chicken leg and a glass jug filled with water. She was extremely hungry and thirsty, but she didn't dare to move. Her blood froze when she saw her black cloak hanging from a rope, over a bucket full of foamy water. It had been cleaned and dried.
Her fear came from an obvious deduction: a comfortable bed, pillows, meat, clean clothes… That was almost exactly the Evil One's promise to Elora. Nene was damned and was now in its realm. Her stomach rumbled, but had she accepted the food, it would have been like welcoming the Evil One. Although… hadn't she already, by then?
Her gaze fell on the door. The room was in an attic, half of the ceiling was oblique and the door had a trapezoid shape to fit in. It all seemed so unnatural. The beams of that building were smooth and shiny, like those of the mansion of the Count Regent. Nene had been lucky enough to see its insides once, as she and other cadets had done some cleaning work there. “To learn how the humblest people make a living,” a teacher had told them. On that occasion, the domestic staff of the mansion had them wax some very similar wood. It was beautifully crafted, the work of a skilled carpenter, and not cheap. Another sign that she was no longer among the living, but in some nightmarish reality created by the Evil One.
She heard footsteps coming from outside. Instinctively, she pulled the blankets up to her chin, fearing what monster might have entered from there.
The door began to open. She caught her breath.
A boy came in. He looked about her age. He had messy blond hair, piercing black eyes, and a dark complexion. He was wearing a leather jacket over a white shirt, and green working pants that were a little too big for him, together with some braces. He looked like a simpleton, his features soft and childish, and his eyes widened, seeing her awake. He smiled at her. His cute face disgusted her. She hated herself for having looked at him that way.
«Good morning. How are you feeling?»
His young voice confirmed that he couldn't be older than her. Whatever the purpose of that intricate trickery was, she wasn’t going to fall for it: she knew very well what that was.
«What do you want from me?»
The boy pretended to be perplexed. He approached the bed, looking down at her. She prayed for him to disappear, but he was still there and reached out for her. He touched her forehead.
«Your fever is gone. You should eat something», he said, pointing to the chicken. «I left it there for you»
«Never! I will never accept your gifts!»
He went on with his naïve act. He sighed, grabbed a stool from behind the bed, and sat down on it.
«They told me you're… I don't remember the word. You are a warrior from the Principality»
She grabbed a pillow and covered her face. She wished badly for the Evil One to go away, to stop playing games with her. Was that eternal damnation?
«My name is Oto», he said. «I don’t know what those two did to you, but you're safe now»
«Those two?»
«Yes, the witch and that other woman. They took them to the manor. They’re in prison, they can't hurt you anymore»
Oto got up and walked to her cloak. He ran a hand over it and shook his head.
«It’s yours, right? I’m sorry, it’s still wet»
«Did you…wash it?»
«Yes», the boy blushed. «Don't worry, I won't tell anyone»
Nene hid under the covers. Was she alive? Had that boy washed her clothes and recognized the smell of urine? She felt an unbearable shame. Above all, she felt a lump in her throat, almost as if something were rising from her stomach. Her emotions exploded and she began to cry: she was alive! She was alive, she had survived the nightmare. Adanara and Nila were behind bars, she was still alive! She could think about the future again, eat boiled chicken, she could go on with her life!
She wept bitterly. The boy approached, looking frightened.
«What's wrong? Are you sick again?»
She was alive! She had no clue where she was, but it wasn't in the afterlife, the boy wasn't the Evil One. Could she go back home? Just having the luxury to think about it, to imagine what she was going to do next, was enough for her. Compared to the despair that had accompanied her while on the wagon, nothing could be worse. She shivered with joy. Her muscles trembled, her body relaxed, and she felt like she was about to pass out. It was Oto who brought her back to reality. The boy grabbed the blanket and lowered it just enough to see her face.
«Are you sick?», he repeated.
«No», she replied, wiping away her tears. «I’m feeling great»
She glanced at the chicken. The boy handed it to her, and she didn't hesitate. The meat was delightful to touch. The feeling of grease on her hands made her euphoric. She bit into it. The taste exploded in her mouth, feeling like the best thing she had ever eaten. She was so hungry that she almost choked several times, gobbling down that food. Oto's suggestions to take it easy were useless. She devoured the chicken in seconds, smearing grease on her face and hands.
The boy stared at her in dismay. Nene figured the sight of her ravenous hunger must have startled him, so she pulled herself together.
«I'm sorry», she explained. «I haven't eaten since… I don't even know. Maybe a couple of days, maybe more»
«Here», he replied, handing her a glass of water.
It was made of glass, yet another sign of wealth in that bizarre place. Nene was starting to recover her common sense, and a thousand questions came to her mind. She decided to start with the simplest ones. She took a sip of water.
«Where are we?»
«Kumhar»
For some reason, the boy seemed to assume that she knew what he was talking about. They stared at each other for a moment, until Oto broke eye contact.
«Is this your home? Who are you?»
«Yes», he said. «I'm a hunter. There’s not much more to say»
«A hunter? Aren't you a nobleman or something?»
«What’s a nobleman?»
Another embarrassing staring contest began. Nene won a second time. Her mind started to race. The implications of that exchange were many, and she still wasn't sure she was truly safe. She was deep into the territory of the Evil One, so she wasn’t sure she could trust that boy.
«I meant: is yours a rich family? This house is impressive»
«You think so?», he asked, looking around. «You mean rich like a merchant? They love money, but we don't care that much»
«You don't care about money around here?»
«What’s the purpose? The mayor keeps all the village gold and uses it to pay the merchants when needed»
With each explanation of his, she understood less and less. It was not yet the time to investigate the area, but rather to understand how dangerous it was.
«Tell me… how far are we from the Principality»
«I've never been there, but I heard from a merchant that there's a town in the Principality a week's ride from here»
«I see»
«You should rest. I get you wanna go back, but you were beaten up»
«Right. How much time has passed since…»
She turned pale. The memory of how the wagon was attacked came back. She remembered those strangers jumping aboard, immobilising the sisters. She remembered Adanara struggling with her sorcery, but mostly that roar, that deafening crash that had overturned the chariot and was about to kill her. Suddenly she felt safe no more, but Oto didn't seem to notice.
«We rescued you two days ago. I’ve been told you and the witch are enemies. Did she capture you?»
«Yes, exactly! The witch is the bad guy!»
She bit her lip. What was safe to say and what not? The minions of the Evil One were everywhere, that boy probably was too. Also, what was the force that had destroyed the chariot? At the farm, Nila had heard of a wizard. Was there some sort of witch around there, even more dangerous than Adanara?
«I know, witches only cause trouble», Oto said. «That’s why the mayor had her locked up»
«Do you think so?»
«Sure. Well… I've never seen one, but I've heard they turn people into wolves and bears like that, out of spite, and they carry disease»
«So... you know who I am?»
«Let's see… One of those Church warriors who slay monsters? My grandpa told me once. He said they wear a black cloak with silver threads, like yours»
The boy pointed to her clothes. Nene was confused. Was the Inquisition respected there too? How was that possible? She had been taught that, beyond the borders, the power of the Evil One was absolute. She had feared that every single person would have been her enemy, yet it looked like it was not the case, that at least the people of that village hated witches and knew of the Inquisition.
«Slay… Monsters?»
«Yeah! Is it true that you can turn a monster into ash just by looking at it?»
«Erm… No, I can't»
«Oh… Grandpa, always making things up…»
«Oto, what do you know about the Church?»
«They are said to be very powerful warriors. Monsters and witches stay away from them. Grandpa also said that they will save the world from the Furies. Unfortunately, we’ve never seen someone like you around here»
«The Furies?»
«So far!», he ignored her. «Wow, when I'll tell around that you're a real monster hunter, no one will believe me!»
Nene smiled. She still didn't have a clear picture of the situation, but it was pretty obvious that Oto had genuine admiration for her Order. Perhaps he didn't know the Archangel's teachings, but he didn't seem like a servant of the Evil One at all, and his soul knew how to distinguish righteous from blasphemous.
«What happened when I arrived?»
«Oh, that was crazy! Jiriel sensed you coming, so she told the mayor. They rounded up some volunteers and… oh, and they attacked you… Well, they didn't know that you were on that wagon too… But then the witch SWOOSH cast a spell, and then Jiriel… Erm, she got a little angry… But no worries, there were no serious injuries. The mayor was pissed, tho…»
«Wait, wait, slow down, I don’t get it»
Oto kept repeating that name, Jiriel. Was it just a coincidence? She didn’t know the culture around there. As far as she knew it could have been a common name, still… It sounded bizarrely similar to that of the Archangel, whose actual name was forbidden to be said out loud.
«Ok, let me start over»
The boy repeated his tale, illustrating everything with huge gestures. Nene didn't get much out of it. She was about to start asking him more questions when a voice came from beyond the door that had been left open.
«Oto?»
Nene shivered: it was the same voice she had heard from inside the wagon, the one that gave orders to the others. Was it perhaps the mayor Oto kept talking about? Whatever it was, it sounded to be some kind of big deal. The boy, however, wasn't intimidated by it. On the contrary, he was happy to hear it.
«I’m upstairs!», he shouted. «She woke up!»
Running footsteps warned her that that person was eager to see her. Was she in danger? Her priority was to survive. Everything else could wait. If contrary to that young boy, the adults of the village were indeed worshipers of the Evil One, she was in no position to fight them, yet. She could have come back in the future with an expedition of Knights.
Her thoughts shattered as a wondrous figure crossed the threshold, so much so that she couldn’t believe her teary eyes.
It looked like a woman. She was tall, so tall that she had to bend to get through the small door, probably two metres tall. She wore plate armour, red and polished, that made no sound while moving as if it had no weight. She took off her gloves, revealing white hands, which shone with a soft light of their own, exactly like her face. Her features were elongated and graceful, mature and elegant, her lips thin. Her irises faded from red to gold and she had dark brassy blond eyelashes and eyebrows. Her hair was of the same colour, straight, down to her shoulders, and framed that face that did not belong to a mere mortal. Despite her very unusual appearance, what struck Nene, what caused her such a strong reaction, were the bronze feathered wings folded behind her back. The feathers were chrome and the colour on them seemed… Seemed to be moving, like a flame in the shadows, The entity stared at her in awe, and its gaze was burning hot. Nene only once in her life had perceived such a creature, on the day of her appointment as Inquisitor. The day the Archangel had left His Conclave, He had honoured her with His presence and bestowed His blessing. What was in front of her was unmistakably something very similar. Yet there was only one Archangel.
Thinking it was a manifestation of Him, Nene got out of bed. Her body was still exhausted, and she felt the strain, but she didn't care. She prostrated on the ground and sobbed.
«Emissary…», she whispered softly, while crying.
The entity stared at her. It exchanged a look with Oto, who shrugged.
«Oh, Oroel taught you like that, uh?»
The casual tone with which that being had said the Archangel's name meant that it considered itself His equal. Were they two separate things? Nene was extremely confused, but she sensed the power of that "woman", different from the blessing that flowed in her blood, different from anything she knew.
«Stand up, you silly», she ordered.
She leapt to her feet. The slight luminosity emanating from the Emissary left her amazed once again, as did Oto's carelessness, who instead started to collect the plate and glass.
«Her fever is gone. I gave her something to eat»
«Good», the woman smiled. «What's your name»
«N-N-Nene», she stammered. «Inquisitor of the Church, servant of the Archangel»
The woman sighed and shook her head. She walked beside her, heading for the bed. Her being so close gave her goosebumps. The Emissary gave off a strong heat, much more intense than that of any mortal body. She flopped onto the bed, looking exasperated. Her mannerisms were the opposite of elegant, contrary to what her appearance suggested.
«Oto, please, would you bring me some wine? I had a bad day…»
«Okay»
The boy left. Nene stood still, her back to the Emissary, not knowing whether to turn around or not. She heard clanging sounds and curiosity consumed her.
«Sit down», she told her. «I guess you’ll have some questions»
«Next… next to you?»
She immediately regretted her idiocy, for asking such a stupid question, but the Emissary seemed not to care and giggled.
«You can have the stool if you like»
She obeyed. The entity was sitting on the bed, removing its armour. Underneath it, she wore a pink tunic, of thin fabric, with a delicate appearance. A being like her didn't need padding or the like. She wondered what she needed armour for in the beginning.
«So, where do I start? Oh boy, I hope your head won't explode…»
That was certainly not the speech pattern Nene would have expected. Her head was in fact about to explode, her thoughts overlapped to the point that it was difficult to formulate a coherent sentence.
«Are you… the Archangel?», she asked.
«It depends on what you mean... I'm not Oroel, the master of your Church. I'm Jiriel. I think you could call me his sister, in a way»
Jiriel gave her that information in an indifferent tone as if it were nothing special. Nene's mind began to race, struggling to believe. She wondered once more if she was dead, if all of that was part of a cruel joke of the Evil One. Yet that being was so similar to the Archangel she already knew.
«Why are you staring at me?»
«Forgive me! I… I am in disbelief»
«Yes, I know. I also know a lot about the Church. Let me guess: he never told you about me»
«Never»
Jiriel had finished making herself comfortable. Were it not for her iridescent wings and extreme height, she would have looked as nothing more than a mortal, stunning older woman. She slipped off her boots and exposed her bare feet. Of course, they too emitted a faint light. It seemed to be a property of her skin. Provided that it was actual skin.
«Okay, maybe I should ask the questions: what happened? Why were you with that witch? And… why is your soul so bizarre?»
Nene felt ashamed. She was before an Emissary, and her soul tainted with the power of the Evil One was instantly identified. Jiriel, however, came closer to her. She lifted a hand to her belly, and smiled at her. That contact gave Nene a sense of well-being. She felt invigorated.
«It's okay. You are safe»
She cried. She remembered everything she had been through and told it to the Emissary, through tears. She told her of the call from Cosco, her investigation, the filthy Adanara’s witchcraft, up until their meeting. The Emissary listened carefully. When Nene was over with her report, she stood up, and walked around the room, thoughtful. She was interrupted by Oto, who peeped into the room.
«Are you okay? You were gone for quite a while»
«Sorry», he said. «Lemon was nervous, I gave him an apple to calm him down»
«It has to be the presence of the witch… The animals in the village are going frenzied. Some species are very sensitive. Donkeys in particular»
The boy handed her a bottle with dark contents, and she took an unceremonious sip. She smiled satisfied, and sat down again.
«So, Nene. The…», she hesitated to name it. «Has the Evil One spoken to you?»
«It took my soul», she said with utter shame. «But I think… the Archangel's blessing repelled it, it happened almost immediately!»
«You don't have to justify yourself. I was just wondering why your soul is so unusual… And here's why. You have my brother's blessing, but also… You have hosted the Evil One, even if just for a moment»
«What will become of me?»
«What do you mean?»
«Will my soul be eternally damned?»
Jiriel looked at her the way the wise looks at the fool. Oto sat next to her, as if it were a natural thing, and watched them both.
«She will be damned forever? Why?», he asked.
«No, no, she won't be damned forever. Nene, who told you such a thing?»
«The Archangel teaches us that damned souls, dirtied by the Evil One, risk eternal damnation. Only through the purge, immediately submitting to God's judgement, can we hope for forgiveness»
«Oh yeah, that thing… Don't worry, you're not damned. You have his protection, which completely rejects damnation»
Nene couldn't contain herself. She threw herself at the Emissary's feet and burst into tears. The salvation of the soul was the most sacred thing, and she could trust Jiriel. She wanted to.
«Thank you...»
«I haven't done much, except maybe heal you. No big deal»
«It was you who blew up that wagon in the first place», Oto prodded her.
Jiriel turned red. Her blush was extremely evident due to her pale complexion. Also, the room became noticeably warmer, and the ever changing colours of her wings began to move more frenetically.
«That witch got me pissed! She was about to make a ruckus. And believe me, she didn't even know what she was doing! If a rookie like her plays with forces she doesn't understand, it could spell disaster. I had to stop her!»
Oto stroked her shoulder. Nene was shocked. The boy treated the Emissary as a mere person. She didn't know what to make of him, whether he was insane, a heretic, or just a simpleton. However, his gesture seemed to calm down Jiriel. The boy opened the window and fresh air from outside came in.
«There was no need to blow it up»
«I know…», Jiriel admitted. «I lost my temper»
The Emissary looked down, caught in the wrong. How could Jiriel be so similar, and at the same time so different, from the Archangel? Before her eyes was a mere human relationship between a country boy and an… angel. She was consumed with curiosity, maybe with envy, but mostly she felt as if the world she knew was collapsing.
«Nene?», Jiriel called.
She leapt to her feet, attracting a puzzled look from Oto.
«If you feel better, I have a favour to ask you»
«Are you asking me... to serve you?»
«No, I need help for… What the heck does Oroel teach you guys?!»
«Let me assist you! I'd be happy to! I…»
Jiriel arched an eyebrow. Nene hesitated. It was arrogant to ask the Emissary something, yet she had to try.
«... In exchange for my services, perhaps you could forgive me…»
«Really? Is this what you want?»
The angel exchanged a look with Oto, who shrugged. Those two seemed to get along well. How had a divine creature ended up in such a place, together with a boy?
«Okay, if that’s what you want. Consider yourself at my service. In return I will forgive your soul»
Nene almost couldn’t believe it: she could hope for forgiveness! She held back her instinct, the enthusiasm, which prompted her to hug the Emissary. She joined hands and bowed her head.
«I will be eternally grateful, my Lady»
Oto held back a laugh while Jiriel blushed. Nene wondered if she'd said something wrong. It would have been unacceptable to disrespect an angel, now that she finally had found salvation again. She had no idea how to behave in the presence of her new master, whose attitude was so different from the one of the Archangel she knew.
«Well, let's go then», Jiriel ordered.
«You should show her around first», Oto suggested.
«I don't think Nene wants to go for a walk»
«Not at all, my Lady», she lied. She would have done anything to spend more time with her.
«You know, she was asking weird stuff before», the boy said.
Jiriel approached her and caressed her forehead. Nene almost burst into tears again, as she wasn't worthy of that touch that made her feel so good.
«I'm so sorry», the Emissary stammered. «It’s my fault…. I… freaked out and you hit your head in the explosion. Don't worry, it’ll be over soon»
«It's not your fault, you saved me! Also… my memories are fine»
«Oto, I swear, I just got a lil’ mad!», Jiriel whimpered. «Just a bit!»
«I know, I know», he replied.
«I won't do it ever again…»
Oto nodded satisfied. The Emissary began to glow brighter and smiled.
«Let's go, then. What would you like to see first, Nene?»
«What? I… have no idea»
Jiriel led the way. They left the room through the small oblique door into a narrow wooden staircase, pretty dark and with a very low ceiling. After a few steps, the staircase turned left and finally reached a large hall with a rustic look. It was made of dry stone walls and a log ceiling, crossed by a large raw wooden architrave. In front of the steps was a large stone fireplace, surrounded by two armchairs covered in tanned hides. Between them was a small table where some playing cards were left on. On the opposite side, she saw a cauldron, a table, and some cooking tools arranged on a shelf. To the left of the latter, a small dark door led who knows where, but Jiriel guided her to the other side. On the opposite wall from the stairs, a large window, set into the stone with a wooden frame, gave a view to a small stable and verdant hill. Nene was amazed, seeing that house so unusual, welcoming and bizarre, and Jiriel looked at her embarrassed.
«Don't say a word, I'm a sucker for my home»
«I… My Lady… I've never seen anything similar»
«What are houses like in your country?»
«Forgive me, you… Aren’t you familiar with the Principality?»
«I haven't been there in centuries! I guess it's different from how I remember it»
She took some time to assimilate that information which the Emissary seemed to treat as trivial. Finally, she remembered Ostiir’s house and decided that that was a pretty adequate depiction of the average family home in the Principality.
«Houses are… Much simpler, made of straw and beams. Also, glass windows are exclusive to the rich»
To the rich and Nila: she remembered the bizarre building in the woods and shivered.
«Oh really? Uff…»
Jiriel suddenly became distant, disinterested. Nene was increasingly perplexed by that entity, which often behaved like an ordinary person, an erratic and emotional one.
«I mean… You should see the Citadel, in the Capital! And churches»
«Booooring…»
«Did I say something wrong?»
Suddenly, the angel grabbed her shoulders. She was so close it made her sweat. She gave off so much heat, and she had the expression of a curious child. Her bizarre eyes were hypnotic and her face was getting closer and closer.
«You must have invented something interesting down there. A flying vehicle? Some elaborate torture device? You love those things, don't you?»
Jiriel held her tighter and tighter and even started shaking her, unaware.
«As far as I know torture was abolished at least two hundred years ago, and… A flying vehicle?»
The angel looked annoyed and walked away. She gave her her back, as if deeply hurt.
«Let’s see… Shortly before I was born, the printing press was invented»
Her Lady looked back at her, with the same maniacal expression she had had until a few moments before. She was waiting for more, her gaze commanding her to continue.
«A press that prints? What is it?»
«A tool to print many books in a short time. I saw one at the Citadel, how to explain it... Some small cubes, which have letters carved in them, are inserted into the press to compose a page. Then the scribes smear ink on the cubes, and the press… well, presses them on the paper»
Nene did her best to tell her what she had seen, illustrating with hand gestures. Jiriel listened carefully, fascinated, nodding at each step.
«And then they print tens of copies of the same page and move on to the next one. When they're done, all that’s left is to put the book together»
«There must be lots of books then, in the Principality!»
«Well... I think so»
«You bunch of weirdos», she laughed.
They crossed the door, next to the window of the living room. The warm autumn sun dazzled Nene, who had stayed indoors for a few days.
«Weirdos, you say?»
«Yup, listen: humans usually like other things, don't they? Food, metals, land… But no, you guys are fixated on books»
«They’re useful to spread knowledge, of the Archangel's teachings and other subjects»
In front of the home was a tiny stable, large enough to house one, perhaps two animals. It was a simple wooden shed, surrounded by a board fence with a small gate. From the inside, a donkey was staring at them, curiously. Beyond the farmhouse, a dirt path descended the hill dominated by the Emissary's house, then disappeared into the woods. From up there she enjoyed a magnificent view: the forest of dark oaks extended as far as the eye could see until it met some dizzying and sharp mountains, whose icy peaks were partially covered by clouds. Nene had never seen mountains so high in her life, but she had read about them. As far as she knew, there were some places so cold that ice and snow never melted.
«Perhaps I should teach him to read…», Jiriel muttered. «Or I could read to him. It would be like going on an adventure together!»
The Emissary was muttering nonsense with a dreamy expression. The colours of her feathered wings swirled in small concentric reels, becoming more and more dark.
«Are you referring to Oto?»
«Oh, um... Yes, Oto is quite the ignorant! He could use some culture!»
«My Lady, what is your relationship with that boy? And this village?»
The angel turned away trying not to look at her. She stayed like that for a few moments, her wings looking more and more like a mess of indistinguishable colours.
«The people here sheltered me when…. when I needed it. Let's say I had lost my purpose, and here I found it again. Exactly! Oto needs a guiding figure. He was still afraid of sleeping by himself when he was twelve, you know that?»
As confused as she was by Jiriel's ungodly bearing, and curious as to how an angel could lose its purpose at all, Nene was mostly amused by her awkward way of describing what was clearly affection. Jiriel seemed to notice and her face turned red. Everything about that entity was extremely emotional, unlike the Archangel who was the manifestation of order and virtue.
«Shall we? It’s getting late. This way»
Avoiding mention that it wasn't even halfway through the morning, Nene followed her Lady. They walked among the blossoming fields, on that plateau far from everything. Once around the house, which looked as lovely from the outside as from the inside, she finally saw in the distance what was undoubtedly the village of Kumhar. A town on the outside, beyond the forbidden borders.