Chapter 58

Jacke's POV

With Jameson and Damien at my back, we got in the truck with my phone plugged in and the music blaring. "Lightbringer" was playing as I sang along my brothers were just letting the song play, and feeling how the music made them feel, the emotions that the music evoked; Jameson was burning brighter, and Damien seemed to be in a peaceful trance, blissful yet fully aware of his surroundings, but that was Damien for you. We drove towards San Antonio, keeping an eye out for the church Lady Muerte mentioned, and at the edge of town, there it stood. Towering above the rest of the buildings around it, it riled Jameson up and Damien had to place his hand on J's shoulder to stop him from exploding then and there. They weren't to go in, this was my task and mine alone. I stopped the truck across from the church and closed the door before heading inside, the air was cold, and the only person inside that I could see was an elder priest standing at the podium reading the Bible. He looked lost in thought, as he read he took a moment to look up and watch me walk up to the podium. There was a certain look about him, not fear, no: He was in his place of worship, his home, what reason would he have to be scared? It was the look of someone who was hiding something.

"Welcome to the Holy Trinity Church, young man. How may I be of service to you?"

"I was sent by my Lady to have a word with you, would you do me this honor?"

"Of course, my child. May I ask you your name? And if you please, who is this Lady you speak of?"

"My name is Jacke, and I speak of Lady Muerte. She told me to come here and Judge you in her name, hear your story, and make a choice."

"Intriguing, well it would seem you've put me in quite a predicament here. You come to my house of worship, to instill fear? To Judge me? To whom would I make such an acquaintance?"

"I come here on behalf of my Fallen brother, on behalf of my family as they wait for my return to rebuild our fallen home. There are things at work here that are just as important as your life's work, Sir, and I wouldn't disrespect your faith simply because it differs from my own," I said, voice low in tone and calming to ease my racing nerves, this wasn't a place I was comfortable being in but it had to be done, "In all truths, she simply stated to meet you here; And, if I am to be the judge for your case, I would ask you what your motivation is. What gets you up in the morning on your darkest days, Judas Priest?"

"To spread the loving words of our Lord, Jesus Christ, of course; But what of you, Jacke? Why do you fight against the will of our God?"

"Bold of you to assume that I fight against your God's will. I simply exercise my faith and show my family that change is inevitable, but it's what you make of it that defines your character. To be frank sir," I said, standing from my chair and moving away from the priest I remembered why I was sent here, and could faintly hear a child crying, "You're hiding something, within the walls of your own house of worship, you claim to teach the youth about the ways of Jesus Christ. Yet that can't be true, there are children crying within these walls."

I finished my sentence and opened the door I had seen to the right of the podium, and inside sat two children: One boy and one girl who were holding each other, almost as if they didn't they would be ripped apart. There was fear coming from the kids, and the priest was the source.

"Relax kids, go wait outside," I said, and the kids ran as fast as they could towards the door as soon as they closed it I turned back to the priest, but he had changed his demeanor. Instead of righteous pride, he was staring at me with fear, the sins of his past catching up to him, through me. If it wasn't for the fact that I had a reason to be here, I would've left him to die of old age, but this wasn't my choice to make: Simply an exercise of my Lady's Will.

"Any final words, Priest? I would dare not rob a man of that rite in his final moments."

"I ask not forgiveness, nor mercy, just promise me this, child. When you get your reward, do not forget the price you paid," He said and as he closed his eyes, a single string of energy from being pierced his heart," In the name of Lady Muerte, I sentence you guilty of sins against the very faith you stood for, and sentence you to the void. May you find peace there, Judas Priest, for I have none to spare."

As his body fell, I left towards the door as his spirit faded and his body disintegrated, a man of faith who used it as a weapon against others; He died as he lived, weak and forgotten. As I left the church, I saw the children speaking with my brothers, they were frightened but with Jameson, in the form of a small puppy, they eased their fear.

"The bad man won't hurt you again children, you were so brave to have to endure that, if I may ask. What are your names?"

The girl spoke up, "My name is Beatrice, he was Mike but I call him Alessa...is that okay?"

"Beatrice and Alessa, beautiful names, may I give you two a gift?" Their eyes went from dark and sad to bright and excited, so I reached behind my back and gave the boy a violet flower, and the girl a bat. They looked confused, so I sat and let them speak, they talked about how they liked each other because they eased each other's pain from what the Priest had done and that he had told them that boys needed to be brave and "Manly" while girls needed to be "Prim and Proper".

"Nonsense, if you two take peace in one another's company, then who's to say that it is wrong?"

The two looked at each other, and the boy seemed teary-eyed before the little girl comforted him with a hug. She whispered something to him that seemed to ease his pain, and he hugged her tighter.

"I love you, B," He said and I tapped his shoulder to get their attention.

"Do you two have a home?" They shook their heads No, and my suspicions were confirmed, they were here because they didn't have any place to go, "Would you like one?"

"Can the puppy come with us!?" The boy asked as he pets Jameson's head, and I chuckled before nodding my head and showing the pair to my truck. Damien followed suit and got in the passenger seat, telling the pair to buckle up, before we turned the truck and headed back home. This was going to be interesting to try and explain to my family, but we were nothing if not accepting of those who had been unfairly treated.

"Damien, let Nicki know that we may be a little bit late, I need to get some food for these 2."