5 Hints from the Past

Darkness, the churning tar that eroded the soul of man. Slowly falling deeper and deeper, Cassius could feel the world around him no longer. Just the sludge of sin and hatred pulling him down. To him, everything sounded like he was submerged in thick water. Sound blocked out by the thick dark water.

Until he could hear something distant away from him. Opening his eyes and turning his head he saw a sudden flash. His body slamming to a dirt ground, fresh grass and an open field of crops. The sound of horse hooves pounding on churned soil. A man roughly six feet tall sat in a horse drawn wagon creating a crop line. He wore a woven straw hat, a red shirt with his sleeves rolled up, and brown overalls.

Cassius stood, still in his armor, looked at the man. Seeming like he hadn't noticed him fall from the sky. "Excuse me?" Cassius called out, but no response. "Hey, sir! Where am I?" Nothing, it was like the man was ignoring him. The horse stomping in the dirt wasn't even loud. However a small voice from behind Cassius called out.

"Dad! You won't believe this!" A young boy, with light blond hair, riding a horse right towards Cassius. He braced himself expecting a collision with the horse. Except, it just phased through him. He looked down and saw his body pass through the child. Or was it the other way around, Cassius wasn't sure.

Turning around he saw the young boy run to his father. Cassius walked over, attempting to get the attention of the son and father. But whatever he did, nothing seemed to work. Yelling, attempting to grab their shoulders, and trying to interact with the objects around him. But no surprise, nothing seemed to be working.

Cassius just decided to follow the child and listen to their conversation, "Maybe I am here for a reason?" He pondered the thought as he listened to the boy.

His small, slightly skinny arms grabbed onto his father's shirt, "Dad I need to show you something! Something special!" The father looked down at his son and nodded. Allowing him to be dragged to wherever his son was bringing him to. Although something froze Cassius as he began to follow them. Words that were uttered by the father.

"Cassius Mourn, slow down, you will pull my arm off." The father laughed, now walking beside this "Cassius".

"What is this? Am I hearing that right? This boy shares the same name I do?" He followed, but slowly. "This can not be... I..." before he could complete his thought he found the younger him hovering over a hole in the ground. But when looking inside the hole, Cassius found it actually hard to see. Not that it had been hard to see anything there. It was more like his vision was being obstructed. A dark mist was obscuring whatever was inside the hole.

His father... looked at the boy and then to mist. "Cassius, you didn't touch it did you?" Cassius looked as their father, the boy nodded. "Did anything happen when you touched it?" Cassius shook his head, finding himself doing the same. But Cassius could feel something deep inside writhe. It wasn't like a parasite or movement of his digestion. It had more of a feeling of some type of energy.

"I heard voices and followed them here." Cassius didn't want to get in trouble, he could feel the small "him" getting nervous. Like he had experienced this before. But he didn't recall any of this from his past. "The ... whispered to me. Told me things, warned me about some bad people." It was like the very essence of the word was erased from his memories.his head started to hurt again. Only to see that the boy also had a headache. Then the words came from the deepest darkness inside his mind.

"They... come... bury me... forget me... call you... again... we will..." Then as the headache stopped, so did the voice. The sound of thunderous hooves... many of them echoed through the land. He looked to his father, who had already begun to bury the mysterious mist. As it was finally buried again, they both ran to the house. Cassius followed close behind. Only to see something that had tormented his mind before. A nightmare he wished to forget.

A man, dressed in white robes, a religious hat, a staff in his right hand, and a book at his side. He looked old, but not like elderly. He was surrounded by several men. Armor shining in the light of the sun. However, clouds were moving in slowly.

"Roran Titus Mourn," the man in white called out, "present yourself in front of Rymnarian, his eyes be upon you." Cassius, inside the house, watched as he turned to his son and placed a wrapped object in his hand. The young Cassius looked at it and saw... something... for it was hidden by a haze.

"When I leave, press this to your chest and think of..." His father, Roran Mourn, had closed his son's hands around the object as the man outside again called his name. "Think of the ... you found." He then stood up and turned away from his only son. Cassius wanted to call out, but what his father's eyes told him to remain quiet. They were similar to Cassius', the purple outline on the iris, except this time it glowed with energy. Which was odd, he never knew that his eyes could do that. It seemed familiar, he just couldn't put his mind to what.

His father walked to the door, the smaller him had clutched the object to his chest and a light shown through the cloth as purple light glowed brightly, before vanishing. Cassius looked over the boy's shoulder to see that the boy was crying. His face scrunched up from what looked like pain. His father had stepped outside, going to face the man in white.

Cassius walked over to the window, watching his father. "What can I do for you Apostle Laurence?" Cassius stared at the man in white. His face now seemed familiar. This was the Bishop, except younger. Cassius wondered why he was there.

Laurence looked down to Roran, "We are here to put your farm under the ownership of the Rymnarian church. You are to comply or be put to death."

Roran scowled, "I have provided the horses for the army and the order of Paladins. This includes yourself Apostle Laurence, so why must you claim my farm?" Roran just stared them down and crossed his arms. "You think riding on the horses I've provided since I was a young lad, threaten me for my land, all in the name of your god?"

"You dare refuse the will of Rymnarian?" Lazarus had risen his voice. Beside him his younger self had poked his head up next to Cassius. Roran looked back briefly, something in his eyes began to glow. The rim of purple light brightened around his iris. Cassius called out, pleading for his father to not do it. For his heart was aching like someone was stabbing it with a jagged piece of glass.

"You represent your god by using his name to claim land and sovereignty in the church." A purple like energy began to erupt at his feet. Roran then reached out and summoned a blade from the energy itself. His old sword from when he was a knight in the grand army of Deratorah. Cassius was able to remember this after only re-witnessing this event.

Roran pointed his blade towards Laurence, "I sincerely doubt your gods wish for the land to be claimed by you." Cassius reached out with a hand, begging his father to just hand over the farm. "I strongly suggest you leave..."

Laurence scoffed and waved a hand. Holy light came crashing down towards Roran, a burning heat that would char the very ground at his feet. However, Roran raised a hand and a bubble of purple energy covered him. Out to what looked like five meters. The light scorched the ground but did not penetrate the bubble. Laurence made a ticking sound with his mouth as he then waved another hand. Knights and Paladins dismounted and drew their weapons.

"You will pay with your life Roran... this all could have been avoided if you just handed over your land." Laurence smiled, but it wasn't like a coy or mocking kind of smile. Even in the form Cassius took in this vision... he could still feel that permeating evil and sinister smile that hand taken over the priest's face.

Roran released the bubble as the smite from the heavens had vanished. Tracing a line in front of him he looked at the soldiers. "Four against one? How unfair..." He raised the blade as the first knight had rushed forward to attack. With a quick stab and dismemberment of a hand, the knight fell. "For you it would seem..."

Laurence gave the order... the order to kill Cassius' father. Soldiers and Paladins moving together to put down Roran. He would cut down one after the other. The blade hummed as it was bathed in the blood of those who dared to invade his home. The lord of the land gave it to him after his time during the grand army. Cassius never once saw or remembered his father having such a blade. It seemed to give him more power the more enemies he vanquished. Down and down the men of the church fell.

"What foul power you wield in front of the speaker of Rymnarian! The King was a fool to allow such a man to live. Our god shall deliver your head to him on a pike!" Laurence shouted, but Cassius could tell whatever power his father wielded, it was not natural. For Cassius could begin to hear the cries of those in pain as the sword flew through the air. Dancing with such strength that it defied all reason to be normal human strength.

Even his own power given by Rymnarian was limited for how much he could muster. However, this power seemed to just continue to grow. Like there was no limit to its dazzling potential. That's when a light descended from the heavens. A figure continued to fall on gilded wings. It's figure silhouetted by the light.

As the figure landed, Cassius saw his first living breathing angel. A divine warrior being, clad in armor that couldn't be pierced, a sword meant to smite all who dwelled in darkness. A face so gentle and pristine that it made all who saw it regret doing anything considered evil.

The light receded slightly but the figure gave off a luminous glow. The face now visible, Cassius stared at it, confused. He could see the angel, plain as day, but something was off. Not that he could detect any ounce of evil from the angel. But when he looked at this angel's face. It reminded him of his mother.

The female angel looked at Roran, standing over him well over 9 feet tall. Cassius' father stood at about 6 foot 2 inches and was build very well. However the woman looked at Roran with a disappointed face. She looked back at Laurence, returning her gaze to Roran.

"Roran, judgement has been called upon by the god Rymnarian. Your desire to protect your land is not the reason you are being judged. Your actions against the followers have been ordered to be dealt with." She reached to her side and drew a blazing blade. Cassius knee these blades are made of flames of judgement. Meaning their blades only cut those who have evil in their soul. If no evil dwells within, then it will harmlessly pass through the individual.

"Great... guardian of the faith, you would judge me for defending myself and my home. From an invading force who wish me dead." The angel looked almost sad.

"It is not my place to question the holy one. Please submit to judgement..." She held her sword in her left hand. Roran could see behind the angel Laurence smiling wickedly once again. Looking back to his house he saw his son, standing their worried. Roran knee he was innocent, so he would kneel and await judgement.

He looked up to the angel's face, whispering to her, "May I request that if I do not succeed you will protect my child from the corrupted malice of that priest? If you can, make him forget the moment of this moment." The angel nodded, raising her sword above his head.

"By my right as guardian, you will have my word and life if I fail." A small hymn echoes in the wind, "Rymnarian has allowed such fate bound by our agreement." As shackles of light came down and wrapped around the angel's neck, while also wrapping around Roran's. The deal has been made and they were bound by the laws of the heavens.

The angel raised her blade, Roran knowing his innocence was true. Had no worries under the eyes of the angel.

He opened his mouth one time before she would plunge the blade, "May I know the name of who is judging me?" The angel froze for a moment, before closing her eyes. The radiant gold orbs being obscured by the flesh of a higher being.

"S.... that is my name." However, for Cassius, the words were faded. Like his ears were placed under water to deafen him. He watched as she dropped the blade down onto his father's head. The blade went right through the back of his head. Except, no blood or bone seemed to burst from the impact.

Cassius let out a breath he had been holding. As the blade was lifted free, she looked towards Laurence. "He has been judged, innocent is the verdict, the flames have not licked his flesh or killed him." But Laurence just put on another insidious smile.

He pointed at Roran, "I would look again your grace, for I see burn marks on his neck." She turned and observed Roran's neck. As she did, the chains that had vanished where she struck the blade, there was minor burning. However, she didn't believe it for there was no resistance in the strike. She would have felt some kind of resistance.

"Seems you have failed in your judgement of this traitor." The angel looked at Roran, her eyes now filled with concern and worry.

"This is a mistake, if you are claiming I made a false judgement you are mistaken mortal. We do not make mistakes." Her sword began to falter in its glow.

Laurence just smiled, "Seems like our god has dubbed you unworthy to carry your power." She could feel it, it felt like her powers were draining. She turned to Roran, who looked up at her.

"S.... take my son and flee. They must not catch you or they will..." He couldn't finish his sentence as men came rushing forward. The chains that bound him and the angel vanished. This didn't mean the contract was null and void, it was more for convenience. A sword formed in Roran's hands and he struck down another soldier.

"Get out of here!" He said as he leapt into the fray. Cutting down more and more soldiers and Paladins who dared to invade on his land. The angel then looked towards the house and saw Cassius. Running over she opened the door and picked up the child.

But he was slightly refusing, "But my father!"

"Your father is giving us time to escape, please come we must go!" Cassius was still resistant, but didn't make it difficult for her to pick him up. He was then carried through the back door of their home and out into the field. Spreading her wings, the angel took off. Cassius, the viewer of this whole thing watched as she flew off. Then turning to watch his father get riddled in arrows. Laurence getting off his horse walked over to Roran.

"One man thought he could take on the whole church?" He smiled, that wicked smile that was more devilish the more he looked at it. Cassius watched as Laurence knelt down to Roran whose blade was fading away. "You failed to defeat us, and you have failed to protect your land and family." He held up the medallion which had the eyes glowing.

Roran spat on the medallion, blood making the eyes look like they were crying blood. "Your god is nothing but a plague to the people and this land. You worship a foul being who uses their subjects to do e-" a blade had pierced his father's chest. Cassius let out a roar of rage as he watched it happen.

Laurence kicked Roran off his sword, then looked to the sky. "Follow them and bring them back. We shall make them bend to our will and serve the one true god of light and purity." His hands covered in blood as he praised Rymnarian.

Cassius was thrown out of the vision and plunged back into darkness.

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