CH 42 - Caesar's Sins

Nica tries to slow her breath as her mind races with fear. The sound of the scurrying creatures in the dark is terrifying as heavy bones snap and are crushed beneath the weight of their movement. Flashes of movement catch her eyes as animals scurry past, low growls rumbling in their throats.

She could have almost sworn that the man who walked into the light appeared far more prominent in the shadows. Her body tenses with anger as she hates that she is perceived as weak as Caesar, and this thing spoke of her, not to her. She is only a thing with independent thought.

Applying pressure on her hands, Nica moves from her kneel as she feels the anger building in her soul. She is not a second-class citizen and doesn't need to be spoken for. She hates the disappointment she sees in Caesar's eyes as he isn't her maker or God. She meets the eyes of the men as a devious smile crosses her captor's face.

"Ah, so you rise..." Ezra says.

"Yes, I rise..." Nica says defiantly, looking at the man who towers over her. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Ezra holds his hands up quietly with a soft smile looking at Caesar with a mocking smile, "Ah, this one knows her worth, doesn't she."

Nica watches as Caesar nods slowly. Damn him and his ignorance of what is righteous and what is needed in her life. Nica growls, "Do not speak of me! Do not speak to anyone about me but me is that understood!?"

Ezra smirks, "Yes, it is..."

"Do you know what happened to Sera?"

"I saved her; I saved her from monsters that lurk in the forest's shadows. I MADE SURE nothing happened to HER! So you cannot have her."

Ezra laughs, "I already have her.... she days ago."

"What are you talking about?"

"Sera, you have protected no one. She has died multiple times throughout her life. A repeated death curses her until her maker finally kills her."

"Sera didn't die; I saw her; I rescued her from the darkness.... from the monster that devoured her night after night. No one has killed her."

"You rescued an echo of who could have been..." Ezra laughs.

"No! I rescued her. Caesar was going to let her die..." Nica screams in defiance.

"He killed her..." Ezra smiles, "He killed so many times. She is cursed to her life because he failed her. He allowed her to die for defying the oracle. He could have saved her and convinced his brother not to harm her, but no, he chose brother instead."

Nica spins on her heels and looks to Caesar in shock, "Is... is that true?"

"It is not that easy, Nica. You don't know what she is, she..."

"Na ah ah, it is my job to convince her, per our deal. She is merely asking you if you killed her Caesar. Have you ever killed Sera?" Ezra says with a whisp of a smile.

"I have killed her. Many, many times..." Caesar says with a heavy sigh.

"No, that can't be. Why would you send me to her so I could see her die?"

"To see what she was.... but you rescued her instead."

"I rescued a defenseless woman. And I brought her to the home you said was safe. The home you said protected people from the wicked in the world. And in response, you killed her?" Nica demands, tears falling from her eyes.

Caesar nods his head, "Yes..."

"Have you ever met Sera?" Ezra asks with a laugh.

"I have.... just a few days ago."

"I am sure that is not what she was meant to be. She is now cursed to be a demon wandering the world. Would you like to meet who she was?"

"Who was she?"

"Sera?" Ezra calls out into the shadows.... come in...Nica turns, her mouth falling to the floor as Zoe walks through the darkness. She thanks the Gods silently that her sister is alive and doing well. Her eyes are warm, and her cheeks are flushed. Nica was terrified when she left her alone to run to the guardian. Horrified that she abandoned her at the time of her greatest need. Looking into her sister's eyes, she hugs her warmly, "Zoe, thanks the Gods."

The woman recoils slightly from Nica as she pulls from the embrace, "What is wrong?"

"I do not know who Zoe is..." the woman explains.

"What do you mean?"

"I am Sera."

"Sera?" Nica exclaims.

"Yes," the woman who looks identical to Zoe says as tears fall as she bites her lip.

"Wait, what happened?"

"I am a sacrifice... was a sacrifice..."

"To whom?"

"The Oracle..."

"So wait, why did Caesar kill you? What did you do?"

"Is there something I could have done that would be worthy of death? Really? Am I that bad a person to die for loving someone?"

"No, that's not what I meant...."

"You see, we are merely servants of the Oracle... we fit his needs," Ezra says with a voice dripping with honey and desire. "If the Oracle is divine and merciful, then the world is wonderful... but if they are evil, then what can we do but abide by their wishes."

"You can act in your faith and desires! You are not the victim of your shortcomings!"

"We are but servants of the Oracle; we only feed to his need," Ezra says with a smile... "sadly, the Oracle has died."

"Died? How can a spiritual being die?"

"Gods can't die, but who your people worship as Gods aren't such. They worship the angels of the Oracle. They worship his messengers. But in his death, left unchecked, they will surely go mad with power. We need a steady hand. Someone to guide us.... to feed on their mercy."

"Feed on Mercy?"

"To relish in the desire you have to protect others. Imagine if you could protect all the women who were ever harmed. Protect their needs and heal the broken places in their spirit."

"I am not a God..."

"You were born a child of God, made in one of his many images. Would you not protect them now?"

"Protect who?"

"Those who live in the Oracle's shadow?"

"I don't know how..."

"I will teach you... all you have to do is take my hand..." Ezra says as the monsters grow restless in the background. As Nica turns her attention behind her, she witnesses black onyx claws reach into the light dripping with blood, trying to enter the light. The demonic howling erupts all around them.

"I... I don't..." Nica says.

"If you don't help us, help us protect those who need you the most, then all will be lost..." Ezra smiles as a creature moves into the light howling as it moves to growl deeply at the three of them.

"I am scared..." Nica trembles, her voice sounding small and childlike even to her.

"Don't be afraid; I am here to protect the Oracle."

"Protect me.... please," Nica begs.

"I can't unless you take my hand..." Ezra says as Nica takes his hand, and the world grows dark, and the only sound is the sound of Caesar screaming... as she is engulfed in the world of shadows falling once more.