Chapter 6: Shocks

… I found myself alone once the door slammed shut. I turned around and took a moment to think.

-That was quite... special? I guess I shouldn't dwell on what just happened...-

I then turned to the sign indicating the name of the main street and noticed that the name had changed once I had crossed the walls. Indeed, I am now on "Iter Lucis Ascensionis," in other words, I am on the path of ascension. I can easily imagine that the origin of the name of this path must be related to what lies at the end of this main road. More precisely, with such a name, I hoped more than anything that at the end of my journey I would find the king's palace "???," which wouldn't be ridiculous if we go by the name of the place where I am.

My progress on this path began as the tolling of bells, resonating in the calm afternoon air, marked the passage of time. Three distinct, clear chimes rose into the sky, announcing that the afternoon was well advanced. At this sound, the doors of the houses began to open, releasing their inhabitants into the streets of the city. Men, women, and children emerged from the thresholds, all having a level of wealth incomparable to mine.

Intrigued by this unusual scene for me, I began to move forward, my steps guiding me through the bustling streets of the city. As I walked, I noticed that all the houses had kept their doors open, as if they were ready to welcome their returning occupants. In front of each threshold, a maid stood, her attentive gaze scanning the horizon, awaiting the return of their masters and mistresses who had gone out.The maids were mostly dressed in simple yet neat attire, their immaculate white dresses contrasting with the bright colors of the surrounding houses. Their hair was pulled back into tight buns, with rebellious strands sometimes escaping to frame their faces. Others, however, wore simple brown tunics similar to the one worn by the young woman I had met earlier. Despite their uniforms, each woman seemed to have a unique aura, an expression on their face betraying their inner state of mind.At first glance, they displayed polite smiles, but upon closer inspection, I could discern a glimmer of sadness in their eyes. Many of them were injured, their faces marked by bruises and scratches, silent witnesses to the trials they had endured. They seemed to hold back their tears behind a mask of false smiles, trying to conceal their pain to remain dignified under the scrutinizing eyes of the passersby.Some of them bore obvious signs of fatigue and exhaustion, their shoulders slumped under the weight of their responsibilities. Their hands trembled slightly, revealing the nervous tension that inhabited them. Yet, despite all the trials they endured, they remained stoic, determined to carry out their duties with dedication and dignity.

The worst part was that some bore visible scars, marks of old wounds that streaked their pale skin. Bruises and scratches marred their arms and faces, showing their unbearable situation. Some even seemed to bear signs of strangulation, red and purple marks encircling their necks like invisible chains. Their clothes were stained with dried blood, a grim reminder of the violence they had suffered. Their hands trembled slightly, revealing the nervous tension that inhabited them. Although all this shocked me slightly, especially since they were roughly my age, I ignored them to avoid any trouble, given my unstable situation.In the distance, I could see groups of people emerging from their houses and gathering. The growing agitation continued to stoke my curiosity. Intrigued by this sudden commotion, I hurried to join the crowd, my steps quickening as I got closer to the assembly. I ran, even at the risk of getting out of breath, determined to arrive before the crowd became too dense for me to see what was happening. Finally, I reached the heart of the agitation, where the crowd was at its peak. People were pressing against each other, their faces turned towards the spectacle unfolding before them.The closer I got, the more the buzz of friendly conversations hummed around me like a song, making me shiver with anticipation. I made my way through the dense mass of people, my breath short, my heart pounding. I pushed people aside to make space, and despite the difficulty, I reached my goal.Once in front of everyone, I witnessed the horrific spectacle unfolding before my astonished eyes. A man was on his knees, his silhouette bowed under the weight of his grim fate. Beside him stood two imposing men, their overwhelming presence filling the air with palpable tension. They pointed a spear adorned with a sun motif, its tip shaped like a four-pointed star.

These men wore dazzlingly white garments, immaculate chasubles adorned with the city's crest, stained with red in places, like blood from the sacrifices they caused. Their long capes fluttered around them like the wings of fallen angels, bearing the shimmering colors of dawn. At their waists, a belt with sixteen knots, braided with thorns or roses, symbolized the complexity of their sacred mission. Their white-gloved hands were stained with blood, the red splotches contrasting with the purity of their attire. On their middle fingers, they wore rings adorned with sparkling Lumicrystals, symbols of the sun and the light guiding their way through darkness. Their shoes, made of gleaming copper, were hidden under bronze breeches that extended up to their knee guards, which bore the sun motif. Every detail of their attire was carefully chosen, each element laden with meaning in their divine mission. But the most terrifying part was their helmets. Yes, helmets of terrifying design, forged from solid steel, they bore the representation of a sun distorted by weeping, its face twisted in unspeakable pain. The sun's rays, made of misshapen blades, seemed to emit a menacing aura, enhancing the terrifying aspect of the whole ensemble. The helmets were so well-fitted to their bodies that they seemed to fuse with their beings, as if they had become one with their roles. The visor, sculpted to resemble a distressed sun, seemed to be the only opening to the outside, revealing an implacable and determined gaze behind its steel bars. Yet, the helmet did not stop at this terrifying representation of the sun. Above the visor, a spike rose towards the sky, adorned with a long crown of thorns, suggesting a sacrifice of chastity. This strange combination of elements gave their helmets an aura of terror, transforming them into dark and menacing relics, symbols of their ruthless authority and signs of their devotion.

At the center of this sinister scene stood an ordinary man, strangely devoid of any marks of wealth or poverty. He was kneeling, his face turned towards the sky, his hands clasped in a gesture of desperate supplication. His wide, tear-filled eyes revealed an unparalleled fear. His scraped knees and trembling hands testified to the distress he was in. Suddenly, his body leaned back, and he raised his arms towards the sky as if trying to touch the sun with his fingertips. It was a gesture filled with despair, a desperate attempt to find solace in the heavens. Then, suddenly, with his mouth wide open and in a trembling voice, the man cried out,

"OH AURACLIS, MY GODDESS OF THE DAWN, YOU WHO GIVE MEANING TO OUR LIVES, I BEG YOU TO FORGIVE MY SINS AND LET ME PASS THROUGH THIS PURIFICATION. I IMPLORE YOUR GRACE, TO ACCEPT MY BODY AS A SACRIFICE AND GRANT ME A PLACE BY YOUR SIDE IN PARADISE. MAY YOUR LIGHT ILLUMINATE MY PATH AND YOUR MERCY GUIDE ME TO ETERNITY."

Then, a chilling silence fell over the scene, broken only by the man's labored breathing and the whispering wind.

After this cry, the two men lowered their heads towards the kneeling man and said in unison,

"Amen."

And with unprecedented brutality, the two men plunged their spears into his sides, splattering the air with blood and heart-wrenching screams. The sound that escaped the man's mouth was a harrowing mix of howls and moans, a primal cry of pain and agony that echoed in the air like a resonating terror. The metallic clang of the spears penetrating flesh was accompanied by the sinister crunch of ribs breaking under the impact, a macabre and nauseating sound that chilled the blood of the horrified spectators. Blood spurted out in a scarlet geyser, drenching the ground with its crimson liquid in a scene of visceral horror. The man's entrails spilled from his belly like black snakes, coiling around his legs in a grotesque ballet of torn flesh and shredded viscera.The macabre scene took an unexpected turn when the two spears pierced through the man's body, emerging on the other side in a second spray of blood. But just as the agony seemed to reach its peak, something extraordinary happened, something I could never have imagined. A beam of light, emanating from the man's wide-open mouth, pierced the sky with a divine glow. The man's wide eyes, filled with pain and terror, projected beams of light towards the clouds, resembling bolts of pure celestial energy. The man's agonizing scream faded into silence, replaced by the muffled sound of magical shimmering. The gaping wounds on his body, open and oozing, began to glow with an ethereal light, pulsating with a hypnotic intensity.Once the spears were withdrawn from the man's body, a strange phenomenon occurred. Blood flowed from the eyes of the mask, forming tears of blood that slowly dripped from the distorted face of the helmet, evoking indescribable suffering, a pain that transcended death itself. The mask's wide-open mouth seemed to emit a lamentation, as if speaking incomprehensible words. It was as if the mask itself felt the pain of the man it had condemned to a horrific death, as if its twisted face expressed the remorse of an executioner condemned to bear the weight of his sins for eternity.The two men straightened slowly, their movements imbued with an almost religious solemnity. They carefully lifted the man's luminous body, as if it were a sacred treasure. Their hands trembled slightly under the weight of this divine aura, their faces still hidden behind their lamentable masks.

They lowered themselves slowly, bending their knees through their sacred garb, and with perfect synchronization, they lifted the body towards the sky, their arms stretched above them. The body continued to writhe in their arms without any effort. As they raised the luminous body towards the heavens, an aura of transcendence seemed to surround them, enveloping them in a halo of celestial light. The man's body ascended slowly within the luminous aura, seemingly carried by an invisible force. A few meters above the ground, a strange phenomenon occurred: his body began to violently disintegrate, fragmenting into a myriad of shimmering particles. The pieces of his being scattered into the air, as if carried away by an invisible gust, swirling in a chaotic ballet. The fragments of his luminous form seemed to dance in the sky, bursting into a shower of incandescent sparks before disappearing into nothingness.The servants, weakened and injured, cautiously came to join their masters, some limping, others bleeding, and a few almost crawling on the ground. Their faces were marked by pain and fear, yet despite this, they hurried to join their masters, responding to the call of duty with unwavering devotion. Once reunited with their masters, they began to escort them back. Some wrapped their masters in blankets, others held their hands or spoke to them softly, with care, about what they had just witnessed. The doors closed, leaving me alone facing the two men.I found myself facing the two men. They lifted their heads towards me, their grotesque masks staring at me with chilling intensity. Their faces, distorted by tears of blood, seemed to probe my soul, seeking to uncover my deepest thoughts. An oppressive aura emanated from them, weighing down the atmosphere around us. The two men turned in perfect synchronization, their movements eerily fluid despite the weight of their armor. In solemn silence, they advanced towards the large gate of the final rampart, the one leading to the royal quarter. Their footsteps echoed on the cobblestones, each clink of their armor marking the passage of time with almost ritualistic precision. Their white capes floated gently behind them, like the wings of fallen angels.The gate was imposing, made of massive wood reinforced with wrought iron bands. Complex motifs of suns and light were engraved into the wood, symbolizing the power and divinity of the kingdom. The two men stopped before the gate, simultaneously raising their gloved hands to grasp the heavy iron rings. With coordinated effort, they pushed the gates open, which creaked deeply and resonantly, as if they hadn't been opened in centuries. I understood then that I too must pass through this gate to reach the royal quarter. Access to this sacred sanctuary seemed both near and terribly distant.The two men slowly crossed the gate, leaving behind a trail of dried blood and divine light. Their silhouettes disappeared into the golden glow, blending into the light with a sinister grace. Without a word, the gate began to close behind them, its movement slow and inexorable. The creaking of the hinges echoed like a macabre reminder.

Still reeling from the macabre scene I had just witnessed, I attempted to gather my thoughts, to grasp the meaning behind this horrifying ritual. After long moments of reflection, I turned my gaze towards the massive door before me, seeking answers in its details. Beyond the sun motifs and the fresco recounting the story of the goddess Auraclis, an inscription caught my attention. In majestic letters, it proclaimed:

"Whoever wishes to pass must possess knowledge equaling the wisdom of dawn."

Beneath it was the same instruction but in an older language, likely that of the city:

"Quicumque transire cupit, scire debet aequans notitiam aurorae."

Determined to advance toward my goal, I stepped forward slowly, feeling the weight of the inscription echoing in my mind. I knew I had to demonstrate an exceptional level of knowledge to hope to reach the royal quarter, but I didn't exactly understand how I would have to go about it. With each step, my heart beat stronger, fueling my determination to uncover what lay on the other side. And so, with resolute determination, I reached out for the heavy iron rings, ready to face the challenge that this door imposed. My mind was buzzing, filled with unanswered questions, but my step was firm and assured. Whatever might await me on the other side, I knew that's where my destiny lay.

To be continued...