Straight from Heaven (Fallen Kingdoms I.)

Attention! Reader's advice! The following story may contain elements that may be offensive to the church system or scenes of violence!!! The story is entirely fiction and I do not intend to offend anyone's faith! So readers sensitive to this topic, please only read it at their own risk! Thank you for your understanding and I hope you'll enjoy it! Xx BlindMouse As the clock struck midnight, an unfamiliar shudder ran through the ore. He, the head of a respected diocese, had done what few in the Church had done before him. But the curse had to be stopped. Neither the power of prayer nor the holy relics could work against him. Many priests and disciples began to believe that God had turned away from the church. It was time to put an end to the terror that had been plaguing the churches in the area for almost a year. As God showed no inclination to help his faithful, Archbishop Samuel called upon the devil himself to solve the problem. He walked up and down to the meeting place, which was among the ruins of the church where the nightmare began. The small village hidden in the valley had become almost completely deserted in recent years. It was inhabited only by a few elderly people who warned everyone against settling there. When the Archbishop arrived, the rest of the population looked on with contempt. Archbishop Samuel got out of his carriage and shuddered at the sight before him. The once magnificent building was now just a stone hut, still held up here and there by a few soot-blackened beams. The archbishop made the sign of the cross, but before he could say a prayer for the soul of the priest who had died there, an elderly man stepped forward. His clothes were shabby and his grey temples were deeply wrinkled. He leaned on his crooked cane as if was carrying the weight of the world on his back. - Don't waste your time, Excellency! -Time is never wasted on sad, lost souls my old friend. - the old man smirked at the Archbishop and bowed his head to the direction of the remaining building. - Do you see that huge, black circle right in front of where the door of the church used to be? - he asked and Samuel nodded. The old man motioned him to lean closer although there was not a single soul apart from them on the main square. - There is where Priest Alexander died. - the eyes of the Archbishop opened wide in horror. - How did this terrible incident happened? - he asked and the old man answered with a sad tone in his voice. - Your Excellency, this is a long story. Do you mind to join me in my humble home? There I can tell you everything in details. - Samuel nodded and followed the old man to his house. It was a typical cottage house, with a few chicken wandering in the garden. It was already getting dark and the weather seemed to be a lot colder than in the coty where Archbishop Samuel lived. The chimney slowly released a grey smoke and the old man smiled at Samuel. - It looks like my dear Doris just got ready with the dinner. After you, your Excellency. - he opened the door and an old lady shouted from the direction of the kitchen. - Freddie! Where have you been wandering around all day?! You told me you'll fix the gate today! - she stormed out with her grey hair held up in a messy bun. The lady mentioned as Dear Doris, didn't look like a shy woman. She held the driftwood in one hand while the other rested inquiringly on her sturdy waist. The old man rushed to her and placed a kiss on her cheek. - I'm sorry my lovely wife, I've met with his Excellently at the main square and time flew by. I've invited him for dinner, since he would like to learn about what happened in our little town. Doris lifted an eyebrow and Samuel expected that she will bow her head and greet him with respect as her husband did. But Doris surprised the Archbishop again. She nodded wickedly and then strode off towards the kitchen, muttering something under her breath. After a while, the table was set and waiting for them. Doris, like a good hostess, offered the unexpected guest all the good things their little house had to offer. After dinner, Archbishop Samuel thanked Doris and Fred for the delicious meal and they went to the living room. Doris prepared some tea and sat down listening to the conversation of the men. - Well your Excellency, the tragical story of our little village started over a decade ago. - Fred started while he lit his pipe and leaned back in his armchair, just like a natural story teller. Samuel's eyebrows ran to the middle of his forehead. - Please excuse me for the interruption, but the death of Priest Alexander was three years ago as I know. - Fred nodded. - That's true your Excellency, but the events that lead to his death happened ten years ago when this village was still a small town, with flourishing shops, with a familiar atmosphere. There wasn't a single silent day in this town before. The streets were full of people with every age and size, kids were playing around carelessly and we all attended Priest Alexander's masses each Sunday as God wanted. One day, a new family moved to this town. A really nice blacksmith, called Adam, with his lovely and beautiful wife Helen and their two daughters, Abigail who was around eight years old at that time and, Eunice who was around three... - Doris interrupted her husband's tale. - Eunice was five years old Fred when the Brown family moved here. - Fred smiled. - You are right my love. - Doris smiled with a sorrowful expression on her face. A tear ran out of her green eyes and Archbishop Samuel offered her his handkerchief. She accepted with a grateful smile and wiped off her tear. - I'm sorry for getting emotional. Helen was a good friend of mine and what happened with her beautiful family still makes me sad. - Fred took the word again and Samuel listened to every word of the couple. He wanted to know what lead to the mysterious death of one of his subordinates, why no one accepted the job after him? Why the town became almost empty? And most importantly, why there were so many deaths in the last year? He came here because everything started with Alexander's death. Ever since that day three years ago, each year less and less novices joined the church and the remaining ones feared their lives. - Adam opened his own shop and Helen quickly found job at the town hall. She was a really intelligent woman and Adam was a master of his craftsmanship. Abigail and Eunice joined the school and they were always together. - Doris smiled at the memories. - You should've seen them your Excellency. Abigail had a gorgeous light brown hair, with sparkling, sky blue eyes. She was so smart and curious about the world. While Eunice was an innocent angel, with honey blonde hair and big brown eyes. She always looked like a baby deer. - Samuel smiled as he imagined this perfect family in front of his eyes. - What happened to them? - he asked and the expression of both Fred and Doris became dark. Just like a big storm cloud entered to the house blocking out the life-giving light. - On a Sunday, approximately thirteen years ago, after the mass held by Priest Alexander, we all went home. Doris chatted with Helen and we followed them with Adam while the girls played tag. Everything was so idyll, we never expected that, a gorgeous, sunny Sunday will end in tragedy. Adam left to work and Helen stayed at home with the girls, but she was suddenly called to the town hall because they needed her help with the upcoming spring festival. She left the girls at home and also told them to call Doris if they need any help. Abigail was a big girl already and she could take care of Eunice flawlessly. But... There was bo warning that something like this would ever happen. - Fred's voice broke and Doris held her husband's hand. She turned to Samuel and continued. - Helen stayed out more than she expected, but we didn't know that back then. Around eight o'clock we heard some noise from their house but I thought that the girls were playing. Suddenly all sound died and when I walked to their house to check on the girls I saw the lock destroyed. I grabbed shovel from next to the door and rushed in. Everything was turned upside-down. There was blood on the floor and I started calling the girls. My heart was filled with fear and that was when I heard a sob. I looked under Adam and Helen's bed. Eunice was there, trembling in fear and she was crying silently. I told her to come out and tell me what happened...