Blood Moon

Prophecy

Legosi walked up the stairs, a bowl of warm porridge in hand. As he was about to open the door, he heard small cries coming from inside the door. Gently, he pushed the door open. The little girl whom he left sleeping was now awake, her small body pressed up on the farthest corner of the bed, her eyes wide and alert. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you.” He said softly, raising his free hand while pushing the bowl of food he had towards her direction. The hesitation in her eyes faded slightly and she gulped, her mouth salivating at the sight of warm food.

He stepped closer to her and placed the food on the table and backed away slowly. “Eat up, you must be famished.”

Her eyes were looking all over the room, taking in the sight. Her small body was trembling as she gazed at the unfamiliar walls and the stranger in front of her. After years of being surrounded by stone walls and bars of steel, these were all too new for her. She was facing something new, just as she did when they first went out into the woods to escape the south west kingdom. They were heading over to the east and making their way into King Xanadu’s realm from the front so as to avoid all the other kingdoms that stood from all sides of King Xanadu’s territory. Her parents were there with her then, making her feel safe. But now, she was alone in the company of a stranger.

The child tried to steer clear and keep her guard up but then the smell of the warm food drifted to her nose, making her mouth water and her stomach grumble. Overcome by hunger, she decided it was worth the risk. She inched closer sluggishly, dragging her body across the sheets until she was close enough to reach for the bowl. “Be careful, it’s still hot.” He reminded her. The young child nodded apprehensively and gently took the porridge and placed it in front of her.

A memory resurfaced on the back of his mind as he stared at the young girl. He saw a young boy, wearing tattered clothes drenched in blood, lungs heaving as he cried and ran at the same time. He remembered the image of him, sitting wide-eyed and trembling as adults spoke in front of him, wondering whether to throw him out or make use of him. The child in his memory felt scared and alone in a place he had never been in before. The images that ran across his mind felt so distant but it awakened emotions he long buried deep inside.

When he woke up from his reverie, the child had already propped herself by the corner of the bed, the frame supporting her back. She took the wooden spoon and dipped it in, blowing on the porridge gently before putting it on her mouth. As he looked at her, he realized that the young child was used to taking care of herself. Her arms did not shake at the meagre weight of the spoon and she did not spill, she was also very careful while eating the porridge, avoiding burns. As he stared at her small frame, he ached. Her parents must not have had enough time in their hands to care for her. Before he could say anything, he decided to leave the room for a moment. “I’ll grab you some water.”

He went down the stairs and got some cold water for the young child and on his way back, the door burst open. Luna and Augustus entered, clothes thick with dust and their faces drenched in sweat. “What happened?” He asked, noticing the grim expression on Luna’s face.

She slumped on the wooden chair unceremoniously, tossing her red cloak aside and letting it hang on Rigel’s back. “The demons,” she whispered. “They’re becoming resistant to sunlight.”

Legosi almost dropped the cup of water on his hand in shock, looking at her as if she had grown two heads. “What do you mean?”

“The demon at the plaza did not weaken under direct contact with sunlight, it remained struggling for thirty minutes before we arrived. It did not mind the heat baring down on his skin.” Augustus replied, a gloomy expression on his face.

“That’s impossible!” Legosi exclaimed.

“We saw it with our own eyes, Legosi. We even fought with it.” Luna said, staring straight at him. “They held it under the sun long enough but it did not weaken.”

 “This does not brood well for us.” Augustus sighed, slumping on the wall. “This may mean that they will attack at daytime confidently as the blood moon approaches.”

Before he could reply, he heard a tiny cough from upstairs, urging him to go back to his duties. He ran up to the child and offered her the cup which she took eagerly. Behind him, Augustus and Luna entered the room. At the sight of Luna, the child stiffened, but then her eyes drifted to Legosi and then back to her, wide and questioning. “Why?” She asked, her voice trembling.

They remained still in the contemplating silence. There was nothing else left they could say to justify why they were averse to the idea of fighting back. The Kings seemed to have come into agreement, neither one of them being able to think of something that might contest what the opposing three kings has said.

“It seems that we have concluded the next path to take, the question is, what will the first step be?” King Ulysses demanded.

“As King Xerxes has said, we should study our enemies closely. We must first gather as many demons of different classes, discover their weaknesses and how we can use it against them.” King Xanadu looked over to King Ulysses’ side and gestured towards them. “I will personally assist with capturing these abominations but it will be best if the studies will be conducted at King Ulysses’ supervision. We are all well aware that they are the most advanced kingdom when it comes to demonology.”

Then he looked over at King Michael. “I would also request your aid, King Michael. Your kingdom holds the most number of warlocks, they will be very much needed in my expedition.”

All eyes are now on the young king. Taking a deep breath, he flashed them a warm smile. “It would be my honor.” He said through gritted teeth.

“There are a lot of preparations to make so it would be better if we make detailed plan on what our next action will be so we can sort it out.”

“Let me remind you, the next blood moon is coming in weeks’ time. We should also worry of our current problem. Wars take time, while you start these procedures, some of us might as well use the time to strengthen our borders.” King Alexus suggested, earning him an approving glance from King Michael.

“Oh, it won’t take long. I’ll make sure of that. We’ll be ready for war on fall. We don’t have much time in our hands, anyways.”

“This fall?” King Harold exclaimed, shock evident on his voice. “That’s too soon! Preparations take longer than that, King Xanadu. We are not brigands, it takes more time assembling real soldiers than common cutthroats.”

“Rushing through this will do us more harm than good.” King Ulysses said over to King Xanadu. “It is better if we take things slow. That way, our soldiers will be ready for what’s to come. It has been long since we sent them out on hunts. We need to train them to be at their best.”

“I will personally tend to that, your soldiers will be at their best form in just months’ time.”

“Why are you so desperate to finish this quickly, King Xanadu? You will put us in a very dire straits if we don’t do this carefully.” King Alexus pointed out.

“We don’t have much time in our hands, if we don’t do this quickly, we will all be annihilated.” King Xanadu said, pulling out a parchment from his breast pocket.

“How do you know that?” King Xerxes asked with a look of doubt in his eyes. King Xanadu waved the parchment on his hand and spread it across the table. “The same way you have predicted the world’s fate.” The other kings squinted their eyes and pushed their bodies closer to the table to see what it was. Written on the paper was a scripture, characters that none of them were able to read. On the middle of the scriptures was a figure, but the parchment was too far away for them to make out what it was.

“What is that?” King Harold asked him. With one hand, he pulled the metal coffin off the table, letting it drop heavily on the marble floor. When the shock from the noise died down, he pushed the parchment to the middle. The kings were able to see the figure drawn on the middle. It was a child, cloaked in darkness, clawed creatures creeping behind it.

“It is a prophecy.” He replied.

“From where?” King Xerxes asked curiously. “The church has not released a prophecy for many years.” Out of all the kingdoms, his was the one closest to the church and prophecies were made by the pope himself. Unlike in the past where the assigned pope would reveal new prophecies every year, the church has stopped speaking of prophecies for more than a decade now. If there was anyone who would know of a new prophecy, he should be the first.

“It is not from the church,” he laughed. “The church will never speak of this prophecy.”

“Impossible.” King Xerxes exclaimed. “All prophecies come from the church.”

“The church said the same thing about spells, and yet, here we are.” King Xerxes flinched at the harshness in his voice but kept silent, unable to counter his words.

“Now I tell you what the future holds for us.’ King Xanadu placed a finger upon the parchment right at the center and raised his eyes to them.

“The time for the offspring of the devil has come, your highnesses.” He spoke ominously. “Not one born of the seven sentinels, but by the Demon King himself.”

At his announcement, sharp gasps filled the room, some kings even started feeling faint. “You have uttered too many lies today, King Xanadu!” King Michael exclaimed, smashing his fist on the table. His eyes were red in rage, body trembling as he gazed at him powerlessly.

“I state no lie, this prophecy has been passed down for a hundred years. It rings true as our prayers to nature, no matter how unacceptable they may be to you.” He calmly argued back.

“It is written in the prophecy that the evil king will bring an offspring. That child will be hidden from all of us until the day of reckoning. That child may be living inside our own territories as we speak. If he finds this child before we do, we will be doomed. That’s why we must eradicate these vile creatures before that time comes.”

“Still, it is impossible.” King Ulysses said under his breath. “No human is capable of giving birth to the child of such powerful being. Even those who had carried children for the seven sentinels rarely survives. Only those with exceptional strength, women born from families of witches and warlocks are able to last a day are able to give birth.”

“No one is strong enough to give birth to such a child, King Xanadu, it just can’t be.” King Ulysses shook his head.

“That is true, but King Xerxes,” Hearing his name, he perked up. “Yes?” He replied, his voice apprehensive. “You are the most knowledgeable about the church here, yes?”

King Xerxes nodded his head proudly. “Yes, I am.”

“Then,” King Xanadu continued. “When was the last time you introduced a wife of god?”

*********************

The little girl’s curious and terrified eyes skimmed across the room, particularly at Luna. “Why what?” Legosi asked her, kneeling at the side of the bed.

“Why are you together?” She asked. The sheer confusion and terror she held in her voice was bothering. That was when Legosi remembered something. He rose abruptly and turned to Augustus. “Can you care for her for a bit?” He asked him.

“Yes, but where are you goin-”

Legosi grabbed Luna’s arm and yanked her out of the room, leaving a terrified child with a very confused Augustus.

He dragged her out of the house with him, Rigel only wagging his tail at the sight. He turned to the side of the house, near the shrubs, and when he deemed they were far enough, he pushed her against one of the trees. He towered over her, looking down on her small form with livid eyes. He brought his face close to hers, their noses inches apart. “You...” He rasped, baring his teeth on her. “At the mountain, she called you a demon.”

Luna’s amber eyes looked up at him expressionlessly, unafraid at the face of his wrath. “She did.” She answered, her voice remaining steady. His fingers tightened around her arms but she didn’t shake him off.

“And?” His breaths were heavy and shallow, eye red-rimmed in anger. “Answer me, woman!”

“If I say that I am, would you kill me?” She tilted her head to the side, her eyes staring deep into his soul. His breath caught in his throat, surprised by her question.

If she asked him that the first day they had met, there was no question, he would try to kill her, even if it meant getting himself killed. But now, the answer was hazy, unclear even to him. He tried to keep his eyes on hers but he wasn’t able to handle the question it held and so he turned away. His breathing slowed and his hands fell away from her arms. He slumped towards her, laying his forehead on her shoulders. “Since when did you know?” He asked her gently.

“Since Augustus arrived. He told me so. He seems to be some sort of an expert on demonology.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked against her neck.

“I was sure you would try to kill me.” She rasped.

“I was too.” He whispered. She tried to peek at his face but it was hidden under her raven locks, making it impossible for her to guess what he was thinking.

“Why don’t you?”

“I don’t know. Would you like me to?” She grinned at his words.

“I am certain that the chief doesn’t want his warlock beheaded.” She replied confidently. Legosi laughed at her remark.

“You are very confident with your skills.” He backed away from her and held up her arms, looking for any bruises.

“For good reasons.” Luna pushed herself off the tree and fixed her clothes, pulling back her arm from Legosi’s grasp. “You didn’t hold me too tight, it’ll take more than that to put a scratch on me.”

He studied her face for a moment for confirmation before urging her to come back inside. “Let’s go inside, we need to assure her that you won’t hurt her.”

“The child trusts you,” She said as they made their way back. “It doesn’t matter how she see me as, as long as you are there, she won’t be bothered by my presence.”

When they went back into the room, the child was done eating. She was now covered in blankets, only her face visible to them.

“Are you feeling well?” Legosi approached her, kneeling beside the bed.

“Yes.” She croaked, shyly raising the blankets to cover her mouth.

“If you want, I could give you more food.”

‘No need,” she muttered, her voice thick with an accent. “I’m full.”

“Is it alright if we ask you some questions?” Augustus gently asked her, sitting on the foot of the bed. “You can choose whether you’ll answer or not.”

For a moment it seemed that she was going to crawl under the bed and hide from their watchful eyes but fire burned in her little brown eyes and she nodded bravely. “Alright.”

“Last night,” Augustus started. “Did you see who attacked you?”

The braveness in her eyes disappeared and she went still. The little girl’s breath caught in her throat and she paled, looking as if she would keel over. Legosi turned to him harshly, eyes burning. “Augustus, are you out of your mind?”

“We have to know, Legosi.” He said firmly. “They were not ordinary commoners, they were skillful warriors, a bloodline of powerful fighters coursing through their veins. Yet they were massacred, dead without signs of being able to fight back.”

“You saw what they looked like, they were all far apart, indicating that they ran away. Years of battles with demons and they chose to run away.” He emphasized the oddness of their choice to flee, making clear his realization. “Whatever it was that struck them down, it must have been very powerful. The blood moon is approaching, we must know what we’re up against.”

“He’s right,” Luna intervened. “We need to know, Legosi.”

“Give her some time.” Legosi demanded.

“We don’t have time.” Luna pointed out.

“But-“

“I…did not see it clearly.” The child suddenly spoke. They went silent, refusing to make another noise. All heads turned to her, waiting for her to continue.

 “The sun was not up yet, it was still dark. We were on our way up when black smoke descended on us.” Tears brimmed at the corner of her eyes, her lips quivering. Legosi was about to console her when he felt a hand close over his arm.

“Let her finish so we may never ask her again.” Luna said to him. He hesitated for a moment but he stayed where he was.

“Mother cast a spell and hid me in between roots and concealed me. What I last remember was a tall shadow passing by and the screams that followed after that.”

*********

“Blasphemy!” King Xerxes’ voice echoed loudly on the throne room, his associates struggling to keep him in his place as he desperately tried to reach for the insolent king in front of him. “You dare speak ill of a woman of the church?!”

“I am only asking you, King Xerxes, I made no false accusations.” He answered nonchalantly, unbothered by the fit of hysteria that was directed at him. “We will not know the truth if you do not give me what I desire to know.”

“Unbelievable.” King Xerxes muttered under his breath.

All the other kings held the same horrified faces that King Xerxes wore but on the side, King Ulysses was more intrigued than offended. He ran his finger on his chin, deep in thought. “Answer him.” He said to the disgruntled royal, his face stern.

“You can’t possibly think…” His voice died out, disbelief plastered on his face.

“I will not make any opinion unless you answer his question, King Xerxes.”

At this, anger dried out of his face and he sighed dejectedly. “I’ll tell you.”