Enslaved

Chapter 13: Priest

“Michael.” 

A flashback overcame Thane and Nera to when they were on the brink of death as they saw a village in the distance after weeks or months of being on the run. A farmer found them, took care of them, fed and nursed them back into health. That man provided them the supplies and direction to survive their journey. 

Without him, they wouldn’t have survived. They wouldn’t be here right now.

Michael.

The two unknowingly had brought Brutus to his village, attacking and burning it down to find them. Michael’s screams and the sight of his ruined house still haunted Nera until this day.

Often Thane wondered how Michael was, he visited that old village a few years back to find it completely abandoned with no Michael in sight. The slavers had destroyed and killed everything in sight, leaving destruction and death. 

And now, here he was. A priest tending to the chaos that the slavers left. 

Thane shared a look with Nera and sure enough she had the very same thoughts and expression. After all, how could she forget the man who helped them? 

“Michael...” Nera trailed off, her voice shaking.

The priest covered another body with cloth, his attention not completely on them. “What is it?”

He looked so different and in the worst possible way, it seems as though life took its toll on him and justly so for what has happened to him. Losing his family, the only place he’s called home taken from him and now, picking up pieces that the slavers have dumped. 

“What happened to your wife?” Thane found himself asking.

“How did you-?” Michael frowned, confused on how they knew he had a wife and turned to face them fully, piercing eyes finally getting a good look. Under all the cloak, armor and a multitude of weapons, he started to find them familiar. The woman had red hair, the type of hair he hasn’t seen in a long time and the man with the large scar on the left side of face. He could have sworn...

Instinctively, he looks down at their wrists and sure enough there were deep scars on both of them. There weren’t many that escaped the slavers and the two had obvious signs of it.

Michael stared at the two warriors and saw how close they stood. How the man almost always stuck close to the girl, possessively and protectively. The girl with her kitten features watched him expectantly... waiting. 

“It can’t be.” He whispered, his memory conjuring two young, hungry and dirty children crawling to him from the woods. “It’s the two of you.”

Thane nodded, standing up to approach him. “It is, Michael.” 

The priest choked up. What are the odds that the two small children from ten years ago are now in front of him... fully grown. “You survived?” 

“All because of you.” Nera gratefully tells him.

Amazed and happy to see Thane and Nera, Michael rushes over and wraps them in a tight embrace, tears in his eyes. “You’re both so grown up! And strong!” 

By this time he was crying heavily, his whole body shaking. Nera embraced him just as tightly with Thane patting him comfortingly. 

“I can’t believe it. I’m so overwhelmed with joy!” He crooned, drawing back a little to get a good look on their faces. 

Michael didn’t bother wiping away his tears. He gazed up at Thane and Nera with great admiration. 

“Handsome.” Michael says to Thane. He then turns to Nera and grins. “Absolutely beautiful. As always.” 

He felt so fatherly towards the two. In the short time he had them, Michael treated them like his very own children. He never had children but if he did, he’d want them to be just like Thane and Nera. 

“What are you two doing here? It’s dangerous.”  Michael began to scold as if they were children again. “The slavers are amongst us again. It isn’t safe. Especially in these parts.” 

Thane mournfully nods. “We heard.”

“That’s why we’re here.” Nera cheerfully says. “We’ve come to help.” 

Michael grasped Nera’s hands and affectionately squeezed. “My dear girl. You’re as fearless as ever.” 

“What happened to you, Michael?” Thane asked, face taut and forlorn. “I came looking for you and your village-“ 

Michael shook his head in sadness. He brought them to sit at one of the wooden benches to the side. Nera sat with him while Thane leaned on the wall, his body facing them. “Never recovered. With no aid and protection from Caelum, we died off. Many died or were captured and the rest of survivors fled.” 

“Where’s your wife? Why are you a priest?” Nera stopped herself, looking ashamed for her continuous questioning. “I’m sorry I have so many questions.”

“It’s quite all right, child. After the slavers came looking for you, they rounded us all and chose which ones to take captive. My wife was one of them. They deemed me too weak for travel after trying to fight them off and...” He lifted the front of his robes showing harsh burn marks that healed into ugly loose skin. 

Nera shuddered at the sight and held on to Michael’s hand. It seemed to her that all of them have been marked by the dreadful slavers. 

Thane’s face tightened even more. He felt horrible. They caused all of Michael’s sufferings.

“I was burned alive.” Michael flinched at the sight of his own scar and pulled down his robe to hide it away. “I don’t know how I survived as well. I woke up within the ruins of my own home. I was lost for years. I tried to find my wife but knew she was long gone. I decided to become a wandering priest. Since then I’ve dedicated my life to helping villages and slave escapees.” 

Silence befell the chapel. The only sounds came from groans of the injured and the shaky breaths of the recovering ones. 

Thane was the first to break the silence. “I deeply apologize for what happened. It’s our fault the slavers came. We never should have come to your village.” 

Michael waved away Thane’s apology. “They would have come either way. It’s what they do. They won’t stop until everything falls. I’m glad you two came. It means I saved a few more lives than what was lost.” 

“I’m still sorry.” Thane continued, head dropped low in guilt. 

In a way that was so fatherly to Thane, Michael clapped him on the back. “Enough about that. You’re alive and that’s all that matters.” 

Nera looked around the pitiful chapel. It was horrible to think that Caelum was celebrating right now and yet these things are happening. People are bleeding to death, dying and being taken away from their homes to be sold. “How long have you been in Tosa?” 

“A few weeks. I was here when the slavers came. The heathens came like they always do with the horrid caravan and the chains, and the cages. I hid as many people as I could in the crypt under this structure. I’ve been helping the injured and wounded as much as I could but some are too far gone to be helped.” He gestures to the multitude of dead bodies around them. 

A defeated sigh came from Nera. “Monsters. They need to be stopped. 

“Indeed but we’re powerless. Brutus is much too strong.” 

Thane visibly stiffened at the mention of the slavers’ notorious leader. “Do you know where the slavers are headed?” 

Michael leaned forward, voice lowering. “No. Not yet at least.” 

“Not yet?” Thane asked, eyebrows shooting up his hairline in surprise. “Do you mean to say you’ll know?” 

He nodded, expression solemn. “The church hired a mercenary to trail the slavers. He’s due back in a few days to bring back news. We figured if we had enough evidence that the slavers exist, the King might finally believe us.” 

Nera glanced at Thane, eyes hopeful and expectant. He met her gaze and nodded. “We’ll wait for the mercenary to return. In the meantime, what can we do to help Tosa?”

Michael furrowed his eyebrows. “I couldn’t possibly impose on you two. You’ve already helped enough by using priceless medicine and bandages.”

Nera shook her head. “Michael, it’s the least we can do. We owe you our lives. Let us help and provide more.” 

Michael nodded, seeing the determination in their eyes. “There are a few things.”