MANDATES OF DIVINITY

EPISODE 3

That which we protect we defend,

That which we love we protect,

That which we can control we love,

Nothing is under our control,

Not even ourselves.

-Sage of the south.

The curse and the gift.

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            As soon as the halo appeared, Patra’s expression changed drastically. He knew what a halo entailed; it was like a mark for another level of monstrous possibilities. Just one out of every seven priests had a halo and it took years to fully refine it. But the kids just turned it on like all it took was a fancy switch.

“Eternal chains!” Watt yelled and right out of his body, bright silver chains shot out like darts, they functioned like an extension of his body and struck through the air towards Patra.

“Eternal chains? The same chains the godling used to bind the damned?” Patra became even more cautious, a sword of light appeared in his hand and he deflected the chains, they turned and shot towards him again. “I have to get to the boy.” A plan quickly formed in Patra’s mind.

            With an inhuman speed, Patra dashed towards Watt. To get rid of the chains, the summoner had to be disturbed. Betty and Bernard moved in an unusual manner, they were like two blue streaks and they blocked Patra’s path.

“Flame avalanche!” Patra yelled and leapt. The height was inhuman, it was like he levitated and he slashed out. A wave of flames crashed down towards Watt, he totally neglected Betty and Bernard and attacked Watt.

            The flames poured out towards Watt, Athion turned to a blue streak that appeared before Watt, he raised up his palm and chanted. A ring of light appeared above his palm that became wider and wider, it happened very quickly and soon it had enclosed the area above Watt and Athion. The flame went through the ring and disappeared; it was like the ring was a door that gave way to somewhere else entirely. Not an ember appeared on the other side of the ring.

“The doors of time.” Patra who had now returned to the ground drew a cold breath, the ring Athion summoned was myth to him. It had the ability to convey anything to another place, it was a portal of legendary repute.

“You can’t wrestle them Patra, all you can do at most is to test out their teamwork. I doubt the exchange would provide us with any information about their true strength.” Patra remembered the words of the bishop, the four were just on another level entirely. Not just the four, every kid that was born on the day of blessings. On the day the creator smiled on the world, legends were born. This is the big secret of the church, one even him is ignorant of its details.

“Arise! Patron of the saint…” Patra’s voice rose, his calm demeanour had been shattered, it was obvious he was finally serious. “Let them tremble!” The ground shook and clouds gathered above the field. It drastically became darker and the halos became brighter, it was like a storm loomed. Lightning rocked the clouds, the four became wary, even Watt retracted the chains.

“Hmm, his patron.” Athion was at alert, he still recollected how powerful saint Patra was, if this was a fight against the fallen, the saint would be on an entirely different level. The criteria for a priest to become a saint was the patron pact, forging an alliance with a particular angel that acts as your guardian in peculiar cases.

            Everyone present on the field could hear bells ringing, it sounded like it was right beside their ears but there were no bells in sight. The ringing grew louder and louder until it suddenly stopped and a ball of light dropped from the sky, the ground rumbled when it landed and a figure was left after the light faded. The figure looked like a man, he wore a blue attire and had huge golden bracelets on his wrists and ankles. He had no wings, but he still levitated in mid-air.

“So this is his patron, the angel Matith.” Once a higher being appears, the knowledge of its identity is instantly implanted in the heart of those who see it. In this case, the angel’s name was Matith and he had eyes like embers. Each time Matith moved, it came with an ear-piercing sound and the four slightly pulled away.

            Bernard moved again, turning into a blue streak that closed in on Patra and Matith beside him. He shone brighter as he moved and a golden spear appeared in his hands, the ground cracked were he stepped and he looked like he travelled with a storm; debris and dust moved with him. Matith reacted, launched at the assault like a spear. The wind whistled, Matith was like a bullet that moved with a destructive potential.

            The two collided without a sound, Bernard drove his spear into Matith’s chest; the latter was unaffected. Patra smiled at Bernard’s shock as a ring of light formed around Matith and Bernard, Bernard couldn’t move, his limbs froze and his eye lids trembled.

“Matith is going to seal him.” Watt alerted the others. The three moved, Athion and Watt tried to break into the ring but an unseen force threw them backwards.

“Its no use.” Patra chuckled. “Matith is a being of sound and seals. He uses special frequencies to separate the world within and outside his ring, nothing, no matter the nature can break that ring.” Patra suddenly appears within the ring. “Once the sealing is completed, he will be mine to utterly control until the seal is lifted.”

“At this rate, Bernard will be sealed.” Watt turned towards Athion with worry written all over his face. Bernard had fallen to his knees and his body twitched.

“These children are monstrous, that he can resist Matith this long.” Patra once again was reminded how incredible the four were.

“Arise patroness of the saint…” That was Betty, her voice rose and it shattered the tension round about her. “Dominate.” A blinding light appeared before Betty, there was the faint sound of trumpets and everyone could easily make out a huge pair of radiant wings, powerful winds blasted in every direction from the figure.

            The light dissipated to reveal what appeared to be a woman, her skin was like glass and she had a red stone for eyes. Adorned in a white garment that glowed, she levitated without flapping her huge wings. Her hair was golden and a halo rested on her head, she held a sword that was red hot and dust couldn’t be found around her.

“Lady Oshh?” It was Matith who spoke, the ring of light around him disappeared. His voice sounded like bells chiming, he fell to his knees instantly and Patra against his will did the same.

“How could she command an angel this high in the hierarchy?” Patra was screaming inside, the bishop who observed rose to his feet. Astonished, the priests moved closer to the field. It was like they glared at the brightness of the sun, some of the priests fell to their knees. The angel Oshh was just too majestic.

            The evaluation ended and the four stood before the bishop, he smiled brightly and father Bayo on the other hand wasn’t disappointed.

“You have exceeded all expectations and I’m certain the saint agrees.” The bishop chuckled and continued. “The four of you would be moved to the main cathedral, along with others like you from all over the redeemed plains. There you will be groomed by the pope to become the most formidable force the universe has ever witnessed.”

            Just as the bishop gave his address, a priest ran towards the company. Despair engulfed him like a robe and his body shook as he fell to his knees.

“Father, what is wrong.” The bishop rose to his feet and moved towards him.

“We just received news from the main cathedral!” The priest yelled and broke into tears.