Victor and the Seven Circles of Darkness

Chapter 34 - The Seven Holy Virtues

Meanwhile, Queen Magenta crossed another date in the calendar. She's becoming restless, worried, anxious, and so with King Godfred. "Why are they not here yet? I think it's time to use the sun orb again, Godfred. I'll try to reach Victor even only in his dreams."

They went down to the secret sanctuary of the sun orb. The twenty gallants guarding it weren't surprised to see them again. They knew well that this unexpected visit was urgent and required immediate attention as it concerned the life of their son and his companions.

Inside the secret chamber, Queen Magenta put her diadem on her forehead, positioned her hands around the sun orb, closed her eyes and whispered, "Victor, my son, listen to me. You have two days remaining in Mount Saligia ... two days, son. Time is running out. Hurry up, son! Hurry up!"

Victor opened his eyes and looked around. He thought he'd just heard a voice. "Mother!" he whispered. He's surprised to see everyone sleeping. He shook Master Tyrus's shoulder. "I heard Mother's voice, she said we have two days remaining, we need to hurry up."

"We've slept too long again," said Master Tyrus, shaking his head. He rose at once. "Queen Magenta was able to reach you through dream and that means we're reaching the top of the mountain. That's good to know." He tapped Rower and Trobit's shoulders. "Get up! We're almost there!"

They made every second count. The message from the queen braced them up to push even more their already burn out bodies. They stopped once in a while to catch their breath, to drink the last bottle of water, then up they climbed again.   

Finally, they reached the top, all wheezing and shaking, warm and wet with sweat. It took a moment for them to recover as their throats were dry and begging for water, but they'd consumed it all. 

The chamber was broad, high and bright with torchlights. Reaching this other side of the mountain was already something to cheer about; just a thick wall separating them from reaching home, from breathing fresh air and attaining freedom.

At this moment, Victor becoming a bit sentimental. He realized the mountain wasn't really evil. It wasn't bad. It's a mountain full of suffering, yes, but full of lessons in life. It's a place of purification for people who chose to violate the divine and religious laws, and acted according to what they thought was good for themselves. The message in his understanding was simple: live a good life and everything else will follow.

Master Tyrus had regained his strength. "Now let's talk about the key in Rower's heart."

No one answered.

"Look—" said Rower with apprehension. "If the only way to retrieve it is to open my heart, then do it now and get yourselves out of here."

"Are you mad?" Trobit fretted. "That's not the solution to the problem. It doesn't make sense. You add more problem to the problem."

"No, Rower, we can't do that," said Victor. "There must be another way. We're able to pass the challenges in the seven circles of darkness, we'll also find a way to the exit gate without hurting you."

"I guess you're the only one who could solve this riddle now, Rower, not us," said Master Tyrus in a calm voice. "I think our part in this quest is over. We've found and rescued you. It's your turn to finish it. It's probably a test for you if you really deserve pardon."

"But how?" Rower was already in panic.

"Search your heart." 

"I don't know how, Master Tyrus?" Rower felt even more confuse and distress. The companion's lives depend solely on him on this moment. They risked their lives and all. He shouldn't fail them now. He rose and walked around the chamber, back and forth, thinking, and still thinking, yet his brain seemed clueless of anything related to the retrieval of the key.

Silence swept the chamber as the rest of the companions were also trying hard to figure it out. They had nothing more to say and they preferred it this way to give Rower the time and space he needed in finding the missing piece of the puzzle. But time kept rolling—the rooster crowed and day twenty-three was over. 

"Oh c'mon, Rower, make it fast!" said Trobit in panic. He couldn't hold his anxiety anymore. "We survived the seven circles of darkness—yes—thank you very much—but in this Galatian Gate that we couldn't find any solution. Squeeze your brain, will you? Take note, we have one day left, Rower, one day. We are this close in leaving Mount Saligia." He made an inch-wide sign with his fingers. "This close!"

"Hold on, what did you just say?" said Rower.

"I said we are this close!" Trobit making an inch-wide sign again with his fingers.

"No, the name of the gate—"

"Galatian Gate—"

"And what's the name of the mountain again?"

"Saligia—"

Rower paused. "Superbia was the name of the circle where you found me, right?"

"Right!" they said in chorus. Their faces appeared hopeful after hearing Rower coming up with something sensible.

"Superbia for pride ... Avaritia for greed ... Luxuria for lust ... Ira for wrath ... Gula for gluttony ... Invidia for envy ... Acedia for sloth ... S-A-L-I-G-I-A. Yes, of course. That's the reason why they called the mountain Saligia."

They looked at him with greater interest, waiting further for any elaboration or explanation about his newfound thoughts.

"And now what," said Victor. "Don't hang up now."

"The seven circles of darkness are the seven deadly sins of men, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins in the doctrine of the Roman Catholic church in the human world. The list of the seven holy virtues, which is in contrast to the list of the seven deadly sins are found in the book of Galatians in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. Maybe that's the reason why they call the exit gate the Galatian Gate."

"And what are these seven holy virtues?" asked Trobit out of curiosity.

"Simple, just the opposite of the seven deadly sins of men like humility for pride, charity for greed, chastity for lust, forgiveness for wrath, temperance for gluttony, kindness for envy, and diligence for sloth."

An aura of white began to surround Rower. Jets of silver light stretched out from his chest and from his heart came out a golden key. The key floated in the air and moved gradually to the wall of the chamber. The stone wall absorbed it, then a radiance of light burst out from where the key was absorbed. A thick line of light formed and slithered around the stone, cutting it into the shape of a huge door. Luminous inscriptions appeared on the stone door: Galatian Gate.

A bright light flashed and hindered their visions for a while, then came a translucent form of a man with wings and halo and slowly appearing into a solid form right before them. As the bright light faded away, they recognized him as the magnificent Chamuel, the guardian and keeper of Mount Saligia. His wings as white as snow, so huge and beautiful and as proud as the wings of an eagle. A glass of time was resting on his palm and the sand inside kept pouring down and almost empty from the top.

The companions went down to their knees to show reverence to whom they realized was an angel. 

"You have shown great courage and determination in the seven circles of darkness," said Chamuel. "You made it until the end. You are all free to leave Mount Saligia." He raised his right hand and the Galatian Gate sprang open. From where they stood, they got a good glimpse of what was outside the mountain—all trees, blue sky, and sunshine.

"I bid you all farewell and God speed!" said the angel and gestured them to follow the gate.

"Thank you, Lord Chamuel," said Master Tyrus. "Thank you, too, to the seven gatekeepers."

Victor and Trobit were tongue-tied, all eyes on Chamuel, who had wings far bigger and powerful than anyone else in Solandia. Not even the sun fairies or the bird people could equal the magnitude of it.

Words didn't come out so easily for Rower, with misty eyes he clasped his hands and bowed his head as a sign of reverence and gratitude to the angel of God.

Feeling light and relieved with all the burdens and anxieties gone, the companions bid the angel goodbye and ran fast to the Galatian Gate.

They made it. They're going home.