Temptation [A Young Writer's Prize Submission]

The Exsul

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

And he said to them, 'Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.'

Luke 22: 46

I slept deeply. My mind was trapped in dreams, while my body lay trapped in an artificial unconsciousness.

That same nightmare plagued me, ramming over and over into my brain. A dream where I fell, burning, into the bowels of the earth. When that dream subsided, another, darker dream was the replacement.

Voices; yelling - at first undistinguishable words, thanks to the ugly buzzing in my head, but gradually they became clearer.

"Why are you here again?" One spoke, and the tones of the voice were not entirely unpleasant. I felt my blood begin to stir in my veins.

"I am divinus," the stranger voice spoke, proudly.  "You are exsul." The words sounded mystical and dangerous. "You have no right to tell me where I should be."

"I may not, but you know you are breaking the law by being here."

The divinus objected angrily; "It is for the greater good of all." His intoning voice, filled with reverence and authority, was undermined by a mocking laugh from the exsul.

"No, it's for the greater good of the divinus," the exsul retorted, amused. "I entreat you to leave, frater."

"Do not call me brother," the divinus hissed, flying into a rage. "You are no brother of mine."

"I was before," the exsul replied calmly. "I will be again. It has been permitted; from the lowest, you will see me rise to the heights."

"Nothing such has been permitted," the divinus retorted. "You have the chance to return, nothing more."

"Yet you choose to undermine the orders. I must be left alone in my task."

"Oh, we do not wish to aid you," the divinus dismissed the idea with a critical laugh. "I am here to enforce the will of the divinus: we cannot condone you to return to our ranks. You are no longer one of us."

"No." The exsul sneered. "I will be better."

The divinus laughed bitterly. "You are rapidly running out of time."

"Last I remembered; my task did not run to a schedule."

"She is part of the mortal coil," the divinus said, with a sneer. "Her life terminates."

"She has years before He calls her."

"She has mere seconds before the divinus take her."

I panicked, realising the divinus was charging at me. I prayed I could run from him, but my body remained immobilised.

There was a rush of air as the exsul interceded, grabbing the divinus by the throat and throwing him. I heard a crash, and metal objects falling to the ground. There was a low moan as the exsul approached him, and then a choking sound.

"This girl is the clavis est celi," the exsul gritted his teeth. "If you think for one moment that I will stand by and watch you kill her, you're even more foolish than I thought."

"After me, there will be others," the divinus' voice was taut, given little air to form sound.

"I know," at this, the exsul sounded mournful.

"One of them will kill her, I promise you."

"Maybe."

"You will be blocked forever from returning when they do."