There is Beauty in Darkness

Chapter 36: The Harvest

*Lindenfeld*

It's sundown and Vano's clan entered the town. All fighters available walked through the streets as they surveyed the area for any suspicious activity while the rest had stayed behind to protect the old and the children who were still little. "Check around as many houses as you can to see if they have those markings of the dead. We must get these people out of this town as quickly as possible, by force if necessary." Everilda says to her people. They nodded in agreement as they sprinted to the nearest homes.

"I only hope we can save them. Selina. Duke. Please, my darlings, be careful." Everilda says in a soft tone as she gazed up at the church.

While the gipsy clan were going around, the people of Lindenfeld were indoors. Coming together to enjoy, what is perhaps their, last supper. And for some, it indeed is. One family, in particular, had just set up the table and had their meal prepared. They sat in silence as they give their thanks to the food until a loud banging came at their door. Startled, the man and his father got up to see what was going on when their door slammed opened and two gipsy men barged in grabbed them, forcing them out.

"You all need to leave now!!" "Death and destruction are coming!! You must leave this place!!" They shouted at the family as more ran inside and got them out of the house. This family, a mother and father, their children and grandparents, were just one of the lucky few to get out in time. As the houses that bear the ominous carving had suddenly combusted into flames. Their blood-curdling screams can be heard throughout the small village as they were burned alive. 

The gipsies and the surviving villagers watched in horror as the homes were set ablaze and the fire rising high above them, forming in a twisted spiral. The haunting destruction could be seen even at the Priory as our band of heroes watched Hell's fire dancing through the skies. Within the flames, the screaming souls of the damned were somehow still alive as they soared across the sky and into the church, pass the hall and down into the basement.

"Oh, my God. How are they doing that? Are they out there setting fires?" The Judge questioned in disbelief.

"No. It's the harvest. I just didn't see it." Sypha exclaimed as a powerful wave of guilt consumed her heart.

"And I waited until everyone was back in their homes." The Judge said, also feeling responsible.

"I can hope that my people were able to save a few lives before the flames took them." Vano said. The ground shook as another explosion erupted. Taking more lives as the screaming continued. Knowing that this had to stop, Sypha turned to the Judge and said, "We have to get in there."

He didn't need to be told twice. The Judge gained a dark look in his eyes as he turned his attention to the church. He glared at the former house of God and ordered, "Take it! Take the priory, now!" At his command, his men-at-arms charged at the Priory. Trevor threw off his cloak and readied his weapons as he and Vano lead the assault. As they neared the building, the doors opened to see the monks yelling and screaming with their weapons raised, ready to for war.

****

Lilith held the still sleeping Silvanus in her arms as she wrapped a warm blanket around him. Upon Leonora's request, she was going to take him out for some air while she and Hector...have a talk about what happened. All Lilith could do was give her friend a supportive look before she left the dungeon.

****

*Unknown Location*

High atop a cliff, Isaac watches a tower with a green light emanating out of it. The green light was controlling countless people, now reduced to mindless zombies, forced to build an unknown structure. Each slave had a crown of thorns around their heads and their eyes emitted a haunting green glow. As Miranda mentioned, this town has sufficient bodies to create an army of night creatures. "There's so many." Sapphire said as she looked down at the citizens with sympathetic eyes. "Why would the magician do this?"