Chapter 14- Venir Veritas

Chapter 14

 

Venir Veritas

 

 

            God seemed to be in every corner these days. Clergymen walked every street in packs, spreading the word of the Holy Grimoire and cleansing every home of sin. Venir knew that Judicians were predominantly of the faith, but this just demonstrated their devotion in an entirely different light. It was astounding the amount of power they felt God, a being with no true power over the living, had over their lives.

            Every manor Venir crossed seemed to have been redecorated by a clergyman. Crosses were hung from almost every door with a line of candles leading to it. The people could be seen reading the Holy Grimoire as they traversed the streets. Every time a clergyman passed by you could see nearby people turn and gesture the cross on their body. Even Erica seemed to have assimilated with the new order for the week. Venir never felt so alienated before in his life.

            As the Veritas manor showed itself on the horizon, Venir felt a breath of relief. The only reason he even walked home was because Erica convinced him to honor God during the Week of Repentance. Despite the fact that he didn’t even begin to comprehend how walking instead of taking a carriage was honoring God, he submitted for the sake of compensating for his lack of respect in every other aspect. The ultimate goal was to bring Erica along to his home and ask questions about his father while his mother was still out.

            As the guards let them through the gate and they entered the carpet of roses, Erica asked, “I’m surprised your mother isn’t home today, I thought your father didn’t allow her or your sister to leave.”

            “I was surprised too, but it seems my father left my bodyguard with an extra job requiring my mother’s presence,” he answered. In truth, he imagined it was his mother who had somehow managed to manipulate Caius into taking her out.

            “I see. Well, I’ll miss her. It’s been quite some time since I last saw her. Emilia is still in the house I hope.”

            “She is. She should still be with her tutor, Oliver. You can greet her later.”

            They entered the manor and Venir started leading the way up the spiral stairs. When they reached the front of his room Erica stopped. “Venir, I’m not sure it’d be a good look if I entered your room. I am a girl after all.”

            “Relax, no one will say anything. Besides, I just want to ask you a couple questions.”

            He grabbed her hand and Erica flustered. “I-I don’t know how I feel about this. I know we’re close but, it just isn’t…right.”

            Venir knew it wasn’t right for two people their age of opposite sex to enter the same private room, but they wouldn’t be the first adolescents to break that rule. “Would you rather head down to my mother’s courtyard?”

            She nodded, sighing with relief. “That would definitely sit better on my conscience.”

            “You’re such a Judician,” he teased.

            Erica was the first person Venir took to his mother’s Rainbow Garden. He hardly ever went himself to be honest. The strong aroma from the plants bothered his nose and his mother’s crystallite tree always made him feel uneasy. Something about its mesmerizing azure glow sent a shiver down his spine. It was the kind of beauty one was afraid they might get addicted to. With all the horror stories he’d heard of cryst, just the thought of it was enough to keep him away from any flowing with crystallite. The same could not be said of Erica.

            From the instant they stepped into the courtyard, her eyes lit up like the sun. She went from one basket of flowers to another; she even did a spin in between, relishing the intoxicating aroma. For a moment it was like she forgot the entire reason they even went down to the courtyard to begin with.

            “It’s beautiful!” she sang. “Your mother grew this all by herself?”

            Venir nodded. “For about as long as I can remember. Be careful not to ruin any of the flowers, they’re my mother’s pride and joy.”

            “Don’t worry, I promise to be careful.”

            “Thank you. Anyways…the real reason I invited over today.”

            She gazed at him with her big sapphire eyes. “Yes, what did you need to ask me?”

            Venir stepped by the shade of the crystallite tree. “The other day, when we went to St. Gilles Cathedral, you mentioned how your father spoke of mine. I don’t mean to sound accusing but…you sounded like you were hiding something.”

            Erica didn’t try hard not to look uneasy. “Something like what?”

            “Well, I don’t know. Your father is a Judge. As a member high in our society, I imagine he knew my father well during the Crimson War. I mean he’s reached the highest possible elevation as a Black Coat, excluding Judicium’s Hammer of course.”

            “He did know your father well, but I wouldn’t say they were friends.”

            “Is that why that one time I met him in L.H.A. he didn’t seem so fond of me?”

            She nodded glumly. “Yes.”

            “Because he thinks my father is a traitor.” Her eyes shot open confirming his suspicions. “It’s okay. Mother told me all about the Final Peace Treaty and its true signature. I guess I just wanted to hear it from someone else. How did your father tell you it happened?”

            “Well he was blunt. He said it was your father’s idea, the marriage, the peace, everything. He doesn’t actually think your father was a traitor though. He just blames him for the Crimson Treason because it would’ve never happened if Charles hadn’t shot for peace. See, the war could’ve ended that same day. They had cornered the entire royal family in one castle. Had they killed them all then and there, it would’ve never escalated to what it did. Instead, the war raged on for ten more years. The media would have us believe we won every battle after the Crimson Treason, but that’s a lie fabricated by the Judicium to further show its perfection. A necessary lie, but a lie nonetheless. Thousands of lives were lost because of your father, Venir. If the world knew his failures, Judicium would not shine as it does today.”

            “A necessary lie,” Venir repeated. “It seems all this world is are necessary lies. But I understand. People worship Judicium because it’s perfect. If there is to be absolute order, the Fuhrer must remain a god. And if God bleeds, he is mortal.”

            Erica stared at him like he was mad. “No man stands as an equal to God. Not even the Fuhrer.”

            Venir laughed. “Then you’re as blind as the rest of the world.” He grabbed her hand. “But to be ignorant is sometimes a blessing. Enough of this talk of the past and statements best not said. Let’s go see my sister.”

            She continued to gaze at him like he had lost it. “Yes…let’s.”

            When they entered Emilia’s room, she was rejoiced to see both Venir and Erica. Oliver, her tutor, gave them a moment to catch up and share whatever little stories they had. Emilia always enjoyed hearing of Venir’s adventures and accomplishments from the academy. Venir enjoyed sharing them simply for the wide smile it would put on her face, but it pained him knowing she would never know that joy.

            After they were done recollecting, Emilia resumed her studies with her tutor while Venir and Erica watched and helped her whenever she got stuck. Oliver decided to do a group learning activity after seeing how much Emilia enjoyed their company. The group activity soon turned to nothing but laughter and joking. When Emilia laughed, nothing else mattered to Venir. In this world of lies and secrets, Emilia was the only thing that ever remained true.

            A knock on the door cut their festivities short. Venir got up and opened the door. Rose bowed. “Greetings, Young Master. You have some guests awaiting you below. They ask for both you and your sister’s presence.”

            Venir raised an eyebrow. “Guest?”

            “Clergymen. You were expecting their presence during the Week of Repentance?”

            “Oh. I was.” Venir felt awkward admitting it in front of one of his servants. Like all the others living in the manor, they were nonbelievers. He turned around to face Erica, Emilia, and Oliver. “Seeing as me and Emilia need to head down, the two of you are more than welcome to come.”

            Oliver smiled. “I’ll have to turn down your offer. As you already know, me and the faith aren’t well acquainted.”

            That hit Erica like a slap in the face. “You don’t believe in God?”

            Oliver was about to answer when Venir interrupted. “Everyone is entitled to their beliefs, Erica. Let’s hurry up and head…” There was half a scream followed by one really loud one. “What the hell was that?”

            Rose went to look at what was going on down below and another scream, in her voice, soon followed. Bang! The sound of a gunshot and shattering glass sounded below and soon all sorts of commotion could be heard coming from below. Still panic seized the room. Oliver, Erica, Emilia, and Venir all looked at each other, shocked, terrified, and clueless. Not a single one had any idea what was happening down below but it didn’t take a genius to know that there was danger down below.

            Oliver was the first to take initiative and ran to the door, closed it, and locked it. “Let’s all stay in here. Whatever is going on down there, your father has ten Black Coats protecting us. If we remain calm and hidden no harm will come to us.”

            Erica hugged Emilia, caressing her hair to keep her calm. Continuous fighting and screams of pain could be heard below. There was another scream much closer to them that made them all jump and caused Emilia and Erica to start crying. What the hell is going on? Is it the clergymen? Is this the reason Father had Caius protecting us?

            Oliver tried to calm them down. “Relax. The Black Coats will have the situation under control any minute now. Aaaaahhhh!”

Banging could be heard and felt from the other side of the door. Oliver maintained his back pressed against it despite the fact he was just as scared and trembling as the rest of them. Suddenly a red piece of steel came out of Oliver’s chest. The blade vanished and reappeared a couple more times through Oliver’s flesh before he fell face first into the ground.

Venir joined Erica and Emilia’s orchestra of screams as the body of the tutor shivered and grunted face down in his own puddle of blood. Seconds later the door came crashing down and in came a man and woman dressed in the brown robes of the Church. The two looked like twin opposites. The girl had bright scarlet hair and dark eyes while the boy had blood red hair and bright ruby eyes. Cruorians!

The man pointed the sword at them. “Are these the ones we’re looking for?”

The girl gazed at Venir with a hateful light in her eyes. “He looks just like his accursed father. The little one with the disgusting hair there must be his daughter.”

            The man stepped towards the two girls. Erica closed her eyes and hugged Emilia’s face against her chest, shielding herself in her hair. As the armed man drew closer Venir felt a surge of courage flow through him. He didn’t even consciously remember from what point he went from being from where he was to standing in front of the armed man.

            “Stay away from them,” he warned the armed man.

            “Sorry, but I didn’t come here to leave empty handed.”

            The man slapped Venir with the flat side of his sword across the face, dropping him. Venir’s unprecedented courage took over him again and before he knew it he was charging at the man. The man maneuvered out of the way effortlessly and shoved him to the woman who hit him with the hilt of her sword and followed it with a punch. Venir was bigger than the woman, but seemed defenseless nonetheless. He tried swinging at her but she outmaneuvered him and beat him senseless with every end of her sword that wasn’t sharp. She slammed him to the floor and placed the sharp edge of her blade against his throat.

            The crimson girl spit on his face. “I don’t have time for you to play hero.”

            “Aaaaahhhh!” screeched Erica, as the man yanked her from Emilia and slammed her across the room.

            “Leave them alone!” shouted Venir.

            The woman punched him again. “Shut up!”

            “No,” said the man. “I want to hear him scream.”

            It all happened so fast that nothing could’ve prepared Venir. In a second everything he knew and loved fell apart. The last thing that made sense was Emilia’s helpless screams and the sadistic grin on the red man’s face as he raised his sword high in the air. 

Author's Note

At this point I just want to know everything going through your head right now :)

Reviews

[Dark Rider]

You had to end it there? Mean. XD But I loved it! I can't wait to find out what happens to Venir, Erica, and Emilia. And Caius for that matter. I still refuse to think he is dead. But I guess I'll just have to read to find out.