Little Lion Man

CW- violence towards a minor, religious themes

Thunder clapped in the distance. The wind blew hard enough to shake the hickory trees of the forest surrounding the small village. The mountains would keep the worst of the winds at bay, but we were still in for a rough night. Way high up on one of the hills, the town graveyard stared down at us. It felt like the dead were watching every move we made. It was hard not to wonder if I was about to end up there among the gravestones and dying Mountain Ash trees with their already long-rotted berries.

A large shadow cast by the huge stone church loomed over us, it was almost as if the building touched the sky. The church was all I could look at as the head priest Father Aleshire headed towards me with rage in his eyes. He pushed me to the ground, and I landed crumpled on my knees. I choked back a sob.

I heard my mama crying out for me. "Asylan!" My head turned around frantically, trying to find her face in the crowd. I heard the crack of a whip, it almost sounded like the thunder of the approaching storm.

"Asylan!" My ma cried out again and I finally saw her through my tear-stained eyes. Other villagers were holding her back, keeping her away from me. I tried to get up, to get away, but that's when the first hit struck. I felt skin break as my back stung where the whip struck me.

"Did I say we were done? You're going to learn not to mess with the church's will or Sirrion's divine plan." I felt the whip wrap around my neck as he used it to spin me around to face him.

He knows nothing about my will, a voice chimed in my head. It was the same voice that beckoned me to spy on Father Aleshire's ritual. If I'd just ignored it, I wouldn't be in this mess.

"Asylan! Please don't hurt my little Asylan!"

"Would you all shut that woman up?" He yelled and suddenly all I could hear from her were her muffled cries as the others forced her to watch.

The priest whipped me again, hitting my left eye. The storm had finally reached us. "If you repent, you will be allowed back into the church." Father Aleshire loomed over me, whip in hand. His blood red robes suddenly seemed a lot more ominous than before. "Tell them you were lying, child."

You saw what he did, the voice chimed in once again. You saw what happened to your father.

I looked up at him silently as blood, rain, and tears streamed down my face. I wished I could unsee what he did or at least pretend, but there was no way to forgive him. I could never go back, even if it did mean the pain would stop.

Another strike across the face. "Do you wish to defy Sirrion, son?" Father Aleshire grasped a handful of my hair and pulled me towards him, lowering his voice. "We both know you are a devil's child boy." I knew he could feel my small black horns, just barely hidden by my mess of black hair. "As much as your mother tried to hide it, I could smell the infernal blood on you. You can either keep your head down or you can be silenced."

I would never want this. Don't listen to him.

"I-" the words got choked up. "I saw you-"

He threw me to the ground. "Bring Roisin here, now." He beckoned the villagers holding back my mother. They dragged her over and I saw the tears streaming down her face. The priest turned to her, "Who's light do you follow, Roisin?"

"Sirrion's, Father." She lowered her head, refusing to look at him.

"And do you condone the shame your son has brought to Him?"

She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Of course not, Father."

"If you wish for forgiveness, you must forsake Asylan and pray to The Firemaster," Aleshire ordered.