Castlevania Nocturne: A Guardian's Tale (Part 2)

The Last Chance

Maria snuck out before  the  crack of dawn.

It was  an easy thing, all were asleep save for Tera and Amalie who diligently worked inside Amalie's room deciphering the spellbook. Maria ducked and dodged  the watchful eyes of Vance who perched on the roof with a reflective gaze. She made a dash down the road when his back was turned, heading straight into Machecoul.

The Abbey practically glowed beneath the dawn, but Maria didn't consider it an omen. Her birds carried her onto the roof, evading the sleeping guards. She entered the church through the window  where she found the Abbot in his usual spot, praying beneath the crucifix and surrounded by facsimile angels.

"Father. I'm here to warn you. There's going to be an attack. You need to get out of here. I don't want you to die."

The Abbot paused, turning to meet his illegitimate daughter. "I am safe in the House of God." he claimed confidently.

"House of God?"Maria questioned ."This place is just a heap of bricks and stone." Amalie told her that.

The Abbot stepped down to meet her. "The Church is more than that, child. Without it, society loses it soul, its meaning. It is the structure through which morality itself is upheld."

"The Church only upholds itself." Maria staunchly disagreed. "A power hungry den of thieves spreading intolerance and hypocrisy. Happy to live on the backs of the poor in their extravagant buildings, rather than take on injustice."

"But without God, there's no justice of any kind." The Abbot clutched his heart.

"No matter how complicated you make it, evil is still evil." Maria doubled down. "Everything you're doing is built on the blood of innocent people!"

"Sometimes blood is the only way." The Abbot replied defeated.

"If you cared about me, you should leave with me now." Maria confronted, softening her voice. And maybe..." she added vulnerable. "Maybe you can be my father. I'm not going without you, old man."

The Abbot looked upon his daughter in adoration and grief. "Sweet, sweet Maria. God has truly sent you." He cupped Maria's cheek in his creaked hand. "Your sacrifice here will send your soul to Heaven."

Maria backed away in wide eyed fear.

"Seize her." Emmanuel commanded tearfully. The two night creatures easily overwhelmed her.

In the shadows of the once sacred Abbey, Mizrak watched horrified.

.....

We finally cracked it.

After hours of drawing forth memories of my celestial life, transcribing my people's language on paper, deriving them to Enochian, and using it as a code to translate it, Tera and deciphered the book.

"Eureka!" I cheered.

"We've done it." Tera said joyfully.

"I can't thank you enough Tera." I said gratefully. "Now we can go forth with our plan. We should wake everyone and inform them."

"Let them rest." Tera softly disagreed. "Especially Emma. We'll tell them when the sun rises."

I nodded, thinking of my daughter sleeping peacefully. During the night Jocasta contacted me through the distance mirror. The carriage was due to arrive today, and should be here by  morning. Relief swept over my soul knowing Emma would soon be safe and away. However, I detected a hint of worry in the angel's voice, something Jocasta brushed off. When I pushed her she claimed it was the revolutionaries causing trouble.