For What Tomorrow Brings...

Chapter 7: Father

Main quote: "I am the shield that hides the scars but protects the heart..." (Cornelius)

Praeceptis salutaribus moniti, et divina institutione formati, audemus dicere

Pater noster, qui est in caelis...

Fathers protect their children...and all honor the One Father of the Universe...

The Cathedral of San Rafael, Aurora, Brudenheim

After the congregation sings the Lord's Prayer and receive the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, a man in red robes stands above the others as he speaks.

"Archbishop Jean du Clover was the holiest man any man, woman, child and animal has ever laid eyes upon. He was kind to all creation and loved God above everything. To that, I owe him my life for he raised me like I was his son ever since I entered the priesthood."

The newly appointed Archbishop Joshua van Sankt weeps heavily as he continues his eulogy. "But he was not miserable in this world full of strife. He smiled and smiled until his jaws could bear no more. He believed...there would be peace someday and it held me...us, the flock of Christ, to the hope that once we liberate ourselves from our sins, then we can enjoy Paradise."

The King was seated in a high place, looking down upon everyone. The Church itself is protected by the Anima Mundi with Gerard as General. Everyone looks on as the coffin of the late Archbishop is interred into the lower level, where all men of greatness are laid to rest.

But all was not well in the forest.

"Stop this, Bernard..."

"I am Dante now and for once, I am proud to bear my true name rather than what I took then for myself. I was mistaken to think my life could change if I took my vows and spent the rest of my days inside a monastery. Now I know my purpose and it is to take you down!"

The two men fight. Both were matching each other's skills perfectly.

"Do you believe you can best me, a man who has been in the Crusades and back, fighting Saracens and Seljuks with skilled comrades, facing armies bravely with what little power we have? Believe this...I speak not in arrogant countenance. Dare challenge me and..."

He takes one swipe, which Bernard dodges by moving his head down.

"I fear I will have killed you by my own hands." Cornelius makes a downward slash, which Bernard catches with his own hands. "That is my line, old man!" Their fight rages on.

Carlovale stops Rafael in his tracks. They hear something. Rafael immediately runs back, with Carlovale following him. Julius also senses trouble. They run back.

Julius came first and was shocked by the bloody massacre before him. Several knights were killing rebels, mostly armed peasants. He sees an even more horrifying image...

Blood gushed out of his body...it was the image of a slain man...and it drove Julius to cry out. "NOOOO!!!" He rushed and punched the man in blind fury, causing him to fall to the ground. Julius continued beating him in blind fury. But when he saw the blood on his hands, he awoke to see...that the man he had hurt was Bernard. "B-Bernard? But why..."

"That man...is my bastard of a father..." The blade pierced his abdomen and blood fell as he was on his knees. There was a pool of it and Bernard seemed to have a hollow heart. He cared not... "He got his justice...for betraying us." Julius rushes to the dying Cornelius.