Servant To A Zealous Master

CHAPTER 3

My dream is so vivid, it seems so real. I stand outside a giant cathedral, where I can hear the sounds of battle raging inside. I also feel that I'm not myself, but rather, a boy.

I enter the massive structure and look to its center. There, beneath the spanning dome, is a man like my master. His body is radiant and glowing, but his face is shadowed and his eyes red. He holds the whip and strikes out against the shadows that surround him.

The barbs of the whip grow and crawl their way up the man's arm. Little by little, they encompass his body creating a cocoon of sorts that is anchored to the ground.

I approach, despite myself, into the midst of the shadows, even as they bombard the cocoon. I reach for the whip, but the barbs respond in kind by leaping toward me and piercing my skin.

I withdraw my hand and inspect it. There are several holes in my flesh and they bleed profusely, but despite this pain my attentions are focused upon the cocoon in front of me which cracks and shatters, creating an explosion that throws its pieces all about in every direction. They penetrate me and I bleed even more.

In the midst now stands a terrible creature. It's no longer a man, it is more like a demon. The whip had grown within its flesh and had formed a strange kind of skin.

The demon roars and the very foundation of the cathedral cracks, causing the walls to slide and fall. Then the entire structure comes down on our heads and I can see the stone clearly, as it falls and crushes me.

I awake, and despite the severity of the dream I find myself to be calm. It's as though I'd merely had a pleasant sleep that was uninterrupted. I rouse myself and look in on my master. He's sitting up and rubbing his head.

While my master dresses I prepare a meal and take note that we have used up an entire quarter of our overall food stores. We sup and set off. No one sees us off, only the curious watch our departure and rejoice inside.

We're once again upon our journey and the night is fast approaching. Our progressive journey means that we are next to encounter things far stronger than those we had fought earlier. My master is ready and I, by his side, prepared.

From out of the shadow of the trees comes forth beasts that walk as men and stare upon us. The evil had corrupted the surrounding forest and changed its inhabitants into monsters, preoccupied with our destruction.

My master lashes out and the whip strikes them fiercely, but these things aren't simple vessels of flesh made animate by diabolical energy. These are products of nature twisted by evil's design and made abominations. It's not simply enough to destroy the darkened spirit, the flesh itself needs to be torn asunder.

Now I joined in the fight. I throw the knife, which penetrates a large beast that I believe to have been a bear. I wield the axe, but I know I'm at a disadvantage.

The axe is short and its real power lay against armor forged by evil, but these monsters have no such armor and its short length means I have to get well within killing distance, as I'm not willing to throw my only real weapon.

While my master lashes out against them I close upon the fallen body of the knife's victim and retrieve it. Thus armed I take on all comers. Though to be perfectly honest my attacks consist of hit and run tactics and I take on the smaller creatures first, avoiding the bigger ones as much as possible.

Though enveloped in battle I nevertheless, keep an eye upon my master. I fear for him as I know how badly the first battle had drained him and this one is worse. For the claws of these creatures are fierce and move with a speed unpossessed by any natural thing.

The fight carries on for an indeterminable amount of time. I cut down the last of the smaller creatures and the bigger ones hold back some.

My master is still fighting and I steal a glance toward him. It's like a vision from my dream. The whip's barbs are working their way up his arm and have entirely encased his hand. I can see the blood and am so shocked I nearly forget myself.

A wolf had stolen inside my perimeter and let sail a massive claw. I avoid the sharp edges, but it catches my pack, tearing it open.

I see the contents spill onto the ground. Our food and wine as well as our other supplies touch the ground and are now tainted. We cannot eat it any longer, but I have bigger concerns.

The wolf's attack leaves his arm exposed and I toss upon it some of the saint's ashes. It burns the animal fiercely and withdraws its arm trying to shield it, but there's naught the wolf can do.

The burn becomes a fire and the fire consumes its body entirely. The flames rise into the sky creating a towering pillar, so vast it's difficult to avoid, for both us and the other monsters.

This sudden display causes the rest of them to retreat to the confines of the trees, from there they watch us, until the sun rises in the sky.

We survived another night and my master needs tending to, but unlike before he's not so exhausted. I tend his wounds which are shallow and keep an eye upon the whip. It's reverting to its original form and slinking off of my master's arm.

It leaves deep gashes and I clean them the best I can. But I haven't proper medical supplies, now that my pack is destroyed. Still, I do the best I can tearing lengths off my own clothing to use as both cleaning rags and bandages.

My master stands without my assistance and we carry on. We soon find ourselves in the second town. There's only one more town before we reach the abbey. Again I see my master to the nearest inn, but this time I have no provisions and so have to set off to find some. My master is safe in his bed when I depart.

I locate a local shop and look at the stores it offers. I purchase a new pack and medical supplies. And it's on my way back to the inn that I pass by a street vendor who's cooking some delicious smelling pig strips. My mouth waters, but I pass on it all the same.

When I return I set my things down and rest myself against the door.