My mother used to tell me to never trust anyone with all of your heart. I always find that line ridiculous and out of logic. Throughout my years as a guardian witch of Luxemia, I, Omaira of Somersets had trusted my life to other people. I have lived a long and interesting life, battling monsters, campaigning against the reigns of the Dark Lord, and along the way, I loved and lost so many.
But never in my wildest dreams would I ever thought this day would come, when finally, my mother's words had proven to me how right she was…
The skies of Luxemia were dark and gloomy. It might be because the heavens have decided to mourn with me and this predicament, I am in.
"On this day of our Lord, the twelve of Solaris, I, Cardinal Volgas of the Holy Church of Light hereby condemn, Omaira of Somersets to be burned at the stake. Her great offense of witchcraft and collaborating for the king's assassination will be judged accordingly by our heavenly creator!" The pig of a man, Volgas announced my sentence at the center square.
It disgusted me that I have trusted him at one point, he and the church. I thought it was through them that I could find my solace and comfort from the nightmares I have. I should've known better; they were the real monsters. My nightmares couldn't hold a candle to them.
The rain poured heavily as heavens opened to flood the land with its grief… How I wish it was the case. The sound of the roaring crowd drowned with the downpour. If wish there was some reprieve over it, but alas, the people's voices were louder.
"Witch's spawn!"
"Demoness!"
"King Slayer!"
Those were just some of the names I heard from the people who I protected with my entire life. Maybe, this is my comeuppance for being too confident with my abilities. Maybe, I should've let the people fight a little so they could understand how hard it was for us to do it. With or without magic powers, fighting lowly beasts, demons, and other powerful insurgence was a hard feat for us to do…
THEY SHOULD'VE KNOWN THAT. I THINK THEY KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT CHOSE TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY.
"Come on now, Witch." The kingdom guard nudged me. "Walk into the stake! I don't want to dirty myself with your blood on my gloves." He ordered.
I am not sure if it was an insult or purely a sign of ignorance. But since I am about to die anyway, I might as well take a gander at a small banter.
"My, my dear knight." I said as I turned around to look at him straight in his visor. "Good ser, if you would be so kind to escort the lady into her pyre, I would really appreciate—"
"Silence you witch!" The knight's metal glove sounded a dull thud as it hit my face.
I immediately fell on the ground face first. My ears rang, as my world spun. The taste of metal and earth in my mouth lingered. The muddy ground became my cushion, while the rain cleansed some of the blood and mud off my face.
"What are you doing?!" A familiar voice echoed in my ear.
I looked up and saw his lion-shaped silver pauldron above me. His voice boomed in anger as he gave the knight a good swing at the face. The other knight fell into the ground as the familiar knight gave him a short sermon.
"Regardless of her crimes, you are not allowed to hit a lady!" Tryste adamantly said.
He offered me his hand. I shook my head and waved it away.
"I don't want my blood to mess your pretty, shiny armor, Tryste." I babbled while hiding my face through my thick crimson hair.
"I am sorry, Lady Omaira." He apologized somberly. "I apologize if it had to end this way." His voice trembled.
I wanted to hug Tryste for the last time. The knight had always been a good friend of mine. I have watched him grew throughout the years. I watched the scrawny little squire grew and become one of my allies who defended his land against the threats of darkness.
"Geez! Am I really that old?" I whispered to myself as I tried to make light of the grim fate unfolding in front of me.
I looked at him once again. I heard from Mikaela a while ago that he fancies me. Geez! This kid! I am too old for you… Two centuries old to be precise. But I don't blame you. I am quite lovable. I laughed again as tears rolled down from my eyes.
"Damn it! Tryste." I scolded him. "Just get it over with, please." My voice broke.
Damn it! My voice broke. It sucks that you have to hear it, Tryste! I am sorry if my fate had to be intertwined with yours on this regard. Damn it! Why?!
Tryste, held me by the arm and silently escorted me into the stake. The sharp and moldy wood pierced the soles of my feet. Every time I went off balance, a splinter would occasionally prick me. However, he made sure I could walk there as safe as I possibly can. He may have been silent, but his grip and the way he guided me to the platform was gentle and careful.
"Damn it, Tryste!" I bit my lip before I could say those words to him.
I surrendered myself into the stake. I rested my back gently against the wooden pole while the executioner along with Tryste tied me securely into the pole with Evertree shackles.
"I am sorry and—" He whispered on my ear but before he could finish, he abruptly stopped and rushed down the platform.
Cardinal Volgas was once again in front of me. That damn slimy toad! Maybe, I should've turned him into a toad when I had the chance, but I was too lenient with him. He stood in the rain under the shade of portable tent which some of the knights carried.
"By the fire of light…" He began spurting his words. "…you shall be reminded of your sins. May the flames sustain your agonies and held you to unrest as your punishment." He said after lighting a torch.
"Burning me during rain?!" I shouted. "Doth water quench fire?" I mockingly asked him using his own accent.
"It does," The cardinal said calmly. "But the flames I am using is eternal and powerful. Not even your fate or your god could stop it." He immediately threw the torch into the platform and all of the sudden the wood ate the flames from the torch making it bigger.
Smoke and fire rose from the wet wood. I was looking at Cardinal Volgas, whispering curses at him, but I have already resigned to my fate. I could feel the heat rising from into the platform. The floor became too hot for me to step on. I have to tip toe on the floor as the fire slowly licked the wood heating it up. It didn't take long for the magical flames to consume the wood I stood on. Not a moment later, the flames were already licking at my feet.
I looked around through the thick blanket of smoke, my secret supporters and other friends I have. I saw their horrified faces as the flames rose upward and began to close in on me. I could feel the intense heat singeing my hair and clothes.
All of a sudden, I felt a weird sensation tingling off my spine. The world slowed down and everything else became confused with what was going on. From a distance they could hear a thunder crackled. But it was too loud to be an ordinary thunderclap.
I looked at the sky and saw a small fissure lining up the sky. The sky went from a gray and gloomy canvass to a bright and ominous color. It looked like a sea of blood flowing from the sky while the huge fissure slowly opened up, revealing the dark, shadowy void.
People began to panic as a horde of monsters suddenly descended from the crack.
"Monsters!" Cardinal Volgas shouted while pointing at the broken sky.
As the monsters descended, I could hear the people's wails and pleas of help. They were praying hard to their god of light. It was the wrong deity to pray on such despair. The smoke blew thicker, and I was beginning to feel lightheaded.
Isn't it ironic? I will die at the stake while the kingdom gets mauled by the monsters from the void. I would've wanted a good laugh…but this smoke is making me uncons--