The next morning, after the horrifying events, Father Emmanuel arrived at Gregory and Lily's home. The presence of darkness lingered heavily in the air, as if the shadows themselves still clung to the walls. He stepped through the door, his expression grave, his priestly robes sweeping across the cold floor.
Lily and Gregory, still reeling from the punishment they had witnessed and the weight of their sins, felt a flicker of hope at his arrival.
Father Emmanuel's eyes met theirs, searching for something. His gaze softened as he took in their weary faces and the deep wounds that marred their bodies. He could sense the deep ache within their spirits too—the toll their actions had taken on their souls.
"Come, let me see to your wounds," he said softly, his voice filled with compassion. Gregory and Lily exchanged a glance, the unspoken understanding passing between them. They had expected no mercy, but here was the priest, offering his healing.
They sat together, the priest tending to their physical injuries with practiced hands. His healing touch brought an uncomfortable but necessary warmth to their chilled limbs. It was a moment of peace amidst the storm, the weight of their punishment still hanging over them like a black cloud.
Father Emmanuel worked in silence for a time, but then his voice broke the stillness. "There is something I must tell you," he began, his tone somber. "Theo—your son—he is no longer the boy you once knew."
Lily's heart clenched. "What do you mean?"
"Theo has been marked," the priest said, his voice low and heavy. "Marked by the Ember Crown Ascendant."
"The Ember Crown Ascendant?" Gregory asked, his voice tight. "What does that mean?"
Father Emmanuel looked around the room, ensuring no one else was listening, before leaning in closer. "The Ember Crown Ascendant is a power tied to an ancient archetype—a force tied to the very essence of fire and destruction. It is the embodiment of Scorpio's energy, of the scorpion's tail, hidden and lethal."
Gregory and Lily exchanged uneasy looks. The fire that had erupted from Theo's hands the night before, the strange and overwhelming power—it made sense now. But there was more.
"The trials that come with this power are dangerous," Father Emmanuel continued. "They can affect the surrounding land, the very air around him. And the farther one is from the bearer, the weaker the influence. But those near him will feel the full force of it. It is a power that grows stronger with time, and with it, comes great peril."
Lily's voice trembled. "Can it be stopped?"
Father Emmanuel shook his head. "Not without great sacrifice. You must learn to control it, or it will consume him."
Gregory gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles white. "How can we help him?"
The priest's gaze softened, but the weight of the knowledge he carried was clear. "There is little that can be done. Only time and care may reveal how best to manage it. But for now, you must protect him from the dangers of this power. He is both the vessel and the weapon."
Lily's mind was racing, trying to piece together the fragmented information. She had known something was wrong, but this—this was more than she could have imagined. Her son, the boy she had once known, was now a vessel for something far greater and more dangerous.
Father Emmanuel's words lingered in the room, heavy and unspoken. Gregory and Lily were left with the devastating truth—that their son was not the boy they once knew, and the path ahead would be fraught with dangers neither of them could fully understand.
But the embers within him burned bright, and the fire, once uncontrollable, would demand answers in the days to come.