บท 22: Chapter 22 - What Dark Magic Is This?
Mercer was confused.
A stranger came to him when he was in the abyss of misery. He thought the boy was Death itself, coming to visit him at the endpoint of his life. But the boy stopped him from killing himself and offered to let him see his family again.
If that was true, Mercer would pay anything, would do anything.
So Mercer thought that he was wrong. The boy was not Death but an agent of the Devil, the Devil's Envoy. Like the stories priests at the church used to tell, they would offer something precious to take your soul to the dark path, away from the light of the Radiant Lady.
Even so, Mercer was ready to sell his soul to the Devil.
The sun of his life had been taken away, abruptly. The joyous day he was supposed to hold his firstborn in his arms became a day of tragedy where he dug two graves to lay their lifeless bodies to rest.
Mercer was filled with anguish and despair.
He lived his life following the teaching of the Estellian Church as best as he could. He did good to others, toiled honestly, put food on the supper table, and loved his wife with all his heart.
What did he do to deserve this?
In despair, Mercer renounced his faith. He had even cursed the Goddess, blaming her for this tragedy.
When the representative of Hell made the offer… If it was the Seven Devils that would grant his modest wish, then so be it.
The broken man was sure the boy would ask for his damned soul before he would reunite him with his wife and son. To his surprise, the Devil's Envoy asked for a very modest price, a trinket with no value to him whatsoever. Mercer would give up a hundred of those things for the things he offered.
He didn't know how the Devil's Envoy would accomplish his wish. Perhaps this would be the so-called 'necromancy' the priests of the church warned him about. Mercer didn't really understand Pathseekers' affairs but so what? He wanted to see his family again, terribly so, hopelessly so… dangerously so.
The Devil's Envoy seemed satisfied with the price and started the preparations. Mercer imagined it would involve dark magic, blood ritual, animal sacrifices, and many other terrifying stories that he had heard since he was a child.
Instead, the Devil's Envoy asked him this.
"Are you a religious man, Mister Mercer? An Estellian?"
"I was. Some time ago I've renounced my faith. The priests lie! Following their teachings did not bring me happiness."
"Okay, let me stop you right there. Here's what you're gonna do. Clean yourself up and pray to the goddess. Ask her to take care of the spirit of your wife and boy."
"Wha-? But, I have renounced my faith." Mercer hesitated.
"It was a momentary mistake made in a moment of passion and grief. Sincerely ask for her forgiveness and you will be forgiven."
"...Will she?" Mercer looked doubtful, afraid. Like a child that made a mistake was being told to apologize.
"Goddess Estelle is merciful and compassionate. She will understand, Mister Mercer. And if she doesn't... then she is not Goddess. And you need not worry." Cain said a memorable line from a certain crusader movie.
"...If you say so," Mercer was dubious but decided to follow his direction.
"When I said clean up, I didn't mean for you to simply wash your body with water. You must clean your body and soul. The method is up to you, just keep praying to the goddess and hold your wish dear. Treat it as if they are listening directly to your prayers. Remember, the most important thing is your sincerity."
Mercer went to the nearby creek, using the water there to cleanse his body.
"O Goddess, I ask for your forgiveness… Martha, wife, I miss you. Very, very much…" Mercer made a cup with his hands and dipped it into the water. He washed his face gently with it. It was not yet spring so the water was cold. Mysteriously, Mercer somehow found it not as cold as it was supposed to be.
When he returned, he saw the door to his house was open. He went inside and saw the Devil's Envoy in the kitchen.
"Apologies for the intrusion. You must be hungry, haven't eaten anything since morning, right? I only have simple rations but I've prepared some bread and water. Eat a little to recover your strength."
Mercer took a seat before the dining table. Gingerly, he gave the bread a small bite. Sweet… he must've used sugar. This is one expensive bread. After slowly munching the bread, he drank the water to wet his throat.
Cain patiently waited for Mercer to finish, he saw a confused look in the man's eyes while drinking.
"...Why does the water taste like wine?"
Cain's brows twitched.
"...I'm sure that's just a coincidence. Yes… coincidence."
Mercer didn't press further.
"We still have a few hours until sunset. Keep praying, Mister Mercer. I'll take care of the rest," Cain said.
Mercer retreated to his bed. The log house was small, there wasn't even a wall separating the kitchen and the place with the beds on it so Mercer wasn't far. Cain gave him the space to be alone so he can pray uninterrupted.
His faith and prayer is his matter… I simply have to do my part. Cain closed his eyes and meditated.
At twilight, when the sky was a blend of orange and purple, Cain and Mercer stood before the graves.
"Let us begin. Do not be alarmed," the Devil's Envoy said. The man simply nodded.
After he sincerely prayed, Mercer felt a serenity he hadn't before. His emotion was in great turmoil since this morning, since he'd lost his family. He felt somehow closer to a holy presence.
Naturally, he wondered why the Devil's Envoy wanted him to pray to the Goddess… until he remembered one of the priest's sermons.
The Devils desire our faith, our prayers, was it? Perhaps this boy was preparing my soul before being taken by his master. Like a chef processing the ingredients before cooking.
Mercer's musings were interrupted as the Devil's Envoy began calling his master.
Mercer expected an unholy ritual with fiery eyes peering from the darkness and sinister voices murmuring in the background. What the Emissary of Evil did instead was simply clasping his hands together and closed his eyes.
"In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti."
What kind of vile, impious devilry is this? Mercer nervously thought. The Devil's Envoy words were not in his realm of understanding.
"Pater Noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum." The boy stood before the graves solemnly, continuing the prayer.
Strange, the Devil's envoy's way of praying to the Devil is similar to the priest's way of praying to the Goddess, the grieving man thought.
Mercer watched the Devil's Envoy finish his unknown, otherworldly chanting. Weird, he felt after a while, it didn't feel sinister or bad at all. On the contrary, he felt the opposite. Mercer's thoughts were interrupted by a wave passing through him. It was like the sound of a bell that reverberated throughout the body.
"Oooh—" Mercer couldn't help to let out a sound.
Light.
Little orbs of lights emerged from all around him. Some from the air, some from the earth. The lights moved around like impossibly beautiful fireflies, leaving trails of faint rainbow behind them.
Mercer tried to touch one that flew close to him. It passed through his hand.
It felt, warm…
"-sed libera nos a malo… Amen."
Cain finished his prayer and then he saw it.
Faint at first but he wouldn't mistake it. The form became increasingly clearer until the woman who was his wife was standing in front of him. She was like a phantom, made real by powers beyond his understanding.
"M-Martha… My love… " his mouth was agape.
Her body was semi-transparent and covered with faint light-blue glow but Mercer didn't mind such small things, nothing was more important than the one in front of him. She reached out her hand to him, caressing his cheek. The touch he experienced was a marvel that transcended the boundary of life and death. Mercer's tears that he thought were already dried up, began to flow once again.
Martha rescinded her hand and slowly unraveled the cloth-covered bundle on her bosom. Could it be? Mercer didn't dare to hope. He saw the little thing with his eyes opened, looking at Mercer unknowingly. The tiny human was squirming in his mother's arms, perhaps feeling uncomfortable.
Both of his parents only looked with a smile on their faces.
The father saw his son's opened eyes for the first time. They were similar to his mother's. When the baby extended his soft little hand and touched Mercer's beard, it was at that moment that life returned to his dead heart.
"Mister Mercer, I shall take my leave here. You have one hour," Cain spoke.
Only then was he reminded of Cain's presence. Mercer immediately said his gratitude.
"Thank ye! Thank ye!"
Cain gave them a nod, which the wife returned with a deep and respectful bow. It was a family moment, Cain had enough tact to remove himself since he was an outsider.
"...Husband," Martha called after the boy left.
"Yes? What is it?"
"You've met an angel of the Goddess."
"Is he? To be honest I thought he was the Devil's Envoy… Did he not conjure you using dark magic?"
"No, I don't… feel bad. When I was enveloped in darkness, he called out to me. Making me remember myself again. Cain talked to me, about you."
"...Martha, I-"
"Shuush… I understand," she hugged his husband close. "We don't have a lot of time, let's not waste this miracle."
"Yes..." Mercer held his cry back.
Hugged by his parents closely, the baby cooed.
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