It was a simple enough question, meant to break the ice. Being the studious type that she was, Robin already had a good idea of why he was there- the priest was one of the main founders of the Southern Cross movement, and his proper title was Saint Demitri, the movement being one of the few radical enough to denounce the official Oceanus Church decree that the word ”saint” was reserved for the Divine Dragons, and he had died a martyrs tragic and glorified death. But if feigning ignorance made him talk she was not above resorting to just that. He certainly seemed to straighten up when she asked, but instead of turning around he took the Bible from the altar and began to flip through it’s pages.
”saint demitri was a man who, more than anyone else, symbolized the ideals of the Southern Cross. To always look for light in the darkest of times, and to stand steadfast against the whispers and temptations of the deceitful. As it says in Vellamo 3: 11…
’He stood before the doors of the temple, and saw a vision of his beloved brother lying dead before the altar. The Devil appeared to him and spoke that this was a warning- leave the temple and preach no more, or it will come to be. demitri refused, and the following morning his brother was found dead, his throat slit in an alley. demitri once more went to the temple to pray and again saw a vision, this time of his father and mother, lying dead and bloody be the side of his brother. Once more the Devil appeared before demitri and told him that this was a warning, and that he should leave the temple and preach no more. Again, demitri refused. Again, the following morning his parents were found dead, their throats slit as well.
And on the third day, as demitri went to his flock to preach, the Devil appeared and gave him a vision of his whole flock lying dead in the pews, sprawled upon the altar and sullying the floor. But demitri refused to stop preaching, and the Devil asked him why he threw the lives of his flock away so readily. demitri replied:
When you took my brother, I spent a whole night weeping until my eyes had nearly gone blind. When you took my mother and my father, I spent a whole night rending my clothes and howling until my throat was cracked and bleeding. Yes, You have caused me great harm, and made great sorrow burrow its vile roots my heart.
But each and every day, the tyrants issue a new law. Each and every day, the tyrants drag the impoverished, the destitute and the hopeless to their deaths in dungeons, on fields of unrighteous war and to perform duties and labors that they surely could not have made up had they not had Your assistance. These are people utterly bereft of hope, which is now the one thing that i still have to give. When i stop giving them this, then and only then will You have triumphed.
The Devil then left demitri alone in his chapel, and took his hand from his flock from that day on.
Robin had to admit that if nothing else, the boy was a fantastic story-teller. When she had read the passage once upon a time, she had simply read the hopeless story of a small man who meekly accepted a terrible fate. But to him… he held on to every word as if it was a life buoy thrown to a fruit user, and presented it with as much dignity and gravitas as he could muster. He believed the words to be strength, not surrender.
”That book is important to you.”
He put the book down, and bowed his head.
”A book is just paper and ink. It’s the ideas contained therein that I believe in, as he did.”
”saint demitri was a man who, more than anyone else, symbolized the ideals of the Southern Cross. To always look for light in the darkest of times, and to stand steadfast against the whispers and temptations of the deceitful. As it says in Vellamo 3: 11…
’He stood before the doors of the temple, and saw a vision of his beloved brother lying dead before the altar. The Devil appeared to him and spoke that this was a warning- leave the temple and preach no more, or it will come to be. demitri refused, and the following morning his brother was found dead, his throat slit in an alley. demitri once more went to the temple to pray and again saw a vision, this time of his father and mother, lying dead and bloody be the side of his brother. Once more the Devil appeared before demitri and told him that this was a warning, and that he should leave the temple and preach no more. Again, demitri refused. Again, the following morning his parents were found dead, their throats slit as well.
And on the third day, as demitri went to his flock to preach, the Devil appeared and gave him a vision of his whole flock lying dead in the pews, sprawled upon the altar and sullying the floor. But demitri refused to stop preaching, and the Devil asked him why he threw the lives of his flock away so readily. demitri replied:
When you took my brother, I spent a whole night weeping until my eyes had nearly gone blind. When you took my mother and my father, I spent a whole night rending my clothes and howling until my throat was cracked and bleeding. Yes, You have caused me great harm, and made great sorrow burrow its vile roots my heart.
But each and every day, the tyrants issue a new law. Each and every day, the tyrants drag the impoverished, the destitute and the hopeless to their deaths in dungeons, on fields of unrighteous war and to perform duties and labors that they surely could not have made up had they not had Your assistance. These are people utterly bereft of hope, which is now the one thing that i still have to give. When i stop giving them this, then and only then will You have triumphed.
The Devil then left demitri alone in his chapel, and took his hand from his flock from that day on.
Robin had to admit that if nothing else, the boy was a fantastic story-teller. When she had read the passage once upon a time, she had simply read the hopeless story of a small man who meekly accepted a terrible fate. But to him… he held on to every word as if it was a life buoy thrown to a fruit user, and presented it with as much dignity and gravitas as he could muster. He believed the words to be strength, not surrender.
”That book is important to you.”
He put the book down, and bowed his head.
”A book is just paper and ink. It’s the ideas contained therein that I believe in, as he did.”
Reply
Leave a comment