least you could do.”
King Nielius bent over the railing to peer at Father Stephanus; the poor priest looked rather defeated. “If it would settle the villagers, do as you wish. But make it quick!”
Stephanus shuffled his way through the crowd until he was near the hideous Machine. When he reached the stage, he jumped up the steps toward the disgusting contraption and its shivering prisoner. The executioner glared at the priest, yet Father Stephanus met his eyes with practiced compassion. A twinkle sparkled in the executioner’s blue eyes.
Concentrating on that twinkle, Stephanus threw back his hood to kneel before the pungent, rotting Machine. The stench of old blood gagged him for a moment, but he quickly recovered. He found the old woman’s hand and grasped it firmly.
“Hildabrand, is that right?” Father Stephanus gazed into her glimmering blue eyes.
“Yes, dear, that’s it,” she sniffled. “Why, Father, why is this happening to me? I didn’t even get to see her again.” Hildabrand’s frown rocked Stephanus’ heart, yet he stayed his tears for the sake of promoting faith.
“Our Father, who art in Heaven, has a plan much greater than we know. Believe as it is written, even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil, for You are with us.” It took everything he had for Stephanus to steady his voice.
Hildabrand closed her eyes in worship, releasing a few tears.
A sob burst from Stephanus, but he controlled it. “Not even now, Hildabrand, has He ever left you. Your innocence will never be forgotten.” Stephanus didn’t know who ‘she’ was, but acknowledged it all the same. “And you will see her again.”
“If you see her before I do, tell her that I love her with all my heart,” Hildabrand sighed. “And that I will be waiting for her alongside her parents.”
Stephanus gazed deeply into the gorgeous eyes of Hildabrand, giving her all of the faith that he could muster. And soon, the old woman turned away and closed her eyes. The Priest raised himself from her side and took a step backward to address the stage as a whole, making sure the executioner was in sight.
“Dear Father,” he spoke, loud enough for all the courtyard to hear, “we pray in your name to take Hildabrand McCloud into your gentle and loving arms, Lord. Accept her into your perfect kingdom, Lord God, and release her from this horrible fate. Lord, we pray you remind all of us,” he said with a piercing glance into the executioner’s eyes, “that you are the way, the truth, and the light, and that you forgive us because you have the glory, Lord God, you are the One who completes us, Lord, you are the One who allows us to choose an eternity of emptiness or an eternity of peace, Lord God —”
Nielius braced himself against the railing of the balcony as he clutched his chest. He ground his teeth against prayers to God, but he allowed it because the people would be more willing to follow his orders if they believed he accepted their God. His heart thundered at the words Father Stephanus spoke, weakening Nielius’ legs, but he held fast against the force, resisted its penetrative will. And as Stephanus wrapped up his prayer, Nielius quickly righted himself to stand like a commander once more. “Are you finished?!”
An ancient word sprang to mind. “Tetelestai,” Stephanus whispered. “It is finished.”
He glanced one more time at the executioner, only to notice his eyes were watery. It actually hit him. Somewhere deep down, that huge man craved to know God.
The king’s booming voice shocked Stephanus from his gaze. “Now, my people, let us show the traitors of the crown what happens to those who trespass against us!”
The king glared at the executioner. “Release the blade!”
Stephanus turned to watch as the executioner walked right up and grabbed a large wooden handle on the side of the bloody machine. He closed his eyes, waiting for the shriek of the falling blade. But it never came.
For some reason, the executioner didn’t pull. Something stayed his hand.
Quickly, Stephanus caught the glossy eyes of the executioner, then turned toward King Nielius who was shaking with rage.
“EXECUTIONER, I COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE THAT BLADE!”
Stephanus turned back toward the executioner as the giant hand pried its fingers away from the wood, releasing its hold on the lever. Lumbering, the hairy belly stepped back from the machine. In one fluid motion, the executioner tore off his hood to reveal a balding man, tears streaming down his face.
“Thank you, Lord,” Stephanus smiled.
“My name is Bernhart,” the portly man yelled. “And I am forgiven!”
“AHH,” Nielius screamed as he incinerated with rage. Instantly, he stepped to one of his flanking guards and ripped the bow from his back. He nocked an arrow and released it over the stage.
It screamed through the air, whizzing past Stephanus to smack Bernhard square in the chest. Father Stephanus whipped around only to watch as the giant man fell to the stage with a trembling thud.
“NO!” Stephanus yelled. Quickly, he tore his gaze from the dying executioner to glare at King Nielius. And resting on his fist was another arrow, already aimed.
The king loosed the shot.
Stephanus jumped to the machine and caught Hildabrand’s glimmering eyes just as the arrow sank into the wooden lever, releasing the blade.
9. Greatest Enemy
The sun’s path over the Isle of Illumination was shifting and the waning moon was now waxing into a silver orb in the night sky. The days were becoming shorter and a chill crisp began to bite the air. Lythina’s training had continued uninterrupted ever since her first visit to the forest, and she was quickly becoming adept at controlling her abilities. Subsequently, her friends were increasingly impressed with how easily she mastered the virtues, and were always eager to return to the glade to show her new techniques.
Lythina thought often about the first night her entire body exploded with the blue light, not to mention how it had inadvertently frightened everyone. Although her friends had instantly forgiven her, she couldn’t erase from her mind the horrible memory that prompted her to panic. At random times throughout her days, the dying soldier’s terrified eyes would flash through her mind, jarring her senseless.
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