The Desolator and The Son

"My lord!"


A knight, exasperated and practically lurching forward with exhaustion found himself on his hands and knees in a grand courtyard, peppered with hundreds upon hundreds of stone spires and spikes reaching out like clawed hands into the sky. He was already out of breath from his flight, but now he was choking on his very lungs. He never had the right, nor the opportunity to enter Solar Dawn's castle. For that matter, most people alive never were given the privilege to see the Saint-King, but he had never expected this!


The courtyard, for the most part was as a wealthy man's courtyard was imagined to be; large, with beautiful bush sculptures, and a great fountain that sprouted like a flower from its womb. But what he didn't expect was the forest of stone spikes. They must not have always been there, as they seemed hastily crafted, and jagged, and came from the earth in awkward angles that all seemed to lead toward a center, greater spike, like all the others envied it and reached out to touch it. The center spike was the largest, and longest, almost piercing the clouds, and from what the man saw, his lungs could have exploded!


At the tip of the spike, there sat a man. He made no effort to make the spike comfortable, he just sat there, sitting Indian style, balanced impossibly on its point, his middle fingers and thumbs met, in meditating position. From atop his perch he released soothing, calm, relaxed huummmmm's. At the beckoning of the mans voice, Solar opened a single eye, and his humming paused.


"Yes?"

"There is something that calls your attention my lord."


The spikes surrounding the Saint-Kings began to crumble and lose integrity, his own shrinking down to the size of an average chair, from which he stood up from now, naked feet feeling the grass, his sweat glistening off of his naked upper body.,


"Then speak, son."


The knight took a deep breath. "For the last several weeks, strange happenings have occured within Saint Mitrias. It started with supernatural activity in civilian homes, to which we alotted a simple remedy of priests to cleanse the properties. A particular priest, the first of several, cleansed a home, and shortly after began acting strange. Sweating profusely, random fits of anger, and even talks of suicide! He then disappeared, only to show up several days later in his home.... hung by the neck. It was suicide."


Solar Dawn put his hands behind his back, and turned away from the knight. "Supernatural, you say? One of our priests? That is strange, indeed."


"There is more."


"Speak."


"Father Julius was only the first incident. This process repeated itself six more times, moving from civilians, only to members of the priesthood. Father Harper was among the casualties. He was found deceased this morning. Cause; wrist mutilation. It was another suicide, my lord. This can't be a coincidence. Father Harper would never do such a thing. In my youth, before my days in the knighthood, even, he gave me faith. He was a lion among men, sir."


"I am aware, young Tristen. I am saddened to hear this. Father Harper, nay all the priesthood are like family to me. We must arrange a grand funeral service, and quickly."


"There is more, still."


Solar Dawn raised a brow. "Then speak."


"We long suspected these were acts of possession. But even the knighthood is rigorously trained to be bulwarks against ghosts, demons, and spirits alike. It is astronomically unlikely that any spirit could possess one of our priests."


"It would have to be quite the powerful entity. In fact, possession of a priest is unheard of!"


"Precisely. That is where we need you. Father Lloyd has been possessed my lord. It is unquestionable. He is a priest of thirty years, his wisdom unparalelled. I stood in for every cleansing, and case of possession involving the priests as an aid, and I saw something that made my heart cringe. My lord... it made me question my faith..."


"By the love of Sura, Tristen, tell me what you saw!" Dawn gripped the knight by the shoulders with large hands, his blue, steely eyes peering into his hazel iris'.


"He.... changed, my lord. He looked... dead. His eyes were covered with a hazy film. His flesh reeked of death, and became pale. The thing I remember most, is what he said. We attempted to uncover the demons identity, and we did.... It spoke to us, and asked for you, specifically. It asked for the Saint-King."


"And what was the demons name?"


"It only said 'I am the Desolator'."


Solar Dawn's eyes sparked with the soul of a flame. He gathered his things, walking toward the foyer in a huff.


"Come. You are taking me to Father Lloyd."