Behind The Curtain

Fesha and I approached the rickety church doors. She put her ear up to it, but she shook her head side to side. It seemed all too quiet for their to be any sort of ritual happening. Fesha tried to budge on the door, but it seemed to be locked. While she was messing with the door I decided to walk around the building to look for a way in. At the back of the church, I found a rusty metal ladder that was properly attached to the wall. I ran back over to Fesha to tell her what I had discovered. She came back around to the back with me where we began our ascent. I began to climb only realizing now that the church was a lot taller than what it seemed like from the ground. Once I made it to the top, I pulled myself over the stone ledge and landed quietly on the roof's wooden shingles. Fesha soon followed, surveying the area so that we wouldn't be seen. We stayed low by our feet to make sure no one from below could see us trespassing. The ledges of the church walls went up past the edges of the roof, making it a little easier to hide. Fesha and I began to look for some sort of opening in the roof, but to no avail.

"Guess I've got no choice." Fesha said aloud. She dug her arm into her pack and pulled out the same little pouch she had when she was hunting the animal. She dipped her fingers in and pulled out her blackened finger tips.

"What are you doing? That's going to be too loud." I said to her with concern.

"No worries, I can adjust its power and shape." She said confidently.

She proceeded to press her blackened fingertips against the shingle in front of her. Her blackened fingertips began to faintly glow orange-yellow. The wood beneath her finger began to burn, not in a raging blaze, but as slowly spreading embers. The hole burned larger and large, revealing the thick wooden framework beneath it. Fesha sighed and continued burning through the wood slowly. Eventually, Fesha made it to the other side of the wood, its edges dimly lit by the remaining embers. Looking through the hole at an angle, I could see the backs of the wooden benches, but it was impossible to see the front stage unless I stuck my head in. The embers still burned too hot to do so, so I observed what I could. Instead, Fesha and I listened to a distant murmur from within the church. Though the speech couldn't be discerned, it was enough to know that it was Tenebris. Then, that familiar sickly sweet smell clung to my nose. Fesha's eyes widened at the scent.

"Were there white flowers in there?" She asked.

"Is that what the smell is." I answered.

"Yes, the Vinnulus Flower. I've smelled it once upon a bygone era. I can't fathom why it's here." She looked at me, knowing I didn't understand. "The Vinnulus has only ever been planted on battle field soil. It's scent masketh the rotten smell of war and is a way to respecteth those who've died." She spoke.

I looked back through the hole, taking in the smell. The stench was slowly getting stronger as it wafted through the opening. It's smell was sweet yet somewhat bitter, a sweetness that was hard to bear. From the way Fesha's face changed, I knew that the smell was somewhat off. Whatever Tenebris was hiding had an odor so strong, not even the flowers could mask it completely.

I looked over at Fesha to see what our next move would be. Judging from the distance the church floor was from us, it would be impossible to fall through the hole we made without getting injured. I watched Fesha take out another pouch from her bag. "I ought to have these around me waist." She said under her breath. She dipped her fingers into the pouch and pulled out a grainy white powder. I looked at her confused. She began to recite something quietly, then sprinkled the grains down into the hole.

"Let us go." She said confidently. Fesha proceeded to jump through the hole, but as she got closer to the ground, a small gust of spiraling wind formed, dampening her fall. As she planted both her feet firmly, her footsteps echoed through the hall. Hesitantly I followed, falling until I slowed down enough to land, though not as gracefully as Fesha had. 

I stood there still, gazing at the sight before me. The dirty curtains that were once drawn were now fully pulled back, revealing the back wall of the church. A pitch black growth seeped through every crack of the stone wall. Its shape was similar to that of growths Fesha and I had walked through days prior. Large, rugged tendrils were bursting from the wall, each of them draped by black treads, almost resembling vines. Black spikes covered the floor that was once hidden by the curtain. At the origin of the growth, something truly horrific was front and center. A gray skinned body was suspended up against the very center of the wall by the black threads, at least what was left of the body. The corpse was completely missing its lower half, its arms, and the top half of its head. Where its lower half should've been, its rotted ribs were exposed, and the pitch black growth spread out from within it. Black veins had spread out from where the body's arms and head were missing. In the middle of it all, a familiar silhouette stood tall.

"It's quite rude of thou to barge into such a divine ceremony." Tenebris's voice echoed. He turned to face us. "No matter, the offering has already been done." He said as he put the same bowl he used for communion up on the lectern. 

We stared in silence for a bit, cautious of Tenebris's every move. I readied myself to fight though I didn't think I knew how. Fesha readied her self by blackening her fingertips once again. Tenebris shook his head in disapproval.

Tenebris spoke calmly. "Please, no needeth to fight. I've never been one to anyway. Instead, let us talk. I shall tell thou anything thou wisheth to know."

Fesha lifted her arm and aimed. The black powder on her fingers sparked and a straight bolt went flying, directed at the corpse on the wall. Tenebris widened his eyes. Then, just as quickly as the beam came out, it dissipated, as if it was nothing.

Tenebris sighed. His tone seemed menacing now. "Pillaging brute, does thou truly haveth no class despite thine lineage, damn dragon slayers." He took a breath, trying to compose himself. "I shall giveth thee a second chance, I am a man of peace after all, and what is peace without civil discussion. Now, any questions, asketh."