Hatred of The Heretic

Several hours had passed, and the Sun reached its highest point in the sky, looking straight down into the farm, its indiscriminate heat slowly cooking everything in its rays. Saga had finally finished working, his body screaming at him to stop working. His dirty clothes drenched in sweat, with signs of sunburn beginning to appear on his skin.

Completely exhausted, Saga stood up straight, resting his hands on the handle of the hoe, taking deep breaths as he tried to cool himself off. He looked around, his eyes desperately searching for a nearby tree, until it landed on one, far from the land, it stood alone on the fields, its rustling leaves creating a cool and inviting haven from the stare of the Sun.

Its invitation was irresistible, and so Saga immediately dropped his hoe, walking mindlessly towards the tree as he sought out a few minutes of peace. A full minute passed when Saga finally arrived, he immediately collapsed under its shade, letting out a long groan as the aching in his body slowly faded away. He closed his eyes, journeying through his thoughts as he rested. Myra… I wonder what she’s doing right now… Hopefully she ate the potato I gave her. Saga’s stomach let out a long growl. I could really use a baked potato right about now…

Suddenly, something landed on Saga’s face, hitting him on the nose and rolling down his face. He sat up, his eyes wide open in confusion as he looked at the object. Am I… Seeing things? A pure black, perfectly round sphere, it looked unreal, something that didn't belong to Earth. Saga reached for the object, intrigued by its mysterious properties. As he picked it up, his arm shot up to his face. Nothing. The object was completely weightless. He could barely feel it in his hands. What? Impossible… What is this thing…? He squeezed his hand, trying to figure out just what he was holding. The object squished into his fingers, almost like a rubber ball. Completely unreal. He squeezed harder, trying to pierce into the object, but to no avail, it continued to stretch in and conform to his fingers. He stopped trying to crush it, and instead stared at it. Completely mesmerized by it.

The more he looked however, the more a certain thought made its way into his head. This thing… Is it some type of fruit? A completely unreasonable thought, and yet it constantly bugged Saga. He fumbled with the object a bit more, looking for the slightest bit of inconsistency. Before he finally committed. There can't be any harm in eating this, right? After all, it did come from this tree, which is very real. He put the object in his mouth, and clenched down his teeth, unlike his fingers, his teeth immediately pierced the surface, a liquid rushed out of it and into his mouth. Startled, Saga instinctively swallowed and threw the object away, coughing as the strange liquid invaded his lungs.

“Wha-” Cough cough, “What the fuck was that-?” He coughed out a strange black liquid all over the grass. Cough Cough, cough cough, cough cough.

Worry.

Cough Cough, Cough Cough.

Fear.

Cough Cough, Cough Cough.

Panic.

What the fuck- its not… Why can't I stop coughing?

The coughs grew more intense, his lungs started to collapse in on themselves. Blood leaked out of his nose. The black liquid spewing out of his mouth was now coupled with little red droplets of blood. Unable to take air in, the coughs became much more forceful as he choked on it. Wheezing heavily as he tried desperately to take some air in. His mind started to black out, then suddenly, an enormous pain rose in his chest. He sprawled his body across the ground, clutching his chest, punching it as hard as he could to try and spew whatever was inside of it out.

It was inevitable. Saga could feel it.

I’m going to die. I'm going to die in this digusting fucking land, like a dog.

The pain grew exponentially more intense. Until finally: Saga vomited a puddle of the black liquid, his eyes and ears leaking blood. He looked at his hands, covered in the mess, before his chest exploded inside out. His rib cages eviscerated. His heart was there, beating in vain, his lungs covered in the black liquid. Saga’s eyes rolled back into his head, before his vision went dark, falling into the Abyss of Death.

Saga opened his eyes, sitting up instantly, gasping desperately for air. He looked around in panic, but there was nothing. No sign of blood. No sign of the black fruit. Just the grass gently waving as the wind passed through it. He looked down to his chest. But everything was completely fine. I fell asleep… A fucking nightmare… It felt too real… That pain… I can still feel it pulsing through my body.

He sat up on the tree, breaking out in a cold sweat as he contemplated what had just happened. My hands are still shaking… That was too much, this farm is making me go insane. I need to get home, I’ll buy the food we need later… Saga stood up to head home, adrenaline rushing through his veins as fear took control of his mind.

“HEY! YOU!” A voice forced Saga’s attention, he looked behind him, quickly approaching him were three guards, a clear look of anger on their faces. Shit! I can't run, they know what I look like now. Damn it…

“Get over here!” One of the guards called out. Saga approached them slowly, acting obedient was the best way to get out of this unharmed now.

“What the hell were you doing here? Why aren't you working?” They were now in talking distance, Saga studied their faces, they were clearly displeased, it was unlikely they would listen to reason.

“I was just heading back no-”

“ANSWER MY QUESTION, what the fuck were you doing here? Pig?” Saga could not answer, his thoughts and wit scrambled by the nightmare. His mouth remained open in a blank state of mind. A few seconds passed before the guard's face deformed into a scowl.

“Get the fuck over here, we’ll teach you a lesson.” He grabbed Saga by the back of his shirt and yanked on it, dragging him along.

“Wai-Wait-”

“Shut your filthy mouth, or I’ll make sure you won't be able to talk again.”

The guards continued walking until they reached the back of a small booth, where they tossed Saga on the ground. He grunted as he landed, his mind scrambling for a way out.

“I’ll ask again, what the hell were you doing under that tree?”

Saga could not respond, unable to comprehend the dream himself. He opened his mouth again to speak, but nothing came out.

“Oi, we should deal with that one first.” One of the guards nodded his head to Saga’s left. He instantly turned to it, where his eyes met with a small, dirty, and visibly starving child. He was hugging his legs to his chest, every part of his body covered with dirt, the only clear thing were his eyes. He stared at Saga, unblinking.

“Fuck… What did he do again?”

“I don't remember, I’ll get Mark.”

“Why bother? We’ll just kill him here.”

A small whimper came out of the child’s mouth, his stare was now directed towards the guards.

“What are you guys doing here?” Another guard appeared behind Saga, the smell of tobacco became even stronger.

“Mark, what did that child do?” One of them pointed towards the small figure cowering in the booth's shadow.

Mark squinted, his face in a frown as he struggled to remember.

“Ah! Him, this bastard-” He lifted his boot and pressed it against the child’s head.

“-was sipping water out of the river! Like the goddamned thief he is.” The guard released his foot and picked up the child with one hand, almost tearing the worn rags. The Sunlight revealed the bones protruding out of his skin, as if trying to escape his body. The child whimpered again, his eyes struggling to keep the tears in.

“Say, what's your name, young boy? Mark asked.

The child did not respond.

Mark’s face grew visibly furious.

“I SAID, WHAT THE FUCK DO THEY CALL YOU? HUH?”

Tears started to stream down the child’s face, he looked into the ground, before a small voice could be heard: “S-Sal, my parents call me Sal.”

Mark used his free hand to force the child’s head to face his.

“Tell me… Sal. Do you live with pigs? Do you sleep in a pigsty?

A moment passed, Sal could not say anything.

‘I CAN'T FUCKING HEAR YOU!”

“No, no, I don't live in a pigsty.”

Mark’s voice lowered into a whisper.

“Then tell me… WHY THE FUCK, ARE YOU SO FUCKING GREEDY?”

Mark slammed the child into the ground, his body bouncing once before laying limp on it. He gasped for air, trying to fill his lungs again.

“Every, single, fucking one of you filthy pigs, trying to cheat us out and steal from us. Do you know how God told us to punish those who steal in wartime?”

Mark pulled out his baton, the blunt edge stained with dry blood.

“With a beating like no other, Sal, do you hear me?!”

Mark smashed the baton into the child’s elbow, a piercing scream erupted from him as he curled into a ball, trying to protect himself.

“BASTARD! PARASITE! USELESS FUCKING DOG! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? COMING HERE AND STEALING? IT’S BECAUSE OF THE DISGUSTING DOGS LIKE YOU, WHO DO NOTHING BUT STEAL AND BEG, BECAUSE OF YOU THAT THE CHURCH IS LOSING THE WAR!”

It was relentless. Saga could only watch, only stare at the child as he was beaten to death. His screams became louder and more hysterical. Saga clenched his fists, frustrated at his lack of power, his lack of resolve to do anything. blood rushed from his callused hands as he opened old cuts. Scorn consumed Saga’s mind as he watched on. I can’t take three of them on, I can't win this fight. Bear with it. Bear with it. Ignore it.

He chose to watch.

To stand idly.

To do nothing.

To delude himself.

To convince himself that the child could not be saved.

After a few more swings, the child’s right knee was now exposed and his arm almost completely shredded. The screams grew progressively silent as blood stained the ground, there was no more noise coming from the limp body.

“Is he dead?” One of the guards asked through a smile, most of his teeth missing, “Boss won't be too happy.”

“For what? I was only cleansing the weeds.”

Mark picked up the body of the child and threw it into the grass, as if it was a piece of trash in the way. Saga pried his eyes away from the mangled figure, trying to move his petrified body.

Mark then turned around, his eyes met with Saga’s as he walked over. The heavy smell of alcohol and tobacco fell upon him, a choking air that stung his eyes.

“And so? What did this one do?”

“Found by that lonesome tree over there, laying under its shade.”

“What the fuck? This pig… Did you come here just to relax under the shade?”

“No… no, I was here to work.” Saga said nervously.

“Ahh… To work… I see. “You’re not lying, are you..? You do know what happens to liars right? Boss- God hates liars… Really, really, fucking hates them.”

Saga did not respond.

Mark reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver coin and smacking onto the booth next to Saga.

“You don't seem like you’re lying… Take it, then. Your pay, if I ever see you go under that tree again, however…”

This is a trap, Saga thought. After what they did to the child? There couldn’t be any way they would let me go this easy. Silence. The guards did not move, waiting for him to take the coin. The grass sang and moved in peaceful waves as the wind ran through them, ignorant of the events that would soon unfold. The smell of tobacco grew stronger every second. Saga could hear the chewing of one of the guards slowing down and growing quieter as time passed on, all of them waiting for the other to make a move.

Several seconds later, Mark grew visibly impatient, “Well? Take the goddamned coin and leave, before I change my mind.”

There’s no better move, I have to take it. Saga stood up from the ground and reached hesitantly for the coin, The head of the new King imprinted onto it, bent at the sides from use, dirty and crusted.

However, as soon as his hand was over it, a knife suddenly stuck his hand to the table. Saga screamed, blood flooded the table, staining the wood. He fell to his knees as the guards erupted into laughter.

Saga’s breathing grew hard as he held the wounded hand to try and ease the pain. Adrenaline rushed into him as the pain started to slowly devolve. Standing up, Saga grabbed the knife by its handle. He yelped in pain as he tried to pull it out, only cutting his hand further as the rivets in the blade sawed at his tendons. The guards were still laughing as they watched his futile effort to remove the knife.

Not good, they’ll kill me. His grip on the knife tightened as he openly gritted his teeth. With all his strength Saga slowly pulled the knife out, the tendons splitting in half and rendering the hand unusable, screaming as the pain revitalized into a seething Hell.

Just as the tip of the blade appeared, the guard smashed the knife back into Saga’s palm, a scream of pain followed as a blood rush spread across Saga’s face. His grip loosened as he fell back down to his knees, the shock from the pain making him nearly pass out. Saga tried once again to stand up. The guard grabbed his face and put it down to his shoes.

“LICK THE BLOOD OFF, YOU PIG.” He screamed. The guard’s boot, covered in dirt and what smelled to be manure, had a single drop of what was apparently Saga’s blood on it.

He stomped Saga’s head into the ground and continued, “Lick it clean, peasants like you aren’t even considered human in the capital, be glad Mark hasn’t already killed you.”

“Who said I would’ve killed the fucker so soon? I can have fun too, you know. Mark said as he continued laughing.

The pain in Saga’s hand suddenly disappeared, his hazed state of mind now completely crystal clear. His eyes widened at the shoe, his pupils shrunk.

He could feel it.

His heartbeat.

It grew louder.

Deafening.

It drowned out the guards’ laughter.

The blood rushed through his veins, he could feel the adrenaline. His hatred overcame the pain. These fuckers… These scum… I’ll fucking slaughter them.

His animosity powered him as he looked up at the guard, into his disgusting eyes. Upon seeing Saga’s seemingly futile retaliation, the guard pulled his foot back for a kick, a wild smile appearing, waiting to see how much damage he could do to the boy’s face. Without hesitation, Saga grabbed the guard’s other foot, pulling back as hard as possible, the guard’s hand let go of Saga’s head as he fell backward.

The other guards' smiles quickly disappeared, their hands reaching for their baton’s, the situation suddenly spiraling out of control. However, before any of them could react, Saga leaned across the table and pulled the knife out of his hand, the pain nonexistent despite the spurting blood. The guard behind Saga pulled his baton out, but before he could ready it, Saga already had the knife on his neck; using the wrist of his wounded hand to press his jaw up. The scene became frozen as Saga took the hostage.