Mark of The Heretic

The wound in Saga’s stomach stopped bleeding, his grotesque left shoulder and mutilated arm had started to heal completely right before his eyes.

Saga’s blade bent and nearly destroyed, he dropped it and picked another one-off from the swordsman’s body. Then going and grabbing a bow and quiver from the dead archers. He stood tall, both his arms working completely, the arrow stuck in his shoulder and stomach fell out, almost like a tooth.

The next target was obvious, the owner of this farm, the cause of all this bloodshed: John Ritten. Saga walked towards the large manor, his hatred quite literally giving him power as he stepped over the bodies. The day was long from over.

The Sun burned Saga as it stared down at him. A Mark had started to take form onto his left chest. A bright red hourglass mark, burned and etched into his skin.

John Ritten.

A Man Saga could not forgive.

A Man with only his sins to show.

A Man who boasted his blessings from God while abandoning Him.

The field was empty, not a soul in sight, while the manor was in chaos. Maids scrambled over furniture as they tried to flee the house. Guards ran away, trying to avoid certain death as John Ritten tugged at their arms, ordering them to stay.

“I hired you to protect me! NOW DO YOUR JOB!” He screamed at the escaping group of guards.

“LET GO OF ME!” One of them yelled as he shoved John to the ground, “Deal with this monster yourself…” He looked out the window in worry, quickly turning back and fleeing towards the back of the house.

John looked at the running guards, screaming “COWARDS!” in desperation. Tears formed in his eyes. The horses were being cared for in the distant town, we’re stuck here… my wife… my two children, both of them still small children.

In the now deathly quiet hallway, John could hear the small pattering footsteps of his daughter approaching behind him. Still on his knees, he heard her ask:

“Papa, are you ok?”

He looked at her, teddy bear still in hand, nightdress still on, her face was visibly exhausted and sweaty. Her fever had not calmed down at all these past few days.

“I’m fine Emilia… Just fine.”

She turned her attention towards the window, looking out into the fields with wide eyes. John stood up and looked out the window with her.

The Sun boiled the air, Saga was just a blur in the distorted distance as he walked towards the manor. His eyes were the only discernible feature among the ominous silhouette. A radiant and vibrant blue. The eyes glowed in his dark shadow, creating an even more ominous figure as it slowly closed the distance.

John could feel it.

The eyes were looking straight at him, he could tell that the figure was smiling. A chill went down his spine as fear fought for control of his body, every instinct was telling him to run away. The silhouette suddenly stopped and pulled something from its back. John squinted harder as he tried to figure out what it was doing.

Saga pulled back on the bowstring, his strength bending the wooden bow as the string nearly snapped. It’s still too early to kill him. The air whipped around him as he released the tension, the arrow crossing the entire farm with lightning speed.

A short flash in the sky caught John’s attention, before he could begin his next thought a loud SMASH rang throughout the silent hallways. He recoiled back as he covered his eyes from the glass, falling down as the window shattered into thousands of pieces.

The hallways grew quiet and calm again as the glass stopped their dance, John’s eyes still closed from fear, he slowly uncovered his face, panicking as he struggled to understand what happened.

He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the surroundings. His daughter still stood there, looking out the window with wide eyes, her gaze focused on nothing. Blood dripped from her cheek, a tiny glass shard had embedded itself into it. Her hand, once gripping the teddy bear, now holding nothing.

John grabbed and hugged her, thank God she’s safe. Shock still processing through her face, she stood there limp as her father embraced her.

“Are you alright Emilia?” He asked, his voice coarse.

She didn’t respond as her eyes continued their blank stare. He picked her up and comforted her. We have to run, we must escape. He started towards the long hallway, looking for his wife and other daughter. A murmur came from Emilia. Concerned, John stopped and asked her:

“Did you say something Emilia... what’s wrong?” He hugged her more tightly as he began to rock his body to comfort her.

“My… teddy bear…” She pointed towards the wall where they had just been standing.

“What?”

He looked back towards her gesture, where a spectacle fell upon his eyes. An arrow was stuck into the hardwood wall, only its tail was visible as its entire body buried itself inside the boards. The surrounding impact area completely caved in. The paint had all fallen and chipped off, the force of the impact was all but possible. Stuck in between the tail of the arrow and the wall was what caught John’s eye, however. Emilia’s teddy bear was crushed and mangled in between, the center of the head caught right in the middle of the impact. John’s hair stood up in fear, that arrow… that was no missed shot… Straight in its head, he didn't miss on purpose.

A warning shot.

A shot meant to intimidate him.

A message that was written specifically to John: You’re going to die.

He turned back again, ignoring Emilia’s request. His body shook with fear, he hugged her even harder. Their roles switched as Emilia’s warmth comforted him. He started running forward.

“Please G-God, protect me and m-my family, I beg you.” The first time he wholeheartedly prayed, begging for his life.