Monday 26 May 2008

When The Dawn Rises.

The next part of my story.

"Well?" Carlos Urged "Come on!"

Maria just gave him a stare which he took as "Shut up Carlos!"

"We´re going back in the 13th century, Most of Europe managed to Survive the "Black Plague" sadly for the pagans who were not interested in converting to christianity, they did not have it so easy.The ever growing fear of the persecution of non believers of Christianity forces people to go into hiding or just to practice their own beliefs and rituals in secret."

Maria paused... She noticed Paco was falling asleepm she turned to Rosa who in turn threw a shoe at him.

"As I was saying." Maria continued

"There was a secret sect though.. They were sworn to protect people who were special. people who could do things that scared the hell out of other people. Magic, They could fly, they were extraordinary. They were risking their own lives to protect these people."

She continued to tell the story as they all listened.

A man stands guard from behind a stone building that overlooks the city. He looks over from across a street and sees another man who signals for him to see if the coast is clear. He looks around to check and gestures with his hands to say yes. The man then gestures to two people behind him to follow him towards the building. A man and a woman. The woman wears a cloak and hood to mask her while the man protectively places his hand on her shoulder and then holds her hand.

Soon they arrive to the building and are escorted in side the building by the sentinel on guard. While the other man runs back to his post, to wait for anymore people or just to look out.

It was a very tense moment for everyone gathering that night, their lives were about to change forever, everything they knew, their way of life, was going to be compromised and they had to act fast.

By the door of this room stood four tall muscular men, in white robes, while standing by the window of the room stood a teenage boy with Olive skin, with very dark brown eyes which made him look like a predator, but he was unaware of it. looking at the man with the dark robes holding a book, waiting for him to address the crowd.

"Father," the boy urged.

The man looked at the young boy, there was something different about this man, he at times would try to hide his identity from outsiders, who not only regarded him as an outcast but un-Christian like. They believed he was not of this continent because fo his dark features,his hair and eyes and no one knew how he had arrived to this city. but he was from the North, from the mountains,Most peculiar.

"We are all in great Danger!" he finally said addressing the crowd who gasped.

"We have not done anything." Cried a young man.

"Why do they keep tormenting us like this?"

"Because we will not give into their demands." The man in the dark robes answered.

"But Manuel," another began "Does the presence of this man in this room, not put us all in danger?"

He pointed to a handsome dark haired man who was dressed elegantly, with a dark cape and, wearing a sword to the side. He was also holding the hand of a young woman.

Manuel shook his head.

"He's one of us." He said "He always has been. He may dress in a different manner, but his heart is true."

"I am sorry that my presence here will evidently cause much suffering." The well dressed man sighed.

"But I cannot let my parents get away with what they have done."

He was truly brave, he was not a born member of their people but he acted like one of them, and he was willing to turn his back on the life he'd always known to help them in their hour of need.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

By daylight however it was a different story all together. The people taking refuge in the building were awoken by shouting. The building was now coming is under siege from what appears to be palace guards and a lynch mob chanting slogans and welding pitch folks, clubs, torches and anything regarded as a weapon. Manuel summons the two long haired men in the dark robes like him.

"You both have to leave." He ordered.

"Take Mateo with you back to the mountains, and take the book with you and hide it in a secure place. It must not fall into the wrong hands."

"Do not worry," reassured the man with the black long curly hair. "As planned we will accompany your son to Navarra, Karolus and I will protect the other followers."

"You two!" Manuel ordered to two of the muscled men, who stepped forward.

"You must protect them," he continued pointing to a handful of people.

"But especially her." They nodded.

"See She arrives to her destination safely."

The crowd outside continued to yell and use threatening gestures until a man steps forward from the crowd and knocks loudly on the door..

"Manuel!" he yells out loudly "We know you are in there!"

No answer.

"In the name of the King and the Church, surrender and we will consider sparing your Heretic Followers." The man continued.

Still no answer.

"Do you want to have blood of the innocent on your hands?" The man warned.

Suddenly from one of the top windows Manuel appeared now with his hood firmly over his head, still donning the red robes.

"And what exactly am I accused of?" he demanded.

"Of corruption," the man began "Heresy against the church, poisoning the minds of the young, women and Children and of witch craft!"

"And all this is because you believe the word of a malicious whore and her daughter whose advances were refused by myself and my son?" Manuel hissed.

"No, we have been more than patient for you and your followers to end this barbaric worshipping, which is ungodly."

"We are a peace loving people." Manuel insisted "We condemn violence. We demand to know who has told you all these malicious facts."

"Where we received the information is of no concern to you!" the man snapped.

"We are mainly here to be rid of the evil inflicted by Satan and his followers!"

"We are not Satanists!" Manuel insisted.

"Surrender or we will punish everyone!" The man warned.

At that point Manuel turned away from the window to look at the people looking at him, he was not going to surrender and he was not going to leave his followers in the hands of who he considered evil. He knew why they were being persecuted. Some of his followers had magic powers, some of them were able to teleport from one place to another, fly and do impossible things which made people question them. in this day and age they were accused of witch craft. But Manuel had a special gift even though he was shunned by the city for being the way he was, He knew what was about to transpire and could see into the future.

He was about to address his followers until the man with the mob began to shout.

"We know that the young woman who did the unholy act of conceiving out of Wedlock is among you!" he snarled.

He looked at the woman in question who was stroking her bump who was being comforted by the young man elegant clothing.

"She's married so leave her out of this!" Manuel yelled.

"It is an unholy union and the person who claimed to have married them has been dealt with!" The man spat.

"They came together willingly!" Manuel explained.

"The parents of the man in question did not consent to this union!"

"Prehaps not!" yelled the Elegantly dressed man. "But I gave my consent!"

"We know you could not been of your own mind and body!" The shouting man hissed

"she has surely bewitched you Viscount Florien in order to….!"

"Stop!" Manuel interrupted "The only corrupted minds here are not from within this building! We are not leaving!"

He slammed the window shut and turned to his followers.

"You must all escape." He urged them, turning to two muscular men who knew what he intended.

"Before they burn this building!"

From the outside the man continued to shout.

"The viscount's parents have the power to make this so called marriage unlawful, then the woman will be punished."

Manuel continued to ignore the ranting of this man.

"We cannot leave you!" a young man insisted to him.

Manuel turned to the young man and placed a hand on him.

"Mateo, my son," he began, "If anything happens to me, you will have to succeed me. You and your descendents are charged with an important duty. You have to lead a special army in protecting people like yourself and this couple."

The young man tried to insist, but Manuel was adamant. He gave his son what appeared to be a heavy book.

"When you arrive in Navarro, you must read this book and then go to the house of the Men from the Origin of the "Rising Sun" They in turn will train you into being a leader and in turn you will use what I have trained you as well as theirs to train others. And this book, someone will there, a Guardian, a woman will be waiting to be in charge of it. And one day someone will bring it back here." He continued.

"And as for you two. He continued turning to the two men.

"…We know." The fairer skinned one interrupted.

"Then what happened?" Urged Mateo, still reeling from the thought that someone in this story was named after him.

"I´ll go on."Esperanza urged.

"The people in this fort escaped with ways that they knew how. Some could fly, some could teleport or freeze time. Others just threw out potions to knock some of the angy mob out. it worked."

Most of the people got away but the pregnant woman seemed to leave Manuel behind even with the insistance of her Husband.

"Fleur, Please we must leave!" He begged her.

"Please child, go with your husband," Manuel insisted.

"He will protect you! the others will protect you and Manuel when he has matured as a warrior protector will protect your child and the cycle will continue."

Florien was now having doubts.

"It will be fine," Manuel insisted. "I will join you. You need to be there with your wife. you cannot let her raise your child by herself!"


Manuel placed his hands on Florien´s head and then on the belly of the young woman. he took their hands and joined them.

"Now go!" HE Ordered

They left with the mother of the young woman and some of the children. by teleporting herself, Florien them, and her mother.

Mateo was about to leave with one of the Guardians in white when Manuel stopped them, he was holding the hand of a girl who was no more than 10 years of age.

"Take her with you Mateo." He urged.

The girl was unusual looking, pale skinned, eyes of the deepest blue, and hair the colour of rubies.

"She can not be lost in a convent!"

Mateo nodded.

Manuel bent on one knee to address the little girl.

"Listen child," he began, "you may not underastand this now, but when you are older you are destined to become a Guardian protecter like my son. Your children will do the same and so will their children."

"Will Mateo protect me?" she asked.

Manuel nodded.

Mateo took the girl by the hand and with the help of the guardian they teleported out of the fort with the book as well.

One of the guardian returned inside the building after her Mnauel and other people of their group failed to join them all. They witnessed a horrific site, from the distance, the Fort was on fire and nearly, except Manuel, who was barely alive. he refused to leave and even punched him. The guardian had teleported out of the building without Manuel and soon was in the woods with the survivors.

"The others?" croaked Fleur

The man shook his head

"All dead.." he replied

This news upset Mateo.

"And my father?" he urged

"Why is´t he with you?"

The man took a deep breath.

"He refused to be rescued, he even punched me." he recalled "He told me if I didn´t watch over you, he would haunt me for all eternity!


"Nooooooooo!" the boy cried out. He knew his father had gone forever in the flames.

They all knew that they would never see the others that perished in the fire or even mourn them. the church would either have their bodies burned or bury them in unmarked graves.

After that horrific night, Fleur, Florien and Fleur´s mother escaped to Navarra with some of the followers and Mateo who was entrusted with the child, the rest of them spread themselves around Europe, keeping their identities hidden in case of spies. Manuel´s wish of handing the book over to a Female Guardian. A White witch.

As for the building from where the siege was held, a new building was built on top of the ruins and the bodies of the dead followers. No one was ever allowed to say what truly happened. But rumors were rife over the generations and tongues were wagging. Anyone who dared to say what they thought happened faced extreme punishment. As for Manuel, no one knew what happened to him. Some say he escaped others say he was tortured to death.

Esperanza, took a deep breath. there was silence. No one moved. no one dared to say anything. Not yet anyway.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great story Tina, now I have to wait for the next installment!

Anonymous said...

Next installment please Tina, Im riveted.


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