THE LAST SACRIFICE

CHAPTER 01

– And now?

Shouted the king on his throne after receiving the news that there are any prisoners to be sacrificed at monster that ravages the village so big, moved by a big number of residents working, the harvest, milk production and located at East of country where the trees are high and the jungle is the charm and danger. But one fear drowns the king: the devil that demand one life to satisfy his hungry in exchange for protecting the village; otherwise, all would face the pain and the size of his power.
The messenger came from the prison to alerts at king around of two royal counselors that there is any prisoner to send at sacrifice. The counselors traded looks between them in doubt of what to do in this case; the king is mixed in fear and angry that ordered the messenger to leave the place and rest while the own should decide what to do. The messenger crossed the big door protected by two guards holding axes.

– We are in problems – the kind lands his back on the throne and his eyes are deep in fear. – The devil can destroy the village without a sacrifice. Now we are close to lose all this reign.

The counselors spoke nothing. They kept in silence wondering which to say and comfort the king’s heart. The oldest was whispering first his idea and the other was hearing and giving his suggestions. They couldn’t let a reign falls into ruins.
The oldest lifted from his seat and went to talk to his king. His robes are a long purple cloth adorned with silver and white swaddles, the white beard covering his face and a collar with a green jewel as a final touch of his charm.

– Majesty – he greets the king that was dressing a magnificent cloth of blue, white and adorned with gold parts, the crown calling attention with jewels and the tissue of such delicacy. – I can wonder the size of fear that you have before the devil that ravages our lives as mere insects and we know that this devil doesn’t accept offerings, animals and neither worshipers to spare the life of your crowd. If we ask to bring prisoners from other regions it can put our lives in risk if they delay. We don’t have choice if we have to fight against the demon and release from the curse.

The king lifted from the throne and without looking at them walked at right where he faces a window that has the image of Holy Maria clarifying his body and the gold shines the ambient with white columns and blue ornaments. The silence was predominant for all them.

– We don’t have choice – he shouted rough keeping the eyes on the window. – He is powerful at point to make this village in ashes. We need other sacrifice.
– And where can we find?

Other counselor lifted from his seat and tried to join to them. This one is younger looking like to have thirty years old wearing the same clothes as the oldest.

– Your Majesty. What about you choose one villager of little relevance for the village and sacrifice him?
– But this is murder by hands and can blaspheme his name – the oldest complemented with a amazed expression.
– Until we decide how to destroy the aberration that scare our village.

The king kept quiet downing his head while the counselors have to decide what to say. Bring prisoners from other region will delay and study the demon to discover his weak point is more difficult.
The doubt blows the ambient. Even knowing the danger and the insecurity with this plan, they joined to talk and find other solution to convince the king. Sacrifice an villager is pure evilness and blaspheme by demons is worse than all the village.
There was any time to think; the king turned back pointing at young counselor and said:

– You! Go at village and search for a poorer man that hasn’t family, house and nothing to take care, and call attention of nobody.

~

The village is big enough to lose in the middle of residents working, selling products, vegetables, portions and animals with their sheds and wheelbarrow. The counselor was walking disguised of a simple resident with two guards following him far away to not call attention of crowd, even not working.
At West where the zone is poorer is possible to find a lot of mud and animals. Giving some steps and showing a disgusting expression, dirtying boots and almost his robes, the counselor was watching each resident of this poor zone and trying to choose who would be adequate. Someone very poor, miserable that lives alone and has any family to take care and worry. His behavior calls attention from some residents and the guards come behind him as center of attention. When they appear they transmit fear and that something is wrong.
Far away from there, an only one man lives there during all his life taking care of his cows and pigs, producing the maximum of milk he can to sell at villagers. He is a ferret of cream color with white mask on and rest of head, green dark eyes young that works since that his life met the world. Orphan, lost his parents from the invasion of other kingdom since he was ten years old. Since then he had to learn by himself and becomes independent, even being a hard life. But it’s what he has.
On his rest time, he lied down at the long tree trunk and looked the clouded sky trying to guess the Sun position. Almost on the center should be close of midday, time that residents usually have to lunch. Looking at sky he wasn’t wondering how hard is his life to survive on an unfair world like everyone; he wonders a place and someone where he knows that he would be safe and have a different life. How he can’t wonder. Dragons are hugely dangerous and love to play with their prisoners on their way that he doesn’t want to discover.

– Excuse me, villager.

The ferret heard a voice calling by him. He raised his spine and was seeing a human at fence entrance. The young lifted from his rest and came to see the man that calls for him. Surprised or not, he wasn’t interested to hear humans and neither invites him to enter at home.

– Can I help you? – the ferret asked.
– I don’t intend to disturb your peace – if the young had once at life – but I am counselor from Sir Terrian’s Castle and I came to find a man that has cows and goats to produce milk.

The ferret closed his face at first words he heard about a man coming from a castle. The voice of man was low like wishing that nobody hears him. The ferret wonders that someone coming from there don’t want a simple task.

– Sorry, but I don’t sell my cows and I don’t have goats. – the young replied showing the place he resides. – My animals are my only way to survive.
– I comprehend your situation, but the king wants to have a conversation to you, if you don’t bother.
– Why just me? – the ferret lifted one eyebrow thinking it so strange to hear.
– He needs a man that knows to milk his animals and understands about harvest. For the kingdom’s sake.

The ferret reacted with a disgusting desire to offer himself to meet a king that never was seen by the residents, what to say an orphan that has any opportunity of life. Nothing is perfect how he wants. He doesn’t fall on illusions anymore.

– What will I receive if I go with you? – the ferret lands his arms on the wood fence facing the human saying himself counselor.
– You will be well paid by our majesty and receive gifts from the castle.
– Like gold? I am not interested on it.
– And women? – ferret nodded negating. The counselor bitted his lips. – What do you want?

The young looked at his poor house built in woods and dry mud. The situation is precarious.

– I want a best terrain.

Even this not being his true desire this looked to be very expensive for the counselor. The guards are standing far. Possible that gold can buy a terrain at size that he wants, but it’s surprising that fortune isn’t his desire. For this, the counselor sketched a smile.

~

The ferret had dressed a best cloth he has to introduce himself before the king. A nice brown leather shirt with ropes on the neckband, wool pants and a pair of boots let him elegant. The counselor was walking by his side talking and explaining some rules that the young should know when puts his paws on the castle. The guards following them far away to not call attention of residents, if this is working. All the people don’t look at guards with good eyes.

– Are you counselor from the kingdom long time? – the ferret asked to know a little of the human. His mood wasn’t someone that searches for curiosity, but someone that wants answers faster.
– My father was counselor of three kings on this land. He had to rest at home because of his bad health and I took his place to guide the king on good ways and avoid bad decisions – the human looks forward like a proud man. “He behaves as a miser”, the ferret thought. He doesn’t have face to be a good counselor.
– And have been difficult to endure a king?
– This isn’t a difficult task like you can wonder – he speaks avoiding looking at people and even at ferret, only keeping the eyes for front. – I just admit that sometimes is hard to choose decisions. The destiny can be cruel for those who don’t know how to order.
– Wise words – a sarcasm coming from the young that looked at right and sees people talking between them or working.
– Trust in me. If you have the power of word you would know how is dangerous the destiny you can show for other lives.

It’s like a king that calls all the men for a war against other kingdom that possibly is more prepared and bigger.
They kept walking during long minutes by streets built of rocks for the paths, lamps hanging from poles and houses that he see some well built in woods and thatched roof. They arrive at a big bridge that connects them at the castle and divide the village and it’s possible to see the strong white color predominating the ambient and the little blue river they are crossing. The wood gate is tall together with the wall. The counselor giving the signal the guards above the wall disappeared from their view, imagining that they are with order to open the gate.
The ferret walks in silence waiting for nothing, but his heart begins to beat a little faster. Anxious he isn’t; is the fact that is stepping in a place that never passed on his mind.
The gate hits the ground held by big chains on the pulley; they cross the gate and are entering at the castle. For the first time the ferret felt an indescribable sensation mixing with a weird ambient he is breathing. It isn’t the weather; it’s the eyes he sees from some guards.
All looks strange for his sense. He thought to look at counselor – even if this human doesn’t face him – and ask a little more about the castle, the rules and the ways that guards work here, at this exact moment that he felt one punch coming from back and hitting the nape, falling hard on the ground and hearing only buzzes and darkness. His body was light and the castle disappearing from his eyes.

~

The time was lost and it’s difficult to say the time it’s now. The weather keeps cloudy and the breeze is being sweet and soft. Not forever.
The ferret was waking up slow and unconscious of what happened. He feels his head hurting as a strong headache, the spine curved at front, the back feeling a cold together with the thighs and the inconsistent movement he is feeling. Galloped and wheels noises he notices.
The clarity opens his eyes slow and he sees a path with trees passing and feeling the weight body tilts; they are going up. There was one human guard wearing a heavy armor at his front with a rope and sword for his protection; the other one was handling the horses. The ferret tried to caress his head with the stroke he received, but he didn’t could separate his hands and neither takes until there. He sees that his arms are tied together with his legs; worst than this, he is naked.

– He woke up – commented the guard looking at his left. – Are we arriving.?
– We are close.

Close to where? The ferret tried to speak, but discovered that his mouth is tied too. All tied like he was a horrible condemned and ready to face the punishment of his sins. “Which sins?”, he thinks.
All looks to be a trap. A demon preparing a horrible destiny.
They arrived at one land that there is a rock at center with grass making a circle with some drawings and two columns each one on side. The guard grabbed the ferret and pulled him at this place with the other one. They untie his hands and legs only to arrest the young with chains at columns with hooks. He was behaving quiet for their surprise until the guard decides to take out the rope from his mouth. He was breathing best.
It’s possible to see where they are. A tableland with a wonderful view of trees below them and other straight rocks demonstrating more tablelands. If the sky wasn’t cloudy as today the view would fascinate the ferret wonderfully.

– Let’s hurry – one of them said. – I don’t want to stay here long time.
– Afraid of the demon? – the guard mocked of him.
– He is huge and cruel. He can think we are his sacrifice too.
– Which demon are you talking about?

For this misery question an answer coming in loud howl from far away. All of them got scared. They arrested the ferret on the columns and certifying that he can’t run away they went rushed at their carriage where the horses are anxious and desperate with this howl. The guard got on the carriage fast, but the other one was so scared and hurried that he stumbled sometimes to get up. Grabbing the ropes to whip the horses, they immediately began to leave the ferret alone that wasn’t able to look back easy.
The ferret called for them several times, but any answer and the noises were decreasing. The only sounds to hear are the silence. No wind, no warm, not comfort and arrested.
He preferred to not wear out his voice and watch at horizon he faces. The landscape is really fantastic and few clouds are covering, but even with this view and the silence nothing was creating a peace. The howl he heard was very loud. He was looking at front and only this.
He was having the impression that he is hearing an earthquake of steps. From the horizon he sees some marks in gold are shining in two lines and there is a diamond with a circle at center; after, two big bright in blue are revealing the true identity of demon: a huge dark green wolf walking silently with a way to shows dominance and authority.
It’s fact that the demon is really tall, a true colossus in flesh and bone coming facing the ferret that says any word; just behave as a quiet kid. Now the young knows very well when the humans said sacrifice.
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