The Lamplighter (Lamplighter Saga Book 0) Page 2

  “Take care of my father,” Pearl called out before he disappeared into the hidden stairway. He gave a simple nod in response, then closed the doors. From without, Pearl saw no trace of the doors nor of any way to open them. Pearl rode around the trees, getting a feel for Nocturne, yet her eyes kept finding their way back to the town.

  She had to ride out now before Nightfall, but curiosity demanded otherwise. Pearl needed to see what had happened to her town and its people. She needed to know her father would be safe. She returned the ebon steed to the same tree Gen had him tied to, and snuck back to the town, moving from tree to tree to conceal herself. She spied the white of the church’s back wall and when she reached it, she found a small cross carving, deep and smooth, as if cut with a burning knife. She had never seen it before.

  She peeked around the corner and saw the backs of a mob surrounding the entrance of the church. She joined them without a sound, and acted like part of the crowd, an easy feat with all eyes focused forward. A few eyes drifted towards her, but no one noticed her arrival. Though the church remained sacred in their eyes, the mob waited to trap anyone leaving the building.

  A large fire burning in the middle of the square before the church grew in bursts as the Lamplighters in the crowd took turns throwing their lanterns in with unhesitant abandon. If each lantern did burn with the Fire of God, then the Fire of God burned like any other flame. Its crimson light branded the church doors with the twisting shadows of the four grim, wooden crosses awaiting their victims. Then a titanic, crooked shadow grew upon the church, as a man took his place before the crosses and shouted to everyone and himself.

  “Lies and liars. That is what we have suffered for years,” Frederick barked, his voice as filthy as his unbathed, unshaven face. His pale visage gave the impression of perpetual illness. Though he stood a few inches taller than Pearl, despite being twice her age, he terrified her more than anyone else. Of those townsfolk who hated Pearl and spoke nothing but cruel words to her, Frederick hated her the most and his cruel words stung the worst. His sharp, dark eyes swept the crowd. Pearl felt his gaze passing over her, piercing into her being and judging her for the black sins he suspected her of committing. It took all of Pearl’s willpower not to cower. “Supposed men of God poisoning our town with whispers of sin and allowing the demonic spawn of a witch to run amongst our children.”

  He raised his fist at the church. “Come out, false priests. Bring forth the demon and her father. Judgment awaits.”

  The crackling of thunder and a shower of splinters answered him as the doors of the church exploded open. From within, armed for battle and without a trace of mercy, three men emerged, looking like knights from a fairy tale. Brother Gen wielded a large cleaver-like sword in each hand, and had traded his robes for chainmail armor beneath black garb. His golden gloves glimmered in the firelight, the embedded gems sparkling in a rainbow of colors. Father Alexander had replaced his white robes with black ones, and Pearl caught the shine of chainmail within his sleeves. In one hand he held a sword with a white hilt, and in the other a tall staff of polished, white wood. George Chaucer held only his Lamplighter’s sword, but on his arms and legs had donned black plate armor, decorated with gold floral detail. Each man stood a foot taller and newfound muscles filled their battle attire. Pearl, and the rest of the crowd, stared at the three accused with mouths agape.

  Father Alexander’s voice shook the earth and the souls of the mob when he spoke. “And who shall be our judge?”

  “I, God’s eyes on Earth, his hunter of sins.” Frederick believed every word he said. “As far as I’m concerned, you have already been judged and are guilty of your sins.”

  “And what about all of you?” Brother Gen spoke to the crowd, his gaze pressing down on them. The entire crowd shifted in discomfort, but only a few failed to meet his gaze.

  “What does your brother Michael say of this, Frederick?” Pearl’s father pointed his blade at the man. Frederick motioned to two young Lamplighters, boys Pearl’s age, who brought him a brown, burlap sack. He grabbed the bag by its bottom and turned it over. Crowley’s head rolled out, hacked off at the neck with fresh, shallow cuts. A pool of blood welled beneath his head when it came to rest. Pearl gasped, but covered her mouth to not draw attention to herself, since the display surprised no one else. Michael Crowley had been the only other friend of Pearl and her father, and had often silenced his brother’s hatred. But now his head laid still, hair soaked with blood, mouth gaped, and eyes glossed like marble.

  Father Alexander tremble with rage and growled a warning. “Your misguided and ignorant zealotry has lead you down a dark path, and damned those foolish enough to follow you. You hold the swords we gave you not for this town’s defense, but shed its blood. Nightfall approaches and you have forsaken the Fire of God, your only ward against the demons. If you are not destroyed this night, you will spend your last, fleeting hours being hunted.”

  The orange sun had fallen low. With none of the lamps lit, shadows had engulfed the rest of the town. Nothing existed beyond the town square. Yet only Pearl, her father, and the two priests worried about this.

  “I am the hunter,” Frederick roared so loud, his body shook. Spittle sprayed from his face like dragon’s breath. “Demons, sinners, and blasphemers are my prey. For my service, God will protect this town.”

  “Enough!” Pearl’s father reached out to stop Father Alexander, but the elder priest stepped forward and stamped his staff on the church steps. Thunder rolled across the cloudless, starless sky above. “Enough of your madness and your deafening hypocrisy, Frederick Crowley. You seek sinners? One stands before me. A murderer of his only kin.”

  Father Alexander and Brother Gen shot off the church’s steps, two blurs lunging towards Frederick. His hand darted to the sword on his hip, but not fast enough. The priests had covered the distance between them and him, and readied to strike. Yet he had only freed a sliver of his blade. For the first time, Pearl saw fear and doubt in the eyes of the one she feared most.

  Then, nothing happened. The priests hung in the air and Frederick froze, caught in a moment of time, like puppets abandoned in the middle of an act. A pillar of light descended from the sky and encompassed them. The hairs on Pearl’s body rose and a tingling sensation danced across her skin. The air stilled, then became energized, pungent with a strange, sharp smell.

  From on high and all around them, a voice spoke a single unrecognizable, but understandable word. A word of punishment and woe unto the guilty.

  A flash of light blinded the entire town and thunder, so loud and close, threw it off its feet. Pearl’s ear rung and her vision blurred. As the ringing subsided and her hearing returned, Pearl could hear panicked screaming coming from all around her. When her hearing returned in full, she recognized her own screams amongst the other indistinguishable sounds of terror. Confusion choked the air and the world shrunk until its entirety fit within the square, suffocating and trapping them.

  In their blindness, people stumbled and tripped over one another. Those who had regained their senses searched for their family and friends who had stood right next to them only moments ago. Pearl’s focus fell upon the scorched earth where the light had caught Father Alexander, Brother Gen, and Frederick. Nothing remained of them. Not a scrap of clothing, char of flesh, or blackened bone.

  The mob’s panic reached a fever pitch, as people abandoned their searches and ran to the assumed safety of their homes, trampling those too slow to rise to their feet. A roar loud enough to shake the buildings silenced the frenzied crowd. Timber snapped under the weight of a great beast in the outer ring of houses. A stream of fire shot into the sky, lighting the town. As the flames burned away, New Bethlehem returned to darkness.

  Over the second town-shaking roar, Pearl heard her father commanding from the church. “Everyone, to the church! Get to holy ground! To me, Lamplighters! TO ME!”

  A collective realization washed over the people of New Bethlehem. The lamps were dark, the Lampl
ighters were scattered, and the demons were upon them. It had come and they were unprepared. The cursed, twilight moment between day and night when God is blind to the world and demons spawn freely upon it.

  Nightfall.

  Chapter　2

  Hushed ignorance filled the church. People sought answers from one another, despite no one knowing what had transpired Some said they had just witnessed God’s wrath, punishment for the dead men’s sins. Others suggested Frederick had ascended, rewarded for his righteousness. And some cursed the priests for an extravagant escape.

  Pearl suffered the blind speculations running amok from the pew she sat in. Much like the rest of the modest church, the pews were crafted from a light brown wood and left unpainted. The lone remarkable feature, the altar adorned with golden crucifixes on each face and one standing on top, sat in reverence at the front. From there, every Sunday, Father Alexander would deliver his sermons and perform his sacraments. Now it served as a back rest for a mother holding a lifeless boy with twisted legs.

  When her father’s call to arms went out, those who answered had brought with them any injured during the panic. Few families had managed to stay together during the confusion. Parents worried over missing children, and children cried for absent parents. Neighbors consoled each other as best as they could, but when the demon outside roared, a silent dread washed over the refuge.

  Eyes shifted between the burning town outside and Pearl’s father, the only one to step up and take command. Lamplighters gathered around him at the church’s doors, asking hundreds of questions. Some questioned themselves, doubting their reasons for staying. Yet their mere presence inspired hope in the huddled, fearful masses within the church. That so many Lamplighters had heeded his call pleased her father, but his smile crumbled into a scowl when his eyes met Pearl’s.

  “Pearl!” His bark startled everyone and his gaze split the crowd around him. The anger he reserved for Frederick now fell upon her. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  His outburst at his daughter drew curious looks from everyone else in the church. The tears in Pearl’s eyes cooled his fury and he lowered his voice. “Nevermind. It’s far too late to leave now.”

  He stepped up onto the pew next to him and addressed the rest of the refugees. “Our town is under assault, besieged by a singular demon from the southwest. That it is alone is a godsend, but may also speak to a ferocity no other demon wishes to be near. Lamplighters, and those willing to help…go out into the town. Bring every living soul you find here. These sanctified grounds will protect us. Since the lamps are dark and most of you have…discarded your lanterns, be swift and ever-vigilant.”

  “And what of you?” Pearl asked to her father’s annoyance. “What will you be doing?”

  “I will confront the demon,” he explained, not taking his stern eyes off Pearl. “Defeat it if I can. Otherwise, distract it for as long as possible.”

  Back to the rest of the group, he raised his sword. “This is our home and we are honor bound to protect it. Draw your blades and go forth.”

  Those listening gave a short “Rah!” and took off into the night, scattering to the different parts of the town. As Pearl ran out the door with them, her father caught her by the arm and pulled her back inside. “Not you.”

  “I’m as much a Lamplighter as anyone else,” Pearl protested. She whipped her arm free of his grasp and stepped away from him. “Why shouldn’t I risk my life when are doing so?”

  “You think sacrifice is a privilege? Living is a privilege. You not taking advantage of it is a spit in the face of those trying to protect you.”

  “But I—“ He grabbed her arm again, and yanked her outside. He pointed at the town ablaze before them.

  “Can’t you see this is beyond you?!?” Another roar shook the town as the demon, a serpent five houses in length, reared up from among the homes. Its fangs, each as long as a man is tall, shined in the flames streaming out of its mouth. “Don’t you understand? No Lamplighter in this town is prepared for a situation like this.”

  He turned her to face him, and she saw the tears in his eyes. “I… I don’t know if I can beat this Khaous. Even if I do… When an alpha Khaous hunts, the swarm lingers back, cautious not to get in its way. So even if I manage to fell that beast, there is only so much I can do when the swarm descends upon us. Even holy ground...”

  He dropped his eyes towards the ground and took a deep breath. He pulled Pearl in for a hug, and gave her a smile. “I love you, Pearl. Your duty is to protect the church and its occupants until my return.”

  “But I could…yes, father,” she resigned. He chuckled.

  “I never thought I would become a father, you know.” He marched down the stairs and charged off towards the demon. Pearl watched him disappear among the houses still standing, then examined those under her charge. Not half an hour ago, these people wanted to see her burning on a cross, their eyes aflame with hate. Now, they cowered, whispering desperate prayers, and looked to Pearl as their guardian. But when Pearl looked at them, all she felt was an apathy that voided any sympathy she had. She wanted to do as her father told her, but these people…They had made her entire life a hell. They didn’t deserve her protection. She gave them one last glance, turned her back to them, and sprinted off into the night before anyone could stop her. Lamplighters escorting townsfolk to the church took no notice of her as she passed, their eyes locked on the paths in front of them as they hustled to safety.

  When she reached the outer ring of houses, Pearl found herself alone. The demon and her father fought further down the row, and the other Lamplighters scurried about elsewhere. She stepped into the first house she saw, and found it dark and empty. She called out into the house, but no one responded. I guess someone’s already been here, she assumed. Then she heard the shuffling of feet and the shushing of voices. She shouted out, “Hello? Is there anyone here?”

  When no answer came, she shouted again. “If there’s anyone here, go to the church. You’ll be safe there.”

  This occurred at the next few houses Pearl checked. Though each house appeared abandoned, soft, careful noises drifted within them, as if the inhabitants hid just out of sight. The wind brought an unseasonal chill, and despite the fires spreading throughout the town, the air grew cold. Pearl shivered, pulling at her jacket for a little warmth, and hurried to the next house.

  “Is there anyone in here?” The house answered with the familiar silence and darkness. “It’s Pearl Chaucer. I’m here to take you to the church. It’s safe there.”

  “Pearl.” A voice, somewhere in the house, repeated her name like an echo.

  “Is…Is someone here?” Pearl walked down the hall, listening for the voice.

  “Here,” a girl’s voice echoed from behind the door to her left. The bedroom within looked like Pearl’s, with a bed tucked in the corner, a nightstand next to it, and a dresser on the opposite wall. A pale, blonde girl about Pearl’s age stood in the middle of the room, waiting. Her eyes swirled and glowed like moonlight on rippling water. “Right here. Always here. At least…from my point of view. You’re here too. Now…and then. From my point of view.”

  “Wha—“ Pearl didn’t have time for crazed rambling, and offered the girl her hand. “You need to come with me. Right now. Where’s your family? Are they here?”

  “They’ll all be here. The holy and the damned, one in the same, when the layers collapsed into one plane. It’s all just layers from the side. At her lover’s battle cry, the girl in the sun will abandon her machines. The dragon knight will come to redeem himself for a post abandoned, and a promise broken. He doesn’t know it, but the stars will summon him when the cocoon is complete. The mother, the father, the brother…they’ll be here. All of them. At least…from my point of view.” Her tone, steady and flat, lulled Pearl into a daze, her heavy eyes falling shut. The sound of shattering timber outside snapped her awake. A strong wind raged against the house and room heated like the inside of an oven. The girl had wasted
enough time. Pearl grabbed her hand, but released it when the girl shrieked at Pearl’s touch.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” The girl’s father stood in the doorway, his wife behind him with a baby in her arms. “Leave. Now. We want nothing to do with you.”

  “What? No. You don’t understand. The town is under attack.”

  “We don’t care, witchspawn.” He spat at her feet. “You and your kind bring nothing but trouble. Leave us be.”

  The ceiling groaned and caved a little, before a chunk fell to Pearl’s feet. Flames flicked over the sides of the hole above them, and the edges glowed with embers. “Your house is burning down on top of you.”

  The man and his wife took a step closer to one another, and he wrapped his arm around her. “We’d rather burn here than the hell you would lead us to.”

  Pearl protested, but jumped when a hand grabbed her shoulder. The pale girl embraced Pearl and whispered into her ear. “Leave us. They will not budge. We’ll see each other again. Remember? Here. At least, from my point of view.”

  The girl went to her family, embraced them, and they bowed their heads in prayer. Pearl, determined in her mission, took a step towards them, but a loud crackling from the ceiling gave her pause. Pearl shouted a warning, but too late. A large wooden beam engulfed in flames fell upon the family. A quick, last second jump backwards spared Pearl their fate. Flames leapt from the rubble, ignited the room, and surrounded her. Smoke and showers of burning specks choked the air, and clouded her vision.

  Needing an escape, Pearl’s eyes went to the fallen, wooden beam ramping out the hole in the ceiling. She balanced atop it, but as she walked up, the fire-chewed beam gave out with a crunch. She jumped, an awkward motion off a falling surface, and crashed to the center of the room. Stuck once again, she searched for another way out, but found none.