Burning of the innocent

Chapter 5

“Sinners, repent while you have the chance, for you to see the Kingdom of God! God is ever merciful; giving us many chances to change for the good. Pray to Him in your last moments!”

Loads of oil carried from the carriage to the execution area by the well-built men. Their heads are bowed down while carrying the loads, no one dared to lift their heads; their faces are gloomy. The prisoners, werewolves and herbalists, were tied above the pyre tightly.

The townsfolk that are watching the public execution in the city proper are silent, children are weeping silently. Not a single noise can be heard from the people, no one uttered a single word. Only the strong wind blowing from the mountains in the east is to west is heard. The gushing winter wind is freezing for the people without winter coats, and the people still came to watch the execution of the werewolves and herbalists despite the bitter cold climate.

No one from the unlit pyre is responding to the command of the priest.

“Sinners, our God up above will accept you for whoever you are and whatever you did in the past, so before you face your tragic death, apologize for your wrongdoings, and just humble yourselves before Him!” the priest is saying his final prayers to the prisoners.

Elizabeth let out a loud and sarcastic laugh, and recited some Bible passages.

“Matthew verse 7: Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way, you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Elizabeth recited. “According to Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus said that: Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

The people watching murmured some words of agreement. This made the governor angry.

 The governor said, “Lit out the pyre, now!”

“We, the werewolves, are living in peace in the mountains, helping humans, like you, with their everyday life. We lived in harmony, not until this filthy old man came and harassed us. We are all innocent, we did not do anything wrong, nor had any dialogue with the Devil” Anais said while struggling, along with her other werewolf friends, with all their raw strength, but to no avail.

“We studied medicine and treated you all for free, and this is you all how will repay us? Are those smiles of yours fake?” Elizabeth almost yelled, asking the crowd.

No one responded.

The masked executioner whose face is covered is weeping silently as he poured the oil to the wood. He came around the pyre.

“I am sorry to all of you. I know you are all innocent. May the heavens give you peace.” He whispered to all the prisoners in low tone, afraid that his voice be heard by Lord Avide.

He began to lit the pyre. The intense flames immediately engulfed the bodies of the prisoners, who writhe in agony. Cries of the innocent defendants being burned resonated throughout the city place, and even reached the mountains. Wild animals growled in unison. The smell of burning flesh stink the streets for many hours.

Lucas cried silently, watching Elizabeth burn in front of him.

“I am sorry, Elizabeth. I will love you, and our son, forever and ever. I will follow you and our son, everywhere you go.”

Lucas ran and unsheathed the local governor’s sword, and slit his own throat. The white snow became mucky; his white cassock and garments became drenched in blood. He died in an instant.

The townspeople screamed.

The local governor is furious, witnessing what just happened. People cried in fear and horror. There is a short pandemonium that happened; most of them are reciting the Holy Scriptures.

Then the local governor yelled,

“Shut up! All of you just shut up or else I will stitch your mouths! I do not want to hear a single sound of else I will also burn your bodies until nothing remained, only ashes! Shut up all of you!” he called his servants to come nearer to him.

Lord Avide stared at horror, seeing Lucas’ bleeding body in front of him.

“You filthy bastards! Get this body out of my sight! Rip him to pieces until to his last bone, and feed him to the pigs! Hurry!” he said as he covered his eyes with his hands.

The male servants hurriedly hauled the local priest’s body to the carriage, and whipped the horse. The horse galloped fast as they go to the local abattoir.

The blizzard came in, the people ran to their homes to avoid the cold, and the pyre was put out.

No one is saved, only a mountain of ashes formed a circle in the lonely streets.

A lone girl with soiled thin clothes placed a white flower beside the ashes of the dead. She uttered a silent prayer for the dead, then walked away.

“One day, you will all feel what you did to us. Every pain and suffering will be felt even in the ends of your bones, that you will wish to die in an instant. You will regret the day you all are born. You will die an agonizing death, your eyes crying with blood. You will go to hell, where you all belong!”

The women in the alley recited silent profanity in their heads. They walked swiftly and left the scene stealthily, with their long coats covering their pale bodies, the ends of the clothes sweeping the cold concrete steps of the streets in a cold winter night, and the dark hoods not exposing their faces. An ominous loud howl can be heard from afar.

BLACK WITCHES AND EVIL WEREWOLVES ARE NOW BORN. KIND HERBALISTS AND HELPFUL WEREWOLVES ARE GONE.

Elizabeth and Anais formed a pact-to make humans suffer forever.