I created my own system

The fine marking on the instrument glows releasing a very pleasant sound.

Braiden stood where he was taking the opportunity to gaze at his enemies.

As the sound influences the mind of its target series of images appear inside their head.

The female priest couldn't help but kneel when the spell fully knocked her defences.

"It's no use defending when you are basically being stomped down"

Braiden looked cold as he said those words.

He no longer cares what happens for his innocence had been long taken.

As the sound of the flute takes over, memories begin pouring over. The woman whose appearance is hidden by a veil slowly succumbs to the hypnotic spell.

"Argh!"

The remaining paladin tried to fight back but a shot from Braiden's handgun finally put the nail in.

His body falls to the ground as the paralytic bullet numbs his senses. While his body was weakened their mind was slowly being devoured by Vesta's spell.

Shouts reverberated in their minds while images of wooden cages emerged. Their senses are filled with noises and images until a revolting scent suffocates them. From giant wooden cages, their vision changed to burning houses and plundered villages.

The scent of blood and burning flesh drills into their nose as if the illusion were reality. What they were experiencing was too real to be a mere fragment of a spell. As time passes, the spell slowly dilutes their minds and alters their perception of reality, though that doesn't really matter.

The visions continue showcasing moving silhouettes inside the ongoing massacre.

Among the scorching corpse, a group of children could be seen struggling to survive the dire situation.

Their home was destroyed while the people they love all died horribly. So with great desperation, they run as far as they can, however dark shadowy hands begin pulling them, trying to devour the little life they have left.

Before the children knew it their life began to revolve around the four corners of the prison. Their breakfast are curses from the guards while their lunch is beatings by the passing priests. Finally, at night they became the dinner for a hungry group of hyenas. Their eyes flare with greed while their mouths salivate in desire.

The fragile bodies of the pure ones soon became tainted and broken, no longer shining the same way they used to be.

However, the dark days didn't last long, on the day that new visitors came to the lonely prison, the once pure and innocent disappeared along with their entire existence.

The prison was turned upside down due to their disappearance, the dark gloomy room never saw the pure ones again.

.....

"We don't have much time Alya, we have to get out of here!"

A little boy urges while dragging a skinny girl with him.

"But I heard the priest say that the one being prison here can become the monastery's destruction. We should still take a look and see what is inside"

"And what if we got attacked? May I remind you, we are only children we won't win no matter what"

"Don't worry trust my instinct"

The little girl despite being warned continues to walk towards a heavily locked door.

"Ara"

She said confidently while the person named Ara came forward.

Ara was the best lock picker in the group and so the responsibility of opening the door became hers.

A few clicks began to be heard as Ara continued to pick on the locks. Finally, the last lock was picked and the door opened.

"Wow"

The kids exclaimed when the door finally opened.

"Is that?"

"Yeah"

Right in the middle of the room, a little boy with dark color hair quietly sat there.

"You okay?"

Alya asked while surveying the kid.

The group of kids look at the boy in front of them. His body is as skinny as them though his clothes are almost nonexistent. His exposed skin has bruises and red marks that came from the abuse he experienced.

"Hey?"

Braiden asked feeling that the boy was no longer breathing.

"Hmm?"

Finally, they heard a response giving them an unexplainable delight.

"You okay?"

They excitedly asked despite their current situation.

The black hair boy nodded his head making Alya ask.

"Your name?" she then waited to get a response.

"Aaron"

"Yes?"

"My name is Aaron"

His voice was devoid of any emotion while his eyes filled with endless void.

"We need to go!"

Jamie one of the older kids said while his ears were placed on the ground.

"I can feel them" he added.

Using the vibration produced from the priests' steps the young boy Jamie could conclude how many and how far their enemies were.

"They are approaching fast" he warned again causing the kids to look towards their supposed leader.

"Rowan, what now?"

Alya asked the oldest kid among them, Rowan.

The situation wasn't good though the boy looked confident as he said "We proceed as planned"

He then pulled Aaron by his shoulder and lifted him up.

"Let's go Alya lead the way!"

"Yes!"

They ran as far as they could until the shadows became less and the light was finally there.

"Captain! We found something!"

Wearing a black military uniform a soldier shouted.

Heavy marching steps went after that and the camp went aghast as they saw the state the children were in.

"Get away from us!"

Rowan lifted a blood-filled saber while Jamie used his body as a shield against the trembling kids behind him.

"Easy boy we aren't bad-.."

"Shut up!"

Even with his trembling hands, his grip on his weapon remains still.

"I don't believe any of you!"

His voice was filled with resentment while his saber became the witness of his horrific journey.

"We are from the empire-.."

"To hell with you!"

The imperial soldiers looked complicated they wanted to help but looking at the situation they wouldn't be able to.

"Calm down we are here to help"

A mocking laughter escaped from the boy's lips before being replaced by a sneer.

"How can we trust you when your home is littered with moles!"

"Trusting you will be the death of us!"

"Just leave us be and pretend that you never saw anything"

Jamie said then he urged the kids to follow him.

"Wait listen I know what you are feeling right now"

"That's bullshit!"

Sol who was the second oldest retorted the soldier's words.

"Our village was plundered and our families were killed right in front of us! So spare me your comforting words because we don't need it!"

The soldiers became dumbfounded while the vice-captain who wanted to speak became muted.

With Sol's words, the group continue their walk.

However, someone blocked their path.

"Captain" the imperial soldiers felt delighted to see their captain, thinking they could stop the kids from leaving.

"You"

The captain pointed to the boy who was leading the group, looking at him he could see his eyes filled with hatred.

"Are you leading them?"

"So what if I am"

The captain smirks causing the boy to be cautious.

"I am not here to comfort any of you"

He started to say before continuing.

"But I am here to give you the hard truth"

Rowan looks at him before deciding to stop.

"Spill what you want to say"

"You and your friends won't last another day at this state, especially her"

Rowan followed his finger and saw the little girl in Sol's embrace.

"Vesta," the boy thought while clenching his fist. Explore stories on m,v l'-NovelFire

"You can't trust us but it is a better gamble than staying in this dangerous forest, especially since the monastery is hunting all of you"

His words create a fierce staring contest with Rowan but soon the boy finally yields.

"You are right"

His shoulder began to relax while his hand abandoned his weapon.

"How can we be assured that we will be safe"

The captain felt really interested in the boy's reaction and so he gave the trump card he had to gain his trust.

"We can have an oath"

....

The vision ended with Vesta stopping her flute and Braiden lifting his saber again.

"Since you are all aware now"

A cold voice devoid of any emotion escaped from the boy's lips. This made the two remaining enemies afraid.

"The archbishop won't let you get away from this!"

"Really" Braiden looked at Apollo and saw his relaxed expression.

"Well it seems everything is still good on our part"

He then waved his saber while his eyes remained on the bleeding paladin.

"I'll kill you slowly as you did to my mother and I will make sure even in hell you will remember the pain I will inflict on you"

Vesta just stood where she was though her eyes remained unrecognizable. There was pain, sadness and hatred mixed in an unknown void in her.

Then her eyes move and went towards the boy who finally calms down.

"Aaron" she slowly called.

She wants to hear him and know if his heart is no longer bound the same way as before. The dark past has to be cut down now or it will keep haunting them in the future.

"Come here"