Gun of Ashes

Liya had never seen such a fire, blazing white, like a tumbling light sphere.

It was a rather beautiful flame; just watching it gave an aura of mysterious sanctity, as if the flame had fallen from the celestial kingdom at the top of the clouds.

It was a flame to be admired, yet now it bestowed upon Liya endless terror.

The Yega Grand Theater began to collapse before her eyes, endless blazing white flames gushing through the fissures, the building like a dying old man, exhaling feebly, each breath stirring the sea of fire, each wave taking away a bit of its life, until it completely perished.

”What exactly... happened?”

Liya witnessed this beautiful collapse, she questioned, but no one could provide her an answer, then the fanatical shouting dragged her back to reality.

The entire night sky was no longer dim, it was ignited by relentless flames, a deep dark red, like coagulated bloodstains.

Believers nearby ran back and forth, Liya was like a dead leaf in the rushing stream, carried along by the crowd, stumbling, until she had a moment to catch her breath, she was knocked to the ground, her hands touching the cold ground, breathing heavily, her mind completely captured by fear.

The sacred ceremony was no more, this place transformed into a battlefield of Hell, hardly any chance for conversation, those Evangelical Church believers charged onto the theater square, wielding various weapons, bloodshot-eyed, hacking at every Orthodox believer they saw.

The cold air was warmed by the fire, amidst it floated the sweet smell of blood, this scent filled Liya’s nostrils, her stomach churned, she retched with nausea.

Suddenly something touched her hands, like a flow of water, but this water was very warm, somewhat viscous...

Among the chaotic figures, Liya locked eyes with a pair of bewildered eyes.

It was a man, he lay not far from Liya, a hideous wound split along his throat, and blood gushed out, spreading all the way to Liya.

Liya froze, her body as if petrified, she tried to move but no matter how hard she tried, she could only remain at a standstill.

The man’s mouth trembled slightly, he wasn’t dead; a hoarse, weak voice distinctly reached Liya’s ear.

”Help... help me.”

Someone stepped on the man’s body, more feet trampled over his body, as pressure made more blood flow from the wound.

Liya wanted to help him, but the girl was completely dominated by fear, she didn’t even have the strength to stand up and escape, she could only watch the man be thoroughly trampled to death, his corpse rolling back and forth under the crowd’s feet, until it vanished.

What is this? Religious war?

All around were cries of fanaticism, someone loudly reciting doctrine, swinging weapons to hack at others, and cold bodies fell one after another.

Liya couldn’t understand; she crawled on the ground, hiding in a corner among debris, folding her body together bit by bit.

The conflict of faith, the war between religions.

Such words were still too distant for the young girl, as remote as the ethereal stories in books.

Liya remembered what she was like when she first learned of this term, at that time she hadn’t joined Orthodoxy yet, sitting idly outside the Evangelical Church chapel, listening to the Priest explain the history of the Evangelical Church to the believers.

The Priest passionately spoke of the historical holy crusades, the Holy Hall Knight Order, led by the Pope, invincible in battle, exterminated all enemies, leaving the defeated with only two choices: embrace the Evangelical Church or be burned as heretics.

That was a glorious era; the Evangelical Church’s influence spread to its maximum, one cathedral after another rose in foreign lands, everyone faithful to the Evangelical Church’s God.

Liya remembered what she did at that moment, she was very interested upon hearing this, she stood up and asked the Priest by the window.

”Why did the Pope launch a crusade?”

The Priest was surprised by this unexpected audience, perhaps more concerned with Liya’s question; he didn’t immediately drive Liya away but answered her question.

”Because they are heretics.”

Mentioning the word ”heretic,” the Priest was filled with furious anger.

”What is a heretic?”

Liya asked innocently.

”Anyone who doesn’t believe in the Evangelical Church is a heretic.”

The Priest said with absolute conviction.

Listening to the Priest’s words at the time, Liya felt this reason was utterly absurd.

”Waging war just for this? Such a ridiculous reason.”

Liya couldn’t understand, although she didn’t really grasp these things, the term ”war” had a solemnity as solid as ironstone to her, in her view it was a brutal term that only appeared when conflict couldn’t be avoided, when a decision had to be made.

But in the Priest’s mouth, this was so casual, just because of such a reason, a bloody crusade was initiated.

Liya couldn’t understand why not believing in these things could also become a sin.

Hearing Liya’s response, the Priest immediately felt anger, looking at the Priest’s aged face at that instant, Liya was extremely frightened; obviously, it was her first meeting with the Priest, although the conversation was somewhat unpleasant, the Priest’s eyes held the desire to kill her.