Chapter 12

“Hey, wake up!”

“Huh…?” Anya slowly opened her eyes. In front of her was a small boy a few years younger. Blond hair and blue eyes, freckles lined his cheeks and nose. As she sat up, a distinct sting could be felt on her forehead.

“Big sis, they really gave you the rough treatment, didn’t they?” His voice hinted concern and playfulness at the same time. “That’s a lot of blood.”

“W-Where are we?”

The boy pointed upwards at the bars the entrapped them.

“In a cage.” He responded casually.

They were outside, open flame torches dimly lit the vicinity.

“Why are we in a cage?” Anya checked her surroundings. There were five other children in the cage with her, all of which seemed to be younger than her.

“Your guess is as good as mine, big sis. Name’s Phillip.” The boy pointed to the others in the cage, “That girl’s Stephanie, over there’s Tom, Beth, and Roger. We’re all in this together, I guess.” Phillip attempted to lighten the mood with no success. He then turned to Anya and asked,

“What’s your name?”

“A-Anya…” Anya replied as she checked for her belongings.

“Where’s my journal?!” Anya panicked. Her satchel and rifle were stripped from her.

“They took all our stuff…” Stephanie answered.

“Better than the guys over there.” Phillip pointed to the other cage that housed more children. “They won’t even talk to us.”

The youth held within the other cage were all unclothed and shivering. A miserable aura shrouded them as the naked prisoners sat with their head buried in their arms.

Anya felt some relief in knowing that at least they were still clothed.

“Who are these people?” Recalling the conversation she had with the two strangers, Anya could not figure out why they were all taken and imprisoned.

“Don’t know, slavers maybe?” Phillip said as he scratched his head.

“No, they are even worse…” All attention fell on Roger as he began to explain the situation. “It’s the Fire Cultists…” Roger tugged on his brown curly hair to dispel his anxiety. “People they capture are never seen again…”

Everyone’s face turned pale.

“W-What are they going to do to us?” Beth began to cry. “I miss my mom and dad…”

Tom stroke Beth’s short brown hair in an attempt to comfort her.

“It’s their fault we’re here.” Tom gritted his teeth as he thought of their despicable parents.

Anya noticed the two’s similar hazel green eyes.

“They’re siblings, sold by their parents to pay off a debt.” Philip disclosed in earnest, “Everyone here’s either a runaway or an unwanted orphan.”

“Hey, big sis, let’s try and get out of here.” Philip’s mood quickly changed as he held onto Anya’s hands.

“Escape?!” Roger interjected. “There is no escape! NO ONE HAS EVER ESCAPED!”

The shouting caught the attention of the other cage for a short while before they returned to their moping.

“Doesn’t mean we can’t try, what do you say, big sis?” Phillip eagerly awaited Anya’s reply.

Anya didn’t know whether they could escape from the situation, thus she didn’t answer.

“Oi, big sis, aren’t you the oldest one here? Shouldn’t you be more decisive than that?”

“I don’t know what to do…” Anya was unsure, her thoughts were a jumbled mess.

Phillip let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. “Girls.”

“Quiet, they’re coming!” Roger demanded.

Dozens of individuals approached the walled area where the cages were held. Anya counted thirty-four entities in total. A vast majority wore simple brown fatigues that could be commonly found. Some wore strange brown clothing adorned with neon colors along with a red helmet. They also carried guns of various types from rifles to submachine guns. Two of the individuals differed from the rest, covered from head to toe with thick armor plating; the menacing beings carried a nozzle weapon connected to two tanks that rested on their backs. A tiny flame danced across the tip of the nozzles.

“Children of the sinful! Heed my words!” The voice originated from a man who wore an extravagant red and black robe.

“You, who were born from the corrupt, the vile, the violators of Solis’s greatness. Rejoice, for today you will be absolved of your sins.” The shouting man stretched his arms far apart.

“The Ancients whom your forefathers foolishly worshiped were no gods. They are but buffoons, who believed themselves to be wise. These Ancients and their devotion to the taint that is electricity blinded them to the kindness of Solis as they turned their backs to the almighty creator of all. Heartbroken, the great Solis turned his back on humanity. And now, the land has become plagued with darkness. The once bountiful landscape is reduced to empty deserts. Yet, the imprudent still insists on violating this world with the despicable devices left by these jesters you call ‘Ancients’. They could not see. Through fire, we will restore this world. Through fire, Solis will return to us! Rejoice, for we will return glory to these lands!”

“PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY SOLIS!”

PRAISE SOLIS! PRAISE SOLIS! PRAISE SOLIS!

The Cultists chanted in unison until the man in the robe signaled them to stop.

“Fellow devout, let us rid these misguided lambs of their sins. Bring the contraband!”

“Yes, Inquisitor!” Two of the plainly dressed men hauled a large crate and placed it in front of the robed man.

“To release you all from your wrongdoings, we must first sever the latches to your sins.” The Inquisitor pulled a cylindrical metal object from the crate. “What’s this? A flashlight? All you need is fire, for fire provides warmth, shelter, and light.” He smashed the flashlight to the ground.

“Purifier, get rid of this filth.”

“As you wish, Inquisitor.” The armored individual pointed the nozzle at the broken device.

WOOSH

Liquid fire spewed onto the flashlight, reducing it to a puddle of melted metal.

The Inquisitor pulled another item from the crate.

“What’s this? A journal?” He opened the journal and began examining the contents.

“That’s mine! Please give it back!” Anya begged as she pushed against the metal bars of the cage.

“This book…” The robed man shook with anger, “it spoke of the Ancients and their work as wonders?! What blasphemy!” He ripped pages from Anya’s journal.

“No, no, no, no! Please stop!” Anya wailed as her precious memento was torn apart right in front of her.

“Purifier, get rid of this desecration!” The man threw the book and its pages onto the floor.

“It shall be done.” The Purifier aimed his nozzle at the journal.”

“Please… Don’t…Please!” The girl sobbed as she pleaded.

WOOOSH

The intense flames continued until nothing but ashes remained.

“You will thank us soon, child.” The Inquisitor moved to pull another item.

Anya bawled her eyes out, knowing that the journal that had comforted her through her desperate times was reduced to dust. It had contained stories that kept her company and it was the item that held the last remaining ties to her family.

Phillip patted Anya on her back and attempted to comfort her.

The inquisitor iterated through the entire crate of items. Criticizing and then scorching each entry with equal fervor. From dolls to electric lanterns, nothing escaped the flames.

Once the crate was emptied, the inquisitor turned his attention to the cages filled with startled children.

“Now that the latches of sins have been severed, we may proceed to baptize these lost lambs.” The moment the man finished his sentence, the children in the other cage began squirming and bawling.

“They were planning to escape!” One of the crying children yelled as he pointed to the cage Anya was in. “Baptize them first!”

“Do not fright, child. Their turn will come in time.”

Several men opened the cage and constrained the naked children, handling them as if handling caged rats. A little girl, much younger than Anya, broke free of her captor. She attempted to escape but was gunned down mercilessly just a few feet away from the cage. There was no more struggling among the remaining children. The Cultists tied the children to verticals poles at the center of the camp.

“Believe in Solis and Solis will keep you safe. Purifiers, cleanse them of their sins.”

“With pleasure, Inquisitor.” The Purifiers aimed their nozzles at the terrified children.

WHOOOOSHHH

“AHHH-AHHHHHRRRRAGGGG!”

The children screamed and cried as were doused in fire. Slowly, one by one, they became silent.

“Someone… please help us…” Anya begged for help, and much like the previous times she begged, no one responded to her pleas.

With the inquisitor’s command, a few of the Cultists sprayed the burning children with white gas, which extinguished the fire. As the flames were put out, the charred flesh of the unfortunate could be clearly seen. The distinctive features that made each one of the children unique were melted into a pulp of burnt flesh.

“Inquisitor! This one still breathes!” One of the Cultists exclaimed as he examined the disfigured children.

“Rejoice, fellow Devout, for that child will grow to be a fine Fanatic!” The robed man applauded as if he had accomplished some noble deed. He turned his gaze towards the remaining cage of frightened children.

“Let this be a lesson to you all, if your heart does not belong to the almighty Solis, then you will not survive purification.” The man sneered, “those who do not follow our ways do not deserve to be alive.”

The remaining children were quiet and trembling with fear. However, this time, Anya was not among them.

“Do... not deserve… to be… alive….” The little girl mumbled quietly.

The words spoken by the inquisitor resonated in Anya’s mind as her despair quickly morphed to anger.

“H…. How…” Anya muttered.

“Inquisitor,” one of the Cultists called out, “this one wishes to speak…”

“She must be in awe facing our benevolence.” The inquisitor jested.

Something within Anya snapped, of all the people she met, none were this despicable. The desperate children, who only wished to survive, were massacred with impunity. The Cultists brutally murdered and mutilated with disgusting delight, proclaiming their wicked actions to be ‘just’, under the pretense of a deity they had declared. Anya had never judged another human being to be unworthy of life, until now. The fear and distress that had constantly haunted her were absent. Only rage coursed through her veins as every inch of her demanded retribution.

“H-HOW DARE YOU! YOU ARE THE ONES UNDESERVING OF LIFE!” Anya screamed at the top of her lungs. Stunned by her words, the Cultists and the other children simply stared. “YOU ARE THE CORRUPT! YOU ARE WHAT’S DEFILING THIS WORLD! I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!”

Anya herself could not believe the words that she spoke. It was if her mouth had a mind of its own although she did not disagree with what she had said.

“Filthy whore! You dare?!” One of the Cultists approached the cage with the intention to bash the little girl’s face in. “I will show you who is not deserving of li-”

Shnk.

The ground emitted a clattering sound as the Cultist dropped his weapon. The children within the cage quickly backed away from Anya. A scaly tail, slender and black, extended out of Anya’s lower back and pierced the cultist’s neck with its two-bladed spear-like tips, killing him instantly. The man’s corpse fell to the ground as Anya pulled her tail out of the man’s flesh.

“Big s-sis…” Philip frighteningly called out to the girl that was just helpless moments ago.

“B-B-BURN THE W-WITCH!” In panic, the inquisitor stuttered, “P-PURIFIERS!”

The armored men aimed their flame weapons at the cage. Before they could fire, an egg-shaped wall of flesh surrounded Anya, creating a barrier none of their weapons could penetrate.

The agonizing screams of burning children could be heard from around Anya, but she ignored them. She only cared and wanted the disgusting human beings in front of her to die.

The corpse of the dead cultist began convulsing violently on the ground.

“Wha-What’s happening?!” One of the petrified cultists redirected his weapon.

“J-Just keep firing! B-Burn her alive!” Another answered.

Nothing seemed to penetrate the barrier protecting the little girl.

The reanimated corpse oriented itself upright as its main body hung low to the ground.

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The creature emitted a disturbing noise before leaping at inquisitor, tackling him to the ground.

“GET IT OFF-Gluuhhaah” Before the man could finish, the creature had already gnawed a large piece of flesh from his neck. The individuals that surrounded the scene quickly turned their weapons towards to the creature and fired frantically.

EEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIII

EEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIII

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The unsettling noise now reverberated from all around them.

“THERE, THE DEMONS SURROUNDS US! MAINTAIN VIGILANCE!” With the inquisitor deceased, one of the Purifiers assumed command.

Countless crawlers entered the compound and charged the Cultists. The creatures moved quickly and with great agility, dodging nearly all of the bullets fired at them. Their resilience made it so that the bullets had little effect. One by one, the men fell to the crawlers. Their flesh was ripped from their bodies as their limbs were torn from their torsos. The crawlers did not even attempt to infest the ones that surrendered. As if filled with fervent rage, they charged relentlessly at their frightened enemies, ruthlessly dismembering the fallen, dead or alive.

Terror filled the cold air as yelps, screams, and squeals of the damned resonated in the ears of the living.

“AROUND ME!” The Purifier ordered before quickly creating a wall of fire. Any crawler that attempted to approach was set ablaze, squealing as they were roasted alive. The second Purifier was stranded and far from the group, however, his weapon and armor kept him safe from the rampaging crawlers.

UUUURRRRRRAAAGGGGGGGG!

A distinct, more powerful, scream echoed from the darkness. One of which no one had ever heard before.

UUUURRRRAAAGGGGG!

The noise became louder and louder until finally, the menacing creature flew out of the shadows and onto the isolated Purifier. The sheer force knocked the man down, crushing the fuel canisters on his back. Luckily for the man, the fuel did not ignite. His luck ended there, however, as the heavy seven-foot creature pinned him to the ground. His fellow man attempted to gun the creature down but to no avail, for the creature’s body was lined with strong bone-like armor. Using the large and sharp blades attached to its muscular arms, the creature attempted to pierce the iron plates that protected the Purifier. The metal resisted the creature’s attacks, but the man still felt the impact. As the creature continued to pound the man’s chest, more and more cracks appeared in the iron plating. The man coughed blood as his lungs were slowly pulverized. Finally, the metal shattered and the creature’s blades embedded themselves deep into the Purifier’s body, ending his life.

UUUUURRRAAAAGGGGGG!

Reveling in its kill, the creature released a deafening roar. It then turned its attention to the other Purifier who surrounded himself with the few surviving Cultists. The creature primed itself as it pinned its blades into the ground. Its knees bent backward instead of forwards, coupled with massive leg muscles, the creature sprang itself towards the Purifier at incredible speeds. The collision tossed the Purifier six yards back, incapacitating him. To ensure that the man was no longer a threat, the creature located the exposed points of his armor and sliced into his arms, just short of amputating them. One of the braver Cultists attempted to assist the downed Purifier, but he was instantly sliced in two through the waist. Without the flame weapon, the enduring Cultists quickly fell, one by one, to the onslaught of swarming crawlers.

Anya had been out of her shell for a while now and witnessed the chaos that had transpired. She felt no fear or disinclination but numbness and nothingness in the face of the Cultist’s demise. The large beast that made short work of the Purifiers approached her. Anya did not feel an ounce of dread as a connection could be felt between her and the creature. Not just the bulky creature, she also felt connected to all of the creatures that surrounded her. The bipedal monster used its tremendous strength to pry open the iron bars that caged Anya. The girl casually strolled out of the enclosure as if rehearsed beforehand.

“Our queen. We have arrived. Experienced delays. This One apologizes.” The abomination that greeted Anya before appeared again.

The girl remained unfazed and strode toward the barely breathing Purifier.

“S-Stay back, witch!” The man struggled to inhale, as blood gushed from his orifices.

Anya ignored the man’s demands and continued to approach him.

“Ha, celebrate your-”

Cough

“Victory now, witch. The faithful-”

Cough-cough

“Will hunt you down. Our tide will not yei-”

Shnk

Anya’s tail impaled the Purifier through the holes within his mask.

After confirming the man’s death, she retracted her tail and solemnly surveyed the area.

“This world…” She uttered, “It is cruel and cold…” She began to walk toward the cage where she was held. The burnt bodies of several children could be spotted inside.

The abomination followed.

“Menacing environment. Hazardous conditions. Problematic to survival. Indeed ‘cruel’.”

“Why do you follow me?” Anya questioned the abomination without turning her head.

“Directive one. Obey the Queen.” The creature answered instantly.

“Who set this directive?” The girl's voice remained cold and unfeeling.

“Directives. Not set. Born with. Cannot defy.” The creature gave a short pause.

“State your desires. The Brood will fulfill.”

“My desires…?” Mangled and burnt bodies laid all around her. Anya could not help but feel melancholic as the innocent children all suffered horrific deaths that no offense could ever warrant. She had always wondered why the world was such a terrifying place. Now she knew the answer. They lived in a world that had gone mad, its survivors embraced this madness. Strange emotions she could not describe flooded her as she began to speak.

“My parents, they had sheltered me from the terrors of this world. When they died, I held onto their memories for comfort in times of grief. And when that was taken from me, I saw the world for what it truly was, broken... and in disrepair...”

The girl tightened her fists and gritted her teeth.

“I will fix this world, and if this world proves to be broken beyond repair, I will burn it to the ground and create a new one in its place!”

Anya faced the abomination.

“You asked for my desires and I’ll tell them to you.”

Her hand gripped firmly at the center of her chest.

“I desire a gentler world!”