An old man's gnarled fingers scratched the guards, screaming incoherently. They dragged him inside the cell and shackled both of his arms and legs. A crimson candlelight sat on a stool. Its light spilled in the dark cell. His screams subsided. The old man crawled closer to the candle. His gaze grew tired and soon shut closed into slumber.

“He stopped.” Vincent said astonishing.

Luther and Hartwin commented nothing. Disgust flashed before the knight’s hardened eyes.

“What happened?” Cael inquired his men.

“He killed his son and tried to take his daughter-in-law by force. Fortunately, she escaped. Can’t say the same to his son.”

Cael could only sigh at the news. He turned to Luther. “This is the curse we have to deal with every day. They can’t even feel safe in their own homes and family.”

“So you turn to the demon’s fire instead?” Hartwin scoffed.

“Yes, I took the devil’s fire. Call me a sinner or whatever you see me fit. Right now our priority is the people of Ashendel.”

“The candlelight. Is it safe?” Vincent asked.

“It is safe for now,” Cael paused, “There have been no side effects of its exposure except if they touched the fire.”

Luther glowered at the candlelight flickering peacefully beside the shackled man. Indeed, its presence brought an odd warmth, lulling him to sleep. The devil successfully lured Cael and the people at their most vulnerable times and offered a gift one cannot reject.

“It’s ironic for a flame that once destroys Ashendel is what holding this town together.” Hartwin commented again. “And for the luminary to use it on its people.”

“You know nothing about what we’ve been through.” A knight from the Goldenrod stepped forward. “We could have let the lunatics roamed free, but we choose not to for everyone’s sake. You should be glad that neither one of them got into Havenbarrow and plant its curse to your own people.”

“You’re selling yours and these people’s soul to the abyss!” Vincent and others held Hartwin back.

“Enough!” Cael ordered.

Luther rang his bell as a warning to Hartwin. Both knights pulled away.

“Let the judgment fall over on my shoulder. The people of Ashendel merely followed my instruction to survive.” Unwavering azure eyes challenged Hartwin, then to the Knights of Goldenrod. “And they came here to help. Don’t stir another problem when we have one we can’t handle.”

Luther gave a low bow. “We apologize for one of our knights,” Vincent interpreted.

“No, it’s a natural respond.” Cael raised his hand to his brother. Wrinkles were visible around his eyes when he smiled. The curse in Ashendel took more than his sleep. “Wrath left the sword for too long, so its fire barely last for five hours once we take them. And for five thousands years, we have blessed its chamber every month. This could be the reasons why its fire is less destructive and provides comfort to these people.

“You mean to say they purified the sword?”

Whispers aroused among them. It was a fire belonged to Sinner of Wrath. Killing or purifying the Seven Sinners are impossible for them. Their cursed possessions included.

“It is merely my speculation.” Cael added, stopping the whispers from bringing up a futile hope. Luther nudged on Vincent's sides. As he motioned his hands, Vincent translated everything to them.

“Captain thinks the fire is waiting for its time to burst and wiped Ashendel.” Their faces pale. The desperate state made them ignorance of another darker future awaits them. While Luther was still sane from the touch of the curse lingering around him, he should at least warned them. “Stop using its flame before it’s too late—”

“No,” Cael cut in. “We can’t.”

“He said you should stop before a calamity strike you.” Hartwin raised his voice. Knights of Goldenrod stepped forward to protect their luminary.

“Until the curse is gone, I can’t allow the chaos to happen. That is why I called for you to help me.”

“Then, you wished for your people to continue falling deeper into the abyss where the heaven won’t find them?“ Knight of White Valley joined Hartwin.

Opposite sides inched closer. “If you have a better and quicker solution, be our guest and end this!“

They continued throwing their opinions back and forth. Vincent’s voice drowned among the crowd. Discussion wasn’t going anywhere. Fight amongst the knight will break out if this continued. Luther rang his bell. Silence sliced their raising voices. Knights of Goldenrod turned to one another in confusion.

“Take captain to the ember sword.” Vincent said.

“Alright,” Cael agreed with a nod.

Luther motioned at his knights; I’ll go alone.

Hartwin wanted to say something. Despite his voice sealed by Luther’s command, he grabbed on his captain’s shoulder, holding him back. Luther knew what he wanted to say. Do not go near to that fire!

Luther shook his head. He signed to Vincent, asking him to look after the knights while he was gone.

*      *      *      *      *      *

Torches of crimson fire strolled through the streets of Ashendel. Guards knocked on each door. Locals opened the door with two or three candles in their hands. Soon their homes illuminated in red. The heartbeats of flame pounded inside her. A mother sung a lullaby to her child as they sleep near the candle. An old man read a prayer with the company of a red demon beside him. Tainted red candle stood at the dining table as the families gathered and eat. The scene played before her was foreign to her. Mortals cowered at the sight of red, yet they looked at it in hopes. The roses withdrew from even being touched by its crimson light. The mortal slept well that night.

Ethel stared at the roses knocking on the closed window to a child’s room. The father came inside with the candle. He placed it in front of the window, forcing the roses recoiled away.

She became crafty, said the butterfly.

“Must be Mael’s influence rubbing on her. She looked up to him the most.”

Why Ashendel though?

“Ashendel has a significant tragic history.” Ethel pointed at herself. The one who caused the event. “After the destruction of former Lamifel, it took them years to rebuild everything from ashes. Those hard work of its resident gave birth to a new home, Ashendel. This town is a symbol of humanity’s perseverance. If it falls again the second time, the Lumina Cathedral won’t stay quiet.”

Why won’t they save the town now?

Ethel snickered. “They are waiting. Waiting for the sinner to strike first while they remained as a docile saint. Sinner gets the dirt first. The luminaries became the peacemaker and clean the dirt through execution in the name of peace.”

The child shifted, facing against the candle. Ethel hated seeing innocents being dragged into the mess. Despite hating the conflict, her existence was the war itself. Only when the seven sinners died, the peace returned.

“Next red moon is in a month. Mael is the last sinner to return. I must get my ember sword and head to where I hide the authority of sin. Once the battle starts, I will be against both the luminary and sinners.”

The sword is in pieces throughout Ashendel. You don’t know if the sword is in its original form.

“Find the hilt. Its main body. I’ll see the damage done and try to fix it myself. My current strength should be enough after I devoured Arthres’s feather.” Ethel spotted the flag of Goldenrod waving at her. The knights kept coming inside and outside with a new torch to give out. “My sword should be inside that building.”

That bell boy is here. Ethel laughed at the new title the butterfly gave to the luminary. Be careful. You don’t know what is he capable of.

“I will keep that in mind.”

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Starting this month, I’ll be updating 2 chapters/week. I want to take my time writing this story and not rush everything. Editing takes too much time for me to focus on the story. The process burns me out before I finished writing. Shadow of Sinner is my first story to share online. Though it is not perfect, I want to try my best and finish the project.