The End of All Things

As the noon sun towered in the empty blue sky, the Kingdom of Usia bristled with uneasiness. Multitudes of curious citizens overcrowded the streets, vying for a peek of a criminal being led to the gallows. Whispers permeated the air as waves of quiet anticipation flowed through the uncommonly large throng of spectators. The man to be hanged was no ordinary criminal but one whose wicked transgressions had wholly captured their interest. He was a petty thief known as Aseapia who had secretly studied mythical dark enchantment. When his secret was discovered, the elite political and religious figures spearheaded by King Garland Lacessit acted swiftly and convicted him of heresy without a proper trial. Aseapia was publicly flogged by the Church of Usia and humiliated and beaten by fanatic zealots. But the severe punishment did not kill him. King Lacessit then promptly ordered for his battered body to be restrained and dragged off by horse into the sinister Dark Woods of Nonentity. Aseapia was to die alone of starvation and be forgotten. The people of Usia were glad to be rid of a wicked fool. When the memory of Aseapia began to fade he seemingly returned from the dead and butchered several unattended children who carelessly played together. He covered himself in their blood and was captured at the gruesome scene without resistance. He was harshly and publicly escorted to prison by Usian soldiers, which caused word of his terrible deed to spread rapidly. A public execution was immediately ordered by King Lacessit at noon the next day. By sunrise, nearly all of the Usian populace had gathered around the gallows to compete for the best vantage points. The daily commerce of Usia was halted entirely by thetime it was noon. The Kingdom of Usia boasted a large religious population that fiercely believed in their faith. The return of Aseapia stoked the fires within their zealous hearts. He had been close to death when he was sent into the dark woods. Everyone believed without a doubt he had perished. Though here he stood on the gallows as an ominous severity emanated from his presence. It further unnerved the people that his body was neither broken nor bruised but flawless. He appeared healthier and stronger than before his initial punishment. His bloody garb had been mysteriously replaced with a pristine and elegant wrap of gold and white. This caused the masses to wonder how he had survived and recovered so well from his severe beatings and exile in the dark woods. The notion that he accomplished this rejuvenation with dark enchantment was never discussed but the concept existed in their subconscious. The myth of dark enchantment had survived ages of uncounted years. Though most people believed it was nothing more than fool’s play. Still it was taught to children that trying to invoke dark enchantment would instigate the wrath of god and eternal damnation. They wished for nothing less than this upon the petty thief turned murderer. Aseapia stood on the gallows disturbingly relaxed despite his apparent doom. Th e noose around his neck was visibly tight. Then the moment came for King Garland Lacessit to address the crowd and a hush fell. He was lavishly dressed and seemed out of place. The king stepped before his awaiting subjects and took a deep breath. “People of Usia, I stand before you in sadness and in anger, mourning the loss of the young and innocent as I eagerly wait to deliver a harsh vengeance against the twisted soul who ended their lives prematurely. A twisted soul who defied God once already by worshiping a false power, a fictional dark power, and who was banished to the southern woods to die for his treason against God and the Church. Yet by some wickedness he stands before us condemned to die again for defying God once more,” King Lacessit bellowed as the silent masses listened intently. “Now we suffer the loss of children, the worst fear of any mother and father. I wish I could restore the lives of those poor children back to their parents, but I cannot. Though I can grant them solace in the form of closure by ensuring we will never suffer this fool a third time!” The king said melodramatically and hypnotized the people with his emotional conviction. The people of Usia had come together and mourned collectively for the murdered children. It was a poignant display and bolstered their strength mutually during this time of sadness. Two such people who were greatly saddened were a young man named Lea and his only sister, Amora. Lea was nearing his twenty-third birthday but exhibited a much older aura. Amora was ten years older and a strong willed woman. She was to be an only child but Lea came late in their parents’ lifetimes. She was widely considered beautiful with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. She resembled her mother very much physically and emotionally. She had no desire to wed and was known to many as an old maid with gray having imperceptibly intruded into her hair. Lea strongly resembled his father with a tall, strong body, but carried the same overwhelming love of life as Amora and their late mother. He had a square face with smooth features, dark brown eyes and hair. He had a stoic nature that never failed to disarm people. After Lea’s first birthday, their parents Adele and Arthur passed away from a terrible sickness that struck Usia and killed thousands of others. The eleven year old Amora was forced to become her brother’s guardian. Together they lived a hard life and struggled to survive while always making an honest living. The bond between their souls was tempered beyond breaking. Far back from the gallows Lea and Amora watched with certain disgust. They were quite satisfied with their distant vantage point. Neither of them wholly desired to be at the execution but their curiosity was stronger than their disgust. Amora nervously held on to Lea as they keenly listened to King Lacessit.