" The Towering Worlds: Hell's Chalice. ™"
A Story written by @mohhdude.
(Be warned, there will be references from other series in this book!!)
Alternative Names -
"TTW : HC.™"
"Protocol — Hell's Chalice. ™"
"End of Earth, Beginning of Hell. ™"
Chapter V:
"The Story of Heresy."
Act II:
Sasaki and Aleksandr.
"Abandon the past, accept the present, smile at the future."
— The Humming Bird.
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.
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The Story of Heresy
> Written by: Kafka Vinogradov of (Former) City of Babel.
Author of the following:
"The Story of Limbo", "The Story of Lust", "The Story of Gluttony", "The Story of Greed", "The Story of Wrath", "The Story of Violence", "The Story of Fraudulence", and "The Story of Treachery".
A tribute to my beloved passed friends and beloved niece:
Mikhail Rygielski, Ilya Esla, and Soniya Rygielski.
Table of Contents:
I - Child of Gold.
II - The Father's Love.
III - Why was it always her?
IV - Heresy against Aria.
V - Shackles.
I - Child of Gold.
Weeping under the rains of the night over the burnt corpse of daughter, the father held it close. His vice grip holds hardship, sorrow, the grief of a father losing his daughter, and most importantly, the hatred for the people that did this to her.
His cries and shouting echoed into the endless veil of the bright, unbothered night sky, the harsh pouring rain mercilessly swept up his tears and his shouting blocked out by the grey clouds above.
Before this, we must ask ourselves… What had happened for such an utter tragedy to occur? Years before the daughter's cruel, inhumane death, the father's name was Mikhail Rygielski. A peasant, lowly craftsman for the people in his town, with a loving wife named Ilya, a woman who came from the city of Igni.
Rygielski's love for his wife was unending, and one day, Ilya had exciting news. She announced to him that she bore a child in her womb, Rygielski's tears were nothing short of genuine happiness, filled with an unending joy that he couldn't stop crying until the next day. During one of the days, it was raining, Ilya told Rygielski that "The rain is the tears of Aria when a wrongdoing is committed".
Ilya was spoonfed and Rygielski did all of her and his own housework until the child was born, Ilya always told him never to pressure himself. Rygielski wanted to name the child prematurely, Ilya called him too excited and childish with a chuckle.
And so, the child's name was decided with one word coming out of the mouths of the chattering, excited to be parents. "Soniya", child of gold. Though being of Igni origin, Rygielski thought it was perfect. Never once objecting towards his wife.
After nine months of waiting, it was that day. Rygielski sat outside waiting for his wife, imagining the look on her face as the child was born. A smile creeped up on his face, but the screams of Ilya made him unsettled. Knowing her, he knew she was gonna survive.
As the nurse walked out to inform Rygielski of his wife, he had a bright smile on his face. The nurse had informed him of his wife, his smile quickly faded. He was allowed inside, looking at Ilya, her soul departed, as their child was held in her arms, wrapped in a cloth. The nurse told him: "She said; 'Tell my husband I'll always be there as the breeze that soothes both Soniya and him.". With her hand on his shoulder.
Rygielski sat down next to Ilya's corpse, he reached his hand over to the baby, as the infant's small hand held Rygielski's thumb. He took the baby into his arms. His eyes teared up, the hair of the baby was a soft golden blonde, the color of which belongs to Ilya.
He leaned over, his lips curled into a small smile as his tears fell into the floor while embracing the infant. He looked at the infant after pulling her away from the embrace. His broken, shaky voice only said one word that day. "Soniya… Our 'Child of Gold', Ilya…"
II - The Father's Love.
Having a funeral after the death of Ilya, Rygielski went on his own to raise his beloved child of gold named "Soniya". Rygielski fed and made sure the six year old Soniya had a wonderful and memorable childhood. Rygielski made toys for Soniya to play with, one particular was a stuffed animal of a dragon which she deemed her favorite.
Soniya was always getting hurt and getting into trouble with the other kids she talked to or was friends with, Soniya adored the myths of dragons, everyday Soniya always played with the stuffed animals that Rygielski made. Soniya once woke up Rygielski to ask him if they could go star-watching, and the father agreed. Hoping to make his beloved daughter happier.
And so, Soniya and Mikhail look up at the night sky, the auroras captivating, Soniya spotted a giant figure that resembled a dragon in the clouds, she pointed. Mikhail chalked it up to her imagination. Soniya fell asleep on the flower fields, Rygielski took her back to their home and kept her in her bed.
Years flew by, as little Soniya was already seventeen, Rygielski often cried to her growth, but it would seem to appear that his dark circles have gotten more visible as time flew. Soniya was greatly concerned for Rygielski.
One day, Soniya had met a man with long white hair who taught her an ability out of the reach of imagination. Soniya rushed to Rygielski's home and showed him what she can do, she formed a blue fire out of her palm. Rygielski widened his eyes, asking her to teach him this.
Soniya promptly nodded her head, teaching her father the basics of "Mana", Rygielski was soon able to perform such a trick, his eyes lit up with excitement, but told her that it should only be used for defensive reasons.
Soniya agreed to these terms, but there was someone spying on them. Hearing the whole thing, declaring it as heresy against Aria.
III - Why was it always her?
In the City of Grandolia, the Holy Leader announced that there will be a war soon with other countries due to the recent conflict going on with Tsūkikami and Al'Adqas, about trading and their majesties, both Tsūkikami and Al'Adqas, children.
At the time, Soniya was always morally grey about a lot of things, but it was the first time in weeks she showed emotion when she showed Rygielski the Mana she learnt. Mostly because her studies were getting increasingly difficult, Soniya, one night, snuck out.
Soniya always snuck out when Rygielski was asleep, gazing at the stars with amazement in her eyes. That one night she did, Rygielski was waiting at the fields and caught her sneaking out.
Soniya and Rygielski gazed at the stars again for a good twenty minutes, but Rygielski still didn't let the fact that she snuck out slide, thus punishing her with cleaning the blacksmithery.
Soniya, yet again, dozed off on the same bed of flowers underneath her. Rygielski stared at the stars again, the aurora masking a giant winged figure. Rygielski looked at Soniya, not wanting his daughter to get hurt by the war and environment.
Rygielski picked his daughter up, and took her back home. Placing her in her bed, Rygielski went to sleep that night. In the morning, the city's bell rang at an alarming rate. Quickly waking up the citizens, including Rygielski and Soniya.
Soniya and Rygielski went outside, the skies were grey as clouds formed. The Holy Leader of Grandolia announced that there was a heretic amongst the citizens, one man pointed at Soniya, claiming she was using magic which was considered a great sin during that age, and was a spy for the enemies in the wars.
Soniya objected to this, but the other citizens were informed by the hooded man about her heretical crimes against Aria. Rygielski defended his daughter without a second thought, not wanting her to get hurt.
The Holy Leader of Grandolia made his choice, the guards took away Soniya from Rygielski, Rygielski's begging was getting much louder each step they took, not wanting someone to take the life of his innocent, beloved daughter.
After three days, Soniya was in court, and was considered guilty by the Holy Leader, condemned to burn at the stake for heresy against Aria.
One last time, Soniya met eye-to-eye with her father. Accepting her fate already, but Rygielski couldn't. His tears kept pouring from his eyes, just for the avaricious, gullible pigs to drink. Chanting curses against Soniya as she walked to the stake. Rocks were thrown at her as she took steps.
Soniya was tied to the stake, and firewood was placed all around Soniya. As a torch set the wounded, bruised girl ablaze. Rygielski could only watch as Soniya screamed from the flames consuming her, as the people left, Rygielski quickly rushed to the stake.
Rygielski held the burnt corpse of Soniya in his arms, rain was falling from the grey skies. Remembering the words of his deceased wife, he shouted into the pouring, merciless rain.
"ARIA! YOU WEEP AT THIS WRONGDOING, WHY DO YOU NOT STOP IT?! YOU NEVER HAD SHED A TEAR ONCE, WHEN SONIYA HAD LEARNED SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY! TELL ME! WAS THIS APART OF YOUR PLAN, ARIA?! TELL ME!"
Rygielski's tears never ended, his voice cracked as he shouted into the grey, apathetic skies.
He embraced the charred corpse, his tears, neverending. His sobs and repeated shouting of "Soniya","Ilya" was drowned out by the sound of the droplets crashing into the surface. A hooded man approached Rygielski with a gentle smile, his hand held out.
"You wish for answers, Mikhail Rygielski? Then, take my hand. May Aria pay back what she had taken from you…
"My son, those who went against you and her will pay for their crimes, Yearning for the light of which cleanses their impurities and pains. Dust all of them shall turn into. All of them will pay. Unable to see through that light, the dark exists to balance the two forces. Great, Aria might be. Helpful, she perhaps is. Truthful, she never was. Extinguished, she must be. Rain is what purifies them, do not let them touch the rain, my son."
IV - Heresy against Aria.
Sub Chapter I - Blood-soaked Snow
Years after that cold, heart-piercing day, Rygielski wandered aimlessly from Grandolia to the merciless blizzards of Ledyanoy. Facing the Fort Moroz of which was stationed for the current, ongoing war.
Guards aimed their arrows at Rygielski, but it had already begun. The marching of a father who lost his daughter, wanting her back, hearing that there was a spellbook to revive the dead.
He stopped moving, and guards went to take Rygielski in. But he wouldn't budge, his eyes were empty and red tears were flowing down his eyes, but it had dried up.
Lightning sparks around Rygielski, the guards quickly try to leave the area, Rygielski glances at the horrified faces of the guards. As their faces lit up by the explosion, the gates were wide open.
His endless march to bring his daughter back with any means necessary, he clawed and massacred any wall that was in his way. Blood-soaked, Rygielski pants. He stood before a statue of Aria, his blood-shot eyes narrowed in vexation. Seeing as to how these soldiers worship such a Liar.
His eyes had a sudden look of spite, remembering that day was a heart-aching rage against the Goddess. His fist was clenched in an incessant hunger to strike those who serve The Gͣrͬeͥaͣt Liar. The memory of his daughter's smile, teaching him magic, repeatedly played.
His hand was held out against the statue, a spherical, flaming orb of mana manifested in his hand. Blasting the statue's upper half into bits, as he stepped on the disembodied head of the statue.
He holds his hand up, forming a sphere of flaming mana. Being slinging his hand down to slam the explosive sphere into the fort. And from that day forward, Fort Moroz was wiped off of the Ledyanoy Map.
But that does not mean the Demon of Heresy's journey ends here, there were some that survived the explosion using barrier magic. He floats above the crater which was once Fort Moroz, shouting to the survivors
"Survivors of Moroz! Rejoice, for you have been given sight to see the lies of Aria, the great deceiver! Your Oh-so-merciful Goddess has taken the lives of the people who had families to tend to, only those who had believed her false prophecies were perished in my judgement, follow me! I shall trailblaze against Aria, and the lives she has taken!"
People stepped up to believe in Rygielski's judgement, and those who didn't kneel before him died a brutal death by the believers. Rygielski led marches to forts of Ledyanoy, Al'Adqas and Tsūkikami, gathering believers and followers day by day.
In the end, Rygielski was captured and his believers were slaughtered by the allied forces of the invaded kingdoms, knelt against the three rulers of the nations, he was sentenced to a life of eternal confinement, and he was met with…
V - Shackles.
Rygielski was met with shackles in the deepest prison under the former city of Babel, near to the core of Redlocnse. He was sealed with a spell that turned him into stone, making him remain stationary but his spirit elsewhere. And with that, the tyranny of the lonesome father comes to a deserving, yet cruel conclusion.
Some can say that there are still followers of Rygielski to this day, but it isn't clear. And if they catch a follower, they are without a doubt getting a death sentence.
— The End.
…Taiyō closes the book, his hands firmly grasping it as he contemplates the piece of literature he laid his eyes on. He smiled, whispering to himself. "The Tower of Babel… We can get a headstart against the Paradox and kill Mikhail Rygielski…"
He got up, Azaad looking at Taiyō with a subtle hint of concern on his face, "M'lord? Is something the matter?", he asked. Taiyō looked at Azaad. "Azaad, wake up the rest. We're going to the former nation of Babel."
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— CHAPTER V, FIN.
— NEXT CHAPTER: "Violence breeds violence."
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