Eutico left the tavern almost at a run. Behind him, he left a heavy uncertainty among the men with whom he had shared the night. He did not know whether, after seeing him leave like that, they had decided to alert the guards, but neither did he intend to stay and find out. He had said too much, and now the only thing left for him to do was run.
He slipped through the streets of Anita without looking back. He crossed empty alleys, silent squares, and markets that had yet to open until he reached a small side street beneath the Fifth Wall. When he stopped, he realised there were still several hours left before he was due to meet his contact in the city.
He looked around the place, which was filled with rubbish, mud, and scraps of rotting meat. He sighed, lamenting the wretchedness of his latest resting place. He pushed some refuse aside with his foot, moved a few broken planks out of the way, and hurriedly cleared a small space beside the wall. He sat down on the ground, leaning his back against the cold stone, closed his eyes, and began to pray in a whisper.
Not even ten minutes had passed when the echo of light footsteps broke the silence, followed by a subtle tug at his clothing. When he opened his eyes, he found two children trying to search his pockets. The moment they realised they had been caught, the older one leapt backwards several paces, brandishing a splintered, sharpened bone. The younger instantly copied him, holding two bones with his arms crossed as though he were a swordsman defending his life with a pair of blades. Eutico watched them silently for a few seconds. They were in dreadful condition, their ribs visible beneath their rags, barefoot and covered in dirt.
— Eutico — Is this an attempted robbery or a cry for help? —
The children did not answer. After exchanging murderous glances, the older boy attacked without hesitation. It was a swift, determined, and completely useless movement. Eutico calmly extended an arm, caught his wrist in mid-air, took the bone from him, and, with a pull, pinned him between his legs before the child could react. Seeing his brother trapped, the younger boy tried to attack, thrusting with both his "swords" at once. Eutico merely stretched out his other arm and caught him by the collar with one hand, holding him in the air like an injured puppy.
— Eutico — Well then... I've already defeated both of you... So what exactly are we supposed to do now? —
The little ones kicked and growled, but after a period of resistance and a few well-placed tickles, their hostility gradually turned into muffled laughter.
— Alright, alright! My name's Crono — protested the older boy, trying to catch his breath. — And he's Nasu! —
They were eight and six years old. Two homeless orphans with no family and no friends in a city that ignored them. When hunger finally overcame Crono's pride, his younger brother's stomach let out a dull growl. Taking pity on them, Eutico slipped his hands into the wide sleeves of his robe and brought out the strips of dried meat that Clara had served him in the tavern.
The two brothers threw themselves at the food and devoured everything he offered them in the blink of an eye. The meal seemed to restore their energy, because barely ten minutes later, Eutico felt a pair of sneaky fingers brushing against his belt once again.
— Eutico — Again? Have you no shame at all? — he scolded them, giving each of them a gentle tap on the head.
The children merely shrugged and laughed. Not long afterwards they tried a third time, but they were so exhausted that they did not even bother to hide it. Nasu simply reached straight into his pouch while looking him directly in the eye. Far from kicking them away, Eutico sighed with a sad smile and began speaking to them. He told them stories about his King and Lord, a God who did not dwell in temples of gold and who loved the little ones.
To his surprise, the children responded to the tale by sharing their most successful misdeeds. They told him about the times they had outwitted the market stallholders and about the occasion when they managed to steal an apple from a noble wedding. None of their stories had particularly happy endings; in fact, most ended with beatings, thrashings, or desperate escapes through the rain. Yet they spoke with such enthusiasm that, little by little, Eutico felt his heart breaking.
As they talked, the first rays of sunlight gently illuminated the alleyway. It was then that Eutico noticed the detail: the two brothers were shivering, and not from fear. The chill of the early morning was lulling them, leaving them drowsy at his side.
Without thinking, Eutico removed his heavy cloak and wrapped them both inside it in a single bundle. He drew them close against his side and, closing his eyes, a faint warmth began to emanate from his hands. Small amounts of mana left his reserves, transforming into a subtle warming spell that gradually began to heat the children's bodies. Eutico could feel the effort draining his own strength, already weakened by fasting, but he persisted when he saw the children's trembling begin to subside.
— Crono — You'll be the one getting cold... — murmured the older boy in a sleepy voice, snuggling closer against him.
Eutico slowly opened his eyes and watched as Nasu, already half asleep, shifted himself between his older brother's arms to shelter there.
— Eutico — Don't worry about me, little one. I've been through worse. —
— Crono — Do you know what it's like too...? — the boy asked in a faint whisper, before falling silent, overcome by sleep.
Eutico watched them with a bitter smile. He wrapped them more securely in the folds of the cloak and continued supplying the magical warmth. To make sure they slept peacefully, he resumed his stories in a very low voice, lulling them with parables about his Lord.
It took some time for them to fall into a deep sleep, but eventually Nasu rested his head upon one of the priest's hands, and Crono slumped onto the other. Eutico gazed at them, moved by the peace reflected on their faces as they slept. He remained seated there, legs crossed and back aching, maintaining the steady flow of the spell so that the cold stone would not wake them.
He prayed in silence. For his own life, for the family he had left behind, for his bishop... and above all for the two children he had just met. And for the thousands of children who, by the following morning, would suffer a terrible death upon the altars of the kingdom's cities.
As he prayed, the silence gradually faded away, replaced by merchants emerging from the inns, dragging crates and other goods behind them. After several hours of keeping watch, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance of the alley. At last, a young Christian came to an abrupt halt when he found him there.
— Alejandro — I knew I'd find you here. —
Eutico immediately raised a finger to his lips and gestured towards the bundle beneath the cloak where the two brothers rested. Alejandro nodded and lowered his voice to a whisper.
— Eutico — I need you to do something for me. —
Alejandro looked at the bundle, and his expression hardened as he guessed the priest's intentions.
— Alejandro — Again, Eutico? —
— Eutico — Take them to the camp, the one between Anita and Sarita... They'll be safe there. —
Alejandro remained silent, absorbing the request, then fixed his eyes on Eutico's with growing desperation.
— Alejandro — Don't go, please... — Eutico did not answer; he merely held his gaze. — Please... Don't go to the square... Don't do something so foolish. You won't be able to stop the Temple on your own. —
Silence settled between them, heavy and cold, broken only by the steady breathing of the sleeping children. Eutico lowered his eyes towards Crono and Nasu. It was probably the first time in a very long while that those orphans had managed to sleep without fear, feeling safe and protected. With his heart aching, the priest raised his eyes towards his companion once more.
— Eutico — For children like... —
— Alejandro — They're going to kill you... Eutico. —
— Eutico — ... — He kept his gaze fixed on the ground.
— Alejandro — Don't do it! — Alejandro pleaded in a choked whisper.
Making a titanic effort not to complain about the pain in his back, Eutico rose to his feet with the young man's help. Taking great care not to wake them, he first adjusted Nasu's sleeping body and then Crono's, placing them directly into Alejandro's arms, who held them awkwardly against his chest.
— Alejandro — But... there are others. Others who have no burdens, who could... —
— Eutico — In this city, all of you have wives and children, Alejandro. I cannot allow a single woman to be left a widow or a child fatherless because of my cowardice. —
Alejandro clenched his teeth, feeling helplessness burning in his throat.
— Alejandro — Eutico... —
Eutico looked at the brothers one last time. They shifted slightly beneath the cloak, completely unaware of the fate being forged around them. The priest managed a faint smile and nodded towards Crono.
— Eutico — That one over there tried to stab me three times this morning. — Alejandro blinked, utterly confused by the remark at a moment like this. The priest placed a hand on his shoulder. — And even so, he deserves the chance to grow up. —
Without waiting for a reply, Eutico turned his back on him. He left the alley with steady steps and, as soon as he rounded the corner onto the great avenue, he was immediately swallowed by the tide of the crowd already moving, loud and relentless, towards Anita's main square.
The roar of the multitude was not mere background noise. Although the main square was still some distance away, the echo of thousands of voices announced the imminent beginning of the festival.
All around him, the crowd moved in a single direction. Entire families walked along cheerfully, fathers laughing with children perched upon their shoulders, while merchants shouted their wares at the top of their lungs, making use of the final moments to hammer the poles of their market stalls into place. The festive joy felt grotesque. Eutico moved among them like a ghost, wrapped in a dense silence, clinging to his prayer as though it were a lifeline.
― Eutico — My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that You are here, that You see me and that You hear me. I adore You with profound reverence. I ask forgiveness for my sins and the grace to make this time of prayer fruitful. My Immaculate Mother, Saint Joseph, Father and Lord, my Guardian Angel, intercede for me. ― he murmured.
When he raised his eyes, the colossal walls of the Temple of Tolmas stood against the sky, so dark and oppressive that they blocked out the sun itself. Beyond that barrier of stone lay the square. He swallowed, his throat as dry as sand, and continued.
― Eutico — He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord: He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I will trust. ― he said quietly to himself.
The ancient words of the psalm came to his memory almost effortlessly, carved into his soul through thousands of repetitions. Yet that morning, surrounded by the pagan clamour, they sounded desperate and different.
― Eutico — For He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust. ―
Suddenly, the brush of someone passing made him stop. A woman walked beside him, holding the hand of a little girl no older than seven, who skipped along excitedly. Eutico's heart lurched violently. The memory of blood-soaked altars struck his mind, drowning out the ancient words of the psalm upon his own lips.
― Eutico — Lord... — His voice broke. — Lord, I beg You. Do not allow any more children to die today. ―
He continued his march towards the place of his death, forced to weave his way through a crowd that was becoming increasingly suffocating and dense.
― Eutico — I do not ask this for myself. You know that I do not care what happens to me. But they have done nothing. They are innocent. ― He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. — My Lord and my God, I am weak, sinful, impulsive, and proud. I have committed mistakes that I cannot even remember. I have wasted graces that others would have put to better use. And yet... today I dare to ask for Your help. ―
A shrill and fervent chant shattered his intimate communion. A group of pilgrims brushed past him, raising their hands and singing hymns of praise to Tolmas. Eutico lowered his head, overwhelmed by the weight of such blind devotion.
― Eutico — I am not worthy to ask for anything. But those children are worthy of life. ―
He stopped abruptly for a moment, trapped by the flow of people, and pressed a hand against his chest, feeling the frantic beating of his own fear.
― Eutico — Give me courage... Lord. Open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise. Give me wisdom if I must speak, and strength if I must remain silent. Let me find the right people. Through my death, inspire the hearts that must be touched by Your grace. ― His voice became little more than a whisper, a thread of breath lost amid the clamour of the street. — I do not belong to this world, my Lord. I want to follow You. I want... I want to rest in You. But if You still leave me in this cursed world, give me a reason to remain... alive. ―
The narrow alleyway suddenly opened into an ocean of light and noise. The great square finally appeared before his eyes. Thousands of people packed every visible corner, forming a human wall. At the centre, hidden behind the devoted crowd, the altar awaited. Eutico filled his lungs with the stale air of the city, breathing deeply before taking the final step.
― Eutico — Thy will be done, not mine. ―
...
Amidst the chaos, Eutico pushed forward against the flow of the crowd, his breathing uneven and his eyes fixed on his objective. Suddenly, a sharp tug brought him to an abrupt halt.
— Señor Eutico... — A tense voice sounded nearby. — Señor Eutico. ― it repeated.
Fingers dug into his arm with the force of a hunting trap.
― Eutico — Enough. ―
Eutico spun around sharply, frowning and ready to push aside whoever it was. However, the surprise erased his anger the moment he recognised the boy's pale face.
― Eutico — Let me go, José. — he demanded, trying to pull free.
― José — No. — The boy's refusal was absolute.
― Eutico — Can't you see I have no time left? Move aside. ―
― José — That's precisely why. ―
Eutico tried to wrench himself free with greater force, but before he could, two figures stepped into his path. David and Saulo emerged from the crowd, cutting off every possible route of escape.
― Eutico — You too? — he said, feeling frustration rise into his throat.
― David — Alejandro warned us. — he murmured, keeping a wary eye on the passers-by.
― Saulo — We knew you'd try something reckless. — he added.
― Eutico — Move aside. There are children who are going to die up ahead. ―
― David — We know that perfectly well. — he replied, his voice tight with emotion, yet without moving an inch.
― Eutico — Then let me through! ―
The mass of people around them continued to flow past, oblivious to the drama unfolding within that small space. José seized the exact moment when a group of worshippers jostled them and grabbed hold of Eutico with both hands.
― José — Come on. — the boy ordered.
The three of them used the momentum of the crowd to drag Eutico towards a side alley. He struggled, digging in his heels and twisting against them, but the combined weight of the three men was too much. Within minutes, the blinding light and deafening clamour of the square had been left behind, swallowed by the dampness and gloom of the alleyway. Only then did José loosen his grip, breathing heavily.
― David — Please, listen to us... — the young man pleaded.
― Eutico — No! You listen to me! — Eutico exploded, rubbing his bruised arm.
― David — We already know what you're trying to do. ― he replied wearily.
― Eutico — Then you know perfectly well that I cannot stand by and watch the massacre. ―
― Saulo — And we know that going there will achieve absolutely nothing. Besides, the bishop sent you here to comfort us, not to stop the sacrifices. — Saulo replied.
Silence fell over them, heavy and cold, until José stepped forward.
― José — You'll die before you even reach the altar. ―
― Eutico — Then I shall die following in the footsteps of the martyrs. — he declared, lifting his chin stubbornly.
The three Christians closed their eyes in defeat. It was exactly the sentence they had feared hearing. But before any of them could answer, a rough and unfamiliar voice echoed from the entrance to the alley.
— Don't you think you're making rather too much noise? ―
All four turned sharply. Varo was standing there, leaning against the stone wall. He had followed them ever since they entered the alley.
― Eutico — You as well? — he murmured, feeling himself lose all control of the situation.
― Varo — I saw these three dragging you into an alley and thought it looked dangerous. — he said with a shrug, pushing himself away from the wall and approaching with heavy steps. — I've heard everything, and they're right. ―
― Eutico — You know nothing about this, Varo. ―
― Varo — I understand enough to have an opinion. — The blacksmith's expression darkened, and he raised a hand to silence Eutico before he could reply. — I gave my first son to Tolmas, and I know exactly what it feels like to watch your own child being killed before your eyes. I know Tolmas is not a god, and I know it tears your soul apart that seventy children are going to be slaughtered today. ―
Eutico swallowed hard, disarmed by the rawness of the confession.
― Eutico — I only want to try and stop any more of them from dying... ―
― Varo — What for? — he interrupted sharply. — So they can kill you as well? —
― Eutico ― If that's what it takes, then yes! ―
Varo became completely still. His eyes bored relentlessly into Eutico's.
― Varo — You've spent the entire night talking to me about God... and now you're planning to commit suicide? ―
― Eutico — I'm not seeking my own death. — he protested, clenching his fists.
― Varo — Oh, aren't you? —
― Eutico ― I only want to save those children! ―
― Varo — Then stay alive and keep teaching drunks about God at night! —
― Eutico — But today they'll die... ―
Smack! The sound of the slap cracked through the alley like a whip. The blow was so swift and brutal that Eutico barely had time to blink. His head snapped violently to one side, and he raised a hand to his reddening cheek, unable to form a single word. David, Saulo, and José all took a step back, intimidated by the man's restrained fury. Varo leaned towards him, breathing heavily.
― Varo — Do you really think God would take pleasure in your death? —
The echo of the blow still hung in the air when the metallic sound of armoured boots shattered the tension. A knight appeared at the entrance of the alley, one hand resting on the pommel of his sword. His stern gaze swept across the small group.
— What's going on here? — he demanded.
― José — Nothing serious, sir. Just settling a score. — he hurriedly replied, forcing a conciliatory smile.
— I just heard a slap from the street. —
― Varo — A misunderstanding. It's already been resolved. — Varo intervened, turning his back on Eutico to face the soldier with apparent calm. The knight narrowed his eyes, assessing the situation.
— I don't want to find a corpse in here the next time I pass by. OUT. NOW. ― he ordered forcefully.
No one dared argue. They left the shadows of the alley under the soldier's watchful gaze and walked until they were far enough away. The moment they turned the first corner, José seized Eutico's left arm once again, while Varo gripped his right with an iron hold.
― Eutico — No. — He tried to wrench himself free with a violent pull.
Desperate, Eutico forced the little mana he had left, channelling it into his muscles in an attempt to break free. Yet at that very instant, he felt Varo's strength multiply to an overwhelming degree. José's grip loosened slightly, but the blacksmith's hand became a vice, infused with dense and sustained mana. Eutico counted to ten, gathering every last drop of his energy for one final effort, but it was useless. He could not move his arm even a fraction of an inch. Panting, Eutico looked at the man restraining him.
― Eutico — I see you have plenty of mana for a simple drunken commoner... — he murmured, defeated.
― Varo — My employers give me a proper meal every day that I work. — Varo replied with complete naturalness. — There's always plenty of meat, and we're never short of bread or vegetables. ―
David's eyes widened in surprise.
― David — Every day? —
Varo nodded.
No one added another word. Eutico felt an icy emptiness open in the pit of his stomach. Varo's words, combined with that display of strength, finally shattered what remained of his courage. He understood, with devastating clarity, that he would not escape. That he would not reach the square, and that he would not stop the sacrifices. In that very moment, the adrenaline abandoned him completely. His legs simply stopped supporting him, and he collapsed onto the cobblestones.
― José — Lord Eutico... — he murmured, frightened as he watched all the light disappear from the priest's eyes.
Eutico did not reply. Only a few yards away, the crowd continued its relentless march towards the square, some casting brief glances in his direction without slowing their pace. David and Varo exchanged a look of understanding. Without another word, each took him beneath one arm and hauled him upright. They continued through the side streets, supporting him like a drunk who had had far too much to drink.
― David — I don't know who you are... — he said, looking at the broad-shouldered man. — But thank you very much. ―
Varo slowly shook his head.
― Varo — I can't do much myself, but I think my employers can help Eutico. They're very clever. They've argued with the Marchioness many times and won through reason. ―
― Saulo — I've heard a little about them... — he murmured. — Some friends spoke of them. If those are your employers, I'm sure they can help us. ―
After a long and agonising journey through the cobbled streets, they finally arrived at the gates of the company. Eutico, his gaze vacant and his spirit broken, could barely feel his legs beneath his own weight. Varo stopped before the entrance and carefully released the priest's arm, signalling to one of the guards stationed at the gate.
― Varo — Luca, come here, please. —
The guard, surprised by the man's state of utter defeat, stepped forward quickly. Without saying a word, he draped Eutico's arm over his shoulders and adjusted his stance, easily supporting the dead weight of the man.
― Varo — This man needs help. I'm going to fetch the bosses. If anyone in this city can do something about this disaster, it's them. ―
Luca nodded firmly, keeping Eutico steady. Beside him, David and Saulo waited in silence, their eyes fixed upon the great wooden doors.