The Severance of Sol

It was an exhausted broken breath that left me leaning against a splintered fence pole. My eyes wandering to watch as a local farmer as he dragged a cart loaded up with a thick yellow rind fruit and as he passed a flood of a heavy burnt spleen smell filled my nostrils and left me gagging to choke on my feeble breath. The farmers eyes turning to watch me as he passed causing me to pull my heavy cloak about myself in my embarrassment and insecurity. 

 

 Turning away with a huff and looking into the roads distance, the large cathedral buried in the mountains wall, the colored glass windows sending a scatter of rainbows in the nearby waterways, I found myself fruitlessly dragging the heavy boulder behind my trail. It weighed a ton and I hated it. It was a useless job for a useless fellow. To think Kril’grox wanted this test to pain me and leave me brain dead. I wasn’t stupid and knew of his attempts to end me, ‘A proper apprentice dies at the follies of his tasks.’ It may be considered a test to some, to others like me, it was torture. 

 

 I worked damn hard to gain the merits of a disciple of the Sun. To be spat upon by those that called themselves good willed. I wasn’t even sure why I continued to study under their terms. Rumors of the Silvered Isles to the far south presenting a freedom and advancement in recent years, perhaps I could find a place there. Maybe I am stupid, I grunted in frustration as with a heavy tug I pulled the boulder further along the path. 

 

 I could measure the sun’s movements as the time passed, the boulder proving to strain my already breaking spirit. I left my village to get away from the fears, bullies, and darkness. Yet I only traded one master for another. 

 ‘Bring the boulder to the cliffs, that way you can drop it in as proof of your strength of will. I will not have you cheating, and he will know of your heresy if you do so, do you understand?’ I had nodded my head then when Kril’grox said those words, but now that they played themselves in my head again, I once again grunted at my own stupidity. With another heavy shove the boulder made its way further and further. 

 The closer I got to the cliffs the more I found relief, only a few hundred feet left along the back end of the Cathedral. Sure, it was uphill, but at least it wasn’t too steep of a trip. I think after this I am gunna return home. The other masters spoke of letting their apprentices make their way home to reunion with their families and I don’t think it will take much convincing of Kril’grox to let me do the same. I wonder if Maey would be happy to see me. It has been a few years since we saw each other it would do wonders for my sanity to hear her voice once more. At those thoughts time seem to pass much faster and the path dwindled away in thoughts. 

 

 I let out a relaxed breath as I watched the waters wash against the cliffs base. The smell of salt and the warmth of the setting sun washing over me. I finally made it with my test complete. I only needed to wait for Kril’grox to watch on in witness. My mood darkened as the sun set and I took a moment to clutch under my robes at the holy symbol that felt warm to the touch. My prayers were usually simple, but this time with the recent thoughts of Maey I went much simpler. “Let Maey live happy, that is all my Sun, for I have no other purpose.” I smiled slightly as a burst of warmth filled the symbol; That was until it turned ice cold. 

 

 I felt my body lock still and my hand tightly gripping the metal and it pierced into the skin of my palm. I tried to blink, to move, or to speak, but nothing seemed to work. I felt my heart turn cold as, barely perceptible, I felt a snake slither at my feet. Its tail wrapped and twisted about my boot’s ankle. Its form morphed to that of a tightly knotted rope that melded into the boulders surface besides me. Fear took over my mind as without a moments hesitation the boulder began to roll, not downhill, but towards the edge of the cliff. It teetered for a few moments, my heart hammering as I struggled against the magics that held me. 

 

 A voice filled my ear, “I have seen your heart, you blither fool. Your heresy to the sun and will be judge harshly and the Sun will be better off without your darkness in the weave. You damned to be drowned, human heretic.” With that the boulder tipped over the edge and the heavy tug sent me falling. My head cracking against the ground, sending stars in my eyes, and the spell was released causing my body to slacken. It was to late, my hands clawed to find purchase on anything to stop the dragging. I felt my fingers snap and brake as I tried to grip at the edge. My arm being ripped from its socket as I plummeted over the edge. 

 

 I don’t understand. That was all I could think and hear in my head. It washed away the scream from my lips. I only got a few thoughts before my body slammed heavily into the waters surface as the boulder dragged me deeper into the waters. My body was so fragile as It took on a frantic mind of its own; desperate to reach the surface. It was like all my training was lost in this moment. Eventually, my body stilled from its attempted escape. I was left to wrinkle and drown, but in these last moments my mind tried to reach out to a singular person. A plea for help, yet none came.