7th step…Harbinger
A man stood alone on the bridge
leading up to the cathedral. It
overlooked the deep canyons cut from sienna stone. Twilight stretched out, a long dark veil
eclipsing the sky. In the distance an
enormous tree swallowed the horizon.
The
cathedral itself was an imposing backdrop.
It was tall, with angular roofing and large, pointed spires. On the face of it was a large, oval stained-glass
window. It held the image of an angel
who slept, a sword clutched tight to its breast. Below a set of enormous double-doors, each
twice as the height of a man, sat ajar.
The man on
the bridge was tall. He had high cheeks,
thin lips, and long, black hair that swept down his back. His eyes were small, dark, and piercing, and
his expression mournful as he gazed into the distance. He wore a pristine white robe. His imposing form gave him a natural air of
authority.
Riis came
stalking across the bridge, a wolf prepared to strike. Her steps were slow, precise, each thigh
flexing dramatically. A terrible,
carnivorous smile stretched across her face.
She stopped at his side and put her hands on her hips. “So, you need to waste more of my time,
then?”
The man
spared her a weary glance. “Indeed, I
do. I require you to fetch something for
me.” His voice is deep, chest-rattling,
and world-worn. While he looks young,
his voice is old and fatigued. “What we
seek is in the black. Retrieve it for
me.”
“Fine,” she
snapped and turned on heel.
“Riis.” She paused, and he said, “I offer you a
warning: there are people there who may interfere. Be careful.”
Without
looking back Riis waved him off. “I’ll
just let them hope that we don’t come face to face. Otherwise things will end poorly for them.”
He offered
her luck and let her leave. As she
walked away, she ran her fingers along the guardrail of the bridge. The dark stone hollowed beneath her touched
and collapsed into dust.
She
snickered. “Oh, I won’t need luck.”
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