4
‘Kneel up, Chosen One.’
The two words freeze my blood, I lift my body and look up to the cold, grey eyes of the Priest.
‘Please Sir, must this be?’
The greybeard nods.
‘The Lord of All the Powers allowed the Dark Angels to fall, to consort with the daughters of men. He allowed their loathsome progeny to be born and to threaten our land with terror and evil.
He allowed our Father Enoch to make the Covenant with them which lets us live in peace. If we fail to keep it, much worse will befall, not just for you, daughter, but all of mankind.’
‘Can nothing save me?’
He sighs, raises his eyes to the roof beyond me.
‘Men cannot tell, what the Lord of All the Powers may do. We only know what we must do.’
I bow again to the floor, instinct urges me to pray a wordless prayer to the Lord of All the Powers. He allows, he allows, he allows ... may he allow me to be spared this dreadful fate!
I kneel up again.
‘T-tell me, what must I do?’
‘Go through the woods daughter, just as you are, barefoot, bare-legged.’
‘B-but it’s cold ... and deathly dark, the Moon has turned the colour of dark blood, soon it will be all black.’
‘You will carry a torch, a sacred brand, that will give you warmth and light, fuelled by your own beauty and goodness.’
‘Which way must I go?’
‘The stars are bright, you can find the Pole?’
‘Of course.’
‘Just head that way. And the comet, you’ve seen that?’
I shudder.
‘I did.’
‘That’s going the same way. It will guide you.’
‘And where shall I come to?’
‘You will come to The Ring of the Moon.’
‘I’ve explored the Forest since I learnt to walk, yet I’ve never heard of that place.’
‘Nevertheless, you will find it. You will know it when you’re there.’
‘And what must I do?’
‘You must take off your last shreds of clothing, tear them on the thorny bushes, cast the scraps away.’
‘So I must be naked?’
‘Of course. Then enter the Ring, place the torch behind you, kneel in the centre with your arms spread wide, revealing your womanly beauty ... to Them.’
I shudder. Them? I dare not ask. My dreadful dreams of these last many restless nights are crowding back to me. One thing keeps haunting my tormented mind,
‘Will there be chains?’
‘There will be chains. They will chain you when you have offered yourself.’
‘Shall I be sacrificed, slaughtered?’
He shakes his head, sadly.
‘No, my daughter. Death is a blessing, though men fail to see it so. But you will be stripped even of that blessing. Though you bear monstrous children, though they feed on your flesh and drink your blood, the blessing of death will be denied you.’
‘So what will they do to me, when I’m naked and chained?’
‘That, my daughter, is too terrible for men even to think of ...’
