The Holy Purge

“My son, how are you doing on this fine morning,” William Kingsley, king of Alanoe, said joyfully.

“I’m doing well, father. Getting prepared to go on a hunt with Oliver.” Arthur, the King’s eldest son, said.

“I don’t think your brother wants to learn to hunt. Oliver isn’t the hunting type,” the King said.

“Well he needs to learn, father. He’s becoming a man, and he needs to know the ways of a man,” Arthur said.

As the king was about to speak, the doors to Arthur’s room solely creaked open. Oliver stood in the doorway ,his bow in hand, his quiver at his back, stocked with arrows. ”I’m ready, Arthur,” he said in a high pitched voice.

King William turned to look at him and said, “Oliver you know you don’t have to—“

“I’ll be out there in a second Oliver” Arthur interrupted. “Go ready the horses. Just how I showed you.” Arthur continued.

Oliver nodded and headed towards the stables. “How can we be expected to rule your kingdom when you die if we can’t even do the most basic of tasks father?” Arthur asked.

“Ruling isn’t about hunting and killing. It’s about doing what’s right to protect your people,” the king responded.

“Sometimes, hunting and killing protects your people,” Arthur responded angrily. The King stood in silence as he was shocked by his son’s words. He couldn’t disregard them because he knew his son was partially right.

Once Arthur gathered all of his materials for his hunting excursion, he walked out of the door toward the stables to meet Oliver.

King William trailed Arthur for a while until he heard, “My king, the court is waiting for you.” He turned to see that it was Tybalt, the Lord of Finance. As the king turned back toward Arthur he realized his son hadn’t paused and was out of proximity.

“Thank you Tybalt. Lead the way!” William said as he slowly turned to follow Tybalt.

Arthur finally arrived at the stables to meet Oliver. “Big brother, I got the horses ready for us,” Oliver exclaimed.

“Great Oliver. You did it right this time. You’re learning,” Arthur said.

“Is father going to join us,” Oliver implored.

“No, he has to go meet with the court,” Arthur said.

“Meet about what?” Oliver asked.

“You know what Oliver, Our new crazed visitors,” Arthur said quietly.

“Oh yea, them. What’s he going to do about it?” Oliver asked.

“Probably nothing, knowing our father. But enough talk, mount your horse and ready yourself brother.” Arthur said.

Mounting their horses, they rode off, through the palace gates, and into the woods. They rode in silence for some time, not able to overcome the deafening sound of hooves, beating against the dirt .

As they continued, Oliver spotted something rustling in the giant bushes native to these woods.

“I see something Arthur!” he screamed.

“Quiet, or you’ll scare it away. Now get off your horse.” Arthur said quietly.

The brothers dismounted slowly so as not to spook the animal. Arthur led his brother east to get a better vantage point of the animal nestled in the bushes. As their view cleared they realized that the animal was a stag. “It’s a stag big brother. Isn’t that a part of our house crest?” Oliver asked with a whisper.

“Yes it is. Now ready your bow, and aim right behind its shoulder, like I taught you,” Arthur said quietly.

Oliver pulled out his bow, grabbed an arrow from his quiver, nocked it, and pulled back to aim. He took in a deep breath and focused on the target. After a delay he was finally released. The arrow flew through the air headed straight toward the stag. Oliver’s eyes widened as the arrow soared just under the belly of the stag, narrowly missing. Startled, the stag stammered and ran deeper into the woods. Oliver looked down in disappointment.

“Hey it’s ok. It’s your first time hunting. It takes time and practice,” Arthur reassured him.

Oliver looked up at his big brother and smiled, but as he looked up he noticed something behind Arthur in the trees.

“Arthur, what is that,” Oliver asked nervously.

Arthur turned around to see what his brother was pointing at. Arthur’s eyes widened with shock and fear. He saw a man bleeding from the top of the tree.His feet were overlapped, a single nail pinning them to the tree. Both his hands were spread wide and nailed to the branches.

“Get back on your horse Oliver!” Arthur commanded. They both ran to their horses and raced back to the palace as fast as they could.

As they got closer, the noticed fires were spreading across the city. They rode back through the palace gates and ran into the palace as fast as they could. On their way to the throne room to meet their father they noticed the palace was littered with their belongings, it looked as if someone had come through and ransacked the place. Pictures of their ancestors along with former kings and queens were torn off the wall.

As they made their way into the throne room they found the members of court talking amongst themselves, their father, nowhere in sight.

Arthur walked up to Tybalt and asked, “Where is my father?”

Tybalt responded back, “They took him.”

“Who?” Arthur demanded.

“Those Christian Zealots, your father allowed into our city!” he told Arthur.

“They are killing those they deem sinful and saving the ones they call “redeemable”. They are burning whore houses and looting the homes of the rich. We barely fought them out of the palace, your grace.” he added.

“Why did you let them take him?” Arthur inquired aggressively.

“He commanded us to stand down. He didn’t want to cause any more casualties.” Tybalt said.

“How do we get him back?” Arthur asked.

“Those zealots said that we could get him back if the royal family renounced the throne,” Tybalt said.

“That will never happen.” Arthur stated.

“Then we’ll never get him back.” Tybalt responded.

Arthur turned to this brother. Oliver was crying behind him, trying to stay silent so Arthur wouldn’t hear. Arthur stared at Oliver for a while, and then he walked over to embrace him in his arms.

“We don’t need him.” Arthur whispered to himself.

“Tybalt, tell the general to gather our forces, and get me our bravest rider. I need to send out a message.” Arthur paused “Tonight we’ll kill them all!” he finished with Authority.

“Yes your highness,” Tybalt said, exiting the room to carry out Arthur’s request.

As the sun retired behind the horizon, the burning and looting that had taken place during the day reduced to a simmer. Arthur had sent word to the Christians, he was to meet with them tonight, at their temple. Arthur rode alone, with only his anger to accompany him, as he entered the temple.

He saw his father tied up and kneeling on the ground. As he slowly moved towards his father, he could feel the piercing eyes of the believers, like a hundred pairs of needles, stabbing for his soul.

“That’s far enough.” a shadowy voice said.

“I am Malachi. The holy watcher of this temple. I assume you’ve come to meet our demands,” the priest declared.

“No. I came here to warn you,” Arthur proclaimed.

“Warn us? About what exactly,” Malachi asked.

“About your death and the end of your beliefs!” Arthur proclaimed.

The believers laughed hysterically at Arthur’s proclamation, but Arthur’s face remained steadfast.

“Son don’t— Just talk to them.” William begged.

“Talk! Talk! They have you tied up and you want to talk. Weak!” Arthur yelled “This kingdom will not be ruled by a weak man ever, ever again,” he continued.

“We will destroy your temples. Your God. Your people. We will erase you from the books of history. We will destroy every shred of evidence of your existence. You can keep my father. He can die with you!” Arthur screamed as he turned to walk out of the door.

“Our God will protect us. For our mission is a righteous one. We will burn the rest of this wretched city tonight!” Malachi yelled in response.

“No, you’ll burn tonight.” Arthur replied without turning around.

He walked out the temple doors and looked upon his army, standing, ready for his command.

Arthur approached the general and inquired, “Did you block all the exits?”

“Yes, your highness. We even have their secret escape tunnel covered,” the general responded.

“Good. Barricade that door and rain fire on them,” Arthur commanded.

“What about King William, my prince?” the general asked.

“The king is dead, I am your king now. And I say burn it to the ground,” Arthur demanded with no hesitation.

As the general took a heavy breath he yelled, “Archers at the ready!”

The archers lifted up their bows to the sky, the tips a blaze. They aimed at the ornate stained glass windows of the temple.

“Loose!” the general commanded.

As the arrows rocketed toward the temple it looked as if stars were shooting across the sky, and when the arrows breached the temple, the screams began. Arthur listened, as the men and women inside begged their God for mercy, but Arthur knew their God would not answer.

Arthur mounted his horse and addressed his army , “We will exterminate them all with fire, and send them to their hell. We’ll rip them out, root and stem! From here to the other side of the world! We will liberate those enslaved by their illogical beliefs and irrational laws, and slay the weak men who bow to their rule. We serve no god because we are the gods! March with me, as we purge the false gods from this earth. This will be our holy purge!”

His army roared, raised up their weapons, and cheered to their new king.

Arthur turned towards the gates, his army at his back.