💾 Archived View for gemini.ctrl-c.club › ~michal_atlas › posts › mlxan › when-fire-reigns.gmi captured on 2024-02-05 at 10:25:01. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
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Thousands of years of ancestry now lie uncovered, closer than ever, glaring him in the eyes. Inviting the lost soul to take refuge in the few remains of what they once bared. The burdens of all he saw seemed to him as to shift unto his heart, with every step he grew more tired, more scared of this world. One he had helped build, but one he did not want. Vines surround him clutching his feet with all the might of centuries untold as if burdens his own had not been enough to bare. He endures for his journey’s end is not far away. What he strives for, had been decades untended to, nature’s grasp had dragged its legends deep into the ground. Stairs crumbled under every step he took, countless times he thought he’d fall, but this he did not care for, not for a single moment, he had not another place left to go, no other purpose. On his journey he passed countless statues, nature had taken their faces. Though he still recognized many, none of them could help him now. The gateway to this sanctuary once-great now lays broken and twisted. His mere presence disturbs this crypt lost in time. He placed his foot unto the tiled balcony which weaved his step into a melody announcing his arrival as it echoed through the crypt. He approaches\ldots{} gently raising his hand, inciting the rose and vine laden door to open. The scape of rust and degraded wood almost quelling the sounds of falling metal echoed once again throughout the tower. He entered the room, his feet disturbing layers of leaves, ash and dust. He had never come here, he had never been allowed. Overhead, cowering, sat many doves, he greeted them, for now, they shared fate. He passed torn paintings, old carved stone and many crosses. The room had once been decorated with beautiful wallpaper gold-laden with icons of religion and nature, even these were now but a reminder of a bygone world. He approached an old altar on each side of which stood the statue of an angel, one clutching a quill and the other a piece of parchment. He approached and as he knelt down one of the doves flew down unto the altar, raising its head in anticipation. The old man dropped to the ground crying and begged for forgiveness, for the world to be saved, for the world to not suffer for his sins. He pleaded the struggle would come to an end. The dove flew outside the tower from whence the man came and picked an olive branch, then soared off the tower. The old man’s soul was at rest, he followed the dove outside and having completed his journey he took a step off the ledge.