A Season of Ravens (Sin Eater Tales Book 1) by J. R. Snyder

Author:J. R. Snyder [Snyder, J. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-29T00:00:00+00:00

2

THE FINAL SERMON

Asher stepped in quietly behind the congregation and pulled his hood down. A puddle was following him across the white marble floor and his boots made an embarrassing squelching sound with every step. The congregation was so enraptured by the fiery sermon that they didn’t seem to notice and Asher quickly found a back corner to stand in.

His eyes fixed on the owner of the voice speaking from the pulpit. Deacon John was a man of middle age, his shock of grey hair making him appear older than he was. The boxy, flowing white robes of the Order emphasized his already small stature, but what John lacked in size, he made up for in spirit, and the man had no problem holding the attention of the audience with his resonant voice and passionate speaking. The deacon was a man of two extremes. Asher knew him as a man with a quiet charm, who would happily share a lunch of tea and biscuits as long as you agreed to discuss your favorite flavor of marmalade. Since he only attended a church service when it was a requirement of the job, Asher had never seen this side of the deacon before.

“Just like our Forsaken Son, we need to move away from the darkness and into the light,” Deacon John boomed. “Wherever there is evil in the world, cruelness, death; it is because we have not lived the way that He would have wanted! We have not followed the light in the dark that He guided us with!”

The crowd erupted into a mix of cheering and clapping. Deacon John waited for it to die down before he spoke once more, this time in a stage whisper, as if he were sharing a secret with the congregation.

“Even now, a rot forms underneath the city. It is pulling Gottin towards death and disease and destruction. We must be the force that unites to drive out this malediction. The means are quite simple, but can be terribly hard to do in practice.”

The parishioners were silent as they clung to every word he said.

“My friends, the magic that will keep the darkness at bay is kindness. Goodness. Piety. Humility. If we practice these principles, if we follow the traits that the Forsaken Son Merellien held dear to himself, we can defeat any evil.”

He paused as a small coughing fit overtook him. Asher watched as the young messenger who had delivered his note walked forward with a cup of water and offered it to the deacon.

“Thank you, my boy,” he murmured, and took a few sips before handing the cup back to the boy.

“As I was saying,” the deacon continued, “we must be better. Check in on your neighbors. If they need food, give them your excess. If they need employment, educate them on your trade. Our strength lies in our innate human goodness.”

He stopped again to cough. It was then that the deacon noticed Asher leaning against the back wall. As the fit of coughing subsided, he stared at Asher, but spoke in a weak voice to the room at large.

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