Fable: The Return Chapter 31

The world is changing
==Chapter 31==
"Mommy?" A small, weak voice begins. "What's going on?"
An older, female voice responds. "I don't know, little one."
"What happened to that burning sound? It was so steady…so peaceful."
"I think it's gone now, little one. I don't know why though."
"Mommy…for the longest time I liked it, it didn't bother me at all. But now I wonder why I did, I don't like fire Mommy."
"I know, child. I know…I liked it too. It seemed so…normal. How about we go outside and take a look, ok?"
"Ok Mommy!" The little girl smiles as the front door to their dark home opens. The light of the sun shines brightly through the open doorway. It sheds light on spots of the small house that haven't been visible for days. Outside, the grass has turned to black, the once beautiful and vibrant trees are now figures of smoldering and barren skeletons. Smoke rises from the ground and out of what remains of the trees, it rises into the sky and still casts shadow over Albion. "What happened Mommy?"
"I don't know, child. Maybe that lightning storm got to it…all of it. I'm sure everything will grow back, it has every time some sort of disaster happened. The monks will do some sort of chanting and in a little while the Light will make the world grow. We just have to hold out hope that they have a Golden Oak Acorn hidden away somewhere in case of this sort of…happening."
As the mother and daughter walk outside onto the smoldering ground, a man in a monk's robe approaches them. His hands are clasped together inside his robe and his head is hung low. "Children of the Light, the darkness seems to have finally passed on."
"What darkness do you speak of?" The mother asks.
"Well, The Court of Blades of course. They've been the ones burning and flooding our beautiful kingdom. You did notice that our beloved farmland has burned, have you not?"
"Of course we have, I thought it was lightning from that storm."
"This was no lightning fire, child. It was the work of the Court."
"Who is this…Court?"
"There is much you must learn, you and the rest of Oakfield. Come, follow me children." The monk starts to walk away, the mother and daughter follow him closely. The monk leads them through the burned town of Oakfield, more families joining them as they go along. They pass the Sandgoose pub, now a smoking ruin of its former self. The windmill across the path has fallen into the river, several fallen trees pierce the building. Every tree that once gave Oakfield its title of the most beautiful town in Albion is now a collection of blackened spikes sticking out of the ground.
The now large group of villagers follow the monk through the burnt forest at the edge of town. In minutes, they arrive at the path leading to the Temple of Light. He leads the villagers up the path to the temple and through the gateway. Surprisingly, the temple seems to have been unharmed by the flames that scorched the land. The monk beckons for them to enter the temple's main building to the right of the gates. The villagers of a destroyed Oakfield shuffle into the unharmed marble building.
The monk leads them through the open doorway and into the Temple of Light. The circular hole in the roof lets the light of the sun in and lets it shine onto the center of the floor. The light from the roof illuminates three monks who have been awaiting the arrival of the villagers. The one standing in the middle is a very old man, his long white beard stretching far under his belt line. He opens his arms to the villagers that now walk through the opening and into the temple.
"Welcome children, all of you. We have been through some troubled times these past few days. We as citizens of Oakfield have watched the crops and the trees burn to the ground. But there is troubling news that we must share with you…please, sit down."
The villagers take seats on the floor around the circle of light from the roof. The old monk lowers his welcoming arms.
"As brother Brakon has already told you, our peaceful farmlands have been burned by a dark triumvirate known as The Court. Oakfield was not burned by any lightning storm or bandit attack, it was a cause of supernatural actions. For the past few days, the brothers and I have been hiding away in the undercroft of the temple, studying the ancient tomes in regards to these creatures. It was written that in the days of the Old Kingdom, three beings from the Void emerged from the darkness and they called themselves The Court. Comprised of three beings who had the titles of Knight, Jack, and Queen of Blades. In three stages they sought to rule over the people of Albion and the rest of the world. First was the burning of the world, then massive floods, and then controlling their minds in order to force the people of Albion to submit to their rule. This is what has occurred once again. We do not know what has happened to the rest of Albion…but we were burned here. And our minds…taken hold of. Thankfully, the brothers and I were kept away from the evil as we were protected by the Light. In the Temple and the undercroft we were kept safe from the mind control of these creatures. But…all of your minds were taken hold of by The Court."
A villager speak up, one wearing a farmer's hat and suspenders. "They took control of our minds? How could they do something like that? And…and what did they do with our minds?"
"Yes, yes they did." The old monk continues. "We do not know what gives them this power, so I cannot tell you how they took control. But what they did was…make you calm. They made it seem and feel like everything terrible that was happening around you was part of everyday life. While your farms burned away around you, they made you believe that it was supposed to happen and that you were even happy about it."
The villagers react with mixed emotions. some are disgusted, some worried, some break out in tears, and some just shake their heads with their eyes wide. It is difficult for them to take this information in.
"Even more troubling is that we do not know why. When The Court first took hold of Albion's minds, they did it in order for the people to bow to their rule. But this time, they did not try and claim any thrones over the people, they only burned the land and had us all watch. It is…a disturbing thought. The matter at hand though, is that for some reason…you are all free. And that the flames have stopped their rampant destruction. For the first time in several days, the sun has appeared from behind the clouds of smoke and storms, and it shines its light through our roof. It is a sign, children. This is a sign that the danger is passed on from Albion at last. The brothers of the temple and I have decided that it is time once again for the holy ritual to occur. Following this sign, two monks will enter the wellspring and complete the ritual for the next harvest. We will once again have a Golden Oak and our lands will grow once more. Things will be…much better than they were before."
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"Are we ready to move, sister?"
The Queen laughs in the darkness, "Yes brother, I believe we are. Fetch the Jack, tell him we've found your mask, and that mine is on its way there."
through the darkness, several grunts from creatures are heard. Monstrous noises, ghoulish moans, howls of the dead. But even worse is the silence from the Queen, she's been so quiet…but now she is smiling.
"So we're leaving then? even after all we've done to these pathetic people?"
"Yes, Jack. We have stopped the fires and the storms. We have prepared the ships, and the blades are ready to be held in our hands once more."
"And the mind control?"
"Gone…mostly." The Queen of Blades laughs maniacally once more and then the silence comes over her again. "These people are fools. They will never learn their lessons. Why control the minds of many when you can take over the minds of one? Come, brothers. Let us leave this place, we have a King to dethrone."