"Panjia still has so much to teach me" I thought, as I was looking at that most magnificent scene unfold. I was not expecting to see anything this rare so early in this journey.
I arrived at Santa Laura 3 nights ago and spent most of my time on the outskirts, at a mountain monastery facing the sea. It is always a pleasure to engage in passionate conversations with bright minds, although I cherished my solitary time with the sea the most.
I took into this enterprise to combat my own hubris and to shed light on my lack of knowledge. Ever since I took into this business, the more I learned the more my ignorance seemed greater to me. I've always been ever so thankful for the opportunities that came on my way and my biggest wish is that my gratitude never diminishes in intensity.
Today I came within the walls to meet an old acquaintance at his request. He spoke vaguely about an initiative that he is planning to put forth, something about common interests. I was happy to oblige. I have been traveling alone for quite a while, and while I do not see myself in companionship, I hoped that the experience will bestow upon me knowledge and wisdom.
I always found the walls of Santa Laura stifling. Whenever I went within them I felt the air denser, less fresh. It is the same air, going around in circles, as if imprisoned. I long for a time when this city had no borders. A time when Laura, the saint of the yellow mountain, was free.
Luckily, today I was too intrigued by what was happening to remember to breathe. The sight of the two chimeras coming into the city was unusual. The sight of two chimeras anywhere was unexpected. Chimeras were always striking to me, how real they were. It took some powerful dark magic to make a chimera, skill yes, but also hate, unimaginable hate, for to give life to such ungodly creatures was only possible through such relentless, unforgiving hatred. I feel pity for the soul that had to go through this and hope it will find solace somewhere in the realm of God and His limitless grace.
As my luck would have it, tonight was to be a night of revelation for me, and by dawn, the chimeras would be far from the most unusual occurrence. For one, there's the boy. A boy who, knowingly, chose to challenge the two monstrosities, and both at once! What a crazy kid he is. It is almost as if he knew God would deliver him. His trust in his God was so great, in fact, that in the face of certain death, he did not seem to question it. I truly hope that, under similar conditions, my faith would hold as firm as his.
Then came an even more surprising encounter. As the boy looked seconds away from dying, something happened. A slight change in the atmosphere, so subtle it's almost imperceptible, gave away something that I was not expecting to see so soon. "Panjia still has so much to teach me" I thought, humble yet jubilant. It was a demon. The boy had a demon up his sleeve! I could not prevent a small smile from creeping to my lips.
What ensued was an exchange barely detectable for the naked eye. The demon spoke to the chimeras to let them know he took over. It was almost a sign of mercy if a demon ever showed one. The two chimeras understood the gesture, and I think they even appreciated it, but they also had a duty to do, and a duty is sacred. In a split second, the demon would pluck both their head as if cutting grass. He would then stand and pray for a couple of minutes under the moonlight until he crumbles. He laid waste to two lives, evenn if chimeras, and that has a price.
The scene ends with 2 headless chimera corpses the size of elephants, two heads rolling onto the ground next to the body of a boy who had enough faith to believe in this outcome. Two lives were lost here and I hold a silent prayer that they might both find peace. "I'll see you soon enough", I whisper.
I go and pick-up the boy. His body is thin and lifeless. He's barely breathing but he looks like he'll survive this one. I take him on my shoulder and move into the smalls maze-like roads of Saint Laura. I see old Zolf coming out of a shed but I have no time to waste. I'll be back later.
I reach the walls and cross to the other side. The breeze catches me bu surprise. It is cold but gentle and I can taste the freshness of the air as my lungs expand with it. What a night it has been!
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