Priest; Grim Aspects

Story by Lee Fox on SoFurry

, , , , , , , , ,


More whispers travel around about the strange duo that have walked into the chapel. It is strange enough that two humans have entered a anthro church, in the middle of a large town. It is stranger however that the man seems to be a priest, and the boy beside him can only be described as very underfed and probably abused. The boy himself is around ten or twelve, some even think that he may be younger, human ages are not widely known in a anthro community. He is wearing a grey longsleeve shirt with a black jerkin ontop, covering his legs is a black wool pair of pants and what seem to be very heavy boots. The boy himself had no defining features on him, besides his anorixic frame and the eyepatch covering his left eye. Many at the congregation thought that the eyepatch is to cover a scar or a bruise that the taller man gave him. He also is holding with his thin arms a very thick text, which is midnight black with small text etched into the front, no one in the congregation can read it however, since it is in a launguage no one has seen before. His height is three foot four inches, which in his homeland is very normal at his age, however here people compared his height with his very tall partner, who had to be at least six foot.The man, who few thought may be a foreign priest, was very different from his friend. He wears a large opened black overcoat, under which rests a long sleeve turtleneck shirt. In the middle of the shirt is a large black skull, although this is only visible if looked at the right angle, since the skull is nearly the same shade of black as the shirt.  Around his neck is a golden necklace with a small black skull hanging from the golden chain, dangling with the skull is a emerald leaf, both of them are of the same size. Those of the congregation who are miners or very wealthy busnissmen can tell however that the skull on his golden necklace is made of hematite, which in their kingdom is a rare gemstone that is used in noble's funerals. He even wears golden greaves on his legs, underneath seem to be the same kind of black pants and boots as the boy. He even carries a large cane, its material everyone is arguing about, however they all can tell that it is pure black, some would even say raven black, its handle adorned with a silver raven skull. His eyes are covered behind a very heavily blackened pair of silver framed sunglasses.The duo themselves look as if they could be of the same nation, tribe, race, or family, depending on who you ask in the chapel. They both have the same colored skin, which is extremely pale, almost albino, and their hair are equaly as pitch black.They do  hear these whispers among the crowd, and the boy hugs his book closer to his boney chest. Whispering to his partner with a meek voive, "Master... They're talking about us..."The man who he calls master nods just enough so that only he and those directly looking at him can see, although he does not speak with the

soft voice as the boy does, "I can hear that, and I wish those with questions would ask them to me and not picker about it with themselves!" He turns his head back to the over weight rich tomcat behind him, who seemed to be the one that spoke the most ill of him.At hearing his voice and of his annoyed tone the entire chapel seems to quite down instantly. Although there were those in the back who still gossipped between each other about the strange man.After some time a small avian owl child spoke up, she sat a single pew behind him, "Who are you mister?"The child's mother quickly covered her mouth with her winged arm. The man however turns his head to the child with a warm smile, his tone kind, "I don't have a name child, however most call me simply by my title. You may call me Priest, what is your name?"The mother uncovers her mouth with a nervous blush, curious if her dughter can coax more information out of him. "My name is Tracey, nice to meet you Priest. what about your son, does he have a name?"The Priest's right eyebrow raises and he tilts his head slightly, trying to hide a confused chuckle. The boy beside him speaks louder, although it is just barely enough for her to hear, "I don't have a name... I am also not Priest's son..."This sent murmurs around the chapel, however the girl simply tilts her head to the right. A little too much, turning it exactly ninety degrees, "You're not his son? Then why are you traveling with him, and why are you so thin?"The boy stays as he is, seated forward and staring at the floor. The Priest turns his legs to the side of the pew, making his legs stick out into the isle, "He is my mecrin, or student you could say. I am teaching him how to become a priest like me, as for his weight he-"The boy quickly interupts him, knowing full well how many comments he will make, "I'm not hungry..."The Priest nods at this, sighing along with it, "You see? He simply refuses to eat, and I can not convince him to do otherwise."The tomcat speaks up now, flustered with confused anger as he speaks, "If you are a priest than why are you not back at your village? I've never seen a actual priest leave his home chapel."The Priest turns his head to the cat, his eyebrows lowered and his smile gone. He is staring at him as if he just said the most idiotic thing he had ever heard, "You are aware of what kind of priest I am right?..."The cat simply seethes in his seat, furious at the expression. He however stays as calm as he can, trying to not bring attention to himself, "Why no, how about you stand up and address us then? This is after all a church of Neyna, the goddess of freedom. How about you stand up there and preach to us preacher?"The Priest chuckles at this and shrugs, grabbing the hand rest of his cane as he gets ready to stand, "Does anyone have any objections to this?" He asks the congregation. There are no objections as everyone keep

their gazes upon the priest.The Priest shrugs at this and stands up, revealing that he is a lot taller than everyone expected, standing at around 6'8ft. He walks up to the pedestal, the boy slowly following behind him as he still carries the book, everyone now realizes how thin he truly is, his legs no longer folded up into the seat. He looks as if he is a walking skeleton almost, he is so thin.As the two reach the podium the priest reaches down and grabs the book from the boy's hands, who gives it up freely. In the absence of the object he hugs himself, his arms wrapping around his boney chest. The Priest clears his throat and lays the book on the stand, getting ready to speak."I am a Priest of Death." He calls out, making everyone twitch at how direct his voice is all of the sudden, "My religion is Necranism, the religion of death, the end of life, the soul, the mind, the afterlife, and of the Grim Reaper. The only other religion my homeland shares in unity with Necranism, is Vitaism, which is the religion of life, nature, the body, lust, and of Mother Nature."At this information several people swiftly head for the door, seeing the man as a bad omen, among these are the owl girl's mother who leaves her child sitting in her pew as she dashes out the door. The rest of the people staying are either wishing to argue or curious about this new religion.The first to speak up is of course the tomcat again, "How do you know that your religion, Necranism as you call it, is a true religion? It sounds more like ying yang as you humans call it." This sends chuckles down the pew, everyone agreeing happily with him.The Priest simply smiles at him and opens his text, "Because I have received gifts since birth that signify what I am. One of these is my Tome, which I call my Sacred Tome." He points down at the large book on the stand, which is now open to reveal blank pages.The boy speaks softly, just enough for those nearby to hear, "He is a Tome Weaver... That is why he has that book... It is his personal Tome..."The Priest clears his throat and smiles widely, turning the pages of his Sacred Tome, "I am able to see your entire lives on this text. Thoughts, dreams, actions, birth, even death. Shall I use someone for example?" Everyone murmurs in surprise, some bold enough to laugh at this speak up and call out the ridiculousness of this. One of these is a loud hard working German Shepard, "What rot is this? I tell you what, is you can tell me what I was thinking of right before you came in then I'll believe ya!"The Priest smiles kindly and turns the pages, "Of course mister... David, Shera Caldwell. You wish to know what you were thinking before I came in the chapel correct?"The canine blinks in surprise at being called his full name, "Ah, y-yes, I do... Wait how do you know my name?"The Priest smiles and adjusts his sunglasses, which were slipping slightly, "Well I can see

more than just your life. I can see your name, your family tree, your future family tree, which might I say looks very short lived, by your seed at least. Is there any more questions or do you wish for me to...."The Priest stops talking only because the man left, along with half the people who knew him. All spooked now at the strange powers the stranger has, all except the tomcat, who thought this entire situation is a bluff.He rudely clears his throat and stand up, yelling to the man, "If you can truly see my life then tell me my name, occupation, birth, and death." He chuckles to himself, thinking he has won.The Priest simply nods and turns the pages of his text, making the tomcat's eye twitch in sudden fear. Priest clear his throat and smiles kindly to him, "You are Sir Penny Pitcher as your friends call you, or as for your true name you are Regan, Pussin Feral. You were born to the family Feral after your mother, who worked as a chamber maid for the Duke named Vern, Feral the III, was raped in the bathroom of the duke, by the duke. You were than born, beside your other six sisters, in the Duke's bed, after finding out that a litter of his own blood has been born he quickly married your mother, however I am afraid he is too late for you were already a bastard child."This set the tomcat to a furious anger, his tail twitching crazily as he bangs his fist against the front pew. He is about to speak when the priest interrupts him, "You are also the tax collector of this town, this is how you got your name Sir Penny Pitcher. One day you were hassling a small homeless child for his coin, which he only had one. After you stole this coin from the child you soon found out that it was a type of currency long gone obsolete, known as a penny. As for your death I can not tell you for it is not my place. That is reserved to Lady Death, and as for you sir the only advice I can give is..." The Priest leans forward and gives him a evil grin, lowering his sunglasses so that the man can see his eyes. The right eye is completely black, no iris, pupil, or anything that should be there, it looks as if it is a portal to a void, a dark, empty, lonely void. His right eye however is normal, with slate green irises and extremely bloodshot. The tomcat cannot help but freeze in fear at this, grabbing his pew as he can not take his eyes away from the void."...I suggest you watch your step." The Priest simply says, raising his sunglasses and staring at the man with a kind smile on his lips, his hands holding his Sacred Tome as if he is about to open it.The tomcat quickly runs out of the pew, panicking at the void, feeling as if he has just seen death itself creep into his soul. He then stumbles out into the isle and runs out the door, slamming the doors open as he escapes.The Priest waits several seconds before he moves, opening his text and sighing, "Individuals of this chapel, I am sad to inform to you all the

death... of the Regan P. Feral. Who has just died of a broken neck after he tripped and fell down the Chapel of Neyna's steps. May we all bow our head in prayer, as is the custom of this nation's religion, to mourn the lose of him." The Priest and the boy bow their head and pray, as everyone in the chapel looks at each other in confusion. One small group of curious wolves in the back open the chapel doors and look out to see if he is telling the truth, only to walk back to their seats and bow their head in prayer. This is the only conformation everyone needs as they pray as well.After a long silent minute the priest looks up and smiles, "Now then, who else wishes for me to read their life? I prefer reading dreams than I do deaths after all."