Tweet Fiction: Burners

Original Tweet:         source

A great evil took a hold of our world, claws deep in the souls of so many. A cleansing fire was their final option. They were called Burners

Expanded Concept:

     A plume of fire bellowed out of the large pit that was dug deep into the foundation of the ruined building, whose original purpose was long forgotten. The tips of the flames nearly rising to the ceiling twenty feet away. A group of six stood in front of the pit and bathed in the intense light and heat radiating from the flames. The echoes from their chanting bouncing back to them off of the empty, stone walls. Their words practiced and even, their faces alight with the type of fervor reserved for religious zealots. 

     "The Goddess of Flames who burns so bright,

     You light our way through each dark day.

     With your gifts we will cleanse this blight,

     Our faith in you we will never betray.

     "The claws of corruption have seized your land,

     After a touch your sparks have been turned.

     All shall be cleansed by your gift at our command,

     Purity will be returned as the corruption is burned.

     "These souls are corrupted no more,

      though their sparks have begun to dim.

     On ashen wings to you they soar,

     Their future now bright; instead of grim."

     

    The pit in front of them continued to burn as they repeated this hymn, fueled by a tall pile of now-charred corpses. The flames shook and shifted as the pile shifted as the flames continued to consume the corpses below, sending plumes of dark ash high into the night sky through the hole in the roof that was strategically placed above the fire pit. The group's eyes glistened as they watched the ash rise, believing that it carried what remained of the souls of the corpses below.

     Eventually the souls would be carried all the way to the heavens, where the Goddess of Flames would rekindle their spark. Once a soul had regained a bright, vibrant spark, it would be returned down to Earth where they would aid the Torch Bearers reclaim the land from the corruption. It was this belief that allowed the Torch Bearers, and all of those who followed the Goddess of Flames, to fight day in and day out without fear. One day they would fall, but without hesitation their brethren would pick up their tired and worn body and place it in one of the seven blessed cleansing pits. Then they would be returned to their Goddess and allowed to rest until they were ready to fight once again.

     Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with the teachings of their Goddess and the methods of the Torch Bearers. While they should be focusing all of their efforts and cleansing The Touched, those who had fallen to the corruptions grasp and turned away from the Goddess's Flame. Instead, they have to spend- No, not spend. That would imply we got something of value in returned. We had to constantly waste resources in order to protect the land we had carved out in this city turned dangerous wasteland. 

     

    Nobody ever said reclaiming this land was going to be easy, they were all thankfully they had the Goddess of Flame to help push them forward. Many of those who followed her now did not do so prior to The Awakening, what they called the time the corruption came up from the depths of hell and began gripping at those who's spark had already begun to dim. The destitute, broken, and morally corrupt were the first to fall to this corruption and they immediately began to turn on those who's spark still burned bright. 

     It wasn't until the city was completely overrun with The Touched, all those who could flee had done so already and those left had nowhere to go, that the Goddess appeared in front of the first prophet. Surrounded by The Touched, backed into a corner with nowhere left to run or hide. Saint Vatra the First, prior to receiving his title of course, had lost all hope. It was when he was at his lowest that she bestowed her gift, so it would be truly appreciated. A great plume of flame burst from the floor below and consumed every single one of The Touched  that threated him, scorching all of his hair off in the process and leaving a long, flame shaped burn across the chest above his heart.

     There was no pain from this burn, though, just a comforting warmth that felt familiar. As though he had once known it in his life. It was then he knew that there was something greater out there. Something greater than anything they had experienced or theorized before. Once Saint Vatra the First retreated to a safe location, easily found by following where the warmth in his chest guided him, he began to write the basic principles that would lay the groundwork for the religion that follows the Goddess of Flames. 

     "May her light guide us and her heat provide comfort in the night."