Even though the original Last Hope and it’s sequel Thy Kingdom Come aren’t required to understand this story, I high recommend reading them and the Primer to understand the full context of locations, characters, and events. Enjoy!
“1: For it is foretold that one among you will rise up to the place of Prophet, one as equal to PhilipRin himself. For through him I’ll preform and reveal many a great things. 2: He will be most pious amongst you, his example to be a standard for all.”
[2 verses from book 6 Sightings of the *Sarnaian *Atuin, detailing the second Prophet and how to recognize him.]
(*1 Sarnaian being more commonly as a member of the religion practiced by Puffies, followers of The One)
(*2 The Atuin is the Holy Book of Sarnaism, it being a scroll written by the first Prophet PhilipRin, who was said to have been given direct revelation.)
1, A newborn colt born of a homeless adolescent Mother and unknown Father.
2, In a desperate state the boy is placed at the doorstep of Our Great Hero Soul StrongWing Anuian Monastery, located in Tark, HitchVin (Formally known as Milwaukee) Under the Chicago Confederation, and above that Equestrian Empire
3, The Priest leading the Monastery, Salazar. Finds the crying earthie foal, his coat a dark blue with a dark orange tail. And the boy is taken in, to be raised by Salazar as his adopted son. His name was to be Aurucul and he was to be a Monk.
Repentance: A Last Hope Story
[5 Years after the boy is found]
[150 Years after Thy Kingdom Come]
“Oh Anu gweat an’ powewfuw, we sewbe 'ou!”
Nothing…
“Oh Anu gweat an’ powewfuw, we sewbe 'ou!”
Is that… hoofSteps?
“Oh Anu gweat an’ powewfuw, we-”
The Prayer room door suddenly opens, it breaking up the morning chants. We turn to look to see who it was, recognizing him instantly. Priest Salazar had entered, him a Pegasus with a aged light gray coat and brown hair, and wearing his usual long fine white and red clock. After a few seconds of silence he speaks to us, a smile growing across his face.
“Sawazaw has just been giben news fwom Dabidson, dey wan’ me at Gwand Pwiest awfwed’s confewence!”
Instantly the room erupts in cheers (Me of course included) and Salazar speaks again, raising the letter.
“Sawazaw am goin’ off to Motow, fwuffy nu can bewiebe it! Ebewyone feew fwee to go an’ hab bwekkies eawwy, dis am a time of cewebwation!”
The fellow Monks head out to the mess hall, with only me standing. Salazar comes up to me and gives a warm hug, I speak.
“Congwatuwations Daddeh, Motow wow! Bwin’ back a soubeniw fo’ Auwucuw wiww 'ou?”
Salazar laughs and speaks, looking over at the statue of Anu at the end of the room.
“Anu an’ dah gods has bwessed me son, dah Gwand Pwiest’s Confewence…”
Salazar looks in disbelief for a few moments before speaking again, him looking back at me.
“Am pwobabwy stawbin’ awen’t ‘ou, go fwuffy nee’ to stawt gettin’ fwuffy’s things weady!”
Salazar pats me on the back and I leave, heading towards the hall. (Relief pouring over me as I didn’t have to do those chants!)
In the small Mess Hall I go and grab a plate, sitting with the other Monks. As I begin eating, a Monk by the name of Tupu speaks, him one of the older members.
“Hey Auwucuw…”
“Yes?”
The Monk speaks, his tone getting meaner.
“Auwucuw why am it that ebah mownin’ when we do ouw chants, that ‘ou seem to onwy be muwmuwin’ dah wowds? What am goin’ on!?”
They noticed that… I am speechless for a few moments, than another Monk speaks.
“Oh I know why, Daddeh am dah Pwiest su can just hawfass it!”
The other Monk was going to speak again, than was interrupted. Jericho (Him a red coated unicorn with a black mane) one of the few Monks my age speaks, him also one of my only friends in the Monastery.
“Oh my god’s gib him a bweak! If dis am how owd age am den I hope to die young!”
The two Monks grumble and get up, moving away as Jericho sits beside me. He speaks.
“‘Ou goin’ to num that?”
Jericho points to my apple and I speak.
“Fo’ sabin’ fwuffy’s ass, suwe take it.”
Jericho grabs the apple and speaks, sounding a tad concerned.
“‘Ou know dey had a point Auwucuw… When we wewe doin’ out chants ‘ou seemed wathah disconnected, wackin’ confidence. Befowe 'ou wewe fine, what happened?”
I take a deep sigh and speak, telling Jericho what was troubling me for the whole month.
“When I was in dah wibwawy studyin’ up on Anuian wowe, I found something, a… Contwadiction. Pwophet Dabid said that Costa was dah goddess of aww 4 seasons, buh dewe buiwdin’ a tempwe of dah god Heimfaw, the god of Wintew. It doesn’t make sense, Auwucuw finds himsewf doubtin’ an’ I feew howwibwe!”
Jericho gave me a more serious look than I had ever seen. After a few moments he sighs and speaks, looking at me with pity.
“‘Ou nee’ to speak to am fathah dah pwiest, fwuffy wiww know what to make of dis discobewy. Nu doubt fwuffy’s fwend, 'ou am stwong!”
This answer doesn’t provide much relief, Jericho notices that I might be holding onto something else and speaks.
“I wecognize that face, what ewse am ‘ou hidin’ fwom fwuffy?”
I spill everything, no longer able to hide it.
“Auwucuw thinks fwuffy shouwd weabe dah Monastewy fo’ awhiwe!”
Jericho gives a quick response.
"What, why! "
I speak.
“I wibed in dis whowe pwace fwuffy’s entiwe wife, onwy weabin’ ebah twice, boff occasions wewe fo’ gettin’ nummies. Jewicho I wan’ to see dah wowwd, see dah pwaces I’be heawd about!”
Jericho gives an even worse sigh and speaks, getting up.
“Go see am Daddeh my fwend, I wiww gib an offewin’ fo’ dah gods su 'ou may hab wisdom.”
“Fanks…”
Going to the second level of the building I enter Father’s office, it being a humble setup with the only noticeable thing being a balcony at it’s end, where he was sitting. I go over to the balcony and sit next to him, Salazar looking at me silently as I do. He speaks once I am seated.
“'Ou wook twoubwed my son, what’s wwong?”
For the next few minutes I speak the same things I spoke about with Jericho. First it was about the contradiction, how it had caused doubt in me and caused me guilt. Than I went into how I wanted to leave the Monastery, for maybe just for a bit. Salazar was completely silent throughout the entire ordeal, him keeping a straight face. Once I finish I let out a sigh and finally Salazar speaks, him looking out to the road below.
“Wook Sawazaw undewstands what ‘ou am goin’ fwooh Auwucuw, I used to be doubtah as weww when fwuffy was am age. It wiww pass.”
I speak, this not answering anything.
“Buh what about dah contwadiction and-”
Salazar interrupts, his tone becoming the meanest I had ever heard.
“Am ‘ou twyin’ to get cuwsed by dah gods! Just bewiebe an’ nu think about it, am deawin’ wiff thin’ onwy dah gwand pwiest has authowity obew!”
Salazar takes a deep breath, than speaks again.
“Dis pwace am am home, dewe am nothin’ out dewe fo’ 'ou. In dah outside wowwd dewe am gweat ebiws, things to howwibwe to eben think about. An- Wook dewe!”
Salazar points down below and I go to see what he wanted me to see.
Down below the road was mostly empty except for one group. Going past us was a traders wagon, it having many goods and fine crafted items. And the people driving it where two puffy griffons, the driver being a larger older man with light yellow feathers and a yellow coat, and having a cheerful look. And the person sitting next to him was a younger female griffon with golden feathers and a brown coat (I’m guessing his daughter) With her reading something. Salazar speaks, sounding disgusted.
“Wook at them, not just dishonowabwe mewchants, buh awso sawnaians…”
Sarnaians? I didn’t know they had a name, barely knew anything at all about them. What where they about? Salazar speaks, answering my thoughts.
“'Ou know dey deny dah gods? Cwaim that we am dah ones deceibed when dewe am nu pwoof that theiw pwophet Phiwipwin ebah existed. Cuwse them Sawazaw says, may dey suffew!”
I speak, Salazar getting pretty loud at the end.
“Daddeh can go to jaiw fo’ sayin’ that!”
Salazar speaks in a condescending tone.
“Su what? We awen’t in Innah Chicago, Hitchbin was founded by fwuffies. We can say whatebah we wan’!”
Salazar after a moment speaks again, him having a commanding but light voice.
“Go an’ do am chowes, we wiww nebah speak of dis again.”
After that for most of the day I did as I was told. Spending it mostly dusting the many statues and figures around the place, or help washing our many black cloaks. While I worked I thought to myself about the conversation with Salazar and those two griffons. What was with this such deep hatred, they had done nothing to us? And the griffon girl… Even with just a glimpse of her, she had to be one of the prettiest women I had ever seen (And it’s not like I’ve seen that many women, this place being for only men of course) When the sun began to set I put away my cleaning equipment and began making it to the sleeping quarters. I was just about there when I realized that I still was wearing my pendant, a holy necklace only for the prayer room. Quickly running towards it I hoped nobody would see me (I’d be a laughingstock for the rest of the month!) And I was half way there, in the main hall when I stopped suddenly. Loud and extremely fast banging was coming from the front door, a faint voice also calling out. Quickly I go to open it, seeing the people infront of me.
Infront of me were the two puffies I had seen earlier, both of them looking as though they had seen death. The female Griffon speaks, the panic and desperation in her voice instantly apparent.
“PLEASE YOU NEED LET US INSIDE, THEY TRIED TO LYNCH MY FATHER! THERE STILL AFTER US!”
Looking I could see the rope mark around the older griffon’s neck, with the faint sound of a crowd not far behind. I speak, moving out of the way.
“Come inside, quick!”
They come in and lie down, me closing the door quickly as I see a giant crowd coming into sight. After a few seconds the female Griffon speaks.
“Thank you so much, those men… We should have never come here!”
After that the older griffon speaks.
“Are you willing to let us stay until morning, well pay you if-”
I speak.
“Nu nee’ fo’ payment, stay as wong as ‘ou nee’.”
I was just about to turn to go and get some food and medicine when I heard his voice. How could I forget he was leaving today, Salazar shouts out.
“WHAT AM DAH MEANIN’ OF DIS!”
Salazar begins walking forward, his face of both rage and disgust. He speaks with a hint of betrayal in his voice.
“Fiwst dah doubts, an’ nao ‘ou bwin’ these fiwthy cweatuwes on howy gwound! Nu, nu…”
I speak, standing firm in tone.
“Sawazaw these peopwe am in nee’ of ouw hewp. Dis mistah was awmost executed fo’ nu weason!”
Salazar speaks.
“Nu weason? what makes 'ou think dey awen’t wying, ow-”
The female griffon speaks, getting up and approaching Salazar.
“HOW DARE YOU! ME AND MY FATHER ARE MERE MERCHANTS, APPROACHED BY ILLITERATE DRUNKS INFLUENCED BY YOU! YOU CAUSED-”
Salazar having enough smacks the griffon across the face and speaks, me to late to stop him.
“Sawazaw has had enough of dis, 'OU AM GUIWTY!”
By the time Salazar finishes he pulls out a curved ritual knife, with my hearing hoofSteps coming towards us, it most likely the other monks. Salazar speaks one last time as he raises the blade.
“Sawazaw adbices to take youw punishment wiff what wittwe dignity 'ou hab.”
Seeing this I go to stop him, not looking for thinking about I was about to do. I fell down, completely dizzy. I wasn’t hurt and I didn’t hear any screaming, than as I arose I saw what I had done. Salazar was laying on the floor with the blade in his chest, blood spilling everywhere. The Hoofsteps where even closer now and I was in a complete state of shock. Salazar with the last bit of energy he had speaks, looking straight into my eyes.
“Why?”
Salazar goes limp and I speak, feeling like I was going to throw up at any moment.
“By dah gods, what hab Auwucuw done!”
After a few seconds the older griffon speaks grabbing my front left leg.
“Come on we need to go!”
Basically being carried we all exit the monastery building and get on the only wagon available, the wagon that was to be used by Salazar. Now at full speed we make it to the exit of the Monastery complex, me hearing a screaming voice coming from inside.
“SOMEBODY GET DAH GUAWD, SOMEONE KIWWED DAH PWIEST!”
Making a turn right we begin the journey out of Tark, probably out of HitchVin itself. And as I feel the shock beginning to ware off I do the first thing I can, scream at the top of my lungs. Fin
After 2 months and many failed attempts, I finally got something finished! I feel like Repentance is going to be something very special, both in it’s story and general style. More inward and character driven rather than fights and battles (Ironic with how this part ends…) Thank you for reading! And I hope to have the next part done in a few days to a week, with constructive criticism always appreciated. May you have a good day!