Chapter 150: Black Death! (2)

"Stephen, our boy is dying!"

Inside a modest home in Romana, a woman's desperate cries echoed through the room, mixed with the sound of her coughing. She was frail, as if a gust of wind could topple her, yet her eyes never left the three children lying unconscious on the ground.

A man with a sharp nose, equally weakened, glanced feebly at his wife and their children. He opened his mouth to speak but was quickly seized by a violent cough, forcing him into silence.

The woman, who showed only slightly less severe symptoms, suddenly collapsed to her knees. She hastily made the sign of the cross on her chest and began to pray:

"Great Lord, please shine your glory upon us and forgive our sins. Amen..."

But her fervent prayers were met with only silence, no divine response. Instead, a loud banging shook the door.

The woman froze, startled by the sound. Fear gripped her heart. Lately, many had been burned at the stake under accusations linked to the relentless spread of death. Could it be her family's turn now?

Yet, before she could act, a voice came from the other side of the door.

"Stephen, it's me—Henry. I've found someone who can save us. He is a true god, a god who truly pities us! He is our savior!"

The words hung in the air for a moment. The woman's eyes widened as she rushed to the door and opened it.

It was indeed Henry—the homeless man who had wandered the streets. Her husband had once offered him food, and ever since, Henry had been grateful to their family.

"My God, Henry! Are you healed? Is this some kind of miracle?"

Henry nodded, his expression solemn. 

"Yes, Mrs. Curry, but this miracle doesn't come from the Holy See's god. No, this god is different. He walks among us, and He truly loves us—He saves those like us who suffer!"

The woman clutched her mouth in shock. "Henry, you've taken faith? You no longer walk the path of unbelief? But I... I can't accept words that slander the Holy See's god..."

Before she could finish, Henry's kind eyes turned cold and severe. The woman recognized the look—it was the same cold indifference the Holy See's officials had when dealing with heretics.

Henry's voice hardened. "The Great God, the loving Father, walks among us, healing all who are plagued by this sickness. He has decreed that all who suffer from this disease are His people, and they can come to Him to be cleansed, to be free from pain!"

He took a step closer. "I came here out of respect for my connection to Stephen. But if you still cling to that wretched god of the Holy See, thinking that painting a cross will ease your pain, go ahead! I won't bother informing anyone else."

With that, Henry turned sharply and left, closing the door behind him.

The woman stood motionless, looking back at her husband and children, writhing in their suffering. She hesitated for no more than a few seconds before abandoning her former beliefs.

"Stephen, my childs... Let's go. Let's see if there truly is a god who will take pity on us."

The news spread like wildfire through Florence: there was a god in the city who could rid them of the plague.

Countless families, crippled by the Black Death, ignored the Holy See's decrees. They poured out from their homes, gathering in the streets, driven by hope.

And finally, they saw Him—their god.

He was not particularly large or imposing, but his presence was undeniable. He stood tall, straight-backed. His face and hair did not match the traditional Western image of divinity, yet there was an ineffable allure about him.

Even Henry, now serving as a preacher of sorts, shouted warnings that the divine figure could not be gazed upon directly. Despite this, the man cloaked in dark green made no move to rebuke or punish.

One by one, those afflicted with the disease came forward. And with a gentle touch from the figure, their illnesses vanished in an instant.

"A miracle, it's a true miracle!" shouted the crowd.

"Great Lord, thank you for not abandoning your most devoted follower!" others cried.

But then, dissenting voices rose up. 

"Fools! Why use the Holy See's rituals when you stand before the true God? This is blasphemy!"

"Great Lord, show your unworthy followers how best to worship your supremacy and greatness!" the masses pleaded.

But this joyous scene was short-lived.

A sudden cry pierced the air: "The Knights of the Holy See are here!"

Even amidst the plague, the Holy See still wielded absolute authority—though its grip had weakened to near breaking point.

"Someone has reported heresy here! Those not involved, clear the way!" the knights barked, pushing through the crowd. 

Some people stepped aside; others defiantly stood their ground. The tension between faith and secular rule was palpable.

Then, unexpectedly, the dark figure emerged from the crowd.

"Among you, it seems some have dared to harass my people," He said, his voice calm.

"Heretic!" snarled the leader of the knight group, his eyes burning with hatred. Without warning, he lunged forward, his sword aimed directly at the figure.

The sword struck with a sickening sound.

A gasp rippled through the crowd.

But it was the spectators who truly cried out—for blasphemy against a god they now believed in.

"Damn you Holy See! How dare they strike the true God!" shouted Henry, hurling a stone at the knight. It bounced harmlessly off the armor, but the message was clear.

The godly figure, however, looked down at the sword impaled in His body, seemingly unfazed. Slowly, He reached out, His hand resting on the knight's trembling form.

"May you be at peace, my child," He whispered.

The knight froze, feeling the disease within him dissipate at a shocking speed. The very sickness that had gripped his body melted away, and he stood there, stunned. 

The sword fell from his hand.

The crowd stood in stunned silence. The figure, unaffected, moved toward the other knights, extending His hand to them as well. They, too, felt the miracle.

In that moment, the entire square fell to their knees, reverence and awe filling their hearts.

Even the knights, once armored and hostile, now knelt before Him.

For now, they had truly seen it—the true God walking among them!