Shattering Humanity-Chapter 441: The Proper Definition Of Decimation

"The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to the canons themselves, nothing should be imposed on the dying.

Therefore the Holy Spirit through the pope is kind to us insofar as the pope in his decrees always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.

Those priests act ignorantly and wickedly who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penalties for purgatory.

Those tares of changing the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory were evidently sown while the bishops slept (Mt 13:25).

In former times canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.

The dying are freed by death from all penalties, are already dead as far as the canon laws are concerned, and have a right to be released from them." -Martin Luther Theses 8-13

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{Darkness}

Woman’s Voice: "Thank you for reading to Isfet, babe.

She’s very timid and quiet, but she also tries to be as independent as possible, or ’out of the way’ as she claims.

She’s becoming more fluent in braille by the day. Someday, she’ll be able to read for herself and won’t need us anymore."

There is a long pause in the darkness before the echoes from the ambiguously known, bright red haired older sister to Isfet, and Esau’s wife, Edom, fade into the darkness.

Edom’s Voice: "Theeeen maaaybe, when she no longer needs us, we can fill that vacant void with a baby of our own?

Teehaha!"

...

[1 Hour Before Vinland’s Beach Invasion]

{Inside MamMon’s Forest}

SeiõrSnow continues to fall from the early morning skies above the equally as mind boggling, magically overgrown forest. From the center opening that gives the only clear view of the sky underneath the darkening cover of leaves singing birds undeterred by the condition of the new world tweet and whistle.

The morning dew on the fresh grass creates a distinct scent throughout the entire forest, it can only be appreciated by those who attentively notice it’s presence.

Sleeping in his spot underneath a tree that is part of the center opening’s circumference, is the indurated Unchosen Yin Vessel, Easu.

The misfortunate man’s human left green eye and right IceEye open slowly.

The top heavy, muscular man takes a deep inhale of the fresh air and exhales with a bit of a melancholy tone.

Suddenly, a low snore/growl makes the muscle man immediately remember who’s fur his left arm is warmly laying upon.

Curled around the humongous tree they both fell asleep under, the beast brought to reality by MamMon DæMon, is the mythical wolf, Garmr.

Surprising the human who was well aware of Seiõr before the apocalypse, is the extreme growth of the furry "dog" overnight.

Last seen, the unchainable monster was considerably larger than any normal wild male wolf, but now, after a nights rest and the welcoming companionship from Esau, Garmr is three times the size then he was from the night before.

Feeling the waking human’s movements, Garmr’s shining yellow eyes release a misty, matching colored aura from his exposed irises. The scars across both his eyes still visible through the fur of the wolf who represents the culmination of himself, manifested by humans throughout time.

MamMon DæMon: "From Mindscape to reality..."

Both Esau and his new four legged companion raise their gazes up at the overlooking DæMon. The Scandinavian witch is staring down at the two cursed beings with her own pair of piercing blue eyes. Just like Garmr’s, a matching blue aura permeating from her irises.

MamMon DæMon: "...Something once perceived as ’fictional’ only grows stronger, from the passion and attention given to it by those of us in the real world."

Now accustomed to the surprise visits from the woman he’s obligated to work with, Esau quickly relaxes and takes his eyes of her. Taking the time to appreciate the softness of Garmr’s fur, the gravelly voice of the loner tries to understand more about this situation he had woken up to.

Esau: "Are you saying he’s like this, because of me?"

Checking her green painted nails for any chippings or damages, MamMon slightly undermines the assumption.

MamMon DæMon: "Well that, and the fact he also grows in both the sun’s light and heat.

The fact you’ve only seen him under the forest shading and at night, not to mention him never being touched by human hands, means he has been at his smallest and weakest up to this point."

Both stubborn creatures, now knowing better than to not mess around, or challenge their authority, listen to her without making eye contact.

MamMon DæMon: "Now, with all cynosures aside, I will need the both of you today to provide me with your proclivities towards stealth hunting within this environment.

Since the two of you have been effective already on your own, it should be no problem for the two of you working together."

Visibly irritated from being given more orders, grimacing Esau’s right hand grips the grass by his side and he tosses it before responding.

Esau: "I’ve already had to hunt down those kids you sent back and forth through here.

When can I see my wife again?"

Knowing her underling’s feelings towards continuing to help her, the threatening aura from MamMon’s eyes cease to flow.

MamMon DæMon: "In a few hours there will be a large group of normal, unacknowledged human soldiers roaming around these parts..."

The Queen of Erinyes territory jumps down from her perch and her audience of two watches her fall the from the 5 yard drop.

Just before the bottom of her heeled shoes touch the grass, she magically stops her momentum. Bobbing midair, her long black cloak barely hangs over the dew covered grass.

MamMon DæMon: "...Their entire military personnel believes we have scourged the city that was once here, and assume we are hiding some sort of weaponry under the cover of the tress."

She looks up through the circular opening to the forest made from her own Seiõr.

A flock of birds soar by as she gives the game plan to maybe her two strongest physical assets.

MamMon DæMon: "Obviously, the both of you have proven yourselves worthy enough to take care of them all, but that is not what I need from the two of you..."

Her gorgeous eyes move towards the now fully awake Garmr. The intimidating beast’s dark blue glare makes the mythical wolf produces a low, toothless growl back at her. Knowing only half her power is more than enough to take on the two, confidently MamMon goes on.

MamMon DæMon: "...Do you know the definition of ’decimation’, dear unfortunate Esau?"

After having his one and only question dodged, the man fully checks out. He clearly does not care about MamMon’s motive and folds his arms, looking away from her.

Esau: "Total destruction?

I don’t know..."

Being able to read simple body language, the DæMon woman realizes she has lost her audience, and gets to the point.

MamMon DæMon: "Close. That is the colloquial definition yes.

The true protocol of the military action is more carefully formulated and involves the execution to 10% of a defying group’s total number of soldiers..."

Still uninterested in her lecture on ancient war history, Esau reaches for his small, unstrapped satchel.

MamMon DæMon: "...Being able to thwart a coup and randomly calculate their group’s extermination immediately decreases the soldiers morality for any resistance towards our authority."

Quickly spotting his treasured lock of pure red hair amongst the other contents inside Esau grips the sentimental memory.

He holds the lock of hair close to his chest and closes his eyes, seemingly in prayer, while MamMon keeps silent in respect for the entire moment.

Once he reopens his ocular sensors, Esau talks to MamMon without looking away from his bright, all red treasure.

Esau: "How am I supposed to know how many is 10%?

I don’t have Nye-omnipotency like you or Laban and I don’t know if you have any idea on professional military protocol, but those guys don’t just ’give up’."

MamMon DæMon: "31."

Surprised by the immediate answer, confused Esau’s eyebrows raise.

MamMon DæMon: "100 soldiers will file north of the outskirts and another to the south, but about 100 men will come through the darkness to search for the weapons they suspect are here.

If you two manage to take out 31 of the total unit that passes through here, I will let you talk to your wive again.

I swear on my life as a DæMon."

The skeptical stare from Esau is met with an assuring smile back towards him.

{4.5 Hours Later}

[MamMon’s Forest]

A heavily breathing Vinland soldier with a semi-auto rifle is alone and running through the dark forest.

Echoing gunfire is followed by horrifying shouting and pleading for their life.

Unsure where their ambush is attacking from the solo scared soldier fires blindly up into the branches. After realizing he’s hit nothing the panicking warrior keeps heading South.

Seeing the turned back of another soldier firing upward, the man runs towards his ally but is immediately stopped by the sight of his comrade being pounced on by a humongous wolf-like monster and bitten in half with one gigantic chomp.

Knees shaking and the expression of pure defeat in his eyes, the shaking soldier raises his guns sights and tries to aim at the chewing beast.

Unfortunately for him there is a tap on his shoulder and quickly turning to his right, the man sees Esau’s blood smeared face.

The terrifying man has his IceEye active, a sad purple/blue aura expelled.

Unsure of what is going on, the soldier holds up his shaking weapon and points the gun barrel at the human with an IceEye.

Using the attraction ability of his alien symbiote, before the soldier can fire, it is yanked from him and floats to Esau.

Esau: "32..."

The fear struck soldier can’t move. Now disarmed and staring death in the face, he can’t help but flinch as soon as Esau swings the butt of his own rifle to knock the intruding soldier unconscious. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Before drifting off, the blacking out man can hear the approaching footsteps of Garmr.

...

Slowly waking up, just outside the treeline of the forest, the same soldier becomes quickly alert of his situation and spots his gun just a few feet from him.

He scurries over to it and grabs it looking around, but nobody is in sight.

It isn’t until the sight of his fellow soldiers who went around the forest perimeter see him that the man realizes he had been spared from death, unlike the other 31 victims of his unit.