The Cathedral -- winner

King Darvy stood looking from the top of a high tower. He gazed at an old cathedral as tension tightened in his chest. One of his sage’s came behind him. “Is all well sire?”

“That cursed cathedral. I would tear it down but no person will go near it,” the king mused. “The closest anyone will get is the mines.”

“We have good reason not to venture near its threshold. I know how much it pains you that queen Ithia, entered it and never came out. Whatever dwells in there does not let people leave it. Only evil and badness dwells there,” said the sage.

“If there was only a way to save all the people who have dared to go inside it and never returned.”

“Indeed Sire.”

King Darvy turned and walked down a spiraling staircase. He reached the bottom, where the main hall was. He was met by his young son Prince Rezen. “Father, will you take me to the mines when the treasurers go to get the gold?”

“Why?”

Rezen smiled with a bounce. “I just wish to see the mines. Everyone says it’s very wonderful.”

Darvy was silent for a moment. “On one condition: stay right by my side. I’ll go with you. Do you understand?”

Rezen nodded with glistening eyes.

Four days later Darvy and Rezen, sat in one of the wagons headed for the mines. Rezen was squirming. Soon they arrived.

“How awesome!” said Rezen as he walked by Darvy’s side into the cave as he held a torch.

Then the head overseer saw the king and approached him. “Welcome my Lord. What bring you here?”

“Our young prince wanted to see the gold mines’” said the king.

“Ah, well it is a sight to see indeed.” The overseer looked at Rezen. “So how do you like it?”

“It’s so amazing!”

“Come, I’ll give you a tour,” he said again to Rezen.

Soon they came to a large precipice where people were hanging from ropes, hacking at the walls with pick axes. Then a man with a wagon of gold walked near the edge of the crevice and suddenly the edge crumbled away. The man teetered over and grabbed the cliff with both hands.

“Help me!”

Immediately, everyone close including the king went to the dangling man’s aid. His left hand lost its grip.

“Hold on!” yelled the king.

Slowly he was pulled up, inch by inch until he was on level ground.

“Thank you Lord,” he said breathing heavily.

“I just glad you’re safe,” the king replied. “I think it is time to be going. Son we have to leave now…”

The kings’ heart dropped as his son was nowhere to be seen. “Where is Rezen?!”

“He must have gone back. The cave is bordered by the crevice.”

The king spun and dashed out just in time to see Prince Rezen enter the cursed cathedral. “No son! NO!”

The guard captain came to the king and caught him by his robe. “Let me go in with some other guards. The kingdom cannot lose you both.”

“Then go now!”

The captain took six men in with him. They all took torches in. The inside was old and dusty with torn fading paintings of men who must-have been clergy of some kind. Statues of angels that had broken of arms filled a hall. The ceiling was cracked.

“This place vexes my heart,” said a guard.

“Indeed. We will see with our own eyes what evil have stolen so many lives.”

Soon they came to a tall iron door. It was open enough just enough for a person to squeeze through. One by one they slipped in.

“This must be the main chamber. I would have expected some evil spirit or ferocious beast to have taken us by now.”

Suddenly a bright light appeared in the room. The light abated somewhat so that they all saw a marvelous angel with stork’s wings. “Welcome. You stand on holy ground. This is a dwelling place of God. All those brave enough to come here are offered to leave their lives to inhabit heaven. Behold!”

Instantly, they were in a city filled with men and angels traversing on golden streets past shining buildings. The sensation and sight was beyond describing fully.

The angel spoke. “Do you wish to stay here or return to earth?”

All the guards fell to their knees in tears it was so beautiful. Their hearts throbbed with joy.

“All this time we thought this place was evil when it was the most wonderful thing imaginable,” said the captain. He opened his mouth then paused. “Please for the sake of our king, return his son.”

“He must choose for himself. Rezen, come.”

The little prince stood in the midst and the angel addressed him. “Do you wish to go to your father?”

The captain kneeled down to Rezen. “I know you may want to stay here, but your father loves you and misses you.”

Rezen looked down then at the angel. “I miss him. Can’t he come here?”

The captain shook his head. “He has a kingdom to rule.”

“Will you stay here?” asked Rezen.

The guard looked around him than at the prince. “I can be replaced. You and your father are needed.”

“Rezen shed a tear. “I do miss him. Okay, I’ll go back.”

The angel smiled. “If it is your choice you can go. But you will have no memory of this place or that these seven men have decided to stay in heaven.”

Suddenly Prince Rezen found himself walking out of the cathedral. Then his father ran to him and picked him up. “My son! What happened to you?”

“I don’t remember.”

“I’m just glad your back. What happened to the guards?” Darvy asked.

“I don’t remember any guards.”

“From now on I decree none are to enter into the cathedral. Let’s leave this place.”

And so the truth of the feared cathedral would keep remaining a mystery from that time on.