Chapter 208: Held heaven in my arms
I take a slow, steady breath, the scent of damp earth and fresh grass doing little to calm the unease curling in my gut. Bishop Grace stands before me, her presence as unyielding as the massive tree at the center of the sacred grounds. The sunlight filters through its branches, casting dappled shadows over us, but I feel no comfort in its embrace.
"The audacity of you to show up, Thorne." Her voice is sharp, each word a precise cut.
I stop mid-step, my body tensing instinctively. I’ve faced warlords, kings, and entire armies without blinking, but this—this moment, standing before the high priestess of Elaris—this makes me nervous. Not because I fear her, but because I know exactly what I have done. And Elaris, the goddess of life, does not take kindly to men like me.
Still, I attempt to soften the weight of my sins with a half-hearted offering. "I’m personally helping rebuild the church out of my own funds." My voice lacks conviction, as if I already know how poorly that excuse will be received.
"Is that supposed to help?" she replies, unamused, her piercing gaze locking onto me.
I say nothing. What can I say? I lower myself to the ground, sitting cross-legged on the grass, surrendering to the weight of her judgment. The Church of Elaris is unlike the grand cathedrals of the Church of Light. It is open, built around nature itself, its stone pathways winding through the trees, the structures standing in silent reverence around the mighty heartwood in the center. The faithful say that if you listen closely, the trees whispers to those who will inherit its wisdom. I have never heard anything but silence.
She sighs, finally breaking the stillness between us. "Thorne, you may not realize this, but the chains of karma have bound you. Tightly. There are thousands upon thousands of them."
I shift, uncomfortable with her words, though they are nothing I haven’t already known.
"It might have been different had you followed another deity," she continues, her voice softer but no less severe. "But the Mother loves all life, and in your anger, you reaped and ruined the lives of millions. Do you think such things go unseen? Unanswered?"