Chapter 187: Intervention
The trial dragged on for hours, a parade of priests, inquisitors, and nobles taking turns before the Pope and his Fathers. Many faces were familiar, but others were strangers, their voices blending into a chorus of accusation and condemnation. They shrieked, ranted, and raved, spouting falsehoods about my character and motivations, dredging up vague events from our adventures that I barely recalled. I knelt through it all, numb and staring blankly at the ground. Elise. Elise had... no, it couldn’t be true. She’d promised. But the thought gnawed at me. She was the only one who knew the truth of what transpired that fateful day when I traded my soul for hers. No one else could have witnessed the demon’s offer, and the chaos of battle had obscured any signs of my forbidden spell casting. Even the other students and demonkin had succumbed to unconsciousness, felled by the overwhelming force of the final curse that had ripped Elise apart. Had the inquisitor threatened her? Forced the truth out of her? It was certainly possible, but she was royalty, the fiancée of the Brithlite Kingdom’s heir. As I’d witnessed firsthand, the Brithlite Kingdom was the church’s staunchest supporter, second only to the Kingdom of Radia. Grand Inquisitor Korvin was ruthless, but would he truly go that far when their "trial" was already overflowing with fabricated evidence? He could have easily relied on circumstantial evidence to prove I cast the Mana Storm without needing a genuine witness. Could they not have manufactured one more lie if it came down to it? What was one more among the dozens they’d already hurled at me today? If they hadn’t coerced her, then it could only mean one thing, and my greatest fears were confirmed. Tears welled up in my eyes, slowly trailing down my cheeks. The inquisitor, currently delivering his fabricated testimony, smirked, thinking his lies had finally broken me. But I didn’t even notice him. If Elise no longer cared, then what was the point of it all? I bowed my head, hands clenching in my lap as anguish twisted my heart. Fate’s words echoed in my mind like a haunting prophecy. A night without stars, devoid of even a single light in the darkness. If only I had understood sooner, I could have prepared myself. Then maybe... maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much. The final priest stepped down from the stand, a proud grin plastered on his face as he glanced at his peers. Grand Inquisitor Korvin rose again, striding towards me until he loomed over me, drowning me in his shadow. His lips curled into a gentle smile that mocked my despair. "Our time grows short, but I believe you have heard enough," Elek declared, addressing the entire audience. "The results of our inquisition are clear: the Fate Hero has, beyond all doubt, betrayed Enusia. Her actions have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and have hastened the inevitable war with the demons beyond all reason. With this verdict, Holy One," he said, turning to the Pope, "we leave judgment in your hands."
He paced away, returning to his place on the side and folding his hands behind his back, grinning smugly. The Pope sighed, but a strong, deep voice pierced the air before he could open his mouth.
"I would say a few things," Elek said, unfolding his arms.
His wings rustled softly behind him as he strode forward, breaking through the circle and scattering priests in his wake. Despite the disruption, no one dared to protest or even scowl, bowing respectfully as they regained their balance. The Pope frowned slightly but ultimately relaxed and nodded, granting the arbiter permission to approach.
Elek slowly scanned the room, waiting until he had captured everyone’s attention. "I would remind this council of their duty to the world. Our goal is not only to purge evil, but to protect this world. Despite all accusations leveled against her, the Fate Hero has done more alone than any other hero in the preservation of this world. Two Demon Gates appeared simultaneously, something unprecedented at such an early stage in the realm of the Divine. She, supported by only a small contingent of three hundred soldiers, conquered an entire gate, including its commander, in a matter of hours. "You have spoken much of her motivations, but I ask you this: If she were aligned with the demons, what would have happened? None would have blamed her for retreating and allowing the gate to break, thus plunging this world into premature war. But she chose to stand her ground, at great personal cost. I have seen and judged this world’s heroes, and I can say with certainty that none others could have accomplished such a feat alone." He turned and fixed a sharp gaze on the Pope. "I have no say in your judgment, but I offer this warning: some powers are worth sacrificing a city for."
The Pope frowned, tapping his fingers on the jewel-encrusted arm of his chair. "Your words are too wise for one such as I to decipher, High Arbiter. What is this power you speak of?"
"Are you not curious," Elek asked, glancing at me, "how a single fourth-level mage stood against an entire gate when two seventh-level heroes failed?" His wings fluttered, and he rose into the air. "It is time for me to depart, servants of the Divine. I have been gone far too long. But I leave you with what my honor demands. Choose wisely."
Before anyone could protest, he raised his hand, and his soul blazed with ninth-level power. A large magic circle, identical to the one that had heralded his arrival, materialized on the Shard looming over the trial. With a final, melancholic smile in my direction, he vanished in a blur, streaking through the one-way portal, leaving Enusia, and me, behind.
The assembled priests and nobles exchanged glances, their whispers filling the air with a nervous hum. The Pope groaned, rubbing his temples with aged, wrinkled hands. The arbiter’s abrupt departure had caused a stir, but nothing compared to the unsettling implications of his final words. I shivered, hunching over as a wave of curious gazes washed over me. Their unspoken questions echoed in my mind, drowning out all other thoughts.