Chapter 52 : Internal Struggle
The chapel was whitewashed and immaculate—an imposing structure that stood at the very heart of town like a beacon of order and divine scrutiny. Morning light streamed through its tall stained-glass windows, painting the floor in halos of crimson, gold, and pale blue. The benches were packed with townsfolk in ceremonial robes, all whispering with nervous energy. The Church's "Purification Ritual" was rare. Mandatory attendance was rarer still.
Elias tugged nervously at his collar, adjusting the formal white shirt he hadn't worn since... well, since funerals were more common in his life. Beside him, Rhea sat in stiff silence. She wore a modest brown dress—a church-issued garment meant to strip away "pride and magical taint." It barely reached her knees. Her legs swung from the bench, unable to reach the floor. She didn't fidget. She didn't look around.
That alone unsettled Elias more than the militant Inquisitors flanking the altar.
"Do I smell like incense or shame?" Elias muttered under his breath.
Rhea blinked up at him. "Both."
"Okay, good, we're still functioning on sarcasm. That's a win."
She didn't smile.
He didn't push further.
The air grew heavy as the Grand Inquisitor stepped forward. White hair. Gold-trimmed robes. A face so severe it could probably stop time if it disapproved of it enough.
"Today," the Grand Inquisitor announced, "we seek to cleanse our town of lingering corruption. Demonic residue, soul rot, blood taint. These evils do not always appear visible to the eye. But they can be felt. Burned away. Stripped like tarnish from silver."
His gaze swept the crowd—and lingered, if only for a second, on the small girl seated beside Elias.