Damnation

Luca was an orphan who spent his whole life in the village.

He had no formal education, but due to a certain scholar retiring to the countryside, he was able to learn a few things about the world outside his rural setting and even learned how to write his name.

Perhaps it was heaven's reward for him being so diligent, or it was the scholar seeing something special in him, but he was recommended to the army of the Lord of the Land… becoming a soldier after spending over seventeen years as nothing but a commoner.

It had only been a few months since he became a soldier, and he could see the allure of the position. Life was certainly looking up for him, and he couldn't wait before he rose up in the ranks… eventually getting enough power to recommend a few of his friends in the village and help out as many people as he could in his family.

… He genuinely wanted to help them…

However—

"U-u…uwaaaahhhh!!!" Luca cried out, his tear-filled eyes watching a grotesque sight play out in front of him.

His fellow soldiers were dying—one after the other—in what could only be described as a festival of carnage. Blood lay strewn on the floor, entrails danced in the air, and the screams echoed all around.

It felt like hell on Earth, and Luca was caught in the middle of it.

~SPLOOSH!~

"P-please spare m—guarrghhh!"

~SQUISH!~

"N-no! I beg y—!"

~QUELCH!~

"I'll do anythi—!"

~WHAM!~

Luca powerlessly watched as grown men—the same men who, moments ago, had boasted all about the several battles they had fought and the other valiant deeds they had performed—became nothing but sniveling children who begged for mercy.

Mercy wasn't granted to them, though.

They were instead slaughtered in the most horrifying way… all by a single entity.

"M-monsterrr…" Luca whispered as he looked at the black-cloaked entity that stood amidst the carnage.

He had long black hair and glowing purple eyes. Despite blood flying all around him, none of the crimson liquid was stuck to his dark mantle and pale skin. His movement was graceful, like the whistling of the wind, and his methods of execution were flawless.

This man had no weapon, yet he so easily dispatched well-trained soldiers who had armor and drawn swords. Those who tried to fight barely lasted a second, and any who tried to escape were killed on the spot.

There was nowhere to run… and no way to hide.

Death came for them all.

"E-eek… keuuk…" Luca's weapon slipped out of his hand, clanging softly on the ground without the young man even noticing.

Before long, he found himself falling to his knees as well.

As he did so, the stench of blood became much stronger, and he inhaled huge amounts of the putrid odor. He felt like throwing up, but held it in for reasons he wasn't even sure of. At that point, a severed head rolled towards him. 

It… it belonged to a soldier he knew quite well.

"Mister H-hans…" Memories of his time with the older man, who showed him the ropes when he was still a newcomer, and who guided him on the ethics of a Lord's soldier.

He had even taught him a few moves and served as his mentor.

… A father he never had.

"Bluerghh…" 

Luca couldn't hold in his vomit any longer, pouring out the vile contents on the face of the man who he respected more than anyone in the world.

'N-no… no… Mister… Mi-mister Hans…'

As his bulging eyes leaked out tears and he scrambled to find coherent thoughts in his disoriented mind, he felt a shadow creep up on him.

"E-ehh…?" Completely terrified of what he would see, Luca kept his gaze down.

He had no choice but to look at the face of Mister Hans, whose dismembered head had now been decorated with his vomit. The sour smell of his own puke wafted into his nostrils, and he could still feel the bitter aftertaste in his mouth.

It felt disgusting.

He felt so miserable that he wanted all of it to end.

But… but…

"I-I don't want to die!!!" Luca cried out, his eyes streaming hot tears as he slowly raised his head to beg for mercy from the arbiter of death.

A part of him already knew this was all hopeless. In a few more seconds, he would experience the end and find himself reunited with his fallen comrades. 

However, hope still remained in a small corner within his heart.

Hope… that at least he alone could be spared.

"Answer my questions and I'll consider sparing your life." The words of the pale man echoed in the air, causing the small fragment of hope to double in size.

This was it!

If he answered correctly, there was a chance that he wouldn't die!

At that moment, Luca forgot all about the teachings of Mister Hans regarding the dignity of a soldier, as well as the hatred he felt towards this monster who killed his comrades.

Only survival registered in his mind.

"I-I will answer anything, Sir! Please just spare my life!" He cried out, saliva spurting out of his flapping lips as mucus flowed down his nostrils.

Luca was well aware of how pathetic he appeared at that moment, but he desperately wanted to live. He would do anything to that effect.

"Do you know about World War 3?" 

"W-world wha—?" Luca was confused, his eyes blankly staring at the man before him.

"I see. So you don't even know about the World Wars…" The pale man muttered. "Then, what about the Pope? You have a Pope here, right?"

"Y-yes! Yes sir! We have a—"

"What is his name?"

Luca didn't know why this man was asking such a question. This was a well-known fact in the world, and Luca nearly found himself lucky for having to answer such a simple question.

"Pope Innocent III… he is the Pope."

"Hm. Innocent, huh? That's definitely someone I heard about… and his tenure was also before the Bubonic Plague, right?"

Luca remained still as he watched the man rub his chin and talk to himself.

He didn't even dare breathe in his presence, waiting for the favorable response that would come after the questions had been answered.

"Hm. This confirms it… I'm in the Middle Ages." He muttered. "I think Lili mentioned something about the Dark Ages too…"

'Lili? The Witch Lili?' As Luca heard that name, he felt a slight chill down his spine. 'Is she also related to the Heresy Cult? Is she his backer?'

There was no one in this territory who didn't know about the Witch called Lili.

She was said to be very well-versed in Spells, and even Knights did well to take note of her existence. If Lili was involved with such a man, and he referred to her so casually, that meant they were at least on equal footing.

Or maybe… he was even her superior?!

'God… God in heaven, please let me be spared!' Luca desperately prayed. 'I will devote my whole life in service to you if I am saved here.'

"Well, my curiosity has been satisfied with your answers…"

As soon as he heard this, Luca felt his heartbeat spike up and a small smile forming on his face.

"As promised… I will consider sparing your life."

'T-then—!' His eyes widened as he stared at the pale figure before him. 'Does that mean… I'm saved?'

A huge wave of relief washed through his consciousness, and for some unknown reason he even felt grateful towards the man who was no doubt a heretic.

"After careful consideration, I have determined that it's still too dangerous to let you go, even though I am grateful for the information you have rendered here."

'N-no… please no!' Luca felt tears now flowing down his eyes. 

Deep down, he must have always known that this would be the way things would end. There was no way such a man with overwhelming power would honor such a flimsy deal and spare his life.

Luca knew too well that neither he nor any soldier—including the respected Mister Hans—would spare a life if they were in his oppressor's situation.

Still… still he wanted to live!

"I will now give you two options, so listen very carefully…" The pale man's words caused Luca's blurry vision to regain focus.

He could see the piercing gaze of the man's purple irises and his stern facade.

"Die here with the rest of your comrades… or take my hand and join my side as a Heretic." 

As soon as he heard those words, Luca's heart nearly stopped.

What he was being asked was to forfeit the eternal life that awaited him in heaven if he perished now for the temporary life on Earth that would surely lead to eternal damnation.

How was that really a choice?

Was he really going to turn his back against the teachings of the Church, the mentorship of Mister Hans, and the memories of his comrades… all for an abominable life in a Cult?

"Make your choice." The pale man stretched out his hand as he spoke. "What is it going to be?"

Luca grit his teeth and dried his tears.

His mind had already been made long before he saw the outstretched hand. 

"I therefore pledge my life to the Heresy Cult… and put my undying faith in the Lord Of The Dead." He spoke, raising his trembling hand to touch the pale one that belonged to his oppressor and savior.

No matter what… he was determined to live.

"All praise be to Lord Mors."