Succumb to Evil

The saintess was a person of great importance in the history of the north. Fifty years ago, she was able to save the three nations from the ambush of the undead. The saint, who was only 18 at that time, sacrificed her life to save many. Her bravery was acknowledged—commemorated by the people of the north.

That was what Lumi thought.

Until now.

With trembling from the forced exertion of divinity, the wobbling priestess ambled to the image of the corpse that was wrapped with thick chains shrouded with corrupted mana.

The corpse was already decayed, with only bones and mummified flesh remaining; however, the body was taxidermized enough to be recognized. Long, blond hair and a familiar face akin to the illustration from the book fell downwards as the blackened skull of the saintess dangled.

Worn by the corpse was a tattered dirty white dress laced with embroidered gold. In its entwined hands held an orb that emanated pitch-black smoke and a purple hue that pressed on top of the body's ribcage.

The body was inside a coverless casket floating on the platform—which was wrapped with thick, four large chains that were anchored heavily between two pillars.

The place strangely resembled an underground city—ruins of deserted edifices below the platform could be seen, with its architecture having no semblance to the Aclarian buildings aboveground.

Were these the remnants of a different nation buried deep into the ground?

As Lumi strode forward to the saint, she was able to feel it—

The force of malice surrounding the body of a person once holy.

"How… how could this be?"

How could the saintess be in this state?

'No, in the first place, why is the saintess in a place like this?' Lumi thought.

As Lumi took another step, she was stopped by Siegren who hauled her back by the arm.

"The numen of the fallen god could corrupt you," Siegren said. "Stop."

Lumi stared at Siegren, then at the chained saint. A purple hue still emanated from the corpse; indicating the sign of prolonged, corrupted mana.

There was no longer any trace of divinity in her body—nor a sign of any holiness left just like the books described.

"How could this happen…" Lumi clenched her fist. "How could the temple let this happen?"

Were they experimenting with the saint? What are they trying to achieve by doing this?

"If this is her reward for saving three nations, then…!" Lumi felt her blood boil; enraged, she gritted her teeth as she clenched her fist to stop bursting into a fit of anger.

"Emotions"—said Siegren, feeling her tensed muscles as she trembled with fury— "Like rage and hatred, are fueled by the malevolence around you."

Lumi stopped, slowly looking upwards at him.

"Malevolence causes you to lose rationality," he said.

"It will force you to do the unthinkable," he said, as if to say from experience. "Before you know it, you're succumbing to evil."

Lumi yanked her arm away from Siegren. "You're mistaking something. I'm not being corrupted."

"That thing— that must be the numen of the fallen god," said Lumi. "And the saint… she's filled with corrupted mana."

"…and mana corruption can only be healed by divinity."

Maybe, it was pity.

Or sympathy,

—or maybe, it was both.

Ever since she was a child, Lumi had to undergo multiple experiments in order to exceed what was considered the limits of divine power.

To replicate and surpass the saintess, the catalyst was born. From all the stories she had heard about Saint Chloe Hibton, she only felt as if the only purest human to have ever lived was her.

"I have to purify the saintess, Siegren," Lumi exclaimed. "I know I'm not speaking from impulse. If my decisions are influenced by malevolence, then so be it."

She began walking towards the corrupted saintess.

And Siegren watched.

**

'The first lesson I will teach you is to embrace malice as your own, and to acknowledge the emotions that it brings upon you.'

'Control malice. Use it as strength.'

Siegren's grey eyes followed the small girl marching towards the corpse as he remembers the words of a certain person that were engraved in his mind.

If controlling malice is possible, was purifying a corrupted corpse as well?

As Lumi reached the saintess' body, she felt the force of malevolence emanating to corrupt her. She felt out of breath from the nauseous feeling it gave. She looked upwards. The numen of the fallen god was at her arm's reach.

She then turned around, seeing Siegren simply watching her.

Her lips formed a thin line as she stared at the man who she had considered a lunatic.

A person who had saved her countless times.

Suddenly, a wave of emotion she had never felt in her life rendered her motionless.

"Siegren," she said. "You'll die the moment you touch the numen."

She had to tell him this, at least.

"You're a mortal. A human. No living human could survive upon contact with the numen of the fallen god, no matter how strong or evil they are."

That is just the natural rule of this world. Mortals cannot transcend the gods. That is the limit set by the goddess.

"If it's power you want, then it's all useless," Lumi explained. "You'll die, Siegren."

She vowed not to care. But at this rate, he might be walking to his own doom.

"Purify the saintess," he retorted. "And I'll get the numen."

It was clear for Lumi. Siegren was already determined—no words could reach him now.

And it wasn't her problem anymore.

As Lumi reached for the saintess, she gathered all divine power she could use in the palm of her hands. Gently, she draped her fingers on the cheek of the corpse.

"Rest, Saintess." She whispered. "Your job is already done."

The corpse's eyes opened.

Lumi froze.

Enraged demonic red eyes looked back at her. The corpse's mouth then gaped open.

A deafening scream reverberated into the entirety of the space. The shriek was loud enough to abruptly cause a swarm of moths from the ruined edifices to fly to the platform. Lumi immediately backed away as the corpse's bones began to crack; its limbs twitching into irregular places.

The platform began to shake.

"Saintess…?"

Chains rattled from the vibration caused by the sudden upheaval. The place then started to disintegrate, crumbling as the corrupted saintess awakened. Purple mist grew stronger—malevolence powerful enough to summon monsters from the abyss.

Siegren pulled Lumi away from the Saintess as a large debris from a corroded concrete fell in front of her. She let herself be dragged as Siegren sought to find refuge.

Lumi's blue eyes darted to Siegren, whose endeavor did not change.

"I told you," He said, looking at her with his lifeless, grey eyes.

"Malevolence will only force you to do the unthinkable,"

"And before you know it… you're succumbing to evil."