Aftermath

Opening my eyes, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. Soltair sat slumped in a chair against the wall, hands folded together like he were praying. I took a breath and immediately winced as pain coursed through me, starting at my lungs and spreading outward. Fortunately, it wasn't the overwhelming punishment of the slave Crest, but a product of the countless small burns and other injuries inflicting my flesh. I stumbled out of bed, walking on shaky legs to a nearby mirror.

I wore a soft white gown, no doubt replacing the rags that had been ripped to shreds in the fight with the priests. I was torn and bruised all over, but most of the injuries were half-healed already. The grime and blood were washed from my skin, making me glance at Soltair suspiciously. There was no way, right? Yeah, it had definitely been a maid. For sure.

I frowned as I caught a glimpse of a particularly red area peaking above the neckline of my dress. Pulling the fabric down, I gasped and I gingerly touched the blistered skin surrounding the Slave Crest. They ached horribly, and were responsible for the pain I felt every time I took a breath. I quickly recalled the red jolts of magic which erupted from the slave crest during the worst of the punishment. Most of the pain had simply been stimulation of the nerves and mind, but it seems that changed when the magic intensified.

Fortunately, the worst of my injuries were gone, including the internal injuries caused by the priest's beating. Anything left over was surface damage, caused by the holy light. I doubted it was a coincidence the unhealed damage was all visual.

Soltair stirred, his eyes opening to slits. After a second, he jumped out of the chair, breathing erratically, and rushed over. "Xiviyah!" he cried. His eyes were red from lack of sleep, his clothes a wrinkled mess.

I gasped in pain as he swept me up in a hug. "Soltair, please," I said, trying my best not to aggravate the slave crest's wounds. I returned his hug regardless, grateful for the warmth and comfort I always felt in his arms.

"Oh, sorry," he said, quickly loosening his hold.

His worry was touching, but I didn't have the heart to so much as smile. As he looked me in the eyes, I couldn't help but reflect on the fires of the nightmares, in which his face so often existed.

"What happened?" I asked, sitting back on the bed. It felt like I was just waking up on the Divine Throne for the first time all over again. At least this time Soltair was here to greet me, instead of that old, prickly priestess.

His face fell at my question, causing my heart to sink a bit. "It's not good, but don't worry about anything. I'll take care of it all."

"Are they alright?" I whispered. Please, don't let them-

He sat beside me, taking my hand in his. "It wasn't your fault. The divinations were very clear on what happened, showing you just defended yourself."

My hand flew to my mouth, "Did they… save everyone?"

His hesitation was a clearer answer than any words he could speak. Tears gathered in my eyes, trailing down my cheeks as the weight of the priest's death rested on my soul. Soltair reached out tentatively, touching my shoulder. Something broke at his touch, and I threw my arms around him, sobbing.

"I didn't mean to!" I cried, burying my face in his shoulder. "I didn't mean to."

He held me wordlessly, gently stroking my hair as the tears continued to fall. The faces of the priests after the Reflection were burned in my memory, flashing through my thoughts over and over. I could feel their condemnation, heavier than a mountain and hotter than any sun magic.

"Why did they have to attack me?" I whispered. "Why couldn't they just let us live in peace?"

Soltair opened his mouth, and closed it again. After a long pause, he finally said, "I don't know. But you can't blame yourself for their choices. You did what you could, and only acted to save your own life."

"But Davin lived! Why couldn't the rest?"

Soltair stiffened when I mentioned the librarian's name. I could feel him shivering with… anger?

"It was just the weakest who succumbed to the spell. Holy magic is only truly effective to demons, so most of their injuries were superficial. Fortunately, anyone of influence or background survived, so we don't have too much trouble."

"Why does that matter? People died!"

Solitaire flinched at my outburst. He sat beside me, placing his hand on mine. "It's not that simple. If it were someone important, the church would have no choice but to surrender your life-"

"Maybe that's for the better." I murmured, "It's what they want, isn't it?"

Soltair rocked me back and forth, but the thought wouldn't go away. I'd yearned an entire lifetime for that release, only to find myself rejected when I got the courage to follow through. The conviction to live life to the fullest had grown dim in my mind, and I found myself simply desiring peace, once more. No matter the cost.

"You're a hero," he said softly.

A hero. Not that that had ever made much of a difference.

Sensing my thoughts, Soltair cupped my chin and looked me deep in the eyes. "And my friend. I'll never let them have you."

The words sent a thrill through me. As simple as could be, but something I'd always longed to hear.

"I'll always stand with you," he said solemnly, "but I can't do anything if you give up on yourself. You have a place here, in this war. We just need to find it."

After a moment, I nodded. As long as he was here, I could manage. "But that won't change the outcome. Even if I'm a hero, and you speak up for me, the Pope can still take my life right?"

"Just trust me on this."

Small as it was, his smile dispelled all my doubt, and I nodded. "Okay. I will. But something one of the priests said is bothering me. What happened to the beast kingdom?"

"Oh, so that was it. I should have guessed. The Beast Kingdom was adjacent to the Kingdom of Radia, where we are now. It was a home to the Beastkin and Demonkin, a place where those with 'impure blood' could live without suspicion or prejudice. Unfortunately, with the demon invasion nearing, they were seen as a potential threat and ally of the demons. The church gave an ultimatum, forcing them to disband or face judgment."

I nodded, imagining the result of such a demand. There was no way a people so oppressed would abandon the one thing giving them peace and safety.

"Once they refused, the church announced a holy war, claiming to lay the foundation of our efforts against the demons. Many counties rallied behind them, sending endless waves of troops until the entire kingdom fell. Any who resisted were killed, the rest taken to slavery. It's hard to estimate the loss of life, but I've heard it's no lower than half a million."

"That's insane! how can one's heritage determine their actions? It's not like the beast kingdom were allies with the demons, right?"

Soltair hesitated and shook his head. "I don't know."

The answer was surprising, and I looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not exactly sure how closely linked the Demonkin are with the demons, but I've heard rumors and seen plenty of evidence that says many of them support the cause. Even before the holy war, bands of rouge Beastkin and Demonkin hindered the church's efforts all over the world."

"Oh. So why would the priests mention it?"

"Likely because you, or at least your body, came from that kingdom. In the spirit of the holy war, they felt a certain responsibility to crush any resistance from you. According to the investigation, many of them had close ties to people lost in the war. Did any of them mention if there was someone behind it?"

I tried to remember, but most of the details of their harassment were fuzzy. After a time, I shook my head. "I don't recall anything. They might have mentioned something about a prince, but it's hard to say for sure."

He nodded slowly and rubbed his chin. I could imagine the gears grinding away in his head, but he eventually shook his head dismissively. "Don't worry too much about it. We just need to be extra careful from now on."

As I nodded in agreement, the door burst open, and Trishe ran in. "Soltair! They've made a decision and-" She stopped short when she saw, eyes narrowing at our proximity. "Oh, you're awake."

I ignored the flash of jealousy in her eyes and snuggled closer to Soltair. He squirmed uncomfortably as the atmosphere turned cold, and hastily changed the subject.

"The Pope made a decision?"

Still glaring at me, Trishe grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "Yeah, he wants you there. Bring her, too."

"Let's go. It's about time we learn your fate," Soltair said, offering me a hand.

I brushed my last tears away and took his hand. It was strong and firm, something to be relied on. Taking a deep breath, I stood. "Let's go."